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I received some information from the Gophers Points staff earlier this week and am passing along for those interested. When I read page 6 of the Spring 2012 brochure, I saw a season ticket price of $627 (for Zone 1), based on 20 games (18 regular season games and 2 exhibitions). However, on page 12 ("Pricing Comparisons") the brochure said "based on a 20-game home schedule, the season ticket cost for a 2012-13 Gopher men's basketball season ticket will be..." and gave a different (calculated) figure than page 6 did.
Some answers I received and comments I have are below. The examples are using Zone 1 (highest donation level of $400).
PRICING
As we know, the schedule is not yet set. Per the Gophers Points office, the pricing is as follows (for Zone 1 as an example):
Regular season games: $33
Exhibition games: $16.50
Therefore, the $627 listed on page 6 would be accurate if there are 18 real games scheduled along with 2 exhibitions. The Gophers Points office told me that while $627 will be charged initially, if there are fewer games played they will issue a refund.
HOW MANY GAMES ARE LIKELY?
Last season the Gophers played 19 regular season home games and 2 exhibitions. I'd love to see the exhibition games scrapped, but let's concentrate on the real games:
As the Gophers have 3 games schedule for the Battle 4 Atlantis, the highest number of regular season home games they could play are 19 in 2012-13. Some things that might knock that number of home games down:
1) If Minnesota can't find another Battle 4 Atlantis participant to come to Williams Arena, the maximum games allowable for the Gophers drops from 31 and 30. Thus, as compared to last year Old Spice Classic participant Fairfield visited The Barn, Minnesota would have one less home game.
2) If Minnesota travels to USC for a road game, that is one less home game.
3) If Minnesota plays on the road against an ACC team, that is one less home game.
Add in other possibilities, and it seems very possible that Minnesota will play fewer than 18 real games at home and that number may be 16 or lower.
COMPARISON ON PAGE 12
If you want Gopher tickets, you should get them. End of story. This isn't a huge deal to me, but I don't care for the "Comparative pricing" that the U listed out on page 12. The comparison they provided makes me interested in a deeper study of ticket pricing in the Big Ten.
It says that "the price of a prime seat located 10 rows up at mid-court will cost:" and shows the Gophers at $53 per game and Nebraska at $57 per game.
Most people aren't as strange as I can be and will look it over and say, "oh, look - we're getting a better deal than those guys at Nebraska! Awesome!" and move on.
A few things before I get into the numbers:
Nebraska has exactly one section with its highest donation level, and it's only from rows 8 to 18. Technically, it is center court and row 10 falls in there, but Minnesota's $400 donation level spans a far greater area. The Gophers are comparing their Zone 1 to Nebraska's $750 donation section.
Nebraska will be moving into a beautiful new arena in one year. They have said they want plan to keep pricing the same... we'll see what happens with donation levels, but it's fair to note that the Gophers are comparing themselves to a school who recognizes they need a new arena and have acted accordingly.
Nebraska is new to the Big Ten. Is this really the best comparison?
Nebraska's ticket prices are far less expensive and their required donations are considerably higher. The favorable tax treatment results in a bottom line advantage for Nebraska season ticket holders over Minnesota's. As page 12 notes, "reminder, your annual gift is 80% tax deductible". However, when it compares ticket pricing it fails to take this into account.
Doc Sadler has wisely had his teams participate in some closed-door scrimmages instead of exhibition games over the years, while Minnesota season ticket holders have been forced to purchase tickets to see 2 exhibition games. With the coaching change and a new year upon us, I don't know if that will hold true again in 2012-13, but it's worthy of note from a season ticket holder comparison perspective.
NUMBERS!
There are many ways to look at this, but here's what I'm doing for this year:
Assume 2 exhibition games. $33. Fine, it's a price you pay for being a season ticket holder. Some other schools don't have exhibitions, so I'll look at this separately and be done with it.
Now, will the Gophers' ever really average $53 per game for regular season games? It's unlikely. 19 home games - like last year - is probably as high as it'll ever get.
19 games: $54.05 per game ([$33 x 19] + $400)
Now, what if the Gophers only have 16 real games at home this year?
16 games: $58 per game ([$33 x 16] + $400)
That's an increase of 7%, caused by the implied increase in donation-per-game of 19%.
WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN
Not much at all, except that I think the tax-effected cost of being a Minnesota season ticket holder can actually be higher than that of a Nebraska season ticket holder and the Huskers aren't a great comparison in the first place.
