Thoner7 Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 So the Owners of the company I work for also own the Bucs, and one of the only perks we get is free game tickets - free parking, on field passes, club level seats, guests of the Owner - the works. So I decided for the first time since 2003 to miss a beloved Bills game and go to Tampa for a weekend to catch the Bucs/Falcons game on Sunday and the South Florida/UConn game on Sat, taking advantage of a free airline ticket I earned by getting screwed off an Airplane last Feb. But wouldn’t you know it the NFL finds another way to #@$% me. They missed out on their $50 dollar parking so they had to F me by inventing “flex scheduling”. Its this policy where after an out of town fan buys a plane ticket and then they change the start time of the game so the fans cant make their #@$%ing flight. All this is in an attempt to keep good matchups on TV – as if anyone wants to watch the Bucs play anyways, on Fox none the less. Worst of all this game isn’t even going to sell out and is going to be BLACKED OUT locally. Well, no wonder they don’t sell out – the league alienates fans with stupid, hypocritical policies like this. How can fans plan to attend a game when they don’t know when the game is going to start? Then when they don’t show up to the stadium it gets blacked out. WTF? So because there isn’t a later flight home than the one I am already scheduled to be on, I guess I will have to leave halfway through the 2nd quarter and haul ass to the airport. Or maybe I will just watch the Bills game in a bar and not even go. The NFL is already ruining football with their rule changes and enforcement, I guess now they had to find another way to flip fans the bird. I am so #@$%ing pissed right now I don’t think I will watch another non-Bills NFL game the rest of the season, maybe even ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Stop playing the victim. Flex scheduling has been around for several years; it's a risk of making late season travel plans. Do you expect us to feel badly for you that you are taking a free vacation and receiving first class treatment at a football game? Waaaaaaaaa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayFinkle Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 The NFL has been flexing for a couple of years. Sometimes when you gamble, you lose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akm0404 Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 That is pretty weak, but all tickets purchased for NFL games during flex scheduling have the caveat that times may change. Doesn't make you any less screwed, but that will be their stance - don't make firm travel plans for games during the flex scheduling period. Sorry to hear it tho - but Tampa is gorgeous this time of year. Hit up Berns Steakhouse instead and travel to beef heaven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Stop playing the victim. Flex scheduling has been around for several years; it's a risk of making late season travel plans. Do you expect us to feel badly for you that you are taking a free vacation and receiving first class treatment at a football game?Waaaaaaaaa. He would answer "yes". This is really lame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist, but there's a good chance the NFL is out to screw with you -- personally and specifically you -- because your username looks a little like "Tbone." Seriously. That's essentially begging to be messed with. Quitcherbitchin. Change your username. Things will change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdog1960 Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Stop playing the victim. Flex scheduling has been around for several years; it's a risk of making late season travel plans. Do you expect us to feel badly for you that you are taking a free vacation and receiving first class treatment at a football game? Waaaaaaaaa. well, i have to agree with the traveler to some extent. i dislike unilateral changes in travel plans...makes you feel helpless. like when they change your flight by twelve hours and you don't notice that its not actually just a few minutes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jj____ Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 you're a smug, unhappy prick if you complain about free stuff. especially free stuff that is as awesome as that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thoner7 Posted November 23, 2010 Author Share Posted November 23, 2010 Im not getting first class treatment, I am MISSING OUT on first class treatment. And I decided to go to this game instead of bourbon street for new years. Big mistake. Beside, its not that I am getting screwed, it’s the principle of the thing. Here the NFL is gonna be blacking out this game, what do they expect? The league complains about attendance and they wonder why? Maybe its because tickets cost an arm and a leg, you change game times on people who try to plan going to these events, you make these ridiculous rule changes that every fan hates, and want the government to fund new stadiums while people are making less and being taxed more. Its just another thing on a long and growing list that the NFL is doing wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van_phelaN1 Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Are you going to cry about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Im not getting first class treatment, I am MISSING OUT on first class treatment. And I decided to go to this game instead of bourbon street for new years. Big mistake. Beside, its not that I am getting screwed, it’s the principle of the thing. Here the NFL is gonna be blacking out this game, what do they expect? The league complains about attendance and they wonder why? Maybe its because tickets cost an arm and a leg, you change game times on people who try to plan going to these events, you make these ridiculous rule changes that every fan hates, and want the government to fund new stadiums while people are making less and being taxed more. Its just another thing on a long and growing list that the NFL is doing wrong. Just so's ya know, TV supplies, I think, about 70% of NFL revenue..so what is good for ratings is good for the NFL. Just go home the next day for God's sake.Yep, you may have a change fee, but being as it's a an bump award, you might