49er Ticket Sales Ho-Hum After Glitter of Past Super Bowls

Ticket peddlers say San Francisco 49ers fans who rioted in the streets when the team won its first Super Bowl in 1981 have mellowed over a decade of glory.

Local ticket sales for San Francisco’s second straight Super Bowl, in New Orleans, are down from last year.

“The glitter is lost,” said Stuart Kesselman, owner of Mr. Ticket in San Francisco, where ticket prices to the 49ers-Denver Broncos match-up Sunday have tumbled to $400 from last year’s $600 minimum.

“After two Super Bowls they were going crazy. . . . Usually I have a waiting list of several hundred people. Even last year it was going great. If it was the first time, they’d be into it real big,” said Kesselman.

Are the 49er faithful getting bored?

No way, say the fans who watched and moaned during three decades of defeat, who argue that ticket sales don’t tell the real story. They compare their relationship with the Niners to the quiet communion between a husband and wife who share a hoard of memories.

Larry Gold, owner of Ticket Time in Southern California, said he’s looking at the bottom line.

“There is a decrease in orders out of San Francisco, but not out of Denver. The enthusiasm isn’t quite there because they expect it. . . . The overall orders are similar to last year; the Super Bowl isn’t dead. But the market in San Francisco for 49ers tickets is soft,” he said.