Ticket/Attendance Discussion: The Sequel

[Cypruss]

There are a few reasons why business participation is so low in Winnipeg:

• The Drive to 13000 campaign sold mostly to individuals, so businesses were kind of shut out of the original frenzy.
• TNSE doesn't have a great rep - that "my way or the highway" school of customer service and sales isn't just reserved for loyal season ticket holders.
• Business ain't great right now. The pandemic screwed things up for a lot of companies. Business travel is still down from pre-pandemic levels in a lot of industries. The economic times are a bit uncertain. Tough environment all around.
• TNSE doesn't have a very good sales and marketing department. They had so many years where they didn't have to work at it, they didn't really spend a lot of effort there. That's mentioned in the article - how they've had to build that up recently. Now they have to ramp up that area - and they're fighting some headwinds with the points above.
• The Jets just aren't the hot ticket they once were...

TNSE should've seen this coming. The warning signs were clear 6 or 7 years ago as the ticket market softened. As a STH, I could've sold a Tuesday night game against the Blue Jackets at face value in 2015. By 2019 Toronto and Montreal games were the only ones you could sell at face. When they should've been trying to retain the fleeing season ticket holders, they just acted like the waiting list was infinite. My way or the highway, baby...f*** around with your most loyal fans, who're paying $10K a year and find out when they walk away.

All of this is very accurate in my opinion. Many people have also been turned off by True North's actions and will no longer support that group with their limited $$'s. I watch the players play at home on TV. I have not been to the arena for about 5 years now. Used to attend 8-10 games per year from inauguration until the winter of 2019.

To each their own. Many, many reasons for dwindling support.

Ill add, I am the VP for all my companies operations in MB & SK. We have our office in the heart of downtown, and have been located there for over 40 years. No Jets rep has ever reached out to me to inquire about my companies interest in tickets. I wouldn't buy, but reaching out to the business community would go a lot further than whining about it during an interview that many have likely never seen.
I did inquire when the marvelous announcement came in 2011 that I may be interested in a partial package and what business options may be available. I never received a response.

 

[puck stoppa]

I will say there have been some really good posts in this thread. The last one is telling that your business didn’t get a response years ago.

 

[bustamente]

Chipman and his staff need to look in the mirror it sounds like he took the business community for grated. He has so many revenue streams with this team but tickets are hurting his bottom line. He owns the team and can do whatever he wants with it, but with so much money invested in True North square I don’t think he tries to sell the team Willy Nelly. A long playoff run will help

 

[gojetsgo]

I will say there have been some really good posts in this thread. The last one is telling that your business didn’t get a response years ago.

he probably didn't get a response years ago because we sold out in 17 minutes and had a waiting list on top of that

 

[Mad Dog Tannen]

View attachment 824257

Chipper sure likes to flip-flop. In October he said it’ll never happen on his watch. So which one is it Chipper?

Gross

 

[Brain Little]

The problem is, it doesn't feel like great value for the money. I took my son to our first game in several years a couple of weeks ago. While the privilege of watching NHL hockey shouldn't be understated, spending a couple of hundred bucks on seats that can only see half the ice, then spending another $100+ for 1 craft beer, 1 Rye and coke, 1 slice of pizza, 1 bottled water, and two chicken sandwiches is ridiculous. Not to mention how unbelievably uncomfortable we were in our seats. We're two larger guys and we were jammed in between two other large guys in seats designed for Oompa-Loompas. It made for an unpleasant experience.
So go ahead and make threats, go ahead and move the team. I'll be watching from my couch from now on. I can't justify the spend anymore when the cost of everything else on the planet has skyrocketed.

 

[Cypruss]

he probably didn't get a response years ago because we sold out in 17 minutes and had a waiting list on top of that

Fully agree with that!

But a smart company would have responded that they are prioritizing fans first at this point, but we thank you for your inquiry and will add your organization to their list for potential opportunities in the future.

Would have been a much better idea, that would have taken 30 seconds, and given them great data of who to inquire with if/when things started hitting a downturn - like we are seeing today.

 

[johnnyonthspot]

That might be the best explanation I've heard for all of this. There must be a letter of offer and a cheque for a billion dollars from someone in Houston, San Diego or wherever sitting on Chipman's desk and now the wheels are turning in his mind.

I think this team may all but be gone in 5 years. I agree h must have an offer he cannot or his partners do not want him to refuse otherwise why the flip flop from earlier . I am one of the thousand who has had a share of season tickets since their return and actually find him annoying at this point and not nearly the man of the people he was thought to be. I have refused to scream "true north" for a few years now and will continue doing that until he sells the team.
It was a nice ride while it lasted, The NHL will be fine without the Jets but what will it do to the city?

 

[gojetsgo]

I guess were back to selling the team again...

 

[Royale With Cheese]

Mark Chipman is nothing if not an incredibly community-minded person. It will take a lot more than a fat cheque sitting on his desk to move this franchise.

 

[Walkingtalkingeye]

The Jets are a business. To the people who say they are Jets fans but won't support True North, guess what? You are not actually a fan. If you don't go to the games, or buy the jerseys, or in some way actually SUPPORT the team then you cannot call yourself a fan. Watching them on TV doesn't mean a thing.

 

[jetsmooseice]

The Jets are a business. To the people who say they are Jets fans but won't support True North, guess what? You are not actually a fan. If you don't go to the games, or buy the jerseys, or in some way actually SUPPORT the team then you cannot call yourself a fan. Watching them on TV doesn't mean a thing.

Haha a little Kevin Lowe tier-two fan-shaming?

With all due respect that's ridiculous. I can call myself a Picasso fan without owning a Picasso painting or officially-licensed merch. Same with the Jets.

