New Paperless ticket policy

[Iron Balls McGinty]

How many people care about the new policy? It seems to be league wide since I've seen some other teams reference it. I personally don't care since I've used the mobile tickets for the last 2 years.

I read the Dispatch article of people's complaints about it. Most of the complaints seem to be around PSL holders who still get the antiquated season ticket book that they are used to. Sure it is different but I don't believe it is such a big hassle that others are trying to make it out to be. I can sympathize for the older people who have yet to upgrade to a smart phone but sometimes you just need to move forward with progress. I saw a survey from 2 years ago that said smartphone ownership for those between 50 and 64 was at 74% but sharply increasing. The vast majority of people all seem to have smartphones of some sort at this point.

They could have provided more details and communication about this in the off season but I don't see it as a big issue.

Thoughts?

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[Double-Shift Lasse]

I've read the emails and have used paperless tickets before for a variety of events and activities. But my partial plan came with the same cards I've had the past couple years, and they have a bar code. So I shouldn't need to put my tick on my phone (unless I choose to), right?

Electric Eye edit:
As I'm typing this, I get a notification from the NHL app about mobile ticketing...

Something about I can't use the card once I've viewed the tickets on my device. So then wouldn't I just not view them on my device?

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

I've read the emails and have used paperless tickets before for a variety of events and activities. But my partial plan came with the same cards I've had the past couple years, and they have a bar code. So I shouldn't need to put my tick on my phone (unless I choose to), right?

Electric Eye edit:
As I'm typing this, I get a notification from the NHL app about mobile ticketing...

Something about I can't use the card once I've viewed the tickets on my device. So then wouldn't I just not view them on my device?

I'm a quarter season holder and I don't believe I've ever received a card for the last 2 years so I don't know. I do think that has always been true that if you added and viewed a bar code on your phone that it did negate its use on the card.

 

[MoeBartoli]

What’s the big deal? They have people just crawling over each other to buy tickets so if they chase away some folks, what’s it matter? They’re old anyway. The consecutive sell-out streak will be uninterrupted.

 

[Viqsi]

How many people care about the new policy? It seems to be league wide since I've seen some other teams reference it. I personally don't care since I've used the mobile tickets for the last 2 years.

I read the Dispatch article of people's complaints about it. Most of the complaints seem to be around PSL holders who still get the antiquated season ticket book that they are used to. Sure it is different but I don't believe it is such a big hassle that others are trying to make it out to be. I can sympathize for the older people who have yet to upgrade to a smart phone but sometimes you just need to move forward with progress. I saw a survey from 2 years ago that said smartphone ownership for those between 50 and 64 was at 74% but sharply increasing. The vast majority of people all seem to have smartphones of some sort at this point.

They could have provided more details and communication about this in the off season but I don't see it as a big issue.

Thoughts?

I've never actually owned season tickets (I just don't have that kind of money ), but my presumption is that the concern is less about mementoes and/or not having smartphones and more about ticket resale. If your ticket is a traditional preprinted piece of paper, whoever gets that piece of paper is entirely up to you under any conditions you deem appropriate. If it's an electronically tracked thing, then the Jackets and/or other interested orgs can apply additional conditions to the transfer which may not make it as feasible to sell your ticket for those games you don't care about.

That is, of course, assuming that the distribution mechanism is "your smartphone app checks your account and then displays the scannable code" rather than "you're sent a file with the scannable code that can be displayed on your smartphone at any time". Given the whole "can't use the card once you've viewed tickets on the device" thing DSL pointed out, tho, I strongly suspect that the former is what's being done.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I (think I) got the tix into my Apple Wallet. I considered sending one to my buddy going to the game with me but I thought I'd wait until we were together first.

I'm no techie but I wouldn't consider myself a luddite or a novice, either. We'll see if I can make this work and if can make sense of the paperless vs card thing.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

You'd think that a $125 million+ expenses organization could spare the small additional cost of providing hard tickets to a few season ticket holders who aren't hip to the gadget world. Really silly policy.

 

[Viqsi]

You'd think that a $125 million+ expenses organization could spare the small additional cost of providing hard tickets to a few season ticket holders who aren't hip to the gadget world. Really silly policy.

Printing such things isn't a low-cost endeavor unless you're doing it in bulk. At some point, as more and more folks move away from that approach (and thus the number of printed items goes down) it becomes more costly than it's worth - and I would venture to guess that since they've made the switch it is either close to or has already reached that point.

