I have a lot to say about today’s events and will spend most of tomorrow linking and commenting. Here’s one to get you through the overnight. See you in the morning.
In a conference call this evening, Executive Vice President for Business Operations David Howard said that there’d been discussion about sending out invoices even earlier, but that a change in online ticket vendors (the Mets moved to tickets.com) precluded that. Taking him at his word, it’s hard to think of the payment plan the Mets did institute- six payments beginning 11/7- as an inherently fan-friendly move, when it means coming up with a significant chunk of money more than a month earlier than last year. And remember, it isn’t just those season ticket holders who need to commit by 11/7- it is everyone in the full-season boat.
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But regarding the new schedule-it is hard not to see the move as a cynical attempt to get fan money while raising hopes that maybe Jose Reyes will return.
via The New Renewal Deadline: November 7 | The LoHud Mets Blog.
Perhaps they are going to see how many plans they sell…then decide if they can afford Reyes. If they can’t afford him, they can partly shift blame to the fans for not responding in time. It is really ingeneous.
Or maybe they know they are not signing Reyes and are trying to get as much as they can before that becomes official.
It’s kinda obvious. These morons are so hard up for cash they are floating an interest free loan off their ticket holders….. Mind you its at the expense of losing many more people. That just goes to show you how deep they are in it. The only pennant race the mets are in is for laughing stock of baseball with mccourt and the lodgers. Eyes is gone. Vregardless of offer.
My god. The conspiracy theories put forth by Mets fans never cease to amaze me.
Nov 7 is not a hard deadline. It is a deadline for several promotions & payment plans currently being offered. Last year, I didn’t renew until after the 12/15 deadline and they STILL allowed me to break up payment into a few chunks and I had the same seats I had the year before. I just didn’t get to participate in some of the perks they offered during the offseason & throughout the year.
Are they dangling some carrots & trying to get people to renew early? Sure.
I get also get subscription renewals for magazines months ahead of the scheduled end date of my current subscription. Is New York Magazine desperate for a loan from subscribers or are they simply doing the wise business move of trying to get customers to recommit?
Keep in mind that there are many people out there not like you. We are Mets fans through thick & thin and we enjoy going to ballgames. The Mets have tons of season ticket holders that continued to renew their tickets though the dark days of the late 70’s & early 80’s.
Try enjoying baseball for what it is.
Corey, if you try to replicate what you did last year after 12/15, your seats probably will have been snatched by someone else at the “select your seat” promotion on 11/17-19.
The stated reason for the new, 11/7 deadline is to make allowances for the payment plans. Yet even if you pay in full, the deadline is still 11/7.
The question isn’t, “Does it help the Mets to have an earlier deadline?” Of course it does. The question is, “Why did that deadline change, particularly when the team is doing it under the guise of helping fans (through this payment plan)?”
Just because I know I’ll be there regardless of how the team treats its fans doesn’t mean I don’t also have an obligation to point out the how and why of what they are doing.
And that’s the point: the Mets have struggled on the field, acknowledged a difficult economy- and one of their main responses to that climate involves demanding a big chunk of money from their season ticket holders more than a month earlier than before.
I am well aware of the select your seat event and I guarantee you if I speak to my sales rep, they will hold my seats while I continue to decide if I want to renew or if I need t figure out my finances.
They were selling new & renewal season ticket after 12/15 last year yet they patiently waited for me to renew. I have some of the best cheap seats in the house, right behind home in a low row of Promenade Infield. They could have easily gotten someone else to fill those seats but gave me to courtesy of more time.
Believe it or not, I have nothin but good customer service storie to share about the Mets. They are not evil as people like to portray them as.
No one thinks the Mets are evil. But think about what you’re saying. The Mets recognize that in a tough economy, where their current product is harder to sell because of recent on-field struggles.
And their response is to ask for money more than a month sooner, before anyone has a chance to evaluate their moves for 2012. And they are doing it under the rubric of helping people through a payment plan, yet using 11/7 as the deadline for those who pay in full as well.
Doesn’t make much sense.
Howard, you are stuck on 11/7 when I have told you based on experience that it is almost certainly not a hard deadline.
They also know that many people are fans of the Mets through thick & thin and will buy tickets for 2012 regardless of what moves are made in the offseason. I was a Mets fan before Jose Reyes & I will be a fan after Reyes is gone….whenever that may be.
And I assume on the invoices, it will read: “Deadline: 11/7 (but not really)”
Listen, we’re going in circles here. That the deadline may not be a hard deadline, if you ask for an extension, doesn’t change the fact that the deadline has been moved back from 12/15 to 11/7.
That’s a net loss for the fans, not a net gain. And it is being done in the name of providing something to the fans.
^B.S. This is nothing but an attempt to take advantage of the fans again! They want your money in and want you to commit in case they don’t sign Reyes and decide to dismantle the team due to payroll restictions.
How “DYNAMIC” is the team going to be next year?…NOT!!
Look they already know they are looking at a last place finish next year as the Nats get better and Marlins hit the free agent market hard as they move to a new stadium.
They must think fans are really stupid!
Howard,
We’re goign in circles because you refuse to accept my experience as fact.
Corey,
I accept your experience as fact. That the Mets will back off of the deadline they send to season ticket holders if you object doesn’t change the facts that:
1. They have moved that deadline back from 12/15 to 11/7, meaning that even if you get a two-week extension in each case, it is still asking for money more than a month earlier than before. This is not a benefit, this is a loss for the season ticket holder.
2. The deadline for receiving Amazin’ Mets Perks has also moved back more than a month, and as you explained, delay cost you a chance at those last year. Again, this is a loss for the season ticket holder.
Like I said, we’re going in circles. Not because I don’t accept what you say as true. But because even though I do, the above two facts remain unchanged.
If enough people pay in advance to obtain seat packages, then the Mets will definitely sign Reyes …….
NOT!!!!!!!!!!
Corey. You say accept it for what it is. But you don’t seem to accept the fact that the Mets treat it for what it is… A business to make money. I guarantee you that if there were no correlation, the Mets would rather make $10 million as opposed to winning a title. Just the same, the mets know they are not going to attempt to field a winner in 2012 so instead. They are gonna try and make themselves as much money possible. They don’t sell your seats when u pass the deadline because noone is in line for your seats. If I offered for your seats and the deadline expired they would be mine.