Come on season ticket holders, do NOT sell your seats to brokers

**htown6274** · 01-13-2012, 11:23 PM

In case you're not familiar, Houston is the 4th largest city in the U.S. and has faired the crappy economy quite well due to the oil and gas industry. Expect to see a good amount of battle red, liberty white and deep steel blue at the home field on Sunday

**rla20cpa** · 01-13-2012, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by htown6274

In case you're not familiar, Houston is the 4th largest city in the U.S. and has faired the crappy economy quite well due to the oil and gas industry. Expect to see a good amount of battle red, liberty white and deep steel blue at the home field on Sunday

So 1,000 it is .......

**Texans_Chick** · 01-13-2012, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by Mista T

Sweetie: I would say your wild-ass guess is just that: wild-ass.

Hon: I didn't say it was anything else than a guess.

I have no idea. This is the first time this has happened with our fanbase. I am guessing based on how many people I know that are going and trying to extrapolate. People who normally do not travel to games are going to this one.

**rla20cpa** · 01-13-2012, 11:55 PM

Any game vs. the Steelers is a major deal at M&T and I'd swear, disregarding the playoff premium, that tickets for this event cost < Steeler tickets during the regular season. Thought they indicated PSL owners were selling their seats due to the Ravens not playing the Steelers. My point is I can't imagine any team bringing more than he usual 1,500 that show up for those. That said, they're so annoying, it seems like many more.

**HoustonRaven** · 01-13-2012, 11:57 PM

Originally Posted by Texans_Chick

Never said you didn't have a right to sell your ticket to the highest bidder to make money. America! Weeeee! And it is my right to label people who do such things whatever scummy name they are. But they aren't a good fan.

If you don't care who gets your ticket, you become a garbage fan and not a diehard. I'd rather rip my tickets up than sell them at a profit to a Cowboys fan. There's plenty of Texans fans, really good ones, I could sell my ticket to (though I always go). Maybe I don't make quite as much money, but I won't be a traitor and I won't be screwing over my friends who sit around me.

I couldn't feel good selling to an opposing fan.

Ugh. The "real fan" meme.

This is a function of assumption by some. Tickets go on sale in the secondary market and other teams fans enter the stadium on game day, suddenly it's some affront to fandom that this occurred.

Yet, what is most likely happening is that person was able to get their much needed car fixed, pay for a kids hospital visit or take a trip to see a sick relative, graduation, etc -- all things I have done with my season tickets or known about from others when I / they needed quick cash at the last minute.

It's the brokers that make the majority of seats available on the secondary market, not "real fans".

**shine** · 01-14-2012, 12:03 AM

I dont think the glut of tickets are selling...
The prices are going down as well on Stubhub, Craigslist, and the Exchange.

I agree they should have limited the amount of extra tixs to psl owners to just 4 extras and sold the remaining amounts to the public - ole skool - standing in line...

I have psl's and had tix to this game. LL corner - under cover.
I decided not to go because I wasnt crazy sick last week and Im still taking mucinex everyday to rid my chest cold. I also want to watch with a bunch of friends and family...

Before I accepted a bid from Craigslist, I polled my friends and accepted a price of just $50 over face from my neighbor (actually $40 - if you add in Fed Ex). Its an important game for us.

If I brought extra tixs to make a profit, I would be outta luck. Another friend has had no bids for tixs on Craigslist.

**Galen Sevinne** · 01-14-2012, 12:05 AM

Originally Posted by Mista T

Sweetie: I would say your wild-ass guess is just that: wild-ass. We haven't seen that type of opponent fan invasion since 1998, the year the stadium opened, with Steeler fans. We have hosted all the nearby NFL teams, from Landover to Meadowlands, all within 2 1/2 hour drive, and haven't had close to 6,000 (which would be 1:11), even though their travel costs would be significantly lower than yours.

A couple days ago I checked with Southwest, the predominant carrier into BWI. All their Saturday flights, including non-stops, from Hobby to BWI had availability. Logically, why would Texan fans fly into far out Dulles or congested Reagan if they could fly non-stop into Baltimore?

