20 Game/Season Tickets

[pretendastronaut]

I'm proud to be a Partial SSH every year, but I don't consider something like the early renewal perk to be entirely free. It's an incentive to try to get my money a few months earlier, and that's not exactly free, IMO. Metavante passes were completely uninspiring to me, and I didn't renew early this year because of that.

[PrinceFielder28]

My tickets were on my porch last night.

[saxyman1004]

My 20 packs came in yesterday. Now I get to try and move around the tickets for games I can't go to (2nd shift blows).

[beno78]

Metavante passes were completely uninspiring to me, and I didn't renew early this year because of that.

Completely agreed. I renewed early since they already had so much of my $$, but didn't make me feel as welcomed or worthile as in the past. Sometimes it is the little things that can make a big difference and they used to do a great job with that.

[hawing]

For both 2007 and 2008, I suspect renewals have come relatively easily, for season ticket customers who paid for postseason tickets. Our 2008 postseason deposit for games not played covered about 75% of our 2009 ticket costs, making it not really a problem to just pay the last 25% in November. Had they actually charged SSH credit cards for the World Series games (which I don't think happened), our 2009 ticket costs would have been entirely covered and we'd have received money back.

 

A bigger test for ticket renewals will come in the next year the Brewers don't come close enough to the postseason to justify postseason ticket deposits - especially if that happens while the economy is still crummy. I wouldn't mind waiting quite a while to test this. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Returning to the early-renewal perk, I think "uninspiring" is a good word to describe the Metavante passes for me. While the passes are free, the opportunity they present is only one for spending more money (on Metavante food/drink). It'll appeal to a subset of season ticket customers; my household simply happens to be outside that subset.

 

I realize that coordinating a player event like the one in 2008 is probably difficult, but I enjoyed it a lot more, and have a tangible reminder of that happy visit in my Corey-signed baseball.

 

In a future season, I'd accept a free pass to the next Fan Fest or equivalent event; or a choice of options such as Fan Fest pass, Metavante passes, etc. That would actually be pretty cool, in case Brewers employees are reading.

[hawing]

Separate (though consecutive) post for a separate issue...

 

Our fan's choice tickets arrived today, with a memo similar to last year's notifying fan's choice customers that due to the increase in season ticket holders, you may be seated further out than in past seasons, consider changing to a pre-set package for better seats, etc.

 

They aren't kidding (not that I thought they were). For years (including last year) we've had very little variance in our seats, and this year it's quite a bit - all within the same terrace box, but that's surely because of our stated preference for the family section. I expected more variance for the popular dates we chose (home opener, Twins series, all fan giveaways), but it holds even for the likes of a Tuesday night date with the Rockies. In the family section. We've had seats there since 2001 and I have never seen our seats so spread out within the section.

 

Assuming this is indicative of the popularity of tickets in 2009, I sure hope the '09 Brewers can live up to the excitement.

[pretendastronaut]

Hawing, that raises an issue I've thought about before. It seems they fill the seats based more on what package you choose, than any type of seniority. Every year my seats push further and further to the outfield, which somewhat bugs me. Maybe that's indicative of more full seasons coming on board? I can understand giving them priority over my 20 game pack, but I don't really get someone who signs up new this year, to a pre-set pack, getting better seats then someone who has held a SSH account for a handful of years. My seats have never been as good as they were the first year, when I took a preset package.

[hawing]

Based on our experiences as ticket holders (going back to 1993, minus the strike shortened 1995 season), it does appear that pre-set 20-packs are ranked ahead of fan's choice packs. When we added a pre-set package in 2008, it was easy to see the difference in presentation (and arrival time) between the two packages; and although my observations are strictly anecdotal and reflect only our experience, it feels like the Brewers have been more attentive since we added the Sunday pack. Not that their service for us was crummy before, by any means; but it began to feel different after we increased our commitment.

 

Seniority must have some place in the Brewers' formula for customer priority - they do keep track of it, at least - but dollars spent almost surely count more. That doesn't explain how a new pre-set 20-pack customer gets seated better than a 15-year fan's choice customer, but the Brewers get to set the rules for selling seats at their place. It would be interesting to know more about how seniority vs. package type vs. dollars spent all figure into the Brewers' decision making, but that's surely proprietary information.

