America's Team or Corporate America??

Cas2800

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Well Besides the heartbreak of going to the game and watching the Cowboys lose this weekend. I also had a much bigger heartbreak while in Dallas. As a season ticket holder I got my chance to get to hear Jerry’s sales pitch in an attempt to get me to purchase ticket to the new stadium. I wanted to share my sincere heartbreak with my fellow Cowboys fans to show how greedy Jerry Jones really is and how this is only a business to him and he could care less about the fans.

I ask the mods to please not remove this post out of the of the “Fan Zone” because I believe all "fans" should read it and understand what it will soon cost to see a Cowboys game live.

I would first like to tell you that I am a diehard Cowboys fan in New Mexico. I have a wife and three children between. Between my wife and I we make an annual income of $160,000.00. In 2002 I purchased the rights to Cowboys season tickets from a gentlemen who owned the seats since 1975. The tickets are on the 45 yard line 12 rows behind the Cowboys bench. Since then I have traveled to Dallas 6 times a year to see my Cowboys play. I would trade 2 of the games to the guy next to me for his tickets so I would be able to take my kids once a year to see a game.

In November I received my package telling me that I would have 2 seats in a comparable location and that I needed to schedule a visit to the sales office to see the presentation and to find out where my seats were located.

So on Saturday I attended my appointment. I was greeted but one of Jerry’s sales people who told me all about the new stadium and the new “Club Level” that I would be a member of once I purchased me new seats. I was shown a 4 foot model of the new stadium and even taken in a room to see a video of the history of the Dallas Cowboys. I was also allowed to sit in the new stadium seats which happened to be leather. Then came the dreaded part.

I was taken into another room where I was shown a computer image of the new stadium and where my assigned seats were located. My new seats were on the lowest level closest to the field and 15 rows behind the Cowboys bench. Not too shabby I thought! Then came the pricing. The pricing was as follows:

The “Club Level” pricing was broken down in three categories.

RED- $ 16,000 per seat = $32,000 for a set of two seats.
These are seats located from the goal line to the 25 yard line.

GREEN- $ 35,000 per seat = $ 70,000 for a set of two seats.
These seats are located from the 25 yard line to the 35 yard line.

Yellow- $ 50,000 per seat = 100,000 for a set of two seats.
These seats are located from the 35 yard line to the 50 yard line.

My allotted seated were in the Green price range which meant $ 70,000 for my two seats.
The salesman told me I had three options of payment.

Pay $ 70,000 all up front.
Pay the $70,000 in three easy payments before 2009.
OR finance the $70,000 over a 30 year period with 8.5% interest. With 20% down
($ 14,340)

Well my ONLY option was to see what it would cost me to finance the $70,000 over the 30 years. The salesman was quick to tell me how great an investment it would be and provided me with the following breakdown and told be the cost would be ONLY
$11,580 per year for the two seats.

340.00 x 2 = $ 680.00 for two tickets per game
680.00 x 10 games = $ 6800.00
Seat option invoice= $ 4780.00
Total $11580.00 per year

He then handed me the contract which showed the amount financed $ 55,660.00 (minus the down payment of $ 14,340.00) financed for 30 years at 8.52% came out to $157,739.69.

So for the rights to two tickets on the 35 yard line would cost me $ 157,739.69 over the thirty year period. I thought THAT’S CRAZY!!!!

But as I did the math in my head I quickly realized that:

$11,580.00 x 30 years = over $ 350,000.00. So I asked him about the price discrepancy. He told me he was not sure but that the figures on the papers were right and that he did not have a calculator. Well thanks to my calculator on my cell phone I quickly realized that the $157,000 that was listed on the paper did not include the price of each year’s tickets. The price of the tickets over the 30 year period would be $204,000.00. The salesman was quick to tell me that the 340.00 per ticket was guaranteed for 5 years and I would have to pay the going rate after the 5 years.

For the rights to own two tickets to the Dallas Cowboys on the 35 yard line would cost a whooping $ 350,000.00 over the thirty year period.

I turned to the salesman and asked could you afford to own tickets in the new stadium. He said no but it’s a good investment if you can afford it. Its kind of like buying a house. I then told him, no it isn’t because after I pay 30 years on the house the house is mine. And I can sell the house or give it to my kids or do what I want with it. I asked him what I get after 30 years of paying my seat options and he sadly said nothing. That’s right! After paying 30 years and $ 350,000 in seat options you walk away with nothing, zero, nada! Well I’m mistaking you do get a chance to buy the same tickets for the new going rate. Now ain’t that a bunch of CRAP!
Needless to say this Cowboy fan who used to drive (or fly) a 10 hour trip, rent a hotel room for 3 days pay to eat out for three days to see my Cowboys play will not longer be able to afford to see any games.

