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Why do they announce that games are sold out that aren't?


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So I've been under the impression for weeks now that there were no tickets left for any of the first 4 home games. So I log into the Bills backers pre-sale just for kicks and found tickets to all those games. Lots of them, in groups of 4+ together.

 

Here's a link to the story that said they were all gone from a month and a half ago

"Bills sell out first three games"

 

I scored 4 tickets to the Browns game and am very happy. I just don't understand why the Bills would float it out there that tickets are gone when they're not. As a matter of fact there are TONS of tickets left for everything after the Cleveland game.

 

As of right now this is the status:

 

Tampa - single seats only

New Orleans - groups of 5 seats still available

Cleveland - groups of 5 still available

Houston - groups of 14 still available

Miami - groups of 14 still available

New England - groups of 14 still available

Indy - groups of 14 still available

 

The Bills backer code is TRENT in case you don't have it yet.

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The reason for announcement of "All tickets are sold out" is to drive people to get remaining seats even if they are not located where they want or grouped together. It also makes remaining people more willing to swallow "convenience" and "processing" charges when the purchasers know that the event holder is also paying TicketOvermaster money already. They are also hoping some will purchase season tickets since a portion of the seats are held back to first preseason game and reserved for sales to people they talk into purchaseing season tickets instead.

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So I've been under the impression for weeks now that there were no tickets left for any of the first 4 home games. So I log into the Bills backers pre-sale just for kicks and found tickets to all those games. Lots of them, in groups of 4+ together.

 

Here's a link to the story that said they were all gone from a month and a half ago

"Bills sell out first three games"

 

I scored 4 tickets to the Browns game and am very happy. I just don't understand why the Bills would float it out there that tickets are gone when they're not. As a matter of fact there are TONS of tickets left for everything after the Cleveland game.

 

As of right now this is the status:

 

Tampa - single seats only

New Orleans - groups of 5 seats still available

Cleveland - groups of 5 still available

Houston - groups of 14 still available

Miami - groups of 14 still available

New England - groups of 14 still available

Indy - groups of 14 still available

 

The Bills backer code is TRENT in case you don't have it yet.

 

I've often wondered that too! :devil:

 

The reason for announcement of "All tickets are sold out" is to drive people to get remaining seats even if they are not located where they want or grouped together. It also makes remaining people more willing to swallow "convenience" and "processing" charges when the purchasers know that the event holder is also paying TicketOvermaster money already. They are also hoping some will purchase season tickets since a portion of the seats are held back to first preseason game and reserved for sales to people they talk into purchaseing season tickets instead.

 

When I hear "All tickets are sold out" I think that means that all tickets are sold out and so I won't even bother to look into getting tickets for those games. :wallbash:

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I've often wondered that too! :devil:

 

 

 

When I hear "All tickets are sold out" I think that means that all tickets are sold out and so I won't even bother to look into getting tickets for those games. :wallbash:

There is always a way to get tickets to a sold out event.

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When I hear "All tickets are sold out" I think that means that all tickets are sold out and so I won't even bother to look into getting tickets for those games. :wallbash:

 

 

There is always a way to get tickets to a sold out event.

 

 

Sure is. But some people want the tickets in advance, with known seats, together and all that. As Steely notes, I think many see "Sold out" and think they have no chance at those tickets...or go to a legal reseller/scalper.

 

It seems, on the surface, like a flawed strategy, but it seems to work for the Bills.

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I thought that too. Give us your take on what you think it is (why it works)... :devil::blink:

 

I got many a theory... :wallbash:

 

 

Well, there are a lot of Polish people in Buffalo.

 

KIDDING!

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quetsion: does anybody know when the bills last had a blackout?

Christmas Eve, 2006, against the Titans. Redskins-Rams was also blacked out that day. Atlanta (2), Jacksonville (3), Oakland (4), St. Louis (5), and Detroit (5) have all had games blacked out since then.

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Well, there are a lot of Polish people in Buffalo.

 

KIDDING!

 

Polish people?

 

Years ago I was in a BBV store and the movie "Pollock" was out and I rented it. (Good film BTW) Anyhoo, as I was taking it off the shelf another guy took one and looked at his wife and said; "Pole-lock I wonder what that's about" :thumbsup::thumbsup:

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It is called marketing. Create the illusion of limited supply and watch demand grow.

