White Sox Ticket Sales

by FAQ on Feb 15, 2006 10:21 AM CST Comment 28 comments

Ok, so after doing a bit of searching on the white sox website, i reached a few conclusions.

they are not selling any more 27 game plans
full season ticket plans for 2 seats - best available is bleachers on lower bowl and for upper deck, past first and third base. this means that when tickets go sale friday, the only thing available in the lower bowl will be in the bleachers and in the upper deck it will be on corners. of course, any season ticket holders got to buy tickets beforehand so all the good games will be bought up and there will be even less tickets.
it's going to be hard to get good seats this year. looks like the upper deck for me. unless they stumble out of the gate. then i will buy them from bandwagon fans on the cheap.

I was wondering if my conclusions from my season ticket searches were correct. if so, then the figure we saw earlier of 20,000 season tickets sold is a low number. also, how do they take into account partial season ticket plans when counting number of season tickets sold? thanks

SouthSideSox is a community driven site. As such, users are able to express their thoughts and opinions in a FanPost, such as this one, which represents the views of this particular fan, but not necessarily the entire community or SouthSideSox editors.

0 recs | Comment 28 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Tickets are on sale right now

There are only upper deck seats left for most weekend games.

Opening day and Cubs games are completely sold out.

The Saturday Red Sox game is completely sold out.

The Yankees and Red Sox games should sell out by Friday evening.

by sweatersaurus on Feb 15, 2006 10:54 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

WHY ???

I realize the East Coast teams have a big following, but why wouldn't Indian's games sellout quickly? They're are biggest rival right now, and I would love the chance to see them beat up on them or the Twins.

by james@lifeinthecell on Feb 15, 2006 1:27 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

# of games

is a main reason. The Indians play here 10 or 11 times, the Red Sox & Yanks 3 times each...

by hiphopnerd on Feb 15, 2006 2:56 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

yuppies and colleges

UChicago has a ton of east coast imports (students, prospective students, profs), not sure about the numbers for the other chicago-area schools. then there's all the i-bankers and other downtown types that came here from the east coast or went to east coast schools. i've been to multiple sox-sox games at comiskey where i was a minority in my group by cheering for the home team.

by thatshortkid on Feb 17, 2006 3:56 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

as a UofC grad

i think you overestimate the ability of those kids to get out of hyde park. unless they're real sox fans, they don't go to more than one game a year. they still try to make it to wrigley's bleachers.

sue me, i like joe crede

by FAQ on Feb 17, 2006 9:27 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

UofC

It is true the Boston and Yankees games attract many more U of C students than any other games - the Garfield bus back to Hyde Park after a Red Sox game is much busier than for any other.

However, HurlyBuerhle is quite right, we're still only talking about a small number of U of C students even going to these games - perhaps 100 tops. It's not exactly a party-in-the-bleachers school.

by goldstone97 on Feb 17, 2006 1:45 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

should really press 'preview'

sorry, meant to put more emphasis on the fact that chicago gets a lot of east-coast imports and tourists.

yeah, maybe current students make 100 or so.

by thatshortkid on Feb 19, 2006 4:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Ticket demand is pretty crazy

I had about 50 or so hits yesterday from people searching for "White Sox Ticket presale password" or something like that.

Today, we've probably had almost an extra 200 stop by searching for the same thing.

AIM: SouthSideCheat

by The Cheat on Feb 15, 2006 3:08 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Well

at least now their search will be fruitful

sue me, i like joe crede

by FAQ on Feb 15, 2006 3:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Attendance

Also, I remember we had our attendance prediction earlier on, but to get 3 million fans we'd have to average 36,500 a night or basically 90% capacity. We averaged around 29,000 last year and I now think 33,000 would be pretty good for this season.

sue me, i like joe crede

by FAQ on Feb 15, 2006 3:26 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

No more lower bowl season tix

at least not for a pair. if you want a single, you can get it by the foul pole. i'm curious what's left by saturday morning.

sue me, i like joe crede

by FAQ on Feb 15, 2006 9:13 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

White Sox surpass two million tickets sold

CHICAGO -- For the first time in franchise history, the World Series Champion Chicago White Sox have surpassed 2 million tickets sold prior to the start of Spring Training. This marks the eighth time in franchise history that the White Sox have topped the 2 million mark in attendance (1983-84, 1990-93, 2005-06).

Season tickets for White Sox games, which have been on sale since September, have reached an all-time franchise high of more than 21,000. Group tickets also are currently being sold, and this week, season ticket holders and whitesox.com registered users (membership is free) had the opportunity to purchase 2006 individual-game tickets through a special presale. More than 108,000 individual-game tickets were sold through these presales.