Instead of America’s Team, Jerry Jones has sold out to Corporate America.

NOTE: the $ 340.00 ticket price per seat is ANY seat between each goal line regardless of the $16,000, $35,000 or $50,000 seat option you buy.

And for those who used to buy a cheap ticket to a preseason game? YUP you guess it $340.00 per seat even in preseason!

Heart broken and disgruntled!
 

THUMPER

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WOW! That's all I can say about that, wow.

:bang2: :bang2: :bang2: :bang2: :bang2: :bang2:
 

SkinsHokieFan

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I love the stadium Jerry is building and know he has put tons of his own cash into it

But damn, how the hell does he expect to fill it with those prices? Does he want it so that only corporations can buy the seats and eliminate any atmosphere?

This is why, as much as I want a stadium in DC proper, that I hope Snyder does not build his own stadium
 

Maikeru-sama

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Not suprising.

I wonder how Jerry Jones' prices compare with other new stadiums, even though I believe this is the most expensive NFL Stadium ever built?

I remember hearing that a representative from the Cowboys called into GAC on ESPN to assuage the masses when all of this came out. He reportedly said that weatlhy fans are just as loud and raucous as working class fans :rolleyes:.

All my money will be going to Grad School, so I will continue to proudly watch the game on TV.

Let's just hope the beautiful folks in North Dallas and beyond foot the bill and gobble up the seats when the Cowboys are not winning so we don't have to worry about blackouts :cool:.
 

Maikeru-sama

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SkinsHokieFan;1908536 said:
I love the stadium Jerry is building and know he has put tons of his own cash into it

But damn, how the hell does he expect to fill it with those prices? Does he want it so that only corporations can buy the seats and eliminate any atmosphere?

This is why, as much as I want a stadium in DC proper, that I hope Snyder does not build his own stadium

They said the same thing about Texas Stadium when it was built. Even though it was a bond and you could get your money back, everyone said the prices were too high but people found a way to afford them.

Its the Dallas Cowboys and they are always going to be a hot item, so people will always find a way. The rich will certainly pay top dollar and the not-so-rich, well they will just take out a second mortgage :laugh2: .
 

ETex

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There is a 20 someodd page thread over on dallascowboys.com homesite forum about this. I think one phrase sums it up....Wine and Cheese Crowd

From goal line to goal line for the first 3 decks every seat is $340/game. Thats the killer of it to me.
Plus the PSL expires in 30yrs. unlike all other clubs that use them. Tell me this, what is the value of that 50K PSL in 15yrs? Agents would have you believe it would be more than 50K. I cannot see how it would be anything more than half of it.

For now, I kinda lucked out; my seats are an aisle away from the PSL area on the endzone side of the goal line. Price$ have not been revealed for any other seats yet. I'm scared but hopeful. :(
 

ryanbabs

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No more "home-field advantage"...:eek: There will probably be people there that think they are at a baseball game.
 

ETex

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mickgreen58;1908547 said:
They said the same thing about Texas Stadium when it was built. Even though it was a bond and you could get your money back, everyone said the prices were too high but people found a way to afford them.

Its the Dallas Cowboys and they are always going to be a hot item, so people will always find a way. The rich will certainly pay top dollar and the not-so-rich, well they will just take out a second mortgage :laugh2: .

The Carolina Panther had the highest PSL charged in history when they funded their new stadium.

It was 12K

Jerry's World highest is 150K!!!!!

Most of the bonds that were sold back in 71 were $250 - $1000 and it earned a return on your investment like all bonds do when it matured.
Like Cas2800 said, in the end, your investment in the new stadium is worth NADA.
 

ryanbabs

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You could rent out a suite or such (or build one), buy the biggest, baddest plasma you could think of and have your own "simulation" of a game atmosphere for less than that!
 

Maikeru-sama

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ETex;1908559 said:
The Carolina Panther had the highest PSL charged in history when they funded their new stadium.

It was 12K

Jerry's World highest is 150K!!!!!

Most of the bonds that were sold back in 71 were $250 - $1000 and it earned a return on your investment like all bonds do when it matured.
Like Cas2800 said, in the end, your investment in the new stadium is worth NADA.

Yeah, I know.

Randy Galloway was on the radio and had Frank Luksa or Rick Gosselin on when the new prices were revealed and they were saying that everyone around here was saying that the prices were unaffordable when TS was built.
 

SkinsHokieFan

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mickgreen58;1908566 said:
Yeah, I know.

Randy Galloway was on the radio and had Frank Luksa or Rick Gosselin on when the new prices were revealed and they were saying that everyone around here was saying that the prices were unaffordable when TS was built.

