Crowd behavior

[pebadger]

One way to keep the Cubs fans out, or probably lower their nubmers, might be to have the series on a weekend. Those of us who are 3+ hours from the park can't get down there on most weeknights. Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, LaCrosse, Eau Claire, Appleton and Wausau are pretty good baseball towns and the people from these parts like going down to MP. I understand the Brewers don't control the schedule. And I understand that in the past having the Cub sereies during the week was a good idea for attendance purposes, because weekend games always fill the park pretty well regardless of opponent, while MTW series can be iffy. Probably won't do much to stem the more disturbing tide of all teh CUb fans down low, because we aren't season ticket holders up here for the most part, but it would probably help to get at least a few more Brewer fans in the rest of the park.

[Baldkin]

The team makes way less money on the series if its on a weekend, though. That's the problem. That's why they request to play the cubs during the week.

Instead of averaging almost 45k/game when they'd average 30-35/k a game, they average that same 45k on a weekend when they normally average 42 or 43k.

 

 

The reason there are so many Cubs fans is because there are 15 million of them, and only a million Brewers fans. They plan to come to MP for that series, not many Brewers fans plan to go tot he Cubs/Brewers series. Not to mention the atmosphere keeps a lot of people (my parents, who are huge Brewers fans, want nothing to do with how the park is during this series).

[sgtcluels]

Imagine a bunch of Brewer and Cub fans who have had 5 hours to consume alcohol in the parking lot.

 

Now image walking into the game.

 

This is just something we have to live with, hopefully more Brewer fans show up next time, but with their performance, shoot.

[TheCrew07]

I typed up a long post about my experience at the game last night but I wasn't logged in to Yuku and I lost it.

 

Instead of retyping it I'll just simply say that I will never attend another Brewer/Cub game. Personally there's no value in the experience of coming down from Green Bay to watch a game to be completely miserable for 3 hours to get home at 1 AM. There are much better ways to spend my time, and at least when I watch on FSN I don't miss 20% of the pitches because Game Etiquette is even worse than usual when drunk idiot Brewer and Cub fans are constantly bantering and posturing back and forth. I wasn't surprised at all when the fight broke right next door in section 127 last night.

 

I've seen plenty of losing Brewer baseball over the last 25 years, but I've never been that frustrated by my Brewer experience before.

[pretendastronaut]

I was in 127 and saw some of that fight, which was in 126. From what I heard it started as two Brewer fans though? That was the word around me. Though my friend that was with me said the Cubs fan was in 127 for awhile heckling some kid with a Braun jersey? I couldn't tell, but it got pretty ugly. And of course all the drunk idiots were cheering it on.

 

Last night was certainly miserable, but it really had more to do with the Brewers failing and the crowd being so heavy with Cubs fans. I sat next to an obnixious Cub fan on my right last night, but fortunately he was more concerned with drinking and really only watched about 3 innings of the game, and was off drinking the rest. To my left was another group of Cubs fans, and when I was walking into the aisle once, my knee hit her beer in the cup holder and it spilled everywhere. I apologized and when the beer guy came through I bought her a new beer. She said thanks, but the other lady with her was still staring me down and giving me evil eye for it.

 

I agree its obnixous, but its made worse by the fact that we're getting our butt kicked and a lot of the Cubs fans aren't gracious winners, but if everyone keeps swearing off going to the games, its just going to get more overrun with Cubs fans. I don't get how so many people complain that there are to many Cubs fans at the games, but then so many people say they'll never go or won't ever go again.

[holybannana]

I can't blame Cubs fans for supporting their team. And of course they acquire "mob mentality" when they come to a place like this, stake their claim and are surrounded by thousands of their brothers. The problem isn't Cubs fans; it's Brewers fans.

 

All the sellout Brewers fans are so disappointing. I have friends that have full season tickets that sold theirs for this series and it's hard to blame them on one hand, while I'm disgusted on the other. They got a lot over face value for each and paid for their entire season ticket package because of it. So it's hard top blame them when the money is that good for 4 games in July.

 

Another thing is it isn't like all these Cubs fans are coming up from Chicago. If that was the case you wouldn't even notice. But Marquette is basicaly 50% Chicago kids and kids with a bit mroe money to spend than your typical college kid. Another huge segment of Cubs fans are from Kenosha and that area. I work with 4 guys from Kenosha and they are all Cubs fans and go to these games. They like the Brewers too and go to Brewers games and cheer for them. But when the Cubs are in town they throw on all their Cubs gear. They're also Packers fans. These people make me sick in terms of sports.

 

Not to mention, many people that live in Milwaukee are from Chicago.

 

Lastly, Cubs fans are just more passionate than Brewers fans and are willing to do things like this by and large. Theres more of them and they're willing to invade. There are more people that intensly love the Cubs than the Brewers. It's the opposite of the Packers, for instance.

