Patriot Place | Foxboro
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eaalkaline
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Re: Patriots Place
they didnt have the best team this past year
they didnt have the best team this past year
Re: Patriots Place
The ticket prices are fine, I would encourge them to raise them as much as they wish until they stop selling out. As you must remember, this is an entertainment venue, not all entertainment venues need be affordable and family friendly. I often get annoyed by kids at the ballpark. I'm not sure if anyone has sat up in the "cheap" seats at Gillette, I've been up there a few times, never again certainly and I would not feel comfortable taking my kids to a game in that environment with the language, behavior and in general repulsive crowd.
The ticket prices are fine, I would encourge them to raise them as much as they wish until they stop selling out. As you must remember, this is an entertainment venue, not all entertainment venues need be affordable and family friendly. I often get annoyed by kids at the ballpark. I'm not sure if anyone has sat up in the "cheap" seats at Gillette, I've been up there a few times, never again certainly and I would not feel comfortable taking my kids to a game in that environment with the language, behavior and in general repulsive crowd.
Ron Newman
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Re: Patriots Place
You seem to be laboring under the misimpression that people with more money behave better.
You seem to be laboring under the misimpression that people with more money behave better.
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nedev18
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Re: Patriots Place
Believe it or not, NE fans are better than many others around the league. I took my cousin to a Pats game this past year and he said that the fans here are far better than the ones in Washington DC (where he is a season ticket holder). Also, look at New York with the whole thing about hassling the women as they walk by. I think that, for the most part, fans go to these games with the intent to just completely let loose. I find it to be the same at many other sports venues as well.
Believe it or not, NE fans are better than many others around the league. I took my cousin to a Pats game this past year and he said that the fans here are far better than the ones in Washington DC (where he is a season ticket holder). Also, look at New York with the whole thing about hassling the women as they walk by. I think that, for the most part, fans go to these games with the intent to just completely let loose. I find it to be the same at many other sports venues as well.
Re: Patriots Place
a Maglev would be a great option for an airport/city route if for some reason the airport was moved outside 128.
I can attest that the worst fans at any sporting even are the drunken college kids. There seems to be the impression that college kids are poor and desperate for cash, but nowadays many college kids are subsidized by their parents for not only the essentials (room/board/ tuition), but with disposable cash as well. These kids have nothing better to spend $250/300 on than Pats, Sox, or Celts tickets. They go to the game and blow even more money on booze and get obnoxious.
If you think high ticket costs are the answer to the problems of rude fans, you're severely mistaken. If they get too high, it's going to be the suits and the drunken college kids and not much else.
a Maglev would be a great option for an airport/city route if for some reason the airport was moved outside 128.
I can attest that the worst fans at any sporting even are the drunken college kids. There seems to be the impression that college kids are poor and desperate for cash, but nowadays many college kids are subsidized by their parents for not only the essentials (room/board/ tuition), but with disposable cash as well. These kids have nothing better to spend $250/300 on than Pats, Sox, or Celts tickets. They go to the game and blow even more money on booze and get obnoxious.
If you think high ticket costs are the answer to the problems of rude fans, you're severely mistaken. If they get too high, it's going to be the suits and the drunken college kids and not much else.
Re: Patriots Place
While I won't say going to a Patiots game is cheap, it's not that bad. People need to look at it like this, NFL teams have 8 home games and 2 pre-season home games to make money. Compare that the MBL where teams have 81 home games and you can see why NFL tickets prices are so high and continue to climb. People shouldn't be complaining about the Patriots, look at the Red Sox and that's where the complaints should lie. Getting tickets to Fenway is next to impossible and the only way in is to pay 3 and 4 times the face value of the seats. Parking is insane and taking public tansportation is not breeze either (although it costs much less). Like it or not, the Red Sox need a new ballpark. Has anyone else noticed Fenway looks like one big advertisement with the number of signs and ads they now have up? Look at it like this, my brother went to a game last year with his wife and 2 kids and they spent over $400 for the game. (4 bleecher seats, 28 rows up, parking and food).
