Ticket/Attendance Discussion: The Sequel

[Gm0ney]

It's really amazing how TNSE has managed to fumble away almost all of the natural advantages and goodwill from the triumphant return of the Jets in 2011.

The "killer app" for attending games in-person was always the atmosphere inside the arena. A packed house, chants, hyped up fans having a good time - you don't get that on your TV. But somehow they either consciously decided they didn't like that kind of thing, or the corporate culture's inadvertent instincts were opposed to irreverent grassroots merry-making...whatever the case, they snuffed out the most important thing that made it worth it to spend hundreds of dollars on a night out at the arena in Winnipeg.

The arena has been a graveyard on most nights for years - this goes back well before the pandemic. We're about as much fun as the Senators crowd now. It's a shame, because I think with a different attitude from the outset they could've kept the good times rolling indefinitely.

Everyone's hoping they'll clean house this offseason, but that also seems against TNSE's culture. I think if they don't it's going to be the "Drive to 1,300" this summer.

 

[snowkiddin]

It's really amazing how TNSE has managed to fumble away almost all of the natural advantages and goodwill from the triumphant return of the Jets in 2011.

The "killer app" for attending games in-person was always the atmosphere inside the arena. A packed house, chants, hyped up fans having a good time - you don't get that on your TV. But somehow they either consciously decided they didn't like that kind of thing, or the corporate culture's inadvertent instincts were opposed to irreverent grassroots merry-making...whatever the case, they snuffed out the most important thing that made it worth it to spend hundreds of dollars on a night out at the arena in Winnipeg.

The arena has been a graveyard on most nights for years - this goes back well before the pandemic. We're about as much fun as the Senators crowd now. It's a shame, because I think with a different attitude from the outset they could've kept the good times rolling indefinitely.

Everyone's hoping they'll clean house this offseason, but that also seems against TNSE's culture. I think if they don't it's going to be the "Drive to 1,300" this summer.

It’s still a shame that the helmet Pardy got nixed. That was a brilliant idea, and, in my opinion, relatively harmless. Too bad it got axed.

 

[Jimmyjets]

It's really amazing how TNSE has managed to fumble away almost all of the natural advantages and goodwill from the triumphant return of the Jets in 2011.

The "killer app" for attending games in-person was always the atmosphere inside the arena. A packed house, chants, hyped up fans having a good time - you don't get that on your TV. But somehow they either consciously decided they didn't like that kind of thing, or the corporate culture's inadvertent instincts were opposed to irreverent grassroots merry-making...whatever the case, they snuffed out the most important thing that made it worth it to spend hundreds of dollars on a night out at the arena in Winnipeg.

The arena has been a graveyard on most nights for years - this goes back well before the pandemic. We're about as much fun as the Senators crowd now. It's a shame, because I think with a different attitude from the outset they could've kept the good times rolling indefinitely.

Everyone's hoping they'll clean house this offseason, but that also seems against TNSE's culture. I think if they don't it's going to be the "Drive to 1,300" this summer.

I couldn't agree more. I think there are a lot of things that have happened on both sides of the ledger that caused this to happen and I'm willing to look at myself first:

1) I'm 10 years older which probably makes me more mellow. I don't go home seething with rage at bad reffing anymore.
2) I have young kids now so I don't really use the Jets as a pre-game anymore, now it's the main event
3) So many Tuesday games and so few Friday and Saturday night games
4) Jacked up the drink prices so I don't see many people ordering doubles anymore
5) Not allowed to leave so no more meeting up with other people either at the game or not. The side effect of that was slamming a pint in between periods and then buying another to drink during the game.
6) Tried to turn "Go Jets Go" chants corporate with the drum. (I actually hate that drum.)
7) Players never acknowledged that they liked the atmosphere or it helped them in any way. Seems like many teams are willing to just sleepwalk through a game midweek in Winnipeg and the atmosphere was pumping up the away team more than the Jets.
8) Stopped fan initiated things like helmet night, track suit night, etc. Things that would be fun and make the team relevant.
9) It's just really repetitive. This year is better but it was the same songs, the same games at TV timeouts, the same everything... just gets stale. Add to that that they actually play a pretty boring brand of hockey IMO where nothing ever happens, which is fine if youre winning, but as it is entertainment it's a killer if you're losing. Like who/what are you paying money to see live? Not a lot of highlight reel goals, not a lot of physicality, not a lot of odd man rushes, the powerplay puts you to sleep as there is no motion, they get scored on after every bad call against them, they don't ever play any of our shiny new toy prospects... the list goes on.
10) To bring it back to point number 1) not much new blood getting season tickets. Where are the affluent party people in their late 20s that can afford to buy in? Now they're needed but are they interested? The ticket price is prohibitive to likely have grown up going to a bunch of Jets games, so what makes them want to buy in now?