not get hit with that. You gettin all this free stuff, worth a day off work no? If you are exempt, not eevn hitting your paycheck. Priceline a hotel near the tampa airport for prolly $60 the day of the game. And yes, I have had it happen to me as well, flexing the freaking Bills to get waxed 56-0 or whatever it was by the Pats few years back.Told the airline what happened, they waived the change fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leh-nerd skin-erd Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 (edited) Im not getting first class treatment, I am MISSING OUT on first class treatment. And I decided to go to this game instead of bourbon street for new years. Big mistake. Beside, its not that I am getting screwed, it’s the principle of the thing. Here the NFL is gonna be blacking out this game, what do they expect? The league complains about attendance and they wonder why? Maybe its because tickets cost an arm and a leg, you change game times on people who try to plan going to these events, you make these ridiculous rule changes that every fan hates, and want the government to fund new stadiums while people are making less and being taxed more. Its just another thing on a long and growing list that the NFL is doing wrong. You think that's bad??? Last year, my roof was damaged by hail, my satelite dish removed from the roof during the course of repair in June. My roofer offered to put it back on after the repairs, but I was worried about it being on the roof and causing a leak so I said I'd handle it myself. I have no skills in this area and had no reasonable plan to replace it. I pocketed the $75 I was paid for the reinstallation and blew it at Chili's during off-peak, non-happy hour pricing. I planned on getting the dish back up on the house by August, buying the NFL season ticket and watching the gailey-lead bills begin their move back to respectability. Prior to the first game against the dolphins, a dolphin fan buddy of mine told me at a meeting that he had tickets in the Kelly section, and was taking his 11 year old son to the game and had two extra. In a flash, I decided to take him up on the offer and take my own 11 year old to the game. I hadn't considered the cost of the tickets, and when he told me I owed him several thousand dollars, I simply figured I had already accepted and paid him for them. We drove in from Albany, got off at the Depew exit to meet him at his buddy's house, and were on our way to the stadium and his buddy's "special ez in/ez out" parking lot. Turns out it was right behind the fieldhouse, and it took us an hour to get out of there after the bills inexplicably decided that the new way to win in the nfl was to leave your offense at home. After that debacle, I decided to hold off on installing the satelite dish and paying for direct tv and it still lays on it's side in my yard, causing me to miss the bengals game which was alot of things, not the least of whuich was exciting and fun to watch (I assume). So, while your story is tragic, in mine: I got screwed by hail. I got screwed by my roofer who didn't insist on reinstalling my satelite dish when he knew, or should have known the bills would mount a cool comeback this past weekend. I got screwed by Chili's due to their pricing policy. I got screwed by my dolphin fan buddy who soaked me for $2,500 for tickets in the Kelly section to see the bills lsoe to the fish on opening day. I got screwed by his buddy following bad parking advice. I got screwed by the local media for failing to show the hotest game of the week, bills-bengals. But mostly, I screwed myself for not having the roofer put the dish on the house when it made the most sense. Most wounds are self-inflicted. (Oh, and I made up the $2,500 for the tickets part to make the story better). Edited November 23, 2010 by timmo1805 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan-4-Ever Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 you are not the first nor will you be the last. Man up dude Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Im not getting first class treatment, I am MISSING OUT on first class treatment. And I decided to go to this game instead of bourbon street for new years. Big mistake. Beside, its not that I am getting screwed, it’s the principle of the thing. Here the NFL is gonna be blacking out this game, what do they expect? The league complains about attendance and they wonder why? Maybe its because tickets cost an arm and a leg, you change game times on people who try to plan going to these events, you make these ridiculous rule changes that every fan hates, and want the government to fund new stadiums while people are making less and being taxed more. Its just another thing on a long and growing list that the NFL is doing wrong. I know you are not getting much sympathy here, but I feel your pain. Never had this happen to me, but, the NFL's lack of care for their fans left me cold years ago. I pay for the on-line NFL Re-wind, but it pisses me off that I can't watch a game, if there is a nationaly televised game on while I am trying to access it. It is so arrogant. I got the damn thing, just for the purpose of watching one Bills game every season, that I couldn't watch live, while working at an annual music festival. So, I get home, avoiding the Bills score all day, mindful of the fact that I have to work at 7am the next morning. I can't watch the Bills/Jags game, however, until almost midnight my time, because there is a Sunday night game. I know, not the extreme to which you are inconvenienced, but just another example of how arrogant this league is. They are damn successful, I realize, but, I think at some point, stuff like this is going to bite them in the ass. We have already learned, en masse as NFL fans, to get in the "bend over" mode, but they keep wanting us to bend over a little more. Love the game, hate the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 See if there's a flight out of Orlando. It's only an hour's drive away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RealityCheck Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Im not getting first class treatment, I am MISSING OUT on first class treatment. And I decided to go to this game instead of bourbon street for new years. Big mistake. Beside, its not that I am getting screwed, it’s the principle of the