I'll stand by my initial 1,000 estimate/

6000 Houston fans would be close to 1 in 10. That essentially means that in every section row (our section has 10 in a row) would have one opposing fan. My row, the row in front of me, the row behind me and so on all around the stadium. That would be an epic turn-out.

Another visual for 6000 fans would be about 40 opposing fans in every section of the stadium: 6000/159 sections=38

There is absolutely no way this ever happens. Even with Pittsburgh.

**shine** · 01-14-2012, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Ugh. The "real fan" meme.

This is a function of assumption by some. Tickets go on sale in the secondary market and other teams fans enter the stadium on game day, suddenly it's some affront to fandom that this occurred.

Yet, what is most likely happening is that person was able to get their much needed car fixed, pay for a kids hospital visit or take a trip to see a sick relative, graduation, etc -- all things I have done with my season tickets or known about from others when I / they needed quick cash at the last minute.

It's the brokers that make the majority of seats available on the secondary market, not "real fans".

totally agree-
I was unemployed from Sept thru mid Dec...
I had to sell a few...
Tried to sell to Ravens fans only.
But could have made more money (especially the Steelers game) if I didnt care.

**myfavoriteboxer** · 01-14-2012, 01:02 AM

Originally Posted by htown6274

In case you're not familiar, Houston is the 4th largest city in the U.S. and has faired the crappy economy quite well due to the oil and gas industry. Expect to see a good amount of battle red, liberty white and deep steel blue at the home field on Sunday

Yep, enjoy the view from the top of that cresting wave as it crashes into the shore! Just don't think the "crappy economy" and your lovely cheap fossil fuels bubble are unrelated matters.

**Texans_Chick** · 01-14-2012, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Ugh. The "real fan" meme.

This is a function of assumption by some. Tickets go on sale in the secondary market and other teams fans enter the stadium on game day, suddenly it's some affront to fandom that this occurred.

Yet, what is most likely happening is that person was able to get their much needed car fixed, pay for a kids hospital visit or take a trip to see a sick relative, graduation, etc -- all things I have done with my season tickets or known about from others when I / they needed quick cash at the last minute.

It's the brokers that make the majority of seats available on the secondary market, not "real fans".

I am not saying that.

I recognize that most broker seats are just that, brokered seats. And it has nothing to do with the fanbase. The two seats in front of mine are brokered seats and every week I just hope that Texans fans sit there. I've tried to get the Texans to connect me to the folks who own the tickets to maybe work out a deal to get them to go to Texans fans, but no dice.

So I get that on the macro level.

But on the micro level, on an individual fan level, I have a hard time reconciling someone saying they are a great fan and then selling their tickets to opposing fans.

**Ravenboy2003** · 01-14-2012, 09:03 AM

I agree with the 1 in 10 assessment. I know everyone in the row in front of me, my row and the next 2 rows behind me. that's about 60 seats that will be all Ravens fans.

I expect we will see a few little chunks of Texans fans in the upper corners (broker owned seats) and then a smattering around the stadium. That is generally what we see for a team that travels well locally, like the Jets game here. I'd say the Jets had 1500 or so.. Maybe Houston will crack 2000.. But it won't make a difference..

And some of them will go home saying, "those fans are RUDE".

**Mista T** · 01-14-2012, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by Texans_Chick

But on the micro level, on an individual fan level, I have a hard time reconciling someone saying they are a great fan and then selling their tickets to opposing fans.

I agree with you, and place would-be ticket buyers through a loyalty test on the occasional times that I have sold my tickets. I once made the mistake of not bothering with the loyalty test when selling an extra parking pass to Ravens fan, who then brought along his buddies who were Steelers fans. Capitalism is what made the US the world's superpower, but IMHO capitalism and Ravens fandom shouldn't mix, i.e. one is either a fan or a ticket broker, not both.

I might make one exception the policy of not selling to opponent fans - if the buyer sits next to me, looks like this, and Mrs T did not find out:

brandi-houston-texands-cheerleader-photo-092809-lg.jpg