The key in all of the above is that the cost per game to season ticket holders is planned at $33 / game ($16.50 / exhibition) and refunds are expected if the number of games billed (18 regular season, 2 exhibition games) in the early summer turns out to be higher than the number of games actually played.
Some answers I received and comments I have are below. The examples are using Zone 1 (highest donation level of $400).
PRICING
As we know, the schedule is not yet set. Per the Gophers Points office, the pricing is as follows (for Zone 1 as an example):
Regular season games: $33
Exhibition games: $16.50
Therefore, the $627 listed on page 6 would be accurate if there are 18 real games scheduled along with 2 exhibitions. The Gophers Points office told me that while $627 will be charged initially, if there are fewer games played they will issue a refund.
HOW MANY GAMES ARE LIKELY?
Last season the Gophers played 19 regular season home games and 2 exhibitions. I'd love to see the exhibition games scrapped, but let's concentrate on the real games:
As the Gophers have 3 games schedule for the Battle 4 Atlantis, the highest number of regular season home games they could play are 19 in 2012-13. Some things that might knock that number of home games down:
1) If Minnesota can't find another Battle 4 Atlantis participant to come to Williams Arena, the maximum games allowable for the Gophers drops from 31 and 30. Thus, as compared to last year Old Spice Classic participant Fairfield visited The Barn, Minnesota would have one less home game.
2) If Minnesota travels to USC for a road game, that is one less home game.
3) If Minnesota plays on the road against an ACC team, that is one less home game.
Add in other possibilities, and it seems very possible that Minnesota will play fewer than 18 real games at home and that number may be 16 or lower.
COMPARISON ON PAGE 12
If you want Gopher tickets, you should get them. End of story. This isn't a huge deal to me, but I don't care for the "Comparative pricing" that the U listed out on page 12. The comparison they provided makes me interested in a deeper study of ticket pricing in the Big Ten.
It says that "the price of a prime seat located 10 rows up at mid-court will cost:" and shows the Gophers at $53 per game and Nebraska at $57 per game.
Most people aren't as strange as I can be and will look it over and say, "oh, look - we're getting a better deal than those guys at Nebraska! Awesome!" and move on.
A few things before I get into the numbers:
Nebraska has exactly one section with its highest donation level, and it's only from rows 8 to 18. Technically, it is center court and row 10 falls in there, but Minnesota's $400 donation level spans a far greater area. The Gophers are comparing their Zone 1 to Nebraska's $750 donation section.
Nebraska will be moving into a beautiful new arena in one year. They have said they want plan to keep pricing the same... we'll see what happens with donation levels, but it's fair to note that the Gophers are comparing themselves to a school who recognizes they need a new arena and have acted accordingly.
Nebraska is new to the Big Ten. Is this really the best comparison?
Nebraska's ticket prices are far less expensive and their required donations are considerably higher. The favorable tax treatment results in a bottom line advantage for Nebraska season ticket holders over Minnesota's. As page 12 notes, "reminder, your annual gift is 80% tax deductible". However, when it compares ticket pricing it fails to take this into account.
Doc Sadler has wisely had his teams participate in some closed-door scrimmages instead of exhibition games over the years, while Minnesota season ticket holders have been forced to purchase tickets to see 2 exhibition games. With the coaching change and a new year upon us, I don't know if that will hold true again in 2012-13, but it's worthy of note from a season ticket holder comparison perspective.
NUMBERS!
There are many ways to look at this, but here's what I'm doing for this year:
Assume 2 exhibition games. $33. Fine, it's a price you pay for being a season ticket holder. Some other schools don't have exhibitions, so I'll look at this separately and be done with it.
Now, will the Gophers' ever really average $53 per game for regular season games? It's unlikely. 19 home games - like last year - is probably as high as it'll ever get.
19 games: $54.05 per game ([$33 x 19] + $400)
Now, what if the Gophers only have 16 real games at home this year?
16 games: $58 per game ([$33 x 16] + $400)
That's an increase of 7%, caused by the implied increase in donation-per-game of 19%.
WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN
Not much at all, except that I think the tax-effected cost of being a Minnesota season ticket holder can actually be higher than that of a Nebraska season ticket holder and the Huskers aren't a great comparison in the first place.
The key in all of the above is that the cost per game to season ticket holders is planned at $33 / game ($16.50 / exhibition) and refunds are expected if the number of games billed (18 regular season, 2 exhibition games) in the early summer turns out to be higher than the number of games actually played.
