Giants, Jets, Panthers and Bills Get It. The 49ers? Not So Much

The Associated Press reported today that the Giants, Jets, Panthers and Bills have made changes to their season ticket policies due to the lockout. We've already discussed the Giants' new policy before, so let's see what the other three are up to:

• The Jets added a payment alternative that defers 50 percent of the total amount due until a training camp date is announced.
• The Panthers are requesting percent of the renewal price due up front and 90 percent due upon the signing of a new collective bargaining agreement.
• Buffalo adjusted payment terms so that half of the account balance isn't due until the league announces games will be played. Fans will then have two months to pay the remaining balance.

The view from an $83 dollar ticket (Note the empty seats).

Isn't it amazing how these four franchises, all of varying degrees of success and wealth, have chosen to let their customers keep their money until the 2011 season becomes a reality? Why do they "get it" while the rest are requiring full payment well in advance of any resolution to the lockout? It's greed, pure and simple.

Lil' Jed is leading the charge by inexplicably increasing ticket prices for the second straight year. The 49ers are one of only two teams that are raising some prices while decreasing others (17 teams are keeping prices the same, nine are raising them and 4 are decreasing them). However, it should also be noted that, while the organization has gone to great lengths patting themselves on the back for decreasing some of these ticket prices, the AVERAGE price has increased six bucks to $83. And, as I've stated before, I'd like to see what seat location $83 gets you at Candlestick. I guarantee it won't be an "average" view, unless you bring binoculars or a telescope.

Are You Kidding Me?

"Last chance for priority seat selection?" "5 month interest-free payment option?"

Yeah, it sounds like those season ticket renewals went real well.

I have no idea what they mean by "playoff priority." You have season tickets, you get playoff tickets. What's the big deal about that? Seriously, is anybody biting on this offer right now during the lockout? Who are they kidding?

The ticket office is grasping at straws.

Lil' Jed Sent Me Two Letters Today

I don't know who is in charge of the mailing lists at Niner headquarters, but they aren't doing a very good job of keeping things current.

If you were born during this game, you'd be eligible
for a driver's license in the state of California.

This evening, I received an envelope in the mail, with not one, but two emails from the team. The first was Lil' Jed's letter addressing the expired CBA. The second was a letter from the VP of Ticketing & Suites, outlining the details of the team's refund policy in the event of a work stoppage. The funny thing is that it was addressed to "Dear Season Ticket Holder." Uh, no. Not anymore.

The way I figure it, there are two explanations why I'm still receiving season ticket holder correspondence, each as likely as the other:

1) The front office hasn't bothered updating their mailing list, due to either not getting around to it yet or blatant disregard for my wishes to terminate my relationship as a paying customer for this product (I'm guessing the latter).

2) The Niners still consider me a season ticket holder, just as they consider the thousands of others (educated guess) of people who have also decided not to renew their tickets. I don't think the 49ers want to admit to themselves that they've lost so many formerly loyal (and paying) customers, so internally, they still think of us as season ticket holders who just haven't renewed yet.

I can imagine the internal dialogue going on in the head of each member of the front office: "But they'll be back. They ALWAYS come back. We've won FIVE Super Bowls, remember? Why, it's only been - what - 16 seasons* since we brought the Lombardi Trophy to San Francisco? Big deal! You love us! Remember?  Just wait til we get this silly CBA thing sorted out and you see Coach Harbaugh yell at Smith (Alex) for failing to read a blitz formation in training camp - you'll be begging us for your old seats back!"

If you were born during this game, congratulations -
you're older than Lil' Jed.

Either way, I wish they would take the hint leave me alone. Next time I'm looking for tickets, I'll find them on Craigslist or StubHub - and I'll purchase them from a season ticket holder, without having to pay for two worthless preseason games and the hyped-up "rivalry" games with our traditional divisional opponets the Cardinals and Seahawks.

Regardless, thanks for the memories - and laughs - this offseason so far, 49ers front office.

