A psychiatrist friend saw us wearing ATLUTD gear on our way to a match and heard us talking about the ups and downs of the last few seasons, the crushed hope after crushed hope, and asked “but do they deserve your loyalty?”
That has sat with me as any faith that “this time will be different” slowly fades away.
Atlanta is extremely fortunate to have the strongest financial fan base in MLS- a minimum of 42,000 seats per match for season after season after season. Luxury boxes and suites that drive significantly more revenue than other stadiums. Merch sales in the top percentage of the league. People are investing thousands of dollars every year into a club that seems to take it and ask for more, while failing to improve the product they offer. I know Garth doesn’t like losing. I know the players don’t like losing. Confidence that this time will be different, this rebuild will be different, is waning. Maintaining current ticket prices is one way for the club to acknowledge that, try to restore faith, and demonstrate that they do deserve our loyalty.
Imagine a supposed billion dollar franchise, owned by a multi-billionaire, who is about to receive $50m from out going transfers this summer (has to be an MLS record), telling the same supporters who’ve led the league in attendance since the club launched despite five straight mediocre to sub-par seasons, will still see their season ticket prices increase yet again with an excuse like “operating costs have still increased”.
Gave mine up at the end of last year, over $1k/seat for what we've been fed is just insane, and I wasn't even close to the top tier of pricing. Compared to football season ticket prices around the world it's a borderline scandalous price to pay.
has anyone tried talking to the fan experience people? when they called and told us we were finally off the wait list, it was awesome - even if the club was just entering it's first year of verifiable detritus. Is this like cable? just call and tell them you're quitting and they give you a free year and HBO?
This is the Fan Services Execuitive response to sending them the Sam Jones opinion. Prices will still go up.
"Thanks for reaching out. I certainly recognize your frustration with the results so far this season and would say that you and I have that in common. We also greatly appreciate the support that you have shown the Club the past several years and hope that you choose to continue supporting as we look towards the future with the opportunities that lie within this next upcoming transfer window.
Renewal information will be coming out in the next week or two, so be sure to keep an eye on your inbox. Every year we evaluate pricing and adjust based on the market, demand, costs, and other factors. Along those same lines, we will once again be adding and adjusting our benefits packages to better meet the needs of our fans as we have in years past as well.
Be on the lookout for that information, and please let us know if you have any additional questions.
That isn’t corporate speak for “prices are going up, deal with it” and implying such is disingenuous.
That is corporate speak for ”I wish I could tell you what’s going on but I don’t know any more than you do right now, that decision is way above my pay grade”.
Couldn't agree more. Our family are big fans, will probably always keep our season tickets. But when they increased 15% last year during a terrible run of form, it was extremely frustrating. CPI/inflationary increases in the 2%-4% range are one thing. But last season the timing was tone deaf from an organization that usually gets things right in communications, marketing and fan engagement if not on the pitch any more.....
The bump last season was mostly the “Messi Tax”. They lost a ton of $$$ on those tickets last season vs resale value, and no way was that happening again. The resales are still going to be well above face value but the club isn’t getting completely screwed again.
Founding member here. I have fabulous seats 6 rows off the field in section 125. I’m 100% out. Just totally over it. Doesn’t matter how good the seats are anymore.
I have no business sense so this is a legitimate question, but if there's a strong demand (i.e. waitlist for season tickets) do they have to effectively say, we're going to leave money on the table that we could potentially pour back into the club for the sake of good PR (and ostensibly taking care of the die-hards who can afford the already high prices). Again, legitimate question. I have no idea how season tickets even work.
They keep saying there’s a waitlist though at this point it’s hard for me to believe that’s true. Just a way to get people to think there’s high demand.
People are added to the "wait list" over the course of the season, and then they are all offered tickets during the renewal period. There have been empty seats in my section (which started 100% full) every year since Covid. And they are not overpriced seats.
Not overpriced yet, anyway. My prices are up 28% over the last two seasons. Section 239. Great seats, but...this can't go on forever.
It’s a legitimate question. Based on my inability to even get 80% of face value for tickets to games I can’t attend, which has NEVER happened, I don’t think demand is quite as strong as the hype about waitlists would suggest. I also think you will see the lowest renewal rate ever. The demand thermocline comment above is right on.
A psychiatrist friend saw us wearing ATLUTD gear on our way to a match and heard us talking about the ups and downs of the last few seasons, the crushed hope after crushed hope, and asked “but do they deserve your loyalty?”
