Friend or No? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

yellesdaman · 10-04-2008, 12:45 AM

So on Monday a "friend" (that is now the question) offered me a ticket to the game for tonight because someone else couldn't come (in a group of 4). Never was mentioned if it was free or if I would have to pay. I (mistakenly) assumed no mention after an invitation meant it was complimentery as I was subbing in for someone else. Right before gametime, I'm asked to cough up for the tickets. I do so grudgingly, but now feel like I was being simply used as a way to get rid of a single seat that wasn't being used.

Thoughts? Am I cheap or are they in the wrong and taking advantage of me?

Caged Great · 10-04-2008, 12:47 AM

He should've clarified that it was for sale, not free.

You Need a Thneed · 10-04-2008, 12:54 AM

He offered you a ticket, you shouldn't have to pay for it.

Daradon · 10-04-2008, 01:54 AM

Yeah, if he wanted you to pay he should have mentioned that up front.

sadora · 10-04-2008, 02:13 AM

He should have let you know that you had to pay, but it's never a good thing to make assumptions. Personally, I would have asked when the offer was made. That's the way I have always been with my friends anyway to avoid that situation.

BuzzardsWife · 10-04-2008, 06:23 AM

pretty cheap of him! he should have asked you if you'd like to 'buy' a ticket to the game..even though you should have maybe asked, it's still pretty cheap of him..but nothing to ruin a friendship over if it's a good friend

STeeLy · 10-04-2008, 06:39 AM

That is pretty cheap.

If he offered to SELL you a ticket, it wouldn't be so bad, but he offered it to you with no mention of price and then ask for your money... that's just cheap.

Maritime Q-Scout · 10-04-2008, 07:04 AM

I think it boils down to the friends really. I know people who when they offer me a ticket I assume I'm paying for it. Others I know it's free. Some people are more frugal than others. Personally if I had an extra ticket (already budgeted and paid for) I'll give it away. However I can totally understand the philosophy that just because I'm your friend I shouldn't have to subsidize your night out at the rink.

Either way, it should have been clear. But maybe if your friend is always a cheapskate he just assumed he knew he'd be cheap

Howie_16 · 10-04-2008, 08:01 AM

Actually, I see this a different way.

You get invited to a game and you're not sure if you are expected to pay, how about offering to pay before your friend asks you for money? Flames tickets are expensive, and unless it was your birthday, I think it was presumptuous to assume it was being given to you free of charge.

He could then accept the money, or not. If he gives you a free ticket, you should at least be kind enough to buy a couple rounds of beer for him.

Clarkey · 10-04-2008, 08:02 AM

I see it as major cheap.

BlackEleven · 10-04-2008, 08:14 AM

I would have assumed it was free as well if no payment was asked for up front. Definitely not right of him try and unload a ticket like that.

If its a good friend of yours though, I don't think its worth ending the friendship over, which seems to be part of the question as well. It may just be a simple misunderstanding, at least let him explain in himself. For your part, I'd let him know that his actions were not cool, and in the future if he pulls another bait-and-switch like that, its going to compromise the friendship.

HelloHockeyFans · 10-04-2008, 08:20 AM

Yeah, I'm with Howie on this one... if someone offered me a ticket to a hockey game, I'd assume I'd be paying for the ticket. If nothing was mentioned, the minute I met up with the friend and he handed me the ticket, I'd ask him how much I owe him.

Howie_16 · 10-04-2008, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

I would have assumed it was free as well if no payment was asked for up front. Definitely not right of him try and unload a ticket like that.

If its a good friend of yours though, I don't think its worth ending the friendship over, which seems to be part of the question as well. It may just be a simple misunderstanding, at least let him explain in himself. For your part, I'd let him know that his actions were not cool, and in the future if he pulls another bait-and-switch like that, its going to compromise the friendship.

I can't agree with this approach. I think it was "pretty cool" for his buddy to think of him when the extra ticket came up. I can't comment on the individual particulars of what took place, but if someone is going to sulk and feel like a victim because they went to a Flames game and had to pay for their ticket, I start to question whether they were a "friend", not the other way around.

