NHL Team Offers 'Bid On Your Own Price' Season Tickets

from the modified-name-your-own-price dept

Thu, Aug 12th 2010 4:00am — Mike Masnick

The whole "name your own price" thing has been getting a lot of attention lately. Lots of people, of course, mention Radiohead's use of it, but others have been using it as well, including video game companies, taxi drivers and even Panera Bread. There's even been some research about the best way to set up such a "pay what you want" offering.

Apparently, one NHL franchise is willing to test some of this out as well. The Florida Panthers are letting fans bid on their own price for season tickets. It's not name your own price, but more of a bidding system. You pick the seats you want, and then propose what you think those seats should cost on a per-game basis. Within 24-hours someone from the team will get back to you and let you know whether you got the seats.

If anything, the setup sounds a bit more like Priceline's system for flights and hotels -- which actually makes me wonder if Priceline might get a bit upset. If I remember correctly, Priceline used to brag about its patents on such auction-like name-your-own-price setups, and threaten to sue anyone who did anything similar.

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Filed Under: bidding, hockey, name your own price
Companies: florida panthers

11 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2010 @ 4:38am

its completely asinine to be able to sue or claim ownership of some style or system to purchase things
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- Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2010 @ 6:12am
  
  Re:
  Not really. In Priceline's case, the method of selling is essentially thier product. All they do it take other peoples (the airlines, hotels, rental cars) products and retail them. Its the method of reselling that is unique to them, and is thier product. Hence the ownership.
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  - scarr (profile), 12 Aug 2010 @ 7:01am
    
    Re: Re:
    The fact that they built a business on it doesn't mean it deserves to be protected. I don't know how it's really any different from bartering, other than you only get one shot at it. It's basically a negotiating technique.
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  - The Groove Tiger (profile), 12 Aug 2010 @ 7:25am
    
    Re: Re:
    So, by that logic, anything is patentable, as long as you're an idiot?
    
    I mean... normally I wouldn't be able to patent "a system to make several lines of cash registers", but if I don't actually build a supermarket around it, I can sue all supermarkets that copy me?
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2010 @ 5:35am

From an economics point of view, how does name-your-own-price (or bid-your-own-price) affect sales? Does it offer a better solution in terms of price segmentation?

I would think it would, since each person is supposedly paying the maximum they are willing to pay (as long as the service accepts their bid).
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Dark Helmet (profile), 12 Aug 2010 @ 5:44am

Panthers radio announcer Randy Moller is also famous for integrating fair use non-sequitors into his goal calls. If you can afford to burst out laughing wherever you are, Google "randy moller goal calls", shit yourself laughing, and thank me later....
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- Dark Helmet (profile), 12 Aug 2010 @ 6:46am
  
  Re:
  Here's a link for ease of use. Seriously, this is one of the funniest things I've ever seen, and Dark Helmet knows comedy....
  
  http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS304&q=randy+m oller+goal+calls&aq=f&aqi=g4&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=Co8EqJ_pjTOrmIZXcygTKj7DICgAAAKoEB U_QZUBJ
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  - DS, 12 Aug 2010 @ 10:34am
    
    Re: Re:
    My faith in dark helmet has plummeted.
    
    I HATE announcers that try to make it all about them.
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    - Dark Helmet (profile), 12 Aug 2010 @ 10:48am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      "I HATE announcers that try to make it all about them."
      
      It's actually got nothing to do with making it about him. Those non-sequitors are suggested on and then voted for by Panthers fans on a sports radio show. It's actually a great example of CwF....
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2010 @ 6:04am

This somewhat reminds me of how some college football season tickets are sold. The tickets themselves are actually a set price but you're also required to "donate" to the club. Your "donation" puts your name somewhere on a list. And seating is assigned according to the list. All donations are accepted... but $1 isn't going to get you 50 yard line tickets. Somewhat of a silent auction.
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Koz, 12 Aug 2010 @ 8:51am

@dark helmet - thanks for the super lulz
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