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Stephanie Smith Ms. Hoffmann English 1102 31 March 2014 In my second revision I inserted more of my perspective into my paper. My classmates said that my facts were spot on; however, they felt I needed to put my voice into the paper. Many of the changes I made included adding my personal experience. I also used Ballengers sandwich technique on some of my quotes. I am happy with what I have so far but I now I will need to fix my grammatical errors. I li e the way the paper flows in terms of information I have learned and putting my own spin on what I have discovered. My only concern is if my classmates feel li e my paper is boring. If so how do you thin I can eliminate these spots so that my paper is interesting to read! Come and Get Um. eer! Hotdog! Cotton Cand" #m. #m $#m $#m. #m #m $#m! $###m% &he cadence of 'oc(" al$oas E"e of the &iger echos thro#gh the stadi#m as )0!000 fans rise to their feet. *ans are chanting! (ids are screaming! and $eer is fl"ing. &he game is on the line and the home team is getting read" to p#ll an #pset. S+eat $eads start to form on "o#r forehead as "o#r e"es are gl#ed to the field. E,er" mo,e a pla"er ma(es is anal"-ed and e,er" second that tic(s off the cloc( is a step to+ard ,ictor". &his is the #ltimate fan e.perience. /s a sports fanatic 0 en1o" going to the stadi#m or arena to +atch m" team pla". &he electricit" in the air and the atmosphere of $eing +ith fello+ diehard fans cannot $e replicated. 2,er the "ears tic(et prices and o,erall cost of attending a game has gro+n s#$stantiall". 0 am +riting this paper from the perspecti,e of a diehard fan +ho

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has ES34 at m" fingertips! 0 get in game #pdates sent directl" to m" phone! and 0 am s#$scri$ed to the +ee(l" ES34 $log. 0 am +riting from a perspecti,e in +hich the cost of tic(et prices and attending a professional game has se,erel" limited m" a$ilit" to +atch a game in person. M" perspecti,e has not pre,io#sl" $een represented! therefore 0 am stepping o#t the norm to e.plore and $ring to light the +a"s tic(eting has e,ol,ed so that fans li(e m"self might ha,e an opport#nit" to +atch their fa,orite team pla" +itho#t losing an arm and a leg. &he dri,ing force $ehind m" paper re,ol,es aro#nd this 5#estion6 7hat is the relationship $et+een tic(et prices and attendance to professional sporting e,ents and ho+ has that affected the game8 &hro#gho#t m" paper 0 +ill $e foc#sing on three professional sports teams in the Charlotte area6 &he /tlanta ra,es! Charlotte o$cats! and Carolina 3anthers. 0f "o# ha,e $een to a professional $ase$all! foot$all! or $as(et$all game "o# pro$a$l" (no+ the ro#tine. *irst "o# m#st p#rchase "o#r tic(et. 9o# +ait in e.citement #ntil the game da" comes then "o# r#sh to the stadi#m! and finall" "o# are in "o#r seat to +atch the game. &his +as ho+ 0 pre,io#sl" tho#ght a$o#t going to a game. 4o+ thro#gh e.ploration and research 0 ha,e form#lated a different o#tloo(. 0 am interested in this partic#lar topic $eca#se 0 hate the fact that 0 cannot go to +atch m" 3anthers! ra,es! and o$cats pla". 0 started from step one the tic(et price. 0n m" sit#ation tic(ets are ,er" e.pensi,e eliminating me from attending the game. 0 $egan +ondering +h" tic(ets +ere priced so high and +h" do tic(et prices contin#all" change8

3rofessional sports are made possi$le not onl" $" the pla"ers $#t $" the fans as +ell. 0n order for teams to ma(e mone" the" need fans to attend their games. &he most logical +a" to get fans to the stadi#m is thro#gh tic(eting. &ic(ets are priced thro#gh a process (no+n as ,aria$le tic(et pricing or :&3. :&3 sets the price of a tic(et +ell $efore the season $egins and act#all" factors in the time! opponent! season! da" of the +ee(! and start time ;<ra"er! Shapiro!