My advice to "yellesdaman" is to look at this as a learning opportunity instead of something that happened to you. Next time, seek clarification. "Hellohockeyfan" has it right here. I might be wrong, but I don't think this guy who invited you was trying to put you in an awkward position. He probably thought you would be great company as part of the foursome, and I hope you didn't sit there and pout the whole night because he asked you for money.

ok, ok,....I get it · 10-04-2008, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yellesdaman

So on Monday a "friend" (that is now the question) offered me a ticket to the game for tonight because someone else couldn't come (in a group of 4). Never was mentioned if it was free or if I would have to pay. I (mistakenly) assumed no mention after an invitation meant it was complimentery as I was subbing in for someone else. Right before gametime, I'm asked to cough up for the tickets. I do so grudgingly, but now feel like I was being simply used as a way to get rid of a single seat that wasn't being used.

Thoughts? Am I cheap or are they in the wrong and taking advantage of me?

Your "friend" sounds like a ######bag. I do not have regular tickets to the games. When I get some, through work, or other, I share them with me mates, as they do with me. This goes for the friend that has season's tickets. No request for payment is made. It is sometimes offered, but never accepted.

There is usually some debt paid in beer....but that is fine.

Just my $.02

FlamesKickAss · 10-04-2008, 09:25 AM

I don't see a problem with it. Like others have said, when a ticket is offered I always ask how much do I owe you, or "oh how'd you get tickets?"

if they paid for them then I would say how do I owe you, if they were given away then its like sweet I'll buy you a beer or something.

troutman · 10-04-2008, 09:39 AM

If they were corporate tickets, you should not expect to pay.

If they were personal tickets, probably so, but the friend should have mentioned the cost at the start.

iggypop · 10-04-2008, 10:47 AM

For me if I'm offered a ticket I always assume I'm paying. But this is because I am 21 year old broke uni student and all my friends are the same way. None of my friends could afford to give me a ticket, unless they were given to them in the first place.

But if you guys are older with careers and have money then I assume it would be different.

OP how old are you?

Russic · 10-04-2008, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ok, ok,....I get it

Your "friend" sounds like a ######bag. I do not have regular tickets to the games. When I get some, through work, or other, I share them with me mates, as they do with me. This goes for the friend that has season's tickets. No request for payment is made. It is sometimes offered, but never accepted.

There is usually some debt paid in beer....but that is fine.

Just my $.02

Bingo. If you're looking for money you have to let the other party know, that's giving out your tickets 101. Whenever I give a ticket to a friend we always go through the same ritualistic dance. They say "so what do I owe you?" and I respond "nothing ... put your damn wallet away". Then they are expected to buy me a coke and the ritual comes full circle.

There's a guy that sits in front of me at games. He has multiple sets of tickets throughout the dome. One night he calls me and offers me his extra seat by me that he won't be needing. I accept and he says "I'll only charge the season ticket holder cost, not the door price". I respectfully retracted my acceptance and told him I'd rather not. If you're going to sell your ticket to a friend, you have to tell him before the ticket exchange.

ken0042 · 10-04-2008, 12:05 PM

I say 60% your "friend"'s fault, 40% yours.

Like Trout said; if they were corperate tickets then I wouldn't expect to pay. However when I invite people to games I usually say one of the following:

"I got my company's tickets to the game, do you want to go?" meaning free to me= free to them.

or if it's mine, I usually ask if they want to buy a ticket if that's what I'm looking for. Fortunately I have enough good friends that I don't have to ask for money; they know the drill that they need to feed me some beers.

However the last time I offered a pre-season ticket to a relatively new friend, he accepted, and then asked how much he owed for the ticket. I made a casual comment about buying me a beer or two, and he was happy with that.

And the time before that last playoffs I scored some Sportchek tickets, and I invited a friend, adding the line of "I got the tickets on Ticketmaster, so they were $40 each." So I implied that I wanted to get paid, and there was no further mention of it and my friend paid me.

If it hasn't been established before hand what the standard is among your friends, then both should ask what the conditions are. As mentioned tickets aren't cheap, so you also shouldn't have assumed.

flip · 10-04-2008, 01:07 PM

This happens to me all the time. I offer someone my tickets, to buy of course, and they assume that I'm giving it to them so they perk up and get all excited. I notice their excitement and mention that they are $50 per ticket. Their excitement usually drops quite a bit.

I actually resent it now how people are much more excited to be my "friend" when they think they're getting something for free.