what's up with the non-capacity crowd announced as a sellout?

[MartyOwns]

interesting. i may run this past scott o'neel for his take...i'll let you know what i find

 

[Devils Dominion]

Possible they now announce actual attendance-who enters the building not tickets sold?

Either way, what does it matter?
Both home games so far had large crowds, not far from capacity and the team made good money for both, especially the Rags game with that price level.

If Devils fans want to see higher announced attendance all they have to do is make sure they buy tickets to more games instead of staying home and complaining about it.

Or, write letters to Harris/Blitzer/O'Neil/Kussin and tell them why you think ticket prices are too high.

 

[Wingman77]

Quality > Quantity

 

[njdevil26]

I mean you cant go to your seat in most cases without a ticket. The ushers normally ask for it

After the first intermission no one asks. We have season tickets in the 100s this year... but last year we started every game with our real seats in the 100s or 200s then ended up in sections 16 and 17 every game for the 2nd and 3rd period.

 

[njdevil26]

Club seats are poorly designed for TV. Most people stand inside the bar area and not in their seats.

This is such a cop out it's not even funny and I've been guilty of it too. There are not 1,100 people watching the whole game from the lounges. At least 60% of the games the last two years had last minute deals to get club seats for $60 or $70 each a day or two before. They simply do not sell. Compare it with a Leafs game. The club area is almost completely empty when each period starts because everyone is getting their grub on. Halfway through the period every seat is filled.

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

I think it's maybe 200 people per side watching. There are just a ton of people you can visibly see watching. And then There's the bar too. So maybe another 100 at a minimum.

Our clubs are poorly designed. The amenities are too good to pass up, especially if you forked over 200 bucks a seat for a premier game.

So people will eat, drink, and watch from the ledge.

They need to start a "we will bring your food to you" service. Brooklyn Nets have an app where you can order your food. Would be an added club perk too.

 

[njdevil26]

I think it's maybe 200 people per side watching. There are just a ton of people you can visibly see watching. And then There's the bar too. So maybe another 100 at a minimum.

Our clubs are poorly designed. The amenities are too good to pass up, especially if you forked over 200 bucks a seat for a premier game.

So people will eat, drink, and watch from the ledge.

They need to start a "we will bring your food to you" service. Brooklyn Nets have an app where you can order your food. Would be an added club perk too.

200? The cheapest box office price is 275 for the classic games and goes up to 410. That's just too much. Let's put it this way... the section 6 seats that are right next to the clubs (sec 7) are 100-159. So you're telling me that you're going to eat $250 worth of soda and food per game?

I'm sure there are some people that don't go to their seats at all... but to make the statement true that people watch from the lounge which causes the sections to look empty, there have to be at least 1,000 people that don't touch their seat the whole game. If everyone sat in their seat, it would still be AT MOST 3/4 full. Those seats plus the goal bar (in which your only amenity is access to an expensive bar) are grossly overpriced.

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

200? The cheapest box office price is 275 for the classic games and goes up to 410. That's just too much. Let's put it this way... the section 6 seats that are right next to the clubs (sec 7) are 100-159. So you're telling me that you're going to eat $250 worth of soda and food per game?

Was quoting secondary market. You're absolutely right that it's overpriced. No doubt.

I wonder if the broker problem is heavily in the blacks too.

 

[njdevil26]

Was quoting secondary market. You're absolutely right that it's overpriced. No doubt.

I wonder if the broker problem is heavily in the blacks too.

You're right about the secondary market. On Ticketsnow.com you can get club seats for $120 for the game 11/2 vs Philly. The Devils have that game priced at $221 STH and $260 box office. Why would anyone give the team that kind of money? The secondary market has been showing the team what those tickets are worth year after year. They should be $125 per ticket for STH and $175 at the most for box office.

 

[Devils Dominion]

The new regime should take a step back and re-think the whole pay a large fee for and "all you can eat" concept of the club seats.

Perceptually it's a problem with empty seats seen on tv.

Are 3 sections on both sides a few too many?

How do you get more people to sit in the seats during game action rather than stand by the ledges or at the bar/tables?
Or would they rather people sit at the bar during the games and rack up charges on their credit cards?

The seats are marketed towards corporations in an economy where many businesses are slashing their expenses and the first to go are the "slush" funds.

Does it really pay off financially?

The new regime are smart guys, billionaires who are proven winners in their trade.
I am sure they are reviewing all ticket pricing within the building but espcially the ones with best potential to make lucrative profits, the premium seats (clubs, suites, Acela Ledge and Goal Bar.

They may find out that what's best for them finacially may not allign with what us fans want for our ideal game day atmosphere.
A packed sea of red game in and game out.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

they should put the meal included club seating on the same side as the cameras and have a lesser charged "hockey only" or VIP seatside service opposite the cameras so people will be in the seats and on camera help dispel the appearance nobody is there.

