NFL to examine quality of preseason, lower ticket prices

[Kellyto83TD]

I like 17-3, teams have 2 home and 1 away PS game, swapped the following year with 1 home, 2 away. No need then to extend the season either, simply return Labor Day weekend as the season opener, giving people back that 3 day football weekend we all knew and loved.

 

I know we made an initial change due to 911, but didn't we make the change full time because College football whined about it or something?

[HankBulloughMellencamp]

Hmm, I wonder which format the NFL will recommend? Maybe the 18-game regular season they've been jonesing for for 2 years? Well, now that they've cracked down on bounties and eliminated concussions forever with Heads Up Tackling ™, they might as well.

 

The NFL, particularly Goodell, is spectacularly full of BS. They know how unpopular an 18-game regular season is, which is why they keep trying to wrap it in an issue that people will swallow -- reducing preseason games. So far, every attempt they've made has been rebuffed, because the fans and more importantly the players' union are too smart to fall for this nonsense. But every time they get smacked down, they just come back for more. They think they can win a war of attrition, and they may be right.

 

What a great post, Cash.

 

We all can plainly see that Rog just wants to make more $$$, and it might be the only way he can try to do a public-support end-around on the NFLPA. This whole exploration of change to increase the quality of the preseason is just his red herring for the ultimate goal: the pursuit of an increased regular season schedule.

 

The players are the ones who are sacrificing their motor skills and mental capacities in their golden years, and they seem to want no part of it - and who could really blame them? But you can bet your life if Goodell is successful in adding just one more actual regular season game, his owners will bask in the green glow of an extra week of full-boat pricing for all of the associated broadcast rights, advertising fees, tickets, parking, concessions, and every other thing you can think of. But if they do somehow add a game to the schedule, would the owners then be forking over another 1/16th of every player contract as well? Or would they try to just divide those huge game checks up into 17 easy installments?

 

And how could that possibly tie into Rog's genuine (see: legal) concern for player safety ... of what real benefiit is even one more week of live bullets to the players? I mean, I like watching the games, but isn't it bad enough for the players that almost every NFL team now faces the prospect of playing a second head-cruncher of a contest about 100 HOURS after their last one (if you assume a 1:00pm Sunday game followed up with a Thursday-night affair).

 

Look, I won't argue that Goodell hasn't been a very good commissioner for NFL owners, as he has essentially been looking under every unturned stone to print money for them. We now have weekly Thursday and Sunday night games, the NFL draft is stretched out from one to three days (w/two prime-time broadcasts), the NFL network is reaching out across cable and mobile outlets and tying in NFL.com as a fantasy hub ... the list goes on and on. Rog almost makes Russ Brandon look like junior varsity material.

 

But I do not like him as a commissioner. I do not like the heavy-handed way he metes out his random justice for flagrant hits, etc. And I do not like the nebulous rule changes that have been ushered in (and are sure to exasperate fans with an increasing frequency this fall). Those won't be that bad, you say?

 

Stop and think for a second. Running backs can no longer lower their heads - in the interest of player safety, of course. Let's see how well the refs handle that can of worms the first time it matters. Nevermind that Rog's replacement refs could not even decipher a touchdown vs. an interception - even with the benefit of instant replay. And who remembers when his "real" refs wiped out an obvious-to-the-naked-eye game-winning TD catch by Calvin Johnson against the 49ers just because he didn't "complete his football move" ... whatever that means.

 

And let's not even get into the latest crackdown on celebration gestures. A top priority ... and it may have even elicited a few "it's about time" responses from some old codgers ... but you codgers just wait until we all start breaking down replays of a guy's post-TD celebration to see if it was really directed at someone or just a "legit" solo expressive celebration. Maybe teams will be able to use a challenge if necessary? The thought of this all just makes me want to puke.

 

But I will still watch. And 16 games with two byes is Rog's only means to an end that will ever fly.

[CodeMonkey]

Once again here is PTR's simple, elegant solution to this problem. Lengthen the season without adding more games by adding a second bye week. Then add a tue or wed prime time game and have teams coming off the bye play them. Then drop one or two PS games.

 

You're welcome, NFL.

 

PTR

Here is my elegant solution. No preseason games at all. If teams want live play prior to the season start, arrange scrimmages with each other during preseason.

Edited August 8, 2013 by CodeMonkey

[RyanC883]

This is my first year as a season ticket holder and my naive self was SHOCKED that the pre-season games cost the same as regular season games. They are not the same product!! I live in Pittsburgh, so it's not like I'm going to drive up for an exhibition game. Also, the fact the NFL is "evaluating" this is a job. Even NFL Ticket Exhcange lets you sell (and loose money on) preseason games way below face value. They know these tickets are worthless.

 

If they gave them to season ticket holders for free, more people would buy season tickets because they would cost less, and the teams would likely make more money.

[Mark Vader]

Examine quality of the preseason? Uh... They don't know this already? Let me help:

 

Garbage product. Confiscatory prices. Alienation of season ticket holders.

I know. What a joke of a statement that is.

 

The last preseason game that had real entertainment was the last time the 49'ers played the Raiders at Candlestick, and the fans got into a brawl.

[1B4IDie]

I like 17-3, teams have 2 home and 1 away PS game, swapped the following year with 1 home, 2 away. No need then to extend the season either, simply return Labor Day weekend as the season opener, giving people back that 3 day football weekend we all knew and loved.

Exactly and one of the greatest things about 17 reg season games is there are no .500 seasons. You're either a winner or loser (yeah 8-8-1 is a possibility but don't be a richard)

[bladiebla]

I wonder if they would sell out stadiums if they would play 4 teams in one stadium with each having 2 quarters of 20 minutes.

