NFL - Sports Rumors

Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:52 am EDT

New ticket plan aims to keep Dallas fans out of Cards' stadium

By Joe Zedalis

Dallas fans

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The Arizona Cardinals are trying to "protect the nest." This means they'd like University of Phoenix Stadium to continue to sell out, and to do so with as few opposing fans as possible.

In the past two seasons, there was little concern about this since the team sold out every home game. But with ticket sales a bit slower as the third season approaches, the Cardinals are requiring fans who want to buy tickets to the Dallas game on Oct. 12 to also buy tickets for the Aug. 7 exhibition opener vs. New Orleans. Cardinals fans have "created a decisive home-field advantage" the past two years, and the team wants to keep it that way by discouraging single-game ticket sales to Dallas Cowboys fans, team spokesman Mark Dalton said.

"Our goal is to have as many Cardinal fans in the stadium as possible," Dalton said.

In terms of overall ticket sales, "We're a little slower than we were at this point" last year, Dalton said, citing the slowing economy. Dalton estimated about 58,000 season tickets have been sold. Ideally, the Cardinals would like to sell about 60,000 season tickets and hold back 3,000 or so to sell for individual games.

"If we don't get to that threshold, then there will be a few more individual single-game tickets available," Dalton said.

Source: East Valley TribuneNew Window

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3076 Comments

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  1. hhuevonn
    1. Posted by hhuevonn Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:18 pm EDT

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    so what
  2. Matt A
    2. Posted by Matt A Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:38 pm EDT

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    Go cards!
  3. Jools90
    3. Posted by Jools90 Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:44 pm EDT

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    My my ...what desperate measures for a home team. If they put a better product on the field they
    wouldn't have this concern. I guess a history of losing will do that.
  4. Perry M
    4. Posted by Perry M Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:07 pm EDT

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    Another way to screw the fans and make more money for the team owners. Nobody wants to go to exhibition games. I've turned down free tix. Just feel sorry for season tix holders who are forced to buy them. BTW hardcore Cowboy fans will buy the extra game and throw the exhibition tix in the garbage.
  5. Wes W
    5. Posted by Wes W Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:58 pm EDT

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    In other news........contract negotiations with Karlos Danbsy have come to a standstill as Cardinals brass have become more preoccupied with stuffing the stadium with fans to increase their slim chances of beating the Cowboys
  6. NgataChance
    6. Posted by NgataChance Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:39 pm EDT

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    since when can you choose which fans you want at your stadium?
  7. estimator01
    7. Posted by estimator01 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:56 pm EDT

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    why would you want to see the cards play?
  8. RFFL....
    8. Posted by RFFL.... Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:55 pm EDT

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    This ticket thing goes on with most organizations....
    I think the Chargers started it way back to keep the Raider fans away....
    But we still show up anyway......lol
    When the Raiders play at San Diego,theres always more Raider fans.....
    The Dis-Charger fans are scared to show up at their own statium!
  9. JOHN
    9. Posted by JOHN Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:42 pm EDT

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    i agree..just another way to screw the fans..actually, can't this be viewed as discrimination since its directed at dallas fans..i hope the cards wake up and realize that when you have a great product like dallas does, your fans will follow you where ever you play..go cowboys!!!!!
  10. Fan
    10. Posted by Fan Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:42 pm EDT

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    Try winning some football games and creating some sort of winning history
  11. sdpenguy
    11. Posted by sdpenguy Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:10 pm EDT

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    I gotta say I`m a boys fan and always be, but I live in san diego so to the faiders fan....dude come on! your running your mouth about the chargers.....have you seen a game lately?
    COME ON SEPTEMBER!!
  12. packerd_00
    12. Posted by packerd_00 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:48 pm EDT

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    The Cowboys fans ask for it, theyve got to be some of the most annoying fans ive ever come across.
  13. Grouchy Smurf
    13. Posted by Grouchy Smurf Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:47 pm EDT

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    Don't let them fool you. They don't do it to keep Cowboys fans away -- they do it to sell tickets for a crappy preseason game for the same full price you'd pay for any regular season game.
    Many teams use the one or two premium games they have per year and attach a preseason game. It results in a fuller stadium for the preseason game that would normally be empty, and no loss on the premium game since everyone wants to be there anyway.
  14. Samoyed
    14. Posted by Samoyed Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:02 pm EDT

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    I think Yahoo is reading my posts and copying my info for their own use. In the last Cowboy's rumor post, I stated the very same story as an example of the reason why so many people hate the Boys. I would hate a team as well if I went to my home stadium and saw more visiting fans than my own. Fortunately, that has never happened in Texas Stadium. Since it only has one more left of use, it is never going to happen. And, I agree with the people that think this will not have any effect on the Cowboy fan contingent. All this does is make it harder for other fans to attend the games. If anything, there is a greater chance that more Cowboy fans will be at this game then ever before because of this policy. All they are really doing is limiting their own fans from being able to afford tickets. I hope they realize that these Cowboy fans live in their own backyard. It's not like there is a mass exodus from Dallas when they play in Phoenix. They might as well accept the reality of the situation and concentrate on winning rather than our fans. There are some things that you just can't control. This would be a fine example of that. Win some games and they will see more red than blue. It's that simple.
  15. Carl C
    15. Posted by Carl C Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:57 pm EDT

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    If Dallas fans are kept out, who's going to attend??
  16. BlueStar
    16. Posted by BlueStar Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:14 pm EDT

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    This is called a tying agreement, and that is illegal.
  17. Mark
    17. Posted by Mark Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:47 pm EDT

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    thats really pathetic and dumb, try winning and ppl will come dumbasses. GO COWBOYS!
  18. birkettnealy
    18. Posted by birkettnealy Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:08 pm EDT

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    It doesn't matter if there are Cowboys fans there or not. The Cardinals still stink and Dallas is still going to win.
  19. rayray
    19. Posted by rayray Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:38 pm EDT

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    HAHA, how sad! Wouldnt it be better to have it full with Cowboys fans than no one at all....then there would be no blackout. GO COWBOYS!!
  20. Cowboys46n08
    20. Posted by Cowboys46n08 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:14 pm EDT

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    packerd...dont run your mouth...i hope brett farve comes back to green bay soo when you play dallas this season it just one win we can already count..opps...i cant beat dallas opps....GO COWBOYS
  21. MarKn
    21. Posted by MarKn Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:08 pm EDT

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    The Cowboy fans should boycott the game and let the place be empty.
  22. ICEBERG SLIM
    22. Posted by ICEBERG SLIM Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:55 pm EDT

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    Shameful...just shameful...GO COWBOYS
  23. gottagotowork3
    23. Posted by gottagotowork3 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

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    This is a stupid business decision by the CARDS front office. The point is to sell tickets to football fans. It's not the COWBOYS fault that we have a great following. The point is make money and win games. The CARDS will make the money for this game but will not win. GO COWBOYS!!!
  24. Da BOYS
    24. Posted by Da BOYS Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:30 pm EDT

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    It doesn't matter what they do... What do you expect from a team who has not produced any winning seasons. The southwest is Cowboy country, will always be, will remember the cardinals are from St. Louis, the fans over here in the southwest were bleeding blue before they even arrived, and will keep on from generation to generation because THE COWBOYS ARE WINNERS.....COWBOYS will always own the cardinals whether in tempe or glendale, AZ. Under every red shirt of hope lies the true fact that the COWBOYS are AMERICAS TEAM EVEN IN ARIZONA.
  25. El Caballero Grande
    25. Posted by El Caballero Grande Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    Does Phoenix even have a "varsity" team? Go 'boys!

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