A word about e-mailing Lions tickets.

[TheLionKing]

I'm a season ticket holder because I love the Lions and the CFL. Perks are nice but the reason why I renew my tickets is because I enjoy the football entertainment. I can remember years ago when there were absolutely no perks other than a decal.

[Soundy]

The "flow" continues to be a complaint about perks.

I buy my tickets to watch football. Perks are nice, but that's not what I'm there for. If I wanted a "perk", I'd rather see something that actually facilitates that end... such free game parking at the Stadium, or alternately a voucher for transit passes for game nights... rather than signed photos, spaghetti and hotdog lunches, calendars, discount cards for places I never go, bobbleheads, and other such trinkets that don't actually do anything to aid the game experience.

In fact, this whole thread on the "loss" of "perks" started out complaining about something THAT ISN'T EVEN THE LIONS' DOING. Ironically, the complaint IS about something that is actually DIRECTLY RELATED TO SOMEONE GOING TO THE GAME.

[Soundy]

If they walked away because they got fewer perks, they aren't really fans, are they? They're butts in the seats, they're some dollars on the bottom line, but they aren't football fans.

So, you're saying "real fans" deserve to be treated poorly (ie. not receiving a complete set of swag) . . . and should just shut up and take it?

Are you a perk fan, or a football fan?

[smphantom]

My issue is that STH's should be more recognized/appreciated after a Grey Cup winning season. If the Lions are giving away mini Grey Cups to the first 3,000 fans at a home game this season, why don't you give STH's those before Joe Blow, who only attends 1 game every 5 years??

[Ballistic Bob]

My issue is that STH's should be more recognized/appreciated after a Grey Cup winning season. If the Lions are giving away mini Grey Cups to the first 3,000 fans at a home game this season, why don't you give STH's those before Joe Blow, who only attends 1 game every 5 years??

You mean the kind like you bought for 20.00 are the giveaway Grey Cups? BB

[smphantom]

My issue is that STH's should be more recognized/appreciated after a Grey Cup winning season. If the Lions are giving away mini Grey Cups to the first 3,000 fans at a home game this season, why don't you give STH's those before Joe Blow, who only attends 1 game every 5 years??

You mean the kind like you bought for 20.00 are the giveaway Grey Cups? BB

Doubt it. They won't give out free, something worth $20.
The one I bought is sweet, and they could at least have given each STH one of those.

[Soundy]

My issue is that STH's should be more recognized/appreciated after a Grey Cup winning season. If the Lions are giving away mini Grey Cups to the first 3,000 fans at a home game this season, why don't you give STH's those before Joe Blow, who only attends 1 game every 5 years??

I think that sort of thing is better incentive to bring the "Joe Blow" casual fan back for another game... not to sound cynical, but as an STH, they already have your interest... and your money.

Look, people, I get that perks are a nice way for an organization to show some appreciation to their loyal returning fans. I like getting the goodie bag as much as the next guy. And I get there's some disappointment if the team's "appreciation" one year doesn't seem to be as appreciative as the previous year. Disappointment over your goodie bag is fine, if a little childish. Seriously.

Are you going down there to watch the damn football game, or not? Yes? Did you really buy your season tickets hoping you'd get more ancillary STUFF this year? No? Does it REALLY MATTER that the organization doesn't meet YOUR idea of what "fan support" should be?

THEY FIELDED A CHAMPIONSHIP FREAKIN' TEAM LAST SEASON! If can do that again this year, WHO GIVES A CRAP about all that other stuff??

Say you're disappointed with your goodie bag, if you must... and then let it go. Stop looking for the prize in your Cracker Jacks and ENJOY THE GAME!

BE A FAN, NOT A FOOL!

[Photog]

I guess when it comes down to it, I don't feel that I got the same value as you did David, and that isn't the right way to conduct business.

That's what it's all about. Everyone should get the same amount of swag, whether it be 10 items, or 0 items. The STH sitting next to you, should not get more or less than you did when you both paid the same price, regardless of how each person "feels" about swag.

So, you're saying "real fans" deserve to be treated poorly (ie. not receiving a complete set of swag) . . . and should just shut up and take it?

Are you a perk fan, or a football fan?

Absolutely both. But my case is unique. I volunteered my photography services to the Lions for 8 years. At the beginning of that time, I was fresh out of photography college, and the Lions were going through some of their less successful times as a business. Thus a volunteer arrangement was made. They provided me with tickets (which I could never use because I was on the field anyways, and which were difficult to even give away at the time) and lots of swag.
When I started, I did not know what a running back was. I had very little football knowledge, but through shooting for them, my knowledge, and respect for the game of football grew. My appreciation of swag also grew, as that was all I ever got.
Last year, after the Lions parted with me, I spent about $500 to go shoot their game in Calgary, for the benefit of a small newspaper (which wanted a photographer there, but did not have the budget to send anyone), LB, and myself. It was a difficult day for me, as there was a chance I had to come face to face with some of the Lions staff who were part of the decision to let me go.
So for you to question my ability to be a fan, is rather insulting. And I am not the first person in this thread whom you have made personal attacks against. People are just trying to express their opinions about what they are not satisfied with. If you disagree, fine, you have a right to your opinion too. However no one has the right to stop others from voicing their opinions, not even mods, otherwise we would be deleting threads left and right.

[Soundy]

Are you a perk fan, or a football fan?

So for you to question my ability to be a fan, is rather insulting.

I don't question your "ability" to be a fan... I question the notion that buying season tickets makes some people think they're entitled to a bunch of extras, and with the above comments I'm specifically questioning the priorities some people have when they lay out money for their tickets.

