(3)Kings versus (6)Warriors Pre-Playoff Series Thread
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I'll never understand why not only were they not broken up in the 90s but 20 years later they were allowed to merge with LiveNation and own/operate venues and basically freeze everyone else out of the game entirely. Just what a horrid non-value added company.
Although if I understand right a lot of their fees go back to people who might actually deserve to get paid (including the bands at music concerts), but it would be nice if that were simply reflected in the ticket price if true. The lack of transparency is perhaps the most annoying part.
Although if I understand right a lot of their fees go back to people who might actually deserve to get paid (including the bands at music concerts), but it would be nice if that were simply reflected in the ticket price if true. The lack of transparency is perhaps the most annoying part.
So can some STH's help me understand how the ticket thing played out for you? Were you given an opportunity to buy your current seat assignment for the post season?
And is it regular ticket buyers that were given the short-shrift opportunity of negative six minutes to buy a ticket direct from kings.com at "normal" prices before they tripled on third party sites? Do I have that right?
And is it regular ticket buyers that were given the short-shrift opportunity of negative six minutes to buy a ticket direct from kings.com at "normal" prices before they tripled on third party sites? Do I have that right?
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paging @macadocious to get the full skinny
but iirc he said that they were given first dibs at their seat assignment for a fair price and then an add on option at some extremely luxury prices. Those probably don't look too bad in the wake of demand based pricing along with what the resale sites are doing.
I think people who committed to STH for next year were then given a second pre-sale window and iirc they were offered the second price tier.
At this point buying tickets out of the pre-sale windows is a complete joke. Honest to god I wish Taylor Swift kept fighting. Robert Smith keeps fighting. I doubt the sports leagues will ever do anything about it because they are a lot more incentivized to be in bed with Ticketmaster/LN and the big resale sites. I'm absolutely certain that all FOs dump unsold tickets on Stub Hub and SeatGeek in lean years completely shafting their STH anonymously, which also should be illegal. I think those sites should be face value only. There's scalping laws most places that for some reason just don't apply now. Like for the first dozen years of online sales where everyone was like "oh, there's no sales tax!"
but iirc he said that they were given first dibs at their seat assignment for a fair price and then an add on option at some extremely luxury prices. Those probably don't look too bad in the wake of demand based pricing along with what the resale sites are doing.
I think people who committed to STH for next year were then given a second pre-sale window and iirc they were offered the second price tier.
At this point buying tickets out of the pre-sale windows is a complete joke. Honest to god I wish Taylor Swift kept fighting. Robert Smith keeps fighting. I doubt the sports leagues will ever do anything about it because they are a lot more incentivized to be in bed with Ticketmaster/LN and the big resale sites. I'm absolutely certain that all FOs dump unsold tickets on Stub Hub and SeatGeek in lean years completely shafting their STH anonymously, which also should be illegal. I think those sites should be face value only. There's scalping laws most places that for some reason just don't apply now. Like for the first dozen years of online sales where everyone was like "oh, there's no sales tax!"
OK, so STH if they renewed for next year got a "discounted" playoff ticket package. These prices were a factor of your seat cost and years of being a STH. So it's hard to compare, the ladies who is in front of me were about 10% lower than me, but they have been STH for 10+ years. While I've shared in tickets that long, they've only been mine for i think 3 now.
RD1 about 130%
RD2 about 150%
RD3 about 200%
RD4 about 325%
All which actually seem reasonable to me. Pay as we advance, in advance. Any games you've paid for that don't happen credit to next round or next years tickets.
New STH, they got to purchase at what I understand to be about double those prices. Also, their tickets for next year are more than returning people.
Next, any current or new STH got the ability to buy a full strip of games. Minimum 2 seats, every game for every series, paid up front. Thes costs were about 7-8X what my cost was, which I was shocked. I was told 2-3X, and that was not the case. Too much risk to possibly make a few bucks re-selling. Also, re-selling (not like what I do here or occasionally on twitter) is a PIA and costly.
Next, single game pre-sell tickets were available per a code to STH. I forwarded this to a friend that was able to get 1 ticket to gm 1. She paid $300 to sit upstairs, to put that in perspective.
Next was the opening to public e mail, i think that is where we are now.
I believe the Kings did right by their loyal STH's and are gouging people who have not financially stuck by the team. I don't think it's a dick move, but it also makes sense. I think there are about 10K STH, so about 8K other seats.
For STH, if we went all games for all rounds as the home team, we'd spend almost as much for the 16 games as we did for the entire season.
I hope that was clear.
RD1 about 130%
RD2 about 150%
RD3 about 200%
RD4 about 325%
All which actually seem reasonable to me. Pay as we advance, in advance. Any games you've paid for that don't happen credit to next round or next years tickets.
New STH, they got to purchase at what I understand to be about double those prices. Also, their tickets for next year are more than returning people.
