Stadium Discussion

[FredMertz]

I think there will definitely be some inflation -- remember that the worst seats in Yankee stadium are much, much worse that the worst seats in the a new stadium. Category 6 ($26) seats won't exist so we should level set the cheapest non-supporter seats at Category 5 ($31). They won't be able to charge much (if any) more than that for upper corner and goal seats.

But I don't think they'll be able to get away with too much. They can justify increases in the lower categories as the seats will be much better, but I don't think they have much room with pricing in 1, 2 & 3 and the premium sections.

$75-80 is probably about the limit people will pay for non-premium seats for soccer in this town and I think the Legends seats don't have real upside from $200 -- so many are unsold at that price now and it's hard to imagine that the offering at a new stadium could match the offering at YS. It would be nuts to recreate that scale for 17 games a year. With a scaled-down offering (more similar to the current Champions offering) the could probably sell more seats at a lower price.

And this is all subject to attendance trends over the next few years. If we continue stable to down, it will impact their ability to raise prices much. Even the most extravagant SSS will cost significantly less than a new baseball or football stadium, so the pressure to increase prices will be lower as well.

 

[adam]

I think there will definitely be some inflation -- remember that the worst seats in Yankee stadium are much, much worse that the worst seats in the a new stadium. Category 6 ($26) seats won't exist so we should level set the cheapest non-supporter seats at Category 5 ($31). They won't be able to charge much (if any) more than that for upper corner and goal seats.

But I don't think they'll be able to get away with too much. They can justify increases in the lower categories as the seats will be much better, but I don't think they have much room with pricing in 1, 2 & 3 and the premium sections.

$75-80 is probably about the limit people will pay for non-premium seats for soccer in this town and I think the Legends seats don't have real upside from $200 -- so many are unsold at that price now and it's hard to imagine that the offering at a new stadium could match the offering at YS. It would be nuts to recreate that scale for 17 games a year. With a scaled-down offering (more similar to the current Champions offering) the could probably sell more seats at a lower price.

And this is all subject to attendance trends over the next few years. If we continue stable to down, it will impact their ability to raise prices much. Even the most extravagant SSS will cost significantly less than a new baseball or football stadium, so the pressure to increase prices will be lower as well.

The pessimist in me is waiting for my PSL letter.

 

[FredMertz]

The pessimist in me is waiting for my PSL letter.

If the prices were relatively similar to current and they asked for a $1000 PSL payable over 5 years, would you do it?

I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I probably would.

It's not crazy that someone will try it for a SSS, but I'd be honestly surprised if anyone would think a royal ownership group from UAE should be the ones to try it.

 

[Kjbert]

I believe Patricof has stated there will be NO PSL. That's second hand info from the guy that sits next to me at home matches. Maybe LionNYC or mgarbowski can confirm that from first hand knowledge.

 

[Bane]

CFG's entire purpose is to offer a positive light on Abu Dhabi. They'd be morons to incorporate the least popular thing about some season tickets if they want to accomplish this task in America. Not to mention that NO MLS teams force PSL's currently.

 

[LionNYC]

I believe Patricof has stated there will be NO PSL. That's second hand info from the guy that sits next to me at home matches. Maybe LionNYC or mgarbowski can confirm that from first hand knowledge.

Never asked this question to anyone at the Club. But I agree with ColumbiaGrad that everything NYCFC is doing is to improve the image of Abu Dhabi. If anything negative comes up it's all linked to Abu Dhabi.

 

[Ulrich]

Never asked this question to anyone at the Club. But I agree with ColumbiaGrad that everything NYCFC is doing is to improve the image of Abu Dhabi. If anything negative comes up it's all linked to Abu Dhabi.

Not hiring that PR Crisis team in year one sure didnt age well. Abu Dhabi will forever be connected to Jason Kreis, Ned Grabavoy, and Lampardgate. A hell of a triumvirate for a country to live down.

 

[mgarbowski]

I believe Patricof has stated there will be NO PSL. That's second hand info from the guy that sits next to me at home matches. Maybe LionNYC or mgarbowski can confirm that from first hand knowledge.

I never asked him. There has never been a hint that it is a likely possibility so in my time with him I focused on other things.

 

[413Blue]

If the prices were relatively similar to current and they asked for a $1000 PSL payable over 5 years, would you do it?

I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I probably would.

It's not crazy that someone will try it for a SSS, but I'd be honestly surprised if anyone would think a royal ownership group from UAE should be the ones to try it.

