Season Ticket Holder Discussion Thread: Pt 2

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Simby

Registered User
Oct 11, 2016
178
31
Over the past few weeks, I've thought long and hard about whether or not I'll be renewing my seasons. Recently came to the conclusion that I won't be. As you said, there are quite literally no perks to being a season ticket holder (except for guaranteed access to your same seat for the playoffs, which is no small thing, but this year is irrelevant anyway). I can buy similar seats for virtually any game (except for Montreal, Toronto, Pittsburgh) for the same price or most of the time even cheaper than what I pay with my season ticket price. Why keep them? The resale market has dried up substantially, I don't want to go to more than 10-12 or so games live anyway, and have a hell of a time moving the tickets that I can't/don't want to use, and I get no incentives or anything out of being a season ticket holder. Simply put, I can't find a good enough reason(s) to hold on to them.

I doubt I'm alone. But I'm curious to see how many others decide not to renew and how that plays out with the Oilers ticket pricing and overall approach to ticket sales - seasons, minipacks, and single games. I never imagined giving them up after 10 years. But here I am.

I know it may seem dumb - and it may well actually be dumb - but I'm really considering getting a minipack/"power pack" next year instead (but not one that has a rip-off preseason game included in it). They're priced really high, but, I can move down to the lower bowl, and have just a small handful of games that I look forward to and know well in advance that I'm going to those games - making a special night out and 'event' out of it instead of "Well, still have the tickets for tonight, might as well go...") And the kicker with minipacks/"power packs" is you DO get access to 1 playoff game per round. Technically, it's a "draw" or "lottery" or whatever they call it, but last year everyone I knew that had them were drawn and ended up getting a pair to one game per round.

Agree with you 100%. Combination of more seats and higher cost has really hurt the resale market and cost offsetting. With the team doing poorly, buying single game tickets removes the risk/hassle of having to sell tickets. And if the price of resale playoff tickets was like round 2 where prices came down quite a bit and were less than double face value, season tickets guaranteed you a seat but you were not saving say 3 times face value.
 

boredem

Registered User
Jan 22, 2013
1,639
1,164
Over the past few weeks, I've thought long and hard about whether or not I'll be renewing my seasons. Recently came to the conclusion that I won't be. As you said, there are quite literally no perks to being a season ticket holder (except for guaranteed access to your same seat for the playoffs, which is no small thing, but this year is irrelevant anyway). I can buy similar seats for virtually any game (except for Montreal, Toronto, Pittsburgh) for the same price or most of the time even cheaper than what I pay with my season ticket price. Why keep them? The resale market has dried up substantially, I don't want to go to more than 10-12 or so games live anyway, and have a hell of a time moving the tickets that I can't/don't want to use, and I get no incentives or anything out of being a season ticket holder. Simply put, I can't find a good enough reason(s) to hold on to them.

I doubt I'm alone. But I'm curious to see how many others decide not to renew and how that plays out with the Oilers ticket pricing and overall approach to ticket sales - seasons, minipacks, and single games. I never imagined giving them up after 10 years. But here I am.

I know it may seem dumb - and it may well actually be dumb - but I'm really considering getting a minipack/"power pack" next year instead (but not one that has a rip-off preseason game included in it). They're priced really high, but, I can move down to the lower bowl, and have just a small handful of games that I look forward to and know well in advance that I'm going to those games - making a special night out and 'event' out of it instead of "Well, still have the tickets for tonight, might as well go...") And the kicker with minipacks/"power packs" is you DO get access to 1 playoff game per round. Technically, it's a "draw" or "lottery" or whatever they call it, but last year everyone I knew that had them were drawn and ended up getting a pair to one game per round.

I'm 50/50 on if I'm going to renew, I'll have to decide when the package comes out which will be soon. The question is would we be reconsidering the tickets if we were steamrolling into the playoffs as #1 contenders? But even in the playoffs my cost is astronomical, last year the final round of the playoffs for my lower bowl seats was around $400/seat which is crazy. The first round last year was profitable due to the drought but the 2nd round there was a drop off. How many years do I pay for tickets hoping to see a Stanley Cup?

Of course we sell a lot of games to offset our cost but my tickets are lower bowl and not a lot of people want to spend $300+ for a pair of tickets to a hockey game. I might give it one more year, sell as many games as I can and only go to 4-5, but the resale market is cheap because the demand is not very high (outside the obvious games).