Next, any current or new STH got the ability to buy a full strip of games. Minimum 2 seats, every game for every series, paid up front. Thes costs were about 7-8X what my cost was, which I was shocked. I was told 2-3X, and that was not the case. Too much risk to possibly make a few bucks re-selling. Also, re-selling (not like what I do here or occasionally on twitter) is a PIA and costly.
Next, single game pre-sell tickets were available per a code to STH. I forwarded this to a friend that was able to get 1 ticket to gm 1. She paid $300 to sit upstairs, to put that in perspective.
Next was the opening to public e mail, i think that is where we are now.
I believe the Kings did right by their loyal STH's and are gouging people who have not financially stuck by the team. I don't think it's a dick move, but it also makes sense. I think there are about 10K STH, so about 8K other seats.
For STH, if we went all games for all rounds as the home team, we'd spend almost as much for the 16 games as we did for the entire season.
I hope that was clear.
MAN.
I really appreciate that they rewarded long time STH like that. With any luck this won't be a one time return to the playoffs and future years (with possibly even better teams) will be a lot less painful, like the Warriors are.
Unfortunately with ticket speculation being what it is and fully legal in the digital age, we're hosed when things seem to be "unique".
Just like I was able to get super cheap Blazers tickets to see the Kings clinch because the Blazers stink while the Monday night vs. Minnesota tickets jumped up to triple+ their normal cost just because it seemed like a historical moment was going to take place. Once winning is the norm, I think we'll all get to see more Kings at reasonable prices.
I really appreciate that they rewarded long time STH like that. With any luck this won't be a one time return to the playoffs and future years (with possibly even better teams) will be a lot less painful, like the Warriors are.
Unfortunately with ticket speculation being what it is and fully legal in the digital age, we're hosed when things seem to be "unique".
Just like I was able to get super cheap Blazers tickets to see the Kings clinch because the Blazers stink while the Monday night vs. Minnesota tickets jumped up to triple+ their normal cost just because it seemed like a historical moment was going to take place. Once winning is the norm, I think we'll all get to see more Kings at reasonable prices.
This is why I am perfectly fine with sitting out this year when it comes to playoff games, unless we strike gold, and go all the way. It will be way more economical for someone like me (and you) to fly out to Sacramento to watch a playoff game (or a few playoff games) once the Kings end up making home playoff games the norm. The nostalgia will all wear out, and we will be able to rest easier knowing that we won't have to put a permanent dent in our wallets just to be able to watch a playoff game in the Golden 1 Center.
I'm not sure what my mom is doing right now, she bought a new home and is traveling but if she is back home in a few weeks and we're still alive I might just come down to visit and experience what I can. If I can get a ticket I will but maybe just seeing the beam in person and seeing playoff park or whatever they're calling it would be enough?
I do feel like I got my moment at the two Portland games. Got to meet a fellow poster here and then take my son to night two and we got great seats and I think even after pizza and beers I was in under $200 for that night.
Gotta be realistic and smart, at some point I will go crazy spending on this team and I think our best moments are still a little ways away. Last time we were good I was in my 20s so couldn't even dream of doing something stupid like I will when the time is right for this team.
I do feel like I got my moment at the two Portland games. Got to meet a fellow poster here and then take my son to night two and we got great seats and I think even after pizza and beers I was in under $200 for that night.
Gotta be realistic and smart, at some point I will go crazy spending on this team and I think our best moments are still a little ways away. Last time we were good I was in my 20s so couldn't even dream of doing something stupid like I will when the time is right for this team.
There is very little to no doubt in my mind that, if I were still living in the Sacramento/Roseville area (which was my first choice to begin with before finally caving in to my family's request to move to Vegas with my parents - that is a different story that I do not want to get into right now as it brings back some bad memories), I'd currently be a season ticket holder for the Kings. Even if it meant sacrificing an expense in another area of my life. My goal is to eventually make my way back to the area, so I can invest in season tickets, and not have to worry about having to fight others for tickets to such events like a home playoff game. I don't care how much it will cost me, but when I am back in the area, one of the first things I am going to do is put a deposit down for season tickets, even if it takes a handful of years for me to eventually get those season tickets. Heck, call me crazy, but if I am living a bachelor life at that time, I will put a deposit down for A season ticket if I have to.
I'm surprised that I haven't seen more articles written about the fact that this is the first time ever in the Sacramento/2 teams in Northern California era that both the Warriors and Kings were in the playoffs in the same year. Not just playing each other in the playoffs but actually just in the playoffs altogether in the same year
I remember how sad it was in the early 2010's when the Maloofs were either trying to move to Anaheim or sell the team to Hansen to move to Seattle. I often told people that if the Kings were to move, the Kings and Warriors would go down as the greatest rivalry that never was. Two of the best fan bases in the league just 90 miles apart but there were so many years when one and/or the other team was so bad that they couldn't justifiably say that they had any rival at all.
