(6) San Diego Chargers @ (3) Cincinnati Bengals. AFC Wild Card Round.

• Azubuike24

  

  Indy and Cincy, I can see. Not the most traditional football cities.
  
  Green Bay? That shocked me. It really did. Especially against a team like San Fran. That's an NFC Championship level game...
• Ironman92

  

  Azubuike24;1559977 wrote:Indy and Cincy, I can see. Not the most traditional football cities.
  
  Green Bay? That shocked me. It really did. Especially against a team like San Fran. That's an NFC Championship level game...

  I can see Green Bay.....the divisional round is nothing to those fans. They'll get interested in the next round.
  
  I love going to Reds games....It's unlikely I'll ever go to a divisional playoff game.
• sportchampps

  Green Bay is on a huge sellout streak that this would snap it and Indy had like 116/117 sold out games
  
  Im sure Green Bay will be freezing with cincinnanti not being much warmer but Indy is in a dome.
• Azubuike24

  

  Even UK home attendance is down this year even with the success being at a pretty high level considering.
  
  I think it's a testament to there being some kick ass TV's and comfortable couches. I mean, I can afford to go to these games and I rarely do. Having a 60-inch LED, smart phone, computer and comfortable living room beats it.
  
  I still won't pass up going to NCAA Tournament games though (in Columbus in 2015).
• Ironman92

  

  Azubuike24;1560089 wrote:Even UK home attendance is down this year even with the success being at a pretty high level considering.
  
  I think it's a testament to there being some kick ass TV's and comfortable couches. I mean, I can afford to go to these games and I rarely do. Having a 60-inch LED, smart phone, computer and comfortable living room beats it.
  
  I still won't pass up going to NCAA Tournament games though (in Columbus in 2015).

  Yep.....and I think they jack up the prices so much for the playoff games/series that the regulars just say screw it....I've seen several before, it's 9 degrees, my chair and tv are awesome.....saved $500
  
  That certainly can appeal to a person.
• Ironman92

  

  Also.....they just made it 3 days ago from the report of not selling 11,000 in Green Bay, they don't play until Sunday.
  
  So they sold around 15,000-20,000 a day and now need to sell about 3,000 a day.
  
  Seems like a gigantic story reach IMO.
• TedSheckler

  

  Ocho said he would buy up any remaining tickets.
• Classyposter58

  

  Azubuike24;1559977 wrote:Indy and Cincy, I can see. Not the most traditional football cities.
  
  Green Bay? That shocked me. It really did. Especially against a team like San Fran. That's an NFC Championship level game...

  Kinda like the Red Wings, they've been so good for so long that it takes huge games for the people to really get hyped up for games. Also I agree with your other post, TV is awesome now and it's so expensive to go to games. Tickets aren't cheap, food isn't, and parking definitely isn't
• like_that

  

  Lol of course classless finds a way to bring up a Detroit team that doesn't even play football...
  
  Anyway, if the packers aren't selling out, then the prices have to be ridiculous. Apparently the waiting list for packers season tickets is over 30 years.
• ts1227

  

  like_that;1560518 wrote:Anyway, if the packers aren't selling out, then the prices have to be ridiculous. Apparently the waiting lost for packers season tickets is over 30 years.

  I saw something saying that all of the smaller markets always struggle at playoff time because the NFL jacks the prices so damn high. It just so happened this year that 3 of the WC games are taking place in small markets, so it really came to light this year.
• like_that

  

  ts1227;1560526 wrote:I saw something saying that all of the smaller markets always struggle at playoff time because the NFL jacks the prices so damn high. It just so happened this year that 3 of the WC games are taking place in small markets, so it really came to light this year.

  Why is the NFL setting the prices? Shouldn't it be up to the owners.
• ts1227

  

  like_that;1560529 wrote:Why is the NFL setting the prices? Shouldn't it be up to the owners.

  The way I understood it was it's a little of both, like the NFL sets a minimum price, or a set markup on regular season prices. I'll have to try to find what I was reading.
  
  EDIT: This wasn't the original thing I read, but it says NFL sets prices and keeps revenue at playoffs. I saw it on like an SI article before.
  http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/blog/2013/12/will-bengals-sell-out-sundays.html?page=all
  
  Here's a Forbes article that breaks down the secondary market pricing... the average cost and the percentage markup over reg season.
  http://www.forbes.com/sites/jesselawrence/2013/12/31/eagles-and-packers-tickets-most-expensive-on-first-week-of-nfl-playoff-schedule-bengals-working-to-avoid-postseason-blackout/
• Ironman92

  

  like_that;1560529 wrote:Why is the NFL setting the prices? Shouldn't it be up to the owners.

