[News] Saddledome is going cashless

[1qqaaz]

When I was 13-15 or so, I went to Flames games with buddies, and we just used cash because we didn't have credit cards.

I don't even know if people that age go to Flames games on their own anymore. Is that considered unsafe?

And even then, even kids can use debit cards most of the time.

[FiveSeven]

I demand bitcoin payments. Cash sucks anyways.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I don’t get the dirty paper and coins thing. How many people have touched the bills in your wallet in the last 24 hrs? How many have touched the debit terminal?

It’s like when buffets have tongs for items like cookies. Can’t have someone pick up a cookie with their hands - they might brush a finger against a cookie someone else will take. No, instead use these tongs 100 people will all handle.

Ever been to a strip club? if those loonies could talk

also, who touches the debit terminal? tap my man

[Knightslayer]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Ever been to a strip club? if those loonies could talk

also, who touches the debit terminal? tap my man

Not every place uses tap especially restaurant's. You can't leave a tip if you tap.

[Knightslayer]

Only good thing to come out of this is the 50/50 will likely be higher as no cash means no stealing.

I've always wondered why Oilers games always had a higher 50/50. Are edmontonians really more of degenerates than Calgarians? I have always had a theory that someone was stealing in Calgary.

[DeluxeMoustache]

^ what’s this conspiracy theory here? Please elaborate. I’m intrigued

[Knightslayer]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

^ what’s this conspiracy theory here? Please elaborate. I’m intrigued

That someone or group of people is stealing 50/50 money in Calgary. I just don't buy 2 cities in Alberta are that different when it comes to buying 50/50 tickets. Edmonton always has higher prize pools for some reason.

Now could be totally wrong but that's just how I've always felt.

Edit: I guess that doesn't make sense when you take into account that online sales were higher in edmonton as well this past season. Unless the conspiracy goes even higher than I have thought. Probably not.

Maybe Edmontonians trying to win the lottery so they can afford to move to a different city.

[curves2000]

Originally Posted by Knightslayer

That someone or group of people is stealing 50/50 money in Calgary. I just don't buy 2 cities in Alberta are that different when it comes to buying 50/50 tickets. Edmonton always has higher prize pools for some reason.

Now could be totally wrong but that's just how I've always felt.

Edit: I guess that doesn't make sense when you take into account that online sales were higher in edmonton as well this past season. Unless the conspiracy goes even higher than I have thought. Probably not.

I dunno about stealing 50/50 ticket or whatever but as much as we hate them, they are a pretty strong fanbase for their teams up there. I can't tell you how many games I have gone to see up in Edmonton at their old barn, usually towards the end of the season and the Oilers being a bottom feeding club trying for their millionth 1st overall pick. All the times the tickets are hard to come by, expensive and the place is packed.

I don't ever see a situation where the Flames sucked that bad for that long and the final games of the season are commanding $150 or more for the nosebleeds at the Dome, just no way.

They are just flat out nuts up there and that's the end of it I think

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by CASe333

Except for the whole ritual where we touch and pull the bill or coin out exactly right before we hand it over. Same for the change you get back which has just been handled. I can't believe you are actually this thick.

Again, how many different people have handled that bill or coin in a day? Maybe four, max?

Peoples’ squeamishness about ‘filthy’ cash isn’t rational. Not in a world where you routinely touch doors, handles, tongs, taps, buttons, etc handled by dozens or hundreds of people a day.

[Strange Brew]

It's not about safety and health obviously. It's much more efficient not to have to handle cash as a business and that's why they're doing it.

It used to be kind of cool having the beer guy pass a cut open tennis ball down the row so you could put cash in it for your beer. Now you'd pass your card down the line? That would suck.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Again, how many different people have handled that bill or coin in a day? Maybe four, max?

Peoples’ squeamishness about ‘filthy’ cash isn’t rational. Not in a world where you routinely touch doors, handles, tongs, taps, buttons, etc handled by dozens or hundreds of people a day.

And as a cashier, you’re touching hundreds of bills and coins that have been handled “maximum four times” every shift. When you get change back from a cashier, you’re getting something touched by one to dozens of people at that point. They’ve also done plenty of studies showing how bacteria and virus-ridden cash is (some of it even goes up people’s noses!).

I don’t think the health angle is really that big of a deal, but this is common sense, it shouldn’t require an explanation. Also who is touching public use “tongs” more often than cash?

