01-06-2018, 02:01 PM
(01-06-2018, 12:36 AM)Roland Wrote: COAs have sold for as much as $3750 per seat in the last six months. The best seats are still under COAs and you're not likely to get those as a new ticket holder because COA holders get upgrade priority.
https://bengals.seasonticketrights.com/Charter-Ownership-Agreements/Charter-Ownership-Agreement-Info.aspx
The Bengals sell available seats a variety of ways so yes, it's possible to get seats without a COA. But you're not guaranteed those seats next season.
If you call about season tickets today they'll take your info and you'll wait in line until COA holders renew and get upgrades. Sure, good seats could come open if there are a ton of drops and few upgrades. But out of the 100 or so seats that I consider better than mine, none of them have come available for upgrades in the last ten years. And these aren't even field level seats.
I purchased season tickets (for the first time since 2006 - when I had to buy a COA at the time) just this past season around July. They did not charge for a COA. It wasn't even an option as I had asked about the COA to understand costs. I had my choice of where I wanted to sit without purchasing one as long as those tickets hadn't been already sold. Club seats are the most expensive and they had a ton of outstanding seats to choose from as well as lower bowl seats.
The COA is worthless and has been virtually non-existent in 2012 according to my ticket rep, whom I called yesterday to confirm the above. I also asked to make sure that, should I choose, I had first right of refusal on renewing my seats.... I do, regardless on if a COA holder wants them or not. The COA was given or "comped" to me by the Bengals when I purchased my season tickets.
The COA/PSL racket has been out of a lot of a lot of stadiums across multiple sports for years. The people who paid into them are left with a virtually worthless bill of goods..... Especially at PBS, where season ticket holders have left in droves and it will be scorched Earth season ticket wise after this Marvin rehire. Why do you think they stopped charging for COAs to begin with? Just because there are websites brokering them, doesn't mean that it's a viable asset or that people actually by them. One call to the Bengals would stop anyone from buy a COA unless someone was occupying seats they HAD to have and they wanted to buy those specific seats from them.... Unlikely.
Regardless of you and I'm different outlook on COAs, no one should be upset at you choosing to buy tickets. If you enjoy going to the games and supporting the Bengals financially, that is awesome that you do so! I want the Bengals to do well and for my fellow fans to enjoy the as much as possible!
