interesting wsj article on sec student attendance requirements for student tickets

[Bronko Nagurski Gopher]

From the article: The pressure was coming from Alabama alumni and other fans who think student tickets aren't being used. At Alabama last season, where regular season tickets cost up to $3,250 and the waiting list can take years, alumni were incensed by the empty seats in the student section, even at nationally televised games.

These complaints have prompted some schools to put students on notice. Alabama has started scanning student ID cards/tickets at the gates and preventing students from buying tickets in the future if they don't use, transfer or donate their seats at least three times a season.


the alabama approach is really something that the u of m should consider for next season and going forward. it helps ensure that only those students who truly want to go to the games are buying up finite student season tickets before the season and that they are not scooped up by students whose only real intention is to try and re-sell their subsidized student season ticket(s) on the open-market for profit.


gopher lady/nadine - you have joel maturi's ear. you should send him this wsj article and let him know about the student season ticket tracking practice in place at alabama for football. from the star tribune article it sounded like he is interested in hearing/exploring different ideas. this is really something his dept. should consider for football, basketball and hockey going forward. at the very least football.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703683804574532052658242422.html1424052748704576204574529703577274572.html#project%3DSLIDESHOW08%26s%3DSB10001424052748703683804574532111895538006%26articleTabs%3Darticle

 

[Iceland12]

"gopher lady/nadine - you have joel maturi's ear.."

Yeah, she's one of his biggest fans!

 

[myleslong]

From the article: The pressure was coming from Alabama alumni and other fans who think student tickets aren't being used. At Alabama last season, where regular season tickets cost up to $3,250 and the waiting list can take years, alumni were incensed by the empty seats in the student section, even at nationally televised games.

These complaints have prompted some schools to put students on notice. Alabama has started scanning student ID cards/tickets at the gates and preventing students from buying tickets in the future if they don't use, transfer or donate their seats at least three times a season.


the alabama approach is really something that the u of m should consider for next season and going forward. it helps ensure that only those students who truly want to go to the games are buying up finite student season tickets before the season and that they are not scooped up by students whose only real intention is to try and re-sell their subsidized student season ticket(s) on the open-market for profit.


gopher lady/nadine - you have joel maturi's ear. you should send him this wsj article and let him know about the student season ticket tracking practice in place at alabama for football. from the star tribune article it sounded like he is interested in hearing/exploring different ideas. this is really something his dept. should consider for football, basketball and hockey going forward. at the very least football.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703683804574532052658242422.html1424052748704576204574529703577274572.html#project%3DSLIDESHOW08%26s%3DSB10001424052748703683804574532111895538006%26articleTabs%3Darticle

What about the empty seats between the 20s? How will you force someone who buys a season ticket at full boat, and refuses to go?

 

[MrGopher]

I honestly think this could be partially solved by taking a section or two out of the upper deck student section and making it an 'alumni section'

Only recent (withing 5or6 years) U grads (plus max. one guest) can buy seats there. The tickets are somewhat more expensive than students tickets. They come with a section t-shirt, seating is general admission (no seatbacks). They can also start building their Gopher Points credit with these cheaper tickets.

There are recent alumni who are die-hard gopher fans, who cant yet afford real people seats, but aren't eligible for student tickets. Plus this puts a greater premium on the student tickets. It will create bring in more money (more expensive than the seats it is replacing) and will hopefully help infuse some youth into the real-people seating areas in the future.

 

[Chadypu]

A major difference between our situation and Alabama's is that demand does not exceed supply for us, if we do not let some students to buy tickets because of bad attendance then who will fill those seats? Other students who didn't care enough to even buy tickets?

 

[GopherLady]

"gopher lady/nadine - you have joel maturi's ear.."

Yeah, she's one of his biggest fans!

Haha! Exactly - I think you'd be much better sending it in yourself, Bronko. I think throughout the years, I've proposed at least 50 well-thought out ideas on how to make Gopher Football and Gopher Basketball top tier programs...aside from the actual coaching of the game. That, I know I have no say in - but the mindset, which means gameday experience, ticket sales, actual attendance (not announced attendance), etc. Most have been very simple, and of very little cost to the U. I believe with all of those idea, they implemented one...selling Gopher Basketball tickets at the bookstore. Needless to say, I needed to take a step back, because my frustrations were ruining my passion for Gopher athletics. I'm back into being that hard core fan again, but that means I need to purposely, keep myself in the dark as much as humanly possible.

I'm sure if you sent him an email with these ideas he'll thank you, say they're looking into options, don't have the technology to currently do something like that, it would cost far too much to get that, etc. Personally, I don't want that reply. It annoys me - it's polite and nice, but I get way too frustrated at lip service instead of actual implementing change.

