Jets faithful: We're G-O-N-E! because of PSLs at new stadium BY RICH CIMINI DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Tuesday, November 4th 2008, 12:38 AM They never miss a home game. For 20 years, they've been in the same seats at the Meadowlands, section 131, row 19 - the 49-yard line on the visitor's side. It's a prime location, so close to the field that Bob Yost and Stephen Giaramita, longtime friends, tell people it's like watching the Jets on a 100-yard HDTV. Sometimes the days are magical, like Dec. 29, 2002, when the Jets went from playoff longshots to AFC East champions during a rollercoaster afternoon that ended with a rout of the Packers. Sometimes the days are torture; take your pick. But that's part of being a Jets fan, enduring years of pain for fleeting moments of euphoria. Yost and Giaramita are okay with that because even when it's bad, it isn't that bad. PSL SAGA PART I: AGONY OF THE SEAT "I still get excited when I walk down the aisle. It's beautiful, like heaven," says Giaramita, 42. "It takes your mind off Monday to Friday, 9 to 5." PSL SAGA PART II: NEWS ANSWERS YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS For Giaramita, a commodities trader from Bayside, and Yost, a New York City fireman from Staten Island - along with an untold number of season-ticket holders - the good times are coming to an end. They are surrendering to the three most dreaded words in the sports fan's lexicon: personal seat license. Based on their current location, Giaramita and Yost's seats in the new stadium would be in a section dubbed the "Great Hall Club," and that translates to a great cost. They've been told their PSL fee is $25,000 for each seat (they have four season tickets), plus $700 per game ticket. PSL SAGA PART III: LONG-TIME GIANTS FAN PRICED OUT That's $128,000, which includes the PSLs and tickets for the first season, 2010. The club's brochure makes it seem swanky, as members receive on-field access behind the visitor's bench and all food and non-alcoholic beverages included in the season-ticket price, but Giaramita and Yost simply can't afford those prices. They're planning to bail - completely. Turned off by the entire concept of PSLs, they've eschewed cheaper alternatives being offered by the Jets. They could opt to move to the upper deck, where the 27,000 seats have no PSL fees, but Giaramita and Yost don't want that, either. "It's a money grab," says Yost, 44. "It's a shame they're getting away with it. (Owner Woody Johnson) is a billionaire; he should be able to build his own stadium without our money. They're pricing us right out. Does it get any greedier?" Adds Giamarita: "I don't need another house payment." The Jets, splitting the cost of the estimated $1.7 billion stadium with the Giants, believe PSLs are necessary to meet construction costs. As for loyal fans such as Giamarita and Yost, "We understand that PSLs aren't for everyone, and that's why our plan has a lot of options," says Thad Sheely, the club's vice president for stadium development and finance. "If you're a diehard Jets fan and can't afford a PSL, there's a seat for you on the 50-yard line in the upper bowl." Yost is one of those diehard fans, attending Jets games since 1978. He and Giaramita are former roommates who became friends more than 20 years ago. Officially, the four tickets are in Giaramita's name, but they split the cost and invite two guests, usually other firemen. Yost says he'll stay home and watch on his 62-inch TV. The Daily News contacted several irate season-ticket holders, most of whom refused to go on the record because they felt it would jeopardize their chances of securing even a non-PSL seat in the upper deck (the club says seat assignments aren't subjective decisions; they're based on seniority). Most fans are upset, but not enough to take their business elsewhere. Frank Mongiello, of Keyport, N.J., is one of those fans who are torn between their checkbook and their allegiance to their team. Mongiello, 61, a retired mailman, says he will be forced to surrender his six mezzanine and field-level tickets, which he has had since 1976. He says he cried the day the ducats arrived in the mail some 32 years ago. Recently, he sent a letter to Johnson, denouncing the club for showing no loyalty to its longtime ticket holders, yet he's not prepared to walk away and is leaning toward a move to the upper deck, where he began in '76. "What can I say? I'm a Jets lunatic," says Mongiello. __________________