*I typed that sentence and had to pause and think about that fact that the Niners, who were mostly woeful during the Super Bowl era prior to their first Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XVI following the '81 season, are once again XVI Super Bowls removed from appearing in the NFL title game. The equivalent of Lombardi's Packers, the Steelers' first dynasty and the 70's successes of the Dolphins, Raiders and Cowboys have passed since Steve Young and the 49ers crushed the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. I'll have more on this some other time when the cold reality of the past 16 years without a title sinks in. This deserves further thought and dissection.

Be Like the Giants

Pee-Wee football: perhaps the only time the 49ers will
have a chance against the Giants.

As if measuring up to the recent successes (new ballpark, World Series championship) of the San Francisco Giants wasn't enough, now Lil' Jed, Paraag and the rest of the beancounting nerds in the 49ers'  front office has the New York Giants making them look like selfish, greedy, incompetent fools.

Profootballtalk.com is reporting that the New York Giants will not collect a single dime from season ticketholders until there is a new collective bargaining agreement. And, ticket prices will not be raised for the 2011 season.

Quite a difference from the 49ers, who raised their prices again and wanted their ticketholders' money (and financial commitment) back in February, while everybody knew that a lockout was approaching...

To top things off, just as Carolina upset the 49ers in a colossal meltdown in Charlotte last year (otherwise known as "The David Carr Game"), the Panthers are besting the Niners by only requiring 10% down until the new CBA is reached.

Meanwhile, the 49ers continue to act and behave as if all of their Super Bowl titles occurred in a brand-new stadium within the past decade (i.e. the New England Patriots).

Jed - you just don't get it. And you probably never will. That's why so many season ticketholders (including yours truly) have decided to bail on you.

Your Daily Dose of Sunshine

I don't know how this slipped under my radar, but profootballtalk.com reported that, as of March 13, Alex Smith could no longer work out at the Niners' facility. That in and of itself isn't big news - no players can work out at team facilities during the lockout.

What is big news is that Smith (Alex), who had all but decided to walk away from the 49ers after the end of last season (the feeling was mutual, until Harbaugh was hired), is either:

1) Planning on returning to the 49ers once the CBA is completed (whenever that may be)

-or-

2) Using the 49ers as his own personal 24 Hour Fitness while he gets ready to sign up with another team.

I don't even know which is worse at this point - Smith (Alex) returning, or having him punk the 49ers by making them clean his dirty towels after he uses the whirlpool at team facilities (which, come to think of it, are probably not as nice as the new 24 Hour Fitness Super Sport that just opened up down the road in Sunnyvale).

Either way, Smith (Alex) in the building is not good news for Niner fans, although it IS "business as usual," per Lil' Jed's letter to the fans earlier this week.

Lil' Jed Writes A Letter

Matt Barrows of the Sac Bee reports that Lil' Jed sent a letter last week to 49er fans addressing the lockout. This used to be the type of thing that I'd post myself, but it looks like I may finally be removed from the team's distribution list.

"What shall we tell the minions today?"

My favorite quote from the letter is this:


"Please know that regardless of how this offseason unfolds the 49ers commitment to building a championship football team remains steadfast. As such, we will be prepared to take advantage of every opportunity within the league rules to be ready for a successful 2011 season."

Now that's classic York braggadocio and over-promising! Unless the league rules suspend the salary cap and force all Pro Bowlers to play for teams that finished in 3rd place with a 6-10 record last year, the only other opportunity the 49ers will have for a "successful" 2011 season is if the rest of the NFC is sent to play in the United Football League.

I'm already getting tired of the posturing by the owners as they bombard the media in defense of the lockout. What they fail to understand is that the fans don't care who's at fault or who gains what in the next CBA. All we care about is the 2011 season starting on time without any hitches. Everything else is white noise generated between millionaires and billionaires.

The owners want to keep their money - of course. They're privileged, ruthless and greedy. After all, you don't become a billionaire by putting in long hours volunteering at the local soup kitchen.

The players want money because their careers are so short. Listen - the rest of the working population only WISHES they had the potential to make enough money (playing a game) during a handful of years that would allow them to retire comfortably by their mid-thirties. And if you don't make enough money to retire in a gated community? Hey - you went to college - use your degree and get another job. Oh, you didn't get a degree because you didn't go to class? Well, you can join the rest of the folks who didn't have the chance to finish school and still manage to build careers for themselves.

