Renewal Poll

[nccanes]

Just curious since we've passed the date and most decisions have been made.

Will you increase, decrease, or keep approx the same commitment in regard to your ticket plan or purchases for the 2008-2009 season?

[Jay]

I went from 10-->26.

--J

[ssangste]

went from full season to nothing... was looking for the "cancel plan all together" poll option...

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Very small sample but, so far it looks like it's showing they haven't reached the point where most people speak with their wallet yet. 45% renewed their plan as of now.

[Guyute]

I added that option, you're right, it should be a choice... and I'm very curious.

As for us (3 seats), we have renewed what was 10, and is now 12/14. It is highly possible that this will be the last year unless something changes though. (And I don't mean continued increases)

[caniac_26]

I was a 24-gamer and did not renew. The ticket increase was one thing, but the parking increase was the deal-breaker. My plan for this season is to just pick and choose a game here or there, splurge for lower levels and enjoy the up-closeness, as opposed to being perched in the upper corner for half the home games pissed off about how much I had to pay to park.

[KaniacFever]

We renewed our tickets (full season)

[ontheboards]

Renewed my full season ticket plan. My intent is to try and save a dollars by moving sections. I sit on an aisle and if I move to the other side of the aisle (5 feet?), I'll save about $800. We will be going to SAS with that intent, but we'll see.

[livinthedream]

Hmmmmm.....I'm not allowed to vote, so I'm not part of the statistics.

Anyhow, we stayed status quo. We upgraded our plan in 06-07 (10 to 24) and upgraded our seats in 07-08. Before renewals came out we toyed with the idea of upgrading to full season and selling off the tickets we couldn't use, but decided that was risky given the current climate, so we stood pat for this year. It will be interesting to see what our seating options are at S-A-S compared to years past.

[puck_it]

full -> half

mostly a product of moving and driving to the games.

[brindyfan]

I kept to the 24/26 game plan but went from 1 seat to 2---moving from South to North end to save a few hundred bucks (of couse if I had not gotten the tax stimulas payment and a decent tax refund--I would probably have gone down to the 10/12 mini plan--and probably will next year)

[SoCalcaniac]

We renewed, without hesitation; It won't I'm just wondering when our personal breaking point will be, I have no clue what it is, or will we just continue to blindly pay whatever those people ask for. No, we are not wealthy, not by any stretch; our entertainment budget is "hockey". Has been for years, and we've not yet flinched. There will come a day though...... I know it's coming. and for me, it will be for the principal of the thing.

There have been too many damn 'issues' that have cropped up for people who post here, long time Canes fans, people we know personally and this latest thing with the "priority" and being able to buy tickets given up by a STHer by another STHer.

So I did this informal email 'poll' among people we know who live in other NHL cities- people my husband works with who are hockey fans and have ST's or some type of plan with a team, or people who have been to games of the home team, and could be persuaded to buy. So the question I posed to the friends was - how easy/difficult is it to purchase/upgrade a ticket plan. The teams (PHX, Columbus, WSH, ATL, L.A. and ANA) in Phoenix, you don't wait for a SAS, you can actually buy tickets- select a seat right on the Coyotes website; a rep contacts you immediately, same with Columbus and Washington- In WSH, they roll out the red carpet- and in L.A. you get alot of 'treatment' as well. All of the teams have a S-A-S event, however, you're not limited to the event. With us, it seems like the available seats are a state secret. these teams in other cities are all about selling seats. Our team wants it all to be a secret, imo. /rant over. Just one thing that has me on the edge of complete irritation with how things are handled.

This poll is a great idea. I have to wonder just how many people will be completely dropping their plains. Especially with money tight and the economy in disarray.

[puck_it]

i'm curious to see what the reaction from the newbies will be. A lot of people threw money at the Canes, rather blindly, post Cup. They dont have the residual lockout pains...

[Mona2006]

I renewed for full season but with continued increases and everything else going up, except for my salary, this will probably be my last year at full season. Probably the lowest number of games next season.

I agree about seeing what happens with the folks that jumped on for half or full season after we won the Cup. Since we had two seasons without playoffs, I will be curious to see how many will stand by the team when money is short...and I fully understand that many may want to stay, but life dictates otherwise.

[ultrablue55]

We went from two full season seats to two 29 gamers. Still in Lower Level North. For the first time we bought general parking passes.

[hyena]

I renewed...full plan again. The thought of games going on and me sitting at home just a few miles away just kills me.

I also got parking passes for the first time.

[4DFan]

We dropped from full to half and are also planning to move from LL sideline to one of the ends. But we also went from 2 to 3 tickets because the son is needing his own seat now.

[Guyute]

Something I was just thinking about this poll... it's hard to get a Real feel for what is going on, because of the way it's setup. Not that I'm knocking it.. it'd be a Lot of options if you really broke it down.
But for instance, there's a Big difference between committing to a plan vs. dropping your plan, but intending on buying about that many games. It's a big difference because that person is not a guaranteed planholder anymore, and not a # that the Canes can count as a ticketholder.

Some people are dropping their plans, but still planning on buying tickets. It probably wouldn't hurt overall attendance.. but it would show a pattern of how many people are dropping the committment. I'm quite curious about that.