 

I think the 17-3 concept could work. At least for a while

 

Per season one home, road and neutral site game.

 

Regular season, 8 home, road and one international game.

 

London 3 or 4 games, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Tokyo, China, Mexico City, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto (besides the Bills) and a couple more.

 

Yay for Amsterdam!

[NoSaint]

This is my first year as a season ticket holder and my naive self was SHOCKED that the pre-season games cost the same as regular season games. They are not the same product!! I live in Pittsburgh, so it's not like I'm going to drive up for an exhibition game. Also, the fact the NFL is "evaluating" this is a job. Even NFL Ticket Exhcange lets you sell (and loose money on) preseason games way below face value. They know these tickets are worthless.

 

If they gave them to season ticket holders for free, more people would buy season tickets because they would cost less, and the teams would likely make more money.

 

 

if the preseason were free, youd simply see the regular season prices go up accordingly. think of it as a 10 game package you bought, and ignore whats printed on the tickets.

[bladiebla]

This is my first year as a season ticket holder and my naive self was SHOCKED that the pre-season games cost the same as regular season games. They are not the same product!! I live in Pittsburgh, so it's not like I'm going to drive up for an exhibition game. Also, the fact the NFL is "evaluating" this is a job. Even NFL Ticket Exhcange lets you sell (and loose money on) preseason games way below face value. They know these tickets are worthless.

 

If they gave them to season ticket holders for free, more people would buy season tickets because they would cost less, and the teams would likely make more money.

 

It's silly really, product isnt even close.

 

That said, to avoid no shows tix for season holders should be 10 dollars or something and 25 for non season ticket holders. A full stadium compensates the losses on ticket prices by the gains from the concession and merchandise sales.

[BillsWatch]

I wonder if they would sell out stadiums if they would play 4 teams in one stadium with each having 2 quarters of 20 minutes.

 

Or each team played each other team for 15 minutes,

[Billshank Redemption]

Am I the only one who doesnt want the season expanded because all the records basically mean nothing?

[Best Player Available]

The players union one would assume would have a big say in any more regular season games. It might have even been addressed in the new CBA? It's Doubtful these guys want to add more wear and tear on their bodies just to justify the league to make even more money on broadcast revenues, ticket sales, etc. without the players seeing a big chunk of that payout.

[papazoid]

The players union one would assume would have a big say in any more regular season games. It might have even been addressed in the new CBA? It's Doubtful these guys want to add more wear and tear on their bodies just to justify the league to make even more money on broadcast revenues, ticket sales, etc. without the players seeing a big chunk of that payout.

 

NFLPA: We haven't discussed schedule tweaks with NFL:

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000227639/article/nflpa-we-havent-discussed-schedule-tweaks-with-nfl

[1st&ten]

Two preseason games are plenty. In the old days football players did not stay in off season shape like the modern player.

 

Goodell is a joke. He fines Belacheat & takes away a draft pick when they already had addtiional first round picks. Then he immediately destroys all the evidence. Yet, he punishes the hell out of the Saints for over aggressive defense. ( bounty gate)

 

He also wants to persist on expanding the NFL to Europe. The WFL was a failure. News flash---Roger--Europeans like soccer.

 

The sooner they get rid of this guy, the better off the league will be.

Edited August 8, 2013 by 1st&ten

[papazoid]

Jim Irsay to fans: You dont really pay full price for preseason tickets

 

In a series of tweets, Irsay explained to fans how he sees it: You pay a lump sum for 10 season tickets, knowing that some games (like Peyton Mannings return with the Broncos on October 20) are worth a lot more than face value, and other games (like the two preseason games) are only worth buying so youll have the ability to also buy tickets to the Broncos game. Irsay says season tickets shouldnt even have individual prices on individual tickets because the reality is the value of the tickets to the 10 home games varies widely.

 

even though this guy is a goofball, there is some truth to the value of games...my section 110 tix ($77 each) based on the NFL Ticket Exchange are worth the following:

 

$20 preseason

$225 New England

$125 Carolina

$160 Baltimore

Edited August 14, 2013 by papazoid

[1B4IDie]

Jim Irsay to fans: You dont really pay full price for preseason tickets

 

In a series of tweets, Irsay explained to fans how he sees it: You pay a lump sum for 10 season tickets, knowing that some games (like Peyton Mannings return with the Broncos on October 20) are worth a lot more than face value, and other games (like the two preseason games) are only worth buying so youll have the ability to also buy tickets to the Broncos game. Irsay says season tickets shouldnt even have individual prices on individual tickets because the reality is the value of the tickets to the 10 home games varies widely.

 

even though this guy is a goofball, there is some truth to the value of games...my section 110 tix ($77 each) based on the NFL Ticket Exchange are worth the following:

 

$20 preseason

$225 New England

$125 Carolina

$160 Baltimore

The NHL already has variable pricing system.

The NFL is different in a few regards:

1.) Much Smaller Sample Size only 10 pre-scheduled events in each facility. (And For the London and Toronto Crowd even less {Do season ticket holders of London teams get tix to that game or a discount on seasons?)

2.) A Majority (18 according to a dated wiki post and I'm thinking it may be in the 20s in 2013) of stadiums are completely sold out through Seasons. Some stadiums actually have to reserve a few single game tickets.

3.) No one is really complaining because everyone knows you're effectively getting Pre-Season for free or near free. If the NFL dictated that Pre_Season was mandatory free you likely wouldn't see a change in the cost of most season ticket prices.

Edited August 14, 2013 by Why So Serious?

[NoSaint]

Am I the only one who doesnt want the season expanded because all the records basically mean nothing?

 

Of all the reasons, I think that's the silliest. The rules change regularly anyway making comparison across era pointless, even if you benchmark to a per game number.