Go ahead though, send it to him, his email is: [email protected]

P.S. Chadypu has an excellent point - we frankly, don't have 10,000 students to fill the student section up. So where this works at Alabama (just like the MSU attendance policy works at Breslin), this plan would not work at the U. But thank you for trying to think outside the box.

 

[Bronko Nagurski Gopher]

What about the empty seats between the 20s? How will you force someone who buys a season ticket at full boat, and refuses to go?

1.) well, contrary to what some on here might try and say there really aren't many empties between the 20's in the new stadium. so, i am sorry to burst your red bubble my lovely little becky troll!

2.) second, this post and the wall street journal article were not about regular season ticket buyers. it is about students who buy subsidized student season tickets at their schools. but, thanks for your thorough reading myles!

 

[Bronko Nagurski Gopher]

A major difference between our situation and Alabama's is that demand does not exceed supply for us, if we do not let some students to buy tickets because of bad attendance then who will fill those seats? Other students who didn't care enough to even buy tickets?

i don't believe that is the case. i think there are 10,000 or more u of m students who actually want to go to the games on a regular basis. they just get bumped out by some students who buy the student tickets with the primary intent to sell them for a profit or who buy them and when they don't go they are also too lazy to try and re-sell them. if they do try and re-sell them it is usually too close to the game or they are still trying to make a decent profit off their fellow students who can't afford it.

yeah, some students were selling their tickets for cheap before some games, but i would venture not all students who would like a ticket know who to find those student tickets that are being sold.

 

[Gophers09]

I've heard of a policy I believe at Boston College (could be wrong about BC but even if I am I think its still a good idea) where students who's tickets are scanned at every game have part of their season ticket fee refunded. The refund is a little bit higher for students who's tickets are scanned prior to kickoff of every game.

I think the student season ticket is just $77 (again I'm not sure about this) so the athletic department isn't making a lot off the students anyway, plus the refunds would not have to be that much imo. Most college kids I know would go through a lot to get an extra buck.

Anyway, I think this would improve the attendance both overall and at kickoff.

 

[GophersInIowa]

I've heard of a policy I believe at Boston College (could be wrong about BC but even if I am I think its still a good idea) where students who's tickets are scanned at every game have part of their season ticket fee refunded. The refund is a little bit higher for students who's tickets are scanned prior to kickoff of every game.

I think the student season ticket is just $77 (again I'm not sure about this) so the athletic department isn't making a lot off the students anyway, plus the refunds would not have to be that much imo. Most college kids I know would go through a lot to get an extra buck.

Anyway, I think this would improve the attendance both overall and at kickoff.

Change student tickets to $100, then offer $50 back if all tickets are used.

 

[RedPoo]

i don't believe that is the case. i think there are 10,000 or more u of m students who actually want to go to the games on a regular basis.

I actually think Nadine (evidently) is probably right. 10,000 is a good 20% of the student body (and the U is a pretty big commuter school). Last year, there were a very good chunk of non-students, or very old-looking students in the student section (as was the case for my 4 alumni friends, and would have been for me were I not in grad school at the time.) At a place where on-campus football isn't tradition, getting a fifth of the students to go to the game every week will take a couple years of buildup.

 

[station19]

I honestly think this could be partially solved by taking a section or two out of the upper deck student section and making it an 'alumni section'

Only recent (withing 5or6 years) U grads (plus max. one guest) can buy seats there. The tickets are somewhat more expensive than students tickets. They come with a section t-shirt, seating is general admission (no seatbacks). They can also start building their Gopher Points credit with these cheaper tickets.

There are recent alumni who are die-hard gopher fans, who cant yet afford real people seats, but aren't eligible for student tickets. Plus this puts a greater premium on the student tickets. It will create bring in more money (more expensive than the seats it is replacing) and will hopefully help infuse some youth into the real-people seating areas in the future.

You might have something there.

 

[HopHead]

I've heard of a policy I believe at Boston College . . .

I absolutely LOVE this idea or something like it. I believe that people respond better to rewards than punishments and this could be promoted as a "frequent flyer" type program for football.

Whatever student tickets cost now, add on $50 but tell the students they get $7 back for every ticket they use and if they use all seven tickets, give them another $10 or $20 bonus. This means that if all their tickets get used, they would actually see a decrease in season ticket cost compared to what they pay now. It would probably even be possible to apply your "refund" towards a bowl trip or next year's season tickets.

Any program like this would need to be accompanied by some sort of ticket exchange system for students so if a ticket holder is sick or needs to be out of town on a game weekend, they would have a formal way to get their tickets in the hands of somebody able to use it so they wouldn't lose their "deposit".