 

[njdevil26]

With the way the thing is designed... how you pretty much have to walk through the lounge to get to the seats I don't think there's a way they can change the whole policy.

 

[theking72]

People wearing Rangers jerseys were not counted in attendance because they are sub-human.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

With the way the thing is designed... how you pretty much have to walk through the lounge to get to the seats I don't think there's a way they can change the whole policy.

buffets for the club seats are served in the lounges right? Fire on one side, Ice on the other?

Whichever side has the cameras, keep serving food. Other side - no buffet and different pricing with seat side service that will bring food/drinks to you from the various vendors.

Some folks will stay up in the lounge anyways but by removing the golden corral inside the lounge you will get some/most to head back to the seats and stop grazing.

Anything is better than just a sea of black seats on tv.

 

[njdevil26]

I think we also have to give the new management team a season or two to figure things out. They made the purchase pretty quickly without monitoring the team in-season. I think they will get it right.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I think we also have to give the new management team a season or two to figure things out. They made the purchase pretty quickly without monitoring the team in-season. I think they will get it right.

They should be able to figure it out this season and have enough time to make adjustments next season.

The on-ice product is not helping them at the moment.

 

[Colin226]

Really what they should do is reconfigure it to be more like Boston or Philly.. So make the clubs seats the back halves of section 7-10 and 17-21 (could even leave 8 and 19 as full sections of club seats).. Then you make the front halves of those sections non-club, but you can still charge a decent amount due to the premium view

That way, the front rows are filled and look good on TV while you've kept the club seats intact.. I've had club seats a few times and my favorite thing is to just stand at the ledge the whole game.. I actually prefer to be back from the ice a bit, and it allows me to grab food easily during breaks.. I also feel less stuffed-beyond-belief if I'm standing

 

[Mory Schneideur*]

Balconies and upper I never get stopped. I guess it depends on the usher.

Do the old buy a hot dog and hold a beer trick. Then when they ask for a ticket start struggling to get it from which ever pocket you "forgot" you tickets in, they wave you through.

 

[Mory Schneideur*]

The new regime should take a step back and re-think the whole pay a large fee for and "all you can eat" concept of the club seats.

Perceptually it's a problem with empty seats seen on tv.

Are 3 sections on both sides a few too many?

How do you get more people to sit in the seats during game action rather than stand by the ledges or at the bar/tables?
Or would they rather people sit at the bar during the games and rack up charges on their credit cards?

The seats are marketed towards corporations in an economy where many businesses are slashing their expenses and the first to go are the "slush" funds.

Does it really pay off financially?

The new regime are smart guys, billionaires who are proven winners in their trade.
I am sure they are reviewing all ticket pricing within the building but espcially the ones with best potential to make lucrative profits, the premium seats (clubs, suites, Acela Ledge and Goal Bar.

They may find out that what's best for them finacially may not allign with what us fans want for our ideal game day atmosphere.
A packed sea of red game in and game out.

To be honest, the lounges are the best seats in the house. Amazing views, food until you get diabetes, bar with almost no line, empty clean bathrooms nearby. I stay up there for half the game and I don't blame anyone that does either. Then when I do go down to the seats I sit closer by the glass instead of in my actual seats. It's win/win really.

Who cares how it looks on TV, all I hear from rival teams is how awesome our lounges are and how jealous they are. Only way to really solve empty seats would be install little table trays and have waiters bring you food to your seats.

Edit: if the Devils offered standing room only season tickets, where I could just stand by the ledge the whole game or hang out in the lounge I would be all over it, if it were for a fair price.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

Do the old buy a hot dog and hold a beer trick. Then when they ask for a ticket start struggling to get it from which ever pocket you "forgot" you tickets in, they wave you through.

I swear when I started reading this you were saying the old hot dog out your zipper trick... then I got what you were saying.

Chico's slips are taking hold.

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

I think standing room is illegal in NJ

 

[Mory Schneideur*]

I swear when I started reading this you were saying the old hot dog out your zipper trick... then I got what you were saying.

Chico's slips are taking hold.

Oh my, that might get you a free ride downtown haha!

 

[Mory Schneideur*]

I think standing room is illegal in NJ

Maybe my memory is shot, or i'm mixing things up, but I swear I think I remember a limited amount of SRO tickets sold for the 2012 Finals.

 

[Devils Dominion]

They won't disclose this but it would be interesting to see out of all of the club seats, how many are sold as season ticket packages.

Popular opinion (urban legend) the first few seasons was that they were basically all sold and the corporations did not always hand them up to be used for all games.

That is obviously a falsehood.

The new regime has to hire the right people that will somehow sell & populate these club seats-and not just for the "event" games.

 

[NJDevs26]

Possible they now announce actual attendance-who enters the building not tickets sold?

That's the best theory I've heard yet. And would also explain how a number below Opening Night got reported as a sellout while Opening Night didn't.