Could also be because I'm getting older as well, I actually don't mind watching at home. Cheap beer, cheap food, no washroom lineups, no freezing cold walk/drive home, can tape it and start it an hour later to skip intermissions and commercial break, turn it off when it's terrible.... Definitely turning into an old man :laugh:

Edit: Before the inevitable trolls come in and post "wah wah wah give them up then and one of the 3,000 people in line will gladly pay the cost, you shouldn't make a profit off these games anyways" I legitimately can't sell a lot of games for my season ticket holder cost, nevermind face value. I'm not looking to make a profit I'm looking to not go to 41 games. The people who buy tickets directly off me (not through ticket exchange) actually have a better deal than I do except for I get first dibs on playoff seats and that's about it.
 
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IBleedOil247

Registered User
Aug 12, 2005
3,430
247
Edmonton
I'm 50/50 on if I'm going to renew, I'll have to decide when the package comes out which will be soon. The question is would we be reconsidering the tickets if we were steamrolling into the playoffs as #1 contenders? But even in the playoffs my cost is astronomical, last year the final round of the playoffs for my lower bowl seats was around $400/seat which is crazy. The first round last year was profitable due to the drought but the 2nd round there was a drop off. How many years do I pay for tickets hoping to see a Stanley Cup?

Of course we sell a lot of games to offset our cost but my tickets are lower bowl and not a lot of people want to spend $300+ for a pair of tickets to a hockey game. I might give it one more year, sell as many games as I can and only go to 4-5, but the resale market is cheap because the demand is not very high (outside the obvious games).

Could also be because I'm getting older as well, I actually don't mind watching at home. Cheap beer, cheap food, no washroom lineups, no freezing cold walk/drive home, can tape it and start it an hour later to skip intermissions and commercial break, turn it off when it's terrible.... Definitely turning into an old man :laugh:

Edit: Before the inevitable trolls come in and post "wah wah wah give them up then and one of the 3,000 people in line will gladly pay the cost, you shouldn't make a profit off these games anyways" I legitimately can't sell a lot of games for my season ticket holder cost, nevermind face value. I'm not looking to make a profit I'm looking to not go to 41 games. The people who buy tickets directly off me (not through ticket exchange) actually have a better deal than I do except for I get first dibs on playoff seats and that's about it.

I am in the exact same boat as you - I am torn as to what to do?
I really enjoy going to games (unless the completely shit the bed which we have seen far too much of this year) McD is worth the price of admission almost every night, but the price is steep. I try and sell my games for a profit but it isn't to "make money" its to offset some costs of the games I go to ( in the end it works out to about a $10/ticket savings on games I go to - whoop de do)

My biggest complaint is the in game entertainment - the OEG literally gives ZERO F's about there paying public. It blows my mind that they tour around every building every year and don't bring some of the ideas into our rink. Who cares about spotting people in the crowd and putting them up on the bigscreen? Its the biggest waste of TV timeout time I have ever seen. I have been to 6 other buildings in the league and Edmonton is the absolute worst for in game entertainment. Use the Billion Dollar Scoreboard for something other than watching unsuspecting people eating popcorn or checking Instagram/Snapchat - its downright embarrassing
 

RadDude

Registered User
Dec 14, 2007
16
11
I agree with many of the other season ticket holders here. I have had my season tickets for 13 years and this will be my last year. I was finally getting excited about the potential of seeing this team improve and no longer having 20 games of practice and meaningless games every year. The future does not look bright for this team, too many holes and to fill with no assets to do it, and very shallow prospect pool. To put 15K on the line in the hope that this year was just a fluke and everyone will turn it around for next year... when last year is looking more like the exception. I thought I had paid my time with the 10 years of darkness to have to go through this again.

For me, I don't sell many games in a year and give them away to family and friends when I can't make it, so it's not a financial thing. It is just no longer fun going to the games... too many nights you leave more frustrated with the team, and I'd rather have the option of just turning the channel when the game goes south. Knowing this organization they will be increasing the ticket price by 1-2% per ticket which shows their arrogance and their lack of empathy for the STH that have stuck around(also giving us 2 less games that will be played in Germany). They will then argue with each fan that if you pay it 100% up front you get to save the 2% so it really doesn't go up in price... even though I do that every year .(This actually happened to me one year when I was on the fence to renew)

The thing I will miss most will be meeting up with my father or friends for a game as it has become a tradition, but I think I will just host the games instead. I could easily host a game with free food and beer for 8-10 people for the same price as I pay just for 2 tickets per game... and at least have the option to find something else to do when the game becomes a write off.
 

