New online seat relocation process

[SpinnerSpencer]

Does anyone know when the 1st date that season ticket holders are going to have the option to pick their relocation seats? I am scheduled for 7/18.

[TRazzy66]

I go on the 12th.

[Ossa]

I'm 7/22... ugh.

[Kraftster]

7/22

[The Colonel]

Same here...7/22

[beLIEve]

I go on the 12th.

So, what does the inventory look like out there so far? I imagine there isn't much available.

Could you get us a screenshot of the relocation tool so that we know what we're in for?

Thanks

[IanMoran]

Awesome the Pens let you do this.

My family wrote a letter every year to the Steelers requesting a relocation from 2001-2011.

Only got one when NFL guy called us about what they were offering us after we were one of those who didn't have seats at the Super Bowl, and we also made this request

[TRazzy66]

It is very similar to buying tickets on the ticketmaster website. It shows you the section and the exact spots of seats available in green Unfortunaetly, there is not much out there unless you want the last three or four rows of the upper bowl. Slim pickings!

[Ben Klingston]

Yep, inventory is pretty thin. As Razzy said, it's like the TM process for an event with the 'pick your seats' availability. They show an overhead of Consol, broken up by section number. The sections are green if there are tickets available, red if there are zero tix avaible. You hover over the section and it shows the section number, how many tickets are available, and the cost/ticket (or range of costs) in that section. You can then click on the section and it brings up a screen showing a view as if you were looking at the section from the ice, or from the front of the upper level, with the available seats showing up in green.

It's pretty cool. Puts it all into the ticket hodlers' hands.

That said, I was talking to a few fellow STH and there is a downside to the new process, especially if you have significant seniority and were looking to relocate... It used to be the Pens would take relocation requests and (I'm told), would go through them in order of seniority when new seats became available. Now, it's a real-time availability thing. One STH with 20 years of seniority may check the site at 9AM, see nothing they want available, and concurrently a change is taking place to make new seats available such that at 9:30, a STH with 3 years seniority checks the site, sees the new tickets available, and relocates to them. It's not a perfect process, but the old method I can imagine was a nightmare for the front office to manage ever-changing ticket inventory and seniority requests, and you are also banking on your ticket rep monitoring and not screwing up your request and keeping it 'on file'. The new system puts it entirely within STH control, but it does make it a first-come-first-serve process, which I'm sure will please some and displease some.

[KBone]

Only direction to go is up!

Like TRazzy said... only the top 3 or 4 rows are available to move to.

[drnort]

That said, I was talking to a few fellow STH and there is a downside to the new process, especially if you have significant seniority and were looking to relocate... It used to be the Pens would take relocation requests and (I'm told), would go through them in order of seniority when new seats became available. Now, it's a real-time availability thing. One STH with 20 years of seniority may check the site at 9AM, see nothing they want available, and concurrently a change is taking place to make new seats available such that at 9:30, a STH with 3 years seniority checks the site, sees the new tickets available, and relocates to them. It's not a perfect process, but the old method I can imagine was a nightmare for the front office to manage ever-changing ticket inventory and seniority requests, and you are also banking on your ticket rep monitoring and not screwing up your request and keeping it 'on file'. The new system puts it entirely within STH control, but it does make it a first-come-first-serve process, which I'm sure will please some and displease some.

In all honesty - I do not know that seniority was ever really taken into account. It had a lot more to do with how good your ticket rep was at working the system for you. A good ticket rep could find you a match (another person willing to swap with you), and others would just sit on their hands.

[Why Not Us]

Relocated from 226 to 231 and moved up 5 rows. Other than the team not wanting single seats left in any rows, easy going experience.

[Ben Klingston]

That said, I was talking to a few fellow STH and there is a downside to the new process, especially if you have significant seniority and were looking to relocate... It used to be the Pens would take relocation requests and (I'm told), would go through them in order of seniority when new seats became available. Now, it's a real-time availability thing. One STH with 20 years of seniority may check the site at 9AM, see nothing they want available, and concurrently a change is taking place to make new seats available such that at 9:30, a STH with 3 years seniority checks the site, sees the new tickets available, and relocates to them. It's not a perfect process, but the old method I can imagine was a nightmare for the front office to manage ever-changing ticket inventory and seniority requests, and you are also banking on your ticket rep monitoring and not screwing up your request and keeping it 'on file'. The new system puts it entirely within STH control, but it does make it a first-come-first-serve process, which I'm sure will please some and displease some.

In all honesty - I do not know that seniority was ever really taken into account. It had a lot more to do with how good your ticket rep was at working the system for you. A good ticket rep could find you a match (another person willing to swap with you), and others would just sit on their hands.

In your scenario, no, seniority wouldn't count. I was told it did count when it came to 'open' seats available for relocation.... that's really what this new online tool is doing. But you raise a good question - I'm assuming ticket reps will just point someone to this online tool to look for 'open' seats available, but wonder if they'd still take on the task of 'fishing' for someone else who wants to relocate.... i.e. someone who hasn't given up their current seats because they haven't found what they want, and matching them with you, for a swap.

Relocated from 226 to 231 and moved up 5 rows. Other than the team not wanting single seats left in any rows, easy going experience.

Cool! I wondered about the single seat issue... the way the letter was worded, 'Single seats shouldn't be left' - seemed to me that they would allow it, but obviously not prefer it. Did your relocation result in a single seat being left? Did you have to get special approval or something?

