Absolutly.

 

The Marlins don't owe you playoff priority. On the 2005 ticket books, the policy was made plain and clear that if you wanted it you had to re-up early. It was an additional service provided and it came with its own risks.

Since I started this thread a lot of people have speculated about a few things that I thought I'd clarify.

 

For the record the following is from the FAQ document they sent with the playoff offer:

 

Q: Do I have the option to purchase post season playoff strips [tickets] without a deposit for the 2006 regular season?

 

A: No, you must put down a non-refundable deposit by choosing option A or Option B for the 2006 season to secure your strips for the 2005 post season.

 

That's pretty unambiguous. Option A, by the way, was a payment plan that allowed you to obtain a 5% discount.

 

I have one seat in the terrace box with no parking pass. The cost of that seat is $1063.86. To date the Marlins have charged my credit card the first 4 installments of 5 totalling $851.09. As you can tell by my purchase, this isn't exactly "disposable" income otherwise I'd have purchased two seats like most people. But I AM a TRUE fan.

 

If you read my note you'll see that my first season was 2003. Not 2004. I purchased my tickets (then a 2 for 1 deal for less than $1000) before the 2003 began when everyone was pissed about CJ and Alfonseca being traded and the Hampton deal that brought Pierre here and there were zero expectations of the Marlins making the post season. I even had a bet with a friend of mine. He said the Marlins wouldn't be .500. He still owes me dinner for 2 at the Capital Grille.

 

One of you said the Marlins ceiling this year is .500. If I believed they had a chance at .500 I wouldn't be angry at all. This team could lose 100 games easily. But it's not the record that they might have that pisses me off. I'll still root for them, watch them on the tube and even attend a few games but I'm disugusted at how they are treating their best fans. I more than likely would have stayed put if they had offered a refund based on the drastic moves they've made. But they just said "you bought it now you're going to have to eat it." Which tells me that they really are out of here. Think about it. They roped like 10,000 people into next year but how many of them will be back in 2007 after the way they were treated?

 

I don't have to prove my "fandom" to any of you guys if you actually read my blog, that some of you ridiculed, you'd see that I am passionate about the Marlins.

 

And like it or not, this is like if you went to the jeweler and picked out a diamond and when it was delivered you got a yellow topaz. Maybe there was some fine print that said that they could pull the switcharoo but it would piss you off nonetheless.

 

I ask how many of you supposed fans that ridiculed my letter go to 60-70 games each year, by yourself, commuting 1 hour each way?

 

Oh and one last thing. Somebody said that I shouldn't have gone for the playoff offer based on the standings. I remember posting on this very board with about 12 games to go that baseball prospectus had the Marlins with the highest odds for winning the wild card. We actually led the wild card race for a day or two before the bottom fell out. How short our memories.

That is prefaced with "As a season ticket holder". They are addressing you as a STH. They weren't going to blacklist you from buying tickets like Average Joe (which is an inconvenience). I don't have a problem with your cause, FRZ, but let's not play ignorant to prove a point.

Of course we're talking about season ticket holders. I wanted to sit in my seat through whatever round of the playoffs we might go to. I didn't HAVE to re-up for 2006, yes I could have gotten in line like the schleps and the real bandwagoners to sit in the center field upper deck. But my point wasn't that I couldn't get 'any' tickets to the playoffs. The point was that to have 'my seat' in the playoffs I had to re-up.

 

And my letter is quite clear with the "as a season ticket holder" language.

You weren't prevented from getting playoff tickets. They weren't saying if you didn't renew by September that you get neither playoff tickets or 2006 tickets. As far as I'm aware the deadline to re-new your tickets hasn't even passed yet (the Nationals', said to be one of the early birds this year, was yesterday). This was an additional service (abet in a more restricted form than they had in past years) provided by the Marlins to season ticket holders to lock in their seats for the playoffs and 2006 season. The ONLY people who were supposedly 'scammed' are the ones who A. didn't want to wait in line for tickets to a possible playoff series or B. ignored caution and re-upped at first oportunity. Not to say it's their fault, but let's lay the all the facts out there.

 

"Didn't want to wait in line?" It's obvious that you haven't been through this. There were people camped out at the stadium the night before tickets went on sale who left empty-handed. You couldn't get through to TicketMaster on the phone and you couldn't get them online. The only way to ensure that you were going to be there at all was to renew your tickets in advance and pay for the entire playoff strip at the same time. They did refund the playoff strips money when they said they would. Those are the facts. The procedure this year was not the norm.

 

As I said, I'm not asking for a refund but this was wrong. Personally, the worst part is not the firesale. What's hard to stomach is being told to watch this young team develop but we're leaving in a couple of years.

As I said, I'm not asking for a refund but this was wrong. Personally, the worst part is not the firesale. What's hard to stomach is being told to watch this young team develop but we're leaving in a couple of years.

