Bucs Returning Forfeited Deposit Money — Sort Of
February 3rd, 2011
If you had purchased a now-extinct Buccaneers seat deposit in order to buy season tickets, every year when you bought tickets a portion of the deposit cash applied to the sale and the rest stayed on deposit.
Ditched your season tickets?
Then you flushed your remaining deposit cash down the toilet.
But the Bucs are now reaching their hands into the potty to give fans that money back in the form of food, drink and merchandise. Letters were sent to former season ticket holders advising them that if they buy 2011 season tickets by Sunday — without a deposit or long term contract — the amount of their forfeited deposits will be credited to them in concessions.
Joe has received numerous e-mails from giddy fans. (Please stop e-mailing.) And Joe tips his cap to longtime reader James in Dunedin, who sent Joe his paper trail from the Buccaneers.
As one fan wrote Joe, “Team Glazer’s going to buy me and my son lunch and beer at every home game, how could I not get season tix again? I’ll probably have enough to snag jerseys too.”
Interesting move by Team Glazer, a wise decision for long term growth — lasting fans for the mythical “lasting contender.” Bucs officials remind Joe that all season ticket holders will receive a discount on concessions next season.
Joe wonders what kind of response is coming in.
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:54 am
Classy move- shows that the Glazers have their hand on the pulse of the average fan during economic hard times. Giving back money? Thats cool!
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:56 am
for this past season i got a pair of 30$ food credit cards for every home game hard to spend it all at the games but it was a cool move by the bucs eat and drink free all season
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:57 am
This is a nice move that takes away yet another excuse for fans who say it was to expensive to renew their season tickets.
I’m sure someone will find a way to turn it into a negative though.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:15 am
They are giving a very good effort to restore the fan base and fill the seats. They also have a plan and vision of how to build the Bucs properly – which is working. A franchise QB in an exciting offense, continued efforts to shore up the defense this draft no doubt – there really is no excuse short of jobless to not support them via single game or season tickets.
Man I wish I still lived there instead of Panther country…at least I can tease them now.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:37 am
Anyone who thinks the Glazers are bad owners need to read this….
http://mirror.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/40063/the-cranky-redskins-fans-guide-to-dan-snyder.html
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:44 am
D-Money here you go, another “negative”, ie, reality check.
Again, I being a loyal and CURRENT season ticket holder get screwed. If you resigned up after your 10 years were up, you did not recieve a check for the remaining 55 percent left of your initial seat deposit as agreed upon at the time you bought your ticket. They came up with the scam of telling us if you reup for an additional 3 years, you didn’t have to pay another deposit and they would continue to refunding your measley 5 percent back each year. Of course NOBODY has to pay the deposit now.
I found out of the people who have come to the end of their additional 3 year mark, are getting a credit towards this years ticket price with the balance of their initial deposit. I went to the Ticket office when I got my bill and asked why can’t I get my deposit balance credited this year also.(I have until next year for my 3 year extension is up) I was told wait til next year. So my balance is in limbo collecting interest in their bank.
Just give me my money back dudes!
P.S. Strangley enough, I still haven’t gotten my yearly $36.00 refund check from the Glazers!
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:46 am
Only the jobless? Wow, I guess hours cut means nothing? How about cutting off 25% of your weekly pay? Oh yeah, and the wife lost hers totally. I guess, if I didnt have a house, wife, kids, or cars and all things associated, I might be able to go?! As a season ticket holder of the past for 10+ years, I just can’t make it there, until the economy turns around and things go back to when we could go.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:48 am
i was a season ticket holder in 2007 and prior. does that mean i can get some of that deposit money back if i buy season tickets this year or does this only apply to people renewing from last year?
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:51 am
I think maybe Team Glazer is seeing what Mr Vinik is doing with the Lightning and feels the need to step it up.
February 3rd, 2011 at 11:13 am
gbuc,
Wah wah wah.
If you don’t like it don’t buy the tickets.
Its called business pal, supply and demand, companies do things like this all the time to bring in new busines and bring back customers they may have lost.
Do you have an HD TV? I bet if you do you paid at least three hundred bucks more for it than they are available for now. Do you go crying to the TV manufacturer that they are screwing you.
No one is screwing you. It was worth it for you when you bought your tickets to agree to the terms of the seat deposit dont bitch about it now because things have changed.
February 3rd, 2011 at 11:18 am
nevermind i found my anwser yes even tho the money was from 2005 i can still use it…hmmmm $400 is temping
February 3rd, 2011 at 11:38 am
Good move by the Glazers, but in all seriousness, how much do they actually pay for that hotdog they charge you $8? Or that cup of beer? Remember they get a cut of all the concessions.