[Jiri Hrdina]

I carry my own tongs.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Knightslayer

That someone or group of people is stealing 50/50 money in Calgary. I just don't buy 2 cities in Alberta are that different when it comes to buying 50/50 tickets. Edmonton always has higher prize pools for some reason.

Now could be totally wrong but that's just how I've always felt.

Edit: I guess that doesn't make sense when you take into account that online sales were higher in edmonton as well this past season. Unless the conspiracy goes even higher than I have thought. Probably not.

Maybe Edmontonians trying to win the lottery so they can afford to move to a different city.

How exactly would they go about stealing money if it was cash? They print you out a fake 50/50 ticket?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by The Familia

I’m not change resistant and I personally do not have a problem paying with credit. I do know a few people, however, that do have an issue with not being able to pay with cash. Maybe they are change resistant, maybe they aren’t. Who am I to say.

I have a family friend who cancelled his Stamps tickets after 30 years because CSEC refused to print him hard copy tickets (phone only) and because of the cashless system. His tickets were 50 yard line, 20 rows up. My point is CSEC just lost a long time high paying customer because they refused to continue doing what they had been doing for the past 30 years. I guess a team that only averages around 24,000 a game is now cool with losing a long time fan and supporter. Put it another way. We build wheel chair ramps to accommodate the small population of people who are in a wheelchair to make their life easier. Why can’t the Flames accommodate the small group of people who want hard copy tickets or don’t have phones or cards and want to pay with cash? I don’t see the request being out of line.

By the way I would love for blockbuster to come back. Great memories and I would totally go rent a movie!

But aren't you honestly saying that to keep the fan you're talking about they can never innovate or change anything?

How can you say that that innovation didn't bring in fans that don't want paper tickets?

[Knightslayer]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

How exactly would they go about stealing money if it was cash? They print you out a fake 50/50 ticket?

Every number could be worth a different amount. If someone buys one ticket as opposed to the $20 or $50 tickets each number will be worth a different amount.

Not saying this is definitely happening but maybe I'm underestimating the degenerate level of Oiler fans.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Knightslayer

Every number could be worth a different amount. If someone buys one ticket as opposed to the $20 or $50 tickets each number will be worth a different amount.

Not saying this is definitely happening but maybe I'm underestimating the degenerate level of Oiler fans.

I'm sorry, that doesn't make sense to me. Each cash transaction has a paper trail. If you pay $5 for one ticket, they print you off a ticket with one number. If you pay $20 for 10 numbers, it's a ticket with 10 numbers (or whatever the $/numbers were, I forget what they are exactly). It's no different than a card transaction.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Bingo

But aren't you honestly saying that to keep the fan you're talking about they can never innovate or change anything?

Why can't they accommodate both? Implement all the innovations they like, but also at least have the option (within reason) for those who don't wish to use plastic.

It certainly doesn't matter to me personally, but its just dumb to refuse cash (and accompanying profit) which last i checked is still legal tender everywhere in this country.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Why can't they accommodate both? Implement all the innovations they like, but also at least have the option (within reason) for those who don't wish to use plastic.

It certainly doesn't matter to me personally, but its just dumb to refuse cash (and accompanying profit) which last i checked is still legal tender everywhere in this country.

I'd imagine whatever handling and cost savings pro sports (and others) are getting from going cashless would be rendered pretty much ineffective if cashless became almost cashless.

Change floats for all the tills etc alone would be a pain in the ass for the 5% or whatever.

I'm not telling anyone they have to be happy with it, but it's here and it's not a Calgary thing.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Why can't they accommodate both? Implement all the innovations they like, but also at least have the option (within reason) for those who don't wish to use plastic.

It certainly doesn't matter to me personally, but its just dumb to refuse cash (and accompanying profit) which last i checked is still legal tender everywhere in this country.

I'm guessing they're using this as an opportunity to see how successful it is to go fully cashless, and to see if the benefits outweigh the costs. If they determine there's no significant drop in revenues, they go with it permanently at the new arena.

They're probably also grooming fans to getting used to not using cash, and using Covid reasoning as an opportunity to do so without as much blowback from the fans.

[Toonage]

Re: Buffets, how have these not died following COVID? Inviting people to gather around an open pit of various foods that are picked up and dropped into each other, with sneeze guards that are tall enough for adults but just the right height for kids to get under.

Tongs are the last of my worries at a buffet.