 

 

Those are my thoughts exactly. I'm not mad about the firesale. I understand what they are doing and why from a player personnel standpoint. But I'm not going to be told "You'll get nothing and like it!" as if I were Spalding Smails or something.

"You'll get nothing and like it!" as if I were Spalding Smails or something.

 

 

:lol

 

"I want a hamburger...no, a cheeseburger...I want a hot-dog and french fries..."

 

:lol :lol :lol

I'd bet money the Marlins promote players such as Josh Beckett and Carlos Delgado in their advertising campaigns for tickets.

 

If a person paid for tickets on the basis that those two players would be a part of what they are paying to see I think his argument is very valid.

 

I hope you win sir.

 

 

This is absolutely true.

 

In the 2006 renewal package that I received, every damn page was filled with pictures of Beckett, Delgado, Lo Duca, Lowell, Luis, JP, etc.

 

edit: just saw TSwift post the pics.

 

Of course we're talking about season ticket holders. I wanted to sit in my seat through whatever round of the playoffs we might go to. I didn't HAVE to re-up for 2006, yes I could have gotten in line like the schleps and the real bandwagoners to sit in the center field upper deck. But my point wasn't that I couldn't get 'any' tickets to the playoffs. The point was that to have 'my seat' in the playoffs I had to re-up.

 

And my letter is quite clear with the "as a season ticket holder" language.

 

 

I had season tickets in the Founders Club and on the 2005 playoff invoice they had my playoff seats in the Terrace Box, when I called to complain I was told there was nothing they could do about it and you can't pick and choose playoff seats when all along i've been lead to believe that if I re-upped early I would have had my CURRENT Founders Club seats guaranteed for the playoffs. I've been dicked around so much by the season ticket office, it's absurd. It's all moot now though, since they didn't make the playoffs.

 

I hate absolutely hate and despise the season ticket office.

You weren't prevented from getting playoff tickets. They weren't saying if you didn't renew by September that you get neither playoff tickets or 2006 tickets. As far as I'm aware the deadline to re-new your tickets hasn't even passed yet (the Nationals', said to be one of the early birds this year, was yesterday). This was an additional service (abet in a more restricted form than they had in past years) provided by the Marlins to season ticket holders to lock in their seats for the playoffs and 2006 season. The ONLY people who were supposedly 'scammed' are the ones who A. didn't want to wait in line for tickets to a possible playoff series or B. ignored caution and re-upped at first oportunity. Not to say it's their fault, but let's lay the all the facts out there.

"Didn't want to wait in line?" It's obvious that you haven't been through this. There were people camped out at the stadium the night before tickets went on sale who left empty-handed. You couldn't get through to TicketMaster on the phone and you couldn't get them online. The only way to ensure that you were going to be there at all was to renew your tickets in advance and pay for the entire playoff strip at the same time. They did refund the playoff strips money when they said they would. Those are the facts. The procedure this year was not the norm.

I'm not saying it isn't a hassle. I'm saying this is not an automatic right of season ticket holders. To inherit that right, you had to buy both 2005 and 2006 season tickets. The practice is new, but, like or not, but you agreed to that policy when you signed up for your 2005 ST's. Let's not make martyrs of out these people. There's more important things than fighting for people who simply didn't want to wait in line, however hard that may be. You know, like keeping the Marlins in South Florida.

 

I had season tickets in the Founders Club and on the 2005 playoff invoice they had my playoff seats in the Terrace Box, when I called to complain I was told there was nothing they could do about it and you can't pick and choose playoff seats when all along i've been lead to believe that if I re-upped early I would have had my CURRENT Founders Club seats guaranteed for the playoffs. I've been dicked around so much by the season ticket office, it's absurd. It's all moot now though, since they didn't make the playoffs.

 

I hate absolutely hate and despise the season ticket office.

 

This happens everywhere. To make room for VIPs, they must deplace certain people. For example, the Nats had pushed Diamond Club members back, infield to the baseline, lower level up to the top deck and so on.

I never said it was an absolute right. My issue is that they used an inducement in the form of playoff ticket guarantees to buy a product. That product (I am arguing) was represented to me in certain ways for 3 years. My expectation as ongoing consumer of that product was a reasonable expectation. I don't need for the Marlins to go to the playoffs or even be .500. But saying that they'll field a major league team next year is a lie. And my problem is that I don't like to be lied to and then be told shove it.

I don't disagree with that.

 

I do disagree with your expectation of the Marlins' ability to continuely invest in a playoff contender through veterans and free agents while receiving scant support from a number of parties.

i hope you get your money back and many others that want there's back......