  I saw an article saying the ticket sales monies all go to the NFL...not sure I buy that at all but it was on NFL.com
  
  Everything cost so damn much come playoff time.
  
  Seriously....Cincy is a pretty small market and how many people have bought tickets to their first round playoff games and just been devastated by the outcome and amount of money spent? Also....how many families are a little low on cash after the holidays? Not every city is Detroit /classy'd.
  
  Again, I keep going back to the Reds comparison because it's very similar with successful regular seasons and then no success in the postseason. I can't fathom the scenario where I would even consider buying 1st round playoff tickets. Get to the next round and we're talking way more excitement and then I 'd buy. But I just teach jim and I've never even been to Michigan, let alone Detroit.
• Azubuike24

  

  MLB playoffs are a different animal. Games are worth their price during the playoffs, IMO. Also, in MLB, it's not really an expectation for anyone to sell out every regular season game. Very few teams do it...
• Ironman92

  

  There is nothing special about a divisional playoff game IMO to pay $120 for a $34 ticket.
  
  Playoffs don't feel special in any sport until the 2nd round. I can see it if it's the first time in forever.
  
  If the Bills or Royals make the playoffs....yeah, big stuff but 3 out of 6 or 4 out of 7 seems commonplace.
• Classyposter58

  

  like_that;1560518 wrote:Lol of course classless finds a way to bring up a Detroit team that doesn't even play football...
  
  Anyway, if the packers aren't selling out, then the prices have to be ridiculous. Apparently the waiting list for packers season tickets is over 30 years.

  Yeah I bring them up because like Green Bay they've been the banner franchise the last 50 years. Anyways looks like possibly a major snowstorm if not blizzard possibly on Sunday, that'll make things interesting to say the least
• thavoice

  My friend has season tickets in the lower bowl. Regular season price is $83. The price for this playoff game is $96. That is for lower bowl, on the goalline, 30 rows maybe from the field (I do know it is like 10 rows from the top of the lower bowl).
  
  It was like 12% more than regular season. The second round is like 25% I think, and afc champ is I believe double if I remember right. My buddies and I have steelers season tickets for a number of years now and it is always pretty much the same thing.
  
  As of last night can buy tickets on ticketmaster for $83 bucks. You can also find "affordable" on ticketmaster exchange.
  TM does fuck yo with fess though as usual
  
  
  I am surprised the bengals have not sold out as its been a long, long time.
  When you see that 3 of 4, including a dome team, is not selling out, then you have a different story and I hope the NFL takes notice. If it was just Cincy..well then it is their fault, but when 3 of 4...that is bad.
  
  This isnt new. NFL playoffs always start now, right after the new year.
  
  I believe bengal season ticket holders got their notices around november 17th about the games. They didnt know what games yet but had a guide in there as to the prices dependant on what round they were hosting.
  
  I will say this.....it did get a bit tight in those years the steelers were making it alot. You get a notice and bam it had to be paid so I usually started putting some $$ away once the season started for possible playoff tickets.
  
  People want to give all the excuses as to not go.
  
  
  
  I got tired of hearing it on WLW the last few days that last night I said fuck it, I bought 3 tickets, at face value of $86, for this game and will be bringing my stepson and wife who are bengal fans. I found it very, very surprising that the bengal nation hasnt gobbled these up.
• Ironman92

  

  thavoice;1560716 wrote:My friend has season tickets in the lower bowl. Regular season price is $83. The price for this playoff game is $96. That is for lower bowl, on the goalline, 30 rows maybe from the field (I do know it is like 10 rows from the top of the lower bowl).
  
  It was like 12% more than regular season. The second round is like 25% I think, and afc champ is I believe double if I remember right. My buddies and I have steelers season tickets for a number of years now and it is always pretty much the same thing.
  
  As of last night can buy tickets on ticketmaster for $83 bucks. You can also find "affordable" on ticketmaster exchange.
  TM does fuck yo with fess though as usual
  
  
  I am surprised the bengals have not sold out as its been a long, long time.
  When you see that 3 of 4, including a dome team, is not selling out, then you have a different story and I hope the NFL takes notice. If it was just Cincy..well then it is their fault, but when 3 of 4...that is bad.
  
