Think Customers: The 1to1 Blog

Here's how it's set up. First of all, there are 13 seating categories. There used to be four. Then there are five game categories. There used to be one. That's 65 different possible seat prices. Some may say it's better that way, because the same seats that cost $245 for a platinum game can be had for a mere $105 at a value game. I say, pick a price for a seat and stick with it. I don't want to have to pay extra to see my favorite Mets' opponent--but I'm sure the Mets expect that I probably will.

When you go online to purchase tickets, you select a seating category. If you don't like the seats it offers, you can't go back to the previous screen to select a new seating category; you have to go all the way back to selecting which game. It took me nearly a half hour to buy three tickets to an upcoming game with all the back and forth of, Is the seating area colored medium blue the Caesar's Club or the Caesar's Club Bronze?, and "No, thanks. I don't want the $138 tickets instead of the $60 tickets."

What would be great would be if you could select seats the way you select airplane seats. Zoom in on a section based on the price or view you prefer, be able to see which seats are available, and click on them to reserve them. If airlines can do it, why not ballparks?

But that's not all. Today is the first day tickets are available for purchase for June through October--unless, of course, you purchased a package or season tickets. Previously, fans could only buy tickets to April and May games. Again, I can only assume that Mets' management wants to "encourage" more package plan sales. And since the weather is questionable in April and May, perhaps they wanted to push seat sales of individual games to what may be less-attended games. I'm all for change, but I remember being able to buy Mets tickets as Christmas gifts years ago. Now, if I wanted to give a friend with an April birthday tickets to a July 4 game, for instance, I'd be out of luck.

I can only assume that I'm a victim of my own status as a low-value customer. I like to go to several games during the season, and the team does offer a variety of package options. But I'm one of "those" customers: the ones who want what they want. I want to select which games I prefer to see, not be forced to see the Phillies when I really want to see the Braves. And I don't want to be stuck with the seats chosen for me by Those in Package Sales, which was the case last time I purchased a package. I'd like to have a say.

Perhaps the Mets will learn what the New Jersey Performing Arts Center learned: In some cases single ticket buyers are as valuable as subscribers. If the Mets had the right analytics in place, it might discover that there are high-value single-ticket buyers who buy that way because they prefer to see certain teams or attend on certain nights. Maybe there's a way to improve the customer experience for those fans.

As for me, if I want to ensure that I get decent seats for next season, I'll start saving now for a package plan.