Gang Greed Fireman Ed calls Jets Gang Greed BY Rich Cimini DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Tuesday, November 4th 2008, 12:52 AM Appleton/News Jets fan 'Fireman Ed' isn't a supporter of the Jets' decision to implement PSLs. Fireman Ed is mad. M-A-D, Mad! Mad! Mad! PSL SAGA PART I: AGONY OF THE SEAT The Jets' most famous supporter, Ed Anzalone is appalled and disappointed that his beloved team is requiring most its fan base to purchase personal seat licenses. After months of holding his tongue, Anzalone, a season ticket holder since 1976, is ready to stand up and boo. "I love the New York Jets, I love the green and white and I love the fans - I have nothing but passion for the fans and the team - but the organization has continued to drop the ball," Anzalone said. PSL SAGA PART II: NEWS ANSWERS YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS In a phone interview, which included a lengthy rant against owner Woody Johnson for his decision to co-own the new stadium with the Giants, Anzalone claimed the Jets are ripping off the common fan. "This is pathetic," says Anzalone, who owns four seats in section 134, where the PSL would be $10,000 or $12,500 per seat. "I'm so twisted by the fact that they went with the Giants to begin with. Now you're going to have the (audacity) to charge your fans twice?" PSL SAGA PART III: LONG-TIME GIANTS FAN PRICED OUT Anzalone, a stadium icon known for leading the celebrated "J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets!" cheer, says he pays full price for his tickets. But for how much longer? "You won't see me in these seats (in the new stadium)," said Anzalone, 49, who retired last year from the city's fire department. "I don't know what's going to happen. Maybe I'll go upstairs. Maybe I'll fork over four grand for an end-zone seat. I love the Jets so much, maybe I'll get my tickets on Stub Hub. "I just want to enjoy this year and next," he continued. "Maybe, with a little of God's luck, we'll win a championship. If that happens, I'm moving on, bro." __________________
I rue the day they ever started talking about a new stadium. We don't need one, plain and simple. The present stadium is more than adequate with better sightlines than the one proposed. All they needed to do was change the name. Pathetic way to treat your fan base.
Imagine what the PSLs would have cost if they built it in NYC. There will be a lot more tickets available on stub hub now as fireman ed points out above and they won't be going for $700 a ticket either. The Jets fan base at the stadium will be different from game to game going forward now.
That's what's so disappointing about all of this, Don. One of the biggest negatives about the cockamamie WSS proposal was the huge expense, i.e., building it alone and in the heart of Manhatten, no less. So, when the shared stadium in the Meadowlands was proposed, it was sold to the public as much more cost friendly. Okay, it didn't have a retractable roof, but so what, they'll keep the cost down this way. The whole idea made sense, especially when compared to the cost of building your own in all the conjested, high-cost areas proposed. After approval and the sign-off by then acting NJ Governor Richard Cody, the greed showed up. Tisch, Mara and Johnson began thinking, "Hmmm... how can we milk this?" The whole thing is attrocious. In fact, a class action suit should be brought against the Giants and Jets demanding immediate cancellation of all PSLs already sold and immediate refund of any monies paid, along with immediate reinstatement of all present ticketholder seat locations to whomever currently holds them. Want to build a new stadium? Fine, you pay for it. But leave the ticketholders alone.
It will be interesting to see what happens with a recession coming. The fact that the expensive PSLs didn't sell hardly at all and the ones that did sold for much less than expected may be a sign of things to come. What if nobody wants the seats? Not the current ticket holders and not anybody on the list. I know I don't and I think there are enough people worried about the economy that they may not want them either.
And to think that both the Giants and Jets are charging PSL's for the same seats. This has scam written all over it if you ask me. Not only are they splitting the building cost but they are both collecting full psl's for the entire stadium. How does that fly? Well at least the crowd noise will be reduced seeing as a lot of actual Jets fans will be forced out and replaced with corporate buyers. Go JETS
So why can't they move to a 50 yard line seat in the first few rows of the upper deck and pay what they're paying now? "Giaramita and Yost don't want that either"?......Well, that's tough titty then. Jets are giving them an option to go to J!E!T!S! games and pay what they are paying now. If they don't take that option, that's their problem and I don't feel sorry for them.
