Going to a Flyers Game? Leave Your Wallet at the Turnstile

We have all heard the joke a million times, "I had to mortgage my house for a beer at the Flyers game". Over the years I have become ambivalent to the fact that it cost a lot of money to take in a professional sporting event. But I love the sport, I love the team, so I suck it up and do it.

However, I have noticed this year, that the gouging of fans has just reached an all new despicable low.

A friend of mine who lives 2 hours away from Philly, and for some strange reason decides to keep Flyers season tickets, called me to invite me to tomorrow nights game vs. the New York Rangers. Face value of the ticket in the middle of the upper level is $58.00 and he only charges me what the season ticket holders pay. So the first time we went to a game together this year he was a tad late and I had to sit outside and wait; no big deal as the weather was nice.

To avoid this issue for tomorrow, he tells me that he can e-mail me the ticket. What a GREAT service for the Flyers to offer to the fans. So he e-mails it to me, and I go to print it. Much to my surprise, before I could get the ticket, I had to register an account with the Flyers and then pay them $2.50 to print up the ticket on my own PC, with my own toner, on my own paper. Are you kidding me? You guys have already been paid for these tickets, well in advance, and now you are going to charge me $2.50 for what? Hitting your web site and generating a new bar code?

I shouldn't be surprised though, each year the Flyers come up with an idea that sounds great, and then the do an awful job of implementing the idea. Ever hear of the family section? EXCELLENT IDEA. I could take my 4 year old daughter to a game for $10. I can create a new fan for the Flyers that someday will spend as much money as I do on the team. Ever try to get those family section tickets? Good Luck! But you will find them on StubHub 5 minutes after they were supposed to go on sale at 3 times the price.

How about those new Reebok Edge jerseys? I go to the 2nd home game and check them out to add one to my collection. $149.99 at the Wachovia Center for a blank jersey. I go to the mall the next day and get the same exact jersey for $109.99. Complete and total gouging.

I really want to throw my full and total support behind this team but damn do they try their best to make it hard. Nickel-and-diming the fans to death is not the way to build the next generation of hockey fans. But hey, they removed "Thank you fans!" from the ice, perhaps it should have been replaced with a collection plate...