Locals empty-handed as Rockies World Series seats sell out
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Steamboat Springs — Four computers at Steamboat Ski and Bike Kare weren't enough to score a seat at the World Series.
Tickets to see the Colorado Rockies play in the World Series went on sale at noon Tuesday, after a Monday debacle that saw millions of hits crash the Rockies' ticketing Web site. But despite teaming up on multiple monitors for another chance at seeing Colorado play on baseball's biggest stage, no one at Ski and Bike Kare even came close to the ordering page, sales associate Bill Kipper said.
Steamboat Springs resident Mitch Brantley described his experience trying to buy World Series tickets as "pretty awful."
Brantley spent an hour and a half seeking tickets both online and over the phone Tuesday afternoon before giving up.
"You go to the Web site, and click on the game you want to go to, and it gives you a 120-second countdown. If there's tickets available, it's supposed to take you to that page," Brantley explained.
During his ticket-seeking attempt, the countdown page continually refreshed for 90 minutes. Trying to buy tickets over the phone simply resulted in a busy signal, he said.
The Rockies will play at least two World Series home games against the Boston Red Sox, on Saturday and Sunday at Coors Field in Denver. A third home game will be played Monday if the best-of-seven series extends that far.
Play begins today at 6 p.m. in Boston's Fenway Park.
Rockies ticket sales were suspended Monday after online ticketing was hampered by what team officials called a "malicious, external attack." The Web site, www.coloradorockies.com, had 8.5 million hits in the first 90 minutes of sales Monday.
Many local fans reported giving up on the overburdened ticketing process Tuesday. Rockies officials announced that all three home games were sold out at about 2:30 p.m.
Rockies apparel has also been hard to come by in Steamboat Springs, and local stores have had a flurry of requests for it during the past few weeks.
Sports Authority on Tuesday got in a new shipment of Rockies hats and shirts, which were going fast. Fan apparel, flags and pennants can also be found at Wal-Mart and City Market.
The previous load of hats at Sports Authority was entirely sold out before they came in stock, said employee Lindsay Townsend.
In the City Market parking lot, a number of enthusiastic shoppers attached Rockies flags to their car windows Tuesday afternoon.
The grocery store is on its second batch of Rockies shirts this week alone, manager Jason Ward said.
Sports Authority typically does not carry any type of licensed team apparel, but made an exception when the Rockies made it to World Series, according to manager Susan Stringfellow. The products are in such short supply right now that another manager at the store had to drive to Denver to pick up shirts and hats, she said.
The limited apparel options and their availability have left some local fans disappointed, especially those seeking to outfit their entire family in purple and black.
"There's been a lot of people asking for little kids stuff, like for 2-year-olds," Townsend said.
- To reach Melinda Dudley, call 871-4203
or e-mail mdudley@steamboatpilot.com
Comments
jaunty 5 years, 6 months ago
The Rockies' method of selling tickets ensured that many got into the hands of scalpers. This is not the baseball way.
Crocktober.
Brant McLaughlin 5 years, 6 months ago
I tried religiously for the entire two and a half hours. I was able to get through to the site "one" time. I picked my tickets and started entering my credit card info and the whole thing locked up. It never let me complete the transaction.
Brant McLaughlin 5 years, 6 months ago
They said it was a completely random process on one of the TV news reports yesterday morning. Sounds like Mr. Brantley who was quoted in the story had different information than I did about how it worked.
My understanding of the site was that they were letting a limited number of people (a few hundred) into the actual purchase site at one time to avoid overloading it. Everyone else waiting to get in saw the 120 second countdown timer which refreshed over and over until the system had an opening for them.
If there happened to be a person finishing their transaction on the ticket purchase page at the exact moment the countdown timer reached zero on another users browser, then the system would let the new user in.
I could be entirely wrong but this was my understanding of the whole mess. It sure would have been a great experience to go to a World Series game. Oh well, like they say in baseball, theres always next year.
Matthew Stoddard 5 years, 6 months ago
Wow! Sounds like this World Series thing is almost as popular as Hannah Montana tix! Probably less expensive, though.
