FYI - Minnesota fans just as pathetic as their team...

[LON]

From Profootballtalk.com

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/12/30/45-percent-of-vikings-season-ticket-holders-pass-on-playoff-tickets/

On Monday, various Vikings fans took issue in the comments with our decision to point out the fact that 20,000 seats remain for Sunday’s playoff game against the Eagles.

Some thought that it was misleading to suggest that the availability of so many tickets on the first day after the clinching of a playoff berth might result in a local blackout of the game.

But, as the Minneapolis Star Tribune points out, the threat of a failure to sell out the Metrodome is real.  The problem is that a whopping 45 percent of the season-tickets holders opted not to buy playoff tickets.

Forty-five percent.

Wow.

Vikings V.P. of sales and marketing Steve LaCroix says that some fans were reluctant to buy tickets until they knew for sure that the team would make the playoffs, and that as of Monday sales were brisk.

Then again, “marketing” is defined as “saying whatever needs to be said regardless of its truth or accuracy in order to move merchandise.”  And thus we don’t put much stock in LaCroix’s line of LaCrap.  Indeed, since the season-ticket holders would have received refunds if the Vikings hadn’t qualified for the postseason, why wouldn’t they have protected their ability to sit in the same seats they occupy for every home game?

The message for all NFL teams might be that it makes sense to include in the season-ticket contract a provision requiring season-ticket holders to purchase playoff tickets.  If the preseason is part of the “season” for which the season-ticket holder buys season tickets, then the postseason is part of that same “season” too, right?

Maybe teams have simply assumed in the past that such conditions aren’t necessary.  After all, no playoff game has failed to sell out since 2002, when the Dolphins hosted the Ravens.

From a business standpoint, however, the prudent approach — especially for teams that have a waiting list for season tickets — would be to make the purchase of playoff tickets as mandatory as the purchase of tickets to those meaningless games in August.

[Blackhat]

They don't deserve a team.   Next stop:  Las Vegas Vikings

[nola03]

114 consecutive sellouts of a 63,000 capacity stadium.

[mosarsour]

114 consecutive sellouts of a 63,000 capacity stadium.

Lambeau seats have been and are currently sold out for decades...114 sellouts is nothing.

[LON]

Lambeau seats have been and are currently sold out for decades...114 sellouts is nothing.

+1

There has been a waiting list for tickets since 1960...

[MilTown]

I wouldn't pay to see the Vikings play either!

But seriously, I think you have to chalk this one up to the economy.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

114 consecutive sellouts of a 63,000 capacity stadium.

General Mills, Best Buy, Fox 9, 3M and other corporations have stepped in and bought up remaining seats so that there would be a sell out in the past.  If not for these corp. they would not have sold out many games.

[Sir Lawrence]

Lambeau seats have been and are currently sold out for decades...114 sellouts is nothing.

Lambeau has been sold out on a season-ticket basis since 1960, 277 consecutive games through the end of this season, including playoffs.  Keep in mind that until 1995 three "home" games per season (I think) were played at Milwaukee's County Stadium.

[MUEng92]

Lambeau has been sold out on a season-ticket basis since 1960, 277 consecutive games through the end of this season, including playoffs.  Keep in mind that until 1995 three "home" games per season (I think) were played at Milwaukee's County Stadium.

I am confused by your comment.  Are you saying that the fact that 3 games/year were at County Stadium makes the streak less impressive?

I don't think anyone would believe that streak would not be intact had all of the games been played at Lambeau since 1960.

(I am not trying to start an argument here, I really am just confused by your comment)

[ChicosBailBonds]

General Mills, Best Buy, Fox 9 and other corporations have stepped in and bought up remaining seats so that there would be a sell out in the past.  If not for these corp. they would not have sold out many games.

Keep in mind that Milwaukee had to bail out the Packers a few times over the decades to keep them sustainable.

I, too, blame this on the economy. Same thing happened to my Angels season tix.  To buy playoffs tix you have to buy them ALL, and then if they are eliminated they return your money.  In the meantime, they hold your money until that happens.  That's thousands of dollars that you have to cough up during a tough economy, right around Christmas, etc.

[LON]

No doubt it has to do with the economy but if the Packers (or Bears) made the playoffs do you think a similar story would ever happen?

[mu_hilltopper]

As a Minnesotan .. There's a lot to do in the Twin Cities, NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL teams, plus the Gophers.  The Vikes, and that Dome, have worn on people.   I'm barely interested mainly because .. I've seen this movie before.  The Vikes have played it about a dozen times in the last 20 years.  I know how the season ends:  With a loss.

GB is a special case, where there is ZERO to do in Green Bay besides the Packers.   They are indeed a very special franchise with fanatic fans.

The Bears are up there too.

The Vikes .. not so much.  -- Honestly, I believe it has a lot to do with the Dome versus being outside.  You've gotta be a tough grizzled bunch to attend a December GB or Bears game.  The Dome is full of very comfortable folks, and I believe that isn't fertile ground for fanatics.

So to the OP .. if you're trying to make the point that there aren't a ton of MN superfans:  YUP.

[Sir Lawrence]

I am confused by your comment.  Are you saying that the fact that 3 games/year were at County Stadium makes the streak less impressive?