 

So the Brewers fans are at a huge disadvantage here.

 

 

My solution:

 

Sell tickets in strips. If you want to buy single game tickets for the Cubs games you have to buy 3 other games on the season too. This would cut off people like my friends that only buy tickets for every Cubs game when single game seats go on sale. They would have to buy 3x the tickets to get those and they simply wouldn't. At this rate you might make it not worthwhile for scalpers to buy up these games either. Then if the game isn't sold out 2 weeks ahead of time, allow tickets to be bought but only at the ticket gate.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

My solution:

 

Sell tickets in strips. If you want to buy single game tickets for the Cubs games you have to buy 3 other games on the season too. This would cut off people like my friends that only buy tickets for every Cubs game when single game seats go on sale. They would have to buy 3x the tickets to get those and they simply wouldn't. At this rate you might make it not worthwhile for scalpers to buy up these games either. Then if the game isn't sold out 2 weeks ahead of time, allow tickets to be bought but only at the ticket gate.

Isn't Marquette doing something similar this year for their game vs the Badgers in basketball? It's a good idea.

[TooLiveBrew]

That is a good idea.

 

 

I have friends that have full season tickets that sold theirs for this series and it's hard to blame them on one hand, while I'm disgusted on the other. They got a lot over face value for each and paid for their entire season ticket package because of it. So it's hard top blame them when the money is that good for 4 games in July.

 

If someone can afford full season tickets, I fail to understand how making double or triple the tickets' face value is really important. Then again, this is someone that can't afford full season tickets. Sell to a Brewers fan, fine. Sell to a Cubs fan? Ugh. Yes, I know, 'It's their ticket to do with as they please...'

 

 

EDIT (for clarity): If you can afford season tickets, but an extra $100-200 bucks to sell your seat to a rival fan is worth more than the game experience itself, I wonder how much you actually care about the Brewers. Yes, there are extenuating circumstances like not being able to make the game, but in general I wonder about that kind of move. I suppose there are season-ticket holders that budget them into a tight budget where an extra $100 bucks might mean a lot... I just don't think there are 15,000 or so of these cases.

[homer]

They used to do that in AZ for the Cardinal vs Cowboy games. It was the one game a year that would sell out so the Cards made it so if you bought tix to that game you had to buy tix to another game too.

 

I think other colleges have done with when they play UW in football - maybe UNLV?

[cubfan1126]

Actually the White Sox have been doing that for some time. If you want a White Sox - Cubs ticket you had to buy a 4 game package (that was the original in 1997) This year you had to buy an "Ozzie Plan" - 13 games. Or you do like I did and go to Stub-Hub and pay $75 for a $25 ticket.

[bucks2281]

They used to do that in AZ for the Cardinal vs Cowboy games. It was the one game a year that would sell out so the Cards made it so if you bought tix to that game you had to buy tix to another game too.

 

The Cardinals are doing it again this year. Their season ticket sales are down, so they're requiring fans to purchase one preseason game in addition to the Dallas game. I still suspect that Cowboy fans will rule the place, though.

 

I'm thinking the Brewers should only sell the Cubs tickets in multi-game packages. I don't think it would really hurt the attendance figures, and I'd expect to see more Brewer fans.

[rickh150]

As Brewer fans, we usually complain about this a couple times a year. To remain sane over Cub games at Miller Park, I keep three things in mind. Although some of the truth is hard to take, it does seem to ease my mind:
1. Give Cubs fans credit for traveling with their team, although half our jerks and drunks
2. Give Brewer fans no credit for selling their Cub tickets to Cub fans, directly or indirectly
3. Tell Brewers management( I have with letter(s)) that a better plan needs to be made for Cubs games. Brewer fans would fill the place on their own if let

Some of my ideas include: - having the Brewers be proactive getting seats to faithful Brewers groups who have gone to other Brewers games over the years, using Will Call for all Cubs games on the day of game- this would hurt the resale of tickets big time on EBAy, etc., like others have said with the 4 game strip, making Illinois residents pay double of Wisconsin residents

 

 

 

[bball123h]

Will call tickets only for Cubs games would be a logistical nightmare. Imagine standing in a line with several thousand people in front of you.

[rickh150]

You're probably right, bball, but maybe it could be done with the number of ticket windows at the stadium, if every window was done for Will Call and each ticket buyer would be assigned a window. Yet, you're probably right. I just don't like the idea of Brewer fans scalping their seats; if they don't know better, make it tough for them to sell.

[SeriesFinale]

I bet the atmosphere is pretty ugly there today...it's been my experience that weekday games at MP are bereft of families (although there's the occasional large camp group) and full of drinking men.

