Now I tell you what, I don't recall a time over the last few years where they have advertised this much about having tickets available to Cubs games. And it isn't just mid-week day games - we are talking about every single game. Even in the ever-popular bleachers - only Friday and Saturday games are sold out.
Now I think one reason for less folks attending these games is that the Cubs currently stink. But, I can tell you for certain that they have been much, much worse over the years and not had these problems this early in the season.
I think the main reason attendance is heading south is that times are tough for a lot of folks - but at the same time ticket prices keep going up. These tickets are very pricey and getting pricier every year. The Cubs are going to find themselves what they call a tipping point pretty soon if they continue to jack up the prices.
Now I do not consider myself a Nostradamus type, but I think the Cubs better watch themselves if they don't want it to get worse. I think the powers that be better stop focusing so much on adding advertisement and jumbotrons and all of that. Unless they plan on using that income to help keep ticket prices in check - which I seriously doubt they will - they could sure well find themselves in a world of hurt.
UPDATE: Tuesday nights game had an announced attendance of 34,749. That is 2,000 less than any other game so far this season - including so called "bronze" games - mid week - in the cold.
I'm telling ya: something is going on here.
Now I think one reason for less folks attending these games is that the Cubs currently stink. But, I can tell you for certain that they have been much, much worse over the years and not had these problems this early in the season.
I think the main reason attendance is heading south is that times are tough for a lot of folks - but at the same time ticket prices keep going up. These tickets are very pricey and getting pricier every year. The Cubs are going to find themselves what they call a tipping point pretty soon if they continue to jack up the prices.
Now I do not consider myself a Nostradamus type, but I think the Cubs better watch themselves if they don't want it to get worse. I think the powers that be better stop focusing so much on adding advertisement and jumbotrons and all of that. Unless they plan on using that income to help keep ticket prices in check - which I seriously doubt they will - they could sure well find themselves in a world of hurt.
UPDATE: Tuesday nights game had an announced attendance of 34,749. That is 2,000 less than any other game so far this season - including so called "bronze" games - mid week - in the cold.
I'm telling ya: something is going on here.
"Unless they plan on using that income to help keep ticket prices in check - which I seriously doubt they will"
ReplyDeleteThe income from additional revenue streams has very little to do with whether or not they will raise ticket prices.
If they don't have additional revenue streams and the ticket prices are higher than the demand price, they will have no choice but to lower their prices.
In the same way, they could get 50 signs around the ballpark, rename it Haliburton Park at Wrigley Field, and have the Ricketts win the Powerball jackpot and if the prices are set lower than the perceived demand, the ticket prices will go up.
Make no mistake, this team is going to maximize the revenue from this team and usually that translates into higher ticket prices, but unsold tickets at a higher price point does them no good.
At this point, it is easier to find tickets at less than face value on the street than it is to walk up to the ticket office. So those unsold tickets are going to stay that way until the team does something on the field that will boost demand up over where it is now.