The Season Ticket Holder Experience

[Golden Fleece]

Since this is my first time as a season ticket holder (I think—forget if I had a flex pack or season seats back in ’01), I’m curious about a few things so I’m coming to forum members for their perspective.

• Approximately when do the tickets get sent out? Gives me a date before the preseason game to look forward to.
• I noticed in another thread that they were sent in a coil book one year. Is the presentation fairly consistent like that or does it change annually?
• At the last game of the 2015 season I heard an announcement for season ticket holders to pick up their thank you gift from the team. Is this something they do every year? It's not the reason I bought seats, just curious from a business perspective.
• Finally, I heard on 1150 today that Hamilton is going with all electronic season tickets. (Their source was 3 Down Nation: http://3downnation.com/2016/04/01/15727/). Branding-wise, it seems like there is a little more status imparted when someone shows up with the season ticket with picture etc. compared to a generic printout from ticketmaster, so I’m curious how would you feel if the Argos went down this road?

[ArgoGabe22]

• Finally, I heard on 1150 today that Hamilton is going with all electronic season tickets. (Their source was 3 Down Nation: http://3downnation.com/2016/04/01/15727/). Branding-wise, it seems like there is a little more status imparted when someone shows up with the season ticket with picture etc. compared to a generic printout from ticketmaster, so I’m curious how would you feel if the Argos went down this road?

Fans have to pay $25 if they want the physical Ticat tickets instead of etickets. That is a bit outrageous.

[Tobythor]

The trend in pro sports is to go with digital tickets, I know the Raptors are going digital next season. I guess teams want to save money on printing cost and fans will either be printing their tickets at home or using their smartphone to get in. With most Toronto teams owned,at least in part by media giants, it must be all to convenient for them to make fans have to use their products to access their tickets. I'm just waiting for the day when mobile service is down and fans won't be able to access their digital tickets on their phone at the entrance. That will be a real crap show lol.

[Neely2005]

I can understand why MLB teams do this, they have 80+ home games. But they really can't print out a 10/11 home game package?

[PullTogether73]

I'm just waiting for the day when mobile service is down and fans won't be able to access their digital tickets on their phone at the entrance. That will be a real crap show lol.

This is the first thing that occurred to me with the digital ticket issue.
This is why I never take my flight boarding pass electronically.

Of course, it would present a great opportunity for one telecom company to dump on the other.
"Fans who use our network get into the game!"

[paulwoods13]

I certainly hope we get hard copy tickets this year. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a "pass" on a lanyard rather than a book of tickets. The books they have issued for many years are very nice collectibles but those days are dwindling.

[Golden Fleece]

I certainly hope we get hard copy tickets this year. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a "pass" on a lanyard rather than a book of tickets. The books they have issued for many years are very nice collectibles but those days are dwindling.

A lanyard pass makes sense. Similar to an idea that crossed my mind of a "membership" card. The ticket book still sounds appealing from a marketing/branding perspective. Much more distinctive than what a semi-committed flex pack buyer would receive, which might be worth the ROI if it strengthens the team/fan connection.

[Qman]

I certainly hope we get hard copy tickets this year. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a "pass" on a lanyard rather than a book of tickets. The books they have issued for many years are very nice collectibles but those days are dwindling.

most cfl teams have gone over to new barcode system -- card (usually with a lanyard) or you can print your tickets.

your card makes it easier to get discounts on gear, etc.
Also, this makes it easier to sell your tickets on secondary market (ie. stubhub) or donate tickets if needed.

[TOBenfica]

I don't mind if is a card cause it shows that u are a season ticket holder. U still hacpve the option of going on ticketmaster and forwarding a paper ticket to a friend if u can't make a game.

[R.J]

http://www.thespec.com/sports-story/...their-tickets/

Hamilton Tiger-Cats season ticket holders won't need a ticket at all this season.

The team is moving to an electronic system for season seat holders which will allow fans to gain entry to Tim Hortons Field using their smartphone. They can also print their tickets at home.

According to an email sent out by the club on Friday, the new system will allow fans to easily forward tickets to friends and family as well as reduce the risk of lost, stolen or counterfeit tickets.

