There was a time when Toronto FC tickets were considered a good deal in a competitive marketplace. Value was something that was pushed and promoted in the early days of Toronto FC and it led to the most robust attendances BMO Field has seen to date. Here was a ticket that was not only a hot item for casual and more serious alike, but it was affordable enough that it wasn’t going to break the bank in the way taking the kids out to a Leafs or Raptors game would.
The Jays weren’t yet attracting the younger audiences they are today and the Argos, who have been around forever, weren’t trying to aggressively seek out new fans, as they are now.
It mattered little how Toronto FC was doing on the pitch – the game was an event and it was catering to the youth – so when making the choice for your weekend entertainment, the decision was easy.
That was then and this is now.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]The heydays of the Toronto FC demand are now gone. Each home game, scalpers are stuck trying to unload mitts full of tickets. Where they could once get double and even triple the price for seats, most are now just looking to score a return on their original ticket price. Equally, supporters who once carried two or three pairs of seats have scaled it back down to one. And those that still do carry multiple sets are finding it ever more difficult to even give away those seats.
The announced attendance each week hovers around 18,000 but it’s thought that around 3,000 of those are comped to advertising partners and clients. And where announced attendance numbers were once a point to let out a bellowing cheer, they are now met with a quick look around the stands and a discerning snicker.
All and all, it’s not a rosy picture and I’m not going to paint it as one. However, I am going to make a point from these bleak reminders - there is no need to pile on more than is necessary – and for that I’m going to make a simple comparison.
If I wanted to go to a major sporting event in the next couple weeks I would have three options. I could go to a Jays game against the LA Angels. I could check out the Argos home opener against the Calgary Stampeders. Or I could watch Toronto FC take on the New England Revolution.
My options for the Jays range from: $14.25 a ticket to $216.25 a ticket
My options for the Argos range from: $28.25 a ticket to $91.50 a ticket
My options for Toronto FC range from: $35.50 a ticket to $105.50 a ticket.
(All prices taken from Ticketmaster for comparison sake.)
The simple takeaway is that Toronto FC has quietly become the most expensive summer sports game in town. Now, obviously you’re going to be able to find tickets for less than the minimums on Ticketmaster (hell, I could probably get you a pair for this weekend for the price of a pitcher of beer) but that presumes that those who aren’t a part of the supporters community, or willing to wait in line at the walk up, would know where to look for them.
So, why am I bringing this up now – a third of a way through what is clearly going to be their worst season to date? Well, very soon, perhaps even already, Toronto FC and MLSE will begin formulating their plan for ticket prices next season.
I like to imagine it as some highly complicated math formula, where a raise in prices is calculated by taking (x) the projected value of departing season tickets lost due to an increase and adding it to (y) the projected returns of the remaining season ticket prices at the new value. And if the combined returns better or equal last year’s totals, the decision is made to increase ticket prices.
I said, I like to imagine it like that. In all likelihood it’s probably far less complicated.
Something like: ‘Well we didn’t raise ticket prices last year, we have three of the most expensive players in the league and despite the fact it was our worst season to date, we did make a good run in Champions League and we’re once again the Canadian champions. So, how about 8 per cent?”
I’m being a little tongue in cheek here (and to the MLSE employees reading this today, I’m sorry for that) but I really do want to stress the impact a ticket raise would have following a season such as this. Never mind the bad PR that would come with such a move (the media will roast you), I really and genuinely fear that any increase, of any size, would remove whatever last shred of faith this soccer community was willing to extend to you, Toronto FC.
That faith may be something you don’t value anymore, or has become too much hassle to consider. But when I say an increase would have a damaging affect, I’m talking Columbus level attendances within a few years. I’m talking New England level of interest. I’m talking quiet crowds and muted masses. It's not being overblown to say, it would have a lasting negative effect.
Now, I understand the pressures that existed within the corporate culture of MLSE under the pension plan days. Onwards and upwards should the ticket prices rise so that our kids teacher’s may enjoy only the best mojitos during their two-month vacation. I’m sure that even suggesting a ticket freeze would have meant risking future career progression within that company. And it may very well be the same environment as Bell and Rogers take over officially this summer.
But as the same people who signed this letter in 2010, are all still with the club, I ask you to take into consideration three things.
1) Where Toronto FC sits currently compared to the rest of MLS with season ticket prices and if their MLS record and brand reflects where they should be on that scale.
2) Where Toronto FC sits compared to its competitors in the summer sports market and if the attendance reflects the actual demand - not the perceived demand created by the resell and scalping industries. Actual butts in seats.
3) Finally, consider what kind of message it would send to the fans if you extended the price freeze into 2013? Hell, what kind of message it would send if there was a decrease? Conversely, consider what kind of message it would send if you ended the ticket price freeze and raised prices on the heels of the performances so far this year?
There has been a lot of talk this season about making Toronto competitive on the field again. Most would agree that hasn’t panned out. So, it’s time to start talking about making it competitive in the current marketplace once again, before the flame is finally fanned out.