Your card is your ticket to the game

[tomterp]

So who's going to be the first to step up and deposit money on their Nats debit card?

Will it speed my beer purchase?  If so, could be a no-brainer.

[blue911]

According to everything published they DO transfer to the additional cards.  The whole point is that it doesn't sound like we are going to get enough additional cards to cover large groups ("Up to 8 cards"); I need 40 to cover my whole group.  I'll take bets on whether they will issue that many for an account.

That being said, it reads like we can invite our partners to create an online account and transfer tickets/points to them, but there is also language regarding adding points to cards and needing a card number to user them.  Just for tickets, an account only is fine: transfer tickets to your partners, the ones without cards just print them out.  But it sounds like some of the at-the-park perks will require a card.  That's where the STH partner equity will break down.

You used to get 1 card per seat.

[blue911]

Will it speed my beer purchase?  If so, could be a no-brainer.

Tip Karen, ya cheap bastard

[eastie]

You used to get 1 card per seat.

Yes, but it was one card that covered the WHOLE plan since it wasn't for a "seat".  I got 4 and successfully lobbied for 6 more (total of 10) last year.   That covered my group, even if some members never activated them because they didn't see the point.  Now if we want to use them for the intended purpose of being our tickets to the game I need 40 cards.  A MINIMUM of 40 (there is a half share in the mix, I haven't worked out the logic puzzle on seat distribution).  Am I going to get 40 cards?  Probably not.

In 2012 I could already transfer tickets to my partners electronically, for free.  In 2012 I could already transfer RCR points for people to manage themselves.  In 2012 I had a card that could be used to track my "experience" at the park had they made the technology available.  In 2013 the deck was shuffled and our paper tickets dropped out the bottom along with, probably, my ability to have 10 fully equal electronic shares.  I thought that was the purpose of this whole enterprise.  I'd like you to meet my good friend The Duke of York.

[blue911]

Yes, but it was one card that covered the WHOLE plan since it wasn't for a "seat".  I got 4 and successfully lobbied for 6 more (total of 10) last year.   That covered my group, even if some members never activated them because they didn't see the point.  Now if we want to use them for the intended purpose of being our tickets to the game I need 40 cards.  A MINIMUM of 40 (there is a half share in the mix, I haven't worked out the logic puzzle on seat distribution).  Am I going to get 40 cards?  Probably not.

In 2012 I could already transfer tickets to my partners electronically, for free.  In 2012 I could already transfer RCR points for people to manage themselves.  In 2012 I had a card that could be used to track my "experience" at the park had they made the technology available.  In 2013 the deck was shuffled and our paper tickets dropped out the bottom along with, probably, my ability to have 10 fully equal electronic shares.  I thought that was the purpose of this whole enterprise.  I'd like you to meet my good friend The Duke of York.

40 seats? Sounds like you're trying to break the system

[blue911]

I'm sorry but at this point the I don't see anything that can't be rectified. I know everybody has special needs but the old system didn't address them either. I'm not saying "Trust Ownership" as much as I'm saying "This is where the future lies" deal with it.

[OldChelsea]

The new card-based system works well at the Wizards (I'm a STH there), at least as far as entering the arena (haven't tried transferring tickets yet though)...let's all relax and give this one a proper chance. Arrive a bit earlier at the ballpark if it makes you feel better.

[eastie]

40 seats? Sounds like you're trying to break the system

Well, no, but let me try to explain (and maybe better illustrate my frustration).  I have 4 seats in a STH plan.  I divide that into 10 equal shares.  During our draft you can either take all 4 seats to any one game, or 2 seats to 2 different games per round; it's the system we've used since 2005 and our group likes the flexibility.  So let's take just 3 picks:

Partner A take all 4 seats for Game 1
Partner B take seats 1-2 for Game 2 and 3-4 for Game 3
Partner C take seats 3-4 for Game 2 and 1-2 for Game 3

Already all 3 partners need 4 cards EACH just for me to electronically load all of their games individually and have them managed as such.  I'm assuming I can't load Seat 1 for Game 2 onto a card marked "Seat 3" since the whole point is that you can show your card to the usher for seat entry.  Expand that throughout the draft for all 10 partners who will probably each need an individual card for Seats 1-4 for any given game and, yes, I need at least 40 cards.  If they allowed you to load multiple seats per card like the Caps ticket printer thing that's a different story, but this doesn't sound like it.  I'd be happy for somebody to tell me I'm reading this all wrong, really I would.  This is creating a lot of overhead to gain absolutely NOTHING that I couldn't already do under the 2012 tickets + online transfer + RCR points system.

[tomterp]

Tip Karen, ya cheap bastard

 

I think I tipped her lavishly on 90 Minute day.  I can't remember for sure, though.

Almost as epic a tip-fest was the several hour rain delay Phillies game where I made repeated visits back to the Porch for Raison D'etre, which caused a brief crisis of equilibrium.  Fortunately I recovered in time for Zimmerman's slam walkoff. 

[Ray D]

If I was only concerned about hogging the benefits to myself, this would be a great ticket solution. Just have everyone print them out.  But they are tieing in discounts and premiums to this sh!t, so my partners would get nothing.

I am not a season ticket holder but part of a group. So I suppose I am like one of your partners.  The season ticket owner in my group does all the work, organizes who gets what tickets based on various preferences, and he does a great job. And he takes the loss for those tickets not distributed.  I am happy for him to get any benefits of being a season ticket holder, and I am not at all bothered by the fact that I get none of those benefits.   

Enjoy it!

