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Why is attendance declining at Heinz Field?

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by Watt Wack, Jul 17, 2018.

  1. blitz_burgh

    blitz_burgh

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    Nov 15, 2011
    Agree 100% on #2. I have had Directv Sunday ticket every year from 1998 until 2017. I only missed watching maybe a dozen Steelers games over that time. Last year I had enough and cancelled week 1. Missed about 9 games and only watched the games that were on network TV in NY. I thought I would miss it much more then I did but you get used to it. I'll still watch if it's on locally and will probably still have a tailgate party in my yard once a year but I'm not paying anymore and dropping everything to watch a game on Sundays.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  2. SDOT

    SDOT Well-Known Member

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    :lolol:
     
    • Hilarious Hilarious x 1
  3. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    You are laughing, but in this scenario, the are listed at face value. It happens every july.
     
  4. SDOT

    SDOT Well-Known Member

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    Face value via ticketmaster ?
     
  5. SteelerGlenn

    SteelerGlenn

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    Oh I would think at some point you would lose your rights to that seat?
     
  6. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    I had to dust of some grey cells. When Heinz Field opened, existing season ticket holders were given two choices: a seat license and better seats or a small number of non seat license in peanut heaven etc.

    With the seat license, you own the right to buy tickets in those seats every year. You are not forced to buy the tickets. If you do not buy them, the team sells them, at face value, now through Ticketmaster. Also, in the beginning, if I committed to 3, 5 or 7 years of buying the tickets, they agreed not to raise prices for the same period.

    For the non seat license, if you do not buy the tickets, poof your rights are gone and the next person on the waiting list gets a call.

    I think I have this right. If not, I’m close.
     
  7. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    Or StubHub, or whoever they use, plus a small fee for the transaction. But that is a very small number of tickets and they go in a hurry. Now, if I sell my tickets through this same service, pricing is whatever I think I can get.

    Actually, the tickets from the Steelers should be going up for sale any day now.

    Edit: It happened in May.

    https://www.steelers.com/news/2018-individual-game-tickets-available-beginning-may-18
     
  8. SDOT

    SDOT Well-Known Member

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    I'm confused is this season tickets for this year or individual games? And yes, when you put your tickets up you set the price and when we buy them Ticketmaster tacks on an insane amount for fees and I believe they take a % from you as well.
     
  9. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Only been to one Steelers game, if I lived there I'd be in Mac and Jehs camp, going to every game. I always used to think football games must be better watching on TV then in person until I went to that game.

    I used to go to every Saturday Yankee game. Driving in Pittsburgh to a Steelers game is like a ride in the country compared to driving to the Bronx.
     
  10. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    There were individual game tickets for this year but my guess is they are gone by now.
     
  11. groutbrook

    groutbrook

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    Just curious, did you commit to 3, 5 or 7 years?
    Lower level seats?
     
  12. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    7, Easy decision, I already had been a season ticket holder for 31 years

    Club 1
     
  13. D0bre Shunka

    D0bre Shunka Well-Known Member

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    There is something to be said with the advent of the huge flat screen, HD, 4/8K and even what foods are available to the public (stadium dog, burgers, fries, nachos etc..)Why leave the house particularly if you're older? However, I suspect there is something else going on culturally within and out of our fan base? For most of my life empty seats at Heinz would be unheard of and you just didn't see it. I started noticing the difference about 10 years ago, appearing to coincide with new online ticketing apps, practices and those being targeted (i.e. corporate tickets ) I'm surprised Rooney or someone has not stepped in to see if a correction can be made. I think you target the average working Joe and the stadium fills again.
     
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2018
    • Agree Agree x 1
  14. groutbrook

    groutbrook

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    Thanks. Good choice with the price freeze they offered. Do you miss the old stadium?
     
  15. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    Really good sports bars probably add into this.
     
  16. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    Half and half.

    I’m older now and have the good fortune to sit in the front row of club seats. Short lines to warm bathrooms. I can thaw my feet during half time. But half the people around me aren’t diehards to phrase it politely. Heinz Field isn’t intimidating or intense.