Owners: give the players a retirement fund, address the safety issues affecting their post-NFL health and take care of the older veterans who helped build the league to its current apex of mind-numbing prosperity and popularity.

Players: realize that, while your job is to play an increasingly hazardous game, you still have the unique opportunity to make a shitload of money in a very short time and that there's more to life than being a football player who's ass has been kissed continuously since you were playing in your first Pop Warner league.

Fans: accept nothing less than a full commitment to providing the best product in professional sports while your continued patronage is appreciated and acknowledged by something other than empty words and rhetoric.

And get yourselves ready for the NCAA Tournament and baseball season! Who needs the NFL during March, anyways?

Lockout.

Another rough day at the
league office.

As expected, the NFLPA has applied for decertification, which will lead to several months of litigation between owners and the player's association.

At some point, this issue will be solved, but not anytime soon. There's too much money at risk. In the meantime, we'll grow tired of hearing about court proceedings while each side tries to convince the judge (and general public) that they're right.

It doesn't matter, really. In the end, the millionaires will still earn their money for playing a game, the billionaires will continue to make money as if they had a license to print it, and the fans will be the only real losers in this whole scenario.

Meanwhile, Lil' Jed, along with his mommy and daddy, can sit upon the pile of cash already collected from their remaining loyal ticketholders and try to figure out how to build a stadium with virtually no funding. And the folks who wrote checks to renew their tickets will have nothing to show for their money.

Screw 'em. It's baseball season.

It's Not Just Me

I'm sure there are a few skeptics out there who think this blog is nothing more than an accumulation of rants from one disgruntled 49ers fan who doesn't represent the long-time ticketholders at large. More accurately, my thoughts and opinions are shared by a great number of us who are fed up with this organization. I thought I would post this excellent email message that was sent by another (former) ticketholder to the 49ers' ticket office following last week's second renewal deadline. Enjoy - and remember, Jed - there are many more of us than you think...

After over 50 years as season ticket holders, we have chosen to not renew our tickets this year. Unfortunately, while we have continued to support and be faithful to the 49ers, the same can't be said of the organization. Our prices have increased exponentially over the last 10 years. During that time, the team has performed consistently worse, the stadium we pay premium prices for is a disgrace to the NFL and 49er fans and the 49er organization continues to lower ticket prices in some areas while penalizing your most loyal fans. 

I thought about detailing the reasons we chose not to renew, but I figure if you wanted to know, someone would have called by now. I have been waiting to see if anyone would reach out to me via a telephone call when we didn't make our payment. Given the length of our "valued" relationship, one would think that a call might have been in order to find out why this was the year we chose to be late with our first payment in 50+ years. Instead, we keep receiving automated notices via mail or email like we have no idea a payment is due. It is clear the organization couldn't care less about the fans. Clearly, you just want to known when you can reassign our seats.  

My father's dying wish was that we "always keep the Niner tickets." But I'm pretty sure Dad would forgive us if he had seen the invoices and the team play over the last decade. Will I be a Niner fan forever? Yes. Will I continue to pay for that privilege? No.  

If you are interested in the specific reasons why we chose not to renew, I am happy to explain in detail. I can be reached at the telephone number on file.

AWESOME - and thanks again for sharing!

Your Daily Dose of Sunshine

California Governor Jerry Brown on the (now unlikely) possibility of using state redevelopment funds to help finance new stadiums for the Raiders and 49ers:

Artist's depiction of projected attendance for a 49er game at
Stanford Stadium

"Use the ones over at Berkeley and Stanford - they are good stadiums" (courtesy of Matier and Ross).

Jerry, I hate to break the news to you, but Stanford Stadium no longer seats 80,000 people. Then again, the 50,000 or so that Stanford can accommodate today is still probably 20,000 more than the Niners will need in 2011.

You Should Probably Do Something About This

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee is reporting that Brian Westbrook (still officially under contract with the 49ers) talks with Andy Reid regularly and wants to play for the Eagles again.

I doubt many of these will be sold for the 2011 season...

