Your card is your ticket to the game

[PowerBoater69]

I can see this being a clusterfreak of gigantic proportions.

The Caps opening night was marred by ticket card problems and the Nats opening day is on track to be much worse.  The Nats have double the number of ticket holders and much of the fan base are casual fans as opposed to the Caps core fanatics who are more aware of potential issues.  The Caps ticket takers were also very experienced with the cards having already used them for Mystics and Wizards games.  April 1st is going to have dozens of invalid cards and thousands of clueless fans with a massive crowd all trying to work a half day and then rush over for first pitch.

The fan base needs to have a print your tickets at home campaign.  Ignore any advice from the FO and bring hard copies of your tickets.  The experience of Caps fans was that the people with print at home tickets got in the fastest.

[PowerBoater69]

I just read that the Nats will have the seat numbers printed on the cards, so they won't have printers at the gates, better for moving people through quickly, but more coordination needed for some groups.  (A group has two couples A/B and C/D, but every once and a while the wives don't want to go so the guys meet up, making sure that they bring the right cards.)

We'll see a lot more people wearing lanyards around the park to show their seat locations, don't want to risk losing those cards so I don't want it loose in my pocket, but I also don't want to have to whip out my wallet while carrying a tray full of half smokes back to the seats.

[CALSGR8]

You can email any seat to anyone as a PDF file.   You don't have to pass around cards.   

[Coladar]

About the online savvy stuff... Well, two things. Yes, there are plenty of people out there frightened of technology. People in their 20s too stupid to do anything but post on Twitter, and older people who barely accept computers still.

I'm not one, I'm the one they come to when their computer goes kapoot. But I'm just not into this whole convergence crap. I give you my money, come March I get a box with tickets. Go to a game, rip a ticket off. It's just that freaking simple, excuse my language in the open forum.

This is stupid. It's complicating one of the most simple things in the world for no better reason than to complicate it. As it stands now, I want to sell or transfer my ticket, I go online, log in, do it. Putting all this crap on some damned card does nothing but cause me a headache. When technology improves my life or makes something faster/easier, I am the first one to adopt it. This... does not. I only wish the team could afford someone read these forums to see how hated this concept is and mail me my damn tickets instead of making me pay for paper to print 81 out, the time it takes to do so, after I give them $5k a seat per year. Fail.

[CALSGR8]

If you forget your ticket you can always go to guest services and get it printed out.   I had about a 1/2 hour conversation with my ticket report at Fanfest and asked many of these questions..

The old way has its problems too.   My friend had a ticket where the bar code didn't work.   Went to guest services and had the issue resolved.

Quit being all gloom and doom,  call your rep,  and tell him your concerns.

[Coladar]

If you forget your ticket you can always go to guest services and get it printed out.   I had about a 1/2 hour conversation with my ticket report at Fanfest and asked many of these questions..

The old way has its problems too.   My friend had a ticket where the bar code didn't work.   Went to guest services and had the issue resolved.

Quit being all gloom and doom,  call your rep,  and tell him your concerns.

I don't understand the doom and gloom perception of my post. I was open to this concept. Then the Caps with half the base have an epic disaster. There is *zero* question Nats opening day will be a nightmare. I can already sell or transfer my tickets online. How does this being forced on everyone in any conceivable way offer us 100% benefit over the old way? Now I have to pay for the paper to print my tickets out, and take the time to print 81 out, just to do it the old way? Opening Day will be a nightmare no matter what *I* do.

That's not doom and gloom, that's the reality of a stupid decision and shortsighted/poor planning. They are doing this just to say they did it, that they're high tech and digital savvy. It by no means improves my experience, nor improve the ease with which I have come to expect being a STH and attending games.

[CALSGR8]

Not you directly but my point is you have valid concerns and your rep should be able  to help with those concerns.   Every system has its foibles.  The old way your tickets didn't always arrive on time because they were mailed from some printer in Canada.   

Yes it's a techy world out there.  My cell phone didn't work one day and I was in a panic.   The only way I could communicate was texting.   Well I have a friend with an old phone and she can't text.    No pay phone at the Metro where I was meeting her.   We met up but it was worrisome.

[HalfSmokes]

this seems like a solution to an invented problem

[comish4lif]

I don't understand the doom and gloom perception of my post. I was open to this concept. Then the Caps with half the base have an epic disaster. There is *zero* question Nats opening day will be a nightmare. I can already sell or transfer my tickets online. How does this being forced on everyone in any conceivable way offer us 100% benefit over the old way? Now I have to pay for the paper to print my tickets out, and take the time to print 81 out, just to do it the old way? Opening Day will be a nightmare no matter what *I* do.