Even if you factored in inflation, 250-1000 is nowhere near the money that is being asked for now

As was stated in a previous post, the "ordinary" fan will have to take out a 2nd mortgage to afford this

Granted, Jerry has put in 300 million of his own money, and financed through all sorts of other means, so he will have high debt on the stadium, but g-damn thats a lot of money for a football game

Add to it the uncertain economic times coming, as well as the credit crunch, how do owners expect to sell thier seats?
 

lspain1

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ryanbabs;1908561 said:
You could rent out a suite or such (or build one), buy the biggest, baddest plasma you could think of and have your own "simulation" of a game atmosphere for less than that!

So true. I'm a distant fan so season tickets are not the agenda for me, but I would have to seriously consider other things I could do for that kind of money. I wonder what will happen to the tailgate atmosphere outside the stadium at these prices.
 

ETex

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SkinsHokieFan;1908569 said:
Granted, Jerry has put in 300 million of his own money, and financed through all sorts of other means, so he will have high debt on the stadium, but g-damn thats a lot of money for a football game

Add to it the uncertain economic times coming, as well as the credit crunch, how do owners expect to sell thier seats?

This is a Copy/Paste quote from a member over @ the cowboys home site: http://blog.dallascowboys.com/forums/p/27407/1024162.aspx#1024162

OK, so who wants to play a little game? For those of you who have opted out and are wondering what your non-club PSLs might cost, let's do an amateur Break-Even analysis...PSLs intent is to pay for the stadium construction, so...

$1,100,000,000............Latest Stadium cost estimate with change orders to date
($325,000,000).............Less: Construction $$$ from City of Arlington
($150,000,000).............Less: NFL contribution to Cowboys for new stadium construction (per Wikipedia New Cowboys Stadium)
_____________________
$625,000,000................Remaining cost of Stadium construction to be financed through PSLs
Less: Stadium amount financed through 15,000 Club Seat PSLs (seat quantities estimated)
($115,200,000)...............Approx 7,200 Club Seat PSLs @ $16,000 per
($126,000,000)...............Approx 3,600 Club Seat PSLs @ $35,000 per
($160,000,000)...............Approx 3,200 Club Seat PSLs @ $50,000 per
($50,000,000).................Approx 500 Club Seat PSLs @ $100,000 per
($75,000,000).................Approx 500 Club Seat PSLs @ $150,000 per
_______________________
$98,800,000...................Approx Remaining stadium balance to be financed through non club seat PSLs
65,000...........................Number of Non-club seat PSLs
____________________________
$1,520...........................Approx Cowboys Break-even price on Non-Club seat PSLs

Obviously this model is very simplistic, but the larger numbers are materially correct. Is there anyone out there who really believes that the non-club seat PSL's will average around $1,500??? Of course not!!!!! This stadium will be a big money maker before a single ticket is sold.
 

MaineBoy

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maybe Jerry could win ONE playoff game before he hikes the prices like that ?
 

Danny White

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Cas2800 -- did they offer to sell you any "cheaper" seats that fit your budget any better? Say maybe seats in the upper deck or other non-club areas?

How did prices for those areas compare?
 

ETex

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Danny White;1908607 said:
Cas2800 -- did they offer to sell you any "cheaper" seats that fit your budget any better? Say maybe seats in the upper deck or other non-club areas?

How did prices for those areas compare?

I'll answer for him; they will let you opt out of your seats and you have to put a $500/seat refundable deposit down and you will get on a waiting list for non-club seats. Now as to whether you get to cut in line; or get behind someone like me who already has non-club seats has not been determined.
Neither has the prices.
 

DallasCowpoke

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Here's a quick and simple enough alternative, DON'T BUY "CLUB LEVEL" TICKETS!!

I've been out there TWICE, and I don't quite get what's so hard for ppl to comprehend?

You're being shown THE HIGHEST PRICED TICKET LEVEL AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. THERE WILL BE LOWER PRICED TICKETS AVAILABLE, but NOT UNTIL FEB OR MARCH.

It's NOT really THAT hard to understand, is it!?


:bang2:
 

ETex

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DallasCowpoke;1908634 said:
Here's a quick and simple enough alternative, DON'T BUY "CLUB LEVEL" TICKETS!!

I've been out there TWICE, and I don't quite get what's so hard for ppl to comprehend?

You're being shown THE HIGHEST PRICED TICKET LEVEL AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. THERE WILL BE LOWER PRICED TICKETS AVAILABLE, but NOT UNTIL FEB OR MARCH.

It's NOT really THAT hard to understand, is it!?


:bang2:

People aren't misunderstanding anything. Maybe you don't understand this...

There are no "good" seats that aren't Club Seats. From Goal Line to Goal Line for all lower decks their all club seats!
 
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