Arrowhead Club Level - FAIL

[Strongside]

I'm not sure what idiot at arrowhead keeps setting the club level prices where they are, but apparently they aren't getting the picture. I realize this has been discussed here before, but it's outrageous that we started to see the CL almost completely empty 3 years ago and that it's not been fixed. It's been hard to find data on ticket prices, but I found some.

In 2008, just four years ago, these were the prices listed on the Chiefs website.

In continuation of the Chiefs long-standing policy, the taxpayers of Jackson County, Missouri will receive a pre-sale opportunity to purchase single-game tickets for Chiefs home games during the upcoming 2008 season on Tuesday, July 22nd and Wednesday July 23rd, beginning at 10:00 AM. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Arrowhead box office or at participating Kansas City Ticketmaster Ticket Centers. Ticket prices for Chiefs home games begin at $105-115 (club level) and range downward to $81-94 (field level) and $41-83 (upper level).

As you can see, the most expensive ticket in the stadium was $115. Compare that to the current price of $270 and take into consideration that we've had a deep economic shitstorm since then and it's easy to see that these prices are just way off. Granted, the stadium has undergone a renovation but the view from these seats didn't change and, if I'm not mistaken, neither did the inclusiveness of the club level seating. A lot of those seats may be reserved for corporate sales...if this is the case, then that strategy isn't working, should be ditched and the prices lowered to suit the general public. Another common misconception is that the seats are empty because the fans that hold those tickets can go up into the suites, which isn't true. I've sat in the CL several times and have never had access to a suite.

Mark Donovan addressed the 'yellow seats' a couple of years ago but, as we saw last year and yesterday, whatever their solution was, didn't work.

Here's what Donovan said:

"We've seen the yellow seats," Donovan acknowledged on 810 WHB Tuesday morning.
For all those who have sent in an email asking the question, here's your answer: "We think we mis-priced those," he said. "What we're doing this year is we're going to roll out a new pricing plan for the end zones and corner of the club level and those prices will go down."

I'm not sure if the prices actually did go down or not, but the fact is that the seats remain empty. It's an eyesore on TV and it's a damn shame when you're at the games and Arrowhead looks like a shell of it's former self.

The ticket prices don't match the product on the field or the struggling economy...parking is damn near $30, which is insane as well...and it needs to be fixed.

[Strongside]

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

I don't doubt that prices have had an impact. However I think there is another factor as well. The new suites behind the seating are open to the club level ticket holders. I think the wine and cheesers are hiding out inside making the place look less full than it actually is.

I mentioned this above. I sat there last year...twice...and did not have access to the suites. My friends, ten of them, sat there Sunday and had no access either. I think this is a misconception. It was 75 ****ing degrees Sunday. I don't know anyone, rich or not, that doesn't want to sit out in open air and watch the game when the weather is that perfect.

[Strongside]

And, as a side note to suite access, My friends were given their tickets by McDonalds corporate. McDonalds owns a suite on the club level, but they weren't allowed in. I've also been in a suite (Toyota) in 2009 and we didn't have access to the outdoor seating.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Strongside

I mentioned this above. I sat there last year...twice...and did not have access to the suites. My friends, ten of them, sat there Sunday and had no access either. I think this is a misconception. It was 75 ****ing degrees Sunday. I don't know anyone, rich or not, that doesn't want to sit out in open air and watch the game when the weather is that perfect.

Originally Posted by Strongside

And, as a side note to suite access, My friends were given their tickets by McDonalds corporate. McDonalds owns a suite on the club level, but they weren't allowed in. I've also been in a suite (Toyota) in 2009 and we didn't have access to the outdoor seating.

I think he mis-spoke.

They don't have access to the suites, but they do have access to the bar areas in the club level.

The one time I've sat there, the public areas were packed.

[DRU]

When you have a suite you get your own little collection of outdoor seats, but they aren't yellow. They're red leather. All the yellow seats, though, still have access to the main club level area where all the restaurants and everything are. Many of them do hang out there during the game even though you can't see the field.

Another thing I haven't seen mentioned is that not only are the club level tickets not available for single games, and not only are they expensive, but if you buy them you have to sign a 3 year contract.

So, for a single ticket at roughly $250/each, for 3 years, you have to dedicate $7500.00 to watching Matt Casshole run around like a scared little girl. If you want to take a friend, double that, of course. Oh, and that doesn't include parking.

I went up there with $10k cash in 2010 (me and a bunch of friends) trying to get some sort of a suite for a single game. I figured now that they have like 5 levels of suites we could get the lowest one for 1 game...maybe..??

No chance. The only thing they would give us for $10k is a lower level field box, which is basically a collection of seats with a rope around it and a heater.

The cheapest actual suite they had...$30k for a single game...and again, you have to sign a contract to lease it for at least 3 years...they really want 5 years.