JQPUBLIC 5 years, 6 months ago
Tuesday when I got on the countdown page it said do not refresh or you would go to the back of the line, we were supposed to wait for the timer to auto refresh. About the third time it refreshed itself I got the "error.. page cannot be displayed", just like I kept getting Monday. I was using IE and after getting kicked off about 5 times in the 1st half first hour (going to the back of the line?) I went to firefox, it seemed like it was trying to go to a different page (other than the countdown) but then the screen stayed blank and say it was done. The second time this happened I went to netscape, the countdown page just kept counting down until it said they were sold out. What a zoo, I stayed on the site Monday from 10 until 2, the countdown page kept refreshing and the TV news said at about 12:25 that there was still a few thousand tickets left, not to give up. At 2:00 my husband called and told me the radio news was broadcasting the meltdown. Everything else might have broken down but their countdown page was still running!
Token 5 years, 6 months ago
Yippeee! After going thru everything you guys described, I got in and got tickets!! YIPPEE!
jaunty 5 years, 6 months ago
So, Token -- are you using all 4 tickets or selling 2 of them?
Brant McLaughlin 5 years, 6 months ago
JQPUBLIC
Firefox worked better for me as well. It actually kept refreshing. I was using firefox the one time I actually made it to the purchase page.
I'd get the same trouble you did with IE. It got to the point where IE would end the countdown then go directly to the error page every time.
spukomy 5 years, 6 months ago
It seems the Rockies didn't do their homework. They could've easily called NY, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, ect. and asked how they did their World Series Tix sales. They might've then realized that putting them only online alienates the fans in thier own city. Professional scalpers reaped the rewards of the Rockies Front Office ignorance. I don't think any other pro sports team will use this model as the proper way to treat the people who supported them thru the years.
jaunty 5 years, 6 months ago
Do you think the Rockies front office learned anything? They sounded very sure of themselves -- even arrogant -- in their public announcements.
It's a shame that fan attention has been diverted from the team and the countdown to the Series, during what could have been a very exciting time. We're upset with the men in suits when we should be cheering for the men in black -- or purple pinstripes.
Can't help feeling betrayed by the whole system. This proves beyond all doubt that baseball isn't a game, it's a business. Just like skiing isn't a sport, it's an industry.
1234 5 years, 6 months ago
if they were not in the series would any of you still wanted the tickets as bad as you do now? Full time fans or just, Part time fans???
JQPUBLIC 5 years, 6 months ago
In state fans, even if they are just part time fans, should take precedence over out of state ticket scalpers.
inmyopinion 5 years, 6 months ago
we were able to get through and get 4 tix. I read an interesting article this morning, but now I can't seem to find it.. but it went something like 'FBI and CBI have received no calls from Rockies to report any malicious activity to its website'.
It kind of confirmed my thoughts that there was no attack.
another article i just found http://www.9news.com/news/top-article.aspx?storyid=79647
1234 5 years, 6 months ago
colorado state hunters have been fighting this same thing for years. they do not care about anything but the money! so you need to deal with it. ( they ,being the ones who holds the cards)
corduroy 5 years, 6 months ago
You can still get tickets from the online vendors or ebay, but you will pay exhorbitant amounts for them. Don't do it! Don't encourage these jerks by giving them money. Maybe if the stands are half empty because no one wanted to buy resale tickets from jerks, they will get the message.
then again I've already seem a few people waste their money on ebay getting tickets.. only adds fuel to the fire. I've hated the online scalpers as long as I've had to get tickets to shows
wzstfu 5 years, 6 months ago
What I don't understand is what exactly is so difficult about selling tickets. Perhaps the Rockies should have gotten in touch with Phish ticketing or String Cheese for that matter. I realize that Ticketmaster is the Devil, however, they know how to handle major ticket sales. What a fiasco.
As I write this, the Rockies are sucking at Game 1 as bad as their web site.
1234 5 years, 6 months ago
wzstfu,,, what do you not understand about ---(THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT ANYTHING BUT MONEY) they sold out and did not need your money to do it. just because you have some property in stmdt doesnt mean that you are big enough to play with the BIG BOYS. and that goes for all
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