 

[Hollywood3]

I haven't checked the Jets forum for a while. Seems ticketing is an issue. I bailed the last pre-covid season. The others in my group picked up my share. My main reason was the ticketing app. It was harder to transfer and being the admin for the group was terrible. Half the time I was so angry just getting in that I didn't like going.

I will not download a spyware app just to go to an event. Period. IMO, TN should pay us for the data they collect.

Now the issue is how will sports and other events do post-covid. The Free States seem to be back to normal. The Lockdown States and Canada have not. What will happen? Nobody knows. Under 40 males are a large group of unvaxxed. Are they to be locked out forever?

 

[blueandgoldguy]

It seems like that fun party atmosphere that existed at the phone booth a few years ago has moved south to Raleigh...at least from what I see on the hilites. What a buncha jerks...

 

[Jets 31]

Obviously not having a good team hurts or a team that just works their ass's off every game, i can cope with just not being good enough but i can't cope with alot of the floating around by alot of our core players this season. The music at the games is horrible and believe it or not playing the right music definitely helps with the pumping up of a crowd. Not letting people leave is also very, very stupid . Just go to a game in a different city and see the difference, went to a game in LA and it was a blast, same as Denver, True North has to get their shit together.

 

[JetsNut]

Obviously not having a good team hurts or a team that just works their ass's off every game, i can cope with just not being good enough but i can't cope with alot of the floating around by alot of our core players this season. The music at the games is horrible and believe it or not playing the right music definitely helps with the pumping up of a crowd. Not letting people leave is also very, very stupid . Just go to a game in a different city and see the difference, went to a game in LA and it was a blast, same as Denver, True North has to get their shit together.

Almost every other NHL team doe not allow re-entry into the building.

 

[Jets 31]

Almost every other NHL team doe not allow re-entry into the building.

Well LA has a massive outdoor area that you can at least go outside. Ours would have to have heaters but at least you could have a way to go outside.

 

[cbcwpg]

Obviously not having a good team hurts or a team that just works their ass's off every game, i can cope with just not being good enough but i can't cope with alot of the floating around by alot of our core players this season. The music at the games is horrible and believe it or not playing the right music definitely helps with the pumping up of a crowd. Not letting people leave is also very, very stupid . Just go to a game in a different city and see the difference, went to a game in LA and it was a blast, same as Denver, True North has to get their shit together.

All the rules to do with entry, medal detectors, wand scans, re-entry, bag size, etc. were implemented by the NHL, not TNSE. That's something that most people forget. I regularly talk to our usher who works outside some games to do the entry screening, and the number one issue that causes people to threaten and swear at the ushers... is purse size. People being told they can't bring their massive purse or bag in.

Older buildings like ours in Winnipeg were put in place before all these rules were put in place and that's why we don't have the big outdoor places for people to go during intermissions etc. That and our weather and just where the building is located. Every city is different.

 

[JetsNut]

Well LA has a massive outdoor area that you can at least go outside. Ours would have to have heaters but at least you could have a way to go outside.

I just don’t see what going outside will add to the game enjoyment. Unless of course you’re a smoker.

 

[Hollywood3]

Nothing happened between 2004 and 2019 to warrant the use of spyware apps to enter and a bar on re-entry.

 

[jetsv2]

Almost every other NHL team doe not allow re-entry into the building.

Every single NHL team has a no re entry policy because the policy is mandated league wide by the NHL. It's the same with the metal detector screening and restrictions on bag size.

 

[oldunclehue]

In all honesty....as someone who has only been to a handful of games live over the years (I live far away), what can their ticket reps/TNSE tell people to try and sell season tickets and pack the arena again?

From the forums and my experience:

1. Cost of tickets sky-rocketing
2. On-ice product is boring (systems are horrid, PP is bad, players that aren't marketable.)
3. Arena seats/concessions/washrooms etc are horrible.
4. Off-Ice entertainment (music, games, trivia etc are stale and old.)
5. Location becoming less safe and not convenient (weather, parking, crime).

I've experienced all these things and if I were to move to the city I wouldn't even consider buying season tickets for those reasons. Plus the ability to watch it from home in a comfy chair, with a cold drink and my family/friends is a better option.

