Canadiens to charge season ticket holders extra for paper tix

[sbhatt]

http://www.tsn.ca/canadiens-to-charge-fans-for-physical-season-tickets-next-season-1.810653

 

A disgusting nickel-and-dime move by the organization IMO.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

Hey, why not?

 

Habs fans are a quasi-captive audience not much different than your average air traveler. Just wait until they cram in extra seats and cut down on legroom.

[JoeLassister]

I beg to differ.   I think it's a great move.

The only purpose of a paper ticket is to keep it as a souvenir.

That alone doesn't justify the monetary and environmental cost of paper tickets, IMO.

[Commandant]

The Habs are one of many teams who are doing this.  I have no problem with it. 

 

Hell the utilities, phone companies, and banks charge to send paper statements instead of electronic ones now too. 

[sbhatt]

28 minutes ago, Commandant said:

...the utilities, phone companies, and banks charge to send paper statements instead of electronic ones now too. 

 

They're jerks too.

[Commandant]

if it encourages more environmentally friendly practices... great

[dlbalr]

1 hour ago, JoeLassister said:

I beg to differ.   I think it's a great move.

The only purpose of a paper ticket is to keep it as a souvenir.

That alone doesn't justify the monetary and environmental cost of paper tickets, IMO.

 

Is the monetary cost of printing 41 tickets (plus preseason) and mailing it really $150 + tax though?  I can understand a bit of a surcharge but that much seems excessive.

[Guest Stogey24]

Save the trees man 

[hab29RETIRED]

3 hours ago, Commandant said:

if it encourages more environmentally friendly practices... great

Yeah, that's the main reason they're doing this  They should also start selling programs and just making them available on mobile devices.

[Commandant]

5 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

Yeah, that's the main reason they're doing this  They should also start selling programs and just making them available on mobile devices.

 

Doesn't have to be the main reason.... as long as thats a side effect. 

 

As I said, its already led to a lot less wasted paper with respect to bank statements, utility bills, etc... other teams are also doing it. 

 

[Link67]

8 hours ago, dlbalr said:

 

Is the monetary cost of printing 41 tickets (plus preseason) and mailing it really $150 + tax though?  I can understand a bit of a surcharge but that much seems excessive.

 

It is not a matter of putting the costs back in their pocket, it is more of a moral principal, the team will charge you an excessive amount for paper tickets because the of the unnecessary luxury of it for the sake of a souvenir, comes at a great cost to the environment. To deter more senseless environmental abuse going forward, they are somewhat "penalizing your pocket" for penalizing the environment for a luxury, and they deem the cost to this unethical practice is 150$+tax. I would bet they give the proceeds of that extra cost to Environment Protection organizations at the end of the year, as some of the other sports teams have been doing who also charge a fee for this. This is far more about doing something for the environment because you are in a position where you can, rather than trying to mitigate costs of producing paper tickets.

 

Personally i've evolved with the rapid technological advancements, I try to use my phone for every convenience it allows, from online banking to movie ticket purchases to in store purchases. I'm glad I have less mail, i'd rather get a text when a bill is due than opening mail. I'd rather buy a movie ticket on my phone and just walk right in to the show, rather than go wait in line for 15 minutes for a couple pieces of paper that get ripped up anyway. Not only is paperless the right thing to do, it is also hassle free and actually more convenient 99% of the time. This is just another instance where people just need to evolve with the changing times, it is for the better anyway, in many ways.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

Doubt it has anything to do with the environment. If it were the American climate mullahs ordering the increase, the cost would be 5k, and the Habs would get a billion dollar subsidy for their good intentions.

 

The truth is that paper tickets are easier to scalp and sell on third-party ticket websites like StubHub. The Panthers started to release their season tickets through an app for this reason.

[dlbalr]

18 minutes ago, Link67 said:

It is not a matter of putting the costs back in their pocket, it is more of a moral principal, the team will charge you an excessive amount for paper tickets because the of the unnecessary luxury of it for the sake of a souvenir, comes at a great cost to the environment. To deter more senseless environmental abuse going forward, they are somewhat "penalizing your pocket" for penalizing the environment for a luxury, and they deem the cost to this unethical practice is 150$+tax. I would bet they give the proceeds of that extra cost to Environment Protection organizations at the end of the year, as some of the other sports teams have been doing who also charge a fee for this. This is far more about doing something for the environment because you are in a position where you can, rather than trying to mitigate costs of producing paper tickets.

 

Personally i've evolved with the rapid technological advancements, I try to use my phone for every convenience it allows, from online banking to movie ticket purchases to in store purchases. I'm glad I have less mail, i'd rather get a text when a bill is due than opening mail. I'd rather buy a movie ticket on my phone and just walk right in to the show, rather than go wait in line for 15 minutes for a couple pieces of paper that get ripped up anyway. Not only is paperless the right thing to do, it is also hassle free and actually more convenient 99% of the time. This is just another instance where people just need to evolve with the changing times, it is for the better anyway, in many ways.

10

 

There are a lot of older season ticket holders and I'm sure some of them aren't technologically inclined.  Not everyone is able to move with the times as others are.

