Wading carefully back into the ticket price discussion

AdamLindsBeard · 01-31-2023, 03:40 PM

I see this topic has inspired some lively conversations over the years, so I'm dipping a toe in the water very gingerly here...

IRL, as far as I know, the whole idea of Season Tickets is that it's MUCH cheaper to buy Season Tickets than it is to buy 162 single-game tickets.

So, based on that idea, wouldn't it make sense to charge X for Season Tickets, then... if going to Commish Mode were necessary to do it... changing the ticket price to X+10 (as an example) before your first home game?

Wouldn't that make the ticket price "experience" more like real life?

Or maybe even a future option to separately set Season Ticket prices and Single Game prices?

PSUColonel · 01-31-2023, 03:55 PM

I still think this is more in the domain of ownership and less to do with baseball operations.

AdamLindsBeard · 01-31-2023, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

I still think this is more in the domain of ownership and less to do with baseball operations.

You're not wrong, although isn't it the case IRL as well that if, for example, a GM wanted to chase a free agent that was well beyond their budget, a conversation would ensue with ownership where they'd agree on chasing that FA and raising the ticket price to generate additional revenue?

I guess the thing I'm getting at is that IRL, the Season Tickets are a different price than Single Games, so shouldn't it also be the case (or an option) in OOTP?

I heartily disagree with the people who fiddle with ticket prices during the season, but if that's how you wanna play, then play that way. I try to stick as much to a real-life scenario as possible, and that includes Season Tickets at a discount.

PSUColonel · 01-31-2023, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamLindsBeard

You're not wrong, although isn't it the case IRL as well that if, for example, a GM wanted to chase a free agent that was well beyond their budget, a conversation would ensue with ownership where they'd agree on chasing that FA and raising the ticket price to generate additional revenue?

I guess the thing I'm getting at is that IRL, the Season Tickets are a different price than Single Games, so shouldn't it also be the case (or an option) in OOTP?

I heartily disagree with the people who fiddle with ticket prices during the season, but if that's how you wanna play, then play that way. I try to stick as much to a real-life scenario as possible, and that includes Season Tickets at a discount.

This is an example of where a request from an wnership could be made.

Pelican · 01-31-2023, 04:26 PM

I’m not a season ticket holder; but my sons have invested in packages with the Phillies. I don’t think they are getting a discount off of single game ticket prices. What they do get are guaranteed good seats, that would not otherwise be available. And some priority in the postseason (a thing again in Philly!!).

Of course, the dynamics have changed thanks to resellers like stub hub. You can buy a package, or full season tickets, and then resell individual games. If your team is hot, those seats may well sell at a premium. So you could end up ahead, even paying full price for the season tickets.

AdamLindsBeard · 01-31-2023, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pelican

I’m not a season ticket holder; but my sons have invested in packages with the Phillies. I don’t think they are getting a discount off of single game ticket prices. What they do get are guaranteed good seats, that would not otherwise be available. And some priority in the postseason (a thing again in Philly!!).

So some very quick, very basic research suggests Season Tickets for the Blue Jays come at about a 15% discount. (Calculated by looking at a single Season Ticket up in the nosebleeds, then comparing that to a single game ticket in the same section and row and multiplying by 81.)

Running an experiment now where my Season Tickets for 2028 were $33.50, and just prior to the first home game I changed the price to $35. Doesn't seem to have had a direct negative impact on fan interest or attendance. (And it feels more like a real-world scenario.)

LansdowneSt · 01-31-2023, 11:55 PM

I think the season ticket price and the regular ticket price should be set and locked and not change during the season. The season ticket price should be set by the time the season tickets are sold and the regular price should be set before Opening Day. Think of it as the annual "average price". If there were a floor such that said regular price could be no lower than the season ticket price, that's fine. But I hate the gaming that can be done via the ticket pricing.

Rain King · 02-01-2023, 01:56 AM

I don't really see the need to make Ticket pricing more complicated. It definitely isn't something I want to need to manage/worry about in significant detail.

While the individual seats that are sold as "season tickets" are certainly cheaper than buying them for single games IRL...many more of the "single game" tickets that are sold are up in the "cheap seats" as they say and/or may become discounted if the team isn't doing well. I'm not an expert in ticket economics, but the way the game handles this currently seems fine to me. If you are doing well in-season you can raise them as your fan interest/demand goes up or lower them to keep some fans coming if fan interest trails off.

To counter the "chase a free agent" argument, I do not believe for one second that teams are not already charging as much as they believe they can for games while still getting butts in seats. Going after a free agent can't be a reason to raise ticket prices because if the demand isn't there those tickets just won't get sold...and if the demand is there the ticket prices would already be raised.