That's not doom and gloom, that's the reality of a stupid decision and shortsighted/poor planning. They are doing this just to say they did it, that they're high tech and digital savvy. It by no means improves my experience, nor improve the ease with which I have come to expect being a STH and attending games.

I agree with everything except why they are doing it.

They are doing it for the same reason most any business does anything. This will save the Nats a few bucks per account.

[Coladar]

I agree with everything except why they are doing it.

They are doing it for the same reason most any business does anything. This will save the Nats a few bucks per account.

Agree with all three prior posts, but quoting yours... You're right, it does save money not printing the tickets and likely their main motivation behind the move. That's the most infuriating part of it all - Printing the tickets in bulk for all STHers costs them what, a pittance at best? My seat being $5k a year, the cheapest a couple hundred... Printing them is a fraction of a fraction for me, and a fraction for the cheapest seats.

There's no excuse to have this done in this manner, much less done at all. At least make it opt in this year. If you want it, great. Doing this all at once, for an opening day transition with 45k people? There is no way, no possible way, it isn't a huge cluster. Even if the system runs perfectly, which it won't, the fans are going to cause a nightmare. Such an awful decision, without any benefit whatsoever to me and 99% of the fans in all likelihood.

Like HalfSmokes said, they're inventing a solution when no one had an issue to begin with. Tickets easily sold on StubHub linked to STH pages, email control of a ticket easily. Any digital abilities offered were already in place and working fine WITH a paper ticket system.

And I'd email my ticket rep, but what's the point? They ain't gonna change it. Best case is I nag and moan and they offer a couple bucks as compensation. Worst case is that it causes them to do something like offering me paper tickets this year only and somehow I end up with my seat deleted accidentally and sold as single game seats. I'm not the type to bother CS folks unless I really have a problem, and even then its usually a nightmare of screwups. If a hundred people emails their rep today, it's too late to change anything for this year.

This is going to happen, OD is going to be an epic disaster, and it's going to be a hassle and worse/harder experience as a STH compared with receiving an annual package of paper tickets each year. Them's the facts, only issue left is with accepting them and the repercussions they bear.

[PowerBoater69]

Agree with all three prior posts, but quoting yours... You're right, it does save money not printing the tickets and likely their main motivation behind the move. That's the most infuriating part of it all - Printing the tickets in bulk for all STHers costs them what, a pittance at best? My seat being $5k a year, the cheapest a couple hundred... Printing them is a fraction of a fraction for me, and a fraction for the cheapest seats.

There's no excuse to have this done in this manner, much less done at all. At least make it opt in this year. If you want it, great. Doing this all at once, for an opening day transition with 45k people? There is no way, no possible way, it isn't a huge cluster. Even if the system runs perfectly, which it won't, the fans are going to cause a nightmare. Such an awful decision, without any benefit whatsoever to me and 99% of the fans in all likelihood.

Like HalfSmokes said, they're inventing a solution when no one had an issue to begin with. Tickets easily sold on StubHub linked to STH pages, email control of a ticket easily. Any digital abilities offered were already in place and working fine WITH a paper ticket system.

And I'd email my ticket rep, but what's the point? They ain't gonna change it. Best case is I nag and moan and they offer a couple bucks as compensation. Worst case is that it causes them to do something like offering me paper tickets this year only and somehow I end up with my seat deleted accidentally and sold as single game seats. I'm not the type to bother CS folks unless I really have a problem, and even then its usually a nightmare of screwups. If a hundred people emails their rep today, it's too late to change anything for this year.

This is going to happen, OD is going to be an epic disaster, and it's going to be a hassle and worse/harder experience as a STH compared with receiving an annual package of paper tickets each year. Them's the facts, only issue left is with accepting them and the repercussions they bear.

Great post, i'll add a few comments.

Printing the ticket packages is not a few pennies per set, that's a legitimate cost savings for the team. But all the reading I did last year when this was announced points to better tracking of their customer base as the primary selling point for the vendors who sell the ticket card system. The idea is that if you buy a half smoke at five games in a row, then go on a diet for the next two games, you'll probably receive a coupon for a half price half smoke next game.

Opening Day is going to be a disaster with this new system, that's why we need to have a fan campaign to implore everyone to print their tickets at home. The Yankees game and the next two Marlins games will be better for testing out the card system.

[Coladar]

Two bits - when I said fractions, I was envisioning $5-10 each. And that's being generous on their behalf, because in bulk that stuff should be crazy cheap.

And your mention of keeping better track for marketing is equally of merit. Saving money, tracking, saying 'we're hip and modern AND green...' Whatever, the common theme here is there's not a single example we can come up with of this benefiting anyone but the team, and doing nothing but hassling the fan.