 

[Bobcat110]

"And here's your $11 convenience charge!!!!.....it's convenient for us anyway!!!"

I personally think it's bush league, but doesn't impact me enough to really care to fight it. It's a control issue on CBJ side because there's no other reason to do this. They get to control who you sell your tickets to. You can't tell me they have some big counterfeit ticket problem for CBJ games that justifies this. It's not their ink or paper if someone just wants to print them out instead of needing to fuss with a phone.

 

[thebus88]

"And here's your $11 convenience charge!!!!.....it's convenient for us anyway!!!"

I personally think it's bush league, but doesn't impact me enough to really care to fight it. It's a control issue on CBJ side because there's no other reason to do this. They get to control who you sell your tickets to. You can't tell me they have some big counterfeit ticket problem for CBJ games that justifies this. It's not their ink or paper if someone just wants to print them out instead of needing to fuss with a phone.

To reiterate, THIS is much deeper than the CBJ and hockey tickets.

 

[Viqsi]

To reiterate, THIS is much deeper than the CBJ and hockey tickets.

I can understand folks not liking being watched, but society is one of those things that comes with compromises. I still hate it every time I'm obliged to make a phone call, for example.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

I (think I) got the tix into my Apple Wallet. I considered sending one to my buddy going to the game with me but I thought I'd wait until we were together first.

I'm no techie but I wouldn't consider myself a luddite or a novice, either. We'll see if I can make this work and if can make sense of the paperless vs card thing.

I've always used my apple wallet so Ive never had a concern putting them on there. You can basically display the QR code from your blue jackets account website or put it into the apple wallet or whatever the Android version is called. I go with my girlfriend to all the games since we split the plan and I usually keep both tickets on my phone and we go in together.

 

[JacketFanInFL]

It’s another money grab by TicketMaster, fwiw. This almost forces resale through them. It’s a cross between a monopoly and the mafia. Your convenience fee is your protection money you owe to the grease man for your own personal safety.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

It’s another money grab by TicketMaster, fwiw. This almost forces resale through them. It’s a cross between a monopoly and the mafia. Your convenience fee is your protection money you owe to the grease man for your own personal safety.

You can still sell through stubhub and other online resellers. They are capable of doing electronic tickets. The people it really hurts are the guys who stand outside the arena hawking tickets.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I've always used my apple wallet so Ive never had a concern putting them on there. You can basically display the QR code from your blue jackets account website or put it into the apple wallet or whatever the Android version is called. I go with my girlfriend to all the games since we split the plan and I usually keep both tickets on my phone and we go in together.

Yeah I kept both tickets in my Apple wallet and it worked just.

 

[MAHJ71]

It was only a matter of time before they moved to this.

Don't care for it but I do like it better than Flash Seats.

 

[MoeBartoli]

It’s another money grab by TicketMaster, fwiw. This almost forces resale through them. It’s a cross between a monopoly and the mafia. Your convenience fee is your protection money you owe to the grease man for your own personal safety.

I'm with you on both counts. The government should never have permitted their acquisition of Ticketron many years ago. Hopefully you read a recent investigative report and how they support ticket scalpers despite the company's statements against such a practice an alleged steps to prevent scalping.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

I'm with you on both counts. The government should never have permitted their acquisition of Ticketron many years ago. Hopefully you read a recent investigative report and how they support ticket scalpers despite the company's statements against such a practice an alleged steps to prevent scalping.

It's such a low hanging fruit monopoly case that it blows the mind that no one in USDOJ hasn't gone after this.

Would seem to be a perfect training case for a up-and-coming fed prosecutor for a more important future target.

Oops. Silly me. Forgot that the US Govt doesn't do anti trust anymore.

https://nypost.com/2018/09/20/shocking-report-accuses-ticketmaster-of-colluding-with-scalpers/

In a video demonstration at a conference in March from which media was barred (but was attended by the undercover reporters), a Ticketmaster employee said 100 scalpers in North America are using TradeDesk to sell between a few thousand and several million tickets per year. “I think our biggest broker right now has probably grabbed around 5 million,” he said.
The report also accuses the ticketing giant of timing the release of tickets to make it appear that demand is higher than it actually is in an effort to drive fans to the higher-priced options — and then releasing less-expensive tickets later

 

[gocbj]

It is a pain in the neck with club seats. Walk down to get bacon and a Coors Light...and when you head back up there's the ticket police making you dig your phone out of your pocket with your 3rd hand, type your password with your nose, and prove you have a club "ticket"

 

[rjgrp]

It isn't about age - even though that's what the article implies.

