Season Renewal: Warning for those downgrading

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DarrenTheGreek

DarrenTheGreek

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I thought this deserved it's own thread since the other renewal thread was mostly just people putting in their status.

Like a few others, I'm looking to downgrade tiers since in 3 years I cannot afford the price for the tier that my current seats reside in. When I went into renew it was pretty much forcing me to renew the donation as well. So I called Gopher Fan Relations to inquire how this process would work since I'm downgrading. Here's what I asked them.

A) If I renew my donation amount would I be refunded in May when I downgrade my tier? Answer was 'no...it's a donation so we can't refund it'
B) If I don't renew my donation amount and just renew my tickets can I then pay the full amount for my new donation level in May? Answer was 'no...you are renewing your current location which requires a tier 3 donation so if you don't renew your donation we would have called you within 30 minutes'
C) So even though I want to move down a level I'm pretty much forced to pay a donation for last seasons tier for next season? Answer was 'yes, that is correct sir'

Needless to say, I'm a little perturbed. That is lousy customer service and an awful way to treat your most loyal customer base. Be warned...if you downgrade you will still be forced to pay a higher tier next season.
 

You can always not renew and come in as a new ticket holder. I am renewing two from last year. I need that amount to get into a tailgate lot anyway. Then I am going to try and downgrade IF there are seats that I am willing to accept. It will be hard giving up the seats we have, because we like our location.
 

Ish. They are extremely arrogant for a program that can't sell all the seats it has.
 

i guess i don't understand. let's say you are in the $100 donation level, cant you just drop down to the non-donation level and order tickets?

or are you saying that if you say no to donating because you want to drop down a level, that you basically have to give up season tickets and then get in the queue after the renewal process?
 

Go4 said:
i guess i don't understand. let's say you are in the $100 donation level, cant you just drop down to the non-donation level and order tickets?

or are you saying that if you say no to donating because you want to drop down a level, that you basically have to give up season tickets and then get in the queue after the renewal process?
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Sounds to me like they aren't viewing downgrading tiers as a "renewal", that the renewal process only applies to your current seats. I'm sure if it was the other way around however, where you wanted to upgrade it would be no problem.
 


Go4 said:
i guess i don't understand. let's say you are in the $100 donation level, cant you just drop down to the non-donation level and order tickets?

or are you saying that if you say no to donating because you want to drop down a level, that you basically have to give up season tickets and then get in the queue after the renewal process?
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Example: If your seats reside in the new tier 3 and the donation level is $150/seat next season but you want to drop down into tier 4 ($75/seat next season) you will need to renew your current seats in tier 3, pay the $150 donation and then downgrade in the seat adjustment process in April/May. You would essentially be paying $150/seat for a tier 4 location next year.

As another poster said, you could probably drop out completely and sign up as a new season ticket holder but you will lose all your gopher points and priority.
 

Call Teague. Maybe this is what they intend to do, but a lot of times these kinds of changes cause complications mgmt people do not expect.
 

The U is really on a money hunt with this thing..... My daughter is a U student.... and the student season tickets need to be purchased this Spring instead of Fall, like it has been forever.

Man, I am thankful with the 4 seats I have.... across the aisle to the right = donation.... two rows down = donation..... with two kids in college, I am "donating" enough right now.
 

Wonder if it is the same if you are looking to drop a ticket like I am but keep the remaining seats the same (going down from 6 to 5 in section 103)? I am going to have to call and check on that.
 



DarrenTheGreek said:
Example: If your seats reside in the new tier 3 and the donation level is $150/seat next season but you want to drop down into tier 4 ($75/seat next season) you will need to renew your current seats in tier 3, pay the $150 donation and then downgrade in the seat adjustment process in April/May. You would essentially be paying $150/seat for a tier 4 location next year.