That has sat with me as any faith that “this time will be different” slowly fades away.
Atlanta is extremely fortunate to have the strongest financial fan base in MLS- a minimum of 42,000 seats per match for season after season after season. Luxury boxes and suites that drive significantly more revenue than other stadiums. Merch sales in the top percentage of the league. People are investing thousands of dollars every year into a club that seems to take it and ask for more, while failing to improve the product they offer. I know Garth doesn’t like losing. I know the players don’t like losing. Confidence that this time will be different, this rebuild will be different, is waning. Maintaining current ticket prices is one way for the club to acknowledge that, try to restore faith, and demonstrate that they do deserve our loyalty.
Imagine a supposed billion dollar franchise, owned by a multi-billionaire, who is about to receive $50m from out going transfers this summer (has to be an MLS record), telling the same supporters who’ve led the league in attendance since the club launched despite five straight mediocre to sub-par seasons, will still see their season ticket prices increase yet again with an excuse like “operating costs have still increased”.
What a time to be alive as a sports fan.
100% this will set the record for FSF most-liked article lol
Been unable to sell my tickets and harder to give them away recently. Agree we’re getting into prove it’s worth it territory.
Gave mine up at the end of last year, over $1k/seat for what we've been fed is just insane, and I wasn't even close to the top tier of pricing. Compared to football season ticket prices around the world it's a borderline scandalous price to pay.
has anyone tried talking to the fan experience people? when they called and told us we were finally off the wait list, it was awesome - even if the club was just entering it's first year of verifiable detritus. Is this like cable? just call and tell them you're quitting and they give you a free year and HBO?
Per a Reddit user today:
This is the Fan Services Execuitive response to sending them the Sam Jones opinion. Prices will still go up.
"Thanks for reaching out. I certainly recognize your frustration with the results so far this season and would say that you and I have that in common. We also greatly appreciate the support that you have shown the Club the past several years and hope that you choose to continue supporting as we look towards the future with the opportunities that lie within this next upcoming transfer window.
Renewal information will be coming out in the next week or two, so be sure to keep an eye on your inbox. Every year we evaluate pricing and adjust based on the market, demand, costs, and other factors. Along those same lines, we will once again be adding and adjusting our benefits packages to better meet the needs of our fans as we have in years past as well.
Be on the lookout for that information, and please let us know if you have any additional questions.
Best Regards,"
That isn’t corporate speak for “prices are going up, deal with it” and implying such is disingenuous.
That is corporate speak for ”I wish I could tell you what’s going on but I don’t know any more than you do right now, that decision is way above my pay grade”.
lol
Couldn't agree more. Our family are big fans, will probably always keep our season tickets. But when they increased 15% last year during a terrible run of form, it was extremely frustrating. CPI/inflationary increases in the 2%-4% range are one thing. But last season the timing was tone deaf from an organization that usually gets things right in communications, marketing and fan engagement if not on the pitch any more.....
The bump last season was mostly the “Messi Tax”. They lost a ton of $$$ on those tickets last season vs resale value, and no way was that happening again. The resales are still going to be well above face value but the club isn’t getting completely screwed again.
Founding member here. I have fabulous seats 6 rows off the field in section 125. I’m 100% out. Just totally over it. Doesn’t matter how good the seats are anymore.
Same!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification?wprov=sfla1
I have no business sense so this is a legitimate question, but if there's a strong demand (i.e. waitlist for season tickets) do they have to effectively say, we're going to leave money on the table that we could potentially pour back into the club for the sake of good PR (and ostensibly taking care of the die-hards who can afford the already high prices). Again, legitimate question. I have no idea how season tickets even work.
They keep saying there’s a waitlist though at this point it’s hard for me to believe that’s true. Just a way to get people to think there’s high demand.
Sadly this was my suspicion too. Trying to maybe manufacture the OG hype of the glory days.
They do not have a wait list
People are added to the "wait list" over the course of the season, and then they are all offered tickets during the renewal period. There have been empty seats in my section (which started 100% full) every year since Covid. And they are not overpriced seats.
Not overpriced yet, anyway. My prices are up 28% over the last two seasons. Section 239. Great seats, but...this can't go on forever.
And to be fair, maybe my perception of the demand is way off or manufactured.
It’s a legitimate question. Based on my inability to even get 80% of face value for tickets to games I can’t attend, which has NEVER happened, I don’t think demand is quite as strong as the hype about waitlists would suggest. I also think you will see the lowest renewal rate ever. The demand thermocline comment above is right on.