Actually 627-dunk is quite helpful even right before a game if you have a season pass or mini-pack. That is what they are there for. I remember calling them about another ticket for my nephew about 45 minutes before tipoff. Unfortunately none were available near us but they were very nice. I don't think they sell individual game tickets unless you are a mini-pack or season pass holder. That is what ticketmaster and the ticket booth is for.
kidrock: Just a few things about this you should know... First, single game tickets are sold ONLY at the box office or through Ticketmaster. This is the contract the Rockets have with Ticketmaster. No one in the Rockets' offices knows how many tickets are available on game day. Only Ticketmaster and the box office at the Compaq Center have that information. That is the way it is. Period. Second, calling 627-DUNK gets you to the Rockets front desk in their office. The woman who answers is Sandra. She is a tremendously patient and incredibly sweet woman. I think the world of her. How she has patience to deal with some of the nut jobs that call that number, I'll never know. I've watched her take phone calls and I couldn't manage it for 10 minutes let alone all damn day. Third, the Rockets currently control ONLY season tickets through their offices. There is no computer infrastructure that allows them to track tickets beyond what Ticketmaster provides. Period. If you asked them to give you info over the phone, the only way they could get it currently would be to call Ticketmaster just like you. Lastly, ALL of this will change with the new arena. Count on it. Your theories are based on assumptions that are simply and plainly incorrect. Yes, it would be nice if one number covered every ticket all the time. It doesn't. It probably will next year. End of story. So, stop your grousing and go down to the damn box office or call Ticketmaster.
Jeff and Heyp covered it for the most part. Ticketmaster has to shut down their online ticketing operations at a certain point. Selling tickets at multiple locations several days before a game, when we're maybe selling 200 tickets a day for that game total, is one thing. Trying to sell at multiple locations just before game time, when we might sell 2000 tickets in 2 hours, is quite another. Yes, in an ideal world, there should probably be technology available that could deal with this. There just isn't now, unfortunately. Understand your frustration -- there's just no good solution right now. Ticketmaster can't do it and there aren't really any viable alternatives out there. 713-627-DUNK is also really only for multi-ticket packages. If you want to buy a mini-plan, or make a group buy, or buy a season ticket, it's great. They can't sell you single game tickets. Those have to go through Ticketmaster. 627-DUNK is the Rockets season and group sales department. Best advice -- and I'm not trying to be snide by saying this -- is just to get tickets early. The Clippers game tonight wasn't anywhere near a sellout. But 3 of the last 4 games were, and Phoenix on Sunday and maybe Chicago on Friday could possibly sell out. The next game after that, the Lakers, is just about sold out except for a few tickets here and there. Tim
That was my main beef. Thank you for clearing it up in a professional manner, unlike a certain poster (ahem HP). The fact that a Rocket fan like myself (yes, despite my HUGE Laker fandom), was not aware of this makes me wonder, how random people who want to go to the game, will know about this. My whole gist is that the Rockets should be bending over backwards to make it easier for people to buy tickets, whether they are diehard fans who know the ticket policy more than they know how to speak in a non-******* tone. I just expected more from a first-class organization. I apologize for thinking that the Rockets would want to sell more tickets by having a more useful policy.
I realize this. However, I did not want to committ to buying tickets, because I didn't know if my friends could go to the game or not. As it turned out, my friends were not able to make it othe game. So I am happy I did not waste my money on unused tickets. Unless there was a refund policy... I know that is a pipe dream. Generally speaking, I purchase tickets at least a week ahead of time, so I avoid situations like this one.
HeyP, Are you OK man? Is it that time of the month for you? Your ass has been really testy lately in a few posts. Calm down. It will be ok. It's only a BBS...
That's NOT want I wanted to hear. I went to the ticket office at Compaq over a month ago and the lady at the window told me the game was sold out. Maybe she shouldn't have been talking on her cell phone at the time. (True story)
I'm just shocked that kidrock8 actually made it through six consecutive posts in one thread without slamming Steve...
Ticketmaster controls the ticket flow. You can purchase tickets from the Rockets directly up to game day in the am. in the pm, the tickets are only available at the box office. that is the way it is in all NBA arenas. I would not classify them as a joke. had you planned accordingly you could get tickets through the Rockets office. it is a contract agreement with Ticketmaster......
pffft I call it commitment to the Rockets and concern for squashing misinformation regarding *ticket sales.* I'm not shy about voicing complaints to the Rockets mgmt, but ignorance can be annoying, especially when people get insulting ("full-fledged joke"--is completely annoying ignorance). It's like whining..."why are the beers so expensive?" Waaaa... like you've never been to a ball park before. And this is different...like Jeff said, Sandra is about as helpful as anyone can be, and so are all those sales people. That sales staff is top notch. The idea of a Lakers fan like kidrock8 calling them and probably getting testy via ignorance is going to get a testy response from Jeff and I. just like an actual petition to fire Rudy will.
<a name="droxford88">How it should work: Online purchasing: A single web site should exist to purchase tickets at any time, using a backend which has the ability to change which database it connects to. If control of ticket purchasing switches from Ticketmaster to box office (or whoever), the web site should make that switch on the backend so that it's invisible to the customer. Phone purchasing: Same thing - you call in to one number, and if the control of ticket purchasing swithces from Ticketmaster to box office (or whoever), the automated or manual phone system should switch, again making it invisible to the customer Live, in-person purchases: Should just be controlled by a user sitting at a terminal using one of the above methods to place a ticket sale and can print out purchased tickets. The above system would allow for the transfer of control for ticket sales, easy access to sales and availability for customers, and multiple methods of purchasing tickets for Houstonians and visitors. I could build such an infrastructure if someone wants to hire me! -- droxford
i think there is a yao ming fan's club beside the compaq center, u can buy some really cheap group tickets over there. buy the tickets from the ticket master on the web r pretty convenience too.
Yeah, I do have to say that the Rockets practically kissed my ass as I went about buying 2 of the Cuttino Mobley 12-Packs. They kept calling me to make sure I got everything & that I was happy. Not their fault that 2 of the games (Knicks & Spurs) turned out to be total turds. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr... Anyway, Now they want my playoff tick deposit but to be quite honest, I don't know that paying up to another 2k for the playoffs is worth it for my upper level seats. I watched us win both championships while at Sam's Boat & had a blast partying w/ cheap beer, cheap women, & thousands of strangers. I will hope this comes about yet again.
HP is a passionate Rocket's fan and all that it stands for. Although I consider him a friend I have felt the wrath...