I would have thought the corporate buyers would have gobbled up the expensive seats. After all, it's a write off for them. They wanted no part of them so I doubt they will wand the cheaper ones either.
Actually, they wouldda.......only the Jets halted the auction the second the average PSL went down to 25K. See, if the average is below 25k, then they might have a problem charging the 25k for the same seats on the other side.
That is the wrong approach, I do not agree that it is "tough titty then". Like Many others (me included), we have chosen to keep the same seats each year at no additional cost. Fans have earned the right by paying year after year. Now, the team says "oh you can still sit in the best seats in the house for a fee". If you owned a house, and bought it at a great price, but the bank says, "hey since your house has increased in value, we are raising your mortgage. If you do not want to pay it, we have someone that will, BUT you can move to a cheaper house on the bad side of town". That is how those who get screwed feel.
that is a great point! It gets more ridiculous by the day. There was NOTHING wrong with the old stadium!
Actually, I have a problem also with Giaramita and Yost's stubborn refusal to move to the Upper Deck, especially since they admit that that's where they initially started! This sounds like a case of a lot of blustering. When push comes to shove, these guys will probably cave and opt for whatever they can get, which is basically where I am (and most others are). There's really nothing I can do about the situation. I either (a) pay the PSL, (b) move to the Uppers (my most likely choice) or (c) opt out altogether and stop going to games. I gain nothing by saying, "I'll show Woody, I'll refuse the PSL-free Uppers." Think he gives a shit? HA! Hardly. My only venue for bitching is right here on this board, so that's what I do for now. I know it doesn't solve shit, but it at least gives me the opportunity to vent. That's why I take umbrage with those who tell me, "Stop bitching and shut up!" Screw that, I'll bitch and moan from now until the cows come home if that's what it takes to let somebody know how outrageously received this cockamamie PSL fiasco is.
Maybe, just maybe they enjoy the seats where they currently sit and don't want to go backwards because of corporate greed. Maybe, just maybe, they have principles.
Not only is there nothing wrong with the old stadium, the old stadium presents better sight lines than the new stadium. Additionally: (1) The old stadium has no retractable roof. Neither does the new stadium because the Giants didn't want one. Nothing gained there. (2) The old stadium was paid for. The new stadium "requires" high-priced personal PSLs and massive public spending to "improve" the site. Terrific use of tax dollars. (3) The old stadium had nothing but miles of tailgating areas... plenty of room for outdoor family fun. Tailgating in the new stadium is quite limited by design and requires attendees to patronize their "five-star, upscale" restaurants. If one wants a five-star dinner, they sure as hell don't go to a football stadium for that. They go there to watch a football game, for Christ's sake. (4) The old stadium's shape enhanced fan noise. The shape of the new stadium is spread out and will dissapate noise. It'll be like going to a freakin' tennis match. Morgue is more like it. There is no 12th man on the field anymore. Visiting teams will feel like it's a home game. (5) The old stadium contained a settled crowd of dedicated ticketholders who have been in the same seats for years, in some cases spanning generations of loyal Jets fans who actually ATTEND the games. The new stadium pricing disrupts and dislocates every single ticketholder and in most cases, replaces that loyal, local Jets fan with some shoelace salesmen from Des Moines, Iowa, in town for a footwear convention.
The reason for the new stadium is really simple more money in Woodys & the NYG owners pockets which is why it was built
Principles or stupidity? Sounds like they're cutting off their own noses to spite their faces. Let me get this straight. They started out in the Uppers, then moved to the Lowers. Now that they are being charged for those seats, they don't want to move back to the Uppers again, where there will be no charge. I see this as slightly different than my situation. I've never been in any other seat except the ones I intially got. Been there forever. But I'm smart enough to realize no one's going to give two shits about me if I refuse the Uppers. It's either pay the freight, move to the Uppers, or don't go to the games. If you want to go to the games bad enough, which myself and my family like to do, then we'll have to do whatever we have to do. Uppers it will have to be.
That is a great way to put it. I have no problem with the current stadium. I love my seats. I can't see how I will afford them in the new stadium.