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and Seo(i 1=)>. /ll professional sports teams #se some t"pe of :&3. 0t can $e t+ea(ed to fit the specific mar(et and it is solel" the responsi$ilit" of the organi-ation. Ho+e,er! as modern technolog" has e,ol,ed teams started noticing that +ith prices of games set $efore the season it does not gi,e them the opport#nit" to cash in on the premi#m games that +o#ld seemingl" ha,e more demand. &eams are losing mone" $eca#se the" cannot change their tic(et prices to accommodate certain ,aria$les ;<ra"er and Shapiro )32>. /s of 200? a process called d"namic tic(et pricing ;<&3> emerged and +as first implemented $" the San *rancisco Giants! a Ma1or @eag#e ase$all team ;<ra"er and Shapiro )3A>. <&3 stems from the concept of re,en#e management and is #sed $" the hotel and airline ind#stries. <&3 is different from :&3 in s#ch a +a" that the prices fl#ct#ate dail" instead of $eing set $efore the season. &he ,aria$les that <&3 ta(es into consideration are! B7eather! pla"er performance! team performance! opponent! and other sit#ational factorsC ;<ra"er and Shapiro )33>. oth :&3 and <&3 are $ased on demandD

ho+e,er! the fle.i$ilit" to change prices and the factors too( into consideration are completel" different. &he San *rancisco Giants d"namicall" priced a small portion of their o#tfield seats in 200?. /t the end of the 200? season the team compared the d"namicall" priced seats to the rest of the stadi#m +hich +ere not d"namicall" priced. &he anal"sis sho+ed that the Giants created appro.imatel" E)00!000 in e.tra re,en#e from the d"namicall" priced seats ;<ra"er and Shapiro )33>. /s the old sa"ing goes mone" tal(s and the proof is in the p#dding. 0n 2010 the Giants made the decision to d"namicall" price the entire stadi#m res#lting in an o,erall increase of FG in re,en#e. /fter the s#ccess the Giants e.perienced! <&3 has slo+l" started to permeate its +a" thro#gho#t the M@ and into the 4*@ and 4 /.

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Ma1or @eag#e ase$all is the front r#nner in <&3 implementation. 0n order to f#rther #nderstand <&3 0 p#t the microscope on the nearest M@ team in o#r area! the /tlanta ra,es. 0n 2012 the ra,es decided to test the +aters +ith <&3 and decided to implement the ne+ s"stematic approach to a section of a$o#t =!000 seats ;Hings>. ase$all is one of the longest

sport seasons. 0t lasts from /pril to late 2cto$er and each team has =1 home games. &he ra,es <&3 polic" is set thro#gh a series of pricing floors. eca#se season tic(et holders get their

tic(ets cheaper per game! the" did not +ant the d"namicall" priced tic(ets to fall $elo+ the threshold. &his eliminates the possi$ilit" of ha,e t+o fans sitting sideI$"Iside! one a season tic(et holder +ho paid E3) for his tic(et and the other fan +ho paid E1) for their tic(ets. /s "o# can see the organi-ation +o#ld lose their $ac( $one of s#pport from their season tic(et holders if the" co#ld p#rchase tic(ets indi,id#all" at a cheaper price. &hro#gho#t the process of del,ing deeper into tic(et prices for the /tlanta ra,es 0 +anted to create a form#la to depict the optimal time to p#rchase tic(ets. 0 fo#nd that cheaper tic(ets are #s#all" fo#nd at the $eginning of the "ear after 2pening <a" +ee(end. <&3 ta(es into consideration pla"er performance and since $ase$all has a rotation of fi,e to si. pitchers the prices can ,ar" from +hen the top pitcher is sched#led to pitch to +hen the inconsistent roo(ie ta(es the mo#nd. 3rices also fl#ct#ate depending on the +eather season. *or e.ample the spring and fall months +hen (ids are in school are considered tic(eting offIseason. 4ot to mention at this point in the "ear the +eather tends to $e cooler res#lting in a less comforta$le atmosphere for the fans. 0 also disco,ered that the cheapest tic(ets are a,aila$le d#ring the +ee(da". So for all those $ase$all fanatics li(e m"self +ho +ant to +atch their team pla"! the $est time to go is d#ring the +ee( against a poor team +hen a +ea(er pitcher is pitching. &his is +hen fans can

