And now a guest post from @theteacherchris who started a friendly discussion on twitter over the weekend. I invited Chris to write something up which, as you will read, provides a different point of view from what you get from @mediagoon and I.
My Experiences As a Mets Season Ticket Holder (They May Shock You)
To start off, I have a been a full season ticket holder since 2005. In Shea I was located
in Field Level 169 Box H and at Citi Field I am in section 135 row 1. I am far from a large
client as my account has never been more than $6500 a year. Despite my modest bankroll, I
am made to feel like I am the most important thing by the folks in the ticket offices at Citi.
Bottom line, in my opinion, the Mets have gotten bad reputation when it comes to public
relations with the fans and maybe I can change some people’s minds with this post.
Every year my friends ask me if i have renewed my seats, and most follow up with one
word, “Why?”. Well, there are several reasons and most of them have nothing to do with the
mostly lackluster on field talent.
I’m a 32 year old teacher and father of two boys (3 and 5) and have been a Met fan my entire life. I have seen them play in 16 different stadiums (will be 18 at summer’s end after trips to St. Louis and Tampa). My schedule allows me to get a lot of
games and my children have an absolutely awesome day every time we go (regardless of the
outcome). It is a challenge for my family and I to come up with our money every year, but I
have no intention of ever letting my seats go. Let me explain why…
Reason 1: Discounted Pricing
I have seen a lot of posts lately slamming the Mets for their recent promotions and how that
may hurt people like myself who paid “full price” up front. This is simply untrue. About four
years ago the Mets gave a serious discount to season ticket holders. As a result, I pay about
60% of the box office price for every single game. This is incredibly helpful to me. It helps
tremendously with resale. If someone who is not a season ticket holder wants to go to a
game, they have an actual REASON to buy from me. I can offer it to them cheaper than the
box office price and make back my money for that game. They get a deal, I make my money
back and everyone is happy. Additionally, if I ever need extra tickets to a game, I get them at
the SEASON TICKET HOLDER PRICE, not the normal box office price (a savings of about
40%) and am subject to no exorbitant convenience fees that I find decidedly inconvenient.
Finally, the Mets have created awesome interest free payment schedules that help break my
lump sum payment up into six monthly installments at no extra charge.
Reason 2: Perks
As a season ticket holder I am given approximately 5 vouchers every year that are
good for 4 seats to any game (except premium dates like opening day, subway series, Red
Sox series this August). You may be pessimistically thinking about where the seats are good for. The seats are AWESOME. They are field level seats along the foul lines and dugouts
about 15 rows back. The face value for the seats is usually about 80$ meaning each voucher is about 320$ worth of tickets.
In addition to the vouchers, I get a free meal card from the Mets loaded with $250 that
can be used at any concession stand or team store at Citi Field. This covers my food and
drinks and has actually already been used up this year.
I also get priority access to presales for any event that Citi Field hosts. I will be seeing Zac Brown Band (I know nothing about them, this is all for my wife) in August and the Foo Fighters in June (More my style)
Reason 3: Cool Events
I know it seems like a long time ago, but the All Star game at Citi field was FANTASTIC.
The prices for the tickets were not too bad (prices set for this event by MLB, not Mets). With
my seats I was able to snag a homer during the Home Run Derby.
Annually I am invited to two or three cool events at Citi Field. Some events in the past
were Q and A sessions with Players and Front Office members, meet and greets, exclusive
autograph sessions and even a wine tasting party during a game in a luxury suite celebrating
Tom Seaver’s wine vineyard.
Reason 4: Above and beyond Dedicated Customer Service
Last summer, my older son son had an accident and broke his arm. He was really
bummed out about being sidelined for most of the summer. My ticket services representative
heard about it and within a week shipped him a really nice care package. It included a signed
baseball from his favorite player, a couple of bobbleheads, and a handwritten note expressing
the Mets best wishes for my son to have a speedy recovery. My son still tells people about
this to this day.
