Detroit Sports Radio And Tigers tickets

Submitted by Eli on January 25th, 2019 at 9:30 AM

What station do you listen to and why? I listen to 97.1, mostly because it is the only one I get in clearly. 1050 never comes in clear for me and I’m not getting a stupid cumulus account to listen on my phone, out of principle. So, is there another Detroit station, I can just put on my car radio? 

Apparently the Tigers are only doing tickets by your phone. I get it, but it’s going to hurt attendance this year. 1. They suck. 2. Alot of people (mostly older) aren’t going to know how or want to know how to do this, so they just won’t go. A lot of older people don’t even have smart phones. What about poor people? How can someone give them tickets, if they have to have a phone to receive them? 

Eli

January 25th, 2019 at 9:32 AM ^

For the record. I’m not a Tigers fan and I’m not old, but I thought it was interesting. Also, please give me a better radio station to listen to about sports. 

UMFanatic96

January 25th, 2019 at 9:37 AM ^

It's a lot harder to forget your tickets when they're on your phone. Also, Avila came out and said publicly that fans shouldn't expect the Tigers to spend a lot until "at least" the 2021 season. So expect 2 more full seasons of hot garbage before we have any glimmer of hope. 

Also, I don't listen to Detroit Sports Radio anymore as I now focus on podcasts. I listen to the WTKA Roundtable and the MGoPodcast as well as Pardon My Take and some other sports podcasts. There's always something out there that's available and doesn't have 5 minutes of commercials for every 15 minutes of radio.

If you like general college basketball stuff, I recommend the One Shining Podcast with Mark Titus (former Buckeye) and Tate Frazier. They put a funny spin on college basketball while also giving some in-depth information. 

Reggie Dunlop

January 25th, 2019 at 9:56 AM ^

Yup. Podcasts. Listen to anybody you want on any topic whenever it's convenient for you without commercials with the ability to pause or rewind if you need to make or take a phone call or order fast food or something, and you never have to listen to another dipshit caller the rest of your life which should be the only reason anyone would ever need. 

I very rarely listen to the radio anymore. When I do, I'm absolutely blown away by the amount of commercials. You don't really realize it until you get away from it for a while.

UMFanatic96

January 25th, 2019 at 10:01 AM ^

And you aren't limited to certain podcasts depending on where you live like you are with radio. There are so many more options and shows and you could even go back and re-listen to an episode if you liked it so much. The only time I listen to the radio is if I'm in the car during a Michigan Basketball or Football game. 

rc15

January 25th, 2019 at 10:53 AM ^

Harder to forget, but really easy for your phone to die while tailgating. Or while at the game and then they don't let you back to your seat...

Or it means that the person that has a whole group of tickets on their phone has to give their phone to someone that is going to get concessions. Or send a screenshot?

Yabadabablue

January 25th, 2019 at 9:38 AM ^

My WTKA signal is sometimes spotty in metro Detroit, but I occasionally get it to come through while in Chicago. Weird. 

 

I had a recent experience with trying to sell an E-ticket and it was a nightmare. both parties needed to download the app and have an account for the app, which was a problem because the other guy didn't know his apple password or email password associated with the account, so he couldn't download the app. after about an hour we got it worked out, but it was a pain in the ass. 

JPC

January 25th, 2019 at 9:58 AM ^

Keep digging

https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/census-americans-poverty-typically-have-cell-phones-computers-tvs

 

In fact, 80.9 percent of households below the poverty level have cell phones, and a healthy majority—58.2 percent—have computers.

Just admit that you have no idea what you're talking about and made a stupid statement based on your own preconceived notions. 

JPC

January 25th, 2019 at 10:33 AM ^

Good point

http://www.nlada100years.org/sites/default/files/Answering%20the%20Call%20Why%20Mobile%20Matters(2).pdf

It seems like the poor are more likely to use their phones as their primary means of online access (which makes sense). That data is old, so most definitely underestimates usage in 2019.

Moleskyn

January 25th, 2019 at 9:53 AM ^

I know it's the Freep, but whatever. Here's an article talking more about the mobile focus. While they say they will only accept mobile tickets...

It started with the Detroit Pistons and Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. Now, the Tigers will be using mobile tickets as its main method to enter games this season. 

...All paper/print out/PDF tickets, either printed or copied on a mobile phone, will no longer be accepted at Comerica Park. 

...it sounds like those elderly/poor/technology-challenged folks will still have options:

If you don't have access to a smartphone, you can call the Comerica Park Box Office or visit the Box Office on game day to receive tickets. 

