Improvements to North Station and TD Garden taking shape

[Absurdity]

If it's bad now, wait until Winter comes and everyone is wearing their Winter coats.

 

[wintersej]

If it's bad now, wait until Winter comes and everyone is wearing their Winter coats.

oh god I didn’t even think of that.

 

[BMC]

The new seats issue made it on today's WBZ TV newscast. Garden response basically says new seats get used to them.

If that's how bad they are I doubt I will go again, between ticket prices and smaller seats it isn't worth it to me.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

And yet the joint will get sold out.

Not by me though.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Should have just replaced the seats instead of trying to jam more in when it wasn't going to work.

15th row is still the way to go.

 

[Fenway]

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

LOL it takes time to get used to such “major changes”.

An epic (and obviously expected) sidestep.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Translation....”Suck on it!”

 

[Johnnyduke]

Doesn't really impact me as I only go to one game a year and last couple years I don't think I've gone to any. But now the decision to not go is even easier than before. So I'd actually like to thank the Jacobs family for saving me that money!

 

[sooshii]

Well I’ll only get to 1-2 games at the Garden this year when I’m in town for work, so I just bought a club box seat hoping it’s a little more spacious.

 

[Kate08]

TD Garden Releases Statement Regarding Fan Complaints About Seating

 

[Fenway]

TD Garden Releases Statement Regarding Fan Complaints About Seating

#GetUsedToIt

 

[Kate08]

#GetUsedToIt

Whoops, that's not the one I meant to post.

I read something that said they were re-engaging their seating consultants but I can't find it now, of course.

 

[Fenway]

Whoops, that's not the one I meant to post.

I read something that said they were re-engaging their seating consultants but I can't find it now, of course.

TD Garden Is Rethinking Its Cramped New Seats after All the Complaints

So why exactly are fans feeling the squeeze?

While the new layout does include about 500 new seats, that doesn’t appear to be the reason people are feeling squeezed. Nearly all the additional capacity comes from new seating in the arena’s eighth and ninth floors, the Garden says, adding that only 20 seats were added to its loge and balcony areas.

Instead, the problem appears to be the seats themselves. “The newly designed seats feature cushioning on bottom and back of ALL seats (previous seats did not all have padding), new armrest design, and increased seat back height and the overall ergonomics may contribute to a smaller seat feel for guests,” the spokesperson says in an email, adding, “We remain open for feedback and will continue to work with fans as we transition through all the changes.”

 

[Kate08]

Yup, that's it. Thanks @Fenway

 

[talkinaway]

I had a feeling it was going to come down to some bullshit about "seat feel", even way back when they first announced the new seats. It is not "seat feel". And they're saying they increased capacity by 20 seats in the Loge/Balcony areas...BUT, that's taking into account all the seats they had to remove in order to create the new entrance for the visitors, and all the seats they had to remove to make whatever-the-hell is going on at the top of 301. My balcony section has at LEAST 6 rows that got an extra seat, so there's definitely some creative accounting going on.

I thought about taking a paper tape measure in to one of the last games of the regular season, just out of curiosity, but I thought I'd look ridiculous measuring the seat, so I didn't. I tried to use my iPhone's "measuring" feature, but that was a fail, too.

The fans have spoken, and they want the old configuration back. Doubt we'll get it.

And Jeremy Jacobs can eat shit. This quote is infuriating:

"I'm sure there's a lot more [complaints] coming once the season ticket holders – those that may have skipped our preseason games – show up."

I was unaware that there was an option for STHs to skip paying for the preseason games. I would gladly have done that. Or maybe he just thinks we have an extra $200 per seat to burn.

So far I've not complained directly to the Bruins, but not because I haven't gone to the game. I paid for the tickets; I'm going to go. I haven't complained because I haven't had a 150 minute game where I've had to sit between two people. Once that hits, I will unleash.

 

[Newbie10]

Any chance this could become a lawsuit?

 

[member 96824]

Any chance this could become a lawsuit?

Anything can become a lawsuit.

Chances a lawsuit for smaller seats would actually be successful are slim to none.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Any chance this could become a lawsuit?

Lawsuit for something you have a choice to not purchase?

No.

 

[Seidenbergy]

Lawsuit for something you have a choice to not purchase?

No.

Ummmmm, what? You might want to google "product liability lawsuits". Most lawsuits involve products that you had a choice not to purchase.


(to be clear - there's pretty much zero chance a judge would even hear this case....just rebutting the statement that you can't sue for something you have a choice not to purchase.)

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Ummmmm, what? You might want to google "product liability lawsuits". Most lawsuits involve products that you had a choice not to purchase.


(to be clear - there's pretty much zero chance a judge would even hear this case....just rebutting the statement that you can't sue for something you have a choice not to purchase.)

I think you know what I meant.

 

[the negotiator]

Lawsuit- frivolous

Asking for a refund given a significant difference between product promised and product delivered...possible though not likely

And of course if you opt out at season's end the Bruins merely sell the seats to the fan next in line at a higher price so you are truly cutting off your nose to spit your face

If fans want to get the attention of Bruins management they need to pick a game and not buy anything ....a game without concession or merchandise sales is the language the Jacobs speak....chances of that happening - marginally above zero

 

[smithformeragent]

TD Garden statement says they'll re-assess seats after negative feedback

 

[bossfan]

TD Garden statement says they'll re-assess seats after negative feedback

Seats are in along with the cost to purchase and install them. Are they really going to absorb the loss?

And seats have already been sold under the new configuration so how do they address that? Never mind the Garden is booked solid with Bruins, Celtics, and concerts/shows so when will they have the time to do any needed reconfiguration?

If they are going to address this you have to think it won't be during the season.

 

[talkinaway]

Frankly, no way is a lawsuit a reasonable option. Somewhere in the fine print, the Bruins explicitly state that while they generally offer the same seats to STHs year after year, they have the right to offer a relocated seat, or not offer a seat at all - for absolutely no reason. Now, doing stuff like that would generally result in PR - imagine the story with a lede, "Boston Bruins are terminating 1,o00 STH who were willing to pay, and convert those seats to single game tickets." While STHs might like to think of them as "my seats", they're not.

I would have to look up to verify the exact chronology, but I'm pretty sure they created the "new map" before they even asked for STH renewals. When I clicked "renew", I knew where my new seat was, and that the row had an extra seat in it. I didn't ask about the new-vs-old seat specifications before I renewed, but I'm sure the answer would have been "We don't know at this point."

Is it a shitty thing for them to do? Absolutely. Illegal? Not so much.

Non-renewals may take their toll. Just because you're on the list doesn't mean you have to take a seat - even if you have plunked down $100 per seat for the waitlist, you can just wait it out, or use it for a (full-priced, way over-priced) ticket. If the team's performance goes down, STHs will leave. Tickets will pop up on the secondary market, decreasing prices. Remaining STHs may see the lower secondary market prices and think that they can do better buying individual games than a STH package, and they'll leave. This will cause a positive feedback loop with no inhibitive forces, accelerating the exodus.

Theoretically, of course. In practice, big businesses may be able to help mitigate a STH exodus.

I'm just glad they're finally getting the negative PR they deserve for these so-called "improvements". Outside of Causeway looks great. Inside sucks, and it sucks bad enough that I'd trade all the outside improvements to get the inside back the way it was before.