Carolina Panthers, Cam Newton, Empty Seats, Social Media, and Branding

[grateflday]

1 hour ago, Move the Panthers to Raleigh said:

The older I get, the less inclined I am to go to games and spend money. It just feels like a racket these days. Everything is way overpriced and being around thousands of drunk idiots is not as appealing when you don’t drink that much anymore 

 

1 hour ago, Greatman77 said:

Same. Call me a fair-weather fan but sitting on my comfortable couch, watching on my HD big screen is a lot more appealing than paying $30+ to park, + tickets +++$$$ for beer and food for terrible seats in the stratosphere (the only kind I can afford) where people are constantly walking in front of you going to and from the concession stands and the bathroom.

 

1 hour ago, CBDellinger said:

While I agree that Cam is a huge draw.... the cost is as big a factor as anything.  I took my wife and 2 boys yesterday and despite buying tix at well below face value we still spent about $400 on the afternoon.  Thats a huge chunk of change for a family to dish out.   

Right here is a big part of the problem.  It is just to expensive for a fan, and even worse if a casual fan, to attend a game.  And now with the main and almost only way to buy tickets is via ticket exchange they're adding another ~$11 per ticket in fee's.  I have two PSL's and every season we would buy two extra's outside the game, so the whole family can go.  Multiple times this season kept looking on ticket exchange and after price's being asked plus fee's we just kept deciding was not worth it.  I bet that is the attitude of many who think about going then decide not to after seeing what it will cost them to just get in.  

[SBiii]

47 minutes ago, Harbingers said:

....I’m sure Tepper has a dozen people and an AI figuring out what the actual issue is.

Is it possible that Tepper himself might be part of the problem?

[Harbingers]

Just now, SBiii said:

Is it possible that Tepper himself might be part of the problem?

I don’t see how. But I don’t know how much prices have fluctuated since he took over. 

[Squirrel]

$100 a ticket even for nosebleed seats is one issue. NFL has just gotten to expensive. 

[SBiii]

17 minutes ago, grateflday said:

Right here is a big part of the problem.  It is just to expensive for a fan, and even worse if a casual fan, to attend a game.  And now with the main and almost only way to buy tickets is via ticket exchange they're adding another ~$11 per ticket in fee's.  I have two PSL's and every season we would buy two extra's outside the game, so the whole family can go.  Multiple times this season kept looking on ticket exchange and after price's being asked plus fee's we just kept deciding was not worth it.  I bet that is the attitude of many who think about going then decide not to after seeing what it will cost them to just get in.  

Very interesting observations.  A coupla questions...

1.  How much were ticket prices increased going into this year?

2.  What are the mechanics of scalping a ticket with the new eletcronic system now in place?  How does one sell?  And buy? 

[Piff]

I would say that's partially true but Cam played in the home opener where there were a ton of empty seats during the game. At that time the excuse from a lot of people on this board was "it's too hot." Mediocrity since the SB year is the reason for the lower than usual game attendance.  

[Khyber53]

2 hours ago, Mr. Scot said:

Christian McCaffrey is actually now appearing in commercials for Felix Sabates Mercedes dealership alongside Ron Rivera. He's also being pretty prominently featured in advertisements by the NFL, including the popular NFL 100 party commercial.

It'd be valid to say he's becoming one of the faces of the league, not just the team.

General analysis usually says that the NFL is not as star driven as the NBA.

With that said, every team uses their stars in marketing and sells jerseys.

Whenever a popular player leaves, retires or gets cut, you're gonna see a transition like this. 

And just wait until there are three McCaffreys out there tearing up the NFL. Bosa who?

[Khyber53]

Me, personally, I'm just tired of marketing, marketing, marketing. Doesn't matter for who, it's just hype and advertising and money. Shut up and play ball, yanno?

[PhillyB]

brand is a big part, but i'd wager performance is the biggest part of the equation. cam's a transcendent, gamebreaking talent. that's why people who go to games to watch cam newton go to games. social media and fashion are ancillary.

[Darvinsun]

Myself has not watched a single game of NFL football since Cam has not played. I don't miss it either. I f Cam returns I will start back watching but I doubt it will be like it was before bc I doubt Cam will not be the same. Football just isn't the same to me as it was. Reality has set in.

[CRA]

7 minutes ago, Darvinsun said:

Myself has not watched a single game of NFL football since Cam has not played. I don't miss it either. I f Cam returns I will start back watching but I doubt it will be like it was before bc I doubt Cam will not be the same. Football just isn't the same to me as it was. Reality has set in.

Is this Cam’s mom? 

[CPF4LIFE]

1 hour ago, Waldo said:

Honestly, driving 7 hours to watch a game without Cam is really not that exciting on Sundays. I can sit at home enjoying the game and not be charged ridiculous amounts for food and beverages and save tons of valuble time. Add on I dont trust our coaches to be prepaired or the team to put up a good fight against great teams, it's not surprising. CMC is all the wow factor we have right now and that doesn't translate the same way it did for Cam as a QB. This has been going on more than a year and winning against teams like the Titans doing everything they can to lose a game doesn't change the overall funk this team has right now. It feels the same when Jake had been here a couple of years. Just meh, more medicoracy. Panther football is still fun, just not exciting enough to pay a premium in time and money.

I agree, if they turn right around a lay an egg against green bay its only gonna get worse even tho we would be only 5-4. We have simply gotten use to the ineptitude under rivera so its not surprising anymore. 

[grateflday]

41 minutes ago, grateflday said:

 

 

Right here is a big part of the problem.  It is just to expensive for a fan, and even worse if a casual fan, to attend a game.  And now with the main and almost only way to buy tickets is via ticket exchange they're adding another ~$11 per ticket in fee's.  I have two PSL's and every season we would buy two extra's outside the game, so the whole family can go.  Multiple times this season kept looking on ticket exchange and after price's being asked plus fee's we just kept deciding was not worth it.  I bet that is the attitude of many who think about going then decide not to after seeing what it will cost them to just get in.  

 

19 minutes ago, SBiii said:

Very interesting observations.  A coupla questions...

1.  How much were ticket prices increased going into this year?

2.  What are the mechanics of scalping a ticket with the new eletcronic system now in place?  How does one sell?  And buy? 

1.  The price increase is more so and dramatic over the past five or six years.  In 2013 my seats were $64 a piece and are now $100+ (they now do variable pricing, so some games cost more ie Skins this year are $123, that was what they did for Giants and Eagles last season).   Increases over seasons of course due to the normal annually of about $5 per seat  AND when they "lowered" pre-season prices several years ago they simply just shifted the cost onto the regular season games.  Overall the season ticket holder paid the same price for the season, but the single game buyer now was starting at a higher price.  PLUS when NC added a tax to the tickets that added another $5 plus per seat.  

2.  Scalping pretty much does not exist outside the stadium.  I saw one guy yesterday with a "buying & selling" sign.  I did not bother to ask how it works with him.  BUT overall scalping is all via the online sites now.  

[DeAngelo Beason]

3 hours ago, Jeremy Igo said:

But now the Carolina Panthers are starting to see the down side to being dual branded. When Cam Newton is no longer at the games there is a vacuum of interest and excitement. There is no one else on the team that can even approach Cam's showmanship and theatrical ability between the plays. The Carolina Panthers Show has lost its most beloved character. They are now the "Joey" to Cam Newton's "Friends". 

 

Pretty easy cure for this problem.

Win consistently.  Fans like winning way more than dancing.