February 3rd, 2011 at 11:41 am
d-money is once again on the money. It is like the cable companies, all HBO for the first three months free, this is only good for new or returning customers. This is just how business works, they already have you so no incentive needed. They are giving the season ticket holders discounts on concessions, so that is something.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:06 pm
As a former Buccaneers season ticket holder who lives in New Jersey, if there is anyone willing to purchase the season tickets this year I would be willing to do it for you, send you all the tickets and you could have my deposit money. All you’d have to do is use the deposit to buy me a Lagarette Blount authentic jersey (You’d have 1800 left over). Let me know if you’re interested. bigvanchris@yahoo.com
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:15 pm
“The Glazers are buying me and my son lunch”
Seriously? The Glazers aren’t “buying” anybody anything. That is your original money, not theirs, lest we forget.
I got this invoice in the mail this week too. I lost $80 worth of seat deposit money when I got out (still saving the hundreds of dollars the tickets would’ve cost). I would consider taking the offer and re-upping if I got an $80 discount on the overall ticket price, but an $80 food and merchandise credit for bottled water that costs $4? Pass.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:17 pm
Nice move by the Glazers.
CHRIS
I think you can only buy concessions with the seat deposit money, not sure apparel would count.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:18 pm
I think that they should offer fans the chance to coach the team on sunday if the re-purchased. Most would be sufficiently qualified based on present criteria, and clearky the team doesnt place much value in that position.
What will be really telling is if they raise the concession and related prices later. That is a typical glazer move. Figuring that the price raise we will offset the vouchers.
Otherwise, why not just apply the remaining deposit to the tix. Fishy?
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:20 pm
Joe here,
@BobbyFenton — So you sign a ticket contract that has a deposit and bail out early and now it’s not the company’s money? It’s still yours? If a wireless company put this deal out there, people would think it’s pretty cool.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:38 pm
It is a good move. I was notified yesterday by phone. I hope it fills the stands.
personally, I am not buying season tickets again for several reasons:
1. MONEY
2. MONEY
3. MONEY
4. Rather sit home and watch on 55″ Sony in HD
5. WILL go to one game, but don’t want to do 8 or even 4.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:39 pm
I’m just not getting what people don’t understand about signing a CONTRACT?…
Now, no contract, no deposit, with a payment plan and any money lost from a previous contract is credited back to it’s original owner for concessions?
What world do some of ya’ll live in? Seriously?
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:41 pm
Bobby Fenton: I paid the seat deposit money a few years back. It is not “mine” It is theirs now, I paid it to them and when I refused to renew last year, I lost the remainder. That is part of the deal that I knew going in.
THOMAS 2.2 so the runner-up in the coach of the year sucked in your mine? LOL do you even watch the NFL?
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:48 pm
Listen, i lost my deposit money too. I am not saying it is my money any more, i backed out of the contract after 2009 bc the product stunk.
Joe, your cell phone hypo is not necessarily analogous. If the cell phone co gave you a credit on another product, say long distance, but raised the price a lot later, that would not be a celebrated deal. Why give the credit only to concessions? The coaching comment was of course t-i-c.
February 3rd, 2011 at 1:01 pm
It’s a very tempting offer by the Glazers, at least they are trying to win back former season ticket holders. It felt like they took a lot of us for granted after the SB victory.
February 3rd, 2011 at 1:09 pm
You all sound like schills for the Glazers. Listen, I understand that the money is legally theirs. I am not saying they stole it or something. I consciously cancelled my tickets knowing I would not get the $80 back because I still saved tons of money in the long run, that’s all.
But for you guys to act like they are being so magnanimous for offering up this deal, and for the one guy to say that the Glazers are “buying him and his son lunch”, I mean that’s laughable. We gave these guys a LICENSE TO PRINT MONEY when we approved the Community Investment Tax in 1996, and they reap all of the benefits from it. They even have USF bent over on their deal to play at RJS. Please don’t be so naive as to act like they’re doing anyone any favors.
And I’m not just talking about the Glazers specifically. They are no different than all NFL owners.
February 3rd, 2011 at 1:32 pm
Schill? Hardly.
Just pointing out that if you want your butt back in the seat at RJS, they are doing something about helping you make the decision to get there…
February 3rd, 2011 at 1:36 pm
I did NOT bail out early, I fulifiled my end of the bargain. The “contract” I signed said I was going to get my 55% deposit balance after the tenth year. That didn’t happen. So, maybe the adminstrator should research his facts before jumping to the Buc’s defense.