On a side note, Kraft has changed the way they give SB tickets to season ticket holders, it used to be a lottery. In any event, the NFL gives out such small amount to each of the teams playing in the game, for example this past SB in Tempe each team was given on 12,250 of the 70,000 seats sold. To me that is a joke and the Super Bowl has turned into a smooze fest where real fans can't get in unless they want to shell out thousands of dollars. The two teams who actually are playing in the game should be given 60-70% of the tickets and there should be a mandate that seasonticket holders for each team should be allowed to enter a lottery to be able to buy them. I was lucky enough to go to SB 39 in Jacksonville and was sitting behind 4 people who were from Dallas (got their tickets through one guy's company, that company paid to advertise) and they could have cared less who won the game, they were just there to say they went. That's my rant for the day.
While I won't say going to a Patiots game is cheap, it's not that bad. People need to look at it like this, NFL teams have 8 home games and 2 pre-season home games to make money. Compare that the MBL where teams have 81 home games and you can see why NFL tickets prices are so high and continue to climb. People shouldn't be complaining about the Patriots, look at the Red Sox and that's where the complaints should lie. Getting tickets to Fenway is next to impossible and the only way in is to pay 3 and 4 times the face value of the seats. Parking is insane and taking public tansportation is not breeze either (although it costs much less). Like it or not, the Red Sox need a new ballpark. Has anyone else noticed Fenway looks like one big advertisement with the number of signs and ads they now have up? Look at it like this, my brother went to a game last year with his wife and 2 kids and they spent over $400 for the game. (4 bleecher seats, 28 rows up, parking and food).
On a side note, Kraft has changed the way they give SB tickets to season ticket holders, it used to be a lottery. In any event, the NFL gives out such small amount to each of the teams playing in the game, for example this past SB in Tempe each team was given on 12,250 of the 70,000 seats sold. To me that is a joke and the Super Bowl has turned into a smooze fest where real fans can't get in unless they want to shell out thousands of dollars. The two teams who actually are playing in the game should be given 60-70% of the tickets and there should be a mandate that seasonticket holders for each team should be allowed to enter a lottery to be able to buy them. I was lucky enough to go to SB 39 in Jacksonville and was sitting behind 4 people who were from Dallas (got their tickets through one guy's company, that company paid to advertise) and they could have cared less who won the game, they were just there to say they went. That's my rant for the day.
blade_bltz
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Re: Patriots Place
Try going to an Oakland A's game, and probably any other stadium where tickets are dirt cheap, and you'll see some of the most repulsive, worst behaved scum on the earth. I've been to a bunch of games out here, and some of the pigheads who come to these games make me sick. You just don't see that at Fenway. And I'm sure a lot of you guys remember the "bad old days" at Fenway (I'm too young), when people were more interested in getting drunk, high, and in fights.
Now, having a competitive team probably doesn't hurt to make fans a little less belligerent - and they could use one in Oakland - but it's not to see that the cheaper the seats, the rowdier the crowd. Leaves more money for beer, I suppose.
Try going to an Oakland A's game, and probably any other stadium where tickets are dirt cheap, and you'll see some of the most repulsive, worst behaved scum on the earth. I've been to a bunch of games out here, and some of the pigheads who come to these games make me sick. You just don't see that at Fenway. And I'm sure a lot of you guys remember the "bad old days" at Fenway (I'm too young), when people were more interested in getting drunk, high, and in fights.
Now, having a competitive team probably doesn't hurt to make fans a little less belligerent - and they could use one in Oakland - but it's not to see that the cheaper the seats, the rowdier the crowd. Leaves more money for beer, I suppose.
Ron Newman
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Re: Patriots Place
Oakland's team has been competitive more often than not. I haven't been there so I can't say anything more. They are planning to move the A's to a non-transit-accessible location, which is a huge step backwards.