 

[Mad Dog Tannen]

The problem is, it doesn't feel like great value for the money. I took my son to our first game in several years a couple of weeks ago. While the privilege of watching NHL hockey shouldn't be understated, spending a couple of hundred bucks on seats that can only see half the ice, then spending another $100+ for 1 craft beer, 1 Rye and coke, 1 slice of pizza, 1 bottled water, and two chicken sandwiches is ridiculous. Not to mention how unbelievably uncomfortable we were in our seats. We're two larger guys and we were jammed in between two other large guys in seats designed for Oompa-Loompas. It made for an unpleasant experience.
So go ahead and make threats, go ahead and move the team. I'll be watching from my couch from now on. I can't justify the spend anymore when the cost of everything else on the planet has skyrocketed.

When the guy that got hit in the head with a puck starts making sense…..

 

[jokesondee]

The problem is, it doesn't feel like great value for the money. I took my son to our first game in several years a couple of weeks ago. While the privilege of watching NHL hockey shouldn't be understated, spending a couple of hundred bucks on seats that can only see half the ice, then spending another $100+ for 1 craft beer, 1 Rye and coke, 1 slice of pizza, 1 bottled water, and two chicken sandwiches is ridiculous. Not to mention how unbelievably uncomfortable we were in our seats. We're two larger guys and we were jammed in between two other large guys in seats designed for Oompa-Loompas. It made for an unpleasant experience.
So go ahead and make threats, go ahead and move the team. I'll be watching from my couch from now on. I can't justify the spend anymore when the cost of everything else on the planet has skyrocketed.

Last game i was at this season, my buddy paid $39 for 2 beers and 4 cookies lol. Prices are absolutely ridiculous. Its insane. And how can teams like the Panthers offer tickets and snacks for a family of 4 for under $100 and not have financial problems?!? If they can do it why cant True North?!?

 

[jetsmooseice]

Does the TNSE marketing department ever do anything besides sit around a table and brainstorm new ways to say "BUY TICKETS OR ELSE"?

 

[Scheifele55]

Last game i was at this season, my buddy paid $39 for 2 beers and 4 cookies lol. Prices are absolutely ridiculous. Its insane. And how can teams like the Panthers offer tickets and snacks for a family of 4 for under $100 and not have financial problems?!? If they can do it why cant True North?!?

I went online and noticed that tickets are $50USD and up. I don't exactly buy into 4 tickets and snacks for $100.

 

[jokesondee]

I went online and noticed that tickets are $50USD and up. I don't exactly buy into 4 tickets and snacks for $100.

They had a promo earlier in the season.

 

[Walkingtalkingeye]

Deleted post

 

[Gm0ney]

The Jets are a business. To the people who say they are Jets fans but won't support True North, guess what? You are not actually a fan. If you don't go to the games, or buy the jerseys, or in some way actually SUPPORT the team then you cannot call yourself a fan. Watching them on TV doesn't mean a thing.

I think TNSE needs to take a look at themselves and figure out how they managed to alienate so many loyal fans over the course of a decade. 13000 people put down deposits and signed multi-year commitments for tens of thousands of dollars in 2011...plus thousands more on a paid waiting list. Just over a decade later, TNSE is bringing in Gary Bettman to threaten us...

 

[AnonoJet]

I hate this renewed threat coming from Chipman. He can go f*** himself.

 

[Jetfaninflorida]

View attachment 824257

Chipper sure likes to flip-flop. In October he said it’ll never happen on his watch. So which one is it Chipper?

Its a. Meaningless statement. Not on his watch just means he could sell to another entity that could move the team. Not him moving the team on his watch.

 

[nabby12]

All of this is very accurate in my opinion. Many people have also been turned off by True North's actions and will no longer support that group with their limited $$'s. I watch the players play at home on TV. I have not been to the arena for about 5 years now. Used to attend 8-10 games per year from inauguration until the winter of 2019.

To each their own. Many, many reasons for dwindling support.

Ill add, I am the VP for all my companies operations in MB & SK. We have our office in the heart of downtown, and have been located there for over 40 years. No Jets rep has ever reached out to me to inquire about my companies interest in tickets. I wouldn't buy, but reaching out to the business community would go a lot further than whining about it during an interview that many have likely never seen.
I did inquire when the marvelous announcement came in 2011 that I may be interested in a partial package and what business options may be available. I never received a response.

Your company is part of the problem though if they still wouldn't consider buying season tickets now.

 

[bustamente]

TNSE has a lot of work to do to get the people to pony up for season tickets for this year anyways. I really think with the season the Jets are having and lowering the price structure it should tick up next year. The Economy is slowly coming back and when people start feeling better about their financial situation then more will attend the games. Jets are not the only team not able to fill the stands sell outs to every game might be a thing of the past.

 

[Aphid]

Seems like this is an incomplete quote. Would like to see him clarify this and what he means by it. I can't see any way TNSE is not making money.

If that's the case though and he is somehow losing money, he needs to fire his marketing department for a variety of reasons. They're atrocious.

 

[Cypruss]

The Jets are a business. To the people who say they are Jets fans but won't support True North, guess what? You are not actually a fan. If you don't go to the games, or buy the jerseys, or in some way actually SUPPORT the team then you cannot call yourself a fan. Watching them on TV doesn't mean a thing.

This is not even remotely accurate. I am a fan of Fernando Alonso, in a sport that I love, which is F1. I do not nor have ever owned an Aston Martin. I haven't been to a race live for almost 10 years.

But yes, I remain a fan of Fernando Alonso and watch all the races on TV.

I am a fan of the Winnipeg Jets hockey team. I am not like at all the group that owns them. Statement two does not make statement 1 incorrect. I love hockey all my life. I follow and get great enjoyment watching my local team. Yes, I am a fan.