I was even more pissed when I realized I could have been watching the ChuckWagon in action live as he accumulated his triple double.
While I agree with what you've said, here's another scenario: Ticket holder X has been a season ticket holder for 5 years up in the nosebleeds while Ticket holder Y has been a season ticket holder for 2 years in the lower bowl. Ticket holder X is in line first and Ticket holder Y is right behind him. X gets courtside seats while Y gets an upgrade a few rows ahead of his current seat. You now just made Y mad (a person that obviously paid more for his season ticket package) and he's not going to renew. Flip the situation and you would have ticket holder X mad ("I've been a season ticket holder for FIVE years!"). In other words, yea the first person in line SHOULD get preferential treatment because he/she took the time to get in line first but 1. Having a "random draw" system, IMO, alleviates A LOT of upset customers 2. Like many have said, season ticket holders each have a rep they can contact and, as they should, do their job to appease the ticket holders (e.g. getting them great upgrades)
Are you rationalizing bad customer service? How about this: give the first people the best tickets, and make sure you have enough staff to process people quickly.
OP....If you don't feel like reading, skip down to the bolded part. There have been a lot of things that have irked me throughout my years as a season ticket holder, but I keep coming back. I can see how this would get on your nerves...it would do the same to me, although I would probably just keep it to myself and be happy I was able to upgrade at all. Of course, keeping my mouth shut when I was upset is not one of my specialties, so who really knows? They WILL work with you when you're upset. They don't want to lose a season ticket holder and will do things for you to keep you coming back. Call and tell them your story, tell them you're considering not renewing, and point blank ask them....what are you going to do to resolve this and bring me back? If I were you, I would do this ASAP because, if I remember correctly, the cut-off date was 3/26 (or was it 3/23?) to get the extra perks by renewing and paying before then. I think the order goes something like this: Ticket Rep <<< Brandon Moss (not sure of his title) <<< Zee French (not sure of his title either) I would start at the top by trying to get a hold of Zee, he's worked with me in the past when they messed up my tickets. He seemed very understanding and didn't mind going out of his (or the Rockets) way to please a season ticket holder. Brandon is just a great guy all around, if you can't get a hold of Zee, definitely ask for Brandon. I considered not renewing this year, but I just couldn't do it. The main things that get me are the extra money....parking and concession. I try to get free parking, but can't always make it early enough so I end up paying $7 most days, and I know I could just avoid the concession, but it's not the same if you don't at least have a drink! One of the main things that got me to renew this year was the fact that they're giving quite a bit of concession vouchers, so hopefully that will help me out in that situation. Oh, and one last thing.....I used to love the items they would give out each year for being a season ticket holder, but they have just got considerably worse. A personalized jersey? Not too bad, although I asked for them to put something on it, and they put my name instead. Some VERY nice luggage? This was probably my favorite one. Yao autographed shoes? Meh. Drexler autographed Jersey + blanket/chair/bbq set? Meh. I know I've left out quite a few others, but those are the ones that came to my head. Pugs P.S. Bring back the Dave and Buster's Play Day!!!!
I think the lack of information or clarity involving the upgrades is the issue if they stated in the packet w/ the upgrade vouchers having a system of upgrades that is based on seniority and cost of package i think it would be a lot easier like courtside+ first five rows will go to any STH with 5+ years of seniority OR any lower bowl STH with 3-4 years like rows 5-10 would go any lower bowl STH (1-2 years) or any STH with 2 years+ rows 11+ to any STH and this would be on a FCFS basis so if I was a STH in the 300s for 8 years and I get there early enough I could get a seat in the courtside section if not then it would be in rows 5-10 saying its FCFS i dont know in every ticket type situation I have experienced a FCFS system means if I am first in line i will be getting the best available seat.
They should put all the tickets in a huge bowl and let the customers just pull them out and that is what they get. Make it completely random and you get what you pull. Either way it's an upgrade and completely random.
Ugh, I have similar problems with Wizards season tickets. They don't even offer to automatically upgrade your season tickets location if someone with better seats decides not to renew. Twice I've only upgraded my seats after looking on their website and seeing that new season tickets holder could go online and get season tickets in a location better than my current seats. Anyway, just saying this kind of unfairness doesn't seem to be exclusive to the Rockets.
Like others said, I think in this case "first come, first served" does not imply that you will get the best upgrade. It just means that if you get their before they run out of upgrade tickets then you will get an upgrade. It doesn't surprise me that the reps were sorting through the tickets and separating the good ones. They want to give those to their clients to keep their clients happy. Don't you have a rep that you can contact? Maybe if you politely email them and tell them how you feel, they'll be able to do something for you and get you the best upgrades. The part time gameday workers that work at the ticket booths don't have as much vested in making the season ticket holders happy, so slamming tickets on a table accomplishes nothing.
Thanks Clutch for reminding folks about R E S P E C T in this board. You have worked hard to make Clutchfans what it is, a fun and respectable blog, and it has been a great experience to be a member. Lately though, some folks have just plain spread their filth here and have gotten away with it. Maybe a firm reminder from you, like this, my help and make the CF experience clean and fun again.
I haven't had a negative moment with my rep or anyone within the organization until i went back last night to explain what happened to me. I understand sorting out ones for your clients but give the the best of the rest. Thats all I was looking for. If row 20 in the upper bowl was the best they had left after taking out some for their client then thats perfectly fine. But dont give me row 20 and then give the people coming after me floor seats. Thats not right.
perhaps the the envelopes are in different groups to differentiate single seats and paired up seats (like for couples or groups)
So does this mean you can't be a real Rockets fan unless you go to the games? So technically, it goes something like this: If you're a real Rockets fan, you can't leave before the game ends ---> to leave before the game ends, you need to attend the games ---> so anyone that doesn't attend the games isn't a real Rockets fan. That being said...yeah, I hate to see people leaving early, but at least they showed up at all, so I can't be too upset. Pugs
I think it all has to do with your ticket rep. Te guy that sells us the tickets is pretty cool. We got floor seats for free and I dont even have season tickets.
So the moral of the story is.. Try to upgrade those season tickets 30mins after the doors open OR treat it like the lottery; don't like the upgrade? Stick to the original seats and try for upgrade next game. But for sure, I would contact the sales rep.