Like I said, make it an opt in this year. Test it. Test how many people want it to begin with. Forcing a mass, untested conversion with 45k fans on OD with the added potential for a presidential first pitch and subsequent security nightmare? Good lord what an epic clusterlovefest.

Best idea *ever*? Keep the damn OD commemorative ticket. Send it and this absurd RFID card. Make the forced beta testing come on game 2. Of course, that's far too crazily logical to do... Never mind it stops fans like me from nagging about losing the relatively neat souvenir exclusive to STHs for OD. One more way this concept screws the fan without any offsetting reward.

Hey Nats FO/CSRs....Ever hear of carrot+stick? We jackasses/mules don't like it too much when we just get beat with the stick. I want my nummy carrot, then I can look past standing around for 3 hours on OD and the hassle going forward.

[PowerBoater69]

Two bits - when I said fractions, I was envisioning $5-10 each. And that's being generous on their behalf, because in bulk that stuff should be crazy cheap.

And your mention of keeping better track for marketing is equally of merit. Saving money, tracking, saying 'we're hip and modern AND green...' Whatever, the common theme here is there's not a single example we can come up with of this benefiting anyone but the team, and doing nothing but hassling the fan.

Like I said, make it an opt in this year. Test it. Test how many people want it to begin with. Forcing a mass, untested conversion with 45k fans on OD with the added potential for a presidential first pitch and subsequent security nightmare? Good lord what an epic clusterlovefest.

Best idea *ever*? Keep the damn OD commemorative ticket. Send it and this absurd RFID card. Make the forced beta testing come on game 2. Of course, that's far too crazily logical to do... Never mind it stops fans like me from nagging about losing the relatively neat souvenir exclusive to STHs for OD. One more way this concept screws the fan without any offsetting reward.

Hey Nats FO/CSRs....Ever hear of carrot+stick? We jackasses/mules don't like it too much when we just get beat with the stick. I want my nummy carrot, then I can look past standing around for 3 hours on OD and the hassle going forward.

I'm with you on the commemorative ticket for opening day, love those things. Although I never actually risk damaging them by taking them to the game, I always print a copy of my opening day seat.

As far as no benefits for the fans, certainly Fluffer didn't purchase this system for any reason other than to increase team profits, but we may see some benefits. Faster lines once the bugs get worked out, the bump system is a second or two faster than the bar code scanners. Not having to track dozens/hundreds of paper tickets. Discounts and rewards for frequent customers. All good things.

[OldChelsea]

[...]The Caps ticket takers were also very experienced with the cards having already used them for Mystics and Wizards games.

Actually the new system will debut at the Mystics this coming season (normally round Memorial Day).

April 1st is going to have dozens of invalid cards and thousands of clueless fans with a massive crowd all trying to work a half day and then rush over for first pitch.

No doubt it'll be a zoo of zoos...planning on taking the full day off myself (gotta love that government leave!) and arriving as early as practicable.

[tomterp]

Limiting orders to a month in advance would be a major hassle for people who run large ticket groups, but of course the reduced benefits will make things easier.

 

[OldChelsea]

[...]The old way has its problems too.[...]

Case in point: one Sunday afternoon in 2006 I put what I thought would be that day's match ticket into my ticket carrier and headed out...only to discover, about five stops short of Stadium-Armory, that I had put the previous day's ticket in there. So I had to head back to my place (remember this was Sunday when the transit doesn't run as often) and get the right ticket, then once more head out to the stadium...I did make it there by the fifth inning, but that's how I almost missed Zimmerman's 'Who's Your Daddy' walk-off homer against the Yankees.

So it is true that the old system was not perfect...still going to miss those individual tickets though (I've still got my ticket from Strasburg's debut saved out, for instance).

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I'm still not getting the need for a card for each seat as opposed to an account.   My ticket group has a little less than half the games split among 4 share holders, and the rest split 14 ways or so for 60 games.  I was told it might make sense to get the heavier hitters their own card and divvy the rest of the tickets through emails.  But if you need a card for each seat, then I would need 16 cards just for the larger share holders with 4 seats in my group.

[Galah]

I'm still not getting the need for a card for each seat as opposed to an account.   My ticket group has a little less than half the games split among 4 share holders, and the rest split 14 ways or so for 60 games.  I was told it might make sense to get the heavier hitters their own card and divvy the rest of the tickets through emails.  But if you need a card for each seat, then I would need 16 cards just for the larger share holders with 4 seats in my group.

