49ers president: 'We have seen demand off the charts' despite ongoing pandemic
For the first time since 2019, NFL fans will pack into full-capacity stadiums across the league starting on Thursday night in Tampa Bay when the Buccaneers face off against the Dallas Cowboys.
And while COVID-19 protocols will be posted on signs and a few venues will require vaccination or a negative COVID test, many teams are expecting interest rivaling pre-pandemic times.
“We have seen demand off the charts,” 49ers President Al Guido said on Yahoo Finance Live (video above). “From back to 2019 numbers, we've never seen ticket sales at this pace, at this pricing … I think it's not necessarily true that people like sitting at home on their couch. Yeah, certain people do but what we're finding now is in the youth demographic they really like the social experiment. they really like being back at a sports game, they can't replicate that on their couch.”
'Sports really is not an on-demand product'
This fall’s battle for eyeballs will once again take place amid the pandemic with daily COVID cases still breaching 150,000 and 1,500 deaths each day.
Per a list compiled by Forbes, just three NFL teams out of 32 will be requiring either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test. The 49ers have relied on state and local guidelines for much of its decision making, and Guido cited the Bay Area's nearly 80% vaccination rate as a key contributor for not requiring vaccinated fans (though masking when indoors will be required).
“I don't really think it's going to be that difficult [to get fans back in the stadium],” Guido said. “I think the question is: How can we sustain it for the long haul?”
The 49ers enter the 2021 season with a 98% retention rate on season tickets, a number that’s remained constant since the franchise opened Levi’s Stadium in 2014. Luxury experiences are selling even faster: On the first day of sale, the 49ers sold out tickets to a field level club that includes cushioned recliners for about 50 people, per a team spokesperson.
“Sports really is not an on-demand product,” said Guido, who is also the CEO and Chairman of Elevate Sports Ventures.“You're not watching it in replay, you're watching it live. I think there's a lot to be said for the eyeballs.”
Josh is a producer for Yahoo Finance.
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