Masai Ujiri 'feels for the fans' as rebuilding Raptors raise ticket prices again

[Rust_Cohle]

https://torontosun.com/sports/basketball/nba/toronto-raptors/ujiri-feels-for-the-fans-as-ticket-prices-rise

[Fairview4Life]

Prices will increase until morale improves.

[tecumseh18]

Well, I "feel" for my bank account and sense of life priorities (two teens approaching university age). So I finally gave up my seasons tickets after ~15 years. The 30% increase in the last two seasons is 30% too much - especially for the product I'm getting.

The truth is, the current seasons ticket price for a particular seat is HIGHER than the resale price on Ticketmaster you can pay for that seat an hour or so before the game. So it's cheaper to do that every home game than buy seasons seats.

[grimlock]

Part of the season seat buying rational is that you can turn around and sell your tickets when you can't make a game. If you need to practically give them away, then the season seat holder really needs to be able to go to EVERY game.

It'll be sad because they'll get bought up by scalpers who will never let them go and ride out the bad years to make the money when the product improves.

[Duffman100]

Real easy, don't buy tickets.

About 6 years ago I deemed the ticket prices to be too high in relation to the product. I'd rather sit at home on my couch and drink reasonably priced beer while watching on a 70 inch TV.

Though, with kids now I want them to experience it at some point.

[ArthurVandelay]

With a huge waiting list for season tickets and almost 99% attendance, why wouldn't they raise the price?

Pro sports is about making money, that is the reality.

Everyone has a choice. If enough people choose to not buy season tickets or their attendance drops to 80%, well the market will dictate the prices are too high.

The other thing to remember is inflation is running rampant, far greater than what any government stat says. That means all of MLSE expenses are also rising.

It sucks for fans who live in or around Toronto and want to watch games in person, but that isn't a necessity. There are needs and there are wants. Judge accordingly.

[MEDIC]

I haven't paid for Raptors tickets in years. When I see the cost, I can think of so many more things to do with that money that provide better value. You could spend up to $1000 (or more) for the night. Opposing stars could choose to not play. The Raptors could play like crap. I have been to some amazing/ exciting games over the years, but I have also been to some games that were unwatchable. It's a gamble.

I still watch ball, but I look for other opportunities (905 games when they are good or have interesting prospects (watched GLeague Ignite last season with Scoot), Team Canada games, NCAA games, Biosteel All Canadian games, etc). We went to a Brampton Honeybadgers (CEBL) game last year, & I was surprised how competitive the game was (more competitive than most NBA games). I was also surprised how skilled some of the players were. RJ Barrett happened to be at that game watching (he was with the Knicks at the time). He took the time to sign my son's ball & have a picture taken with him. Good dude. My son also met Koloko ast a 905 game & got a pic with him (as well as other NBA level gleaguers). You generally don't have that up close & personal experience at Scotiabank. It's kind of like watching a concert at Rebel vs at Scotiabank.

Some people might like going to Scotiabank for the atmosphere (it can be amazing at times), but I am mostly there for the basketball. I have found watching alternative leagues still gives me my basketball fix & allows my son to watch some quality ball.

My son plays Rep ball, so it keeps us pretty busy going to games/ practices. We don't have a ton of time on our hands.

[Childs]

Just don’t go to games then.

[MessiahUjiri]

Prices will increase until morale improves.

LMAO

Take a bow for that one

[Tha Cynic]

I just bought a 77" OLED so I'm fine watching from home and not having to travel for games as I moved a bit further away from the city. The atmosphere in there isn't the same anyway and I have two young kids.

They are definitely pricing out a certain section of the younger fanbase that imo built this fanbase and what came to be known as one of the best atmospheres in the league. The games now seem more and more like Leafs games where people politely clap. Oh well.

[MessiahUjiri]

I haven't paid for Raptors tickets in years. When I see the cost, I can think of so many more things to do with that money that provide better value. You could spend up to $1000 (or more) for the night. Opposing stars could choose to not play. The Raptors could play like crap. I have been to some amazing/ exciting games over the years, but I have also been to some games that were unwatchable. It's a gamble.

I still watch ball, but I look for other opportunities (905 games when they are good or have interesting prospects (watched GLeague Ignite last season with Scoot), Team Canada games, NCAA games, Biosteel All Canadian games, etc). We went to a Brampton Honeybadgers (CEBL) game last year, & I was surprised how competitive the game was (more competitive than most NBA games). I was also surprised how skilled some of the players were. RJ Barrett happened to be at that game watching (he was with the Knicks at the time). He took the time to sign my son's ball & have a picture taken with him. Good dude. My son also met Koloko ast a 905 game & got a pic with him (as well as other NBA level gleaguers). You generally don't have that up close & personal experience at Scotiabank. It's kind of like watching a concert at Rebel vs at Scotiabank.

Some people might like going to Scotiabank for the atmosphere (it can be amazing at times), but I am mostly there for the basketball. I have found watching alternative leagues still gives me my basketball fix & allows my son to watch some quality ball.

My son plays Rep ball, so it keeps us pretty busy going to games/ practices. We don't have a ton of time on our hands.

A family of 4 can easily end up spending $1000 for a single game night. That just doesn’t match up with the average household income in the city.

If you have to go out, it’s way better to go to like Real Sports or something, where the kids still feel like it’s a fun vibe but you can get done under $200.

[MiamiSPX]

I can go to both Raptors games here in Miami (lower bowl, family of 5, park right at the arena) for about 20% more than it would cost me to go to 1 game at SBA in the upper bowl. Didn't go this year because they were the last 2 games and I had a feeling they would not mean anything (little did I know we would have a 25-win team LOL).

I know a few people from Toronto that come down here for Leafs/Habs/Oilers games and it's cheaper, including the flight and hotel lol, than trying to go to the same game at SBA.

Having said all that, I am a capitalist at heart, so just don't go if you feel the product isn't worth the price.

[DelAbbot]

Hahahaha

Masai should have said nothing at all. This just makes him sound like a hypocrite

[TravisScott55]

Prices will increase until morale improves.

This was hilarious, thanks for the laugh

[Tofubeque]

If you have to go out, it’s way better to go to like Real Sports or something, where the kids still feel like it’s a fun vibe but you can get done under $200.

“Hey son, do you want to go see the Raptors??”
“YEAHHH”
*pulls up to Real Sports*

[DelAbbot]

If you have to go out, it’s way better to go to like Real Sports or something, where the kids still feel like it’s a fun vibe but you can get done under $200.

“Hey son, do you want to go see the Raptors??”
“YEAHHH”
*pulls up to Real Sports*

Lesson in setting expectations matching financial situation and compromise

[Potential]

Never going to a game again. Glad my last game was one of the 16 Ws in the championship run

[MoneyBall]

I'm sad that Scottie was unsuccessful at lowering ticket prices.

[CPT]

It sucks to see real fans priced out, but I don't know what the solution is.

I don't know the exact point reselling (particularly at a profit) became legitimized, and you probably can't put the toothpaste back in the tube anyway.

At the risk of revealing my Kramer-like understanding of tax law, if corporations couldn't write off their seats the demand wouldn't be as crazy. Nobody is going to be motivated to make that change though, as it works pretty well for everyone involved.

[ThatClockWork]

Ehh - I'd rather catch a game in the states .. where it is cheaper to watch the team.