More recently, a friend of mine’s 3 year old was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He too loves
the Mets. I was casually discussing how sad it was with one of my ticket reps and they took it
upon themselves to send an amazing package of stuff to the house, another handwritten note
and a significant donation to his fundraiser in the name of the New York Mets.
The above two actions may not make headlines, but they make it certain that I will continue
to be renewing my account annually because they make it more than worth it.
Yes, Chris. i do agree with you about the ticket plan holders reps that I have had and the new one I do have now as just being great and going above and beyond for the plan holders which I have touted in the past. The problem is they are handcuffed in what they can do with some things and get frustrated too. My last rep that I had that just left the Mets org, has actually become a good friend of mine because of our interactions.
Now I get what the full season perks the plan holders get. I have mentioned them before numerous times. I love going to the games, I have a 20 game weekend plan( I would have more but my work schedule is crazy during the week), and I also end up going to about another 20 games plus. As smaller plan holders we don’t get all the perks that you as a season plan holder does. We do get the discounted tickets, able to swap tickets up to four times for similar seats, get the discount merchandise cards and the “giveaway” with the tickets when they are shipped to us before the season. All the mets are doing right now is having people who were plan holders saying why should I have my seats when I can get cheaper ones and not be locked into a plan? It doesn’t help them sell plans. Now when you sell your tickets on stub hub are you getting what your face value is? I know on the non marquee games, if I can’t go and put my seats up on stub hub, I’m not getting the face value for them, and I have some really good seats. There are quite a few plan holders and former plan holders feel like the Mets owners do not care about their fans at all. Giving some kind of food or merch voucher when there are promo priced games to the plan holders is a good step to show that they do care.
theteacherchris done and done sir
TheClemReport wow man. Thanks so much. Want some tix? Name a date.
theteacherchris Thanks my brotha. I may take you up on that when I actually know when I can get down there. We can talk/cry over a beer
TheClemReport of course.
theteacherchris michaelgbaron hey Shea375 check this out, how did your experiences compare? You might enjoy this blog post.
Nice Post. Nice to hear your perspective!
LowTide_Ink theteacherchris michaelgbaron was a ticket holder pre all these benefits. Once they bumped me upstairs, I was done.
Shea375 LowTide_Ink michaelgbaron how’d they “bump” you?
theteacherchris LowTide_Ink michaelgbaron had mezz at shea, said smaller capacity, prom the new mezz. But put me in last row.
Shea375 LowTide_Ink michaelgbaron did u ask for a switch?into Caesars club? My section didnt exist in Citi either- i was moved to OF
theteacherchris LowTide_Ink michaelgbaron I did not. Didnt know what it was then. I just wanted decent seats without bells and whistles
Shea375 LowTide_Ink michaelgbaron im first row outfield. Package is only like 5k. 6 payments. Sell 90% of em
Shea375 LowTide_Ink michaelgbaron prices have dropped since the shift to citi. May be worth a look man.
theteacherchris LowTide_Ink michaelgbaron Sounds good, but now have a house, kid. Wanted a Sat pack. No day games and not all sat.
Shea375 LowTide_Ink michaelgbaron so let me help u out. Ill but through mets at STH cost.i make no money off it. Just get u back in!
theteacherchris LowTide_Ink michaelgbaron Tks. Was at every home playoff game in 99 00 and 06 except yankee clincher. Couldnt stand it!
Shea375 dont blame u. Send me a follow. Maybe i can help u out.
Shea375 theteacherchris michaelgbaron I have 4 first row, midfield tix,full season for NYC FC. IMO best bang for your buck tickets in NYC
LowTide_Ink Shea375 michaelgbaron im sorry i dont know what that is
theteacherchris Shea375 michaelgbaron NYC FC is the MLS soccer team that plays at Yankee Stadium
I have had a continuous partial plan since 1985. Much of what Chris says is true for people who can afford the price of a good used car to have tickets to every game and have the time to go or serve as brokers for the mets in their spare time. The mets reps are nice and try their best but I have had a different rep every year for the last 5 years. They are really a buffer between you and the front office, in the old days I would write a letter directly to Innaciello’s office and I would get letters back! I use to sit in loge 13 at $30 a game (was $13 a game when we 1st move down there). Now that is called the hyundai club and I can not afford it for 20 games let alone a whole season. I am in 420 ADA now and have said it to Leigh C and every rep they have given me since – establish a perks plan for long time partial season ticket holders and when we are finally in the playoffs again – dont forget us reward us for sticking around.