And no, D-Money things have not changed, the Glazers still suck as owners. And yeah, I know if I don’t like it don’t go. Business is business, blah, blah ,blah. Easy to be a critic when it doesn’t affect you. I just trying to voice my concerns and let the fans know how the Glazers operate. This forum allows me to vent, and for that I’m greatful.
February 3rd, 2011 at 1:49 pm
You can complain about anything I guess but for people who gave up their season tickets like I did two years ago the money is something that had to be considered the cost of breaking a contract. Fair or not it’s the way the system was set up. By giving me a credit to use for concessions and souvenirs they got me to re-up for this year at least. I might not be eating and drinking and wearing “free” Bucs gear but it’s as close as you can get. Seriously what do you want the Glazers to do? Some people would bitch about a free ticket because it was on the sunny side of the stadium. If you can’t afford it don’t go to the games, but don’t make it sound like people who are able to recoup some of their deposit are stupid.
And for what it’s worth the credit doesn’t apply to beer or alcohol. Kinda sucks but really do you want to be in a stadium with 10,000 people who have a $600 credit for beer?
February 3rd, 2011 at 2:28 pm
“for the mythical ”lasting contender.”
LOL.
There is no such things as a lasting contender in the NFL with out good coaching and a top 5 QB. Hopefully Freeman proves to be that piece, next we will need a coach worth a damn.
February 3rd, 2011 at 2:32 pm
BTW, don’t you have to make the playoffs in order to be even considered a contender? Does third place in your division qualify this? How about second to last?
February 3rd, 2011 at 2:37 pm
gbuc, you should vent here, that is what this area is for, but d-money is right. They are just running a business like the rest of the free enterprise system we live in. If you should have received money back and you did not, give them a call or have your lawyer give them a call. If you vent in public, someone tends to vent back.
Also, to the negative Nancy Thomas…I believe they have reduced the prices of the concession, not by much but a little.
You guys are nuts. Our owners always rank in the top when the owner rankings come out. It could be a lot worse. I think going young shows that they want to put a great product on the field. I also think most of the people that comment do not understand business. They went 10-6 with the lowest payroll…that should be celebrated. Every business tries to put out the best possible product at the lowest possible price, then they try to get you to pay the highest possible price to purchase the product. If you do not like this set up…MOVE TO CUBA!
February 3rd, 2011 at 2:54 pm
I think it’s an awesome deal. It’s very encouraging to see the glazers trying to reconsile with the fans that they ran out over the past few years. This gesture and the up and coming kids we have out there will sell a lot of the empty seats. cse in point..me and my father had been going for about 6-7 years and gave up our tickets because they got way too expensive. They called and offered us $880 in stadium credit (good for food/cokes/merchandise). Made me go hmmmm.. My popps had said in no uncertain terms he had no desire to ever get season tix again. told him about the deal and he says “sign us up”.
Good Job Glazers. Buying my tix again and I feel good about it.
February 3rd, 2011 at 3:21 pm
I’m opposed to rewarding fake fans. I realize I wouldn’t last very long running a business of course.
February 3rd, 2011 at 3:45 pm
Guest #27 pleeeease take your ignorance about football and go root for some other team.
February 3rd, 2011 at 3:55 pm
I agree with Dave….
February 3rd, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Glazers: I give them A LITTLE credit for this and the ticket price cuts. They are trying to do what they can; that is great
BUT, I will not give them too much credit because they, along with EVERY NFL, MLB, NBA & NHL owner out there, raised ticket prices tremendously this past decade while REAL wages have been fairly stagnant.
There has been an obvious trend ever since 2005 of less people in the seats while prices went up. Yet the owners kept on raising prices. Now, at crunch time, they want to lower some prices and offer some incentives and be viewed as the good guys…………. NOT BUYING IT.
Don’t misinterpret me, I am not a Glazer hater, I think they have been good owners for the most part, but they, along with all the rest, have to realize sports is not a bottom line industry and can not be treated as such.
February 3rd, 2011 at 4:00 pm
MCBUC:
little boy guest27 thinks the runner up coach of the year sucks…..
it’s rather amusing really.
Apparantly every coach should be 60 years old, have 40 years of experience, and probably be white in his eyes to be any good.
February 3rd, 2011 at 4:33 pm
ESPO
Not all Buc fans are ‘fake fans’. Alot of us on here, believe it or not, have been going to games thoughout this season AND last.