[mitlen]

I am not a season ticket holder but part of a group. So I suppose I am like one of your partners.  The season ticket owner in my group does all the work, organizes who gets what tickets based on various preferences, and he does a great job. And he takes the loss for those tickets not distributed.  I am happy for him to get any benefits of being a season ticket holder, and I am not at all bothered by the fact that I get none of those benefits.   

Enjoy it!

That's the way to do it.    I have a similar set up with a STH.   He can have all the perks.   Occasionally, he'll throw one of us a bone.   Last year I got an RCR deal behind home plate.   I drank and ate more than I could ever recover with other benefits.

[CALSGR8]

You can email tickets to anyone!

[Baseball is Life]

That's the way to do it.    I have a similar set up with a STH.   He can have all the perks.   Occasionally, he'll throw one of us a bone.   Last year I got an RCR deal behind home plate.   I drank and ate more than I could ever recover with other benefits.

Yep. That's the way most groups run. I try to share the benefits as much as I can but that can be a pain in the butt too. My partners are content to get their tickets, let me do the work and I share what I can,, like Red Carpet Rewards points (I simply tell them they can an extra game), pre-sale tickets, Picnic in the Park tickets, NatsFest tickets, etc.

I won't be distributing cards and THEY don't want the cards. They are content just to have the tickets emailed to them, print them out, and go to the games. Keep it simple is my motto with my group. It's a major pain in the butt to run one of these groups and my partners know it.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

each card corresponds to a seat.  I have 8 seats (2 plans, a 20 and a 40), so I guess I get 8 cards.  If I split up the 8 cards among the 8 largest shareholders, are we going to more or less have to print out tickets for the seats other than the ones the particular card corresponds to?

Suppose a card corresponds to section ABC row n  seat X. The member of my group with that card has 4 seats in section DEF row m.  Should my group member print out the 4 tickets or will his card indicate that there are 4 seats for that game on it?

[Gleason2]

each card corresponds to a seat.  I have 8 seats (2 plans, a 20 and a 40), so I guess I get 8 cards.  If I split up the 8 cards among the 8 largest shareholders, are we going to more or less have to print out tickets for the seats other than the ones the particular card corresponds to?

Suppose a card corresponds to section ABC row n  seat X. The member of my group with that card has 4 seats in section DEF row m.  Should my group member print out the 4 tickets or will his card indicate that there are 4 seats for that game on it?

Good question.  I was wondering the same thing.

[114D]

Partner A take all 4 seats for Game 1
Partner B take seats 1-2 for Game 2 and 3-4 for Game 3
Partner C take seats 3-4 for Game 2 and 1-2 for Game 3

This is basically my problem, but with more partners and more seats.  This new system is terrible and basically all it means for me is that instead of ripping up my tickets in March, I'm just printing everything and distributing that way.  I'll bet a ton of people do that.

[Baseball is Life]

This is basically my problem, but with more partners and more seats.  This new system is terrible and basically all it means for me is that instead of ripping up my tickets in March, I'm just printing everything and distributing that way.  I'll bet a ton of people do that.

Email them to your partners and share the printing load. That's what I'd doing. I'm actually looking forward to not having to divide and distribute the printed tickets. 

My partners are OK with having to print their tickets because they don't want the hassle of dealing with the cards this year. I will let the team work out the kinks this year before I try to distribute the cards to partners.

[PowerBoater69]

Email them to your partners and share the printing load. That's what I'd doing. I'm actually looking forward to not having to divide and distribute the printed tickets. 

My partners are OK with having to print their tickets because they don't want the hassle of dealing with the cards this year. I will let the team work out the kinks this year before I try to distribute the cards to partners.

4,997 posts and you finally wrote something sensible.

[Baseball is Life]

4,997 posts and you finally wrote something sensible.

I'm still looking for your first.

[Baseball is Life]

My STH ticket package has been shipped via FedEx, according to an email I received today. Note that you can go online and track your package and change the delivery to a nearby FedEx office if you can't be home to sign for it.

[shoeshineboy]

I'm sorry but at this point the I don't see anything that can't be rectified. I know everybody has special needs but the old system didn't address them either. I'm not saying "Trust Ownership" as much as I'm saying "This is where the future lies" deal with it.

I'm with you. There will be snags initially, and special situations that will be more painful, but overall, I love this direction and see a lot of long-term benefits. I also like how this has the potential to reduce the ballpark scalping and still make it easier for STHs to share, transfer, and sell tickets they way we have been able to before online.

The one experience I am not looking forward to is to have the card fail at the gate. But the fact that it is an RFID card vs a magnetic strip is very encouraging and allows for much easer access. The automatic access to your ticket account opens up a lot of potential.

[Gleason2]

My STH ticket package has been shipped via FedEx, according to an email I received today. Note that you can go online and track your package and change the delivery to a nearby FedEx office if you can't be home to sign for it.

How do you change the delivery to a FedEx office?  I don't see any link for doing that.

[Baseball is Life]

How do you change the delivery to a FedEx office?  I don't see any link for doing that.

I signed up for the tracking feature and the first email I got had a link that I clicked that led me to the FedEx tracking site and there was a huge bar at the top asking me if I wanted to change the delivery location.

[Gleason2]

I signed up for the tracking feature and the first email I got had a link that I clicked that led me to the FedEx tracking site and there was a huge bar at the top asking me if I wanted to change the delivery location.

Thanks.

[Baseball is Life]

Thanks.

I LOVE this feature for UPS and FedEx packages since both have a store near my house. I just stop by on the way home and it's done.