Improvements to North Station and TD Garden taking shape

[Kate08]

I admittedly hate change. But I really hate those seats.

 

[Seidenbergy]

They're slightly narrower, so they can cram about 400 more seats into the arena. With an average ticket price of $152 last year, 400 seats a game for 43 games (41 RS + 2 preseason) = an extra $2.6 million in seat revenue. That's all you need to understand.

Don't forget that it means 400 more seats for every Celtics game, every concert, every college hockey or basketball tournament game or event, etc.

Not to mention the extra concessions and merch one can sell to those extra 400 persons per game.

Probably closer to an extra $10 mil a year in "seat" revenue as a result of the additional seats.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

I'm all fine with trying to get more seats in the house. I'm just not fine with the fact that the prices for anything won't change.

I get it's a business, but Jacobs bends fans over the barrel with his ticket and concession prices to begin with. Adding more seats and keeping the prices the same is just maddening when he makes the kind of money he does.

But we all will still go so I'll just leave it at that.

 

[member 96824]

Smaller seats, all the more reason to stand!

 

[Fenway]

I admittedly hate change. But I really hate those seats.

@Kate08

They are banking on the next generation of fans to be less obese, and 25 years from now when they do it again who knows

The Garden is going to exist until 2070 and then

 

[Seidenbergy]

@Kate08

They are banking on the next generation of fans to be less obese, and 25 years from now when they do it again who knows

The Garden is going to exist until 2070 and then

Doesn't make it any easier to squeeze in there when 90% of the events are during cold weather season and the people around you are often wearing large puffer coats and parkas. You could be anorexic and it doesn't matter when you are wearing one of those things.

 

[JCRO]

The ice surface/equipment for making and maintaining the ice should be top priority if it hasn't already been addressed.

 

[Kate08]

@Kate08

They are banking on the next generation of fans to be less obese, and 25 years from now when they do it again who knows

The Garden is going to exist until 2070 and then

Hey, who you calling obese?

I haven't sat in them yet. Our row didn't get changed out as it was being ripped out for ADA seating, so I have no idea how they feel. I simply think it looks awful at this point. I'm sure I'll hate them once I sit in them too.

 

[talkinaway]

Putting on my tin foil hat for a minute...along with the seat renovations, I think they're eventually expanding the balcony concourse on the 301 side, correct? So, let's do the math. Seats are getting more cramped. Concourse is getting bigger. So, what are people going to do during a 17 minute intermission when they feel all claustrophobic in their cramped seats?

I don't see them lowering the prices simply because more people are coming in. They've managed to (allegedly) sell 17,565 seats per game for, what, almost 10 years now? Say what you will, but there's a supply shortage. When you sell an arena out regularly, there's a good chance that you can raise the price by some amount without emptying out seats. Equivalently, you can add more seats and still charge the old price.

 

[Fenway]

Putting on my tin foil hat for a minute...along with the seat renovations, I think they're eventually expanding the balcony concourse on the 301 side, correct? So, let's do the math. Seats are getting more cramped. Concourse is getting bigger. So, what are people going to do during a 17 minute intermission when they feel all claustrophobic in their cramped seats?

I don't see them lowering the prices simply because more people are coming in. They've managed to (allegedly) sell 17,565 seats per game for, what, almost 10 years now? Say what you will, but there's a supply shortage. When you sell an arena out regularly, there's a good chance that you can raise the price by some amount without emptying out seats. Equivalently, you can add more seats and still charge the old price.

 

[Kate08]

we’ve always had extra room between our seats. I don’t know why, but there was a 3ish inch gap between seat 1 and seat 2 in our row. That’s going to make the transition even harder for us.

We went into this season saying we’d renew and see how the “new view” is (moving back 3 rows). If the seats are that uncomfortable, it will probably factor into our decision on wherever we renew or not. I don’t see the point of paying that much money to be u comfortable 20-40 nights a year.

 

[Spooner st]

I'm all fine with trying to get more seats in the house. I'm just not fine with the fact that the prices for anything won't change.

I get it's a business, but Jacobs bends fans over the barrel with his ticket and concession prices to begin with. Adding more seats and keeping the prices the same is just maddening when he makes the kind of money he does.

But we all will still go so I'll just leave it at that.

Yes, and let's not talk about the ridiculous players salaries. Because you know... what's the point.

 

[Over the volcano]

I'm all fine with trying to get more seats in the house. I'm just not fine with the fact that the prices for anything won't change.

I get it's a business, but Jacobs bends fans over the barrel with his ticket and concession prices to begin with. Adding more seats and keeping the prices the same is just maddening when he makes the kind of money he does.

But we all will still go so I'll just leave it at that.

The resellers/scalpers/speculators are just as much to blame.

 

[Fenway]

we’ve always had extra room between our seats. I don’t know why, but there was a 3ish inch gap between seat 1 and seat 2 in our row. That’s going to make the transition even harder for us.

We went into this season saying we’d renew and see how the “new view” is (moving back 3 rows). If the seats are that uncomfortable, it will probably factor into our decision on wherever we renew or not. I don’t see the point of paying that much money to be u comfortable 20-40 nights a year.