And I am not the first person in this thread whom you have made personal attacks against.

I haven't made a "personal attack" against anyone. A "personal attack" would be calling you an idiot (which, by the way, I don't think you are). Pointing out that getting worked up over goodie bags is childish behaviour is neither an attack, nor personal.

People are just trying to express their opinions about what they are not satisfied with. If you disagree, fine, you have a right to your opinion too. However no one has the right to stop others from voicing their opinions, not even mods, otherwise we would be deleting threads left and right.

I have no problem with anyone voicing their opinion, but holy smokes, people, the LATHER you're all getting into over what amounts to prizes in your Cracker Jack boxes... I mean, SERIOUSLY folks!

[Zarquon]

I tend to agree with smithers on this one. I see this as a cost for the "service" of transferring your ticket electronically and not as an increase in the ticket cost.

I work in the high tech industry and once you factor in development, quality assurance (testing), and infrastructure (licensing costs of servers and software components) I doubt much money is being made off the $1.95. One way or another someone has to pay for all that. The only option would have been not to offer the service at all which you have the ability to control your self by not using it.

You also need to remember this is probably not a "Lions" controlled item. This service is provided by TicketMaster and I'm also sure that the Lions didn't develop this nor was it developed strictly for them. It was a feature put together by Ticket Master and just offered to Season Ticket holders as a optional service.

If you don't think the $1.95 is fair don't use the service.

[pinkfreud]

Swag is just a concrete form of recognition. People aren't getting worked up because they value $0.50 stickers. The club isn't giving out $0.50 stickers because they feel the fans have a burning desire for them. They are recognizing a financial commitment.

What they're not recognizing, is that people expect that to be recognized in direct proportion to the amount of money they fork out. Few things p*ss people off more than putting forth effort without being recognized for it. So given that it's not likely an extra one or two stickers/calendars/hot dogs whatever is any skin off the club's nose, I don't see why they don't just fork it out. I mean, if you're going to do it, do it in a way that logically follows people's expectations. It seems like a no brainer to me.

Ken is not being childish. He's recognizing a very real effect that this lack of judgement is having.

On the fee for emailing tickets, I don't think $1.95 is unreasonable for a convenience fee. Then again, I'm willing to blow $1.00 US on giving a virtual picture of a birthday cake as a gift on Facebook so maybe I'm not one to comment.

[Soundy]

IS it lack of judgment? Or a change of priorities, or of focus? Or simply a matter of economics?

Someone noted that the organization is supposedly trying to reduce the line-up times at the concessions... what does that mean? Opening more stands? Adding more staff? That costs money - perhaps money that would have been otherwise spent on spaghetti instead of hot dogs, or more calendars in the swag bags.

Fact is, everyone is going off as if reduced swag is just mindless penny-pinching done with no concern for the fans... HOW DO YOU KNOW? How do you know focus is not just being shifted to give fans other perks? Just because they're not as tangible as a goodie bag you can take home with you doesn't mean other things aren't being done for the fans. Didn't I read something about new scoreboards?

Like I said, my idea of a USEFUL perk would be free parking for the game, perhaps in the form of a voucher that could be used to the surrounding IMpark lots or optionally for transit tickets. Seems to me someone coming in from out of town, like say, LFITQ, would find this eminently more practical than yet ANOTHER calendar - I don't need ANOTHER calendar around here, but I would sure find it nice to be able to drive down to the game and not have to worry about having cash for the parking attendant.

An extra couple stickers/calendars/hot dogs may not be any skin off the team's nose... but they really shouldn't be skin on anyone else's either.

[Soundy]

You also need to remember this is probably not a "Lions" controlled item. This service is provided by TicketMaster and I'm also sure that the Lions didn't develop this nor was it developed strictly for them. It was a feature put together by Ticket Master and just offered to Season Ticket holders as a optional service.

Yeah, I think that question has pretty much been put to rest.

It's funny, I've already been through almost the exact same argument just a couple months ago: There was a huge (well, relative to the population of the board) uproar amongst Giants STHs over on whlfans.ca, over the fact that parking at the PNE was going to be more expensive for the playoffs and Memorial Cup. And all the same beefs came out - about how the team marketing was poor, how the swag was lame, and how this extra parking cost was just another slight by team management on the loyal fans (how dare they!)...

The whole thing shut down pretty quickly when someone pointed out that on-site parking was provided and priced by the PNE and the team had no control over it whatsoever. Hmm, sound familiar?

People need to look a little deeper before just flying off the handle. This goes as well to the accusations that the team is just being cheap with cutting back the swag: it's one thing to say, "yeah, it was nice when the gave us this and that and now they don't and I'm disappointed", but until you look at the books or sit in a management meeting so you can say that that money/thought/effort isn't simply going to OTHER fan perks and incentives, you have no room or right to accuse them of anything of the sort.

[West Coast Blue Fan]

What about the free pizza and/or ice cream bars they give away to complete sections? Or the foam "paws" that 17 received last season...or the scarves or jokers hats from a couple of seasons ago that STH got?

They already reward us with lots of "trinkets". I would rather the Lions keep ticket prices low and from my POV enjoy the on field product more than worry about stuff that will likely end up in my junk drawer.

Now if they were giving away a cold beer........

[Gerry]

I'm on board with the last two posts.

Those of us in 17 especially, are paying peanuts, IMO for a big league ticket. The sightlines are great and who can complain about the on field performance?

There's been plenty of "goodies" handed out over the last few years, and quite frankly, I've been amazed at the amount of it considering what we pay for our seats.