Once the assorted Giants and Jets fans enter the Stadium on Saturday night for the two teams' preseason game, their rooting interests will be fractured in two. Outside the stadium before the game, however, blue and green will harmoniously blend into one distinct shade of rebellion.Steve Kern, a Jets season ticket holder, has organized a pre-game protest rally at one of the stadium's entrances for fans of both teams to bemoan the personal seat licenses that are being foisted upon them when the new stadium for both clubs opens in a couple of years.
"What bothers me is that you aren't really getting perks beyond what you currently get as a season-ticket holder," said Kern, 44, who goes to each Jets home game with one of his three sons. So Kern has proposed alternatives, including limiting PSLs only to the most expensive seats; a five-year freeze on season ticket prices, and allowing small coolers to be brought into the stadium.All great ideas, all sure to be ignored. The teams don't care what what these dissenters think, because they can just dip into their well of waitlisted season ticket applicants and find people to pay the personal seat license fee, despite the fact that they're absurdly priced and exist without any benefit to the holder.
Still, in this day and age the only time people stray from passivity is when they're speaking their mind through their fingertips. So I applaud Kern for his efforts. It may or may not make a difference, but Kern and co. will have made some noise. And in the end, that's victory enough.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-21-2008 @ 1:56PM
JORT said...
I remember when the Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans were building the stadium in Nashville. I lived about one hour north and thought this would be a very cool way to see my favorite pro sport. After I found that I had to pay a seperate fee, just for the "right" to buy a season ticket I backed out. The mid-level seats PSL was over $1,000.00 per seat! Even the upper level seats where the partying is a lot looser and fun were over $500.00 per seat! Just for the right to buy a season ticket. If you give up your season ticket, the next person to buy the ticket still has to pay a PSL fee. It's a crock. Nearly all stadiums are built with public money, Jerry Johnson being the exception. Why do owners need this extra money?
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8-21-2008 @ 3:04PM
JPDurant said...
I have been a Season Ticket holder since 1976
I cannot afford the 5000.00 psl for each of 4 tickets.
This is outrageous.
Without the fans the NFL would not exist.
Obviously this consortium does not want us as patrons anymore.
At this time I will be forfeiting my privilege to continue to pay to see professional games live
I have a PCL personal couch license with a 50 inch plasma!!!
Wellington would never have done this.
Neither Jet or giant fans ask for a new stadium.
Megalomaniacs!!!
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8-21-2008 @ 10:27PM
John said...
Well said with $25.00 parking fee, $9.00 beer I don't go to games anymore, was ticket holder nomore let some dope pay there price
8-21-2008 @ 6:51PM
Al said...
Live in Nashville as well. PSL amounts to a deed of land, which you have access to onlly on game day, during the hours of the game. You cant take you own coolers, no frig available, recliner, etc. PSL's have turned pro sports into a venue for the upper middle and higher class people or corporations. Its a joke. All of those folks that buy jerseys, hats, etc to support these teams will never be able to afford to go. Thats such a shame. I'll stay at home, spend the cash on Flat Screen, Lazy Boy and Frig full of beer and food. What about you ?
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8-21-2008 @ 10:17PM
Gina Kubis said...
My dad has had GIANTS season tickets since the Polo grounds. We have two seats in the "coaches club" section and one in Field 2. I can't afford to pay the PSL let alone the $700 per seat ticket price. It is disheartening to say the least. I sat in my seat on Monday nite, I cheered for my team, but not with the gusto of years past. I made up T-shirts my son and I wore in protest of the PSL's, I also had a poster which I held up periodically hoping a camera man would at least take a picture. Not sure since I was at the game and not watching the TV. I won't be able to participate in the rally this weekend since I will be taking one of my children off to college. Another reason there is no money for football, College is more important. Just an average Jane living in NJ, getting the life sucked out of all of us at every turn. Like my shirt said "I'm Beat".
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8-22-2008 @ 8:00AM
lk said...
It really is too bad. I mean how many average joes's could afford these psl's? I thought the Giants were known as a blue collar team with blue collar fans. What blue collar man could afford to go to their games? Only the wealthy will be able to go and they will sit in their seats texting on their blackberries, not even watching the game. Just what the giants deserve after gouging their fans.
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8-26-2008 @ 5:52AM
Marty said...
If the teams are so confident in their market research that the market supports the PSL rates, they should guarantee to buy back the PSL from the original purchaser at the original price. That way, the long time loyal fans are not assuming the business risk that the market really isn't there and ownership gets to use the fans as a no interest lender to help fund the debt The fans are in this for the entertainment pleasure. Leave the business to the owners.
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8-29-2008 @ 12:40PM
johnny b said...
My family has had Jets season tix since 1965!!!! There has been ALOT of bad football played over the past 40 plus years, yet we stcuk by our team...and now the Jets and Mr. Johnson are royaly screwing us!!!!! OVER 40 years we have been a customer, and now Mr Johnson, you don't give a crap about us or our loyalty...you are a greedy evil person. I would welcome a conversation to hear you justify this..as if the Jets and you don't have the money for the new field!!
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