Still Perplexed on all the Niners fans at Acrisure

[steelhurt]

I heard one fan on a Pittsburgh talk show this morning who as a long time season ticket holder complaining of all the Niners fans in his section. He’s familiar with most of these Pittsburgh season ticket holders over the years and can’t understand why they would sell their tickets.
I don’t get it either. Ok, let’s look at this thing clearly.
Opening game, first season opener in Pittsburgh since 2014. Lots of anticipation, excitement after a very good off season with free agency, the draft, good pre season, lots of excitement and reason for hope. Opener, great weather, excellent opponent maybe the NFC representative in the SB, and season ticket holders elect to sell out to Niner’s fans.
I’ve thought about this and can’t come up with a good reason why so many sold their tickets.
Possibly a quiet protest to Rooney centered around Tomlin? Idk, but very odd to me.

 

[Djfan]

This one is simple -

A lot of long term fans understand the lack of commitment to field a good team. It just is not the priority. They saw an opportunity to make a few bucks, and did. It was more important than sitting through a Tomlin show.

 

[SteelerFan448]

It's not hard to understand why they sell their tickets.

1. Ticket prices are expensive.
2. Parking across the river was $30 in a lot. This included a 20-minute walk to the stadium and another 25-minute walk back due to the crowd.
3. Food and drink prices are ridiculous. At least the Falcons have some basic concession items that are affordable. Not in Pittsburgh, you're looking at around $20 for food and drink.
4. It took 40 minutes to drive from downtown to the Squirrel Hill tunnel. That's as bad as traffic has been for a game.
5. A bit minor, but the WiFi is awful in the stadium and I like to follow the game on Twitter, this board, and watch RedZone on my phone.
6. Season ticket holders don't even get tickets anymore, instead an electronic ticket.

Those tickets brought in a premium and can pay for a chunk of the overall season tickets. Sell a few games and you make your money back with profit. The Steelers and every NFL team may say they value their fans, but making games unaffordable say otherwise.

 

[steelhurt]

Don’t buy season tickets if you cannot afford it. Personal seat license is expensive but if you can’t afford it, then watch from home.

 

[SteelerFan448]

Don’t buy season tickets if you cannot afford it. Personal seat license is expensive but if you can’t afford it, then watch from home.

Personal seat licenses allow season tickets to be an investment. It's a money making opportunity for fans who own them. Not my personal style, but it's the system that's been created.

 

[Frosty]

If that doesn't say people are tired of Coach Shades and his dated coaching I don't know what does.

 

[Sarge]

It's not hard to understand why they sell their tickets.

1. Ticket prices are expensive.
2. Parking across the river was $30 in a lot. This included a 20-minute walk to the stadium and another 25-minute walk back due to the crowd.
3. Food and drink prices are ridiculous. At least the Falcons have some basic concession items that are affordable. Not in Pittsburgh, you're looking at around $20 for food and drink.
4. It took 40 minutes to drive from downtown to the Squirrel Hill tunnel. That's as bad as traffic has been for a game.
5. A bit minor, but the WiFi is awful in the stadium and I like to follow the game on Twitter, this board, and watch RedZone on my phone.
6. Season ticket holders don't even get tickets anymore, instead an electronic ticket.

Those tickets brought in a premium and can pay for a chunk of the overall season tickets. Sell a few games and you make your money back with profit. The Steelers and every NFL team may say they value their fans, but making games unaffordable say otherwise.

7. The economy sucks right now and everything is expensive. If a person can make a few bucks and perhaps lessen their financial burden in another area, then why not? Plus, we’re in a place where Americans hold very little sacred, and I would assume that would include loyalty to a football team.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

You gotta figure , if someone from west coast is willing to make the trip,, theyre willing to pay the premium prices for stub hub. I agree with sarge and 448.

 

[diver]

DK said something about that yesterday. The Steelers sell all their tickets as season tickets, and there is a waiting list something like 20-30 years. Some fans got season tickets dating back to the 70s. They hold on to them. Maybe they are too old, or have moved out of the area or whatever but they hold onto them, then if they can't go they sell them. He said the Penguins approach was to always hold back a certain # of tickets so young people, working people can buy some reasonably. Steelers haven't done that and now you are starting to see the results. That was kinda the gist of what he said.

 

[steelhurt]

You gotta figure , if someone from west coast is willing to make the trip,, theyre willing to pay the premium prices for stub hub. I agree with sarge and 448.

I completely understand what 448 is saying and Sarge as well. Man, a lot different from when I had season tickets but that was back in the 70’s and no personal seat licensing. I saw the same folks in my section Year after year. What a great era! Oh well!
Good point though about the trip from San Fran to Pittsburgh plus hotel and food, that adds to the expense. Very disheartening to see so called fans sell out. If I still lived there and had season tickets, Tomlin or not, I’d go to the games that’s for sure.

 

[Drink IRON City]

DK said something about that yesterday. The Steelers sell all their tickets as season tickets, and there is a waiting list something like 20-30 years. Some fans got season tickets dating back to the 70s. They hold on to them. Maybe they are too old, or have moved out of the area or whatever but they hold onto them, then if they can't go they sell them. He said the Penguins approach was to always hold back a certain # of tickets so young people, working people can buy some reasonably. Steelers haven't done that and now you are starting to see the results. That was kinda the gist of what he said.

