PEGULAS, GET RID OF VARIABLE PRICING

DON’T GET ME STARTED won’t take long for the Sabres – and the Bills to find out that their variable pricing schemes are a disaster to (1) attendance; (2) not developing a young fan base.

If fans have been watching the home games recently, they’ve seen quite a bit of blue……blue seats that didn’t have butts sitting in them.

Take the Sunday game against the Detroit Red Wings, a very good team always in the playoffs with several good stars. There was no football game; and the contest was played at 5 p.m. So what happens: Some 2,000 seats were not occupied. It was not a sellout.

The next game against the Montreal Canadiens, another good team saw (again) some 2,000 empty seats. It was not a sell-out.

LET’S REMEMBER SOMETHING. THE SABRES WERE THE FIRST PRO SPORTS TEAM TO ADOPT VARIABLE PRICING…….thanks Larry Quinn.

Kim and Terry Pegula should step in and stop this practice. Charge the same price for the same seats regardless of team or day of the week. Failure to do this will only emphasize greed as the component for running the organization.

The problem, of course, are the kids; the younger set; those kids that will soon become adults. But if you are denying them the opportunity to see Toronto; Boston; Pittsburgh; Chicago; Montreal; Detroit in hockey and Patriots, Broncos, Steelers, and other high profile teams with high profile talent, you will be losing the potential season ticket holder.

It was a shame that the Buffalo Bills – beginning this season – adopted the variable pricing scam. You want to see the Patriot? Shell out more than what you’ll pay to see Jacksonville. If you’re losing 2,000 fans against good teams, imagine what you’ll be losing against non-competitive teams

2,000 will soon become 4,000 – then 8,000 and with the Bills – blackouts will return. With the Sabres? Interest will wane..

Terry Pegula will always be reminded of his statement he used when he bought the Sabres: “If I wanted to make money, I’d drill for oil or gas (paraphrased.”

Terry, you’ve generated a lot of hero worship since your arrival. Show your consideration to the loyal fans – and the kids – by dumping variable pricing on Don’t Get Me Started.

Filed under: Don't Get Me Started

Tagged with: Buffalo Sabres, Terry Pegula