 

[howeda7]

At Florida, students have to go pick up thier tickets each week starting on Tuesday or Wednesday. If they haven't picked them up by then, they go on sale to other students. If students don't buy those up by Satruday morning, they go on sale to anyone who wants them. This seems to be the easiest way to do it. I suppose some might still pick up thier tickets on Tuesday and stay in bed on Saturday. But chances are for a game like SDSU or Illiniois, most of those students never had any intention of going and wouldn't have bothered to pick them up, meaning they could have been sold to someone else.

A section for recent grads is also a great idea and many schools have this. These are many times your most passionate fans and they get stuck in the vaccum between being a student and having enough money for real tickets then never come back. You need to keep these people coming. They will be big donors one day.

 

[myleslong]

I absolutely LOVE this idea or something like it. I believe that people respond better to rewards than punishments and this could be promoted as a "frequent flyer" type program for football.

Whatever student tickets cost now, add on $50 but tell the students they get $7 back for every ticket they use and if they use all seven tickets, give them another $10 or $20 bonus. This means that if all their tickets get used, they would actually see a decrease in season ticket cost compared to what they pay now. It would probably even be possible to apply your "refund" towards a bowl trip or next year's season tickets.

Any program like this would need to be accompanied by some sort of ticket exchange system for students so if a ticket holder is sick or needs to be out of town on a game weekend, they would have a formal way to get their tickets in the hands of somebody able to use it so they wouldn't lose their "deposit".

The best incentive (though it''s hard to argue with paying "fans" to come see the games) would be to put a winning product on shelf and have some credibility at the top. Much like your coach, however, many of you are looking for shortcuts to build a program. Let me know when the building actually starts.

You guys are just like Alabama. Ask Bronko - he'll tell you so.

 

[Iceland12]

The best incentive (though it''s hard to argue with paying "fans" to come see the games) would be to put a winning product on shelf and have some credibility at the top. Much like your coach, however, many of you are looking for shortcuts to build a program. Let me know when the building actually starts.

You guys are just like Alabama. Ask Bronko - he'll tell you so.

The Badgers have put a winning product on the field except for a couple of seasons here and there, for about 16 years now. Some damn fine seasons too. Yet Buckyville has had a number of threads complaining about the student section not showing up and even regular ticket holders not coming to "minor" games. I've seen the lack of student for chunks of the game myself.

Those threads have even been referenced here in the past. You may have noted those discussions. Heck, I'm sure you've noted the empty seats themselves.

If Wisconsin can't do it why should it be any different in Minnesota, Alabama or wherever?

 

[myleslong]

The Badgers have put a winning product on the field except for a couple of seasons here and there, for about 16 years now. Some damn fine seasons too. Yet Buckyville has had a number of threads complaining about the student section not showing up and even regular ticket holders not coming to "minor" games. I've seen the lack of student for chunks of the game myself.

Those threads have even been referenced here in the past. You may have noted those discussions. Heck, I'm sure you've noted the empty seats themselves.

If Wisconsin can't do it why should it be any different in Minnesota, Alabama or wherever?

Our stadium holds 30,000 more than yours. It averages 95% plus capacity. The students do come late, but a point you miss is, THEY COME. Over the past 16 seasons the Badgers have won more January 1 bowls than the Gophers have beaten decent Big Ten Teams at home. You have a new stadium and have played at less than capacity. Sure you sold the tickets, but the "fans" didn't come, didn't sell their tickets, didn't give them away, didn't care for Senior Day. Yep, you're the same as the Badgers.

 

[Chadypu]

i don't believe that is the case. i think there are 10,000 or more u of m students who actually want to go to the games on a regular basis. they just get bumped out by some students who buy the student tickets with the primary intent to sell them for a profit or who buy them and when they don't go they are also too lazy to try and re-sell them. if they do try and re-sell them it is usually too close to the game or they are still trying to make a decent profit off their fellow students who can't afford it.

yeah, some students were selling their tickets for cheap before some games, but i would venture not all students who would like a ticket know who to find those student tickets that are being sold.

There is an easy way to find tickets, it's called facebook.
Since the Wisconsin game you haven't been able to get rid of a ticket for more than $10 buck unless you found a sucker. Lots of tickets went unused because you couldn't even give away a ticket for free for MSU, Ill or SDSU.

I think a partial refund is a great idea.

 

[Iceland12]

Our stadium holds 30,000 more than yours. It averages 95% plus capacity. The students do come late, but a point you miss is, THEY COME. Over the past 16 seasons the Badgers have won more January 1 bowls than the Gophers have beaten decent Big Ten Teams at home. You have a new stadium and have played at less than capacity. Sure you sold the tickets, but the "fans" didn't come, didn't sell their tickets, didn't give them away, didn't care for Senior Day. Yep, you're the same as the Badgers.

