A word about e-mailing Lions tickets.

[Rammer]

The only other option is to raise season ticket prices

Which they have been doing on a regular basis and seemingly to be removing the # of benefits to being a season ticket holder.

They've apparently added one, in giving you the option to do it electronically AT ALL.

But now they want to charge me an extra $1.95 per ticket for this. Which then increases the cost of my ticket to whomever I want to sell it to. This practically does away with any savings to the season ticket holder. So now instead of a game day ticket costing $22.20 it is now $24.15 per ticket.

Is this not still cheaper than buying it at the box office? "Retail" on my Sec. 17 tickets is $35. Even with the $2 charge, that's still more than a $10 savings to whoever I "sell" it to - that's enough for a beer and a hotdog.

This coupled with other things the Lions have continually taken away is making the Lions season ticket package a lot less attractive to me.

Consider it just one more straw.

K, thanks... bye... don't let the Dome's revolving door hit you in the arse on the way out.

To me that makes a heck of a lot more sense than ripping off season ticket holders who are trying to recover some of their costs for having given the Lions a wad of cash up front.

"Ripping off" the STH? How so? You get the extra TWO WHOLE BUCKS from whoever you pass the ticket on to... he's still getting a deal... you're not out any more either way. Heck, add your own $2 "service charge" - buddy is still getting an $8 savings, and you're up $2.

The deadlines to purchase seem to get earlier and earlier, the swag received is getting less and less (amongst other problems with the way they do that), the perks of being a season ticket holder are getting less and less, and the ticket prices keep rising. We are now getting far less "bang" for our buck than we were a mere 4 years ago.

K, thanks... bye... don't let the Dome's revolving door hit you in the arse on the way out.
K, thanks... bye... don't let the Dome's revolving door hit you in the arse on the way out.
K, thanks... bye... don't let the Dome's revolving door hit you in the arse on the way out.
K, thanks... bye... don't let the Dome's revolving door hit you in the arse on the way out.

I think that you are missing the point here, the Lions are starting to find any and every way to toss in a surcharge for any enhancement that they are doing. They are better off to just add coin to teh ticket costs and have that built in, rather than doing it this way, but wait the Lions have increased their tickets over the past couple of seasons.....hmmm sound like the Lions are not so fan friendly anymore. If you don't start complaining now, at what point will you begin and then at what point will you expect the Lions to reflect that concern, hopefully not too late or you may be paying a surcharge on any Lion mail sent out to you.

[Soundy]

Fair enough on the slack, but I assume an STH living that far away also buys his tickets with a certain expectation that some games will be... inconvenient to attend. So this is nothing new.

Yet here's he's provided with a way to make it easier to share his tickets that might otherwise go unused, something that that team DOESN'T HAVE TO PROVIDE, and all he can do is complain about a measly twonie they want for the CONVENIENCE, a twonie that he doesn't even have to pay himself.

Of course, he always has the option of paying only 52 cents to MAIL the tickets, or to simply sit on them and be out the $22.20, if he doesn't want to pay the $1.95 or pass it on to the lucky ticket purchaser.

Sorry, but this particular rant just smacks of lameness.

[smphantom]

I agree with LFITQ's take and also see Soundy's take on the issue.

Personally, I don't have an issue with the surcharge. If I had moved to Kamloops, the convenience of being able to email my tix that I couldn't use to a buddy in the GVRD, would override paying a $1.95.

It would also cost more than $1.95 in gas to drive from one municipality to another in order to drop off a ticket.

[Soundy]

And seeing as how I am on a tirade and this could be my last post here given some people's attitudes rather than discussing it rationally...

Well when you don't start out with a rational complaint...

Like Rammer has said, it is the consistent nickel & diming over the past couple of years that is starting to annoy me. At what point an time do you stand up and say no more? Or do we just keep going, like Soundy apparently wants to, following along like sheep? If we don't DISCUSS or if we don't make it known to the Lions brass that these things bother us, then nothing will ever change.

