The Arizona Cardinals Football Club began the seat relocation process for the new Cardinals Stadium Tuesday morning at their training facility in Tempe.
Over the past few weeks, season ticket holders were mailed the 2006 Season Ticket Holder Relocation Guide, and a subsequent invitation with an RSVP included. All season ticket holders have been given the opportunity to select, in-person, their 2006 seat location for Cardinals Stadium.
The criteria in determining relocation priority from Sun Devil Stadium to Cardinals Stadium is seniority, based on the number of consecutive years a customer has maintained a full-season ticket account. Earliest priorities date back to 1988 (The team's first season in Arizona), and continue through to the most recent priority of 2005.
Season ticket accounts contain a priority date consisting of day, month, and year. In cases where multiple season ticket accounts reflect the same year of priority, the month was used to determine order. In cases where both year and month are the same, current seat location was used as final criteria to determine order of priority.
The Cardinals are only the second NFL team to undertake such a project. The Houston Texans did so in 2001, prior to the opening of Reliant Stadium.
"After a great deal of discussion internally, with our fans, and with other teams that have gone through a similar project, we believe we have developed a seat relocation process that is tailored to our season ticket holders," said Cardinals Vice President of Marketing and Sales Ron Minegar. "Our philosophy is to reward season ticket holders for their loyalty over the years through a straightforward, fair, and equitable program that provides them with choices and allows them to be highly involved in the seat selection process."
Appointments began at 8:00am and continue through 6:00pm daily, Monday through Saturday.
When the season ticket holder arrives at the facility, a seat selection specialist personally sits with each account holder and assists them in selecting their seats. Each season ticket account holder has 20 minutes to select seats and may select a total equal to the number of seats held during the 2005 season. Season ticket holders may select from either club or general stadium seating.
"The process was wonderful," commented Frank Ashmore, who has held season tickets since the Cardinals arrived in Arizona. "It was very organized and the staff was very pleasant. This is a great move for the organization and for the fans. I think it is going to help energize everyone and renew the enthusiasm with the Cardinals. I'm really excited for the upcoming season."
Season ticket holders who are unable to participate with an in-person seat selection are given alternate options to consider. These options include designating a 3rd party to select on their behalf or choosing to make a selection by phone at the designated date and time.
All requests for additional seats will be addressed following the initial selections made by all season ticket holders.
Deposit holders from 2005 and 2006 will begin to make selections following the existing group of season ticket holders, anticipated to be in late March or early April.