Uh, that's called tampering. And the Niners, who have been busted by the league for "tampering" in the past, should be sending out a press release right now calling out Reid and the Eagles organization for speaking with one of their players. Without any type of response or outrage, the 49ers organization will once again be perceived as pushovers by the league.

Imagine if Jerry Jones heard that anybody on his roster was speaking with another coach about playing for another team - all hell would break lose and Ed Werder would be filing hourly reports for ESPN from Cowboys headquarters. I doubt that will be the case with the pencil-pushing geeks in the Niner front office and instead we'll hear about Lil' Jed or Paraag filing a "formal complaint" to the commissioner's office three months from now that will likely result in nothing more than a slap on the wrist to the Eagles organization.

My unsolicited advice to the Niners as a fan: Just once, act like you care about something other than the new stadium, grow a pair and tell the Philadelphia Eagles they can shove it and demand compensation from the league office. Even if you don't receive a draft pick, at least demonstrate to your fanbase that you won't be pushed around and that you have passion for your team.

Who knows? It might help with your single-game ticket sales this summer.

My Response To My Ticketing Executive

Here's what I sent back to my (former) ticketing and suites executive after I received the "thank you for your continued support" letter and invoice earlier this afternoon - short, simple and to the point:

Hi XXXX,

Thanks for all of your help these past few years - it's been greatly appreciated.

Please tell Jed that he can have my seats and my space in the parking lot. I'm sure if he spent a few Sundays with Paraag going to the games like a regular fan, he might understand how foolish it was to raise the ticket prices - again - for such a terrible gameday experience and on-field product.

I'm planning on listening to next season's blacked-out home games on the radio - if there is a season, that is.

"Thank You for Your Continued Support..." What Support?

UPDATED (3/3/11): I didn't receive anything in the mail from the team yesterday - maybe they actually read my letter...

UPDATE #2 (3/3/11): I just received the letter and invoice (due tomorrow) in my email inbox. So, apparently they DIDN'T actually read my letter...

My buddy, who is also fed up with this organization and will not be renewing his season tickets, scanned the letter and invoice (due in two days) he received yesterday (see below).

Somebody needs to alert the 49ers that being the "Team of the 80's" means about as much as the Chicago Cubs being the "Team of the 1900's" these days and they should stop acting like it's a privilege to pay money to see them stumble through another NFL season.

Rather than concentrating on taking our money, I suggest the 49ers take care of the following three items:

• Collaborate on a new collective bargaining agreement to ensure a 2011 season
• Draft impact players
• Get a quarterback

Maybe, when all of that has been accomplished, we'll consider buying a couple of single-game tickets on StubHub or Craigslist.  Judging from my past selling experiences, there will be plenty of bargains!

I have a feeling this is only the beginning of the Niners begging us to purchase tickets - we'll probably be pestered for mini-ticket packages and single-game tickets throughout the entire 2011 season.

Listen Up: No Means No

I just received word that the Niners sent out a second invoice to ticket holders that didn't renew by last week's deadline. Something along the lines of "we thank you for your continued support, please remember to renew by March 4." I haven't received anything, but since I live in the south bay, I'm expecting that I will get my notice tomorrow,

First of all - really? What part of "no" means "no?" Do you think we all just forgot that the bill was due? We KNEW the bill was due - and we chose not to pay. It's a simple concept. You have something for sale. We decide we aren't buying and walk out of the store. You lose your sale. End of story. This isn't a car dealership where you have to play the game that forces the salesman to run out of the showroom offering you a better deal.

Second of all - "continued support?" Our support DISCONTINUED the day we stopped writing checks to the 49ers. We're done. Get used to the TV blackouts - this stadium isn't going to be sold out any time soon.

Finally, "March 4th?" That's when the CBA expires. You still expect us to pay for a product that may not exist? "Next season?" What season? How about you wait until you guarantee there will BE a next season. Oh, never mind, your "guarantees" are worthless. Otherwise, I'd be recapping the 49ers' 2010 postseason appearance instead of being flabbergasted at the cojones this ignorant organization has.

I'll post any details when (if) I get this invoice tomorrow.

In the meantime, listen to me - and listen to good, 49ers organization: we spoke with our wallets. You didn't listen. Please - go away. Now.