Skolman

Registered User
Feb 16, 2018
9,336
7,769
Have any of you guys heard if/when they are going to be selling the seats that were inside rexall? Or other memorabilia from the arena?
 

hoove17

Registered User
Oct 29, 2015
110
44
As for myself, I'm thinking I will not be renewing this year. I try to go to 15-20ish games a year, a large portion of the rest of my seats go to friends/family at my cost, and some of the premium games I sell for some profit (this year it was not enough to offset the cost of games that I couldn't get rid of at even less than my cost). That aside the reason I won't be renewing is more out of principle. I can no longer justify blindly giving so much money to such a poorly run organization. The on-ice product is trash, like others have mentioned the perks offered to STHs are nearly non-existent, and they're not even willing to spend to the cap (I'm expecting my portion of that $8.5 million in a rebate any day now)
 

boredem

Registered User
Jan 22, 2013
1,639
1,164
STH rejoice! Renewal packages are on the way!

tenor.gif
 

madmutter

F**king Phenomenal
Jun 6, 2009
615
135
Yup I checked too, 3% increase. It's funny but I think that might be the final straw right there, it's a drop in the bucket of the total price but it's just a pure insult after the way this year has gone.
 
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Da McBomb

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Dec 9, 2004
7,977
10,989
Wonder if they're gonna increase food and beer prices too. Still can't believe one beer costs you 11 bucks.
 

boredem

Registered User
Jan 22, 2013
1,639
1,164
3% as well. $5639/seat to $5808/seat, what a slap in the face. I paid the 3% increase last year because I felt we were on the right track, but now that the team is back in panic mode they want the same increase? Brutal. I guess someone has to pay for Chias huge contracts.
 
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Killer Z

Registered User
Aug 24, 2005
798
131
Edmonton, AB
I am another STH debating whether to renew my season tickets this year. I have been a STH for 12 years, and love going to the games, but there really is no incentive for me to carry on as a STH when 80% of the games can be purchased on the ticket exchange or Kijiji for STH price (or often cheaper).

Why commit the funds for 41 games? It appears to make more sense to hand pick 10-20 games throughout the season as you deem fit.

From my discussions with many other STH, there will definitely be a heavy exodus of STHs this year. Will it be enough to make a difference in terms of future pricing, perks for STHs, etc. ......I highly doubt it.
 

HabOil

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
55
0
I will be looking for partners to split ST with this upcoming year or will be dumping them.

I can’t sell my tickets for 50% of my STH cost. Yes that will change if the club improves but image if McD gets injured or wasn’t here. Yikes.
 

snag

Registered User
Feb 22, 2014
8,587
9,297
Have any of you guys heard if/when they are going to be selling the seats that were inside rexall? Or other memorabilia from the arena?

I was told long ago I am not allowed to have seats that have had 1000's of dirty stinky asses sit (and sometimes fart) come into our house ;)
 

rboomercat90

Registered User
Mar 24, 2013
14,598
8,770
Edmonton
Is it not more than 3% considering we will have 2 less games this year with the European Extravaganza?
They didn’t give up a regular season home game. They’re only playing one in Sweden and the Devils are the home team. Katz didn’t want to give up that one game of Rogers revenue for whatever the haul may be in Sweden.
 

Gone

Fire KLowe
Aug 9, 2005
4,098
43
Earth
A 3% increase on this product, when inflation is probably in the 1% range is ridiculous, especially considering these are the 4th most expensive tickets in the league.

There are too many boat anchor contracts, Lucic, Russel and Sekra (if he can't get back to form) for this team to compete for a playoff spot, never mind a Stanley Cup. PC laid waste to this team and its future.
 
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Cam98

Registered User
Jun 24, 2009
2,596
242
Mine increased 2%, but i got center ice club seats, so the increase came to almost $500 from prior year.
 

Consultant

Registered User
Sep 12, 2010
727
237
Best way to create change is to not renew.
Our family (including some extended family) recently decided no more money towards the Oilers until Chiarelli is fired, simple as that. We were all complaining about him at a recent bday get together and just decided that was the best way forward. Not one penny towards tickets, merch etc. Will still keep TV exposure as that is not direct...and well, I still need to watch from a distance, an addiction is an addiction. But we needed to draw the line somewhere, just complaining does nothing. Money saved from my immediate family goes into a vacation fund. It also helps my mental well being, seeing what Chiarelli has done to this team literally turns my stomach so a little less exposure to his tire fire is a required health adjustment.
Now to hear they are raising prices, its shocking.
 
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