What type people pay full price to watch an NFL preseason game live?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Seriously. Not knocking anyone, but I see full stadiums of people paying 50-100 bucks easy to watch fifth string players who are going to be cut the next day, and maybe seeing the big names play a series or two, if at all, especially in the first one or two games. Are these just die hard fans, who’ll watch anything invovling their team? People with massive disposable income? Recipients of the company’s season ticket block? I mean, I love football as much as anyone, but the thought of dropping a couple hundred bucks for a game, plus parking hassles, driving, etc. for a pre-season game is unthinkable to me.

Also, is there a reason to keep win loss records for the preseason? Do these even get recorded anywhere?

2

A lot of teams require that you buy the pre-season games if you want season tickets. Basically, if you want season tickets, you have no choice about it. Then, once you’ve got them, you might as well go to the games.

I don’t know the answer about the win-loss records. I know that pre-season stats don’t count for anything in NFL record books. They’re just exhibition games, not official. I suspect that the scores are just for the audience and nothing more. I don’t even know if Vegas puts odds on them.

3

One could also imagine that bookies or such might want to see how the team looks before the season actually starts.

Football isn’t all about fun for lots of people, I am sure.

4

WORD! My sister just moved to the States (to Cleveland OH) from Australia and she found the recent Cleveland Browns game to be a perfect insomnia cure - 3.5 hours of stop-start boredom!

5

People like me, who find it extremely difficult to get regular season tickets for a fair price, the only opportunity to see your team live.

Besides, in pre season you generally have better weather (for non-dome stadiums.) It sucks to freeze your butt off in the stands (playoff games excepted, you’re too excited to care.)

6

That is what the local team here does; full price mind you.

7

Sometimes the game is played in an unusual location, and has a bit of novelty value. For example, last night the Saints played the Colts in Jackson, Mississippi. Don’t think they sold out the stadium, but they still drew 50,000+ to War Memorial Stadium. Jackson doesn’t get pro football all that often. Suspect that Peyton Manning was as much of a draw as the Saints were…

8

They are kind enough to allow you to pay full price to watch games that matter to nobody.It is a rip off of the highest order.They have no shame.The first games show one series with regulars.Then people no one ever heard of come on field.

9

Let’s face it; going to a stadium for a game is as much about the social gathering as it is about the sports.

10

That’s it in my case. I’m an Atlanta Falcons fan, so I went to Nashville yesterday to see the Falcons play the Titans. This is the closest my team is going to come to Memphis in the foreseeable future, so I got two tickets on eBay for $50. (Surprisingly, Michael Vick played almost the entire first half.)

Also I’ve been living outside of Atlanta for quite a while, so this was the first time I’ve been to a Falcons game since about 1991. It was great.

11

The Rams do this. If you want season tickets, you also get tickets for the preseason games. Period.

Unlike some teams, however, the Rams hold back about 3,000 seats for single-game sales. They couldn’t sell them all for the first preseason game this season. As a result, no local TV.

12

The Eagles do the same thing. Bit of a pain. Its always a weeknight so you get rush hour traffic to the stadium. Lots of visiting fans in the park too.

But to answer the OP, the folks that pay to see pre-season are often those that can’t get or can’t afford a full season package. We have an extremely long waiting list for season tickets in Philly. Season ticket holders actually got more than face for the Pittsbugh game due to the demand from Steelers fans in the area.

A lot of folks use pre-season to take the kiddies out to their first Eagles game since regular season tickets will go for a lot more.

13

For me, getting a preseason ticket from a friend (even at full price) is usually my only chance to go to Lambeau Field and see the Packers without paying double or triple price. It’s worth every penny. The game may not matter, but just being there is enough.

14

I think being a transplanted fan getting a chance to see your team play is a big reason. I am a big Chargers fan and when I lived in the bay area, the 49’ers would regularly play the Chargers in pre-season. So it was a great way to see the Chargers play without having to go to Oakland (and deal with Oakland fans).