TNSE is in for a wake up call if they don't find solutions to bring people to the games.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

In all honesty....as someone who has only been to a handful of games live over the years (I live far away), what can their ticket reps/TNSE tell people to try and sell season tickets and pack the arena again?

Bring back Dave Wheeler.

 

[cbcwpg]

People act like having to work to get people to come to games is something that only Winnipeg has to worry about now. Winnipeg had 10 years on the gravy train and now that time has ended as everyone knew it was going to end, and now the Jets find themselves like most sports franchises that actually have to put an effort in to keeping fans.

The Jets have done some things poorly over the years and as I mentioned in a previous post, some of these poor choices weren't actually theirs ( like all the security nonsense ). And some things they can never control like crime in the downtown. And if people are worried about going to a Jets game as having a high risk of crime, try going to a game in Washington or NY if you want to see crime. Some things like taking the fans for granted, that's on TNSE, and they need to fix this for sure.

The price of tickets is out if hand throughout most of the league, but that's the fans fault for buying tickets at those prices. Which brings me to the only thing that will ultimately keep me from attending games... Price. And if the price gets too high, that's up to each person to decide on their own. And if it ultimately means the team leaves, then so be it. Been there, done that.

What we need is a market correction, but it can't come from teams like Winnipeg because the NHL doesn't care if Winnipeg is in the league anyways. It has to start in cities like NY and Philadelphia that have always sold out, but aren't anymore.

 

[SCP Guy]

Nothing happened between 2004 and 2019 to warrant the use of spyware apps to enter and a bar on re-entry.

I don't use the app.....just the web browser on your phone works great for ticketing

 

[blues10]

As mentioned security measures are league wide and encompass multiple sports in NA. I was recently at 2 sporting events that had a different response in regards to bags.

MLSE which has the same bag policy in place for both the Raptors and Leafs. There is a bag size restriction just like we have here at the arena. However, if you arrive at the game with an oversized bag, they have two entrances/gates where you can undergo a bag check. Essentially similar to an airport where you open your bag and security goes through it. No one is denied entry for too big of a purse or murse. I know the policy because I 1st checked with MLSE before attending and then my wife subjected her purse to the search twice.

2nd event was a FIFA match at BMO. The facility operated under BMO/ MLSE rules. You could actually bring larger clear bags without a search but again my wife simply had her purse searched because it was over size.

TNSE can choose to allow oversized bags if they hand searched them all. Perhaps making two gates for oversized bags the way the Leafs and Raptors do would be an idea.

 

[Zippity]

 

[drumzan]

Every single NHL team has a no re entry policy because the policy is mandated league wide by the NHL. It's the same with the metal detector screening and restrictions on bag size.

Correct me if wrong, but I believe TNSE chose to implement the no entry policy because most other teams were already doing it. It wasn’t mandated by the league at the time. The reason TNSE gave was to control indoor temperatures with the doors constantly opening/closing.

 

[Zippity]

Correct me if wrong, but I believe TNSE chose to implement the no entry policy because most other teams were already doing it. It wasn’t mandated by the league at the time. The reason TNSE gave was to control indoor temperatures with the doors constantly opening/closing.

Lol, I’m betting on alcohol sales

 

[Cypruss]

Lol, I’m betting on alcohol sales

Obviously!

My brother and I were not the only ones to run over to the Tavern and their ice filled beer tub right at the front door (with different selection options) to crush two quick brews during each intermission for less than the price of one warm draft that were sold in the arena concourse....

Always all about the money.....

 

[DRW204]

lol funny they do this merely a couple weeks after that Jets Fan Apathy article coming out, and a couple days after Friedman talking about it.

i guess maybe to quick to comment.... they perhaps did this sort of giveaway last time they had fans in the arena too (2019)

 

[jetsv2]

Correct me if wrong, but I believe TNSE chose to implement the no entry policy because most other teams were already doing it. It wasn’t mandated by the league at the time. The reason TNSE gave was to control indoor temperatures with the doors constantly opening/closing.

I believe that is correct, it was initially a decision by TNSE but im pretty sure its now a league wide policy.

 

[Jets 31]

I just don’t see what going outside will add to the game enjoyment. Unless of course you’re a smoker.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

And some things they can never control like crime in the downtown.

They could have built their arena someplace where land is cheap and plentiful, instead of trying to shoehorn it into a postage stamp property that required tearing down an iconic landmark. Hell, U of M has so much land both the Bombers and Jets could have called it home. Imagine how convenient that would be on days when both are playing at home.