The Bills have been doing this type of "marketing" for years, and it really makes no sense. By declaring four games "sold out" early, they take the wind out of the sails for people/groups to attend these games (especially the TBD tailgator, which I hope to get to some year).

 

It's flawed, deceptive and makes little financial sense. By opening tickets to the first four games, they must have gotten little increase in season ticket sales since declaring the first four games "sold out." What is more mystifying is that the media buys off on this every year and you see the D and C and the News run with the Bills' press release.

 

The "sold out" policy is strictly to build on season ticket sales...maybe the buying public has finally caught on.

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It is called marketing. Create the illusion of limited supply and watch demand grow.

 

 

Limited supply, or shortage, implies you better buy soon, and pay top dollar. If the Bills announced there were FEW tickets left (and perhaps pushed the price) your analogy would apply. Typically SOLD OUT is meant to turn your ass around and go find something else to do/somewhere else to go.

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They do it because they have sold out of those blocks of tickets. When the teams put tickets for sale, they have blocks that are reserved for certain things, and this isn't just sports, its also concerts too. With sports they usually hold a big block for season ticket purchases. Then for Group Sales, and individual tickets. They also hold blocks for the other teams, and guests of the players and teams. At certain points, they make tickets available from those different blocks, and wafter a certain amount of time, they open whats left over to the general public. Thats why there are times where to a "sold out" event you can buy a ticket or 2 just before its about to start, because they need to get rid of some tickets that went unclaimed, or were left over from different blocks of tickets

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They do it because they have sold out of those blocks of tickets. When the teams put tickets for sale, they have blocks that are reserved for certain things, and this isn't just sports, its also concerts too. With sports they usually hold a big block for season ticket purchases. Then for Group Sales, and individual tickets. They also hold blocks for the other teams, and guests of the players and teams. At certain points, they make tickets available from those different blocks, and wafter a certain amount of time, they open whats left over to the general public. Thats why there are times where to a "sold out" event you can buy a ticket or 2 just before its about to start, because they need to get rid of some tickets that went unclaimed, or were left over from different blocks of tickets

 

So basically Ralph Wilson has already purchased the remaining tickets to make it sold out. He's just gonna scalp them.

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The Bills have been doing this type of "marketing" for years, and it really makes no sense. By declaring four games "sold out" early, they take the wind out of the sails for people/groups to attend these games (especially the TBD tailgator, which I hope to get to some year).

 

It's flawed, deceptive and makes little financial sense. By opening tickets to the first four games, they must have gotten little increase in season ticket sales since declaring the first four games "sold out." What is more mystifying is that the media buys off on this every year and you see the D and C and the News run with the Bills' press release.

 

The "sold out" policy is strictly to build on season ticket sales...maybe the buying public has finally caught on.

 

That's even dumber for them to do, IMO. When I hear they are sold out for the first four games then I don't think It's worth it to buy "season tickets" for the remaining four games. One of which is probably the Toronto game. JMO

 

 

Limited supply, or shortage, implies you better buy soon, and pay top dollar. If the Bills announced there were FEW tickets left (and perhaps pushed the price) your analogy would apply. Typically SOLD OUT is meant to turn your ass around and go find something else to do/somewhere else to go.

 

Exactly! :lol:

 

 

They do it because they have sold out of those blocks of tickets. When the teams put tickets for sale, they have blocks that are reserved for certain things, and this isn't just sports, its also concerts too. With sports they usually hold a big block for season ticket purchases. Then for Group Sales, and individual tickets. They also hold blocks for the other teams, and guests of the players and teams. At certain points, they make tickets available from those different blocks, and wafter a certain amount of time, they open whats left over to the general public. Thats why there are times where to a "sold out" event you can buy a ticket or 2 just before its about to start, because they need to get rid of some tickets that went unclaimed, or were left over from different blocks of tickets

 

I think by reading this thread you'll see that the vast majority of people don't know that. I'm not criticizing you, I'm criticizing the system. Concerts don't have blackouts like NFL games. If I hear "Sold Out" and then the game is blacked out I'm royally pissed off. :wallbash:

 

 

So basically Ralph Wilson has already purchased the remaining tickets to make it sold out. He's just gonna scalp them.

 

He wears a dark hat and sunglasses and from the window of his Taurus he goes; "psst, psst hey you need any tickets" very quietly while moving his head around looking for cops. :lol:

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