Oakland's team has been competitive more often than not. I haven't been there so I can't say anything more. They are planning to move the A's to a non-transit-accessible location, which is a huge step backwards.
Re: Patriots Place
Oakland may be an exception but I've made it a point to travel to different ballparks around the country and I have to say that lower prices rarely ever mean more poorly behaved fans.
My prime example is Pittsburgh. It's a cheap ticket in a beautiful (actually, the prettiest park in the MLB in my opinion), the team is consistently terrible, and it's in what's considered a tough, blue-collar town. The fans, however, are gracious. They're friendly (i was wearing a Sox hat) and loved to talk about baseball and the Sox, the Pirates, and the Yankees, etc.
I don't think there is a real correlation between prices and fan behavior for the most part. If anything, I've noticed that people who pay more for a ticket gain more of a sense of entitlement to act any which way they please, but apparently it depends on where you go. Pittsburgh was nice while Oakland was apparently unfriendly (haven't made it there yet). Both have low ticket costs, but keep in mind that Oakland is a place that is known for it's hard-core fans and teams (Raiders anyone?).
In any case, it's a mob-rule scenario with professional sports. anytime you have 30,000-100,000 people in close quarters it only takes one bad seed to cause a terrible situation. Red Sox tickets are the highest priced in baseball and Fenway is known for racious fans, drunken fights, etc. While Pittsburgh is comfortable and family friendly and at the same time, it's dirt cheap. Fan behavior goes far beyond the cost of a ticket.
*Edit*
As for the A's relocation, it's a terrible move. I'd take being crammed into a green-line train and walking through Kenmore with a huge crowd any day over walking through an endless parking lot in the middle of nowhere.
Anyone who complains about the subway and crowds at Fenway needs to go see another ballpark. Once you've been to a Baltimore, Philadelphia, Houston, etc you'll be begging to be crammed on a green line trolley with everyone else again. I never understand why people insist on parking right next to Fenway. Even if for some reason your only option is driving into town, it's so easy to park at a place like Prudential (on night games and weekend games it's MUCH cheaper too) and walk to the stadium. Between the subway and parking slightly further away, there are plenty of ways to avoid parking at the stadium.
Oakland may be an exception but I've made it a point to travel to different ballparks around the country and I have to say that lower prices rarely ever mean more poorly behaved fans.
My prime example is Pittsburgh. It's a cheap ticket in a beautiful (actually, the prettiest park in the MLB in my opinion), the team is consistently terrible, and it's in what's considered a tough, blue-collar town. The fans, however, are gracious. They're friendly (i was wearing a Sox hat) and loved to talk about baseball and the Sox, the Pirates, and the Yankees, etc.
I don't think there is a real correlation between prices and fan behavior for the most part. If anything, I've noticed that people who pay more for a ticket gain more of a sense of entitlement to act any which way they please, but apparently it depends on where you go. Pittsburgh was nice while Oakland was apparently unfriendly (haven't made it there yet). Both have low ticket costs, but keep in mind that Oakland is a place that is known for it's hard-core fans and teams (Raiders anyone?).
In any case, it's a mob-rule scenario with professional sports. anytime you have 30,000-100,000 people in close quarters it only takes one bad seed to cause a terrible situation. Red Sox tickets are the highest priced in baseball and Fenway is known for racious fans, drunken fights, etc. While Pittsburgh is comfortable and family friendly and at the same time, it's dirt cheap. Fan behavior goes far beyond the cost of a ticket.
*Edit*
As for the A's relocation, it's a terrible move. I'd take being crammed into a green-line train and walking through Kenmore with a huge crowd any day over walking through an endless parking lot in the middle of nowhere.