UMFanatic96

January 25th, 2019 at 9:57 AM ^

They HAVE to still give the older people options because the MLB is mostly attended by older fans. They have the oldest fan base of the four major leagues and the older generations are more likely to attend sporting events because they have more disposable income. 

That's another reason why sporting events today are NOTHING like what they used to be. Teams know that to get younger people to the games, you need to make it more about the experience than the game itself. Anybody can watch a game in ultra HD on a TV, so you have to offer experiences you can only get if you're at the game. 

BLUEinRockford

January 25th, 2019 at 1:24 PM ^

You are correct ijohnb. I tailgated @ Fox Tent and Awning on Main St. in AA for over 30 years. Made alot of friends there including the two gentlemen/scalpers who worked that corner for said 30 years also. Bought/sold Tix many times with them. On slow Saturdays they would join my tailgate for a beer. Hope this clarifies my earlier post. 

rob f

January 25th, 2019 at 9:55 AM ^

It could be worse.  Here in SW Michigan all I can get is Chicago sports radio and they're nothing but a bunch of whiney bitches talking over the top of each other.  Or the Huge Show and all his faux flag-waving and concern-trolling.

Zoltanrules

January 25th, 2019 at 10:11 AM ^

Sam and Ira on WTKA are the best

Jamey and Stoney on WDFN are a close second. I like broadcasters who are intelligent and not just out for shock value. Detroit sports are at an all time low for ineptitude so just plain bitching about a team losing/bad owner/ bad stadium/ bad tickey policy doesn't entertain me anymore.

really enjoy umhoops.com in addition to this site (not right after a loss).

I thought people without a phone could go through a will call type entrance still. Not convenient but if you want to go to a game one still can. 

UMxWolverines

January 25th, 2019 at 10:29 AM ^

For real? I can't stand listening to Jamie and Stoney because Jamey always thinks he's the smartest guy in the room. I toletated them until they were talking about Braylon's twitter meltdown after the Notre Dame game and Jamie said something like "Well maybe he's getting this information from Berkley in the lockerroom" and Stan called in and ripped him a new one.  I'd rather listen to Doug Karsh and Scott Anderson. 

Zoltanrules

January 25th, 2019 at 1:39 PM ^

Karsh and Anderson have good chemistry and are good too but midday talk radio though is usually a rehash of news from the morning. Also, a little too much " did you see that horrific sports injury" type stuff. I guess they need to dumb down their audience in time for Valenti.

Jamie did get ripped and that was funny and he does look like Eddie Munster. Stan Edwards is the one who thinks he is the smartest one in the room. Stoney reminds me of a lot of my east coast friends from UM back in the day.

Brian Griese

January 25th, 2019 at 10:14 AM ^

I’ve never gotten the point of most sports talk radio.... it’s mostly #hottakes and various forms of trolling followed by 5 minutes of commercials. Then Larry from Livonia calls in to ask why Al Avila wouldn’t trade Michael Fulmer for Mike Trout straight up when he ‘had the chance’. 

Sam1863

January 25th, 2019 at 8:50 PM ^

I try to avoid sports radio except for the actual games, and a big reason are the Larrys from Livonia. Their loud stupidity gets worse at trade deadline, and just once I'd like to hear the host give the kind of response their brainless ideas deserve:

Larry: Why don't the Tigers trade Fulmer to the Angels for Trout?

Host: Well, probably because the Angels GM isn't a fucking idiot, Larry.

The FCC would probably frown on that kind of honesty. What a shame.

The Mad Hatter

January 25th, 2019 at 10:23 AM ^

What a stupid fucking idea.  Half the time I leave my house the phone stays home, and I'm not exactly old yet.  Sometimes I just don't want to be bothered with the fucking thing or have Google and big brother tracking my movements every second of the day.

Then again, the Tigers suck and I wasn't going to be attending games in the near future anyway.

BeatOSU52

January 25th, 2019 at 10:31 AM ^

Random thought:  the Grand Rapids area finally has a pretty good music station in what they switched 94.5 FM to recently,  when the switched everything around recently (with WBBL being gone , Zane getting shit-canned , and the old 94.5 country Thunder going to 107.3 now)  

mbrummer

January 25th, 2019 at 12:13 PM ^

I have a 27 game ticket package for 5 years.  My Friend, who had the tickets originally has had them since Comerica opened.

I called them Wednesday threatening to cancel this year.  They took my money in bad faith in October.  I talked to my ticket rep he assured me they would print my tickets in box office form in advance.   So here's the rest of the rant.. 

