Tagged: Season Ticket Holders
Predicting the Future
As mentioned on our @ticketservices Twitter feed, Gio Gonzalez was on last night’s Season Ticket commemorative ticket stock. Every offseason, shortly before the thick of the holiday season, a few of us in the Ticket Operations Department pour over photos, creating a theme, and assigning each photo to specific games throughout the season. We want each ticket to be unique and we hope that each ticket will be memorable. Consolidated Printing, the company that prints the tickets, then helps with the design. We recently placed Trevor Cahill on a night that he pitched, similar to Gio’s ticket last night. Boy, did Gio pitch a gem last night or what? A leadoff hit by the Marlins and then not another the rest of the night. A’s win 1-0. We called that one in December.
Online Ticket Exchanges
Back again for its second season is the ability to return and exchange season tickets online. The A’s Ticket Services Office pioneered this practice last season, and we’ve heard other teams are adopting this feature beginning this season. It’s good to be a trendsetter.
We make the ticket exchange process as painless as possible for you. The online form fields you complete gives us the information we need to then process your request. If a return, we put the credit back on your account for use later this season. If an exchange, we print and deliver the new tickets. Your original ticket barcode is cancelled for the rest of eternity.
Read more information at oaklandathletics.com/exchange. Only submit a ticket if you’re serious about returning or exchanging it. No backsies!
The A’s already offer the best ticket exchange policy in professional sports. While you’re more than welcome to mail tickets or visit us in the Ticket Serivces Office to complete exchanges, we’ve added additional value to your Season Ticket Holder experience with online ticket exchanges.
Did you ever notice that the A and the S on a keyboard are next to each other? Go As!
Happy Opening Night!
Happy Opening Night A’s Fans!
We begin the 2011 A’s baseball season tonight with a home game against the Seattle Mariners. 7:05pm folks. OK, we’ve noticed that the trend is to say “Happy Opening Day.” But since we play a night game we’re going with the facts.
Looking around the Tickets Sales and Ticket Operations Departments we notice a lot of experienced faces… and graying hair (or receding hair!). A highly educated, work-a-holic bunch of people, our familiarity with each other shows how much we enjoy working in Major League Baseball. It prompted the question: What number A’s Home Opener is this?
The newest of the bunch are Lauren, Andrew, and Faizan, this being each their second Opening Night. Lauren and Andrew, both Ticket Services Representatives, are not short on experience. Lauren previously worked for the San Diego Padres and Andrew for the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL. Faizan, a burnt orange Texas grad, is our Database Administrator and enjoys the temperate weather of a California Opening Night. John, a Ticket Services Rep, is celebrating the start of his fourth season, but just his third Opening Night. He joined the A’s in May of 2008. If you’re a brand new or long returning Season Ticket Holder there’s no doubt you’ve talked with or met all three of these terrific Ticket Services Reps.
Looking at nearly a half decade are Jason, Premium Seating Services Assistance, and Catherine, Ticket Services Manager, with this being their fourth Opening Night. Over the half decade hump with six Opening Nights are Moti, Premium Seating Services Manager, and Anuj, Ticket Operations Coordinator. Also at six Opening Nights today is Anthony, Box Office Supervisor, who is actually missing the action. We’re sure he’s got his hands full as Anthony’s wife gave birth to a baby girl earlier this week. We’ll give Anthony a pass this year.
The over-a-decade bunch (yikes!) is jam packed. Susie, Brian, David, and Travis are all enjoying their tenth Opening Night today. As Bill King would exclaim, “Holy Toledo!” Susie, Director of Premium Seating Services, met her husband, Matt, at the A’s who he himself is at number seventeen today. Brian, Director of Ticket Sales, made the move from Boston to the Bay Area just over ten years ago and is finally a full-fledged A’s fan. David, Ticket Operations Manager, is officially entering his eleventh season. Travis, Digital Ticketing Operations Manager, remembers that only a few years before he joined the A’s computers were just entering the workplace. How times have changed.
Josh, Director of Ticket Operations, is at Opening Night number eleven today. Straight from the mean dirt roads of farmland Ohio, Josh grew up an A’s fan watching Rickey, Hendu, Mac, and Stew as a kid. But Josh isn’t the department’s longest tenured Opening Night employee. That distinction belongs to Steve, Executive Director of Ticket Sales & Operations. Steve, celebrating his fourteenth Opening Night, predicts continued excellent service to all A’s fans and a winning 2011 season. We all do actually. Some of our best times have been crowded around a small radio in a Box Office listening to King call the “walk off bunt” and jumping up and down with fellow employees waving home Mark Kotsay in Minnesota. It’s the beginning of another baseball season tonight. Play Ball!