If I don't print my tickets and only use my card, isn't the card how does the usher know where I'm sitting? (apologies in advance if this has already been answered)

[1995hoo]

I'm still not getting the need for a card for each seat as opposed to an account.   My ticket group has a little less than half the games split among 4 share holders, and the rest split 14 ways or so for 60 games.  I was told it might make sense to get the heavier hitters their own card and divvy the rest of the tickets through emails.  But if you need a card for each seat, then I would need 16 cards just for the larger share holders with 4 seats in my group.

The "one card per account" system used at Verizon Center is one reason why the controversial "seat locator" slips have to be used over there. There has to be some way for the usher to verify that the person is in the correct seat, and the ushers are also allowed to ask to see your ticket before allowing you into a section at all. When you have one card per account, if you don't have the seat locator slip it poses some problems for your ability to move around the arena. Say you have two seats. Either both of you come and go at the same time (which is a pain in the butt if you're there with your wife and she has to go to the ladies' room, given the long lines they always have), or you come and go separately with one person always remaining at the seats, or you agree to meet up at a particular spot on the concourse each time you leave. None of those are great options.

The thing I've found to be a mild nuisance so far at Caps games is that with the increased security (wanding) at the entrance, it's easier to get separated from your seatmate on the way in and so you have to regroup after passing the security guy and before swiping the card, since you have to enter together with one card per group. With one card per seat you just enter individually and meet up inside where there's more space.

[OldChelsea]

The "one card per account" system used at Verizon Center is one reason why the controversial "seat locator" slips have to be used over there. There has to be some way for the usher to verify that the person is in the correct seat, and the ushers are also allowed to ask to see your ticket before allowing you into a section at all.[...]

Have they been strict on that at the Capitals matches? (At the Wizards this season I've been asked for my locator slip all of once - but then again the 400's normally aren't all that heavily populated for the Wizards.)

[loshjott]

I got an email from my season ticket group leader via "SplitSeasonTickets Services" instructing the group to set up accounts on this service. I did so and now have access to our group's web pages that includes the home game schedule and a place where we can conduct our draft. I think our group is going to do the draft via this site rather than exchanging emails like we've done in the past. It automatically adds your name to a game on the calender once you've selected that game in the draft.

I imagine we'll all be responsible for printing our own tickets once the draft if final, rather than the group leader distributing them as he's done every other year.  I don't think any of us other than the group leader will get cards.

Hopefully it's smooth - looks good so far.

[1995hoo]

Have they been strict on that at the Capitals matches? (At the Wizards this season I've been asked for my locator slip all of once - but then again the 400's normally aren't all that heavily populated for the Wizards.)

I think it depends on the section and on the usher and whether that usher knows you. Last Tuesday at the opener there was an usher we'd never seen before and he was pretty vigilant about checking, whereas on Sunday it was an usher we see all the time and she recognized us and didn't bother (indeed last year when I was selected to play the "Intelligent Decision" game it was because that usher had suggested me to a Red Rocker as a contestant). Might also be a case of seat location making a difference since we sit in the "Loge Preferred" area and our row has club level access while the rows below us do not, so there's a bit more ticket-checking in our area than probably occurs upstairs.

[CALSGR8]

Ok its 1 card per seat for up to 8 seats.   This system is NOT like the one used at the Verizon Center.   Btw,  I got a game at the Verizon Center Friday and was able to print my ticket.

If you all would talk your concerns and questions like I did on Saturday,  you would know the stuff I keep typing here.   You can print your tickets and send your tickets.   The card is only used for your season ticket seats.  If you're a 20 game plan holders and are purchasing a ticket for another location,  THEN YOU DON'T USE YOUR CARD!     I believe they send you a PDF file for the ticket.

Let ask my Rep about Opening Day.   I agree that it should be a special ticket.

[Hondo]

The only part I don't like about this is getting that package before the season starts and looking at all of those tickets.  That's a good day.

I love the idea of not having to tear out tickets, etc.  Just going to keep the cards in my wallet.

Nats ticket card, don't leave home without it!

[comish4lif]

Ok its 1 card per seat for up to 8 seats.   This system is NOT like the one used at the Verizon Center.   Btw,  I got a game at the Verizon Center Friday and was able to print my ticket.

If you all would talk your concerns and questions like I did on Saturday,  you would know the stuff I keep typing here.   You can print your tickets and send your tickets.   The card is only used for your season ticket seats.  If you're a 20 game plan holders and are purchasing a ticket for another location,  THEN YOU DON'T USE YOUR CARD!     I believe they send you a PDF file for the ticket.

Let ask my Rep about Opening Day.   I agree that it should be a special ticket.

I'd love to talk to a rep, but how much was it to get into the NatsFest?

The Nats should have a very straight forward list of FAQs for this.... it should not take 6 people talking back and forth on WNFF to figure out what all of the policies are for a given product/feature.