The Big Day Arrives

As today's season ticket renewal deadline approached, I thought I'd reply back to my account rep. Here's the letter I just sent:

Hi <<Name Witheld>>,

Thanks for keeping me posted on the extended season ticket deadline. I appreciate your efforts and reminders.

Last year, when the team raised ticket prices for the 2010 season while "guaranteeing" a postseason appearance, I made a promise to myself. That promise was, if the 49ers failed to make the playoffs and raised prices again, I would cancel the season tickets that have been in my family for three generations.

Failure on the field is something I can understand (especially after seeing so much of it these past eight years). But failure as an organization is unforgivable.

Expecting customers to pay more and more money for the same dreadful product is arrogant. Telling us that the cost of our seats is "in line" with prices around the rest of the league is insulting, considering no other team has a worse stadium experience and nearly 84% of the other teams in the NFL have been in the playoffs since the 49ers' last postseason appearance.

Making the upper-deck endzone seats cheaper has only allowed casual 49er fans to emulate the thuggish behavior of the Raider Nation on gameday. It doesn't benefit the longtime fans who have supported this franchise through thick and thin over the past 40-50 years as more and more of us have grown frustrated with this organization.

I'm not sure how many fans are willing to spend more money to sign up for another year with another coach, but I can tell you that not a single ticketholder I know is renewing their seats for 2011 due to many of the reasons stated above.

The 49ers have accomplished something that I never thought would be possible - they've managed to make this lifelong fan of over 40 years walk away from the team that provided happiness, joy and countless memories for both myself, my family and my friends.

Adios.