    3 rivers was just more electric. The sound staid in when people cheered, and I sat next to the same die hard fans for the entire career of 3 Rivers.
     
  17. m4mica

    m4mica Active Member

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    I'm a season ticket holder (North Club) and wanted to clarify a few things:
    1) The waiting list is pointless now. If I don't want my PSL I can give it back to the Steelers for free and they can sell it to someone on the waiting list OR I can sell it on the open market. Keeping in mind that I paid for them already, I'd never give them back for free so I'll eventually sell them. I'm guessing that 99% of PSLs are now sold through secondary market and not via the wait list.
    2) If you don't buy the season tickets from the Steelers they can, and will, revoke your PSL. Buying tickets is required.
    3) It's a fantasy to think that ticket holders are making money. I go to 4 games / year and sell the rest. I do NOT make any money doing this. Nothing. In fact, it's much more likely that I lose money. Consider:
    a) I am required to purchase those ridiculous preseason games. I can't give those away so before the first kickoff I'm in the hole. A couple of years ago they made them cheaper and jacked up the good games. But it's still expensive.
    b) If I sell tickets at face value I lose money because of TicketMaster fees. Forget trying to sell them higher than face, they simply don't move.
    c) Every year for the past few years I've had a game that I couldn't go to AND couldn't sell. It's typically the Mon night games. No one wants those tickets and I've given them away more than once.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  18. groutbrook

    groutbrook

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    Nice.
     
  19. SteelerGlenn

    SteelerGlenn

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    That’s awesome Jeh.
     
  20. SteelerGlenn

    SteelerGlenn

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    This is good information. Thanks for posting.
     
  21. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    North Club came along, long after I bought, but I don’t think I'm subject to your comment #2. Although it’s irrelevent, who with a PSL would not buy the tickets?

    But you are nuts on for all else.

    I tried selling my brothers tickets when he became ill. After costs, I barely broke even. I eventually found a guy who bought one game, who I liked, and have sold him all season, at face value, for 8 years.
     
  22. harristotle

    harristotle Well-Known Member

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    By pro-war, you guys mean recognizing veterans who put their lives on the line? I disagree with the DoD funneling money to the NFL but its laughable that you guys would claim people are sick of recognizing the vets. Every game I've gone to the crowd goes nuts for the service members.

    I think attendance is down because of ticket prices, corporate ownership of tickets, the ridiculous politicizing (DoD sponsorship AND anthem kneeling). Fantasy football has created a lot of player fans instead of team fans which I think has eroded the fanbase loyalty over time.
     
  23. AFan

    AFan Well-Known Member

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    Oct 24, 2011

    I'll take your word that everything you say is true. But I'm confused comparing what you say,to what others have claimed.

    - one of the big beefs about the attendance drop , noted in this thread, is that the secondary ticket market has priced the tickets so high that Joe Average can't afford it
    - yet, when you want to sell them you can't even get face value?

    Both these think can't be simultaneously true. Either there's a demand and people are eager to snap up over priced secondary market tix at inflated prices to see the game or there's not and you can't even get face value in your secondary market.

    The only explanations I have is : A) the secondary market markup can't be that high, because the broker want/needs to move the tix to a public with lukewarm interest
    or
    B) m4mica is a lousy salesman.
     
  24. SDOT

    SDOT Well-Known Member

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    North Club? I'd gladly buy a game off you for face value or even if it's not a big game and you average the price out. I know Steelers do tiered prices for games now. Cash or paypal. No Ticketmaster fees. DM if interested.
     
  25. SDOT

    SDOT Well-Known Member

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    The problem is the league. I honestly believe if the Steelers could they would. The issue isn't the price the Steelers charge even though I've proven on Page 1 they could bring the prices down, not out price real fans, and recoup revenue in other areas. I honestly believe the league is just trying to nickle and dime and make as much money as possible while they can because who knows how long this league will be around. It's going to be flag football here soon. Where like it or hate it soccer is going to be around forever.
     

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