Oakland Coliseum the Morning of the 2011 A's Opening Night. -Photo by Travis LoDolce
A’s Win, Season Ticket Holders batting 1.000
The A’s collected the first regular season win of 2010 last night. A 10 inning walk-off single by Mark Ellis lifted the A’s to victory behind a 7 inning, 10 strikeout no decision performance by starting pitcher (and Stockton’s own) Dallas Braden. At 1-1 on the season the A’s are poised to strike at the AL West Division leading Texas Rangers (1-0). OK, yeah, we know it’s early. We also know Season Ticket Holders love to see wins. While the team on the field looks good, so does the team in the Ticket Services Office. You’ll see some new faces in the office should you visit us on game day. Some familiar faces too. Every face with a smile and desire to help you.
While we enjoy the face-to-face interaction, we realize you’re at the ballpark to see the baseball game. We want to remind you of the ticket policies and services we have in place to make being an A’s Season Ticket Holder more advantageous than ever.
Our Ticket Services webpage (oaklandathletics.com/ticketservices) is a great starting point for all Season Ticket related information.
Have a question about when/where/how to exchange one of your Season Tickets for another game? The 2010 Season Ticket Holder Policies will provide an answer.
Speaking of exchanging tickets, by now you’ve heard that we are the first Major League Baseball team to offer exchange and credit return of you Season Tickets online. Visit the Ticket Exchange form, but only use if you actually want to exchange or return tickets. Trust us, it works.
The always faithful My A’s Tickets allows Season Ticket Holders to transfer tickets to a friend or tolerable in-law.
Yep, you can purchase Discount Parking Passes throughout the season. Save your money on most Tuesdays though. Remember, it’s Free Parking Tuesdays in 2010.
In addition to the Ticket Services Office we are still available by phone at (510) 568-5600 and email at tickets@oaklandathletics.com. We don’t intend to automate a good handshake.
October 3 Season Ticket Holder Event
If you are an A’s Season Ticket Holder, and if you’re not you should be, you probably attended the Saturday, October 3 post-game event at the Coliseum. The feedback we’ve received is that it was a smashing success. In case you missed it, all Season Ticket Holders were invited onto the field after the A’s game, where the ballplayers walked the circumference of the field to shake hands and give out “thank you” buttons. After the time on the field, fans visited the East Side Club. Robert Buan hosted the “Extra Innings” radio show with special guests Andrew Bailey, Ray Fosse, and Ken Korach. They talked A’s baseball and, along with Senior Director of Ticket Operations Steve Fanelli and Vice President of Sale & Marketing Jim Leahey, held a live raffle for autographed and game used items. Promotional items from the season were handed out to everyone. Complimentary food and drinks were provided as well.
As mentioned, the positive response we’ve received is tremendous. We were happy to create an event that highlighted our appreciation of Season Ticket Holders. We’re not only grateful for the response from A’s fans, but also for the cooperation of all A’s staff. It was a full team effort to host this event. The A’s organization hopes all Season Ticket Holders know how much we appreciate their continued support of the ball club.
If you have any photos or stories from October 3 we’d love to see or read. Feel free to share in the comments section. A few photos we snapped are below. Thanks again to all that attended and were involved in the October 3 event. We’re already looking forward to 2010!
Phoenix Fly By
Hard to believe the Spring Training season has just one week remaining. Over the past few weeks the A’s have played some great baseball, upping the ante in the American League West. Since we’re mostly focused off the field perhaps you’d take a stroll with us around Phoenix Muni and even on a road game?
Triplets Sela, Ari, and Alex, better known to fans as TripleFire!, jam outside the main entrance to Phoenix Muni as guests enter. You can see them play again this Friday, March 27 around 6pm as the A’s host the Padres at Muni for a rare 7:05pm night game.
Inside the ballpark a couple of the newest A’s take batting practice. Nomar Garciaparra and Orlando Cabrera fist bump when they exchange spots in the cage.
Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins visits with Los Angeles Dodgers Manager Joe Torre in the visiting dugout prior to the game. Jenkins later signs autographs on the concourse for donations to his charitable fund. Joe Torre signs copies of his new book for Jenkins’ fund.
Glen, A’s fan of the game, tosses the ceremonial first pitch. Steee-rike!
Visiting the A’s on a road game, we watch Mark Ellis take a pitch inside for a ball at the Indians’ ballpark in Goodyear.
In the seats we spark up the conversation with friendly A’s fans. Sue and Tom from the Bay Area share some of their experiences at Spring Training.
Tom tell us, “Our trip to see the A’s in Arizona is our first robin of the spring — we try never to miss it.We love the associations and friendships we’re building — and the instant camaraderie a team jersey supplies with friend and baseball foe.We stopped at a restaurant in Palm Springs and immediately struck up a conversation with some young guys in Dodger Blue — the common language of baseball made the introductions automatic and the friendly exchange irresistible.Or the Rockies fan at the motel who came over to tell us what a steal we got in Matt Holliday. We also enjoy the head start we get on seeing the team’s prospects — “the young talent”as Sue says –because the stats alone just can’t substitute for seeing them ‘live.'” Thanks Tom and Sue! We’ll see you in Oakland.
