Chargers Now Actively Trying To Sell Tickets To Chiefs Fans

http://deadspin.com/5923993/chargers-now-actively-trying-to-sell-tickets-to-chiefs-fans

Chargers Now Actively Trying To Sell Tickets To Chiefs Fans

Barry Petchesky

The Chargers' attendance issues are legendary. The weather's too nice. The stadium's too old. Norv Turner's just going to do something stupid and they're going to crash out just shy of the playoffs again. There are all sorts of reasons why Qualcomm doesn't fill up. Failing to adequately advertise to fans of the other team isn't going to be one of them, not anymore.
The Chargers-Chiefs rivalry goes back a long way, but isn't as heated as some of those other AFC West pairings. Last year's matchup in San Diego, in just the third week of the season, was played in front of 62,00 people—8,000 shy of a capacity crowd. This year's edition is a Thursday night game, which can be attendance poison.
To head off embarrassment, yesterday the Chargers sent out an email blast to a number of Chiefs blogs, including Arrowhead Addict. This was the personalized invitation senior editor Patrick Allen received from a Chargers ticket rep:

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It's the typical group plan offer, and though it reeks of desperation, by this point the Chargers would be negligent in not targeting fans of the opposing team. Chiefs fans' money is just as green as anyone else's, and if Chargers fans are concerned about being shouted down in their own stadium? Well, buy more tickets.
Let's say it doesn't work. Let's say not enough thousands of Chief fans hop on I-70 for a long-*** drive, and the game isn't close to being sold out. What would that mean for Chargers fans? I've got good news and bad news, and good news and bad news. The good news is, the NFL is giving teams the option of relaxing blackout restrictions, setting a new 85 percent minimum capacity. The bad news is, the Chargers aren't going to exercise that option. The good news is, that Chiefs game will be on NFL Network, so with any cable game, it'll be shown on local TV no matter the attendance, so Chargers fans will be able to watch the game. With the Chargers seemingly on the downswing, that might also be bad news.
Chargers So Desperate For Ticket Sales They're Inviting Chiefs Fans To Home Games

Alright, this is some grade A bullshit.

This is what happens when you piss off an entire fanbase by keeping a coach (and for the most part Gm as well) the majority HATE.

LOL....... the owners will do whatever is necessary to fill the seats. That includes selling to opposing fans.

If Chargers fans don't like it, then they should buy the seats up themselves.

Some people simply can't afford it

Sure........ and how is that different from other sporting events, concerts, etc?

#1, San Diego has one of the highest cost of living of any city in the US, a nearly 9% unemployment rate, and the largest population of military that don't give a rats *** about the Chargers, of any other city with an NFL team

2, in case you didn't notice San Diego doesn't get too many big concerts and sporting events. Part of that is the the extreme limit on quality venues, part is a lack of ticket sales

And so how does any of that mean that the Chargers are wrong to try to sell tickets to other fans? Any business wants to sell their product....... one fan's money is as good as another's.

San Diego's proximity to LA means that many big acts bypass our area. It's hardly a new phenomena...... it's been that way forever.

I didn't say they were. I was just pointing out that there are reasons why SD people are not selling out the stadium, and it isn't all money. Part of it is simple displeasure with decisions made by ownership and management

Wait a second. Are you telling me that the San Diego Chargers and the NFL doesn't
care about me, just my money?

Yep, fans are free to buy tickets or not. Missing the playoffs in consecutive years will take a toll on ticket sales. The Chargers are well aware of this....... that's why they are broadening their sales pitch.

According to the article, the game is on Thursday, so it will be on NFL network. It also says that no matter if it is a sell out or not, it will be available on NFL Network even locally. So the Chargers won't be able to hold "It won't be on TV" over fans head to get them to buy ticket

Raiders did the very same thing years ago and even solicited on bolt talk.

And I suppose that was Norv's fault too.

In other words, it's a non-story.

I see both sides.

I cas see the argument that if Chargers fans dont want KC fans there they should fill up the seats. True

I can see the argument that the economy is making the above argument very difficult. True.

This is nothing new at all. How many games do you go to that is all one fan base. NONE! There are always opposing fans, there are always some weird fans wearing a jersey for a team not playing at the stadium that day. SO WHAT?

NFL owners are not volunteer youth leage sponsors. They are in a business to make money. The Spanos' have tried to stay in SD even though the market in LA might prove to be more lucrative. While they are here, yes they will try and sell tickets to anyone with the money to pay for them. That is business. Not BS, but business.

Who here would do any different in Spanos' shoes? Show of hands? Because clearly he is damned if he does and damned if he doesnt. If he doesnt he gets blasted for blackouts. If he does he gets blasted for sellingg tickets. So why shouldnt he make money if he is going to be blasted either way?

Absolutely, but loud and rocking for the other team will not be a good thing. Maybe they should try to do a better job getting Chargers fans in the stadium, because IMO, the teams markets team is terrible and has been for years

What should they be doingg that they are not now? They have radio adds, bill boards etc...

I haven't looked up the numbers but I'm fairly certain San Francisco and New York are higher.

San Diego's definitely up there, though

edit: San Diego comes in at #10 on this slideshow list, but I'm not too certain on how accurate it is. San Fran and NY are both on the list, and obviously above it since it's a top 10 list.

http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/cities-with-most-expensive-cost-of-living-2011/1.html

Boston is also really high. The economy is very hard all over.

http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/most-expensive-cities-to-live-in-the-united-states/1.html

10. Anchorage, Alaska

9. Oakland, Calif.

8. Boston

7. Washington, D.C.

6. Santa Ana (Orange County), Calif.

5. Stamford, Conn.

4. San Jose, Calif.

3. Honolulu

2. San Francisco

1. New York

One thing about NYC, is you can get by without a car. Because of that fact, SF is really more expensive to live.

Oh my God, a business trying to increase its revenue! What is this world coming to?

Yeah, what the hell is that? Do they not know who is playing that day? Are they lost?

If I was a PR guy, I would probably have some good ideas. But I am not. I just know that prior to moving, I always felt like the teams PR staff was terrible and allowed stories to be twisted in a manner than turned the fans on against the team, and these are the types of things that have hurt attendance

Maybe you missed where i said "One of", yes there are worse, but not many

You can in SF also, many people do. Not so much in San Diego. That is the result of a terrible public transportation system.

NY also has like 20-30x more people to draw from when looking at the teams market size (Although they are splitting that between 2 teams). And SF/Oakland also has a larger market than SD. They have the entire north half of the state of California, and some of the area between LA and the bay area.

SD's market is tiny compared to most teams in the NFL, and many of them are military who don't care about the Chargers and only go to games when their favorite team comes to town every couple years. Maybe the Chargers should try to do a better job getting these people to become Chargers fans rather than relying only on those of us who grew up in SD.

But what it all comes down to is winning. This team simply drives up interest from the bandwagon fans when they are winning, and those fans stay at home when they are not. I can't blame them for trying to sell tickets, I just wish they would be doing more to try and entice local people to the games

WTF else is there to do in SD besides football?

If you look at the big picture, it's actually a good thing for the Chargers to bring in those outside groups. Those people will have to pay to stay in a motel/hotel, will have to fly out (or drive), and will most likely spend dollars in local restaurants/bars. It's a big win for the local economy when opposing fans come to San Diego.