[Strongside]

Our average premium (club) level ticket is $270. That's the 9th highest in the league. The teams ahead of us are the teams that you'd expect to be ahead of us...NYG, NYJ, Dallas, etc...

Our average ticket price, however, is $64.92, which is about the 7th lowest in the league. Why on earth would we have such a huge spread between the average price to get in and the average price to get into premium seating? Again, idiotic.

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by Strongside

I mentioned this above. I sat there last year...twice...and did not have access to the suites. My friends, ten of them, sat there Sunday and had no access either. I think this is a misconception. It was 75 ****ing degrees Sunday. I don't know anyone, rich or not, that doesn't want to sit out in open air and watch the game when the weather is that perfect.

I took a tour of the stadium last weekend, and either the tour guide misspoke or I misunderstood but, I swear she said that your club ticket granted you access to the club level suit directly behind you.

[Strongside]

Originally Posted by DRU

When you have a suite you get your own little collection of outdoor seats, but they aren't yellow. They're red leather. All the yellow seats, though, still have access to the main club level area where all the restaurants and everything are. Many of them do hang out there during the game even though you can't see the field.

Another thing I haven't seen mentioned is that not only are the club level tickets not available for single games, and not only are they expensive, but if you buy them you have to sign a 3 year contract.

So, for a single ticket at roughly $250/each, for 3 years, you have to dedicate $7500.00 to watching Matt Casshole run around like a scared little girl. If you want to take a friend, double that, of course.

I went up there with $10k cash in 2010 (me and a bunch of friends) trying to get some sort of a suite for a single game. I figured now that they have like 5 levels of suites we could get the lowest one for 1 game...maybe..??

No chance. The only thing they would give us for $10k is a lower level field box, which is basically a collection of seats with a rope around it and a heater.

The cheapest actual suite they had...$30k for a single game...and again, you have to sign a contract to lease it for at least 3 years...they really want 5 years.

I guarantee that if they did some deep cost analysis they'd find that they're costing themselves more money to pay premium ticket salespersons, who obviously aren't able to sell the seats at the current price/contract requirements, than if they would just open the seats to the public for single-game sales. They could at least put the seats up for sale if they haven't sold to STH's the week of the game for a more reasonable price. I find it hilarious that the seats continue to remain empty but that they don't adjust their strategy at all to fill them.

It's like if your team had a shit history at quarterback and never tried to actually do anything about it...oh, wait.

[DRU]

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

I took a tour of the stadium last weekend, and either the tour guide misspoke or I misunderstood but, I swear she said that your club ticket granted you access to the club level suit directly behind you.

Nope. The red, leather seats in front of the suites are the outdoor seating for the suite. The yellow seats are standard club level seats and only give you access to the club level itself, the restaurants, etc.

An actual suite is entirely different thing.

[DRU]

Originally Posted by Strongside

I guarantee that if they did some deep cost analysis they'd find that they're costing themselves more money to pay premium ticket salespersons, who obviously aren't able to sell the seats at the current price/contract requirements, than if they would just open the seats to the public for single-game sales. They could at least put the seats up for sale if they haven't sold to STH's the week of the game for a more reasonable price. I find it hilarious that the seats continue to remain empty but that they don't adjust their strategy at all to fill them.

It's like if your team had a shit history at quarterback and never tried to actually do anything about it...oh, wait.

That's what I was trying to tell them while I was there with all that cash. They were telling me they'd rather let it sit empty than give it to me for $10k because if it got out that they were selling them for $10k nobody would pay $30k.

They're intended for corporations with big money needing huge write offs, and that's what they're holding out for.

[Strongside]

Well then what in the hell has changed in 4 years? Did they used to offer them for single games?

Obviously they did.

[DRU]

Originally Posted by Strongside

Well then what in the hell has changed in 4 years? Did they used to offer them for single games?

Obviously they did.

Yeah, before they updated the stadium the club level itself wasn't all that special (not that it is now) and those seats weren't tied up in expensive contracts like they are now.

[Frazod]

My uncle got us seats in the Chevy box once. I'd say about half the people there never even bothered to step outside, let alone pay any attention to the game at all, and most of the ones that did seemed to be annoyed with me because I dared to make noise. ****ing twats. If all you care about is being seen by the right people, go to the goddamn country club.

Oh, and I should mention that this was several years ago when the team was actually good.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Inmem58

I ****ing love that I made this during Bowe's contract snafu and it's still relevant.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

I ****ing love that I made this during Bowe's contract snafu and it's still relevant.

It'll always be relevant - that cheap ass trust fund baby douche doesn't give two shits about the team or winning.

[Strongside]

He needs to sell the team to whoever runs Sporting KC...same with the Royals.