Max997 Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 I understand its a time to go and hang out with your friends but I dont get how anyone could renew their season tickets for this organization
The Dean Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 LMAO. Come on Deano. They are already eliminated from the playoffs and it's only March. They are well on the way to 100 losses again. I'm not sure what your affiliation with Pittsburgh is, but focus on the Pens, they are now 7-1-1 under their new coach and are absolutely flying around. They will grab the 4th seed, after being in 10th place for most of about 3 months now. The Pens are back......the Pirates though.......well.......they are the "Bills" of MLB. The first professional sporting event I ever saw, was a Pirate game at Forbes Field. At that game, Stargell hit a HR out of the stadium. In later years, I saw Clemente take a ball hit off of the wall, in right field, turn and throw the ball to 1st base, to catch the hitter/base-runner out of position as he made slightly too big a turn, for the out. I really don't have sports "heroes" in my life...Clemente comes closest, though. I also have seen the Steelers play in Pitt Stadium, when there was a controversy between the two Terrys, Hanratty and Bradshaw, for starting QB. How hard is that to believe, now? If you recall, Bradshaw was too dumb to play QB. One of the great injustices, IMO, is that Bradshaw isn't included in the "greatest QB" conversations. I have been a Pirate and Steeler fan, my entire life. Now, at the same time, growing up in Niagara Falls, I was also a Bills' fan. Sometime, a little later, I became a Red Sox fan. As for hockey, there was no team in Buffalo, or Pittsburgh, when I was young. A friend of my Dad had great seats, and is related to someone who used to be in the FO, of the Maple Leafs. So, I was a Leafs and Bruins fan (Boston connection and Derek Sanderson fan...I used to be a cheap shot artist, too), until the Sabres came along. I like the Penguins fine, too...thank Super Mario, for that.
manateefan Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Some people don't understand what its like to travel into town for agame to travel back pissed off and frustrated as a fan. When you drop 250 on a plane ticket, or better yet spend 150 in gas, drive 16 hrs round trip, not to mention an extra 300 on a hotel etc etc, when the Bills come out and lay eggs, it gives you nothing to hang your hat on, and no positive reinforcement to do it again. i understand your pain as I have to drive/fly from South jersey. Try taking a bus. A ten hour drive. Stay overnight and go to the game on Sunday. Then you lose and head back to Buffalo right after the game. Don't arrive back in Buffalo until 2:00 a.m. We owned a business at that time and had to be there before 8:00 a.m. to start cooking the lunch special and open the business.
Thurman#1 Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 So, after a long time thinking about it, I cancelled my season tickets today. Your money your call. But you remind me of those guys who when the stock market bottoms out sell all their stocks because they're sick of all the bad news.
Stussy109 Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Your money your call. But you remind me of those guys who when the stock market bottoms out sell all their stocks because they're sick of all the bad news. If u had gotten sick of it a couple of months ago, u would have made out pretty well.
EndZoneCrew Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 I understand its a time to go and hang out with your friends but I dont get how anyone could renew their season tickets for this organization It's not about the organization for me.....it's about supporting my community...big difference!
***PetrinoInAlbany*** Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 The only additional comment I'd offer is that with the birth of Ticket Exchange, people like us (season ticket holders who live a LONG way from the Ralph, 400 miles in my case) can often sell the unused tix at a profit. Due to family commitments back in 2007, I was only able to make three home games. But as a rsult of being able to use Ticket Exchange (with the team's blessing and very little hassle or charge) I sold the unused tix for typically 1.5 - to - 2.5 times what I paid. Even after giving away the pre-season tix (I do every year) I still wound up attending three home games INCLUDING the Monday-Nighter against the Cowboys for a total cost of like $18 ... Last year, again, I did attend the MNF game against the Brownies, and a total of four games, and my season tix were virtually free. If people are cancelling their seasons due to disgust with the product, that's one thing, and I can respect that. But if anyone reading this is thinking about dropping their seasons because of geography & distance, my advice is don't. On the internet, the world is only as big as your keyboard ...
