Last year around this time I
discussed my decision
to purchase 2015 season tickets.
As part of that I said that if the then-current Rapids woes continue I
would be pressuring Centennial 38 (C38) to not renew the season ticket deal
they had with the Front Office as that was the only way for C38 season ticket
members to put pressure on the Front Office.
During this season I talked to most of the C38 board members about the
ticket deal and my feeling that we shouldn’t be making a deal with the
Rapids. In the end C38 did make another
season ticket deal with the Front Office that includes my seat for 2016. So that leaves me in the same bind I was in
last season with my decision having a more direct impact on C38 than on the
Rapids.
As part of my decision making I
reached out to the C38 board to ask them a couple of questions about their
plans for both 2016 and, should the poor performance of the team continue,
2017. They had a discussion about my
questions at a recent board meeting and sent me a reply which they’re happy for
me to share here. Here are the questions I asked:
- In light of the current plan
being discussed publicly for the 2016 season by the Rapids front office which appears to be minimal changes to what they did this year,
what can C38 offer fans as a good reason to buy/renew season tickets for next
season?
- Should 2016 not see a significant
improvement over the last two years on the field has the C38 board discussed
what the strategy will be when discussing 2017 ticket options with the
Rapids? If I decide to get tickets for 2016 I don't want to be asking my
first question again at this time next year.
Here is the Centennial 38 board's combined answer to my two questions:
First, I think
the thing to be clear on here is that no one in C38 can be happy with how the
season has gone and how last year finished. It’s created more challenges for
the group to have to tackle and, just as individual fans, has been heart
breaking to see the team we love struggle so profusely on the field. As for why
to renew or purchase a ticket for next season, there is a huge personal element
to that as everyone has their own specific breaking point. Why we think that people should renew or get
their tickets through C38 though is fairly extensive.
First, we create an
atmosphere that is far and above what just happens on the field. We have the
best pre-game tailgate in the league every single home game where you can
socialize and enjoy a portion of your day that lasts longer than the game
itself. It’s a chance to meet new people, catch up with friends you may only
see at games and just enjoy the community as a whole. On top of that, revenue
created stays within the group and helps pay for things like tifo or equipment
for the tailgate, etc.
Second, C38,
because of leveraging our size through a bulk ticket purchase, is able to
provide special events and team access that you just don’t get otherwise. Your
renewal or purchase supports that. For
example, in the last year, we have hosted 500 members in the lower bowl of the
Pepsi Center for an Avs game, we get special items for giveaways and player
appearances at our several member events, the All Star Game party where 400
people got to enjoy free food, drinks and transportation to the game, the
Elitches viewing party mid-season and the great kickoff party for 400 folks are
all possible because of your support of the group by buying tickets through
C38.
Also, and probably
more importantly, is just the simple love of the sport and this team. We get
how bad they have been the last 2 years and we aren’t doing the ticket deal
with the front office as an endorsement of that performance. The reason we are
doing it though is that enough of our folks are wanting to come back due to
that love of the badge and we want to support them in that pursuit. By buying
the large block and people taking part in that, we are able to control pricing.
This is a major reason why we do it, along with some desired autonomy in the
stadium, and people buying through C38 continues the ability of the group to be
able to provide that. Over the past 3 seasons, that total savings for members
is in the 6 figure amount.
The ticket deal
that we do through the front office helps provide for and protect the C38
community. The security issues are miniscule compared to before 2013 when we
first bought the sections. It offers chances to help out members when they are
in a pinch, create some great giveaways, events, offset away trip costs, and
the like, plus it keeps all your money within that independent community.
Lastly, we are
going to buy a large block of tickets regardless as it supports our members in
the multiple ways mentioned above that want to continue coming out. It would be
money already spent and buying through C38 isn’t an endorsement of the team’s
current status or add to the KSE coffers if that is a form of protest that is
important to you. You won’t be spending your money with KSE, but instead you
will be putting it into a group that will then put any remaining money back
into you and the group.
As for the future,
we have made some adjustments to the plan. Instead of renewing for 3 years, we
are only signing on for a single year. We are doing this as a response to the
team’s recent form. A multi-year deal right now is not consistent with the
commitment to improvement we expect to see on the field. In addition to that, we are retracting our
total purchase number by at least 200 seats because, as it stands, this isn’t a
product that commands our previous ticket commitment. It also helps the group
stay viable, but it still warrants the support of its members that are
dedicated to this team win or lose. Ultimately though, the team needs to
improve to keep this idea of owning multiple sections of the stadium in place.
That is why we are culling it back in years and total number, to allow us to assess
as the season ends.
I want to extend my appreciation to
the C38 board for taking the time to seriously consider my questions and give
me a well-reasoned response. While I
don’t agree with everything in the response it was well thought out and I
understand where the board is coming from.
I am glad to see there is some
pressure being exerted on the Front Office in the form of a shorter contract
for fewer tickets. The only way anything
changes at this point is if the Rapids make less money due to the play on the
field. That said C38 is locking in two
large groups of tickets (Section 108 and the Terraces) after two failed seasons
so that has to be a nice base for Tim
Hinchey to build from as he works on the 2016 season ticket numbers.
At this point I still don’t know
what I’m going to do for 2016. As bad as
this team is I still enjoy going to games but it has nothing to do with the
Rapids at this and everything to do with Centennial 38. From the great tailgate crew through the
friends around me in the stands (including that Zero I referenced last year ;)
) I have a good time out at the stadium.
I just hate the fact that I feel like I’m rewarding the team for failure
at this point.
One decision I’ve made regardless
is that I’m cutting back on how much time I’m giving to the team each
game. For the last 7+ years I’ve been
part of the C38 tailgate crew doing 80% of the soda purchasing and delivering
for the tailgates. That’s meant being at
the tailgate from the beginning almost every home game which means a Rapids
game takes 6-7 hours of my day (including drive time) each time. I’ve been happy to do it but I’ve done
enough. If I renew my tickets I’ll only
be doing soda for about a third of the tailgates which means most games I can reduce
that time to something around 4.5 hours (if I still want to stop by and see
everyone at the tailgate) to as little as 3.5 hours if I show up just before
kickoff. That’s all this team deserves
at this point and my wife will appreciate not seeing half of our summer
Saturdays completely lost to soccer. :D
I’m going to have to think about this question
for a while longer. Maybe the Rapids
will do something to show they’re actually going to improve (Carlos Vela?)
which would make my decision easier. The
announcement in the Denver Post yesterday that Pablo will be back
certainly gave me no reason to get excited and buy tickets though. If I, as the oldest fan blogger for the team,
am seriously considering not buying season tickets what does that say about the
state of the fan base and can the Rapids really afford another lost season?
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