Well, as we know, the Kings didn't move and one heckuva rivalry is going to start this week
I remember how sad it was in the early 2010's when the Maloofs were either trying to move to Anaheim or sell the team to Hansen to move to Seattle. I often told people that if the Kings were to move, the Kings and Warriors would go down as the greatest rivalry that never was. Two of the best fan bases in the league just 90 miles apart but there were so many years when one and/or the other team was so bad that they couldn't justifiably say that they had any rival at all.
Well, as we know, the Kings didn't move and one heckuva rivalry is going to start this week
So playoff tickets were based on whether you renewed next year or not. You get a discount for renewing the season tickets.
With Tickets | W/O Tickets
Playin 203 | 244
1st round 214 | 257
2nd round 246 | 295
West Finals 332 | 398
Finals 524 | 629
33 year season ticket holder. Season ticket average was $180 per game.
With Tickets | W/O Tickets
Playin 203 | 244
1st round 214 | 257
2nd round 246 | 295
West Finals 332 | 398
Finals 524 | 629
33 year season ticket holder. Season ticket average was $180 per game.
STH here for last few years, plus Kings Pass. Tickets are like airline seats - everyone is paying a different price depending on when they bought, where they are sitting, etc.
I go to most games solo and was lucky a few years ago to find a discounted single seat in between two sets of STH in BBB. Kings gladly took my $$ for a seat that normally went empty in the lean years.
I was given option to buy my seat for playoff as strip first - like someone mentioned, they are priced per round and are a % on top of what my average price for the seat was for the season. I jumped at it, because great price. Next option was to buy up to two additional strips in a presale. My emailed link/code for that was a few minutes late too but seats were much higher price, even upper bowl. I passed on that. The last presale was for single game tickets and I picked up a good pair in the upper bowl for my son.
I also was able to buy presale tickets at game 3 at Chase Center, because I’ve been on Warriors mailing list for years.
I go to most games solo and was lucky a few years ago to find a discounted single seat in between two sets of STH in BBB. Kings gladly took my $$ for a seat that normally went empty in the lean years.
I was given option to buy my seat for playoff as strip first - like someone mentioned, they are priced per round and are a % on top of what my average price for the seat was for the season. I jumped at it, because great price. Next option was to buy up to two additional strips in a presale. My emailed link/code for that was a few minutes late too but seats were much higher price, even upper bowl. I passed on that. The last presale was for single game tickets and I picked up a good pair in the upper bowl for my son.
I also was able to buy presale tickets at game 3 at Chase Center, because I’ve been on Warriors mailing list for years.
Back in the day you couldn't get season tickets. Talking the 80s> early 90s. Waiting list. We were like the worst team in the league but one of the hottest tickets. It was insane. Once you gave up your season tickets, you couldn't just get them back - back onto the waiting list. Sacramento is a fascinating market in that way. And here we are, again, with one of the hottest tickets in the league. And yeah I know these tickets are crazy expensive, but you know what? It's gonna be worth it. The atmosphere is going to be off the charts electric.
The very, VERY first practice before the season in fall of 85 (apparently they hadn't finished building the plywood bleachers in the warehouse known as Arco 1 - yes it was a literal converted warehouse) the Kings ever had in Sacramento was at American River College - they made the bold move of making it open to the public (they did crazy stuff like that back in the day). THE PLACE WAS PACKED. Like right up to the court. You could low-five Mike Woodson getting back on defense. Basic layup drills.... SCREAMING CHEERS! Make a shot (again, practice) -- FANS GO NUTS!!
Opening night? Tuxedoes. It was a black tie affair. Spontaneously. No coordinated social media campaign. People just showed up in tuxedoes and evening gowns. Whatever all that crazy enthusiasm translates to today - that's what the G1C is going to be like at every single playoff game. To whoever is going to a playoff game this year and maybe didn't experience that stuff back then - prepare for something you've never experienced before, and enjoy!!
The very, VERY first practice before the season in fall of 85 (apparently they hadn't finished building the plywood bleachers in the warehouse known as Arco 1 - yes it was a literal converted warehouse) the Kings ever had in Sacramento was at American River College - they made the bold move of making it open to the public (they did crazy stuff like that back in the day). THE PLACE WAS PACKED. Like right up to the court. You could low-five Mike Woodson getting back on defense. Basic layup drills.... SCREAMING CHEERS! Make a shot (again, practice) -- FANS GO NUTS!!
Opening night? Tuxedoes. It was a black tie affair. Spontaneously. No coordinated social media campaign. People just showed up in tuxedoes and evening gowns. Whatever all that crazy enthusiasm translates to today - that's what the G1C is going to be like at every single playoff game. To whoever is going to a playoff game this year and maybe didn't experience that stuff back then - prepare for something you've never experienced before, and enjoy!!
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