Look around Tampa, how many Cowboy jerseys have you seen since that debacle started? How many Viking Jerseys have you seen this year? Fairweather fans are everywhere, some markets are just bigger than others and we are definatley not the smallest.
By the way, since you must be rolling in it maybe you dont realize that sometimes it just takes that extra $50-100 a game to push Bucs games out of a familty’s budget.
Classy move by the Glazers, looking forward to seeing swarms of fellow Buc fans at the game next season….if there is a next season.
February 3rd, 2011 at 4:42 pm
Once again, I just don’t see the comments by Thomass.
February 3rd, 2011 at 4:52 pm
Did Bucyou get banned and come back as guest#27?
February 3rd, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Fake fans? Is that the same “fake fans”, that they are tring to get to RE-NEW thier old season tickets? Aren’t they the same ones that spent the money then, but not now(most due to economy)? I guess, I’m one then!?
In the words of Navin R. Johnson,
“Huh? I am not a bum. I’m a jerk(“fake fan”). I once had wealth, power, and the love of a beautiful woman. Now I only have two things: my friends, and… uh… my (Bucs) thermos.”
February 3rd, 2011 at 6:01 pm
I completely disagree with what Dave says except for the last sentence which contradicts everything else he wrote. Sports ARE a bottom line business, like it or not, and I don’t know that the Glazers have any interest in being viewed as “good guys” – I think they want to make money like anyone else running a business. When times were better, both economic and for the Bucs after SB win, the waiting list was long and ticket prices went up. Now the economy sucks, unemployment is high and they can’t sell out the stadium so they cut prices. It’s as simple a supply and demand situation as you will ever see. The Yankmes did the same thing when they opened their new stadium – ridiculously overpriced seats behind home plate that were almost completely empty for every game so they cut prices when they realized the demand wasn’t there.
February 3rd, 2011 at 7:58 pm
nobody is saying that they are doing anything wrong by trying to lure fans back to this must cheaper version of the former product, but I am just not fooled by it.
They have something planned related to concessions to offset the cost of this offer or they wouldn’t limit it to concessions – they are either going to raise concession prices, reduce costs paid to vendors etc or something.
They are not offering dollar for dollar or they would apply it to the ticket prices. Maybe it is a tax benefit. Don’t be fooled.
These guys (the kids) no longer care about wins and losses. I really believe that Malcolm did, Dom does, Rah even does, the players do – but this ownership that has cut its player, coaching and management salaries to a recent time low – care about nothing but the bottom line.
Why? one day we will know. Many of us suspect the Manu purchase followed by the real estate collapse followed by Malcolm getting sick. Whatever? This is not the same org.
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:09 pm
Tiger, I was agreeing on his staement about Thomas the Tool. It appears he does not understand much about business and is a fool.
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:55 pm
Thomas
Don’t worry bud, that low salary this year was all part of the plan. Now when a new CBA gets put in place and the NFL has a salary cap, the Bucs will be in a prime position to re-sign its valued Vets and pluck a few big-time FAs off the waver wire. Be patient.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:28 pm
I wasn’t talking about anything specific. I’m talking about gameday when the last couple of years there’s seats open all around me that were taken a few years ago. Yes, there are a ton of fake fans around here.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:33 pm
“It’s a classy move”….Give me a break, you all are bunch of suckers. It has nothing to do with class. It boils down to the law of “supply and demand.” The Lightning and the Rays are doing the same thing. They have to. People don’t have the same leeway to charge items such as this anymore. The organizations are being forced to be creative. Guess what, once the economy starts moving again, there will be a huge increase. Realistically, this isn’t costing them a dime. You think it is though.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:35 pm
I’m a fan. I can’t afford tickets. Does that make me a “fake fan?” Go “F” yourself.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:49 pm
The Glazers aren’t stupid. Everybody knows the #1 problem is the economy, diminished savings/equity and few private sector jobs. The fact they are trying to do anything for the fans is a step in the right direction. They could just sit back and tell everyone here to eff off and plan to move the team to LA. The Glazers are as confident as most of us when it comes to this team. They want fans back, want them happy to cheer on a winning team, but they are looking for the answer like everyone else. How do you fix it? But in the mean time, every step in the right direction helps. And for Thomas, take I-75 north to I-10, hang a left and head west for about 2 good days. When you run out of road, you’re there. Enjoy, and please don’t return.