"Collector's edition" paper tickets are also available at a cost of $25 per seat.

Personally I'm hoping the Argonauts go with lanyard passes or at the very least keep the ticket stubs.

[matchuk]

not a great idea to go with mobile ticketing for this reason....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...stleMania.html

[jerrym]

Chris Van Zyl thinks Argo Fans will find BMO Field a great experience.

"I think it's a place (where) the CFL can flourish," Van Zeyl said. "I don't believe the Rogers Centre was intended to be the permanent resting place of the Toronto Argonauts . . . I think the atmosphere kind of spoke to that.
For the CFL game where you'd expect to see anywhere between 15,000 to 30,000 people at any given time, being in a place that holds 50,000-plus, it's one of those places you never fill up and always feels like there's something to be desired there."

http://www.cp24.com/sports/toronto-a...ield-1.2850161

[T-Bone]

not a great idea to go with mobile ticketing for this reason....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...stleMania.html

That problem could happen today with printed tickets as well. It was the wifi that supports the scanners that read the barcodes on the tickets that went down.

I personally would like to see what the Blue Jays have done with their season ticket holder program spread to other teams. They have a RFID card that you can load your tickets to for entry and you can also load e-cash to it to collect points. Or you can also access a digital version of the card through the "Ballpark" app and use your phone exactly the same way as the physical card. The card also gets you 20% off merchandise. More info about the "MyBlueJays" program here.

[Neely2005]

That problem could happen today with printed tickets as well. It was the wifi that supports the scanners that read the barcodes on the tickets that went down.

I personally would like to see what the Blue Jays have done with their season ticket holder program spread to other teams. They have a RFID card that you can load your tickets to for entry and you can also load e-cash to it to collect points. Or you can also access a digital version of the card through the "Ballpark" app and use your phone exactly the same way as the physical card. The card also gets you 20% off merchandise. More info about the "MyBlueJays" program here.

The proper card stock tickets that season ticket holders receive still have the perforation to tear off the stub so that would allow for the option to let those ticket holders in.

[matchuk]

That problem could happen today with printed tickets as well. It was the wifi that supports the scanners that read the barcodes on the tickets that went down.

I personally would like to see what the Blue Jays have done with their season ticket holder program spread to other teams. They have a RFID card that you can load your tickets to for entry and you can also load e-cash to it to collect points. Or you can also access a digital version of the card through the "Ballpark" app and use your phone exactly the same way as the physical card. The card also gets you 20% off merchandise. More info about the "MyBlueJays" program here.

at least back in the day with actual hard copy tickets they could just rip the stub off if that happened, haha

[T-Bone]

The proper card stock tickets that season ticket holders receive still have the perforation to tear off the stub so that would allow for the option to let those ticket holders in.

I guess that is the only benefit to hard copy tickets. Considering TFC is mailing out season tickets soon and they haven't said anything about digital tickets I doubt the Argos will be going digital tickets this season.

I still prefer the digital option for the convenience and for stuff like the "MyBlueJays" program integration. I'm sure the failure rate for digital tickets is pretty low considering events happen every day with out issue and the Wrestlemania incident is a rarity.

[Golden Fleece]

I guess that is the only benefit to hard copy tickets.

Stubs make nice bookmarks too...

[T-Bone]

Stubs make nice bookmarks too...

True and some people like to collect them. I was referring to entry purposes which is there primary function.

[Ron]

The options are naturally the problem. Bit of a piss off that there wan't a cheap basic printed ticket option. I suppose that's the price paid when some internet geek buys a football team and caters to the mindless minions that can't look away from their phones for 3.14 seconds.

[Neely2005]

I guess that is the only benefit to hard copy tickets. Considering TFC is mailing out season tickets soon and they haven't said anything about digital tickets I doubt the Argos will be going digital tickets this season.

I still prefer the digital option for the convenience and for stuff like the "MyBlueJays" program integration. I'm sure the failure rate for digital tickets is pretty low considering events happen every day with out issue and the Wrestlemania incident is a rarity.

If you really want Electronic Tickets you can always login to your My Argonauts account on the Ticketmaster website.