It's all about increasing their bottom line.  27 games is too much for me.  I go to 15 games a year.  I try to resell the rest at or  75% below face.  They hold their value because of their location behind the plate.  So I know I'm losing money and Ok with it.

If it's digital they funnel me through stubhub or their others.  Sure their system is free.  But no one wants to use it,  I always end up mailing tickets or meeting them.

If I used stubhub the brokers bots undercut me within minutes.  Also Stubhub and paypal takes their cut.  And spoiler alert the Tigers take a cut too.  If you think Tigers don't get cash for allowing Stubhub to be the official ticket reseller of the Detroit Tigers and announcing it 7 times a game, then quit drinking and go to bed

This allows the Tigers to make money off the same ticket twice.  

They are gaslighting everyone  saying its easier.  I've tried using their app on my smartphone it works once out of 5 times.  And its not easier to transfer tickets  to people.  Whats easier, taking a check and handing over tickets or taking a check, asking for an email, make sure they have a valid tigers account, login to my account type in the email and transfer?  

They will hide behind the very small percentage of fraud of PDF's.  But no one cares about being able to print tickets.  The scalpers don't do it, they would ruin their client base.  And if I decided to do it.  Wouldnt it be easy to trace back who is printing off 10-15 of the same ticket? 

Simple have real tickets, have digital tickets.  Eliminate PDF's printoffs.  Only in corporate world does eliminating choices make it more convenient for the consumer.  It's only convenient for their bottom line.

 

mbrummer

January 25th, 2019 at 12:35 PM ^

I have no problem figuring it out.  I've used them before.  

It's the monetary hit of devaluing my ticket and making sure I have to pay stubhub fees to sell.

If they would have told me in October when they took payment in full, that's another issue. I wouldn't have renewed.

But cool making stereotypes about age and the reason people are upset.

Sione For Prez

January 25th, 2019 at 12:59 PM ^

What platform did you use to sell your tigers tickets when they were paper and you didn't go through stubhub? You can still do that just instead of transferring paper tickets you would transfer via your ticketmaster account for free.

EDIT: I bought my father in law tickets to a concert which was mobile only. On christmas after he opened the poster I got with them I transferred him the tickets. If I were selling them I could accept a check or cash and then transfer the tickets to him same as if they were paper.

 

mbrummer

January 25th, 2019 at 1:17 PM ^

For Tigers Season Ticket holders you can transfer the tickets to anyone with email address.

But they would have to own a Tigers account or create one.  I had two or 3 sales ruined because they couldn't do it, or didn't want to.

Yes to transfer your tickets to your dad once a year its not so bad you have his email and can set up an account if you needed to for him.  But to transfer to someone at a large workplace such as a hospital it's a pain.  And try doing it 10-15 times a year.

And Tigers Season ticket holders are not on ticketmaster accounts.  At least they weren't last year.

m9tt

January 25th, 2019 at 12:35 PM ^

Podcasts >>>>>> Talk Radio 

Seriously, make the switch. You can listen to whatever topic interests you, who is speaking, when you want to listen, and you can switch to something else whenever you feel like it! 

 

Eli

January 25th, 2019 at 2:59 PM ^

Never really thought much about podcasts, don’t know why. Based on this suggestion, I started typing things in the search bar that interest me and man you are right! I guess I’m done with radio. I already added a ton to my library and best of all they are free. Thanks. 

tnixon16

January 25th, 2019 at 1:13 PM ^

Download the WTKA app. Not only can you stream live from wherever you may be, you can listen to old shows in podcast form. Plus, as others have said, podcasts have way more to offer than what 97.1 limps through, content-wise...that is, unless you're a sparty slappy. MGoContent is still king...audio or written.

jmblue

January 25th, 2019 at 1:30 PM ^

Apparently the Tigers are only doing tickets by your phone. I get it

I honestly don't get it.  What is the rationale here?  Why would you want to make tickets less accessible to your fans?

XtremeUMich

January 25th, 2019 at 2:31 PM ^

I gotta vote for old school on this one. I like the look and feel of actual tickets. I enjoy tearing each ticket off my season ticket sheet before the game. I hate the pdf printed sheets, and I dont like fumbling with my phone in line. I'm also one of those hoarder types that keeps them as a free memento of a game. I hope hard tickets make a come back like vinyl records did. 

mbrummer

January 25th, 2019 at 2:35 PM ^

Long shot..  Do you have any Stubs from Tiger Stadium  I collect Alan Trammell Hr Stubs.  I'm up to 84% completion

Only 15 left from the Corner though.  Even one is a huge find at this point and worth $20- $25 in compensation

 

 

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