When individual tickets go on sale to the general public tomorrow, the following dates will not be available:

Sunday, April 2 vs. Cleveland
Tuesday, April 4 vs. Cleveland
Saturday, May 6 vs. Kansas City
Friday, May 19 vs. Cubs
Saturday, May 20 vs. Cubs
Sunday, May 21 vs. Cubs
Friday, July 7 vs. Boston
Saturday, July 8 vs. Boston
Sunday, July 9 vs. Boston
Thursday, August 10 vs. New York

A limited number of full season tickets without postseason options remain available. Fans wishing to purchase full season ticket packages without postseason options or wanting to add their names to the season ticket waiting list may contact the White Sox sales department at (312) 674-1000 or visit whitesox.com.

Individual-game tickets to 2006 Chicago White Sox home games at U.S. Cellular Field go on sale Friday, February 17 at 10:00 a.m. online at whitesox.com, through Ticketmaster phone lines at (312) 559-1212 and (866) SOX-GAME and at Chicagoland Ticketmaster outlets.

AIM: SouthSideCheat

by The Cheat on Feb 16, 2006 3:33 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Still confused

as to why that Sat night game against the Royals is sold out...

by hiphopnerd on Feb 16, 2006 5:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Tickets for sale: FACE VALUE

As much as I would like to attend 81 games, my wife would divorce me and my child would start calling someone else Daddy.

If anyone is interested, I would rather "sell" my extras to a Sox fan than on Stubhub or to a broker. Tickets will be face value. I am not trying to get rich.

Two tickets in Section 150.

email me if intersted.

by heynowkid on Feb 16, 2006 6:23 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Why no opening day tickets?

Pardon me for not being well connected or Rich.

Well before the tickets went on sale today (Feb 17th) the chicagosports.com site and others reported that there would not be any tickets available for opening day, cubs, yankees etc.

Why the heck not? I have gone to opening day for 13 years straight. There are people that have gone longer than myself.

I cannot express the feelings that I am feeling today. I am both furious and upset at the same time.

I was prepared to freeze my rear off on April 2nd at Comiskey (sorry I will always call it comiskey or sox park) Park and watch our world champion chicago white sox. Now I cannot.

this completely sucks.

where did the tickets that the general public could normally purchse go?

by thebrit on Feb 17, 2006 3:26 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Well.....

Season tickets are up over the 22K mark. Also, season ticket holders were able to purchase extra tickets prior to the general public. 2 extra for the opener and 2 for each Cub game. Opening day was sold out before I got to go on-line (Suite and Scout seats went first).

FYI, you do not have to be "rich or connected" to get season tickets. There are many plans (Ozzie, Split, Full) and price levels you can buy.

I am curious as to why you are shocked at this? They won the WS! People want to see them play. If you want to see the opener, look on ebay or pay a broker.

by heynowkid on Feb 17, 2006 4:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I disagree

"Opening day was sold out before I got to go on-line (Suite and Scout seats went first)."

Not sure if you are aware but there were NO opening day tickets available to people online today. Everything was pre-allcoated before today.

Sorry but there should have been a first come first serve block of several thousand tickets made available to people who dont have the luxery of buying season tickets or any of the other plans.

All of those plans are hundreds of dollars just for the tickets. I cannot afford or justify that.

My once a year is opening day, and I am sure that a lot of other people are in the same position, with families and cannot afford to spend hundreds just on tickets and then the money at the ball park.

I just believe there should have been tickets made available to the public.

Where were all of those people the previous years??? I can guarantee that a lot of the people those extra tickets went to wont even be there because of the weather.

It is just wrong. Yes I'm complaining and I think rightfully so knowing that I go every year for a reason, because I love the white sox. I rarely even miss a game on t.v throughout the entire season - I guarantee a lot of the people that might show, weather permitting dont even come close to being the fan that myself, and a lot of others are.

by thebrit on Feb 17, 2006 7:04 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Au Contraire!

As I said, the extra tickets for opening day were gone before I was able to buy via the pre-sale (Tuesday). There were none available today.

I have been a partial or full season ticket holder for six out of the last ten years. Only a stint in Boston stopped me from being ten for ten. During that time, the park often resembled a grave yard. There was lack of interest in the team. As a result, Kenny Williams was limited in his FA/ trade options. This now changes. When people come, he can spend. You may have to attend another game, but the quality of the team will be much better than if the park was empty.

I am curious as to why you think you are entitled to get a crack at these tickets? Whether or not the new season ticket holders are "true fans" is irrelevant. Their money is no less green than yours or mine. As to where "those people" were the previous years, I could care less. What I do care about is that because of "those people", the payroll is higher than I can remember and the park will be electric again. Did you ever believe that the payroll would be almost 100 million?

Although I understand your disappointment at not getting a ticket, it is a product of the success of 2005. If you were able to get a ticket for opening day, we would not have raised the trophy, had a parade and visted the White House. Unfortunately, you are a victim of the White Sox's success.

Again, if you want a ticket, there are other avenues. My suggestion would be eBay.

by heynowkid on Feb 17, 2006 8:09 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Um...

