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Around the Internet => Antimustachian Wall of Shame and Comedy => Topic started by: nereo on May 12, 2015, 05:47:52 PM

Title: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: nereo on May 12, 2015, 05:47:52 PM
Ok, I know this happens in different sports, but I've only recently become aware of it

For the NHL playoffs, Montreal's Bell Center is selling tickets starting at $10 to watch the game - when it's being played in Tampa.  For $10 you can sit in stadium seats and watch a jumbo-tron from far away and drink beers (small $7.50, large $15.50) while the actual game is being played in a completely different stadium 1500 miles away.
Apparently over 20,000 people are doing this right now.  I kinda get this is an 'experience' sort of thing, but why not go to one of the hundreds of bars with better and cheaper beers and better TVs?  ::shrug::


Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: Davids on May 12, 2015, 06:23:49 PM
Or why not be at home and have friends over! Beer will be cheaper, you will be with people you like and the toilet will be cleaner.
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: Davin on May 12, 2015, 06:43:53 PM
Sorry if I am stating the obvious, but I have to say: Fuck that bulshit!
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: greenmimama on May 12, 2015, 07:21:29 PM
The only time this would ever make sense, not for me to do but even for me to understand for others to do, is die hard fans when the championship is being played away, you could be with all the other crazy die hard fans and whoop it up, it's certainly more MMM than flying to the city they are playing in and buying those $$$$$ tickets :)
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: Spondulix on May 12, 2015, 07:30:35 PM
Actually I could see how watching the game this way could be Mustachian - For someone who maybe can't afford to go to the arena otherwise, this might be a cool way to check it out and get a sense of the vibe. Or, if you have young kids but aren't sure they could sit through a whole game this is wayy cheaper than paying for a bunch of seats and leaving half way.

That doesn't account for all 20k people... but to me, I see it as a potential money saver to get a sense of the experience without the full cost.
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: nereo on May 12, 2015, 07:37:23 PM
Or why not be at home and have friends over! Beer will be cheaper, you will be with people you like and the toilet will be cleaner.
I guess this depends on your friends.

Suppose it could be a (cheaper) way to take some kids to see the stadium - otherwise if I wanted comraderie I'd invite friends over or hit a sports bar. Meh.
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: tyir on May 12, 2015, 07:46:11 PM
It's for the experience. You get to watch it with 20000 other people. I don't really see how this is thaaat unmustachian.

It's like going out to see a movie instead of watching it at home.
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: Otsog on May 12, 2015, 11:39:27 PM
The teams usually give all the proceeds to charity from these games and the experience is awesome (if they win). You don't have to buy stadium beer. This isn't antimustachian.
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: slugline on May 13, 2015, 07:21:38 AM
"Tickets cost $10, with part of the proceeds going to the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation."

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/game-6-montreal-tampa-bay-series-broadcast-bell-195812903--nhl.html

I do remember attending an away-game watch party for the NBA playoffs in the 90s and it was free. However, it only drew a few thousand fans. With 20,000 expected in this case, the atmosphere would be more electric, but there would certainly be staffing/security/traffic control costs to be covered.

It's not the most frugal way to spend the evening, but IMO it's anti-mustachian if you turn it into a habit versus an occasional thing.
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: Rachelocity on May 13, 2015, 09:01:09 AM
Well, we don't have to worry about hockey riots on Thursday :-(  And it IS for a very good cause, which I would emphasize to the kids in my group.  No kids?  I'd either be at home or at the sports bar at the corner of my street. 

OTOH, I'd rather go to the Bell Centre to watch the Habs lose than go to the annual MLB exhibition games and root for a team that is not the Expos.  But $15.50 for a beer?  No.  Just no.
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: boarder42 on May 13, 2015, 09:04:38 AM
I was hoping the royals would do this last year since they hadnt been to the post season in 29 years.  But i'm a ticket reseller so i would have made major bank on these.
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: Dee on May 13, 2015, 09:19:35 AM
for the first round of the playoffs, this went on at the Cdn Tire Centre in Kanata (arena of the Ottawa Senators) but admission was free.

Would you still find this anti-mustachian? The travel costs would be more than watching at home (i.e. you likely pay for parking, as I am not sure that the buses to the arena were running those nights and the centre is located many kilometres from where most attendees live). Or is it the actual admission fee that makes is anti-mustachian?

