Inflation

Last year the Washington Wizards created a rewards program for season ticket holders. The program, called Monumental Rewards, allows season ticket holders of the Wizards, Mystics and Capitals to redeem points for merchandise, memorabilia, food, and Verizon Center. The VC experiences include basketball and hockey games, concerts and some more unique stuff not generally accessible either to the general public or even to season ticket holders.

Points are earned in a variety of ways, including buying tickets; retweeting and liking official Wizards tweets on Twitter and posts on Facebook; selling tickets on the Ticketmaster ticket resale website (more on this soon); attending season ticket holder events; and watching the team on TV and entering promotional codes. The intent here is to get season ticket holders to engage with the team in the maximum way possible. In exchange for our love, we get points which we can exchange for stuff, mostly by using points like cash based on set prices, although there are some items for auction.

Last year, the only item I redeemed points for was a pair of VIP wristbands to allow me access to the Dewar's Coaches Club below the northeast lower bowl stands and the Courtside Club on the opposite side of the arena. That is because in my opinion they we're the only item worth purchasing. VIP wristbands offer fans an all you can eat and drink experience as well as exclusive access to the floor level of Verizon Center. The chance to walk along the edge of the court alone is enough of a thrill to justify spending points on this reward. It is so great a benefit that I devoted a post to it on this blog last season.

According to the Inflation Calculator, VIP wristbands costing 750 points last November should cost $766 today.

At the beginning of the 2013-2014 season, the price for VIP wristbands on the Monumental Rewards site was set at 750 points. That number is totally relative but considering I had 28,000 points at the beginning of last season, I could have cashed in all my points and had VIP access for every game. The price seemed way too low. And surprisingly, I didn't cash in all my points, but probably should have. By the end of December last year, the price had climbed to 3,000 points. I definitely should have cashed in all my points at that point but because I was at least on the ball enough to recognize the cost of this experience was too low, I managed to get 14 games with VIP access, which was completely awesome. It made the 2013-2014 season, which was already the best in the last 14 years, even better.

So naturally this season, I was hoping to participate in a similar number of VIP experiences. But in the last week, my hopes have been dashed. Significantly. The rules have changed. Significantly.

First of all, the price has climbed to 10,000 points. I expected a price hike this year (I even told the Wizards the price at the original 750 points was way too low) but I didn't expect an increase of 7,000 points over the final number last year. But even worse, access appears to be restricted to one game per month, which unfortunately really restricts my own personal use of this reward. I say "appears" because only November's games have been released for purchase so far, which I guess also allows them to raise the price even higher. I guess I shouldn't have told them the price was way too low, although I think they would have figured it out anyway. But that's some kind of year over year inflation. Wow!

Don't get me wrong here, this is not a complaint. This rewards program was instituted by the Wizards last season without any increase in cost to the season ticket holder and I really appreciate the opportunity to enjoy VIP access even once a month. The Wizards don't have to offer this type of perk to season ticket holders at all, although I think I deserve it; I've sat through a lot of games in two 19-63 seasons since I first bought season tickets.

Every person gets something different out of the Monumental Rewards program; I've talked to other season ticket holders who use their points for things I never in a million years would want. To each his or her own I guess. But the VIP experience is the only thing I want. Now maybe if there were exclusive bobbleheads for purchase...that might ease the sting of the once-a-month VIP restriction. Consider it, Wizards, please. I can imagine how perfect a Kevin Seraphin bobblehead would look on my shelf next to the rest of my collection.