2009 Ticket Sales already have reached 1 Million

[ewizabeff]

Given that group tickets or single game seats aren't even on sale yet, this is pretty phenomenal, in my opinion.

Brewers Press Release

[kramnoj]

That's pretty cool news. Besides the teams moving into new parks, how many teams besides the Brewers raised any ticket prices? Even the Red Sox held prices.

 

Fun with attendance numbers. Attendance in 2003 was 1.7M. Attendance in 95 was less than 1.1M.

[Invader3K]

It just makes me wonder more and more why the payroll can't be boosted just a bit. Everything you hear on the Brewers' financials these days makes it sound like the economy is really not affecting them at all right now. Can the Brewers really not afford to spend 1$0 million or so on one more guy at this rate?

[owbc]

The Brewers could definitely fork out another $10 million if they wanted to, but what good would it do them when teams keep overpaying for mediocre pitching?

 

Better to wait until mid season or next winter when everyone else will really be feeling the pinch. It worked for the A's this year, why can't that be us next year?

[MillerParkSouth]

I'm sure as the economy continues to worsen that walk-up sales will suffer more than in years past as well. It's fantastic that we've already sold this many tickets, but I don't think that it's necessarily an indication of future sales.

[Invader3K]

Well, it's just that between this story and the story that was up a few weeks back about how well season ticket renewals and sponsorship renewals were going (plus the new deal with Potawatomi), it doesn't sound like they are going to exactly be in a pinch this year. Yes, walk up sales might eventually be down, but if they end up selling more tickets outright before the start of the year, it might not make much of a difference in the long run.

[Roderick]

It just makes me wonder more and more why the payroll can't be boosted just a bit. .... Can the Brewers really not afford to spend 1$0 million or so on one more guy at this rate?

I think some money is there (even assuming conservative single game purchases). But they are keeping that untouched so that it is available in case we are in the race and there is a specific hole that opens up from injury or poor play. And if we aren't in the race, those funds won't be spent, but held for the next year. At least that is what I would do as a limited payroll baseball team.

[bani1717]

If season ticket sales are up and walk-up sales are down this year (which I don't think will be the case, but this is just a hypothetical), the Brewers will make less money because of the discounts season ticket-holders get. The difference is usually only a couple bucks per ticket, but it is more for marquee games and good seats. If attendance stays around 3 million, with say 1.5 million season tickets as opposed to 1 million season tickets, the Brewers actually would make a couple million dollars less than if those .5 million tickets were walk-up sales/single game purchases.

[kramnoj]

You make good points bani717, but it's worth noting the time that the Brewers get to sit on money spent for season tickets for months. I don't know enough about high finance to be able to say to what degree that benefits the Brewers, but it's something to consider.

[JohnBriggs12]

I think walk up sales will be down. The fact that so many tickets were sold in packages will likley lead to an oversaturation in the secondary ticket market, especially if the team falls out of it by early August. I'm holding off buying any tickets because I think I'll find them online at under face.

[DocLuna7]

I am not positive, but it seems like the revenue generated from walk-up ticket sales would be a drop in the bucket in comparison with the money gleaned from corporate suites, group sales (to an extent), revenue sharing, television contracts, and sponsorships. I am not sure what discernible difference there would really be in terms of our ability to add free-agents, and am not convinced that a higher gate attendance is really the barometer that a team would use in order to determine free agent spending capacity. Could be wrong, its just a hunch, but would be curious to see some numbers on this.

[RyDogg66]

I think I heard somewhere that when the economy suffers that baseball still does well because instead of going on a 7 day cross-country vacation, some folks go to a Sunday afternoon ball game, get 4 in the terrace or bleachers, tailgate and make a day out of it. Probably cheaper than the gas to drive to and back from wherever they would go on vacation. walk ups could still be strong, especially with a good team.

[Invader3K]

I think some money is there (even assuming conservative single game purchases). But they are keeping that untouched so that it is available in case we are in the race and there is a specific hole that opens up from injury or poor play. And if we aren't in the race, those funds won't be spent, but held for the next year. At least that is what I would do as a limited payroll baseball team.