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t#rn d"namic pricing in their fa,or so that the" ha,e an opport#nit" to +atch the game in person instead of from home. &his is +hen fan attendance comes into pla". 2rgani-ations ha,e reali-ed that in order to (eep fans coming $ac( to the stadi#m the" ha,e to offer c#stomi-ed promotions to entice the fans +ho are on the $oarder of sta"ing at home or coming to the $all par( ;Crompton and Ho+ard>. &he /tlanta ra,es feat#re a theme par( com$o pac(age +hich allo+s fans to attend an /tlanta ra,es game +hile also recei,ing admission to either Si.I*lags! Stone Mo#ntain! Georgia /5#ari#m! or the CocaICola *actor". &he" also ha,e a pac(age that allo+s fans to choose si. games +ith added amenities and disco#nts. &he idea $ehind all incl#si,e deals is to get fans to not 1#st come to the par( once $#t to come $ac( m#ltiple times. @ast "ear alone the /tlanta ra,es 1#mped three spots from 1Ath to 13th o#t of 30 teams in a,erage attendance le,el ;Henned">. 2$,io#sl" the more appealing the tic(et price the more +illing people +ill $e to p#rchase tic(ets res#lting in increased attendance. eca#se $ase$all has so man" ,aria$les

d"namic pricing flo+s directl" into the scheme of the season. &ic(ets are a perisha$le in,entor" ;<ra"er and Shapiro )33>. 2nce the game is #nder+a" a tic(et has no monetar" +orth onl" sentimental ,al#e. E,er" game 0 ha,e +ent to 0 ha,e (ept the tic(et. 0t ser,es as a S< card in m" mind. 7hen 0 see the tic(et 0 immediatel" remem$er the la#ghs and memories m" mom and 0 shared as +e +atched the game together. 0n the 4ational *oot$all @eag#e each team has appro.imatel" eight home games. Eight home games is a far cr" from the =1 home games that the M@ pla"s. 7ith onl" a handf#l of S#nda"s to ma(e a profit tic(ets are significantl" higher. /ccording to 9ahoo Sports! last "ear the a,erage cost of one 4*@ tic(et +as EF=.3=. 7o+% &hat is a ch#n( of change. <o not forget after "o# p#rchase "o#r tic(et "o# +ill then ha,e to pa" for par(ing. 2nce "o# get in the

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stadi#m the aroma of fresh popped popcorn fills "o#r nose and "o# rel#ctantl" ma(e "o#r +a" to the concession stand +here "o# $#" a $eer! a $ag of popcorn! and ma"$e e,en a hotdog. "o# e,en get to "o#r seat "o# ha,e spent o,er E100 1#st to +atch a game. &he 4*@ certainl" has the highest tic(et prices compared to the 4 / and M@ . eca#se efore

of these high prices! 0 $elie,e the 4*@ has eliminated a large portion of their fan $ase. &he segment of their fan $ase that has $een eliminated incl#des me and millions of other people +ho are diehard fans. /ccording to the 7all Street Jo#rnal the 4*@ has seen an attendance drop of 4.)G since 200F ;Henned">. 0f teams are not selling o#t then +h" not decrease tic(et prices so that more people can come to the game8 2nce people are in the gates the" +ill not $e a$le to resist the temptation to p#rchase food from the concessions and go to the team stor". &he profits made from these ser,ices can help ma(e #p for lo+er tic(et prices. @ast "ear the 3anthers had one of their $est seasons since 2004 +hen the" made it to the S#per o+l. &he" finished the 2013I2014 campaign +ith 12 +ins and 4 losses. eca#se of their

recent s#ccess the 3anthers anno#nced in *e$r#ar"! B&he" +ere raising their tic(et prices from E2 to E21 depending on seat locationC ;3erson>. &he organi-ation is thin(ing that if the" can raise the price and fans are still +illing to pa" the" +ill create more re,en#e $eca#se of the competiti,e prod#ct the" ha,e on the field. &he lo+est tic(et price +o#ld $e E41 +hich is pro$a$l" the nose $leed section +here "o# need a microscope to see pla"ers on the field ;3erson>. 0 ha,e sat in the nose $leed section $efore and despite not $eing a$le to see the 1erse" n#m$ers or recogni-e the pla"ers! 0 got a great ,ie+ of the cit" s("line. 9es! 0 felt a little detached from gameD ho+e,er! 0 +as still en1o"ed the thrilling atmosphere and camaraderie of $eing +ith other fans.

