The New York Jets today announced a partnership with StubHub to auction the best seats in the New Jets Stadium — the Coaches Club. The auction will start on Sunday, Oct. 19, and run through Monday, Oct. 27, 2008, exclusively on StubHub, the world's largest ticket marketplace.
The Coaches Club combines the best seats in football — on the sideline around the 50-yard line — with access usually reserved for coaches and players. Club members will be able to stand on the field and watch the game, five yards off the Jets bench, or step inside to a private 20,000-square-foot bar and lounge designed by Nobu architect David Rockwell. In addition to complimentary food and beverage, Club members receive free VIP parking adjacent to the stadium and can buy tickets to other events when available.
"This will be the first time in sports that the market will set the price for the best seats in the house," said Thad Sheely, Jets Executive Vice President of Stadium Development and Finance. "We selected StubHub as our partner for this innovative approach because they essentially created the online ticket marketplace."
Matt Higgins, Jets Executive Vice President of Business Operations, said, "Coaches Club members will be able to literally stand behind their team — on the field, on the 50- yard line, five yards off the Jets bench. There is simply no better seat in sports, and no better gameday experience in the NFL."
The initial auction will open with a minimum bid of $5,000 per seat license in order to prequalify bidders. Bidding on a variety of seat locations — including front row and 50- yard line tickets — will be staggered throughout the auction. Tickets will be auctioned in minimum lots of two. More detailed information is available at www.JetsCoachesClub.com.
"Facilitating this first-of-its-kind auction once again supports StubHub's commitment to innovate in the ticket industry," said Chris Tsakalakis, president of StubHub. "The Jets' unique approach will break new ground in the primary ticketing market when the buyer decides what the seat is worth."
The New Jets Stadium is scheduled to open for the 2010 season. The team in late August announced its seating plan, which includes no personal seat licenses (PSLs) for all 27,000 seats in the upper bowl and the option for all PSL owners to pay over five years.
Aside from the Coaches Club auction, the sale of seats in the new stadium will use a priority system based first on seniority, according to Jets box office records, and then on current seat location. Waitlist members will have the opportunity to purchase seats after season ticket holders.
About StubHub
StubHub is the world's largest ticket marketplace, enabling fans to buy and sell tickets to tens of thousands of sports, concert, theater and other live entertainment events. StubHub reinvented the ticket resale market in 2000 and continues to lead it through innovation. The company's unique online marketplace, dedicated solely to tickets, provides all fans the choice to buy or sell their tickets in a safe, convenient and highly reliable environment. All transactions are processed and delivered by StubHub and backed by the company's FanProtect Guarantee. Company partners include the New York Yankees, the Chicago Bears and the University of Southern California along with nearly 60 teams in the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and NCAA, complemented with music artists such as Madonna and companies such as ESPN and American Express.
StubHub is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY). For more information on StubHub, visit www.stubhub.com.