I get what you're saying, but I think it's a big gamble. I would think it would be less risky to spend that extra money on a player now, and better your chances at the start of the season, than to go in with a skeleton crew starting rotation and hope everything falls into place so that the team is still competing mid-summer...and then also assume that key component to get the team over the hump will actually be available, like Sabathia was last year.

 

Let's face the reality...the "honeymoon" effect from the playoff run is likely going to be brief...if the team is out of it by the All Star break, sales throughout the rest of the year will be down, and then in turn ticket renewals will likely be down next off-season. I really hope that the Brewers don't think winning one playoff game is going to endear the fans to them for several years. Knowing local sports fans, it really won't.

[temke]

You make good points bani717, but it's worth noting the time that the Brewers get to sit on money spent for season tickets for months. I don't know enough about high finance to be able to say to what degree that benefits the Brewers, but it's something to consider.

they have been able to sit on a majority of my season ticket money since september when playoff deposits were due.

 

i think it was a pretty decent move that they didnt collect WS ticket money even though the playoff ticket information stated they would charge CC's as long as the brewers made the playoffs.

[Roderick]

I get what you're saying, but I think it's a big gamble. I would think it would be less risky to spend that extra money on a player now, and better your chances at the start of the season, than to go in with a skeleton crew starting rotation and hope everything falls into place

Let me clarify, I didn't mean they wouldn't sign anyone yet. I am assuming they could go a $90M budget if they had a winning (continued attendance) team. I am estimating the payroll to be in the $75M neighborhood now. My best guess for Melvin's moves would be to find the best value FA pitcher before spring training (~$8M?), and go into the season in the low $80M payroll range. That would allow flexibility to make a midseason move. But if we start out of the gates slow or have a rash of injuries and it just isn't our year (2008 Cleveland Indians), we won't have spent any money on a "lost" cause. I realize another (or a better) free agent may make it less likely for a "lost" year, but spending up to your full payroll budget right off the bat, is in my mind not thinking conservatively because some things just are out of your control and you need to think of money not spent this year, can be spent next year.

[patrickgpe]

yeah i remember in the dark days when they would finally reach 1 million in september and it would be a big thing. glad those days are a thing of the past.

[Invader3K]

yeah i remember in the dark days when they would finally reach 1 million in september and it would be a big thing. glad those days are a thing of the past.

Yeah, and finally reach the magical 60 win mark, too. Definitely glad those days are gone, too.

[temke]

Yeah, and finally reach the magical 60 win mark, too. Definitely glad those days are gone, too.

you counted wins? it was much more fun to count losses IMO. i still remember being in attendance for the brewers 100th loss in 02.

[hawing]

It would be interesting to know what percentage of 2008 ticket sales (or really the sales of any year) was made up of walk-up traffic. I doubt the Brewers will ever disclose that.

[temke]

from time to time they announce the number of walk-up tickets they sold for a game...generally when there is a very large walk-up. i remember them saying they sold something like 12,000 tickets in the couple days before sabathia's first start.

[berniebrewer4life]

from time to time they announce the number of walk-up tickets they sold for a game...generally when there is a very large walk-up. i remember them saying they sold something like 12,000 tickets in the couple days before sabathia's first start.

I remember working the gates for a game against the braves where the walkup lines were so long, that they lasted into the 6th inning. The lines at Home Plate actually stretched into the parking lot. It was rediculous.

[beno78]

I wonder how many of those tickets were from the packages they sold at the end of '08 that people bought just to guarantee post season seats? Maybe one reason they got there so fast.

[owbc]

I remember working the gates for a game against the braves where the walkup lines were so long, that they lasted into the 6th inning. The lines at Home Plate actually stretched into the parking lot. It was rediculou

The biggest walk up crowd of all time has to be August 2, 1997. The Brewers somehow managed to win 9 games in a row including 4 wins in 2 days against the Blue Jays. On a warm Saturday evening, 43,000 showed up to see them go for 10 in a row against the Mariners. Steve Woodard was on the mound for the Brewers, fresh off beating Roger Clemens 1-0. I'm guessing at least half, maybe more of that crowd was walkup (they drew 23,000 the night before). If I remember correctly, the game was delayed about 20 minutes due to the incoming crowd. Anyway, the game was over before most of the people got in the stands, as Woodard gave up 6 runs in 2 innings and the Brewers went on to lose 14-4.