[holybannana]

EDIT (for clarity): If you can afford season tickets, but an extra $100-200 bucks to sell your seat to a rival fan is worth more than the game experience itself, I wonder how much you actually care about the Brewers. Yes, there are extenuating circumstances like not being able to make the game, but in general I wonder about that kind of move. I suppose there are season-ticket holders that budget them into a tight budget where an extra $100 bucks might mean a lot... I just don't think there are 15,000 or so of these cases.

The Brewers have some very good, affordable season ticket packages they take advantage of. For instance, you can buy Terrave Reserved seats for only $10.00 a pop. They are right behind home in the first row and it's a great seat all thing considered. But here's the best part! It's buy 1 get 1 free! So it costs a little over $800.00 for the entire season and full playoff rights for 2 seats!

 

They sell the Cubs games for over $100.00 a piece on stub hub That's $200.00 a game. Times these 4 games it comes out to $800.00 and they made their money back.

 

They put them on stubhub and they presume Cubs fans bought them. They went to Chicago anyways.

They've actually turned a profit on the season and have gone to about 90% of the games. They sold some of the Twins ones too for a decent profit.

 

They're going to go to the series in September. I hate what they did but they rationalize it as if a Cubs fan wants to pay $100.00 for a $10.00 seat in July, let them. Hard to blame them.

I asked them what if they can get $300.00 a seat in September and they said they would sell 1 game and keep the other 2.

 

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

If your friends can buy seasons and turn a profit that's fine. It is however, the Brewers responsibility to maximize revenues. They either need to jack up the prices or at a minimum, only include those high demand games as part of larger packages. The Cubs fans are coming no matter what...let's just make them pay up for it. More revenues = better players.

 

They could also just take those single game tickets out of circulation and sell them directly on StubHub...the Cubs aren't above doing that...we shouldn't be either.

[Bring Back the Stein]

I think they should put portable tolls and DUI roadblocks on southbound I-94 after the games, all proceeds going to retire the Miller Park debt. Be gone by 2010.

[pretendastronaut]

I bet the atmosphere is pretty ugly there today...it's been my experience that weekday games at MP are bereft of families (although there's the occasional large camp group) and full of drinking men.

 

That's a good point. I had read a week or two ago that today's game was the most sought after for Chicago fans too. Yuck.

[hawing]

I propose a moment of forum silence for the Brewers fans who are leaving MP today.

.

.

.

Thank you.

[chuckiehacks]

Not sure if this has been covered, but at today's game, between nearly every inning they were giving away prize packages including tickets to Ravinia, a stay at the Chicago Courtyard by Marriott, gifts from the Chicago Botanical Society and a year's subscription to Chicago Magazine.

 

Are we still trying to attract Chicagoans? I highly doubt any of them were on the fence but were swayed by the chance to win botanical gifts.

 

Who are the ad wizards who came up with this one?

[holybannana]

If your friends can buy seasons and turn a profit that's fine. It is however, the Brewers responsibility to maximize revenues. They either need to jack up the prices or at a minimum, only include those high demand games as part of larger packages. The Cubs fans are coming no matter what...let's just make them pay up for it. More revenues = better players.

 

They could also just take those single game tickets out of circulation and sell them directly on StubHub...the Cubs aren't above doing that...we shouldn't be either.

Heres the thing though. The Brewers are good right now and have no problem selling their own tickets. But when they aren't good they rely on this series being sold out by Cubs fans. The have a times advertised in Chicago to buy tix to this game,

 

[SeriesFinale]

Not sure if this has been covered, but at today's game, between nearly every inning they were giving away prize packages including tickets to Ravinia, a stay at the Chicago Courtyard by Marriott, gifts from the Chicago Botanical Society and a year's subscription to Chicago Magazine.

 

Are we still trying to attract Chicagoans? I highly doubt any of them were on the fence but were swayed by the chance to win botanical gifts.

 

Who are the ad wizards who came up with this one?

This makes me nearly as angry and embarrassed as the on-field product this week. This sounds straight out of the Selig days and is completely unnecessary.

 

Heck, just move the team to Naperville, Mark.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Heres the thing though. The Brewers are good right now and have no problem selling their own tickets. But when they aren't good they rely on this series being sold out by Cubs fans. The have a times advertised in Chicago to buy tix to this game,

I hear what you are saying banana, but the team has to be able to forecast demand. After what happened last year, they should know the Cubs (& Twins to a degree) will be very hot tickets. MLB has a deal with StubHub, so they can easily see what's going on there. If things get ugly again, fine...sell the single tickets to the Cubs fans. Right now they need to strike while it's hot. Nothing less than a 20 pack should get you a ticket to a Cubs game. If Brewers fans can flip them to Cubs fans and pay for their pack, fine...but at least they have to buy the full pack which increases revenues for the team.

[crewcrazy]

That proposed 20-game "Cub Pack" should also include tickets to series against the Pirates, Nationals, and Giants, just for good measure. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif No Cub fan would want to see that, and if you're a Brewers fan, at least they'll have a good chance of winning when you go.