New Arena Ticket Update

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

TAMU has required clear bags for all sporting events for the past three years.  This includes getting 107000 people into Kyle field. There were growing pains the first two or three games and since then zero issues.

[jsglow]

Seems like the backpack/ denial of opaque bags might cause issues for younger families. I get that it is only a couple of hours and you can probably fit a fair amount of crap in the clear bag, but I don't envision many couple's taking young kids to the game with a reduced ability to take care of business.

You're right but it has been deemed a necessary sacrifice at many sporting venues for safety reasons. 

I guess that leads to another discussion.  In my day back in the 1960s kids that weren't yet toilet trained were never seen at sporting events.  I was about 6-7 before I attended my first major sporting event, probably a Marquette game.  That would have been regarded as the norm.  Even with our own kids who are now in their mid 20s, I certainly don't remember any major sporting events when they were 2-3.  Perhaps when they were 4-5 we began as a family to go out and watch our minor league baseball team with the goal of making it 5 innings of mostly eating ballpark food and running around while watching the mascot.  Which is not to say our kids stayed home when they were young.  They most certainly didn't.  Heck, we didn't even have good babysitter access.

So what's changed?  Disposable income? Expectations?  That we do all activities as a family? That mom/dad expect to continue the same lifestyle they had pre-kids?  And please, I'm not passing judgment on it.  I just enjoyed playing with a very cute 4 mo old baby at Private Practice which in my mind seemed like a perfect 90 minute outing for him.  I'm just noting that it's different because in 1963 nobody would have thought the inability to bring a diaper bag into a Milwaukee Braves game was an issue. 

[warriorchick]

Seems like the backpack/ denial of opaque bags might cause issues for younger families. I get that it is only a couple of hours and you can probably fit a fair amount of crap in the clear bag, but I don't envision many couple's taking young kids to the game with a reduced ability to take care of business.

Exactly how would this cause a reduced ability to take care of business?

[Mr. Nielsen]

Not having hard copy tickets is a marketing disconnect. Many people keep the tickets as souvenirs and memories.  A very cheap form of long term marketing .

As I've said, you can buy a ticket as a souvenir.

[Nukem2]

As I've said, you can buy a ticket as a souvenir.

Maybe so, but why have to pay for something one has already paid for in the first place?

[warriorchick]

Maybe so, but why have to pay for something one has already paid for in the first place?

Next year, you won't be paying for it.

[WarriorDad]

I mean, I guess so, but wouldn't that result in the exact same problems if they were paper tickets?  That seems like it would be a nightmare regardless of the ticket format, and I'd also guess that they would have a set of contingency plans in place.

No, actually.  For paper tickets, you can tear the stub off, or rip in half, then the customer goes through the turnstyles to their seats.  The danger is counterfeit tickets, but you do have a physical item that is presented to the usher.

When I had this happen to me with electronic readers, they didn't know what to do.  They held everyone back for about 10 to 15 minutes while they rebooted the system.  They were worried about counterfeits and letting people in with electronic barcodes that may not be accurate, so they held everyone.  Same counterfeit situation as hard tickets, but much easier to pass around screen shots or other digital tickets that if the ticket reader doesn't know has been used, can cause a problem.  It wasn't the end of the world, we did not miss any of the game action.

[Its DJOver]

No, actually.  For paper tickets, you can tear the stub off, or rip in half, then the customer goes through the turnstyles to their seats.  The danger is counterfeit tickets, but you do have a physical item that is presented to the usher.

When I had this happen to me with electronic readers, they didn't know what to do.  They held everyone back for about 10 to 15 minutes while they rebooted the system.  They were worried about counterfeits and letting people in with electronic barcodes that may not be accurate, so they held everyone.  Same counterfeit situation as hard tickets, but much easier to pass around screen shots or other digital tickets that if the ticket reader doesn't know has been used, can cause a problem. It wasn't the end of the world, we did not miss any of the game action.

i.e. I originally made it sound like a bigger deal than it actually was, and it was more of a small problem than an actual large scale meltdown like I originally implied.

[checkmarq]

Exactly how would this cause a reduced ability to take care of business?

The thinking being that parents today would choose not to go to the game out of fear that they won't have "exactly" what they need to take care of their child versus take the chance that something happens that could have been avoided. I'm not saying everyone will think like this; just that I won't be surprised if younger family attendance declines.

[warriorchick]

The thinking being that parents today would choose not to go to the game out of fear that they won't have "exactly" what they need to take care of their child versus take the chance that something happens that could have been avoided. I'm not saying everyone will think like this; just that I won't be surprised if younger family attendance declines.

What exactly would a clear bag prevent a parent from bringing that they could before?

[brewcity77]

What exactly would a clear bag prevent a parent from bringing that they could before?

Prevent? Likely nothing. But yesterday was a good example for me. I had my daughter in a sling wrap at a large event. The diaper bag was slung on my other shoulder. I know where everything is in there. I can get to everything with one hand. It has pouches that fit bottles perfectly, another pouch for wipes if she spits up.

In a crowded area where space can be limited, that familiarity is invaluable.

[warriorchick]

Prevent? Likely nothing. But yesterday was a good example for me. I had my daughter in a sling wrap at a large event. The diaper bag was slung on my other shoulder. I know where everything is in there. I can get to everything with one hand. It has pouches that fit bottles perfectly, another pouch for wipes if she spits up.

In a crowded area where space can be limited, that familiarity is invaluable.

If it is going to cause you that much anxiety, then I agree that you shouldn't be taking your kid to the game in that situation.

However, I am pretty confident in my est3 that Marquette fans that would do the same are statistically insignificant.