Gordio Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Yeah, and then you know what even makes it better? Drive through fuggin Pittsburgh on the way home, see all the Steeler schitt everywhere as you drive and see how happy they are. Year after year after year after year after year. And then hit the east coast and hear NY radio stations for the Giants, Jets, Eagles, Skins or Baltimore on your second leg home, and it gets even worse. Most of those guys B word because they don't look good while winning. Oh no wait, listen to national radio and NEVER hear the Bills even mentioned. I mean, by the time I'm home, I have it on RawDog comedy on Sirius or the Sirius Playboy radio to try and escape the pain and anger that is the Buffalo Bills. Pure Hell for about 10 years now. I understand where you are coming from. I live 10 minutes away from the stadium but I always admired people that drive great lengths to see the bills. I never bought into we have the best fans crap though. It is just not true. I think there were 7 games last year IN THE ENTIRE LEAGUE that were played without the blackout being lifted. I got news for everybody. Every city is packing their stadium on Sundays. & contrary to what people want to think, we are far from the worst team in the league. We are what we are. An average team with really has no marquee players on the roster & a moron for a head coach. I have renewed my tickets for the 12th straight year but for me over the last couple years I really have not gotten that upset when they lose. I actually expect it. Kinda sad but it is what it is. For me it is more about the tailgate then ever & seeing good friends that I really do not get a chance to see that much anymore since we all have families. With that being said, especially in this type of economy, I really can not blame anybody for dropping their season tickets especially if you live out of town. It seems like the circle jerks do not care anymore, why should the fans?
K-9 Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 I fully understand and respect Lv-Bills' reasoning. No doubt it's frustrating to invest so much emotional energy for so little return. We've all been there in the past and we're all there now. Sympathy/empathy doesn't begin to cover it. But if anyone REALLY wants to send Ralph the message. If anyone REALLY wants to have the Bills take notice then you have to take it the full distance; you have to give up the Sunday Ticket AND not watch on network TV as well. And not just the Bills, but ALL games. Ralph (and every owner FTM) loses on the season ticket, parking, and concessions when fans don't attend in person. And it would severely put a crimp on the budget if fans did that by the thousands. But they also rake it in through their TV deals as everyone knows. Only in the case of the TV deals, fans would have to boycott IN THE MILLIONS for there to be a significant enough of an impact on the ratings for the league to be forced to accept LESS when the next TV negotiations come up. I'm sure it's not the case now and I'm too lazy to do the research anyway but not long ago the TV contract ALONE paid for all the coaches and players salaries BEFORE a single ticket was sold. That's how much each team made on the deal. And while TV revenues probably don't cover it all I'd bet it's STILL a significant percentage. Bottom line: if you want to make sure a team doesn't get your money because you don't wish to pay for the crappy product they produce then stop lining their pockets by supporting the TV advertisers and satellite programmers that pay them so much for the right to televise their games. Same goes for radio broadcasts, too. GO BILLS!!!
