PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Face value Patriots tickets: The Impossible Dream

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This morning Patriots tickets went on sale on Ticketmaster, and excited Pats fans with multiple browser windows open began their quest to secure face value tickets at 10am EST.

What followed shortly thereafter was a collection of responses like these from Twitter:

Even an informal twitter poll by yours truly failed to turn up one single fan who was able to get tickets this morning. This is nothing new, and there has to be a better way for regular fans to get tickets before they get bought up by the bots and resold at an increased price.

Here’s my proposal: why not go back to the old fashioned way? You know, have actual hard copies of tickets that real human beings can wait in line for and purchase?

The Patriots could even make an event out of it. I know more than a few people willing to drive down to Foxboro in early summer to wait in line with other fans. Put Pats highlights up on the jumbotron, play some music, get Coach Belichick to come out and shake hands, maybe cut some sleeves off (okay maybe that’s a little much). What a great way to get people pumped for the season!

And think of all the business it would drive to the Hall and Patriots Place! That’s money that goes back to the organization and not to ticket brokers like Stub Hub.

At least it would certainly be better to stand and wait with other passionate fans at the stadium than sitting in front of a computer, frantically refreshing multiple browsers only to find yourself screwed by Ticketmaster yet again.

It should not be this hard for average fans to get tickets at face value. Game day experiences are expensive enough without having to deal with all the increases the ticket brokers stick on them.

Ticketmaster is completely broken for sales days like today and it has been for a long time, yet it is still pitched to the fans as a chance to actually get tickets to a game, which rarely happens for anyone who’s not a ticket bot.

If the Pats are serious about getting tough on ticket brokers they should really look into new methods to get their tickets into the hands of their passionate fans who want and deserve them most. Ticketmaster is completely corrupted by online technology, and it’s unfair to continue to act as though getting tickets is as easy as logging on when the sale starts.

Rob Gronkowski Does ‘Crossys’ in Crowded L.A. Bar Bathroom With Brother, Stranger Following ESPYs – New England Patriots – NESN.com

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Rob Gronkowski Does ‘Crossys’ in Crowded L.A. Bar Bathroom With Brother, Stranger Following ESPYs – New England Patriots – NESN.com

Possibly the final off-field “Summer of Gronk” linkage of the summer. I hope..

“Gronkowski is in line for the bathroom. There’s a line, two urinals and a stall. They’re all waiting. Gronkowski is with his two brothers, who just looked awesome. He goes into the stall and he turns around to one of his brothers and says, ‘Crossys?’ The second brother goes in, the third brother goes in, and then there’s some guy who’s waiting — some small guy — and they say, ‘Let’s get him too.’ They grab this guy and pull him in, and they all pee in the bathroom together, in the stall.”

Welker learns harsh lesson as Pats answer peace gesture with no contract – NFL – CBSSports.com

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Welker learns harsh lesson as Pats answer peace gesture with no contract – NFL – CBSSports.com

Here’s your “Pats screwed Welker!” take from Mike Freeman. I’m going to great lengths today not to sound like I have anything but love for Welker, but I don’t think the Patriots will cease their dominance of the AFC without him, ultimately it’s Belichick and then Brady that count the most.

Where are all those who decry the “dink and dunk” Patriots offense that Welker is the prime target of? And what about those who worship at the altar of the “deep threat”? And yes, the Pats have sucked at drafting wide receivers, but that doesn’t mean that a) they will continue to miss on every one and b) they can’t just go out and get guys in free agency like they did with Welker and Moss and everyone else not named Deion Branch or David Givens.

Welker’s signing of the tag this year, instead of potentially holding out, was an olive branch. The Patriots took that branch, applied a saw, and then ate it with some fava beans and a nice Chianti. With the Patriots declining to do a long-term deal, this is likely Welker’s last year in New England. It’s possible the Patriots could use the tag again next year but they probably won’t. In all likelihood, Welker is gone, and I think the Patriots will regret it.

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Welker’s also subject to significant questions about his value in a context outside of the Patriots system. As a nontraditional sort of player, he really only fits into a handful of offensive schemes, and the vast majority of his success has come with an elite quarterback at the helm. It’s hard to imagine Welker, say, going to Cleveland and lining up as a split end for Brandon Weeden. Players of Welker’s ilk are also relatively plentiful and cheap. Welker was undrafted, as was Danny Amendola, Welker’s replacement at Texas Tech.2 Amendola doesn’t have Welker’s ability, but he had 85 catches with Sam Bradford at the helm in 2010 while playing a Welker-esque role. When the Patriots are debating whether to give Welker a long-term deal, they have to consider the possibility that they could get 90 percent of Welker’s performance from a player like Amendola at about 10 percent of the cost. It just doesn’t make sense to give Welker a long-term deal under those circumstances.

The past and present of the dreaded franchise tag – Grantland

https://www.patspropaganda.com/welkers-also-subject-to-significant-questions/