And speaking of die-hard fans. Who should we find in left field? The Oakland Left Field Bleacher Crew. With flags and all. Thanks for A’s love folks.
See you back in Oakland before we all know it. First game at the Coliseum is Saturday, April 4 @ 1:05pm. The Giants visit for the annual Bay Bridge Series.
The home opener is a Friday night game! Pretty sweet, no? The Mariners come to town on Friday, April 10. Game time at 7:05pm.
Finally, this will eventually be a separate blog entry, the A’s host a free event on Sunday, April 5 from 11am to 3pm. Fan Appreciation Workout Day features the full A’s 25-man roster before the team departs to Anaheim to start the season. Parking and entry are complimentary to all fans. A great way to jump into the A’s baseball season.
Deadline Day
A friendly reminder… today is thefinal dayto guarantee your reserved seat location for the 2009 A’s baseball season. Renew your A’s ticket plan today to ensure you receive the commemorative ticket stock which arrives bound in a booklet featuring all of your season tickets (another year of the commemorative tickets looking great!).
New Ticket Employees: Buck, Eveland, Sweeney
Late last week A’s Ticket Services received a visit from three faces more familiar with the field than the phones. A’s outfielders Travis Buck and Ryan Sweeney and pitcher Dana Eveland dropped by to call A’s Season Ticket Holders.
A’s to Invoices “Yer OUT!”
A month of preparation arrived with invoices hitting the post office this afternoon. Yes, renewal invoices were mailed out to all 2008 Season Ticket Holders packed full of 2009 ticket info goodness. You will find a ticket brochure, information regarding Early Bird renewal, a letter from A’s President Michael Crowley, Fielder’s Choice plan game selection form (for guests with said plan), and- of course- your 2009 renewal invoice. Prices did not increase from 2008 ticket costs. You can renew via mail by using the included return envelope, or you can phone us at (510) 568-5600. Online renewal is an option through your My A’s Tickets account. Haven’t used My A’s Tickets? It’s simple. Login using your Season Ticket account number. Your initial password is your account Zip Code. Visit the “To Do” page and renew online. You’re done in minutes. Online renewal reaps the added reward of complimentary MLB.com Gameday Audio. Beginning in March accounts will receive a registration email from MLB.com. Renew your account for the 2009 season by December 5, 2008 to qualify for Early Bird benefits. This season we introduce a Season Ticket Holder Sweepstakes offering trips to the All-Star Game in St. Louis and the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cooperstown, New York. Seriously, Cooperstown! We hear a certain stolen base king is on the ballot this year.
Can Ticket Services answer any ticket related questions for you? We have a hotline- (510) 568-5600. We have an email- tickets@oaklandathletics.com. Or just post in the comments below.
We’re excited for 2009 already. Reading various post-season publications the A’s farm system is raved about, a wealth of pitchers and some interesting hitters. Coupled with some of the young men in the bigs who gained experience in 2008, future seasons already generate a buzz. Reminds a few of us of the 1998 and 1999 seasons. How’d we do in the new millennium?
A Message About The Blog
As the team on the field continues to evolve and put the pieces into place for what we hope will ultimately lead to multiple championships in the near future, the Ticket Services Office is also redefining ourselves in order to better serve our valued fans. To provide our most loyal customers with the experiences they truly desire we have set up a Ticket Services Blog. The Blog is designed to streamline communication between the Ticket Staff and fans. We will post topics, respond to questions, listen to feedback, and address comments about the complete gameday experience. We will utilize fan feedback in order to better serve you while at the ballpark. A transparent Ticket Services Office not only benefits fans, but also helps our office better cater to your changing needs.
Another benefit of the Blog is that you will be given the opportunity to learn more about why certain decisions are made and whom the individuals are that service you in the Ticket Office. We have developed personal relationships with many of you over the years and treasure those interactions with our fans and “friends.” We would love the opportunity to get to know even more of our season ticket holders in that same personal fashion. It is our organizational philosophy that in order to make Oakland A’s Baseball the best experience, we need to keep many lines of communication open. This is “Our Team” and together we can make the Oakland A’s gameday experience a memorable one.
If you are not quite ready to join us on the Blog, please remember that we would love to speak with you by phone, in person at the Ticket Services Office, through e-mail, and will continue to read your letters in the mail. We look forward to growing our relationship and providing you, the fan, with value and excitement for your entertainment dollar. Thank you for your support.
Regards,
Steve Fanelli
Senior Director of Ticket Operations
A's Ticket Services 