Anyone who complains about the subway and crowds at Fenway needs to go see another ballpark. Once you've been to a Baltimore, Philadelphia, Houston, etc you'll be begging to be crammed on a green line trolley with everyone else again. I never understand why people insist on parking right next to Fenway. Even if for some reason your only option is driving into town, it's so easy to park at a place like Prudential (on night games and weekend games it's MUCH cheaper too) and walk to the stadium. Between the subway and parking slightly further away, there are plenty of ways to avoid parking at the stadium.
tobyjug
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Re: Patriots Place
One of my favorite places to take in a game is at Joe Robbie Stadium (or what ever they call it now) to watch the Marlins. The last time I was there I parked 100 yds from the box office. Out of curiosity, I asked what the most expensive remaining seat in the house cost. "Well, sir" said the clerk with a gulp "you can have a seat four rows behind the visitor's dugout for $75."
The service was splendid. Waitresses brought me a menu and kept me topped up with refreshment and food. After a few beers, you start not to notice the orange seats. Everyone was friendly. No one shouts "The Senators (oops) the Nationals suck."
Hadlock Field in Portland is a wonderful and inexpensive place to see a game too. Mascot "Slugger the Seadog" scares me a little though. Unresolved anger problems, judging by the look on his face.
My first visit to Fenway was in August 1968. It wasn't awful. To the contrary, it was rather pleasant. My grandfather got us seats in Section 4, which in those days was the gamblers' section. He and other members of the "Sportsmen's Club", as the hundred or so referred to themselves, would bet on any proposition you could imagine: would Yaz run out that grounder; would Ken Harrelson check out that girl's rack behind the dugout; would Dick Williams spit on the mound when he changed pitchers; would the first base umpire scratch his ass.
Clouds of cigarette and cigar smoke gathered under the grandstand roof in a haze, and billowed out into the evening light. The air was redolent of pretzels, stale beer and Lucky Strikes. Heady stuff.
Fenway was never awful, unless you were a fan of color in the 70's. That shame can never be expunged.
One of my favorite places to take in a game is at Joe Robbie Stadium (or what ever they call it now) to watch the Marlins. The last time I was there I parked 100 yds from the box office. Out of curiosity, I asked what the most expensive remaining seat in the house cost. "Well, sir" said the clerk with a gulp "you can have a seat four rows behind the visitor's dugout for $75."
The service was splendid. Waitresses brought me a menu and kept me topped up with refreshment and food. After a few beers, you start not to notice the orange seats. Everyone was friendly. No one shouts "The Senators (oops) the Nationals suck."
Hadlock Field in Portland is a wonderful and inexpensive place to see a game too. Mascot "Slugger the Seadog" scares me a little though. Unresolved anger problems, judging by the look on his face.
My first visit to Fenway was in August 1968. It wasn't awful. To the contrary, it was rather pleasant. My grandfather got us seats in Section 4, which in those days was the gamblers' section. He and other members of the "Sportsmen's Club", as the hundred or so referred to themselves, would bet on any proposition you could imagine: would Yaz run out that grounder; would Ken Harrelson check out that girl's rack behind the dugout; would Dick Williams spit on the mound when he changed pitchers; would the first base umpire scratch his ass.
Clouds of cigarette and cigar smoke gathered under the grandstand roof in a haze, and billowed out into the evening light. The air was redolent of pretzels, stale beer and Lucky Strikes. Heady stuff.
Fenway was never awful, unless you were a fan of color in the 70's. That shame can never be expunged.
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nedev18
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Re: Patriots Place
Overall, I think that the most pleasant places to enjoy sporting events are minor league games, for any sport. They are for the most part family oriented, relatively inexpensive, and the teams are fun to watch. Not saying that I am a bigger fan of the Lowell Spinners than the Red Sox, but they are a prime example of having affordable family entertainment at a sporting event. College and pro games (for the most part) generally have too many rowdy people who either feel entitled or are just rowdy to begin with.
I'm going to the Sox vs. Yankees game tomorrow night and I'll let you all know how the fans are.