We are not thrilled that the TV camera platforms are being moved up to the front of Level 7 - we shall see as well

 

[OldScool]

Imagine this:

Bruins ownership will be installing wider and more comfortable seats for its fans. All seats will have new cushions and cupholders at every seat so fans can spread out a bit more and enjoy the game experience. Also, concessions prices will be dropped substantially so families can afford to attend the games. Instead of $6.00 for a soda that costs us .25 we will be selling them for $2 so we sell a lot more of them and still make a tidy profit and we still stop gouging our loyal customers. Thank you Bruins fans for being so loyal and selling out the stadium for the last 400 or so games.

 

[Fenway]

Imagine this:

Bruins ownership will be installing wider and more comfortable seats for its fans. All seats will have new cushions and cupholders at every seat so fans can spread out a bit more and enjoy the game experience. Also, concessions prices will be dropped substantially so families can afford to attend the games. Instead of $6.00 for a soda that costs us .25 we will be selling them for $2 so we sell a lot more of them and still make a tidy profit and we still stop gouging our loyal customers. Thank you Bruins fans for being so loyal and selling out the stadium for the last 400 or so games.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

The resellers/scalpers/speculators are just as much to blame.

It depends on when you go the Bruins/Blackhawks tickets where going for 25$ in the Snowstorm last season.

 

[Over the volcano]

It depends on when you go the Bruins/Blackhawks tickets where going for 25$ in the Snowstorm last season.

That’s the kind of exception that proves the rule.

 

[talkinaway]

That’s the kind of exception that proves the rule.

TBH, I'm not sure I could have sold the entire set of 44 games for all that much over face value, on average. That's what you have to measure - not individual games. Granted, there are always wild cards - for example, say Ovi gets injured a week before he comes here, or the ever popular snowstorms. Or on the other hand, unexpected bonuses, like a game where the Patriots celebrate the Super Bowl, or a milestone game.

That said, when you add in STH bonuses, and the savings of even one round of the playoffs (much less four rounds including a game 7 SCF), there is room for scalpers (and regular STHs who want to sell a handful of games instead of split them in their group) to make a tiny bit of money. Obviously, the Bruins are trying to stop that - not for altruistic reasons, but because they want the money for themselves.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

TBH, I'm not sure I could have sold the entire set of 44 games for all that much over face value, on average. That's what you have to measure - not individual games. Granted, there are always wild cards - for example, say Ovi gets injured a week before he comes here, or the ever popular snowstorms. Or on the other hand, unexpected bonuses, like a game where the Patriots celebrate the Super Bowl, or a milestone game.

That said, when you add in STH bonuses, and the savings of even one round of the playoffs (much less four rounds including a game 7 SCF), there is room for scalpers (and regular STHs who want to sell a handful of games instead of split them in their group) to make a tiny bit of money. Obviously, the Bruins are trying to stop that - not for altruistic reasons, but because they want the money for themselves.

bingo.

plus if its all under their umbrella they can print money by slapping $20-$30 fees on each ticket transfer.

 

[Dr Hook]

but because they want the money for themselves.

And none of it has even the poor but at least rational excuse of paying soaring player salaries.

 

[Fenway]

Bold Types: Amy Latimer - The Boston Globe

Amy Latimer is the president of TD Garden, overseeing the programming at the arena and its recent $100 million, 50,000-square-foot expansion. In a the latest edition of the Globe’s Bold Types video series, Latimer discusses how the new Hub on Causeway mixed-use development will transform both the fan experience and the neighborhood’s streetscape.

“It is going to change the neighborhood, and I think it helps fill some of the needs of the neighborhood — the grocery store, a movie theatre, and we’re always short on hotels,” Latimer said. “It just changes this entire space that’s been a parking lot.”

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

How else are teams going to pay $7million+ for players?

 

[Fenian24]

How else are teams going to pay $7million+ for players?

What does Columbus charge for tickets? How about the non traditional hockey markets? Detroit? These teams all pay players big salaries but don't gouge like JJ has his whole time as owner in Boston. Jacobs has been, and always will be, a throw back to the old school owners, the Norris', Ballard, Arthur and Bill Wirtz.
Don't think if the new cap was set at 20 million with a max contract of 2 million that prices would drop, JJ would find some excuse to extort every penny he can from his fan base.

 

[Fenway]

16 years ago

southcoasttoday.com

WILMINGTON -- Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs said yesterday that his team's ticket prices are too high and he hopes the next collective bargaining agreement with players will keep them from rising again.

The current labor contract expires next September. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has indicated that owners need a way to contain salaries that now cost them 75 percent of their revenue.

The Bruins increased ticket prices for the coming season by an average of 2 percent to — percent. Their $99 top price is one of the lowest in the league Bruins spokeswoman Heidi Holland said.

"Ticket prices are too darn high. Our prices are high. We've been chasing away the fans with it over the last couple of years" Jacobs said. "For every dollar that we've increased ticket prices we've spent more than two on a player.

"So we recognize we've got a problem. I hope that the commissioner in the next CBA is able to reach an agreement that allows us to stabilize the ticket prices and perhaps even lower them because I think we are chasing away a lot of our ticket base."

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