Anyway, as this poll stands now, it's about a 70% positive result, which is a little surprising to me. I have no doubt that the canes would Gladly take that if this is an example of what's happening across the fanbase. An increase of ticket prices by what, like somewhere between 20-30%... and a 70% renewal/increase rate? Astoundingly, that's a BIG win for them. And you could color me shocked.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

It's my theory that we all love to ***** about the prices but when it comes down to it, the majority of us are going to buy our tickets. Obviously there are exceptions but, everyone I know talked seriously about having to change/eliminate their plan and almost everyone I know re-upped just like last season. I guess the Canes are banking on suckers like us.

[Guyute]

I could be added to the "Renewed existing plan, but counting on it being the last season of that." class.
So yeah, they'll get my money this year (much more of it even), even though the SMART thing would be to keep it for gas and other things. But next year? With a 2nd kid? Eh, maybe if gas goes back down in the two dollar range and tickets don't jump Yet Again. But if not, I think we'll have more important things to do with all that money.
And even if gas prices do go down, and prices at RBC don't go up... maybe they don't get us anyway. I'm honestly so tired of getting f***ed over by this club. At some point they'll be forced to hope they can replace us old suckers with new ones, eh?

[ontheboards]

It's my theory that we all love to ***** about the prices but when it comes down to it, the majority of us are going to buy our tickets. Obviously there are exceptions but, everyone I know talked seriously about having to change/eliminate their plan and almost everyone I know re-upped just like last season. I guess the Canes are banking on suckers like us.

Rather than suckers, I consider us to be fans--rabid, hockey obsessed fans :D

[nccanes]

So I guess the question is, is there 30% backfill for the people that have canceled, lowered the # of tickets they buy? Or is it a foregone conclusion that overall attendance wil go down unless?

Someone at TSB (it may have been andyt) brought up the fact that in the 10 years the Canes have been here, how much the population has grown in the triangle area via transplants and you'd kind of wonder how come we haven't been able to grow attendance beyond what it has.

[Guyute]

Yep, we're one of the fastest growing places on the east coast, and the area is Consistently named one of the top places to live. Attendance keeps dropping. Sure, getting into the playoffs would have helped immensely. Winning brings fans, there's no doubt. But PK also needs to find Someone that knows what the F they're doing on the marketing & corporate affairs fronts. It's a joke. And not a funny one... but one that could cost the area the team at some point.
There is SO MUCH business in the triangle, and this org seems to struggle with getting sponsorship. It's crazy.

[puck_it]

this thread needs mention of global pivotal events. so there you have it.

[VandyCane]

One of my co-workers just signed up for a 12 game plan in LLN. She went to a handful of games last year and we talked hockey non-stop. I'm glad I converted her to a plan holder even if she might hate me later when it hits her credit card! :beatup:

[SouthernHockeyChick]

While I agree with the overall sentiment, attendance doesn't really keep dropping. The average last year, while down from the post-Cup afterglow, was certainly a crapload higher than the first year I bought tickets.

[Mona2006]

The average last year, while down from the post-Cup afterglow, was certainly a crapload higher than the first year I bought tickets.

Well any crowd is larger than the 7 people back then. :lol: I remember in
02-03 and 03-04, you could go to the women's bathroom on a Tuesday night (and some other nights) and never see another soul. That says it all. :crazy:

[Guyute]

Yeah, I wasn't talking about the first couple years of the ESA. Those were abysmal as far as attendance goes too. Then we made playoffs, went to the Cup, and won a Cup. Of course that's going to spike sales. However, look at the years since the Cup. Attendance has been dropping. And I couldn't imagine someone arguing that gate prices for this coming year are going to improve that situation. $25 for goal zone?

[IceSun]

Just to skew the statistics a bit further, I voted as a dropped to lower plan - but actually I upgraded our seats and took fewer games. Net difference in revenue to the organization is less than $10. (not counting the $140 less in parking...)

[Shattered]

late to the game...we dropped from 4 24-games in sideline premier to 2 full-season upstairs (location TBD), with the intention of selling as many as we can. we were trying to stay under what we slapped down for playoff tix and everything upstairs but mezzanine will let us do that.

next season, who knows. if the kid gets to where he can sit through a game, maybe we'll head back downstairs, but i'm not shelling out that kind of $$ to roam the concourses with him. ;)

[caneshockeychick]

I voted for increased because I didn't have tickets last year but went in with a co-worker this year for 2 seats. He's getting 16 games, I'm getting 10 (we'll decide the "voucher" games later). I only did it because IMO, it was a great deal for me. And, I'll get 1st dibs on any games he can't make it to.

Not as many gate prices for me this year. BTW, he's hoping to get those same seats as last year and those were the ones I had so much luck in ;). Those were winners!!!

[queenmerry]

I almost moved from my happy spot on the glass back to the 3rd row with all my buddies. My ticket price is ridiculously stupid...seriously. I'm just hoping a few folks in my row decide against renewing. I'm not sure I can handle watching adults drop things on the floor and still eat them or reek of pot so much I can catch a contact buzz just by sitting next to them.

I'm going to my SAS and am still seriously considering moving. On the upside, I get enough points to get a "free" jersey...on the down side, I don't want that STH patch on it.

[IceSun]

on the down side, I don't want that STH patch on it.

LMAO! :lol:

[e2ipiand1]

I've renewed my existing seats, but only because my mom pays for them.