Wow, that touchy about the empty seats in Camp Randall huh? No reason to be really but your over the top response leads one to believe you are. Yeah, they were on Buckyville too! I think I made notice of everything except the capacity. It was also pretty clever how you used "capacity" numbers when the subject of course was when they fill them up not if the tickets were sold..

Except for the South Dakota State game the other games had the Student section virtually full at one point or another during the game. Much like the Badger seats were eventually full except of course for the Wofford game. There was a LOT of whining about that if you remember.

The U could solve the problem a lot of ways. The most obvious is to win a lot more games or allow students to sell their tickets.

 

[GophersInIowa]

The best incentive (though it''s hard to argue with paying "fans" to come see the games) would be to put a winning product on shelf and have some credibility at the top. Much like your coach, however, many of you are looking for shortcuts to build a program. Let me know when the building actually starts.

You guys are just like Alabama. Ask Bronko - he'll tell you so.

So what you're saying is that the ticket/marketing departments shouldn't try to do anything to increase attendance and ticket sales? They should just rely only on the success of the team? Glad you're not on my marketing staff.

 

[myleslong]

So what you're saying is that the ticket/marketing departments shouldn't try to do anything to increase attendance and ticket sales? They should just rely only on the success of the team? Glad you're not on my marketing staff.

My point is, your brand new stadium has failed to be filled. Starting with Illinois and getting more noticeable with your "buy game." You built it and they aren't coming like they should be. It's the second smallest stadium in the conference in the 2nd or 3rd largest metropolitan area.

Try your "Frequent Gopher Fan" gimmicks, it can't get much worse, or can it?


There are no shortcuts to building a successful program and until the brass at the U of M realize this, your team is destined to be mired in mediocrity. It would be great fot the Big Ten if you guys could become relevant again. I don't see it with Brewster at the helm. Many more of you are seeing the same things we around the Big Ten have been saying for a couple of years now. Brewster is in over his head.

 

[hyaluronic]

Many posters were critical of Brewster's coaching experience when he was hired, and continue to be skeptical if he is our long-term solution. That said, I do believe our administration is more cognizant that there are no shortcuts than they were in the past. The stadium is one piece of the solution, and Brewster's hiring was a calculated gamble. I, like many others, have a wait-and-see mentality. He deserves five years, after which I will be much more willing to pass judgment on his overall performance.

 

[Gold Vision]

My point is, your brand new stadium has failed to be filled. Starting with Illinois and getting more noticeable with your "buy game." You built it and they aren't coming like they should be. It's the second smallest stadium in the conference in the 2nd or 3rd largest metropolitan area.

Try your "Frequent Gopher Fan" gimmicks, it can't get much worse, or can it?


There are no shortcuts to building a successful program and until the brass at the U of M realize this, your team is destined to be mired in mediocrity. It would be great fot the Big Ten if you guys could become relevant again. I don't see it with Brewster at the helm. Many more of you are seeing the same things we around the Big Ten have been saying for a couple of years now. Brewster is in over his head.

Brilliant! People aren't showing up because the team isn't winning and hasn't been for 50 years. Thanks for the original insight, Myles. Slow day in Buckyville?

The AD and University are obviously committed to the football program and it was displayed with the construction of first class facilities. I see absolutely no harm in jump starting game attendance with incentitives to the students. As it was posted multiple times in this thread and others, these incentives are common practice with universities having similar attendance issues. Whether Brewster is the guy or not, the issue will be addressed in the short term. It's not an either or situation where we are offering incentives to come to the game but fielding a losing team. We are building a team and an attendance base.

 

[dayjoh]

My point is, your brand new stadium has failed to be filled. Starting with Illinois and getting more noticeable with your "buy game." You built it and they aren't coming like they should be. It's the second smallest stadium in the conference in the 2nd or 3rd largest metropolitan area.

Try your "Frequent Gopher Fan" gimmicks, it can't get much worse, or can it?


There are no shortcuts to building a successful program and until the brass at the U of M realize this, your team is destined to be mired in mediocrity. It would be great fot the Big Ten if you guys could become relevant again. I don't see it with Brewster at the helm. Many more of you are seeing the same things we around the Big Ten have been saying for a couple of years now. Brewster is in over his head.

Buy game? seriously?

You need to go away, bye game, if you will.

 

[myleslong]

Buy game? seriously?

You need to go away, bye game, if you will.

Ity's a term used to dsescibe games like that. No return commitment, pay the school coming 1/4 of their yearly operating budget, etal. Ask around and you may learn something. Or not.

 

[Gophers09]

Can we just ignore myles here...if his only goal its to rile people up by pointing out something that isn't even relevant to a discussion about promotion than just ignore him.