As for 40% discount I dont see it, my 17 dollar ticket for this sunday costs 18 from mets.com and my 30 dollar ticket later in the summer cost 32. I dont pay ticket fees which is nice but when you add a 66% discount this week and buy 1 get 3 free that are sure to resurface soon, many disgruntled plan holders are right.
I have repeatedly called for a partial plan perks program with greater perks based on how long you keep your plan, when they tell us we can get playoff tickets even if its for upstairs for sticking around and being a loyal fans/costumers then many fans will find it worth it.
Mediagoon I agree on all points above. Season ticket holders definitely get a lot of perks that make it
worthwhile. I’ve seen far less as a 20-game partial plan holder though,
aside from my ticket rep helping me out with a promo item I just missed
and the discounted ticket pricing that still ends up more than some of
these special promotions. I still get my plan because I do like the whole
experience, getting the tickets on the card stock and access to one or
maybe two not-that-special events that I usually end up sharing
with someone else. I also like saying “my seats.” I’ll even concede having access to at least the
Promenade Club and Caesar’s Club is helpful to get away from the elements when it’s not so
nice out. Maybe they should give vouchers guaranteeing plan holders access to promo items for their games or even extend an invitation to the end of the season gathering they have for season ticket holders where they and their guests pretty much grab any leftover promotional items from the season. I’d have less of an internal battle each October/November when deciding to renew if they did something more.
metspolice My takeaway from this was it’s great, especially if you plan to sell off 90% of your tix. Might be on to something?
ReadTheApple seems a lot of work. Not going at all is zero work.
metspolice A lot of work indeed. He has to go onto comments sections of dubious #Mets blogs and try to unload his worthless ducats.
ReadTheApple metspolice he can’t be getting face for them either
I left a post last night, why cant I find it – are comments edited or deleted by MP?
from MarioAsaro
Submitted on https://metspolice.com/2015/06/08/my-experiences-as-a-mets-season-ticket-holder-they-may-shock-you/#comment-130085
I have had a continuous partial plan since 1985. Much of what Chris says is true for people who can afford the price of a good used car to have tickets to every game and have the time to go or serve as brokers for the mets in their spare time. The mets reps are nice and try their best but I have had a different rep every year for the last 5 years. They are really a buffer between you and the front office, in the old days I would write a letter directly to Innaciello’s office and I would get letters back! I use to sit in loge 13 at $30 a game (was $13 a game when we 1st move down there). Now that is called the hyundai club and I can not afford it for 20 games let alone a whole season. I am in 420 ADA now and have said it to Leigh C and every rep they have given me since – establish a perks plan for long time partial season ticket holders and when we are finally in the playoffs again – dont forget us reward us for sticking around.
As for 40% discount I dont see it, my 17 dollar ticket for this sunday costs 18 from mets.com and my 30 dollar ticket later in the summer cost 32. I dont pay ticket fees which is nice but when you add a 66% discount this week and buy 1 get 3 free that are sure to resurface soon, many disgruntled plan holders are right.
I have repeatedly called for a partial plan perks program with greater perks based on how long you keep your plan, when they tell us we can get playoff tickets even if its for upstairs for sticking around and being a loyal fans/costumers then many fans will find it worth it.
Mario the comments weren’t edited or deleted…for some reason it was approved but didn’t get up on the post…I’ll let Shannon know, but I posted it above with your name on it…
Thank you sir
@theteacherchris 60% off box office pricing is simply untrue. For most games season holder tickets are about 17% cheaper than the box office. The could also fluctuate to anywhere 10-20% with dynamic pricing, and usually it’s down