roy875 Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 I live in SC, (from Roch) and am curious about why we seem to be unable to sell out lately...???? I don't think anyone has discussed the specific reasons why here. Has another team even had 1 blackout yet? This is a dismal performance for such a rabid fanbase, and I am suprised and worried about what this may mean. 1. I recognize the area is depressed, small etc. but I don't think that has changed substantially in the past 5-10 (or 30) years. (please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not living there....) 2. The team has been poor for a good bit (generous southernism) However, the football product seems significantly improved----we are playing competitive, exciting, and 4/6 wins. We lost by a slim margin to 2 of the best in the league. I have been begging for a team like this for years. 3. Tickets too expensive?? Cheapest in the NFL 4. Must be the Buffalo weather??? Perfectly docile for the past several games. 5. Bad match-ups??? freaking MIAMI is coming to town for an elimination-type game. 6. Stadium too big? Large relative to the market pop., but 9,000 less seats than in the 90's. We seemed to sell out more often with some shite teams in recent past. What else is there?---- tailgating, traffic, fights, beer prices, parking----all relatively similar I would think. The timing of it is bizarre. We have a young team on the rise learning how to win. I think there is alot of young talent on the field, and I hope they will be something everyone can proudly cheer for soon. Winning really does cure all. Go Bills. Stay in Buffalo. I was thrilled to take my family to the Jags game (birthday present for my dad), and it was probably the best game I've been to since the early 90's. I felt the enthusiasm flowing. lets keep it going! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macnmotion Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Cheapest tix in the NFL -- still can be expensive for a family to go to the game. Perfectly docile weather? The drive home from the last game (to Rochester) was at times through a brutal snowstorm. Just because you don't see the weather on TV doesn't mean it's not a factor during a 10 hour day. And the Thanksgiving weekend game probably hurts smaller markets more than larger ones, as there is a greater probability that a high percentage of potential game-goers are away for the week or weekend. Why won't I be at this week's game? Recovering from a surgery today. But my season tickets are included in the "sold" column, and my seats will be full of my friends. Andy I live in SC, (from Roch) and am curious about why we seem to be unable to sell out lately...???? I don't think anyone has discussed the specific reasons why here. Has another team even had 1 blackout yet? This is a dismal performance for such a rabid fanbase, and I am suprised and worried about what this may mean. 1. I recognize the area is depressed, small etc. but I don't think that has changed substantially in the past 5-10 (or 30) years. (please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not living there....) 2. The team has been poor for a good bit (generous southernism) However, the football product seems significantly improved----we are playing competitive, exciting, and 4/6 wins. We lost by a slim margin to 2 of the best in the league. I have been begging for a team like this for years. 3. Tickets too expensive?? Cheapest in the NFL 4. Must be the Buffalo weather??? Perfectly docile for the past several games. 5. Bad match-ups??? freaking MIAMI is coming to town for an elimination-type game. 6. Stadium too big? Large relative to the market pop., but 9,000 less seats than in the 90's. We seemed to sell out more often with some shite teams in recent past. What else is there?---- tailgating, traffic, fights, beer prices, parking----all relatively similar I would think. The timing of it is bizarre. We have a young team on the rise learning how to win. I think there is alot of young talent on the field, and I hope they will be something everyone can proudly cheer for soon. Winning really does cure all. Go Bills. Stay in Buffalo. I was thrilled to take my family to the Jags game (birthday present for my dad), and it was probably the best game I've been to since the early 90's. I felt the enthusiasm flowing. lets keep it going! 866247[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBilliever Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 I'd have season tickets ifI didn't live in PA. I actualyl believe that has a significant effect, most people move away who grew up bills fans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stussy109 Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Something people dont realize is that almost EVERY game, scalpers get stuck with tickets, how many depends on the game. Many games that were "sold out" weren't really filled up. Get it? Minnesota was sold out, but I know many other people had lost of extra tickets left over Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ofiba Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Lots more people bought Sabres tickets and merchandise this year as opposed to last year, and therefore have less money to spend on the Bills? Just a guess, but would certainly make sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Why won't I be at this week's game? Recovering from a surgery today. But my season tickets are included in the "sold" column, and my seats will be full of my friends. Andy 866252[/snapback] You call yourself a Bills fan? This is Miami week, if you were a true Bills fan you'd wheel that hospital bed down Abbott road to the stadium and be at the game!!!!! (just joking, hopefully this game will make you feel better rather then worse) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 I'd have season tickets ifI didn't live in PA. I actualyl believe that has a significant effect, most people move away who grew up bills fans 866254[/snapback] Moon Twp is only about 200 miles from the stadium, that's a doable drive on game day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM57 Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Lots more people bought Sabres tickets and merchandise this year as opposed to last year, and therefore have less money to spend on the Bills? Just a guess, but would certainly make sense. 