thing. Here the NFL is gonna be blacking out this game, what do they expect? The league complains about attendance and they wonder why? Maybe its because tickets cost an arm and a leg, you change game times on people who try to plan going to these events, you make these ridiculous rule changes that every fan hates, and want the government to fund new stadiums while people are making less and being taxed more. Its just another thing on a long and growing list that the NFL is doing wrong. Why would they black out the game again? The tickets are already bought and paid for, correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thoner7 Posted November 23, 2010 Author Share Posted November 23, 2010 Just so's ya know, TV supplies, I think, about 70% of NFL revenue..so what is good for ratings is good for the NFL.Just go home the next day for God's sake.Yep, you may have a change fee, but being as it's a an bump award, you might not get hit with that. You gettin all this free stuff, worth a day off work no? If you are exempt, not eevn hitting your paycheck. Priceline a hotel near the tampa airport for prolly $60 the day of the game.And yes, I have had it happen to me as well, flexing the freaking Bills to get waxed 56-0 or whatever it was by the Pats few years back.Told the airline what happened, they waived the change fee. I would consider that if I was allowed to take the day off, which I am not (no vacation time for me until I am here a full year) But another guy from my office is doing just that. Its gonna cost him 150 for another night in the hotel and 300 to change his flight. That’s 450 for a game I really have little interest in anyways. I would have never scheduled this trip if it was going to cost me much in the first place, I decided to do it because it was free. See if there's a flight out of Orlando. It's only an hour's drive away. Thanks for the tip, I tried, and it wont help me. Their last flight is even earlier than the Tampa Airport. Why would they black out the game again? The tickets are already bought and paid for, correct? The game isn’t sold out. Tampa rarely sells out and likely wont. But maybe more out of town fans would have traveled to the game if they could have planned it more than 12 days in advance. I wasn’t posting asking for your guys sympathy, I was just pointing out how the NFL has been operating is bound to hurt them in the long run by alineating fans like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBeane Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 See if there's a flight out of Orlando. It's only an hour's drive away. It's definitely between an hour and a half and two hours. Just made the drive from Tampa to Orlando about a month ago. But on to Thoner.. I'm not going to rip you like everyone else, but flex scheduling has been in place for quite a while so you assumed the risk when you made the plans. Plus, it is all free to you, why complain about visiting Florida at such a beautiful time of year?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 So the Owners of the company I work for also own the Bucs, and one of the only perks we get is free game tickets - free parking, on field passes, club level seats, guests of the Owner - the works. So I decided for the first time since 2003 to miss a beloved Bills game and go to Tampa for a weekend to catch the Bucs/Falcons game on Sunday and the South Florida/UConn game on Sat, taking advantage of a free airline ticket I earned by getting screwed off an Airplane last Feb. But wouldn’t you know it the NFL finds another way to #@$% me. They missed out on their $50 dollar parking so they had to F me by inventing “flex scheduling”. Its this policy where after an out of town fan buys a plane ticket and then they change the start time of the game so the fans cant make their #@$%ing flight. All this is in an attempt to keep good matchups on TV – as if anyone wants to watch the Bucs play anyways, on Fox none the less. Worst of all this game isn’t even going to sell out and is going to be BLACKED OUT locally. Well, no wonder they don’t sell out – the league alienates fans with stupid, hypocritical policies like this. How can fans plan to attend a game when they don’t know when the game is going to start? Then when they don’t show up to the stadium it gets blacked out. WTF? So because there isn’t a later flight home than the one I am already scheduled to be on, I guess I will have to leave halfway through the 2nd quarter and haul ass to the airport. Or maybe I will just watch the Bills game in a bar and not even go. The NFL is already ruining football with their rule changes and enforcement, I guess now they had to find another way to flip fans the bird. I am so #@$%ing pissed right now I don’t think I will watch another non-Bills NFL game the rest of the season, maybe even ever. I do think this does suck, compared to the other replies here. And, I do agree 100% that the NFL does not give a crap for the paying customer, only for the TV ratings. I wonder how those ratings are going to be when the stadiums start looking more empty, like they already are. The only solace I guess is that college football does this all the time. However, the part highlighted above makes no sense. Why would the worst thing be if the game is blacked out? You'll be at the game anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mousetrap08 Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Im not getting first class treatment, I am MISSING OUT on first class treatment. And I decided to go to this game instead of bourbon street for new years. Big mistake. Beside, its not that I am getting screwed, it’s the principle of the thing. Here the NFL is gonna be blacking out this game, what do they expect? The league complains about attendance and they wonder why? Maybe its because tickets cost an arm and a leg, you change game times on people who try to plan going to these events, you make these ridiculous rule changes that every fan hates, and want the government to fund new stadiums while people are making less and being taxed more. Its just another thing on a long and growing list that the NFL is doing wrong. Try haveing two heart attacks like I did and not being able to go to any games or vacations then see how bad you have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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