  This isnt new. NFL playoffs always start now, right after the new year.
  
  I believe bengal season ticket holders got their notices around november 17th about the games. They didnt know what games yet but had a guide in there as to the prices dependant on what round they were hosting.
  
  I will say this.....it did get a bit tight in those years the steelers were making it alot. You get a notice and bam it had to be paid so I usually started putting some $$ away once the season started for possible playoff tickets.
  
  People want to give all the excuses as to not go.
  
  
  
  I got tired of hearing it on WLW the last few days that last night I said fuck it, I bought 3 tickets, at face value of $86, for this game and will be bringing my stepson and wife who are bengal fans. I found it very, very surprising that the bengal nation hasnt gobbled these up.

  Enjoy.....I'm saving up for the ASG in Cincy in 2015.
• thavoice

  Ironman92;1560728 wrote:Enjoy.....I'm saving up for the ASG in Cincy in 2015.

  Yeah, I figured that would just be way too much to go to. It would be fun to go to the ASG and all, but I would rather save up for big playofff games in the NFL so hopefully the steelers make it. Next year I am not sure I will pitch in for the steelers season tickets with my buddies though. In the past we made some $$ selling a number of games (we live over 300 miles from pitt) but my brother has a great job in pittsburgh, and his company has 8 season tickets...all between the 45-50. One set is 17 rows from the field, the others are first row of the club section. Last few years been using them when I go and it got me spoiled to sit anywyere else.
  
  I figured....fuck it..it is a playoff game and less than two hours away in cincy..and at a LOW face value (in pittsburgh our 3rd fow from the top season tickets wer I believe $75 this season, and in cincy his season tix in the lower bowl were only 83!) Hadnt been to a playoff game since the ravens/steelers afc champ game so said why not right!!!
• thavoice

  This is from 2005 so the numbers are increased, but the format still the same
  
  
  "Each team receives and equal amount of league revenue, TV contract, merchandising, and home game ticket revenue. During the regular season, home teams get to keep two-thirds of the ticket revenue, the remaining third goes into a pool shared by all other teams. The NFL keeps all ticket revenue during the playoffs, but home teams can keep money made off other stadium related sales, merchandise, concessions etc. etc. The NFL pays division winning teams a flat fee of $580,000 and other teams $500,000 in the first round. In the second round, each team gets $580,000 and in the championship round $960,000. The Super Bowl winner receives $3.5 million and runner up $2.59 million. That is usually not enough to cover team expenses. John Jones, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Green Bay Packers said, "Expenses usually exceed whatever you get from the league." Other reasons for teams losing money in the playoffs include paying bonuses to staff and players for successful playoff runs, moving equipment to the games (obviously, home teams do not have to worry about this), and hosting VIPS and sponsors.
  Players do not profit from playoff games either. NFL teams do not have to pay their players during the playoffs because the league covers the playoff salary pool, which is beyond regular season pay. A player's salary is divided among the 16 regular season games. A marquee player may make nearly $800,000 per game in the regular season but in the playoffs, he will make the same as a player who sits on the bench most of the time, generally around $18,000 per game. Most NFL players make more money than you and I can ever imagine so, I bet your heart, like mine, is not bleeding at all for them.
• Ironman92

  

  I was guessing that paying for all the necessary power supply, water usage, ushers, security, food service, etc would take most if not all of the profit.
• thavoice

  Ironman92;1560770 wrote:I was guessing that paying for all the necessary power supply, water usage, ushers, security, food service, etc would take most if not all of the profit.

  Yeah, in that article it had a few teams who said they lose money in the playoffs.
  
  
  SOrt of like many college teams and bowl games. Many of those smaller ones lose money for the schools because they have to buy so many tickets and travel for the team and everyone associated with it.
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  DeyDurkie5;1559527 wrote:Chargers by 3

  $600 bet?
• friendfromlowry

  100% chance of rain/snow for Sunday in Cincinnati with a high of 35. But I think for the next week, the northern half of the United States's forecast reads as: Shitty. If I didn't work Saturday/Sunday night, I would have gone.
  
  The game will get blacked out and the Bengals will win in convincing fashion, but no one will see it.
• TedSheckler

  

  I'll see it. I live outside the blackout area.