I don't think anyone would believe that streak would not be intact had all of the games been played at Lambeau since 1960.

(I am not trying to start an argument here, I really am just confused by your comment)

No, my only point was the number total would be higher than 277 had the County Stadium venue not been around. 

[Sir Lawrence]

GB is a special case, where there is ZERO to do in Green Bay besides the Packers.   

Hey!  What have you got against ice fishing! 

[MUEng92]

No, my only point was the number total would be higher than 277 had the County Stadium venue not been around. 

Duh, I am not sure why I didn't read it that way the first time.  Thanks for the explanation.

[Hards Alumni]

As a Minnesotan .. There's a lot to do in the Twin Cities, NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL teams, plus the Gophers.  The Vikes, and that Dome, have worn on people.   I'm barely interested mainly because .. I've seen this movie before.  The Vikes have played it about a dozen times in the last 20 years.  I know how the season ends:  With a loss.

GB is a special case, where there is ZERO to do in Green Bay besides the Packers.   They are indeed a very special franchise with fanatic fans.

The Bears are up there too.

The Vikes .. not so much.  -- Honestly, I believe it has a lot to do with the Dome versus being outside.  You've gotta be a tough grizzled bunch to attend a December GB or Bears game.  The Dome is full of very comfortable folks, and I believe that isn't fertile ground for fanatics.

So to the OP .. if you're trying to make the point that there aren't a ton of MN superfans:  YUP.

I always thought that this type of thinking was strange.  Does every Packer fan live in Green Bay or within 10 miles?  No, not even close.  Half of the games STILL go to the people who owned tickets to the Milwaukee games.  Plenty of people drive in from all over the state to watch the game... its not just Green Bay folks.

Stating all of the things to do in Minnesota... the only franchise missing in Wisconsin is an NHL team (a travesty).  Plus Wisconsin has two universities with solid teams.

I reject your logic, and replace it with my own.

[mu_hilltopper]

I'll rephrase.  The GB area, even if you expand that 60 miles, is bereft of professional entertainment venues, especially for people inclined to see sports.

You are correct that GB has a hyper-regional draw, unlike most teams.  You think many people are driving an hour+ to see the Bucks?  Hah.   A few.  Not many.   Brewers?  More, as many folks like to "take in a baseball game."  But easily 90% of the Brewers attendance comes from a 25 mile radius.

Same goes for countless sports teams, mainly supported by those geographically close.  Teams like Green Bay draw from far further out.

[LON]

I'll rephrase.  The GB area, even if you expand that 60 miles, is bereft of professional entertainment venues, especially for people inclined to see sports.

You are correct that GB has a hyper-regional draw, unlike most teams.  You think many people are driving an hour+ to see the Bucks?  Hah.   A few.  Not many.   Brewers?  More, as many folks like to "take in a baseball game."  But easily 90% of the Brewers attendance comes from a 25 mile radius.

Same goes for countless sports teams, mainly supported by those geographically close.  Teams like Green Bay draw from far further out.

+1

I've been living in Mke for 7+ years and I go up to Geebs for 1 or 2 games each year

[MU B2002]

Geebs?

Do people, other than you, actually call it that?

[Hards Alumni]

I'll rephrase.  The GB area, even if you expand that 60 miles, is bereft of professional entertainment venues, especially for people inclined to see sports.

You are correct that GB has a hyper-regional draw, unlike most teams.  You think many people are driving an hour+ to see the Bucks?  Hah.   A few.  Not many.   Brewers?  More, as many folks like to "take in a baseball game."  But easily 90% of the Brewers attendance comes from a 25 mile radius.

Same goes for countless sports teams, mainly supported by those geographically close.  Teams like Green Bay draw from far further out.

Bucks, I completely agree with you... I think the Brewers, on the other hand, are beginning to draw more from the state... I have had a 10 pack for a couple of years now, and quite a few people around us are from the fox valley, and the Madison area... That said, everyday season ticket holders probably rarely come from farther west than waukesha, farther north than mequon, and south Racine... which fits your 25 mile radius quite well.

[JSwarriors08]

Geebs?

Do people, other than you, actually call it that?

Yes.  I am from Green Bay and this is widely used.

[MU B2002]

Thanks for the info. 

Learned something new today.

[IAmMarquette]

Geebs?

Do people, other than you, actually call it that?

You're god damn right we do. 

[MUEng92]

You're god damn right we do. 

I have been going to Green Bay since about 2 weeks after meeting my wife at MU in late 1989 when she took me to the "Instant Replay" game against the Bears for our second date.  She lived her entire life B.M.U. (before MU) in Green Bay.

In those 19 years, I have never heard it referred to as Geebs.  My wife just confirmed that she has never heard the name either.  "G.B." yes, Geebs, no.  There are alot of phrases I hear up there that are annoying, but, thankfully, that is not one I have heard.

To be honest, the only way I can picture it being used is along the lines of "heeeellllo, I, like, grew up in Geebs....gahhhh!" (think modern day Valley girl)

[Hards Alumni]

I'm from the Fox Valley originally, and have never heard it... though I haven't LIVED there in 5 years.