Lv-Bills Posted March 6, 2009 Author Posted March 6, 2009 I understand where you are coming from. I live 10 minutes away from the stadium but I always admired people that drive great lengths to see the bills. I never bought into we have the best fans crap though. It is just not true. I think there were 7 games last year IN THE ENTIRE LEAGUE that were played without the blackout being lifted. I got news for everybody. Every city is packing their stadium on Sundays. & contrary to what people want to think, we are far from the worst team in the league. We are what we are. An average team with really has no marquee players on the roster & a moron for a head coach. I have renewed my tickets for the 12th straight year but for me over the last couple years I really have not gotten that upset when they lose. I actually expect it. Kinda sad but it is what it is. For me it is more about the tailgate then ever & seeing good friends that I really do not get a chance to see that much anymore since we all have families. With that being said, especially in this type of economy, I really can not blame anybody for dropping their season tickets especially if you live out of town. It seems like the circle jerks do not care anymore, why should the fans? I agree with you 100%. I have gone to Bills games the last few years and have had no expectations that they would win most of the games they played. I honestly had no confidence they could do it. The thing that sucks the most is that I won't get to see the people around me as much as I used to. Case in point.....I've made some great friends in Orchard Park over the years. My wife and I got married 2 years ago in Richmond VA, and 10 season ticket holders (8 from Buffalo and 2 from Philadelphia) came to our wedding. We would have never known these people unless we had Bills season tickets. We have the reception hall all decked out and looking good.....well, all except for one table........THE BUFFALO TABLE. Their table had an authentic Bills throwback helmet on it with the stading red buffalo. It had the horns on it from the playoffs in the 90's, and a jersey on each chair for them to wear when they arrived to the reception. My wife and I entered the hall to the SHOUT song and went right to their table to sing and dance. One of the guys who came from Buffalo works for the city and actually got me one of the Jim Kelly Boulevard signs and had it hanging in the hall when we arrived. It was sweet. The other half of my family all had terrible towels waving as they are Steeler fans, but us 12 Bills fans still won that little battle. My wife's family, who really could care less about football, thought we were all nuts, lol. If it wasn't for the Bills, none of these memories that are dear to me ever happen. So, we all care......just not the fuggin Bills, and for the first time ever, it sickens me. Also, as a gauge from other fans, of the 10 fans around me who came to my wedding, 4 of them renewed already, and the other 6 are also playing the waiting game and have not yet as of today. We'll see I guess.
Lv-Bills Posted March 6, 2009 Author Posted March 6, 2009 The first professional sporting event I ever saw, was a Pirate game at Forbes Field. At that game, Stargell hit a HR out of the stadium. In later years, I saw Clemente take a ball hit off of the wall, in right field, turn and throw the ball to 1st base, to catch the hitter/base-runner out of position as he made slightly too big a turn, for the out. I really don't have sports "heroes" in my life...Clemente comes closest, though. I also have seen the Steelers play in Pitt Stadium, when there was a controversy between the two Terrys, Hanratty and Bradshaw, for starting QB. How hard is that to believe, now? If you recall, Bradshaw was too dumb to play QB. One of the great injustices, IMO, is that Bradshaw isn't included in the "greatest QB" conversations. I have been a Pirate and Steeler fan, my entire life. Now, at the same time, growing up in Niagara Falls, I was also a Bills' fan. Sometime, a little later, I became a Red Sox fan. As for hockey, there was no team in Buffalo, or Pittsburgh, when I was young. A friend of my Dad had great seats, and is related to someone who used to be in the FO, of the Maple Leafs. So, I was a Leafs and Bruins fan (Boston connection and Derek Sanderson fan...I used to be a cheap shot artist, too), until the Sabres came along. I like the Penguins fine, too...thank Super Mario, for that. Way cool. I was only 8 years old when I first saw Stargell play in the world series against Baltimore. I watched the Pirates religiously from that point on until about 2003 or so when I pretty much completely lost interest. I remember growing up a kid and imitating Pops doing the warmup swings or Dave Parkers, Bill Madlock, or Mike Easlers batting stance. And I can tell you that all my grandfather ever talked about was Roberto Clemente. Of course that's all both of the grandpas ever talked about as well as my dad, mom, and anyone else who grew up watching him. In some cases, it's amazing to think his legacy is still right up there in the city with any 70's Steeler player, Super Mario, or any Pirate that has come and gone since him. RIP Roberto!
ricojes Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 I understand its a time to go and hang out with your friends but I dont get how anyone could renew their season tickets for this organization And you wouldn't understand unless you had season tickets and lived close to the stadium. For me it's about the whole day. My parents have had season tickets since 1980 and this will be me and my sister's 16th year, so for me personally, it's a family outing of sorts as well. But I also have a lot of people I know or have made friends with in the lot while tailgating and I never had any doubts of renewing. Of course it's a lot more fun when the Bills win, but the whole day is still fun regardless of the outcome. I am pissed after a loss, but win or lose, I still have to work the next day. So I have to put things in perspective and can't let it get me too down. It's just a different atmosphere pre & post game than any other sporting event. I just can't imagine not being a part it, it's just too much fun. And one of these years we will make the playoffs again and it will make it all the more special. Of course if you are one of the miserable SOB's on this board and have something to complain about even when the Bills win, you probably wouldn't have fun and it's not for you. It's not for everyone, but I will be there loud and proud for as long as I can.....GO BILLS!!!!!