[largegarlic]

My mom's seats were towards the top of 223 (Row N), and I was able to get them switched to the 206, Row P. I figured it was a good trade to go to the end where the Pens shoot twice, even if it meant moving up a couple rows. I think 206 is also right by the better food options (Burgatory and the BBQ place), right?

[PAPLine]

Hey Why Not Us, welcome to 231. My date is the 22nd as well, but I'm in row F so I don't see a need to change.
Re: seniority, I've supposedly been on the list to go from half year to full year for a bunch of years, the last time I called they couldn't tell me where I stood.

[Ben Klingston]

My mom's seats were towards the top of 223 (Row N), and I was able to get them switched to the 206, Row P. I figured it was a good trade to go to the end where the Pens shoot twice, even if it meant moving up a couple rows. I think 206 is also right by the better food options (Burgatory and the BBQ place), right?

Right. I'm in 207 and Burgatory, BBQ, and Brewhouse is all up behind that area.

[Why Not Us]

I was simply looking to just move away from the guy behind me in 226 and to a row closer to the front. I was able to accomplish that with 231. Initially I attempted to move to 225 but the system wouldn't allow it to go through due to a single seat being left so it basically started me over.

[Ben Klingston]

I was simply looking to just move away from the guy behind me in 226 and to a row closer to the front. I was able to accomplish that with 231. Initially I attempted to move to 225 but the system wouldn't allow it to go through due to a single seat being left so it basically started me over.

Ahh, so it wouldn't allow it. I wondered about that.

I too was looking to potentially move due to the guys in front of me.... mega-leaners, lol. I'm in row B, though, so I guess I can't complain... or can/did I?

[sj?]

So I just talked to my friend who has seats in 211 & was looking to move her 2 seats & it wouldn't allow the single seat left as well. She called her ticket rep & asked if she could purchase the 3rd seat & she is waiting to hear back.

As a season ticket holder has anyone been able to purchase or add any additional seats ??

[Ben Klingston]

So I just talked to my friend who has seats in 211 & was looking to move her 2 seats & it wouldn't allow the single seat left as well. She called her ticket rep & asked if she could purchase the 3rd seat & she is waiting to hear back.

As a season ticket holder has anyone been able to purchase or add any additional seats ??

Yes, I added a third seat to my plan 2 years ago, in conjunction with relocating (within same price level), for the 2nd season at CEC.

[sj?]

So I just talked to my friend who has seats in 211 & was looking to move her 2 seats & it wouldn't allow the single seat left as well. She called her ticket rep & asked if she could purchase the 3rd seat & she is waiting to hear back.

As a season ticket holder has anyone been able to purchase or add any additional seats ??

Yes, I added a third seat to my plan 2 years ago, in conjunction with relocating (within same price level), for the 2nd season at CEC.

Thanks ..

her rep said he wasn't sure because any available seat/seats would offered to someone on the waiting list ???

[The Snapshot]

Pretty happy to have gotten to move from 201 Row M (near the blueline farthest from the attack zone) over to the Section 218 Row E. It puts me much closer to the front of the lower bowl and inside the blueline in the double attack zone. They cost about 25% more than my old seats though, but I think it will work out since I sell most weeknight seats anyway on the Exchange.

[Ben Klingston]

Pretty happy to have gotten to move from 201 Row M (near the blueline farthest from the attack zone) over to the Section 218 Row E. It puts me much closer to the front of the lower bowl and inside the blueline in the double attack zone. They cost about 25% more than my old seats though, but I think it will work out since I sell most weeknight seats anyway on the Exchange.

Just beware, first 5ish rows can bring out the mega-leaner in even moderate leaners/edge of seaters

[The Snapshot]

Pretty happy to have gotten to move from 201 Row M (near the blueline farthest from the attack zone) over to the Section 218 Row E. It puts me much closer to the front of the lower bowl and inside the blueline in the double attack zone. They cost about 25% more than my old seats though, but I think it will work out since I sell most weeknight seats anyway on the Exchange.

Just beware, first 5ish rows can bring out the mega-leaner in even moderate leaners/edge of seaters

I don't think it could be worse than the row I was in. There were handicapped seats behind me on a platform for all of season 1 and the beginning of 2. That allowed me to lean with impunity to achieve a good sight line. All of a sudden they take out the platform and stick another 5 rows of seats behind, and I get 6'5" goons who still use only the first half of the seat.

[Ben Klingston]

Pretty happy to have gotten to move from 201 Row M (near the blueline farthest from the attack zone) over to the Section 218 Row E. It puts me much closer to the front of the lower bowl and inside the blueline in the double attack zone. They cost about 25% more than my old seats though, but I think it will work out since I sell most weeknight seats anyway on the Exchange.

Just beware, first 5ish rows can bring out the mega-leaner in even moderate leaners/edge of seaters

I don't think it could be worse than the row I was in. There were handicapped seats behind me on a platform for all of season 1 and the beginning of 2. That allowed me to lean with impunity to achieve a good sight line. All of a sudden they take out the platform and stick another 5 rows of seats behind, and I get 6'5" goons who still use only the first half of the seat.

Ahh, a civilized man. Leaners in front of you but you hold the line and don't lean (too much) out of consideration of those behind you. We should start a club, or they can designate certain sections, lol.