Sweed · 02-01-2023, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain King

I don't really see the need to make Ticket pricing more complicated. It definitely isn't something I want to need to manage/worry about in significant detail.

While the individual seats that are sold as "season tickets" are certainly cheaper than buying them for single games IRL...many more of the "single game" tickets that are sold are up in the "cheap seats" as they say and/or may become discounted if the team isn't doing well. I'm not an expert in ticket economics, but the way the game handles this currently seems fine to me. If you are doing well in-season you can raise them as your fan interest/demand goes up or lower them to keep some fans coming if fan interest trails off.

To counter the "chase a free agent" argument, I do not believe for one second that teams are not already charging as much as they believe they can for games while still getting butts in seats. Going after a free agent can't be a reason to raise ticket prices because if the demand isn't there those tickets just won't get sold...and if the demand is there the ticket prices would already be raised.

I'd put myself in the "we don't need to complicate ticket prices" pool.

I already look at my ticket price as the average profit per seat, that includes both season and single ticket prices, in my OOTP economy. My $23 seat, that would be $125 at Wrigley, works because the "cost of doing business" isn't there in depth.

I guess if we want to break down ticket prices why stop at season vs. regular tickets? Shouldn't we "series price" our seats so when the Yankees come to town the tickets are at a premium price and the price of a Pirates game is the day I can afford to go.

Unless or until OOTP goes to an in depth front office financial model I don't see a need to change anything.

Other's mileage may vary.

01-31-2023, 03:40 PM	#1
AdamLindsBeard Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 46	Wading carefully back into the ticket price discussion I see this topic has inspired some lively conversations over the years, so I'm dipping a toe in the water very gingerly here... IRL, as far as I know, the whole idea of Season Tickets is that it's MUCH cheaper to buy Season Tickets than it is to buy 162 single-game tickets. So, based on that idea, wouldn't it make sense to charge X for Season Tickets, then... if going to Commish Mode were necessary to do it... changing the ticket price to X+10 (as an example) before your first home game? Wouldn't that make the ticket price "experience" more like real life? Or maybe even a future option to separately set Season Ticket prices and Single Game prices?

01-31-2023, 04:26 PM	#5
Pelican Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Wilmington, Delaware Posts: 2,955	I’m not a season ticket holder; but my sons have invested in packages with the Phillies. I don’t think they are getting a discount off of single game ticket prices. What they do get are guaranteed good seats, that would not otherwise be available. And some priority in the postseason (a thing again in Philly!!). Of course, the dynamics have changed thanks to resellers like stub hub. You can buy a package, or full season tickets, and then resell individual games. If your team is hot, those seats may well sell at a premium. So you could end up ahead, even paying full price for the season tickets. __________________ Pelican OOTP 2020-? ”Hard to believe, Harry.”

01-31-2023, 11:55 PM	#7
LansdowneSt Global Moderator Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: From Duxbury, Mass residing Baltimore Posts: 7,460	I think the season ticket price and the regular ticket price should be set and locked and not change during the season. The season ticket price should be set by the time the season tickets are sold and the regular price should be set before Opening Day. Think of it as the annual "average price". If there were a floor such that said regular price could be no lower than the season ticket price, that's fine. But I hate the gaming that can be done via the ticket pricing. __________________ Complete Universe Facegen Pack 2.0 (mine included) https://www.mediafire.com/file_premi...k_2.0.zip/file Just my Facegen Pack: https://www.mediafire.com/file_premi..._Pack.zip/file

02-01-2023, 01:56 AM	#8
Rain King Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 3,116 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	I don't really see the need to make Ticket pricing more complicated. It definitely isn't something I want to need to manage/worry about in significant detail. While the individual seats that are sold as "season tickets" are certainly cheaper than buying them for single games IRL...many more of the "single game" tickets that are sold are up in the "cheap seats" as they say and/or may become discounted if the team isn't doing well. I'm not an expert in ticket economics, but the way the game handles this currently seems fine to me. If you are doing well in-season you can raise them as your fan interest/demand goes up or lower them to keep some fans coming if fan interest trails off. To counter the "chase a free agent" argument, I do not believe for one second that teams are not already charging as much as they believe they can for games while still getting butts in seats. Going after a free agent can't be a reason to raise ticket prices because if the demand isn't there those tickets just won't get sold...and if the demand is there the ticket prices would already be raised. Last edited by Rain King; 02-01-2023 at 02:00 AM.

01-31-2023, 03:55 PM	#2
PSUColonel Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 13,105	I still think this is more in the domain of ownership and less to do with baseball operations.