Padres Baseball

Well, I think I may be right about the Padres and the fact that Mr. Moorad or whomever is in charge, has some sort of BIG payment due in August. First of all he sent notices to all current season ticket holders about renewing in August for next season. Though apparently trying to make it sound like the fans wanted this (hard to believe?) it has a ring of desperation.

Now, I would like you to take a look at the Padres website, click on tickets, then on season tickets. You will see a large add imploring you to buy 2011 season tickets and if you do so, you get (drum roll please) seats for August & September of this season FREE. AND, it includes post-season priority.

This is Marketing for the purpose of getting new season ticket buyers and doing so when the team is playing well.

Here's the problem: current season ticket holders. While the ticket prices are discounted nicely, it does not amount to 27 FREE games. That's 34% of a season (81 games). Is Mr. Moorad (or whoever came up with this idea) going to offer a refund to current season ticket holders? We have been offered an audience with our ticket representative at the end of August. It may be more prudent to have a meeting much earlier.

In our season ticket package, we received a plastic (like a credit card) ID card that, as far as I know, does nothing. We also received coupons for early entry, movie passes, & promotional items.

Just looking at the whole picture here, it seems that management is willing to lose current season ticket holders and offer the farm to those who sign up now. Lots of people are die hard Padres fans and have had season tickets for a long time. This is a slap in the face, a poor marketing decision.

There is a rumor flowing fast & furious through the crowds (at Petco) that the Swinging Friar is on the way out. Padres = Friars = Swinging Friar = team mascot. It is a San Diego tradition. Here is a question for Padres management: Is it true? Do you plan to do away with our mascot??

Another issue is this yahoo guy who wanders around, pretty much doing nothing except being very loud. He is annoying. Why does management believe we need to be entertained (or annoyed) between innings? About the only fun thing were the trivia questions, which they stopped doing.

See you at the ballpark.