 

As for doing for the environment, if they are (I doubt it, this is a cash grab in my opinion, just like the annual administrative fee for the waiting list which consists of a computerized document being saved), they can go another way - offer savings for those who opt into the electronic tickets.  That way, those who are willing and able to do so are rewarded while those that aren't or can't aren't punished by an excessive surcharge.  Most teams offer electronic tickets but I don't think any charge as much as Montreal now does to print them. 

[Commandant]

14 minutes ago, dlbalr said:

 

There are a lot of older season ticket holders and I'm sure some of them aren't technologically inclined.  Not everyone is able to move with the times as others are.

 

As for doing for the environment, if they are (I doubt it, this is a cash grab in my opinion, just like the annual administrative fee for the waiting list which consists of a computerized document being saved), they can go another way - offer savings for those who opt into the electronic tickets.  That way, those who are willing and able to do so are rewarded while those that aren't or can't aren't punished by an excessive surcharge.  Most teams offer electronic tickets but I don't think any charge as much as Montreal now does to print them. 

 

A savings for electronic tickets would just be absorbed by increasing the season ticket price another 150 bucks, and then offering a 150 discount.  It really would make no difference. 

[Machine of Loving Grace]

It's always better to give people a discount for going electronic over charging them for paper.

[Link67]

9 hours ago, Machine of Loving Grace said:

It's always better to give people a discount for going electronic over charging them for paper.

 

that would also work even better you are correct

[JoeLassister]

On 22/07/2017 at 9:18 PM, dlbalr said:

 

There are a lot of older season ticket holders and I'm sure some of them aren't technologically inclined.  Not everyone is able to move with the times as others are.

 

If these older folks have 3000$+ to spend on hockey tickets, then they most likely have no problem with 3150$, do they ?

[DON]

1 hour ago, JoeLassister said:

If these older folks have 3000$+ to spend on hockey tickets, then they most likely have no problem with 3150$, do they ?

Lame argument to overcharge seniors.

[JoeLassister]

1 hour ago, DON said:

Lame argument to overcharge seniors.

 
The world is trending toward eliminating paper and the surcharge IS the way to go.  Won't wait for old people to all die before moving on, so I don't mind at all the surcharge right now. In fact, thoses extra fees should have happened 2-3 years ago, when we became able to scan tickets­ at the Bell Centre.

[xXx..CK..xXx]

If it really is to "save the trees", then why not simply eliminate paper tickets altogether? Because people will complain? Alrighty then.

[JoeLassister]

7 minutes ago, xXx..CK..xXx said:

If it really is to "save the trees", then why not simply eliminate paper tickets altogether? Because people will complain? Alrighty then.

I would root for that.

[nhfarber]

21 hours ago, JoeLassister said:

 
The world is trending toward eliminating paper and the surcharge IS the way to go.  Won't wait for old people to all die before moving on, so I don't mind at all the surcharge right now. In fact, thoses extra fees should have happened 2-3 years ago, when we became able to scan tickets­ at the Bell Centre.

 

I think there's a better way to do this without making it seem that those wanting paper tickets are getting screwed.  Especially when you're talking about a demographic (seniors) which is growing so rapidly.  We now have more people in Canada who are over 65, then there are kids under 15.  

 

Why not keep the ticket prices the same, but offer a slight discount for individuals to receive them electronically.  Puts the onus on people to make an environmentally friendly choice, without directly disadvantaging someone who might not have computer access or a level of comfort to take advantage of electronic tickets.  

[Commandant]

3 minutes ago, nhfarber said:

 

I think there's a better way to do this without making it seem that those wanting paper tickets are getting screwed.  Especially when you're talking about a demographic (seniors) which is growing so rapidly.  We now have more people in Canada who are over 65, then there are kids under 15.  

 

Why not keep the ticket prices the same, but offer a slight discount for individuals to receive them electronically.  Puts the onus on people to make an environmentally friendly choice, without directly disadvantaging someone who might not have computer access or a level of comfort to take advantage of electronic tickets.  

 

The team is never going to accept a discount for the 10,000 or more people who end up taking the tickets electronically. 

Even if they did the discount method, what they would do is charge $150 more for the original tickets, and then give a discount.  Its going to be revenue neutral either way. 

They aren't going to lose $150 x 10,000 people. 

[JoeLassister]

11 minutes ago, Commandant said:

 

The team is never going to accept a discount for the 10,000 or more people who end up taking the tickets electronically. 

Even if they did the discount method, what they would do is charge $150 more for the original tickets, and then give a discount.  Its going to be revenue neutral either way. 

They aren't going to lose $150 x 10,000 people. 

This.

 

Also,  I'd like to add something as a season ticket owner.   The box we receive is not only 82 regular size paper tickets like they print for music shows on Admission or TicketMaster.

 

They are huge, with elaborated pictures of hockey players/legends (you've seen those).  It also includes paper tickets for all playoffs games even though they're not garanteed.

AND, it's all wrapped up in a plastic box the size of a World Atlas.

 

To be honest, I really think that all this stuff is worth close to 150$ alone.  Now, if they were to charge 150$ for 82 regular size white paper tickets, I'd be against it as well.

[lazy26]

Well, I bought tickets for an individual game, and they still charge you $5 for your mobile ticket (vs $15 for a paper ticket).  This is after a $24 service charge for waiting in a virtual waiting room for 2 hours.