This program (Ticketmaster) seeks to redefine the fundamental concept of ticket ownership. When someone buys a ticket they purchase entrance into an event and what they do with it should not be the business of Ticketmaster or the organization.

This program also seeks to control the secondary ticket market. More so - and make no doubt about this - it is about data mining. Ticketmaster (and the CBJ) want to know exactly who is sitting in those seats for target marketing purposes.

It’s invasive - and is part of Live Nation's (parent company of Ticketmaster) mission to control every aspect of the entertainment market. They cross the line in numerous areas but where it should become unacceptable to everyone is there is no provision to opt out. That does not exist in any other area of electronic business… not even with the airlines or Amazon.

That said, it just isn’t good business. Not only have they created an unnecessary barrier to entry, they have said they don’t care about and are willing to lose a percentage of people that don’t have the ability to comply... regardless of age. Ohio State, the Yankees, the Red Sox … even Michigan can’t afford to do that. What makes the CBJ think they can?

Finally - it seriously discourages business entertainment.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

It isn't about age - even though that's what the article implies.

This program (Ticketmaster) seeks to redefine the fundamental concept of ticket ownership. When someone buys a ticket they purchase entrance into an event and what they do with it should not be the business of Ticketmaster or the organization.

This program also seeks to control the secondary ticket market. More so - and make no doubt about this - it is about data mining. Ticketmaster (and the CBJ) want to know exactly who is sitting in those seats for target marketing purposes.

It’s invasive - and is part of Live Nation's (parent company of Ticketmaster) mission to control every aspect of the entertainment market. They cross the line in numerous areas but where it should become unacceptable to everyone is there is no provision to opt out. That does not exist in any other area of electronic business… not even with the airlines or Amazon.

That said, it just isn’t good business. Not only have they created an unnecessary barrier to entry, they have said they don’t care about and are willing to lose a percentage of people that don’t have the ability to comply... regardless of age. Ohio State, the Yankees, the Red Sox … even Michigan can’t afford to do that. What makes the CBJ think they can?

Finally - it seriously discourages business entertainment.

Very interesting post.

Maybe if the US government decides that internet personal information is just that (like the Europeans do), then the data mining excesses will just go away.

I think that these 'ticketless' schemes are, as you said, a very thinly veiled attempt to control the secondary market. The whole idea of who really owns the purchased ticket comes into question due to limitations placed upon resale.

I use tickpick.com now. Lower prices and have had a positive resolution of the one problem that I did have with them.

 

[thebus88]

UHHHH MOODDDSSS


Shut it down.

 

[rjgrp]

UHHHH MOODDDSSS


Shut it down.

why shut it down?

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Printing such things isn't a low-cost endeavor unless you're doing it in bulk. At some point, as more and more folks move away from that approach (and thus the number of printed items goes down) it becomes more costly than it's worth - and I would venture to guess that since they've made the switch it is either close to or has already reached that point.

I get a book of glossy season tickets for an ECHL team. My season ticket costs $442 per seat(including the first 2 playoff games). There are probably no more than 600 full season ticket holders who get "books". The Cyclones are not known for frivolity in expenditures. I'll guess that it costs less than 10 bucks per book-or it's done on a trade out basis. An ECHL team with revenues of roughly $3 million per year can foot the bill on glossy season tickets books but the NHL CBJ can't

[mod]

 

[Viqsi]

I get a book of glossy season tickets for an ECHL team. My season ticket costs $442 per seat(including the first 2 playoff games). There are probably no more than 600 full season ticket holders who get "books". The Cyclones are not known for frivolity in expenditures. I'll guess that it costs less than 10 bucks per book-or it's done on a trade out basis. An ECHL team with revenues of roughly $3 million per year can foot the bill on glossy season tickets books but the NHL CBJ can't

1) Your ECHL team doesn't have the same rate of conversion from ticket books to online tickets an NHL team does, so the per-unit costs are likely to be lower.
2) There's other costs than just the cost of fancy paper and ink. Design and delivery both come to mind, and there's likely personnel costs associated with those as well.
3) Your logical fallacy is strawman - I never said "can't", I was suggesting that they've decided it's more trouble and cost than it's worth. That's an entirely different evaluation. If the end result of saving that time money is pissing off a tiny handful of fans, it may be deemed worth it. I'm not putting a value judgment on it at all because I don't care.