Redskins in the Red?

After years of boasting a season ticket waitlist of nearly 200,000 people, the Washington Redskins have finally opened up season and single-game ticket sales to the public. According to a Washington Post article published in June 2018, season patrons will have access to more benefits, including reduced concession stand prices and invitations to offseason events. While this may be exciting to some Redskins fans, many are left wondering how the franchise was able to suddenly offer so many ticket options in such a short period of time. This causes fans to question whether or not there was ever a waitlist, and if there was, did it really close in at 200,000 people? After all, FedEx Field, which houses the Washington team, rarely hosts sellout crowds. According to an ESPN article, the average home attendance was just over 75,000, despite the stadium’s capacity of 82,000. So why did the Redskins advertise such a prestigious waiting list? My prediction: to increase sales.

With fan attendance declining, marketers were most likely scrambling to increase turnout at FedEx Field – in 2017, the Redskins saw the lowest home attendance average in over 10 years. The team presumably aimed to create a higher demand for their product by overestimating their potential sales. By projecting such a large demand for tickets, more patrons would feel rushed to secure their seats while they still can, increasing overall sales and turnout. Ultimately, without fans the team would have no sponsorships, which would put the Redskins in financial trouble. Sponsors want to support teams with large fan bases, as this usually leads to more interaction and engagement with their product. Without fans there is no exposure, and without exposure there are no fans. If the team is able to convince the public that there is a high demand for their tickets, more people will be willing to purchase season packages so they, too, can be part of something special. Think about it: have you ever purchased something that was “limited edition”, just to later realize that you had no use for that product or did not actually need it? Companies advertise that their products are “selling out fast” or produce limited batches to make people purchase them without a second thought, and to me it seems like the Redskins are employing this same tactic with their season tickets. It’s a smart move when it comes to sales, but can be incredibly frustrating in the consumer’s eye. The last thing a company needs is backlash from their target market, which may be just what the Washington team created with their overzealous sales projections.

If you were a current (or even potential) season ticket holder, would you be upset with the Redskins for overprojecting the numbers on their waitlist? Or would you be content with having the opportunity to watch your favorite team and enjoy the new perks available to you? If you would not be happy with this marketing style, would you continue to purchase season (or even single game) tickets?