David Ortiz's Number Retirement

drbretto

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Apr 10, 2009
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Concord, NH
I'm not sure I completely buy into the notion they're doing it to sell tickets. That would make sense if they're struggling, but we have a contender on the field.

I do like the idea that they're doing it to make sure he stays retired rather than try to come back and fizzle out and ultimately drag the team down.

Personally, I think they're doing it so soon because it's David Fucking Ortiz and it's basically the Red Sox as an organization endorsing his HoF run.
 

Laser Show

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Nov 7, 2008
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I'm not sure I completely buy into the notion they're doing it to sell tickets. That would make sense if they're struggling, but we have a contender on the field.

I do like the idea that they're doing it to make sure he stays retired rather than try to come back and fizzle out and ultimately drag the team down.

Personally, I think they're doing it so soon because it's David Fucking Ortiz and it's basically the Red Sox as an organization endorsing his HoF run.
Agreed with the last paragraph. I personally think that in 5 to 10 years when the usual number retirement ceremony would happen, he'll instead get a statue. Probably coinciding with his Cooperstown induction.
 

biollante

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Way too soon. His cleats probably still smell from last year. I love David Ortiz. I don't like retirement tours. I don't like early jersey retirement. Of course it is to sell tickets, that is what they do, I get it. The Red Sox are about hype. I would be happier if they lowered ticket, food and beer prices in his honor; that would be a celebration. Maybe have a day where you can't get in unless you bring a kid with you.
 

Jim Ed Rice in HOF

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Jul 21, 2005
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I won't argue against ticket revenue as one reason but the Red Sox are not stupid so why a Friday night in June?

Attendance by day of the week last year:
Monday 36,760
Tuesday 35,971
Wednesday 35,784
Thursday 36,597
Friday 36,760
Saturday 37,316
Sunday 36,526 (day games probably drop this down since sec. 34/35 are blocked)

Last year's attendance by month:
April 34,549
May 35,400
June 36,927
July 37,229
August 37,525
Sept 37,687

Pedro, Rice and Boggs were on a Tuesday, Tuesday, and Thursday respectively. If it was truly an attendance grab first and foremost why not a Tuesday or Wednesday in April or May when there's no other promotion already scheduled (get a Dave Dombrowski bobblehead!) to give you the most potential upside? I get that maybe you've got to work around Ortiz' schedule a bit but I'm sure they could have found a workable date that maximizes the ticket sales.
 

BoSoxLady

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Apr 24, 2003
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If it was just about ticket sales, they would have held the ceremony on a Wednesday night the first week of April. Friday nights are their second most popular day of the week. I believe the date is due to Papi's schedule. I have no idea why the Sox decided to retire Papi's number so soon but who gives a crap?
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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Oct 31, 2013
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If it was about ticket sales they would indeed wait for the year after a down year and do it on a midweek game. If you assume this year a given, then to maximize ticket sales they would do it on one of the game's first week of May which will undoubtedly be the lowest attended series by %capacity PLUS make it a Tier 1 game.

(It's absolutely nuts that the game after (24th) has higher face value than the 23rd)

It's totally about Ortizs schedule.
 

BoSoxLady

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(It's absolutely nuts that the game after (24th) has higher face value than the 23rd)

It's totally about Ortizs schedule.
As a Weekend STH (Sat/Sun), Saturday games are by far the most popular/most expensive. Starting in June, my Sat tickets are $140 each. Crazy.
 

Ale Xander

Hamilton
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Oct 31, 2013
72,567
As a Weekend STH (Sat/Sun), Saturday games are by far the most popular/most expensive. Starting in June, my Sat tickets are $140 each. Crazy.
99% of the time Saturdays are more popular than Fridays. Just not the 23/24 of June

You're real lucky to have that package, albeit a little less lucky than prior to onset of tiered pricing.
 

Leather

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Jul 18, 2005
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As a Weekend STH (Sat/Sun), Saturday games are by far the most popular/most expensive. Starting in June, my Sat tickets are $140 each. Crazy.
It makes sense; for families who choose to go to their One Annual Game, Saturday is the obvious choice (especially if they are from out of town), and that alone drives up demand.

It's not limited to baseball. I was scoping Minnesota Wild tickets on stubhub back in February and, even accounting for strength of opponent, Saturday games were about 10% more expensive than even Sunday games, and about 30% more expensive than mid-week games.