2018 season ticket sales

[PullTogether73]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the Argos aren't "tarping" the seats necessarily, they just aren't selling them. If they tarp the seats they cannot be sold even if the rest of the stadium is completely sold out. If they simply don't sell the upper seats they can open them up if everything else is full. I know in the NFL and MLB once a team tarps a section it cannot be sold for the whole season even if demand warrants it.

???
I answered this 3 posts above yours, and it was repeated/confirmed by the post directly above yours.

[DoubleBlue_Red]

There are several hundred seats available on Stubhub in the endzone. Technically those are sold, but if no one buys them they will go unused. There are some blocks of 30 tickets - I wonder who owns all those??

[rdavies]

Not sure it creates a good TV image, when the camera shows all those empty seats in the upper section of the east side. They may try to avoid doing so but with punts and some passes it will be impossible.

I don't think it is an issue, for two reasons. One, is that it is no secret the Argos are struggling with attendance. To me it looks worse if you try and hide it when you're in their situation. Second TSN seems to be giving a poop about their CFL broadcasts again. I watched TNF and the Argos in Regina and the framing and cuts were much tighter, an "NFL" look. Empty seats in an upper deck wont be as noticeable when a game is shot like that. I can't describe it but when shot like that, it's more of an event feel than a journalistic one for lack of a better word. There is a news word that describes what I want to say but I can't think of it.

[lazycro]

There are several hundred seats available on Stubhub in the endzone. Technically those are sold, but if no one buys them they will go unused. There are some blocks of 30 tickets - I wonder who owns all those??

Wasn't there some thing about TM reselling their own tickets on stubhub too?

I just grabbed two extras to the home opener through my rep for $12 a piece I think.... his email said total of $24

[Neely2005]

"Another positive is the Argos have boosted season-tickets sales by 25 per cent, to 6,000 currently. And that small bit of good news is welcomed by Ray, who's entering his seventh season in Toronto."

https://www.tsn.ca/argonauts-home-op...-out-1.1119602

[Shatto]

It is gratifying news to hear that the team has increased the ST's by 25% and there appears there will be a better crowd for the season opener at BMO.

Just a couple of points to put things into perspective, however. First, it is somewhat playing with the definition of a sellout, when in effect only 18,000 seats are considered a full house, when the stadium really holds a football crowd of some 26,000. When the demand for tickets is high enough to warrant opening up the upper deck on the east side, then we can start to feel better about the attendance numbers. Secondly, I would have liked to have seen a 23% price reduction resulting in more than just a 25% increase in ST's being sold.

However, at least things seem to be moving in the right direction and perhaps we should be satisfied with some improvement in numbers and hope that this is a harbinger of better things to come.

[Will]

It is gratifying news to hear that the team has increased the ST's by 25% and there appears there will be a better crowd for the season opener at BMO.

Just a couple of points to put things into perspective, however. First, it is somewhat playing with the definition of a sellout, when in effect only 18,000 seats are considered a full house, when the stadium really holds a football crowd of some 26,000. When the demand for tickets is high enough to warrant opening up the upper deck on the east side, then we can start to feel better about the attendance numbers. Secondly, I would have liked to have seen a 23% price reduction resulting in more than just a 25% increase in ST's being sold.

However, at least things seem to be moving in the right direction and perhaps we should be satisfied with some improvement in numbers and hope that this is a harbinger of better things to come.

Manning talked about baby steps, which an increase to 6,000 season ticket holders would indicate (an increase in average attendance remains to be seen). But, yeah I kinda don't wanna see the word sellout thrown out there too liberally.

[Argos1983]

As an update to some of my previous postings regarding pricing discrepancies and such -- apparently 25% discounts on ST have now been given to some of those who had ST for other MLSE properties already (this was news to me!) --- but unless you "move the needle" with the FO things don't seem to be too widespread in terms of offering this out to the masses too easily.....persistence is key I find (but if you have some of the more expensive seats, it could amount to hundreds of dollars which is not insignificant in my opinion so it's worth the extra effort I would suggest)....I've also inquired about rings being offered out to 2017 STH who renewed as a thank you for their continued support - I'll let you know how things go on that front (I'm less optimistic with that idea gaining any traction - ha ha ha)....in addition and without revealing too much, apparently there is more front office turnover in the ticketing department (my hunch is that with MLSE taking over there are redundancies and the shuffling of people and their respective roles is still taking place), so if you are not getting a response that may be a reason why......

[ArgoZ]

I tried to contact my rep Riccardo, but he is no longer employed by the team. Hayden is my new rep and I asked about exchanging some tickets and questioning why I haven't received my refund, 2 months after what was supposed to be weeks. Stay tuned.

[Argos1983]

I tried to contact my rep Riccardo, but he is no longer employed by the team. Hayden is my new rep and I asked about exchanging some tickets and questioning why I haven't received my refund, 2 months after what was supposed to be weeks. Stay tuned.

Yeesh -- let's just say that Riccardo (he's still listed on the website too!) was not on my list of names no longer with the team, so the purge seems to be larger than I thought (and I also was directed to Hayden - is he all that's left ? ha ha ha)......just curious, did anyone initiate contact with you (or have a forwarding email) in regards to whom you should contact once Riccardo was let go, or were you simply left to inquire repeatedly until you received "bounced back emails" (my first sign that something might be amiss), or you simply got tired of receiving no reply at all to your inquiries (am I being ignored?), and only subsequently found out that you were continuously contacting someone who no longer works for the team despite evidence on their website to the contrary.....I think I am noticing a theme here in terms of communications between STH (or contest winners) and the FO.....