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&he 3anthers ha,e alread" anno#nced their prices $efore the season. 0 (no+ the" #se ,aria$le tic(et pricing. &his is $ad ne+s for fans li(e m"self +ho hope to cash in on dramatic price fl#ct#ations +hich is feat#red in <&3. &he cheapest tic(et +ill $e aro#nd E41 dollars depending on the opponent! time of "ear! and seat location. &he @ions and 3atriots are the onl" t+o 4*@ teams to ma(e the s+itch from :&3 to <&3 this season and as 2014 rolls aro#nd onl" time +ill tell if the ris(" mo,e +ill pa" di,idends ;@a+erence>. 0nstead of going to the game! +h" not sit in the comfort of "o#r o+n home8 &he 4*@ has recogni-ed the fact that high tic(et cost eradicate millions of fans. 0n response o,er the past decade the 4*@ has increased their efforts to ma(e e,er" game a,aila$le thro#gh ser,ices li(e <irec&, and 4*@ 4et+or(. Stations s#ch as *o.! 4 C! and C S ha,e also chimed in on the s#rge of ,ie+ a#dience $" adding Hall of *ame pla"ers to anal"-e and commentate the game ;Schotte">. &he e,ol#tion in tele,ision! camera! media! and a#dio technolog" has changed the sports ind#str" especiall" in foot$all. 4e,er $efore ha,e fans $een a$le to sit on their co#ch to +atch a foot$all game in cr"stal clear high definition! co#nt the hairs on Cam 4e+tons head! listen to Cam call the pla"! and see instant repla" in a matter of seconds. &his added dimension to foot$all has changed the fan e.perience. /ll the added feat#res tele,ision $roadcast ha,e to offer has formed a ne+ d"namic that is more cost efficient for friends and families. Sta"ing at home ma" lac( the thrilling fan atmosphere $#t at least 0 get to sit in a comf" chair and +atch the $rilliant pla"s in slo+ mo. 0n m" ho#se +e ha,e a pregame chec( list6 ham$#rgers! <oritos! $ean dip! chips and salsa! and 0 cannot forget m" l#c(" MKMs. E,er" S#nda" afternoon 0 plop do+n in m" co#ch and 0 +atch e,er" second of the preIgame to get ca#ght #p on the latest foot$all ne+s. &hen 0 +atch e,er" pla" $" the 3anthers. Sometimes 0 scream at the &.: in fr#stration! other times 0

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1#mp for 1o". @astl"! 0 +atch the postIgame sho+ to hear a$o#t the scores from other teams. 7hat if the Charlotte o$cats are pla"ing +hile the 3anthers are on8 4o pro$lem. *lip the channel so "o# get the $est of $oth +orlds. See! +atching the game from home is not s#ch a $ad idea. Spea(ing of the o$cats 0 +ant to ta(e "o# thro#gh the last phase of m" e.amination of tic(eting for the Charlotte area professional sports. @ets $e honest! in the past the o$cats ha,e $een $elo+ a s#$Ipar team. 0n 2012 the" onl" +on se,en games. &hat is horrendo#s. /ltho#gh the team $arel" +on! all +as not lost. *rom a tic(eting and sales perspecti,e the 2012 season +as +hen the creati,it" and $rain rac(ing +as p#t into pla". &he Cats had to find a +a" to get fans to the games e,en if the" (ne+ their team +as going to lose ;@om$ardo>. &he o$cats too( a deeper loo( into their fan $ase. &he" tried to fig#re o#t +hat appeals to the fans! +hat promotions spar( an interest! and +hat prices are fans +illing to pa"8 /t the end of the +orst season in team histor" the Cats +ere onl" e.pected to ha,e a$o#t )0G of their season tic(et holders rene+ their contracts! (eep in mind the leag#e a,erage is in the lo+ =0s. &he o$cats needed to add another 30G to their season tic(et sales to $e in line +ith the rest of the 4 /. &he onl" +a" to ma(e #p the difference +as to ta(e an aggressi,e approach going into the s#mmer sales season. /t the end of the 2012 s#mmer sales p#sh! the o$cats hit the F0G season tic(et rene+al rate. &he (e" component $ehind their s#ccess +as the 2G2 ;$#" one get one> promotion that allo+ed fans to $#" a season tic(et for this "ear and recei,e a free season tic(et the #pcoming "ear. Ho+ did the o$cats gain so m#ch gro#nd8 B&he intent +as to mo,e

tic(ets and the promotions garnered interest!C said *la,il Hampsten! senior ,ice president of tic(et sales and data$ase mar(eting for the o$cats ;@om$ardo>. Creating mini season tic(et pac(ages that feat#re games against defending +orld champions Miami Heat and other pop#lar