[brewcity77]

If it is going to cause you that much anxiety, then I agree that you shouldn't be taking your kid to the game in that situation.

However, I am pretty confident in my est3 that Marquette fans that would do the same are statistically insignificant.

The point is it doesn't cause anxiety. And it takes seconds to see that I've got two bottles of milk, diapers, and wipes.

Further, clear backpacks are ineffective. You can't see every item in there because it's clear unless you open it and actually inspect each item. A plastic fabricated gun hidden in a false book? Metal free disguised explosive devices? A biological weapon contained in a pill bottle? All clear backpacks provide is a violation of privacy. They do zero for actual security.

I'd far rather have security that actually does their job than forcing attendees privacy to be invaded while providing a completely false sense of security.

This does nothing to increase security while doing plenty to inconvenience attendees.

[🏀]

The point is it doesn't cause anxiety. And it takes seconds to see that I've got two bottles of milk, diapers, and wipes.

Further, clear backpacks are ineffective. You can't see every item in there because it's clear unless you open it and actually inspect each item. A plastic fabricated gun hidden in a false book? Metal free disguised explosive devices? A biological weapon contained in a pill bottle? All clear backpacks provide is a violation of privacy. They do zero for actual security.

I'd far rather have security that actually does their job than forcing attendees privacy to be invaded while providing a completely false sense of security.

This does nothing to increase security while doing plenty to inconvenience attendees.

This. Clear bags don't do crap for security.

[Benny B]

I honestly don't know what programs go for ($5, $10, more?) but they aren't as easily framable as a ticket.

And I hope those clear bags double as diaper bags. My wife already stopped bringing her purse to games years ago because of all the hassle it causes.

Don’t get me started on the “let’s just get a program as a souvenir” when you have small children.

[MomofMUltiples]

I guess that leads to another discussion.  In my day back in the 1960s kids that weren't yet toilet trained were never seen at sporting events.  I was about 6-7 before I attended my first major sporting event, probably a Marquette game.  That would have been regarded as the norm.  Even with our own kids who are now in their mid 20s, I certainly don't remember any major sporting events when they were 2-3.  Perhaps when they were 4-5 we began as a family to go out and watch our minor league baseball team with the goal of making it 5 innings of mostly eating ballpark food and running around while watching the mascot.  Which is not to say our kids stayed home when they were young.  They most certainly didn't.  Heck, we didn't even have good babysitter access.

So what's changed?  Disposable income? Expectations?  That we do all activities as a family? That mom/dad expect to continue the same lifestyle they had pre-kids?  And please, I'm not passing judgment on it.  I just enjoyed playing with a very cute 4 mo old baby at Private Practice which in my mind seemed like a perfect 90 minute outing for him.  I'm just noting that it's different because in 1963 nobody would have thought the inability to bring a diaper bag into a Milwaukee Braves game was an issue.

Glow - Some people may just want their kids along (so they can hold them up for that Lion King thing...), but some of it could also go to alternative costs.  When my kids were little, we paid maybe $3-4/hour for a babysitter -- today it might be $15.  Plus, I had both sets of grandparents in town, so typically a freebie was available. 

Brew - pretty clear you are a first-time dad.  You throw a couple diapers, the milk, travel wipes, a nuk and a clean blanket into the plastic bag.  Maybe a change of clothes and an empty plastic bag for when she inevitably craps her outfit.  Oh, and don't forget those adorable earmuffs to help her deal with the noise.  I'm sure someone sells blue and gold ones.  Easy peasy.

[warriorchick]

Glow - Some people may just want their kids along (so they can hold them up for that Lion King thing...), but some of it could also go to alternative costs.  When my kids were little, we paid maybe $3-4/hour for a babysitter -- today it might be $15.  Plus, I had both sets of grandparents in town, so typically a freebie was available. 

Brew - pretty clear you are a first-time dad.  You throw a couple diapers, the milk, travel wipes, a nuk and a clean blanket into the plastic bag.  Maybe a change of clothes and an empty plastic bag for when she inevitably craps her outfit.  Oh, and don't forget those adorable earmuffs to help her deal with the noise.  I'm sure someone sells blue and gold ones.  Easy peasy.

Save room in your bag for the gold medal you will most certainly get for being a man who is taking care of his kid without any help.   

[Mr. Nielsen]

Bucks now have had four games listed as 17,341. I'm wondering if that is the official capacity at Fiserv Forum.

[barfolomew]

Save room in your bag for the gold medal you will most certainly get for being a man who is taking care of his kid without any help.   

I usually hang a banner.

[LoudMouth]

Bucks now have had four games listed as 17,341. I'm wondering if that is the official capacity at Fiserv Forum.

Only assuming the Bucks are 7-0 because of the Chaluparena... I expect the same type of results for our boys (including road games)

[fjm]

Any one else in the new head area? My tickets didn’t have the free Beers with them... are we not getting free brews this year?

[Benny B]

Bucks now have had four games listed as 17,341. I'm wondering if that is the official capacity at Fiserv Forum.

My guess is that actual capacity is 17,340 but the Bucks making Gannett pay for Matty V's chair.

[4everwarriors]

Any one else in the new head area? My tickets didn’t have the free Beers with them... are we not getting free brews this year?

the new head area? Dat watt weir callin' it now, hey?

[LoudMouth]

Now that was a game I would have liked to keep the ticket for 

[warriorchick]

Any one else in the new head area? My tickets didn’t have the free Beers with them... are we not getting free brews this year?

I wonder how many SRO seats they would be willing to sell at the Fiserv?  With its open plan, especially by the bar areas, there are hundreds of places to have a decent view of the game without actually sitting in a seat.