Season Renewal: Warning for those downgrading

[mplsbadger]

I dropped my seats last year for reasons unrelated to the pricing. However, the two prior years I attempted to downgrade. Both years I was able to renew online and take the donation out of my shopping cart. Both times someone called and asked about it and I explained that I'd make the donation when I got my call to see if I could move seats. They said ok. Both times I kept my seats, gave them a credit card, paid the donation. My advice would be to put the "we'll call you in 30 minutes" to the test. When they call, tell them your intention. Stand firm. I think you'll get what you want.

 

[wait!what?]

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.

The athletic dept only promises you your previous season seats. Imagine the chaos if the people with higher dollar seats were allowed to cherry pick any lower dollar seats.

 

[bottlebass]

The athletic dept only promises you your previous season seats. Imagine the chaos if the people with higher dollar seats were allowed to cherry pick any lower dollar seats.

Why shouldn't people with higher dollar seats get to pick any lower dollar seats they want? Assuming of course the lower dollar seats were open/not renewed. As long as they are still going down the list in order of gopher points people should be able to move where ever they want and someone who has had a high donation seat for a long time should be fairly high on the list.

 

[Killjoy]

The athletic dept only promises you your previous season seats. Imagine the chaos if the people with higher dollar seats were allowed to cherry pick any lower dollar seats.

Exactly!

 

[Pewterschmidt]

My group of 6 will be going the open market route this year for the first time. I'm excited to see the games from different seats and only get the necessary number of seats to games we need each week: We usually only used 2 to 4 tickets for most games(wives tend to only attend 2-3 games/year), not the 6 we used to own.

--------------Quit reading here if you don't want to see me on my soapbox-------------------------------

I suspect over the course of the next 3 years, we'll save collectively over $3500 (a donation otherwise going to the rowing team) after tax deductions by going this route. Too often we had to swallow single tickets because we couldn't find a taker and almost always lost well below face value when we could sell multiples. I suspect now we might have to pay close to $100 per seat for a premium game(Wisky or Iowa) or 2 but usually we'll find seats in the $20-$40 range for almost every game. Also, I'd rather sit in different sections every week than sit in the non-donation seats. I'll be shocked if we don't get good-great seats most games going this route.

I figure even if this team becomes a Rose Bowl team that I'll still come out ahead. I just can't donate to the rowing team on principle when the Athletic Department grosses $100 million per year. I don't support the rowing team. That would be a disgusting feeling. I support Gopher Football and even then it's not without price limitations (which everyone has). My donations go to Children's Hospitals and Rescue Dog organizations, not a bunch of programs I'd wish the AD would actually drop.

 

[Com_Cool]

The athletic dept only promises you your previous season seats. Imagine the chaos if the people with higher dollar seats were allowed to cherry pick any lower dollar seats.

On a year when prices were raised, I'd rather they be able to downgrade rather than them stop buying all together or lowering their number of seats like some gopherholers have been forced to do.

 

[zman]

--------------Quit reading here if you don't want to see me on my soapbox-------------------------------

I suspect over the course of the next 3 years, we'll save collectively over $3500 (a donation otherwise going to the rowing team) after tax deductions by going this route. Too often we had to swallow single tickets because we couldn't find a taker and almost always lost well below face value when we could sell multiples. I suspect now we might have to pay close to $100 per seat for a premium game(Wisky or Iowa) or 2 but usually we'll find seats in the $20-$40 range for almost every game. Also, I'd rather sit in different sections every week than sit in the non-donation seats. I'll be shocked if we don't get good-great seats most games going this route.

I figure even if this team becomes a Rose Bowl team that I'll still come out ahead. I just can't donate to the rowing team on principle when the Athletic Department grosses $100 million per year. I don't support the rowing team. That would be a disgusting feeling. I support Gopher Football and even then it's not without price limitations (which everyone has). My donations go to Children's Hospitals and Rescue Dog organizations, not a bunch of programs I'd wish the AD would actually drop.

I agree. We are dropping our 3 seats in the $250 donation level. I still contributed to the facilities campaign (and might add more this year) but I don't feel like being told I need to support other athletic programs.

 

[OddStack]

I agree. We are dropping our 3 seats in the $250 donation level. I still contributed to the facilities campaign (and might add more this year) but I don't feel like being told I need to support other athletic programs.

Same here: dropping 4. Like Pewterschmidt said, we'll save big money on the open ticket market. We, also had to take way less than face when we had an unexpected absence.

Our four tickets would actually cost $100 less this year ($400 total), but my kids play more Saturday games than before which is the nail in the coffin for letting them go entirely when combined with the economics of the open market.

 

[Ski U Master]

I've gone the secondary market route for a few years and see all the games I want to see for under the cost of the season ticket, not to mention the "donation". Seats are always good, although there really isn't a bad seat in the place.

 

[Spoofin]

Same here: dropping 4. Like Pewterschmidt said, we'll save big money on the open ticket market. We, also had to take way less than face when we had an unexpected absence.

Our four tickets would actually cost $100 less this year ($400 total), but my kids play more Saturday games than before which is the nail in the coffin for letting them go entirely when combined with the economics of the open market.