[lazycro]

My contact is always the manager of sales and service apparently

[Scooter McCray]

My ticket rep informed me that they will not be releasing anymore seats this season from the blocked off east side even if there is demand and the rest of the seats are sold out. The organization is determined to create scarcity and demand. Hopefully for a playoff game they would open up the whole stadium.

[Argo57]

My ticket rep informed me that they will not be releasing anymore seats this season from the blocked off east side even if there is demand and the rest of the seats are sold out. The organization is determined to create scarcity and demand. Hopefully for a playoff game they would open up the whole stadium.

Great!
They have a plan a and are going to stick with it.

[Will]

I called the office on Thursday to pick up an extra ticket, call was answered promptly and I had completed my business within 5 minutes.

[Argos1983]

Great!
They have a plan a and are going to stick with it.

Just like the plan we were told of last year of not heavily discounting tickets anymore (flash sale, 50% off of opening day extras, groupon, travelzoo, anyone? - I'm betting most of those lower-east side tickets sold for today were not purchased for anywhere near full price - tons were available until they got suddenly reduced by more than 50%) --- I'm not sure I would believe too strongly in any long-term plan these days especially when it comes to getting asses in seats on a consistent basis, it appears that things change as the winds of interest blow one way or the other (I'm sure Edmonton and Winnipeg will also require discounted seats to get asses in the building for those games on summer weekends competing with 30,000 Jays fans and cottagers leaving the city) - plus almost half the reps that existed in March are apparently no longer with the team any more....so some things we may have been led to believe three months ago are no longer the case today....for those that still want to believe, I wish I had your optimism, but too much has been said/promised, and then changed/backtracked for me to believe too much anymore....I wish the team well as always, but my days of "blind faith" in management (and their "plans") are long gone......

[ArgoZ]

Yeesh -- let's just say that Riccardo (he's still listed on the website too!) was not on my list of names no longer with the team, so the purge seems to be larger than I thought (and I also was directed to Hayden - is he all that's left ? ha ha ha)......just curious, did anyone initiate contact with you (or have a forwarding email) in regards to whom you should contact once Riccardo was let go, or were you simply left to inquire repeatedly until you received "bounced back emails" (my first sign that something might be amiss), or you simply got tired of receiving no reply at all to your inquiries (am I being ignored?), and only subsequently found out that you were continuously contacting someone who no longer works for the team despite evidence on their website to the contrary.....I think I am noticing a theme here in terms of communications between STH (or contest winners) and the FO.....

Haven’t heard anything for 2 months or received the refund, so I sent an email and it bounced back. I then emailed client services and Hayden made prompt contact. Employees come and go, I’m not upset about that, but I am not looking forward to any refund resistance, should there be any. Still happy to try for a ring and then scan my ST today for the first time in a while.

[Argos1983]

I called the office on Thursday to pick up an extra ticket, call was answered promptly and I had completed my business within 5 minutes.

I'm genuinely happy to hear you had a positive experience.....I wish I heard more of this......

[Argos1983]

Haven’t heard anything for 2 months or received the refund, so I sent an email and it bounced back. I then emailed client services and Hayden made prompt contact. Employees come and go, I’m not upset about that, but I am not looking forward to any refund resistance, should there be any. Still happy to try for a ring and then scan my ST today for the first time in a while.

I get that employees come and go but a basic part of letting someone go is to set up their communications tools with the public upon their dismissal -- it's very simple, you set up an auto-reply message (phone and/or email) directing you to the current person who is to deal with your requests/issues. We (you and I) should not have to chase down people and guess whether someone still works there anymore that's just poor communication -- I've never worked for an organization that did not make sure that immediately their customers were aware of who to contact now that their present contact was no longer with the organization - that's just Business/public relations 101.....getting bounced back emails, or even worse no reply at all as the email address is not "cancelled" or redirected, is simply shoddy business....and yes multiple people who are no longer with the organization are still listed on the website as being with the organization -- one of your primary communication tools with the public is very poorly updated and deceptive to the public at large (for some of these people still listed its been months now apparently since they've had those roles with the Argos - is it that hard to find an IT person to fix this?).....

You should not have to chase a refund for 2 months either (nor get any resistance), that's simply ridiculous to treat someone (a valued customer?!) this way......if we keep accepting this behavior/treatment as adequate and don't call people out on it why would it ever change.....why do you think prices were lowered drastically this year? drawing 13,000+ a game told the team that their pricing was out of whack with reality......why will today draw closer to 18,000? - huge discounts (50%+ off to STH and 50% off to the public was offered for this game) and free giveaways --- those aren't long-term sustainable models, and if that is the plan, there is no need to buy STs I would suggest unless those go down to about $10 a seat per game....

[Neely2005]

Great!
They have a plan a and are going to stick with it.

Like the no more discounting tickets plan?

[PullTogether73]

I called the office on Thursday to pick up an extra ticket, call was answered promptly and I had completed my business within 5 minutes.

I'm genuinely happy to hear you had a positive experience.....I wish I heard more of this......

I called Tuesday to order two more tickets.
Phone was answered by Dontae(sp?) almost immediately.
He informed me of my options quickly and clearly.
Transaction was done within 5 minutes.

I called again Thursday to ask about the time when the Shipyard would open for the replica ring giveaway.
Dontae again answered the phone almost immediately.
Answered my question as best he could (although the Argos seem to have backtracked on the 3:00 pm opening since I called).

I wish management was as clear with their communications as Dontae was dealing with my requests.