 

I just realized, with fewer aisle seats than we've enjoyed in past seasons, it won't be as easy for me to take one of my patented hawing concourse walks when the bullpen starts to falter. So, the bullpen had better be good this year. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[LaprilOne]

It seems too me that I have been rewarded for 17 straight years of partial ticket packages.

 

Over the years, I have worked my way to row 17 behind home plate, with two on the aisle (had those last four years). I would bet that not skipping a year helped, one may go to the back if you drop a year, although I am not sure of that.

 

It does help if you form a relationship with your AE. I have spoken often with him, and always call him if I need extra tickets. He has always been gracious, helpful, and has broken a few rules. Heck, even if you don't need anything, and have never spoken with a your rep, give him/her a call to say hi. Even a phone relationship is helpful.

 

Hawing: My kids always laugh at me when I take the "walk" around the concourse. Nice to say they have been much less in the last few years.

[hawing]

not skipping a year helped, one may go to the back if you drop a year, although I am not sure of that.

One does go to the back. We did not renew in 1995 because we were reluctant to put money down when the Brewers could give no real assurance that games would be played. Thus our "SSH Rookie Season" is 1996. But we've built up a bit of a cushion since then.

 

Nice to hear that I'm not the only fan prone to concourse walks. I'll still be able to leap up from our loge seats.

[Baldkin]

My experience with Fan's Choice packages are: You get the bottom of the barrel, regardless. Anyone who gets a fixed pack gets better seats than you do. I didn't renew my 20 game pack this year, because none of the fixed packs matched up with my schedule, and the Fan's choice was too disappointing for me last year.

 

Having friends who got new 10-game packs sitting in much better seats than me, who put down money 6 months in advance for 20 games, before they could even buy their tickets, really disheartened me. When I talked to my ticket rep about this, asking why I was told I was "locking in seat location by renewing early" when it clearly wasn't the case, I was given the run around and a brush off.

 

So, my advice to anyone buying tickets, if you can, buy the set pack. If not, go with single game seats, as you can usually get much better than your 20-game fan's choice would give you.

[bensheeps]

20 pack arrived today. All is right in the world!

 

Now bring on the winter get-together tomorrow and it can finally be spring.

[Sundown Kid]

My 20 pack (fan's choice) arrived today. I fully expected my seat locations to move further to the outfield this year due to both increased demand and the fact that I added two seats to my package. My expectations were indeed confirmed. My problem is this--for nine of the twenty games I got tickets in the club outfield despite paying for a club infield package. Has anyone else had this happen?

[hawing]

Ooh, I'd definitely contact a ticket rep about that. Cite the $4 difference between club outfield and club infield seats and ask if there's some way they can compensate you for that.

(and let us know how it goes)

 

Edit: oops, I see the price difference is for non-season ticket customers. I'd still ask if there's a way to compensate for the loss of waitstaff (even if that detail is not important to you).

[Dragonbait]

I know that happend to us last year and they comp'd us a free game.

[tristarscoop]

Got my Fan's Choice 20 game pack in yesterday's mail. This is our first year. We have the exact same seats for every game. That being said, we asked for specific seats in an area I think people tend to shy away from - between the two support posts directly behind home plate in 422.

[pitchleague]

Got our tickets here in AZ today. They're pretty slick--I like 'em. Was kind of nice to get the DVD. Now I have to find a way to get my media guide.

[TracyThom]

Got mine too. I ordered two 20-packs (one for me and one for a buddy), but I only received one voucher for the media guide. Is that the way it is supposed to be, or were we supposed to get 2 vouchers? I'll also say that the season DVD was a nice surprise.

[panthernick]

Voucher for the media guide? Huh?

[hawing]

Panthernick, if you have a season ticket holder guidebook (which is sent with ticket packages), look inside the back cover. The last page should be a voucher for a free media guide, redeemable only at the field level guest relations booth (so, after the season begins).

 

TracyThom, we have two vouchers, although we have two different 20-packs (one pre-set, one fan's choice) which were mailed separately. Are your two packs the same type? I have no insight, just trying to think of how your purchases and ours might differ.

[Invader3K]

Any word on when 9 packs go out? I'm kind of anxious since I'll have to exchange one of the games fairly soon (May 2nd...my sister's wedding).

[panthernick]

Thanks for the heads up.....I would have never looked.

[BrewCityUnit]

You will recieve your 9 packs within the next 2 weeks.

[Invader3K]

Thanks, BCU.

[tomwopat]

Still no 20 pack tickets. Has anyone else not received theirs?