This is not going to help the stadium cause

This is not going to help the stadium cause

 

 

The reason I became a STH in the first place was to support the team after their worst attendance in their history (2002) and kept them because I love baseball and I wanted to show support for the stadium. But think about it, a team that tells its STH to shove it, already has one foot out the door. If they thought they were staying they would have been more open minded about refunds. Everybody would now be talking about how classy they are instead of them being used car salesmen.

 

Remember the revenue picture for the Marlins in the current stadium doesn't change that much whether they have 5,000 people avg or 30,000 avg. So if they respected the fans and said "look we have to make these changes we don't want to make and we understand that this wasn't what you signed up for so if you'd like to cancel, go ahead" they'd lose some money in 2006 but have a lot of goodwill moving forward as these young players get better.

 

How many of the pissed fans that didn't get refunds for 2006 do you think will be STH in 2007?

This is not going to help the stadium cause

 

 

The reason I became a STH in the first place was to support the team after their worst attendance in their history (2002) and kept them because I love baseball and I wanted to show support for the stadium. But think about it, a team that tells its STH to shove it, already has one foot out the door. If they thought they were staying they would have been more open minded about refunds. Everybody would now be talking about how classy they are instead of them being used car salesmen.

 

Remember the revenue picture for the Marlins in the current stadium doesn't change that much whether they have 5,000 people avg or 30,000 avg. So if they respected the fans and said "look we have to make these changes we don't want to make and we understand that this wasn't what you signed up for so if you'd like to cancel, go ahead" they'd lose some money in 2006 but have a lot of goodwill moving forward as these young players get better.

 

How many of the pissed fans that didn't get refunds for 2006 do you think will be STH in 2007?

 

Exactly.

 

Either they are sure they won't be playing in South Florida, or they have no idea how to run a business. Fortunately for fans in South Florida (or unfortunately), based on the history of this front office the latter is reasonably possible

Sometimes I wonder who left the doors to the asylum open.

Sometimes I wonder who left the doors to the asylum open.

 

Sometimes I wonder which side of the door is the better one.

Sometimes I wonder who left the doors to the asylum open.

 

Sometimes I wonder which side of the door is the better one.

 

:thumbup

Dear Ford, I bought your 92' Festiva model because you said it was the best compact car going.......

 

 

Buyer beware.

Get your money back, you dont needa season ticket to be a damn fan, leave the man alone, he does what he wants, it's his money! I am a true fan....I would have done the same thing...

you know...

 

I believe everyone saw this coming... It's not like 2 weeks ago Loria came out and said " I'm trading the roster "

 

if you bought tickets then you bought tickets.

 

if I bought a satalite dish to watch night court on tv land, and tv land then took it off and replaced it with boosum buddies, I wouldn't be on the phone to Directv asking for a refund.

 

you have Marlins season tickets man, enjoy it.. even if they lose 100 games it's worth it.

you know...

 

I believe everyone saw this coming... It's not like 2 weeks ago Loria came out and said " I'm trading the roster "

 

if you bought tickets then you bought tickets.

 

if I bought a satalite dish to watch night court on tv land, and tv land then took it off and replaced it with boosum buddies, I wouldn't be on the phone to Directv asking for a refund.

 

you have Marlins season tickets man, enjoy it.. even if they lose 100 games it's worth it.

 

 

 

Ya you saw it coming Nostradamus. That's one of those throwaway lines you can say now that it's happened. But the fact is that this ownership had done nothing in 4 years to indicate that would trade away basically the entire starting line-up.

 

And if you bought a satellite dish to watch night court then you'd be confirming that you are the rube that I think you are.

 

Yeah that's a real good analogy except that I paid more than $1,000 for tickets that I won't even be able to give away.

you know...

 

I believe everyone saw this coming... It's not like 2 weeks ago Loria came out and said " I'm trading the roster "

 

if you bought tickets then you bought tickets.

 

if I bought a satalite dish to watch night court on tv land, and tv land then took it off and replaced it with boosum buddies, I wouldn't be on the phone to Directv asking for a refund.

 

you have Marlins season tickets man, enjoy it.. even if they lose 100 games it's worth it.

 

 

 

Ya you saw it coming Nostradamus. That's one of those throwaway lines you can say now that it's happened. But the fact is that this ownership had done nothing in 4 years to indicate that would trade away basically the entire starting line-up.

 

And if you bought a satellite dish to watch night court then you'd be confirming that you are the rube that I think you are.

 

Yeah that's a real good analogy except that I paid more than $1,000 for tickets that I won't even be able to give away.

:lol :lol :lol :lol

Oh please, suddenly Miss Cleo is everywhere. You can have different points of view on this but to suggest everyone should have known this was coming is ridiculous. We all figured there would be a lower payroll, we all saw trades coming. I don't recall anyone saying everyone but Dontrelle and Cabrera would be gone.

How can anyone honestly predict a firesale of historic proportions?