Miller: Twins Ticket Sales "Muted"

Phil Miller finds out from Dave St. Peter that the first day of single game ticket sales wasn't great, but St. Peter doesn't see too precipitous of a drop:

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Still, the Twins sold 50,000 tickets on Saturday, St. Peter said, and have moved more than 1.8 million for the season. They remain on pace, St. Peter said, for the equivalent of 19,000 season tickets sold.

"We remain confident we'll continue to be one of the best-drawing teams in baseball," St. Peter said.

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That confidence would seem to be misplaced. Last year, the Twins drew 2.77 million - and ranked 12th overall. Last year, the dividing line between the top 15 and bottom 15 was about 2.35M. Would the Twins sink that low?

Consider that season ticket sales have gone down from 25,000 to 19,000, which is a 24% drop. A similar drop in overall sales would put the twins at 2.1 million this year.

Early indications show decreased demand for Twins tickets | StarTribune.com

Would serve them right by stuffing money in their pockets and putting out a poor quality product. As loyal as Twins fans are eventually they will stop paying to see this team.

One thing I do not understand about the business side of baseball is how they can put bad product on the field several years in a row.
The Orioles had a great season in 2012, but had a hell of a time getting people to come out to the ballpark. Although attendance jumped in the second half, the results were well below average for the year. They had not been competitive for years and lost fans.
Once fans stop coming to the park it is difficult to get them to start coming out again.
Putting a non-competitive team on the field 3 years in a row can be very, very costly.

This 81% figure came up again on your podcast this week John. Maybe St Peter arrived at that figure because some people changed their plans from full season to partial-season, and thus aren't counted in your 19,000 figure of full-season ticket sales above?

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Originally Posted by Willihammer

This 81% figure came up again on your podcast this week John. Maybe St Peter arrived at that figure because some people changed their plans from full season to partial-season, and thus aren't counted in your 19,000 figure of full-season ticket sales above?

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I'd imagine the "equivalent of" 19,000 full season tickets would incorporate the partial season ticket packages used as some percentage of a "full season" package.

That would make sense. Must be that 81% of season "ticketholders" renewed, but actual sales were only 76% compared to last year.

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Originally Posted by Oldgoat_MN

One thing I do not understand about the business side of baseball is how they can put bad product on the field several years in a row.
The Orioles had a great season in 2012, but had a hell of a time getting people to come out to the ballpark. Although attendance jumped in the second half, the results were well below average for the year. They had not been competitive for years and lost fans.
Once fans stop coming to the park it is difficult to get them to start coming out again.
Putting a non-competitive team on the field 3 years in a row can be very, very costly.

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I've been saying this for awhile. It took ten years to build up the goodwill this team has with fans and now they're pissing it away.

But there's no changing it now. They made their bed.

If I was governor, I'd push for a law requiring the Twins to pay the state and county for every dollar below the last year on the dome, adjusted for baseball inflation. They wanted money, if they won't spend it, pay back the taxpayers.......

I hope no one goes this year, if they are bad again. It is the only power we have to get changes made.

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Originally Posted by Willihammer

This 81% figure came up again on your podcast this week John. Maybe St Peter arrived at that figure because some people changed their plans from full season to partial-season, and thus aren't counted in your 19,000 figure of full-season ticket sales above?

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Yeah, I thought of that as we were wrapping up that discussion, bue decided to move on. I suspect the difference is people downgrading their ticket packages.

I suspect that amount is more than the 5% difference between 19% annd 24%. At the media luncheon before twins fest, St. Peter said the season ticket sales were about 18,000, and that's about when he said 81% renewal, too. That would be 28%. And that also doesn't take into account any new season ticket holders.

If only they signed Saunders, Marcum and another middle infielder - ticket sales would be through the roof!

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Originally Posted by mike wants wins

If I was governor, I'd push for a law requiring the Twins to pay the state and county for every dollar below the last year on the dome, adjusted for baseball inflation. They wanted money, if they won't spend it, pay back the taxpayers.......

I hope no one goes this year, if they are bad again. It is the only power we have to get changes made.

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Two problems. The state didn't contribute any money and payroll is higher than the last year in the Dome.

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Originally Posted by drjim

If only they signed Saunders, Marcum and another middle infielder - ticket sales would be through the roof!

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Yup, putting a better team on the field would be disastrous for attendance, both now, and in the future. Those marginal upgrades couldn't possibly help one bit.

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Originally Posted by mike wants wins

If I was governor, I'd push for a law requiring the Twins to pay the state and county for every dollar below the last year on the dome, adjusted for baseball inflation. They wanted money, if they won't spend it, pay back the taxpayers.......

I hope no one goes this year, if they are bad again. It is the only power we have to get changes made.

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Well, I plan to attend a few games this year. Sorry if that offends anyone's tender and delicate sensibilities.

Okay, I'm really not sorry.

Adjusted for baseball inflation...ok, give the money to the county.

Why would that offend me?

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Originally Posted by drjim

If only they signed Saunders, Marcum and another middle infielder - ticket sales would be through the roof!

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You're right, it was a good decision not to do anything the fans might want to buy tickets to see. I guess if the Twins are content to just wait for the future, I'll wait until then as well.

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Originally Posted by drjim

If only they signed Saunders, Marcum and another middle infielder - ticket sales would be through the roof!

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How long you gonna keep banging that drum?

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Originally Posted by Brock Beauchamp

How long you gonna keep banging that drum?

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Probably as long as people think any of those moves would make much of a difference in attendance this year.

I agree with you that they made their bed, but only in the sense that they have sucked the past two years and the organization is in pretty bad shape as far as young talent in the majors is concerned. That is what keeps people away, not signing Correia instead of Saunders or Marcum.

Let's see if the Tins p.r. machine can spark some interest and that someone like Hicks makes us want to see the Twins try and win in 2013. I don't think the return of Bruno and Steinbach should be a Twins 2013 selling point.

I was able to attend my first game at Target Field last July. My wife bought tickets in early April, back when some still thought they had a chance for a bounce back year, at face value. I'd like to go to a game again this year. We won't be dumb enough to pay face value as I'm relatively certain their will be an abundance of tickets available on the secondary market by July.