Overall, I think that the most pleasant places to enjoy sporting events are minor league games, for any sport. They are for the most part family oriented, relatively inexpensive, and the teams are fun to watch. Not saying that I am a bigger fan of the Lowell Spinners than the Red Sox, but they are a prime example of having affordable family entertainment at a sporting event. College and pro games (for the most part) generally have too many rowdy people who either feel entitled or are just rowdy to begin with.
I'm going to the Sox vs. Yankees game tomorrow night and I'll let you all know how the fans are.
Re: Patriots Place
As a former Foxboro resident - 22 years in fact, with my family's house a 15-minute walk from the stadium itself - if anyone has any Foxboro-related questions, feel free to ask. My mom keeps me updated on all Foxboro-Mansfield-North Attleboro development news during our weekly Skype talks.
And I second the opinion that minor league games can be the most enjoyable, particularly as a family activity. When my brother and I were young, my family would shoot down 95 to Pawtucket for PawSox games twice a month, minimum. It wasn't until we were in our teens that the family "graduated" to Fenway games.
As a former Foxboro resident - 22 years in fact, with my family's house a 15-minute walk from the stadium itself - if anyone has any Foxboro-related questions, feel free to ask. My mom keeps me updated on all Foxboro-Mansfield-North Attleboro development news during our weekly Skype talks.
And I second the opinion that minor league games can be the most enjoyable, particularly as a family activity. When my brother and I were young, my family would shoot down 95 to Pawtucket for PawSox games twice a month, minimum. It wasn't until we were in our teens that the family "graduated" to Fenway games.
Re: Patriots Place
Tommym,
I do appreciate your points about the high prices and how the season ticket holders (especially the long-standing ones) can make a substantial argument that they have been taking it in the chops . . .
Looking at it in a larger sense, what % of the people who call themselves Pats (or any particular team's) fans actually attend any, much less all, of the team's home games? Probably very few. They do tune in to watch them on television, and probably purchase an occasional piece of merchandise or clothing, etc.
While I do not pretend to know the revenue breakdown for any team other than the one I am part owner of, I suspect that a non-trivial amount of the cash-in comes from non-Gillette Field pathways, especially when the team is successful (as it has been since shortly after Kraft bought it) and people are buying Bledsoe and Brown and Johnson and Bruschi and Brady and Dillon and Moss jerseys like they are going out of style--not just locally either . . . you go to a few Super Bowls (and win most of them) you are on a national stage.
I am all but sure they share in the television contracts as well. To what extent I am not certain, but I would be shocked if they did not.
My point is, do you think any owner of a team is more interested in keeping a minority of his fan base (read: season ticket holders) content with average prices but have a medicore-at-best product on the field and a half-empty stadium (remember the days of games being blacked-out on TV because they did not sell out??) or . . . have a team that has been to 4 Super Bowls (winning 3) plus one additional Conference Championship game in the past 7 years, have sold out every game for God knows how many seasons in a row (even with the steadily increasing prices), be constantly at the forefront of most sports media coverage, have almost every other franchise in the league try an emulate your model of success, and have the sales of ancillary products similarly skyrocket?
If and when the time comes that they inevitably are not contenders anymore they may be forced to lower prices to reflect a lesser demand . . . that is how the market is set up to work.
Personally, I'd rather the Pats be good and have to watch every game from my couch (no lines, free food, no traffic, no dumbass obnoxious fans--other than my own family and friends) then have them suck and be able to afford the privilege of watching them suck in person.
Tommym,
I do appreciate your points about the high prices and how the season ticket holders (especially the long-standing ones) can make a substantial argument that they have been taking it in the chops . . .
Looking at it in a larger sense, what % of the people who call themselves Pats (or any particular team's) fans actually attend any, much less all, of the team's home games? Probably very few. They do tune in to watch them on television, and probably purchase an occasional piece of merchandise or clothing, etc.