866256[/snapback] I'm going to echo your sentiments. The Sabres success paired with the Bills struggles have caused the sellout streak to shift from the NFL to the NHL in Buffalo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tux of Borg Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 I'd have season tickets ifI didn't live in PA. I actualyl believe that has a significant effect, most people move away who grew up bills fans 866254[/snapback] I had season tickets when I lived in Western, NY. Unfortunately, the economy up there is horrible and I was forced to move away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roy875 Posted December 14, 2006 Author Share Posted December 14, 2006 I'm going to echo your sentiments. The Sabres success paired with the Bills struggles have caused the sellout streak to shift from the NFL to the NHL in Buffalo. 866280[/snapback] Living away, I didn't appreciate the effect of the sabres. Makes sense. Winning cures all. This just seems like the right time to be behind this team, and I hope it is a brief lull in attendance/interest....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester43 Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 last year when i live 300 miles away and tended to be off on weekends in december, i would not have missed this one. this year i am 900 miles away and just can't pull it off. it sucks, because i too have been captivated by the post-bye rally and would love nothing more than to be there this weekend. i will get to watch it no matter what. but it breaks my heart we can't sell out. the only thing i can figure is that, in a given year, 95% of all the seats that will be sold in a season will go before thanksgivning. and this year, the bills SUCKED before thanksgiving (let's be honest) so the damage was done long ago. so i gotta think that if there would have been some more HOPE before the season was essentially over, these games would already have sold out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven in MD Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Here is a marketing opportunity for the Bills. They should market to people who are Bills fans but do not live in Buffalo. If someone like me who lives in Maryland would buy 2 season tickets (very doable considering the price) and donate them to a charity to be given to under privledged kids, they would sell out and make a kids day. It is a tax deduction to boot. I was thinking of doing this next season... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olaf Fub Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 It's been lousy football for 6 years now. You're not going to erase that with one late season surge. I don't really feel guilty about it. In fact, after the way TD destroyed this organization, I'm kind of proud we can still get 65,000 in the Ralph and outsell a lot of other cities. It shows that Buffalo is a great football market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oneonta Buffalo Fan Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Maybe it's because they don't believe in this team anymore. I hope that's not the case because the future finally looks bright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitner20 Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Big Sabres game on Saturday night means more focus is on them, people could careless about the Bills. Not many people are diehards and can commit saturday night to all hockey and all day sunday to all football. And if people had to pick, they'd prefer watching Sabres/Ottawa at a bar, friends house or at home then spending the money and going to Ralph Wilson Stadium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyBillsFan Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Its the product guys... So what, we won a couple of games, big friggin deal! Who did we beat? Anybody? Same crap, same team, same lame "the product is getting better" saying by Wilson every year. Say what you want but the people of Buffalo are not dumb. Money is being dumped into the Sabres Product now. How can you blame anyone? The fans of this city deserve to win and are VERY loyal to their teams... We have seen the same junk from the Bills for the past 12 years. We ruined our drafts the past few years and pissed away some great draft picks for players who are not here anymore.... This team is years out from being great..... Sad fact to swallow.... And I dont think its Ralph who can get us over that hump again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Mike1 Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Its the product guys... So what, we won a couple of games, big friggin deal! Who did we beat? Anybody? Same crap, same team, same lame "the product is getting better" saying by Wilson every year. Say what you want but the people of Buffalo are not dumb. Money is being dumped into the Sabres Product now. How can you blame anyone? The fans of this city deserve to win and are VERY loyal to their teams... We have seen the same junk from the Bills for the past 12 years. We ruined our drafts the past few years and pissed away some great draft picks for players who are not here anymore.... This team is years out from being great..... Sad fact to swallow.... And I dont think its Ralph who can get us over that hump again... 866330[/snapback] That answers any doubt that I had. Thanks for being brutally honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 I'd have season tickets ifI didn't live in PA. I actualyl believe that has a significant effect, most people move away who grew up bills fans 866254[/snapback] I have seasons, and I live in PA. (Albeit a hundred miles north of you.) Weather? Actually, it's been rotten most of the season. Bought a tent for the tailgate back in October, because I was (literally) sick of being rained on all day. Big stadium, small market, 5-11 last year = season ticket base of 43K this year. That leaves 30,000 single-game seats to sell. And don't kid yourself about how "we always sold out" before, because it's not true. There were regular-season blackouts in the first Super Bowl season, and 42% of the games in the 90s didn't sell out in time. And no, the Swordsmen's on-ice success hasn't helped the Bills' marketing, either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Unless you have ever been in the ticket selling business, you have no idea how hard it is to move 9,000 or even 6,000 tickets in one week. It's very hard. You need an event like the Sabres Eastern Conf finals last year to generate that kind of excitement and sell tickets that quick. Unless a company buys a few thousand seats the Bills won't sell out a ho hum regular season game in one or two weeks even if it's Miami. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#89 Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Jingle bells, jingle bells people want to spend their money on more important things this time of year. All the complainers can buy tickets and just not use them too. So buy up the tickets, get it on TV and never make the trip to the Ralph in the winter. You save the $15 parking fee too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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