Looks like a bunch of games are blacked out

[Lori]

...I know it's a different sport, but how do you explain the Sabres selling out ALL 41 home games this year well in advance, when all the games(or almost all of them) are on TV?

875154[/snapback]

(WARNING: Pyrite-length post ahead. Proceed at your own risk.)

 

A few reasons:

 

Supply/demand, in a much smaller venue. That's the big one.

 

Everybody knew they were going to be good. Back when the Bills were good -- yeah, I know it's tough to remember that far back, but bear with me -- and the season-tix count was 5-7k above where it is now, I remember reading posts from people who bought single-game ducats for the crappier opponents on the schedule because the 'good' games were sold out, but they still wanted to go to a game, any game. Thanks to the spike in season sales, that's what Sabres fans are doing now - snapping up whatever tix they can get their hands on, even if it's a game against a bottom-feeder...

 

I think the variable-pricing structure is a great marketing idea, too (even though all the MTL games are Gold ). Bills can't do that, though, because they need all the ticket $$$ they can rake in to hit that revenue-sharing qualifier. I think the TEN game still wouldn't have sold out at lower prices, but it would've come closer... and with them coming off a 4-12 season, this game definitely would've classified as a "Value" pick.

 

And do the Sabes still do the mini-packs? I'd never consider buying all 41 games, but have thought from time to time about a ten-pack. That's something the Bills CAN do (and have in the past)... remember when you had to buy tix to another (read: dog) game to get ones for Miami? If people could buy a split-season package directly from the Bills instead of trying to find somebody to share them with on your own, that could boost season sales.

 

So, to answer your original question, it's a combination of giving their customers more options and putting a good product on the ice/field. Bills can't claim either in the last few seasons, although adding the Rockpile section was a start. (But again, dropping those seat prices takes a bite out of the bottom line, and I don't think they can afford to do much more in that direction.) Used to be, people wouldn't dream of buying tickets for the Sabres instead of the Bills, but the shrinking economy + the contrasting performance of the two teams has made that a reality.

 

There are a couple more factors I haven't mentioned, ones that impact the Bills far more than the Sabres:

-Weather. Getting to and from Sabres games can still be a problem, but braving the elements to watch the game itself isn't. (Yeah, it's been a mild winter so far... but nobody knew that when the schedule came out and they saw all the home games stacked between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Personally, I have a heck of a time talking anyone into coming up to a game in November, much less December. Did that actually stop some people from plunking down the cash for seasons? I wonder...)

 

-Fan behavior. I'm sure there are drunken louts at hockey games, but the perception is that the problem is far worse at football games, and the Ralph in particular. Last hockey game I went to was at the Aud, so I can't speak from personal experience, but everything I've heard suggests that if parents want to take their kids to a sporting event without scarring them for life, the Sabres are a much better choice. It's a shame, really, but that's where we're at these days. For all of us who enjoy responsibly tailgating and consider it a part of the gameday experience we couldn't do without, there are people who avoid RWS BECAUSE of it... and the problems it causes.

 

That's my take, anyway.

 

So where do we go from here? Next year's schedule looks a lot more favorable vis-a-vis ticket sales - Pats, Cowboys, and Giants games will sell out quickly, the #2 or #3 team in the AFC West (either KC or Denver) should be a good draw, and Baltimore and Cincy are a lot closer than the AFC South teams we played this year (who don't have a significant road presence anyway). And unless the team absolutely tanks these last two games, there should be some positive buzz heading into the offseason, when the ticket invoices start showing up in the mail.

 

But let's be honest: even when the Bills were on their Super Bowl run, they still never sold more than 58k season tickets, and some games against the lower-tier teams didn't sell out. One thing I'll give TD credit for - I never imagined he could sell 47k seasons last year, considering we were 10,000 below that number in 1999 (coming off a playoff season and caught in the grasp of Flutiemania). Going to be tough to get that count back over 50k any time soon, and that's what HAS to happen for this franchise to remain viable.

 

Back to the blackout rules, where this all started - I don't like them, never have, but I doubt they ever go away short of an edict from Congress. And with just about every other team in the league selling out their stadiums without even needing to bother with single-game sales, I doubt we'll find any sympathy there outside of the NYS delegation. "You don't like blackouts? Fine. SELL YOUR GAMES OUT, then. Everybody else does."

 

Can this region continue to afford to support the Bills? I'm not as sure about that as I used to be. There's certainly no room to cut ticket prices as the Sabres did last year, and I'd imagine there are probably NFL rules against variable-game pricing. Do what Jacksonville did, and lower stadium capacity? There goes a chunk of gross income, which would probably mean raising prices elsewhere in the stadium. Personally, I'd still be okay if they did that, but how many season-ticket accounts would they lose? Vicious cycle.

 

Sigh.... Happy Holidays....

 

(And back to the original point of the thread: I *still* think running a full slate of games on Christmas Eve afternoon doesn't serve the actual ticket-buying fan, but the league has already shown it cares more about the TV audience than the poor saps in the stands. Thanks a lot, NFL.)

[Buffal0 Bill5]

If the games were scheduled for Saturday I would have been there. 1:00 Sunday is brutal, by the time I get my family out of church and drive up from Olean, it just doesn't make since. Schedule some 4:00's, Sunday Nights, Thursday Nights, Saturdays, and I promise I'll be there. Maybe next year

[Buffal0 Bill5]

sense...call off the dogs

[BillsWatch]

So where do we go from here? Next year's schedule looks a lot more favorable vis-a-vis ticket sales - Pats, Cowboys, and Giants games will sell out quickly, the #2 or #3 team in the AFC West (either KC or Denver) should be a good draw, and Baltimore and Cincy are a lot closer than the AFC South teams we played this year (who don't have a significant road presence anyway). And unless the team absolutely tanks these last two games, there should be some positive buzz heading into the offseason, when the ticket invoices start showing up in the mail.

 

We could end up playing Oakland if Bills lose two and Fish win two. That would be depressing to ticket sales and generaly 'family friendly' nature of stadium.

 

Bills ought to price indivdual early games higher where team warrents it or for the opener (when was the last opener to not sell out?) and use extra money to buy tickets in December (if necessary) for charity groups. Call it a Buffalo Blizzard fund although this year it would be a rainy day fund.

[Olaf Fub]

Wait. A bunch of teams aren't going to sell out their stadiums this Sunday? Are they all moving to LA?

 

I mean c'mon. LA Rams, that sounds kind of weird.