"Discussing" it here won't make anything known to the Lions brass. Email THEM. Call in to a sports talk show. Write a letter to the paper. Or invite Bobby Ackles to Lionbackers.

Venting here is one thing, but don't expect it to see any real RESULTS.

So according to Soundy I should just quit being a season ticket holder rather than voice my concerns.

No, that's according to YOU, and your "one more straw".

I'm just saying, put up or shut up.

How does that help David's concern over the bottom line for the Lions? Then there is the "just buck up and pay the fee". I have already given the Lions over $800 this year for tickets alone. Are they prepared to lose me as a season ticket holder over a mere $1.95? But like I said above, it's not the amount ($1.95 is a mere pittance of what I put into the Lions each and every year), it's the principle of the matter. Just like Rammer was getting at too.

It's $1.95 for an OPTIONAL CONVENIENCE SERVICE. It's not something that you HAVE to use, it's not something that was free before and now they've started charging for it, it's not even necessarily something that will always be charged for, or always be available.

It's all fine and good to be upset over being nickel-and-dimed, over losing perks, and so on, but complaining about THIS is nothing short of ridiculous. It's not like they're charging you to breathe the air under the dome.

[Rammer]

It's $1.95 for an OPTIONAL CONVENIENCE SERVICE. It's not something that you HAVE to use, it's not something that was free before and now they've started charging for it, it's not even necessarily something that will always be charged for, or always be available.

Ahh, you mean like charging for having a picture taken with one of the star players of the team.....it is only the beginning of the end. Once again we will point out, it isn't just the $1.95, it is the concept and where the Lions will stop at the extra costs.

Oh lets make it clear the Lions staff do read this forum, we are the heart and soul of Lion fans, they would be very short sighted not to pick up on a thread like this.

[smphantom]

It's $1.95 for an OPTIONAL CONVENIENCE SERVICE. It's not something that you HAVE to use, it's not something that was free before and now they've started charging for it, it's not even necessarily something that will always be charged for, or always be available.

This is the first year of the ticket emailing system.

[CatsEyes]

"Discussing" it here won't make anything known to the Lions brass. Call in to a sports talk show. Write a letter to the paper. Or invite Bobby Ackles to Lionbackers.

Trust me, Soundy, the "Home of the Lions and Canucks" seem to be anything but these days. I doubt they would care what issues we lowly football fans have. I'm sure Ken HAS approached the Lions about this issue, and this arena is not his only one. The actual cost is inconsequential, when compared to the principle of incurring it in the first place. When you risk losing season ticket holders over a principle, you're starting on a slippery slope.

Venting here is one thing, but don't expect it to see any real RESULTS.

Soundy, you would be truly surprised who reads this board and what happens as a result. We DO get input and feedback from the club. Why else do you think that BCLions.com has linked to Lionbackers in their Fanzone? This is our arena to discuss the issues that affect us as fans, and to get feedback from our fellow fans. The players and the organization DO read the site because they know that this is the place where Lions fans discuss the team they love openly and fairly.

[O'Shea]

I see Ken's point.... as usual it's well thought out and well written. As someone else pointed out, Ken has earned the right to vent over the changes he's witnessed first hand as a long-long time STH.

I was a first time STH last year and didn't even bother getting my "free hot dog" at Fanfest 2006. As for swag.... I saw more swag at the ONE Canuck's game I had Club Seats for.

[Soundy]

It's $1.95 for an OPTIONAL CONVENIENCE SERVICE. It's not something that you HAVE to use, it's not something that was free before and now they've started charging for it, it's not even necessarily something that will always be charged for, or always be available.

This is the first year of the ticket emailing system.

But this is what I'm saying - it's not like they gave it as a free option, and then later decided to start charging for it. It's not something you're forced to use because there's no other option - if you don't want to use it, don't, and don't pay the $1.95. Nobody says it might not be free at some later date. Nobody says it will always be available in coming seasons.