They would not go through all the trouble to raise just ~$20m, it's such a small amount relatively. They would be at least 5k I'd imagine.

 

[LionNYC]

Not hiring that PR Crisis team in year one sure didnt age well. Abu Dhabi will forever be connected to Jason Kreis, Ned Grabavoy, and Lampardgate. A hell of a triumvirate for a country to live down.

Signing Kreis in 2014 looked good on paper. Honestly, after we say his expansion picks (Wingert and Grabavoy) we should have seen that the season was already over.

He did get us a boatload of GAM after we traded Mullins to DC United. And McNamara still has value.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

McNamara still has value.

Well, he did choose him over a younger
player who is a starter for the winningest team in MLS history. So even when he was right, he was wrong.

 

[Kjbert]

Everyone here loved the Mullins, Grabavoy and Wingert picks.

It's very tough to judge Kreis in an MLS 3.0 world. Immediately afterwards, they changed the expansion rules.

If we operated under the model that Atlant did, that would mean more money would have been spent to acquire players outside of MLS and Kreis would have had less influence over the roster.

 

[Ulrich]

Signing Kreis in 2014 looked good on paper. Honestly, after we say his expansion picks (Wingert and Grabavoy) we should have seen that the season was already over.

He did get us a boatload of GAM after we traded Mullins to DC United. And McNamara still has value.

I'm surprised you didn't include RJ as a Kreis master-stroke since he was traded for a 3rd round pick. And saying TMac still has value is like cherishing the shirt in the closet that you love but fear to wear; unless he's offloaded to either get equity of some sort, or even to simply clear the books, his value is low since he realistically should not see the field again with the new <theoretical> TAM players being added.

There's no defending Kreis if you value sanity.

 

[LionNYC]

I'm surprised you didn't include RJ as a Kreis master-stroke since he was traded for a 3rd round pick. And saying TMac still has value is like cherishing the shirt in the closet that you love but fear to wear; unless he's offloaded to either get equity of some sort, or even to simply clear the books, his value is low since he realistically should not see the field again with the new <theoretical> TAM players being added.

There's no defending Kreis if you value sanity.

You've basically just described sneaker head culture.

But anyway, back to the point, no PSL though unconfirmed.

 

[NYCFC_Dan]

I think there will definitely be some inflation -- remember that the worst seats in Yankee stadium are much, much worse that the worst seats in the a new stadium. Category 6 ($26) seats won't exist so we should level set the cheapest non-supporter seats at Category 5 ($31). They won't be able to charge much (if any) more than that for upper corner and goal seats.

But I don't think they'll be able to get away with too much. They can justify increases in the lower categories as the seats will be much better, but I don't think they have much room with pricing in 1, 2 & 3 and the premium sections.

$75-80 is probably about the limit people will pay for non-premium seats for soccer in this town and I think the Legends seats don't have real upside from $200 -- so many are unsold at that price now and it's hard to imagine that the offering at a new stadium could match the offering at YS. It would be nuts to recreate that scale for 17 games a year. With a scaled-down offering (more similar to the current Champions offering) the could probably sell more seats at a lower price.

And this is all subject to attendance trends over the next few years. If we continue stable to down, it will impact their ability to raise prices much. Even the most extravagant SSS will cost significantly less than a new baseball or football stadium, so the pressure to increase prices will be lower as well.

I sat in Premium seats in Orlando which at the time of purchase I didn’t even think they were premium. We got seats in midfield and their entire 4 (I think it was) midfield sections in the bottom tier are considered premium.
You get free beer (domestic and Heineken) and hot dogs, soda/water, premade sandwiches (in 2 different sections with tons of choices), as well as healthy choices like salads.
Was very impressed for the price. I think I paid under $100 on resale.

 

[LionNYC]

If you enjoy hockey turn on ESPN right now. It's the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Iowa vs. Boston College. The field is basically ice and it's slip and slide.

 

[CP_Scouse]

If you enjoy hockey turn on ESPN right now. It's the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Iowa vs. Boston College. The field is basically ice and it's slip and slide.

Slip and slide the eye of your mind...

 

[Kjbert]

Slip and slide the eye of your mind...

As you were LG

 

[LionNYC]

No NYCFC jersey on Dante, or even a scarf...ugh...

https://twitter.com/x/status/947896533336420353

 

[kuyakew]

So Cuomo's State of the State was last night. Any relevant updates?