As another poster said, you could probably drop out completely and sign up as a new season ticket holder but you will lose all your gopher points and priority.
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Why would you lose your gopher points?:confused:
 

Com_Cool said:
Why would you lose your gopher points?
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I believe Gopher Points are now only awarded, outside of donation $'s, for consectutive years of tickets held regardless of amount or volume of tickets for whichever sport. Especially if you have currently been a "Non-donation" person prior to this coming season. So, once you stop having season tickets to said sport, you basically start over at 0 or 1.
 

e.bigelow said:
I believe Gopher Points are now only awarded, outside of donation $'s, for consectutive years of tickets held regardless of amount or volume of tickets for whichever sport. Especially if you have currently been a "Non-donation" person prior to this coming season. So, once you stop having season tickets to said sport, you basically start over at 0 or 1.
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oh okay. So you will retain your donation part but lose your consecutive years portion?
 




do you want your seats from last year? Y/N? that is where the process is right now.
 

corcoran1 said:
Call Teague. Maybe this is what they intend to do, but a lot of times these kinds of changes cause complications mgmt people do not expect.
Click to expand...

With how big of a change this was and how much of a potential PR issue the new donations levels were going to be, if this sort of thing is an accidental glitch, that is pretty embarrassing. I would hope they would have tested and run some various scenarios to make sure it is working exactly as they want it to.
 

...ish is right.

Don't renew, and leave. That will make you happy.

It's 80% tax deductable. In my mind (even though its not dollar for dollar), I only recognise the 20% that's not. Remember, this money is going to pay the rowing team members and tennis players. It has little to nothing to do with football. This is not a football season ticket increase.

You can hew and cry all you want, but in the end it is a personal decision to stay or leave. You can do so whenever you want. You will be replaced until the market says "no mas". Whining has no effect except on replies like keep ne.

FYI I'm not happy either, but I have lived through the Gopher Dark Ages and I choose to stay.
 

Vandy said:
The U is really on a money hunt with this thing..... My daughter is a U student.... and the student season tickets need to be purchased this Spring instead of Fall, like it has been forever.
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Student football tickets always go on sale in the spring and are always still available in the fall.
 

highwayman said:
It's 80% tax deductable. In my mind (even though its not dollar for dollar), I only recognise the 20% that's not. Remember, this money is going to pay the rowing team members and tennis players. It has little to nothing to do with football. This is not a football season ticket increase.
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Fair point, but I would like to point out for those reading that it only makes sense to deduct that donation off your taxes if you're beyond the standard deduction ($12,600 for a married couple, $6,300 for single) and itemizing your deductions. For many people they will not go beyond that threshold (even with a chunk donated to the U) and the tax-deductable status of the donation doesn't even enter the picture.
 

highwayman said:
...ish is right.

Don't renew, and leave. That will make you happy.

It's 80% tax deductable. In my mind (even though its not dollar for dollar), I only recognise the 20% that's not. Remember, this money is going to pay the rowing team members and tennis players. It has little to nothing to do with football. This is not a football season ticket increase.

You can hew and cry all you want, but in the end it is a personal decision to stay or leave. You can do so whenever you want. You will be replaced until the market says "no mas". Whining has no effect except on replies like keep ne.

FYI I'm not happy either, but I have lived through the Gopher Dark Ages and I choose to stay.
Click to expand...

Or you could take some time and actually read what people are saying before going into full tilt martyr mode. It's too bad you decided to stay.

There. Now, I can see how you find being an asshat so liberating.

Now we're renewing our seats too but what it sounds like people are complaining about is the process, which is unlike what was described or what Taegue has said in public time and time again. Oh, and I don't mean when he continues to say there has been "no price increase since opening day".

No, it's when they said that they "hope people who can't afford" or don't want to spend the higher amount find and buy cheaper seats throughout the stadium. When I asked if I can look at these other seats before I make my decision I was told that yes, that is how it's going to be done.

Apparently to you people pointing out that isn't what's happening is just more whining. To most people that sounds like a big change in policy. Maybe they just did a lousy job of explaining things. Maybe it was just to calm people down after the announcement and they planned on screwing them all along. Or maybe they just changed their minds and went with what was easiest and just kept things quiet.