It's not the same thing as getting your picture taken with a player, it's a CONVENIENCE. It's exactly like valet parking - it's a CONVENIENCE that you DON'T have to use, because there are plenty of other options... but if you want that CONVENIENCE, don't suprised to get charged a nomimal fee for it. Would we hear the same complaints if they put in valet parking and then *shock* wanted to charge an extra few bucks for it? I think not.

[MacNews]

I think Ken definitely has a point about the ticket swag. That is gouging, paying for 4 tickets and not receiving 4 ticket's worth of stuff. They should do like Air Canada and allow you to have a discount if you do not want 4 calendars, 4 decals etc, or full price if you do. It would not be hard to do.

[Ballistic Bob]

It's $1.95 for an OPTIONAL CONVENIENCE SERVICE. It's not something that you HAVE to use, it's not something that was free before and now they've started charging for it, it's not even necessarily something that will always be charged for, or always be available.

This is the first year of the ticket emailing system.

But this is what I'm saying - it's not like they gave it as a free option, and then later decided to start charging for it. It's not something you're forced to use because there's no other option - if you don't want to use it, don't, and don't pay the $1.95. Nobody says it might not be free at some later date. Nobody says it will always be available in coming seasons.

It's not the same thing as getting your picture taken with a player, it's a CONVENIENCE. It's exactly like valet parking - it's a CONVENIENCE that you DON'T have to use, because there are plenty of other options... but if you want that CONVENIENCE, don't suprised to get charged a nomimal fee for it. Would we hear the same complaints if they put in valet parking and then *shock* wanted to charge an extra few bucks for it? I think not.

Those free smokies I give out at TGers are now 1.00 each. Sorry. BB

[Soundy]

I think Ken definitely has a point about the ticket swag. That is gouging, paying for 4 tickets and not receiving 4 ticket's worth of stuff. They should do like Air Canada and allow you to have a discount if you do not want 4 calendars, 4 decals etc, or full price if you do. It would not be hard to do.

See, I don't disagree with this - I got my season set as 1 of 3 that a friend has, and he only got two of some of the swag, despite the three seats going to three different people. It's really dumb.

I still think crying over a small charge for a new optional convenience service is immature to the extreme.

[Soundy]

I think that you are missing the point here, the Lions are starting to find any and every way to toss in a surcharge for any enhancement that they are doing. They are better off to just add coin to teh ticket costs and have that built in, rather than doing it this way...

Why, so the 95% of fans who DON'T want to email ANY their tickets to someone else can subsidize the few that do?

[OrangeShoes99]

Personally, I think LFITQ spends enough of his hard earned money on the club to be entitiled to *beeotch* about somethiong if he feels it is warranted. I know I would NOT be making the same financial committment were I in his shoes.

Soundy does have a point about how much the tickets are retail versus what we pay and how the 1.95 still makes it a good deal, if you simply pass that cost on to whoever is buying the tickets.

As for the home of the "Lions and Canucks" I think they've been going a fantastic job covering training camp thus far.

[Soundy]

Personally, I think LFITQ spends enough of his hard earned money on the club to be entitiled to *beeotch* about somethiong if he feels it is warranted. I know I would NOT be making the same financial committment were I in his shoes.

Like I said, I don't disagree with this... I just think he needs a better grasp on what rates as "warranted". I mean, the team could have opted to NOT implement the ticket-by-email option at all, and he'd be exactly where he was before. Instead they provide another option THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO PROVIDE, AND THAT NOBODY HAS TO USE IF THEY DON'T WANT TO, and he whines because they want a pittance for the convenience... a pittance that he doesn't even have to pay himself if he doesn't want to.

It's immature, and if it wasn't for the commitment and effort he has to put into being a long-distance fan, I'd say it borders on spoiled.

As for the home of the "Lions and Canucks" I think they've been going a fantastic job covering training camp thus far.

Oddly, just about every time I've tuned in The Team in the last two weeks, it's either been about the Lions, or the Sopranos (exceptions being Pratt ranting today about the practice of NHL teams shaking hands after a playoff round, and of course, Jim Rome's show).