Season Ticket Holder Ranting

The Galaxy has recently reorganized their customer service teams to create a new team dedicated just to serving season ticket holders, of which I am one. My new rep has taken the time to introduce himself to me and this got me thinking about whether or not I’d be willing to shell out a serious (for me) amount of cash for next year, given the recent history of this team. I’m wondering whether the cost is worth the benefits.

When things go well on the field, the tendency for other things to rankle is lessened. When things go badly on the field, the rest of the Galaxy game experience gets put under the microscope. We are nearing the end of the season and the team has to put together a run just like they did last year in order to have a hope of qualifying for the playoffs. If not, they will be out for a record-setting third year in a row. Regardless of how that shakes out, the team is currently in the middle of a record-setting winless streak.

These issues have been exacerbated by the League scheduling inanity. This past weekend was a debacle. Not only are teams missing key starters in the final thrid of the season due to call-ups (37 MLS players in total), but teams like the Galaxy were missing players who completely change the complexion of their teams. Pity poor Toronto missing 9 of their starters in a home game against a Chivas team with a raft of injuries. Wouldn’t they have liked to face that game at full-strength? And the G’s were facing RSL which to that point only had taken 4 points from away games. We needed the full three, especially at home.

So: Poor performance on the field (and I could write more about that, but, then, I already have in numerous blog postings which can be found at Soccer By Ives). Crap scheduling by MLS. Add to that, the fact that last year, the team used up all its “bonus games” and this year it has used just one (unless I missed one while I was out of town, which is totally possible). So I’m essentially paying more this year for each one of my MLS games than I did last year and getting just as crap a performance.

What does all that add up to? Questions about renewing season tickets for next year. If the team isn’t commited to dealing with two issues, then I’m probably not going to invest in season tickets again.

First, fill out the full contingent of bonus games. I realize these games aren’t guaranteed. That’s the nature of “bonus”. But last year I saw Chelsea (a preseason, undermanned, not in form Chelsea, but Chelsea nonetheless). I saw Pachuca. Twice. Hell I even saw Steve Cronin make like 12 saves in a US Open Cup match. This year I saw… a crap US Open loss.

Second, don’t raise the prices of season tickets for next year. It would be the height of fan abuse to make us sit through two garbage seasons and then raise the ticket price, especially when it is pretty clear the team in making a mint off of jersey sales, touring Asia, and the wretched, wretched Pan-Pacific Championship (can we please just kill that now – it is nothing but excrement masquerading as futbol). Related to that is, don’t raise the cost of parking again. It was $10 when I first watched games at the HDC as a visitor to LA, then when I bought my first season tickets it was $15 and I’ve paid as much as $20 for certain games. I can spend just as much someplace else where I don’t have to drive 23 miles to get to and where the beer doesn’t cost $12 and I can watch the game on TV.

In the past two years, of all the home games on offer, I’ve only missed three and that was because I had to be gone for work. I arrange my schedule around Galaxy games. I love the fact that we have Becks. I love watching him and Landon and Edson kick ass. I love the Eddie Lewis acquisition (glad that the Cory Gibbs deal never happened).

But I don’t think I can do a third year of this if the front office doesn’t take the fans into consideration. I’ll probably just buy the occasional single game ticket and mostly just watch the games over the internet or at a friend’s house with cable.

Let me end on a somewhat positive note. I’ve always had great interactions with the sales team. They are responsive, give as much information as they have available to them, and are always willing to listen to the concerns of fans like me. I appreciate that and I appreciate that the Galaxy takes this seriously. Further I’m excited to see what Bruce Arena can do both in terms of coaching, but also in terms of personnel trades since we are woefully inadequate in the midfield. Given the parity in MLS, I think we could be two midfielders and a defender away from winning an MLS Cup and I’d like to be in the stands to watch it all unfold.

But not if the suits in the suites decide I’m better as an ATM than a fan.

What do you guys think? Do I have a leg to stand on here? Should I shut up and just not buy tickets, or suck it up and make the investment? Does the Galaxy have an obligation to fans to make the playoffs before raising prices again? Is the overall experience of being at the stadium worth the investment in season tickets or multi-game packages even if prices rise? What do you think of watching at the HDC versus TV or the internet? Share your thoughts below.

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Category: 2008 Season, About Your Blogger, MLS Money Matters