This is a reminder that the White Sox will once again turn away the (remaining) fan base by cancelling SoxFest and hosting a gathering that is exclusive to high spenders and requires season tickets. This is the time of year when MLB teams typically have some kind of fan event.
As always, a very nice move.
It should come as no surprise to a company that treats the underprivileged like pond scum, prohibiting individuals with 500 level seats from entering the lower deck even before the game begins, and frequently accuses supporters of being Jerry Reinsdorf’s miserly supporters because they don’t purchase enough tickets to see a bad team.
Without a doubt, Reinsdorf and his executives despise regular fans greatly. That is generally frowned upon, or at the very least, something you would never let to go out in the open and be looked down upon.
But supposing they are correct? What if they were better off focusing on the big cash and not on all of us ruffians around? Perhaps there isn’t enough money for Jerry and friends to go to the White Sox? Last year, the team was among the most affordable big league parks for families (purchasing the cheapest seats and having a drink and a hot dog).
Professional sports have traditionally catered to the wealthy or, for the most part, to companies that can deduct the cost of premium tickets and all associated expenses; with luxury boxes, Daddy Warbucks and friends can essentially avoid sharing the same air as the rest of us. To draw in the big bucks, the Sox provide Terrace Suites, All-Star Suites, Fan Boxes, and Diamond Suites. If necessary, they can even accommodate the little guy and his family.
Even still, you would expect that regular fans would still need to purchase an occasional ticket, and those who can only afford the upper deck shouldn’t be treated unfairly. What if they don’t, though?
At the top of their respective markets, many enterprises prosper. Although GM has a reputation for offering a wide range of pricing alternatives, from Chevrolets to Cadillacs, BMW is quite content to mock the idea. There’s no need for Rolex to imitate Timex. Big Macs are not available at Alinea.
It’s a fact that having a large fan base annoys you, and not only because you may have gotten a bothersome question if there had been a SoxFest.
To direct cars through parking lots and subsequently tidy up the mess left by tailgaters, a large team is required. You have to have someone take tickets and scan bodies and hand out those little refrigerator magnets. Ushers, concession stall managers, dealers of half-and-half marijuana, janitors, and security are all required. All of that is pricey, and it originates from both the luxury boxes and the inexpensive seats.
What if all of it could be avoided? What if you could earn that half million from a few sales, as opposed to, say, $25 a seat from 20,000 seats? or only a single or pair? Life would be so much easier.
Leave a Reply