This only happens during play-offs so even if you did make a habit out of it... well, it wouldn't be a frequent habit...
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: MgoSam on May 13, 2015, 09:43:06 AM
"Tickets cost $10, with part of the proceeds going to the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation."

I've always wondered how much of the "proceeds" actually end up going to charity. Is it $1 per $10 ticket sold? Is it $5,000 fixed? Is it a few dollar at the end, after all bills are paid and the event promoter takes his/her cut, plus a little extra?

The term 'proceeds' is like seeing a trailer that says the movie is "based on a true story."
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: nereo on May 13, 2015, 09:46:23 AM
ok... so after reading the responses I'll respectfully admit this may not be such as silly a thing to do as I thought it was. 
My initial shock wasn't the $10 ticket price - it was that (at least to me) watching a game from a jumbotron 200 feet away isn't nearly as good as watching it at home for free or at a bar on an HD screen from 20 feet away where the beer prices are 1/3 and the choices are much better.
I ignored the 'camaraderie effect' and just focused on how poor a viewing experience it would be.  Sometimes I'm too analytical for my own good, or so says my SO.  I also didn't realize that the proceeds went to charity (although after staff and security, I wonder how much this will actually be)
thanks for the discussion - cheers!
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: Bob W on May 13, 2015, 09:48:23 AM
Sounds like cheap thrills to me.   True Mustachians would never drink a beer at a stadium or bar for that matter. 

Sneak in some popcorn, peanuts and a pint of whatever and have a good time.   I'll bet there are even some on ice activities planned as well during the breaks?
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: RoseRelish on May 13, 2015, 09:59:12 AM
I did this with the Chicago Bulls back during their 2nd 3-Peat. It was a way to watch a Championship Game with a Championship Game atmosphere, albeit with no live action. It was actually really fun. They did all of the typical timeout stuff - cheerleaders, fan challenges, etc. It cost a fraction of what it would cost to see a real game and got 75% of the thrill. Very valuable experience to me as a Bulls fan.
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: MgoSam on May 13, 2015, 10:03:03 AM
ok... so after reading the responses I'll respectfully admit this may not be such as silly a thing to do as I thought it was. 
My initial shock wasn't the $10 ticket price - it was that (at least to me) watching a game from a jumbotron 200 feet away isn't nearly as good as watching it at home for free or at a bar on an HD screen from 20 feet away where the beer prices are 1/3 and the choices are much better.
I ignored the 'camaraderie effect' and just focused on how poor a viewing experience it would be.  Sometimes I'm too analytical for my own good, or so says my SO.  I also didn't realize that the proceeds went to charity (although after staff and security, I wonder how much this will actually be)
thanks for the discussion - cheers!

No worries, it is a good conversation to have. And I completely understand your viewpoint. As a sports fan, I always question my desire to actually go to the games instead of watching them at home and generally stay home (parking, ticket prices, jackass fans, insane food prices, can get better view from my TV), but the atmosphere is something that you can't get from home.
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: slugline on May 13, 2015, 10:12:29 AM
My initial shock wasn't the $10 ticket price - it was that (at least to me) watching a game from a jumbotron 200 feet away isn't nearly as good as watching it at home for free or at a bar on an HD screen from 20 feet away where the beer prices are 1/3 and the choices are much better.

No one likes ridiculous markups on beer, but in-arena screens have come a long way since the low-resolution "jumbotron." It's startling to see how the newest panels can match or exceed the size of a basketball court and deliver an HD viewing experience to the fans that rivals what my ordinary 40-inch screen at home shows to my lazy self on my couch. I guess the teams have determined that this is part of what keeps fans coming back. . . .
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: Numbers Man on May 13, 2015, 10:15:27 AM
I have to ask. Did they charge for parking?
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: MgoSam on May 13, 2015, 10:24:08 AM
I have to ask. Did they charge for parking?

Of course they would. It might not be the same insane markup that ramps and lots have for game day, but it won't be free ever to park in downtown of any major city unless you get lucky or know a good side street.
Title: Re: buying sports tickets... to the wrong stadium
Post by: nereo on May 13, 2015, 10:32:29 AM
I have to ask. Did they charge for parking?
Parking!  In Montreal!  HAHAHAHAHA.....  (ok, it's only funny for people who know the area)
Bell Centre is in downtown Montreal.  Most of the parking nearby is via independently owned parking garages; seems the going rate is $20-25 depending on proximity to the arena.  But most everyone takes public transit (bus or subway) if they can't bike or walk.