Gordio Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 And you wouldn't understand unless you had season tickets and lived close to the stadium. For me it's about the whole day. My parents have had season tickets since 1980 and this will be me and my sister's 16th year, so for me personally, it's a family outing of sorts as well. But I also have a lot of people I know or have made friends with in the lot while tailgating and I never had any doubts of renewing. Of course it's a lot more fun when the Bills win, but the whole day is still fun regardless of the outcome. I am pissed after a loss, but win or lose, I still have to work the next day. So I have to put things in perspective and can't let it get me too down. It's just a different atmosphere pre & post game than any other sporting event. I just can't imagine not being a part it, it's just too much fun. And one of these years we will make the playoffs again and it will make it all the more special. Of course if you are one of the miserable SOB's on this board and have something to complain about even when the Bills win, you probably wouldn't have fun and it's not for you. It's not for everyone, but I will be there loud and proud for as long as I can.....GO BILLS!!!!! Well said my good man. Hey, terry Hills Golf Course just sent me an email saying they are open for business this weekend. Thinking about going out there tomorrow if I could get an early enough tee time.
ricojes Posted March 6, 2009 Posted March 6, 2009 Well said my good man. Hey, terry Hills Golf Course just sent me an email saying they are open for business this weekend. Thinking about going out there tomorrow if I could get an early enough tee time. I got the same email, feels good not having the old winter jacket lately! Definitely getting the golf itch, but probably will be a bit before i get out!!
Lv-Bills Posted March 8, 2009 Author Posted March 8, 2009 Ummmm Good Lord. LMAO. I don't know what the hell to think of this. I hate TO, but damn, for some strange reason I'm glad he's here. I'm such a schmuck, but I can't miss this train wreck coming to Buffalo. I'm calling my rep and re-renewing my cancelled season tickets on Monday morning. LOL. I can't believe this. Unreal. Put on hold what I said originally in this thread for awhile. LMAO.
Cornerville Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 Ummmm Good Lord. LMAO. I don't know what the hell to think of this. I hate TO, but damn, for some strange reason I'm glad he's here. I'm such a schmuck, but I can't miss this train wreck coming to Buffalo. I'm calling my rep and re-renewing my cancelled season tickets on Monday morning. LOL. I can't believe this. Unreal. Put on hold what I said originally in this thread for awhile. LMAO. :worthy:
Lv-Bills Posted March 8, 2009 Author Posted March 8, 2009 This is all I needed. Why in the hell didn't we just do this before I had the guts to cancel. Now, I have to grovel back to my ticket rep that I semi-chewed out about the Bills being so incompetent and boring. WOOOOOHOOOOOOO. Please lord, let the Bills play at home the first game of season on opening weekend. I can't even imagine what it's going to be like when he runs out of the tunnel being introduced. LMAO. So weird. So, so weird. Can't wait.
The Dean Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 If the Pirates had signed Manny, today, it would have been the ultimate end to this thread. Alas, Manny is signed.
John from Riverside Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 Now I know exactly why Ralph did this...
Lv-Bills Posted March 8, 2009 Author Posted March 8, 2009 If the Pirates had signed Manny, today, it would have been the ultimate end to this thread. Alas, Manny is signed. ROFLMAO. Could you imagine? "Batting fourth for the Pirates.........!!! Yeah right. Then the nuclear bomb would hit. But hey, this is a start is it not?
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