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teams s#ch as the 2(lahoma Cit" &h#nder! and @/ @a(ers. &he o$cats +ere a$le to spar( an interest that allo+ed fans of these other teams to still come to the arena e,en if the" +ere not rooting for the o$cats. 0 am a Miami Heat fan and +hen the o$cats pla" the Heat in Charlotte 0 al+a"s chec( the tic(et prices +ith a hope that 0 can snea( into the game. eca#se the o$cats

#sed fle.i$le mini season tic(et pac(ages li(e +hat is #sed in the M@ the" +ere a$le to stim#late a demand for going to their games ;Crompton and Ho+ard>. &his demand ignited sales #ltimatel" ma(ing the o$cats a frontr#nner for other teams to start similar pac(ages +ithin their o+n organi-ation. &he Cats started loo(ing at the 4 / fan e.perience from a small mar(et perspecti,e ;@om$ardo>. &he" reali-ed that in order to ma(e their prod#ct desira$le the" need to sho+case amenities that lasted longer than the 4 / season. &he" created the Cats 3A) cl#$ +hich gi,es season tic(et holders access to a plethora of team e,ents and o#tings thro#gho#t the entire "ear. *rom a fans perspecti,e this is great ne+s. &ic(ets are $eing sold at prices that are reasona$le for the demographic and economic area of Charlotte. Going into the 2014 season the o$cats +ill $e re$randing their name to the Charlotte Hornets. &he atmosphere in the Charlotte area and the so#theast is $#--ing. *ans are e.cited and +ant to go +atch the soon to $e Hornets pla". &his ne+ $#-- is part of the garnered interest *la,il Hampsten +as tal(ing a$o#t. &ic(ets to the game are at a reasona$le price e,en tho#gh the" are d"namicall" priced. 4e.t "ear the Hornets +ill see a tremendo#s 1#mp in attendance 1#st $eca#se of the re$randing and the fact that this "ear the o$cats ha,e an opport#nit" to ma(e the pla"offs for the second time in team histor". #m. #m $#m $#m. #m #m $#m! #m $#m $###m% &he cadence of 'oc(" al$oas E"e of the &iger echoes thro#gh m" s#rro#nd so#nd as +e are on the edge of o#r co#ch side

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seats. M" mom is screaming! BGo go go%C @i(e he can act#all" hear her. M" dad +as asleep snoring in his @a-" o"! and 0 am 1#mping #p and do+n r#nning aro#nd acting li(e the diehard fan 0 am. 9es! +e ma" not $e a$le to afford tic(ets to +atch o#r fa,orite team pla"! $#t that +ill not stop #s. &hro#gh m" e.ploration 0 ha,e d#g deep into the roots of the relationship $et+een tic(et prices and attendance for the Charlotte area professional sports teams. 0 fo#nd o#t ho+ and +h" tic(ets +ere priced so dramaticall" different. 0 also disco,ered the $est times to p#rchase tic(ets. 0 ha,e learned that the #ltimate fan e.perience is not necessaril" created at the stadi#m or arena. &he #ltimate fan e.perience can $e recreated from the comfort of "o#r o+n home.

Smith 11 7or( Cited Henned"! r#ce. LSoaring &ic(et 3rices /re Hilling *oot$all /ttendance.L MS4Mone". MS4! 13 2ct. 2012. 7e$. 02 /pr. 2014 Hing! ill. L&ic(et Challenge6 Getting the 3rice 'ight.L - SportsBusiness Daily. Sports #siness <ail"! 12 Mar. 2012. 7e$. 2F Mar. 2014. @a+rence! Jesse. L/s &he S#per o+l &ic(et Mar(et *l#ct#ates! 3atriots and @ions Em$race :aria$le 3ricing *or 2014.L Forbes. *or$es Maga-ine! 02 *e$. 2014. 7e$. 2? Mar. 2014. 3erson! Joseph. LCarolina 3anthers.L Raise Ticket Prices for 2014 NFL Season Charlotte 2$ser,er! 1F *e$. 2014. 7e$. 2? Mar. 2014.