You realize that we won the World Series, right? Winning a World Series will significantly increase demand for your product...there are a lot more people interested in White Sox baseball now. The championship pennant/banner is going to be raised on Opening Day in front of a national audience, and it will be the first MLB game of the year and the only one that day. Obviously, demand for this game is going to be high (and I'll guarantee you the place is full that night even if it's 30 degrees).

Now, there are significantly more season ticketholders in 2006 thanks to the promotion during the playoffs wherein buying season tickets guaranteed you 05 World Series tickets. There are a ton of Ozzie plan holders who ugraded to split season plans...and a ton of people like me who bought tickets sporadically during the year last season but opted to get an Ozzie Plan this year.

It was obvious even before Ozzie Plans went on sale that Opening Day would be a tough ticket. On the Ozzie sale date, I was debating with a friend over whether he wanted to split the cost with me, and every time I searched for tickets for Opening Day they were getting closer and closer to the final rows of the final sections of the UD...so I just told him that I was buying them and he could decide later if he wanted to split the package with me. I think that by the next day, tickets for Opening Day were unavailable. $500 bucks for 2 tickets to 13 games, mostly upper deck. You could certainly have lowered the cost by selecting all Upper Box seats, and focusing on Half Price Mondays and/or Premium games (Cubs, Red Sox, Yanks) with the idea of selling those tickets to better cover your costs. If that's not feasible for you, then it's not feasible...it certainly is a decent outlay of cash. But arguing that the Sox should have limited access to Opening Day tickets for people who are willing to outlay a few hundred or thousasnd dollars for tickets in favor of people who purchase tickets to a single game doesn't make any sense whatsoever...

Had you been a registered member of whitesox.com (and I don't understand why anyone wouldn't be) or simply searched around online, you could have found the password to purchase tickets on Wednesday. On that date, you would have been able to get tickets to the second game of the year - which will be the championship ring ceremony, certainly another special event. But that's now sold out too. I believe you can still get tickets to the April 5th game...the giveaway is a replica World Series trophy. Or as others have suggested, you can hit ebay or elsewhere to try and find reasonably priced tickets for Opening Day. Good Luck.

by hiphopnerd on Feb 18, 2006 2:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The writing was on the wall thebrit.

The smart guys bought their opening day seats through the group package program. That's where all the xtra tickets went. That happened early January. Can you blame the Sox for selling every ticket they can before the first pitch is even thrown?

I gambled my $$ on a season tix package with 3 other friends. Yeah it was a lot of money. But I saw it as an investment. Worst case I could sell enough to make it only mildly painful and have guarenteed playoff tix. Best case? I don't have to worry period. So far its best case plus plus.

Comonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn You White Sox!

by zokmaad on Feb 19, 2006 12:28 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

opening day

was not made available to groups. nor were the cubs games. i called the day group tix went on sale, waited on hold for an hour, only to find that those games weren't available and never had been.

i think the extra opening day tix are, like playoff tix, being held for those who know someone who knows someone.

by Ooga on Feb 19, 2006 3:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That's really odd.

I know someone who got group tix to opening day. I'm not just making this stuff up. I'll ask him how he did it and post later this week. Maybe it was some special deal. I know someone who got extra tix to Elvis night before they went on sale to the public because her group has been a regular at the event.

Comonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn You White Sox!

by zokmaad on Feb 19, 2006 10:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

So

the guy I work with - a die hard sox fan - said the guy who got GROUP TICKETS TO OPENING DAY BEFORE THEY WERE OFFERED TO GENERAL PUBLIC got them becasue he was a loyal returning customer. I see nothing wrong with that. So the opening day tickets went to season ticket owners, returning group ticket buyers and I suppose some select others. Oh well.

Comonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn You White Sox!

by zokmaad on Feb 21, 2006 7:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

interesting

i have to admit - while i'm shut out, i can't really complain about that policy.

thanks for following up.

by Ooga on Feb 21, 2006 11:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Looks like the 27-game plans

are sold out completely as well.

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cws/ticketing/plans/split_plans.jsp

AIM: SouthSideCheat

by The Cheat on Feb 20, 2006 5:12 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

no doubt

but this was mentioned in the original post.

zing!

sue me, i like joe crede Like pizza? check out my website.

by FAQ on Feb 20, 2006 8:24 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

$189 average for opening day tix

http://www.suntimes.com/output/sox/cst-nws-soxtix24.html

AIM: SouthSideCheat

by The Cheat on Feb 24, 2006 2:47 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

more impressive

are the prices for the other series. Seats near mine (section 158) were $70 for St Louis and that was a mid week series. I didn't even see Cub tix on Stub Hub. I wonder what they are going for?. If the Sox don't tank its going to be imposible to get 'good' seats at the Cell.

Comonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn You White Sox!

by zokmaad on Feb 24, 2006 9:32 PM CST reply actions 0 recs