February 3rd, 2011 at 11:27 pm
Wow, you mean this did not change anyone’s mind about the Glazers? Shocking
February 4th, 2011 at 1:02 am
half you fools posting on here never show up at a game anyway, so pipe down posers!!!
February 4th, 2011 at 9:10 am
If the Glazers dont care about winning or losing, why would they be paying Gruden NOT to coach? Wouldnt they have just left him there to finish his contract?
Two things I want to see though…1. are the Glazers willing to put down money to pick up a good free agent that would make a difference? 2. Will the Glazers pay for contract extensions for the current players? For example…Blount’s contract is up in 2012. If he has a monster year and the Glazers won’t pay him what he’s worth and ends up going to another team…good luck ever getting that stadium to sell out again.
February 4th, 2011 at 10:10 am
I used to spend a lot of money on games, I used to travel to different stadium. Then I matured and realized that throwing money away to pay for athletes/owners and their lifestyles doesn’t make sense. Do you realize that you are paying for their trip to the pro-bowl? Their plane ride? Their hotel bill? Their bar tab? All of the costs get passed down to you….Meanwhile, you are working to pay your own bills. Make sense now. I was laid off last year, I’m still unemployed, my girlfriend was laid off yesterday…..Yeah, I care about giving money to people who “need” it more than me…WAKE UP.
February 4th, 2011 at 10:46 am
Wade,
1. No, F U!
2. I’m not referring to those who simply can’t afford to go. This city… this region is very populated with Bucs fans who can very easily afford to buy single game or even season tickets yet don’t and choose to whine about something or another.
3. Here is a money saving tip. You don’t need to buy stadium concessions to have a good time. Eat before/after the game. If you want to drink, do it before the game. The tickets themselves aren’t what’s busting wallets.
4. Get a job, loser.
February 4th, 2011 at 10:49 am
And yes you’re right about this being a strict supply and demand move. They’d make more profit even if they gave the remaining tickets away. In fact, I think they did that last year.
February 4th, 2011 at 11:34 am
Wade…When you buy a SONY TV, you are paying for their executives to fly on a plane, their sales reps to stay in hotels and dine out, their execs and CEO’s outrageous salary, bonus plan, and golden parachute. Welcome to Capitalism. If the entertainment price is out of your reach, or you do not believe it is worth the price of admission fine, for it is a luxury to go to a game, but to say you do not want to give your money so others can get rich is just a foolish line of thought. Every time you buy anything you are doing this. Why do you think the Walton family is so freaking rich, because people go to Wal-Mart and buy cheap crap made in China so some American family can get rich off cheap labor and goods. Meanwhile a guy like you and your girlfriend are out of work. That is way more criminal than a sporting event. Don’t blame the NFL for the lack of jobs, blame corporate outsourcing.
February 4th, 2011 at 11:59 am
ESPO
Thats messed up, just because someone doesn’t have a job dosent mean he or she CHOSES not to work. Be careful what you say, one day you might find yourself in the unemployment line.
February 4th, 2011 at 12:00 pm
LMAO at all the idiots condemning the Glazers for making money and crying about not wanting to pay for someone’s expenses. Just like the other guy siad, everytime your loser ass buys something from ANYWHERE you are helping to pay the salaries and expenses of some executive or executives of OTHER corporations. It’s just how this country works. Just because you are mad at the Bucs owners for reasons you don’t even understand from listening to the local media doesn’t make them any worse from ANY other corporation or private business.
For the record the Glazers are doing an excellent job with this team which should be the only concern of the fans not what the payroll is. They are making it much easier to afford tickets with 10 month payment terms and lower costs.
Dumping Gruden and eating his salary while the 2 guys who replaced him are doing 10x the job he was doing for far less was a phenomenal move by the owners and this is the best Buc team since 2002.
February 4th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
Is this a joke? You people are basically saying you arnt going to spend your money because you are making someone else profit?
What the hell country do you think this is? The Soviet Union? This is capitalism. Every time you buy a product or service or anything, someone is making money off you. That’s the way the American economy works. When you buy a TV, you don’t think someone is making money off you? Buy that 55′ TV and you just made the CEO of Best Buy a little richer.
When you go to a doctor or dentist, guess what….HE’S MAKING MONEY OFF YOU! He’ll fix you up if you pay him a fee. And how do you think you make money? You go to a job, which is a business. That buisness is making money off customers so they can pay you. Without profit, they can’t pay you money and you don’t have a job.
Someone obviously failed high school economics.
February 4th, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Jerry…EXACTLY! Some of these yahoos need to move to Cuba.