Maybe somebody has an answer besides your go to "Shut-up or leave."
 


this is not the time to move seats. This is the time tell the U you want your seats from last year All/Some/None. You only have a Y/N on the seat(s) you had last year. the gift money grab, well, they do give you an option to postpone the payment.
 

wait!what? said:
do you want your seats from last year? Y/N? that is where the process is right now.
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wait!what? said:
this is not the time to move seats. This is the time tell the U you want your seats from last year All/Some/None. You only have a Y/N on the seat(s) you had last year. the gift money grab, well, they do give you an option to postpone the payment.
Click to expand...

There can be repercussions to moving seats which is why some are discussing more than just the yes/no that is available now. No one is confused about their options right now. Just the outcomes of those options.
 

highwayman said:
...ish is right.

Don't renew, and leave. That will make you happy.

It's 80% tax deductable. In my mind (even though its not dollar for dollar), I only recognise the 20% that's not. Remember, this money is going to pay the rowing team members and tennis players. It has little to nothing to do with football. This is not a football season ticket increase.

You can hew and cry all you want, but in the end it is a personal decision to stay or leave. You can do so whenever you want. You will be replaced until the market says "no mas". Whining has no effect except on replies like keep ne.

FYI I'm not happy either, but I have lived through the Gopher Dark Ages and I choose to stay.
Click to expand...
Hew,cry,hew,cry. Repeat. I wish I was a self righteous ******.

#spendingotherpeoplesmoney

#flauntingwhatigot

Tell you what, I will renew and upgrade to sit in a better place than you, because unlike you who worked for your money , I come from money
 

It's fun to confuse price sensitivity with being disloyal.
 

It stinks. Teague can't raise the money he needs, so he's soaking the season ticket customers who have stuck with the Gophers through so many mediocre and bad seasons. The guy is a jerk who will probably move on when he can.
 

I don't understand all of this. All you are deciding right now is to renew your current seats or not. If you don't want your current seats because of the donation level then don't renew those seats and select new seats later this spring in whatever donation level you want? This is very simple. What am I missing?
 

Great Plains Gopher said:
It stinks. Teague can't raise the money he needs, so he's soaking the season ticket customers who have stuck with the Gophers through so many mediocre and bad seasons. The guy is a jerk who will probably move on when he can.
Click to expand...

You understand that the price increase has absolutely nothing to do with Teague's fundraising campaign, right?
 

bottlebass said:
I don't understand all of this. All you are deciding right now is to renew your current seats or not. If you don't want your current seats because of the donation level then don't renew those seats and select new seats later this spring in whatever donation level you want? This is very simple. What am I missing?
Click to expand...


Com_Cool said:
There can be repercussions to moving seats which is why some are discussing more than just the yes/no that is available now. No one is confused about their options right now. Just the outcomes of those options.
Click to expand...

maybe my post can help
 

bottlebass said:
I don't understand all of this. All you are deciding right now is to renew your current seats or not. If you don't want your current seats because of the donation level then don't renew those seats and select new seats later this spring in whatever donation level you want? This is very simple. What am I missing?
Click to expand...

I'm with Com_Cool. I think the problem is that when the price was announced and people complained, the athletic department's message seemed to be that there would still be seats with lower/no donations, so go ahead and move the those seats. Now that people are faced with the simple decision you are referencing, they appear to be being told that if they do what the department told them to do, they will lose seniority points that they have earned by being past season ticket holders.
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
I'm with Com_Cool. I think the problem is that when the price was announced and people complained, the athletic department's message seemed to be that there would still be seats with lower/no donations, so go ahead and move the those seats. Now that people are faced with the simple decision you are referencing, they appear to be being told that if they do what the department told them to do, they will lose seniority points that they have earned by being past season ticket holders.
Click to expand...

For those considering the downgrade option, the bottom line is no one likes being told to go to the back of the line.
 

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