Todays DK Daily Shot was about this. Strongly recommend all to listen to and then come back here and tell me the ownership gives a **** about the fans.


Salute the nation

 

[Gildong Sack]

This one is simple -

A lot of long term fans understand the lack of commitment to field a good team. It just is not the priority. They saw an opportunity to make a few bucks, and did. It was more important than sitting through a Tomlin show.

Boom! Hand that man a cigar. If as a fan you are still buying into Tomlin's smoke and mirrors you just have not been paying attention at all. The sad thing is he will never leave as long as he can shake the last dime out of old man Rooney's pocket. For all the claims to the Rooney's knowing how to run a team the biggest bungle they ever made was hiring this man. 3-11 in the playoffs, squandered Ben's best years...and on and on.

 

[Tim Steelersfan]

I’ve thought about this and can’t come up with a good reason why so many sold their tickets.

Inflation. Families gotta eat.

 

[Hines57]

Those tickets brought in a premium and can pay for a chunk of the overall season tickets. Sell a few games and you make your money back with profit. The Steelers and every NFL team may say they value their fans, but making games unaffordable say otherwise.

More than anything this. They sold out to help pay for the balance of their season tix.

 

[madinsomniac]

DK said something about that yesterday. The Steelers sell all their tickets as season tickets, and there is a waiting list something like 20-30 years. Some fans got season tickets dating back to the 70s. They hold on to them. Maybe they are too old, or have moved out of the area or whatever but they hold onto them, then if they can't go they sell them. He said the Penguins approach was to always hold back a certain # of tickets so young people, working people can buy some reasonably. Steelers haven't done that and now you are starting to see the results. That was kinda the gist of what he said.

I have a friend who’s great aunt got them in 1934 and they have passed through the family for almost 90 years now… they are heirlooms… but that doesn’t mean they are inherited by someone who cares about going to a game

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

All a part of building back better.

 

[Djfan]

Boom! Hand that man a cigar. If as a fan you are still buying into Tomlin's smoke and mirrors you just have not been paying attention at all. The sad thing is he will never leave as long as he can shake the last dime out of old man Rooney's pocket. For all the claims to the Rooney's knowing how to run a team the biggest bungle they ever made was hiring this man. 3-11 in the playoffs, squandered Ben's best years...and on and on.

This one, please.

DJfan's cigar of choice

 

[slashsteel]

I understand the ins and ours of it just don't like that people sell their tickets to opposing fans. They can do what they want but yeah don't care for it.

I also think the FO should make tickets more affordable but you know the greed machine knows no limits.

 

[Hines57]

I understand the ins and ours of it just don't like that people sell their tickets to opposing fans. They can do what they want but yeah don't care for it.

I also think the FO should make tickets more affordable but you know the greed machine knows no limits.

We do the same thing every time we play away games. This is just one of the few times its happened at home.

 

[Confluence]

I have a friend who’s great aunt got them in 1934 and they have passed through the family for almost 90 years now… they are heirlooms… but that doesn’t mean they are inherited by someone who cares about going to a game

Thats the same reason there are so very many empty lower seats at game start and to start the second half.....the folks with the best seats do not mind missing large chunks of the game, so its easy to understand why they woul sell their seasons tix at 3x cost.

 

[suncitysteel]

We're all just now feeling what Cardinals fans in Phoenix, Texans fans in Houston, Cowboys fans in Dallas (etc., etc.) have felt every time the Steelers play in their city. Only now is it a relatively new phenomenon in Pittsburgh. All the reasons mentioned in this thread contribute to what we're seeing, and then toss in the fact that I (and I presume many other Gen Xers who grew to love the 70's teams of our youth and the resurgent teams under Ben in our 30's-40's) have come to de-prioritize all things related to sports-team fandom. There are more pressing matters in our lives (economy, family, etc.) and the recent turn to social issues by Rog and the league instead of focusing solely on the game have left a sour taste in many mouths. If I were a local fan with season tickets, I'd seriously consider selling them for a mega-profit, too. I'll always root for the Steelers, but why should my loyalty be a one-way street in that this team and current ownership refuses to make the necessary - and obvious - changes?

 

[Djfan]

The fact is, that if this team were a dominant team, facing down the 11th year in a row of winning the AFCN, odds-on favorite to win it all (I'm dreaming, I know), then the fans would not sell tickets. That's just the way it is.

We're not, so the tickets have a different value to the original buyers. Simple. Field a good team, the fans show up. Put crap out there, the fans sell. It's very basic.

 

[Buster]

All of the reason listed here are valid. Some of them can be controlled by ownership, but are not. That's their choice and shows where their priorities are.

 

[Buster]

3. Food and drink prices are ridiculous. At least the Falcons have some basic concession items that are affordable. Not in Pittsburgh, you're looking at around $20 for food and drink.

Another thing about this is that between lack of workers and going cashless which make everything "Quicker and easier" you will miss at least a quarter of the game if you get concessions. That why I bring drinks and some food in. Waiting for them to ban that too.

 

[diver]

Todays DK Daily Shot was about this. Strongly recommend all to listen to and then come back here and tell me the ownership gives a **** about the fans.


Salute the nation

This is where I get lost. Look, if you want to say their approach has been shortsighted, in that they didn't forsee this, fine. I just have a hard time buying an ownership that spends to the cap every year and has provided some pretty good football over the years all of the sudden doesn't care about fans.