While I do not pretend to know the revenue breakdown for any team other than the one I am part owner of, I suspect that a non-trivial amount of the cash-in comes from non-Gillette Field pathways, especially when the team is successful (as it has been since shortly after Kraft bought it) and people are buying Bledsoe and Brown and Johnson and Bruschi and Brady and Dillon and Moss jerseys like they are going out of style--not just locally either . . . you go to a few Super Bowls (and win most of them) you are on a national stage.
I am all but sure they share in the television contracts as well. To what extent I am not certain, but I would be shocked if they did not.
My point is, do you think any owner of a team is more interested in keeping a minority of his fan base (read: season ticket holders) content with average prices but have a medicore-at-best product on the field and a half-empty stadium (remember the days of games being blacked-out on TV because they did not sell out??) or . . . have a team that has been to 4 Super Bowls (winning 3) plus one additional Conference Championship game in the past 7 years, have sold out every game for God knows how many seasons in a row (even with the steadily increasing prices), be constantly at the forefront of most sports media coverage, have almost every other franchise in the league try an emulate your model of success, and have the sales of ancillary products similarly skyrocket?
If and when the time comes that they inevitably are not contenders anymore they may be forced to lower prices to reflect a lesser demand . . . that is how the market is set up to work.
Personally, I'd rather the Pats be good and have to watch every game from my couch (no lines, free food, no traffic, no dumbass obnoxious fans--other than my own family and friends) then have them suck and be able to afford the privilege of watching them suck in person.
skintreesnail
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Re: Patriots Place
Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 1:24 PM EDT
Live entertainment venue planned for Patriot PlaceBoston Business Journal - Boston Business Journal
Movie chain operator National Amusements Inc. and The Kraft Group unveiled plans Tuesday for a 16,000-square-foot live-entertainment venue to open in August.
Los Angeles-based National Amusements will open its first Showcase Live in Patriot Place, the retail complex adjacent to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. National Amusements operates a 14-screen Showcase Cinema de Lux on the site.
Showcase Live features a layout that can accommodate between 500 guests for a sit-down dinner and a show and up to 1,000 attendees at a standing-room-only concert.
National Amusements stated it is planning additional Showcase Live theaters in select cities across the United States.
http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/04/28/daily19.html
Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 1:24 PM EDT
Live entertainment venue planned for Patriot PlaceBoston Business Journal - Boston Business Journal
Movie chain operator National Amusements Inc. and The Kraft Group unveiled plans Tuesday for a 16,000-square-foot live-entertainment venue to open in August.
Los Angeles-based National Amusements will open its first Showcase Live in Patriot Place, the retail complex adjacent to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. National Amusements operates a 14-screen Showcase Cinema de Lux on the site.
Showcase Live features a layout that can accommodate between 500 guests for a sit-down dinner and a show and up to 1,000 attendees at a standing-room-only concert.
National Amusements stated it is planning additional Showcase Live theaters in select cities across the United States.
http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/04/28/daily19.html
Re: Patriots Place
I agree with you. I remember the blackout days. I remember when I could turn around and see hardly anybody behind me. My point is that our ticket prices were already SIGNIFICANTLY higher than the next highest. Now it's just absurd. My point is that Kraft talks alot of bullshit about being in touch with the common season ticket holder, because he was one before..but he has been rapidly losing touch. Obviously ticket increases are expected with successful teams. However, when does it end? I just wish he would practice what he preaches in that he wants to keep the loyal fans who WERE there during the blackout days there now.
I agree with you. I remember the blackout days. I remember when I could turn around and see hardly anybody behind me. My point is that our ticket prices were already SIGNIFICANTLY higher than the next highest. Now it's just absurd. My point is that Kraft talks alot of bullshit about being in touch with the common season ticket holder, because he was one before..but he has been rapidly losing touch. Obviously ticket increases are expected with successful teams. However, when does it end? I just wish he would practice what he preaches in that he wants to keep the loyal fans who WERE there during the blackout days there now.
Ron Newman
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Re: Patriots Place
Olivia Newton-John's Xanadu, or Orson Welles' ?
Olivia Newton-John's Xanadu, or Orson Welles' ?