Right with us. Dropped 4. Will still attend every game I can - buying on the open market. The increase just wasn't worth it to me when some games are against terrible teams, I have conflicts with the kids' sports almost every Saturday, and tix go to waste for these reasons too often (unused or sold way below face value). I'm not bitter at the U tho - if they can charge more and still sell my seats then it is good for the program.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Killjoy]

LOL - A lot of assumptions are being used by some people on this board in deciding as to whether they should renew or not. Based on a small sampling size of unhappy GopherHole fans it would appears that there is going to be a big market for people who want to sell tickets on the open market this fall. It also appears that for those people who want to improve their seat locations, they may have a great opportunity to do so.

I don't know how all this is going to turn out but I wouldn't be surprised if Nebraska, Michigan, and Wisconsin and perhaps even TCU fans are going to be buying your tickets for their games here. For fun you might want to check out at what price those game tickets are being offered for right now in the resale market. I do understand why some of you may be frustrated but personally I think if you were smart you might want to wait a year before you drop your tickets to see how things play out. At that time you will be better able to determine where this program is going and the "value" of your tickets. If you drop them now it may be very hard to recover from that decision later.

 

[OddStack]

I'm not worried about being able to get to the games I NEED to see 1-3 games/year. I can pay up $200+/ticket and still come out ahead. I doubt I'll ever have to pay that much (current day money) for a non-Rose Bowl/Playoff Gopher ticket.

If having to pay $200+ consistently for a reg. season game does happen…awesome news b/c we are now THE show in town, and TCF is about to expand making it easier to get a ticket.

 

[LesBolstad]

LOL - A lot of assumptions are being used by some people on this board in deciding as to whether they should renew or not. Based on a small sampling size of unhappy GopherHole fans it would appears that there is going to be a big market for people who want to sell tickets on the open market this fall. It also appears that for those people who want to improve their seat locations, they may have a great opportunity to do so.

I don't know how all this is going to turn out but I wouldn't be surprised if Nebraska, Michigan, and Wisconsin and perhaps even TCU fans are going to be buying your tickets for their games here. For fun you might want to check out at what price those game tickets are being offered for right now in the resale market. I do understand why some of you may be frustrated but personally I think if you were smart you might want to wait a year before you drop your tickets to see how things play out. At that time you will be better able to determine where this program is going and the "value" of your tickets. If you drop them now it may be very hard to recover from that decision later.

"LOL" - Even if prices are over face value for the "big" games they will still be significantly lower when you factor in the donation factor. I dropped 2 of 4 in the $250 section as well. Barring a couple 6-2 B10 seasons, this will be a disaster in year three.

 

[Ski U Master]

TCF is about to expand making it easier to get a ticket.

Let's hope not. Even if we somehow win a national title I hope they never expand the stadium unless we are consistent B1G champ game participants. I would hate to react to a few good years by adding 10-20k seats only to have them filled with Bucky and Hawkeye fans a few years later when the team comes back to earth.

 

[Spoofin]

LOL - A lot of assumptions are being used by some people on this board in deciding as to whether they should renew or not. Based on a small sampling size of unhappy GopherHole fans it would appears that there is going to be a big market for people who want to sell tickets on the open market this fall. It also appears that for those people who want to improve their seat locations, they may have a great opportunity to do so.

I don't know how all this is going to turn out but I wouldn't be surprised if Nebraska, Michigan, and Wisconsin and perhaps even TCU fans are going to be buying your tickets for their games here. For fun you might want to check out at what price those game tickets are being offered for right now in the resale market. I do understand why some of you may be frustrated but personally I think if you were smart you might want to wait a year before you drop your tickets to see how things play out. At that time you will be better able to determine where this program is going and the "value" of your tickets. If you drop them now it may be very hard to recover from that decision later.

LOL if you don't think folks will be able to get tix. Everyone so far has even acknowledged that they may have to pay a premium for some games, so no crazy "assumptions" are being made.

Check out StubHub now? Why would anyone do that? Supply and Demand my friend. Not a lot of either at this time. The folks who want/need to sell aren't putting them up yet and there is therefore no real competition for sellers at this time. That is a silly suggestion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Unregistered User]

I dropped 2 of 4 in the $250 section as well.

 

[Killjoy]

LOL if you don't think folks will be able to get tix. Everyone so far has even acknowledged that they may have to pay a premium for some games, so no crazy "assumptions" are being made.

Check out StubHub now? Why would anyone do that? Supply and Demand my friend. Not a lot of either at this time. The folks who want/need to sell aren't putting them up yet and there is therefore no real competition for sellers at this time. That is a silly suggestion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am quite aware that it is not difficult to buy tickets at below face value at the game. It would be impossible not to know that, given all the bitching about this here at the Gopher Hole. The purpose of my remark was satirical in nature, i.e. to point out that if everybody canceled their season tickets there wouldn’t be any seasons ticket holders to sell them tickets. I also tried to point out that for the Nebraska, Michigan, and Wisconsin games tickets are likely in demand. Thus, their expected bargains may not materialize.

I certainly don’t know how all of this is going to play out but people don’t seem to realize that there is a risk in dropping their tickets at this time. It may just be possible that Jerry will succeed in turning this program around to where tickets will be in high demand. As a contrarian investor this feels like and is acting like one of those situations. And just like the stock market the where the average investor sells when they should buy and buys when they should sell, so will some of you.

 

[Ruggers]

Well said Killjoy! I'm a cynic by nature but optimist by ignorance (from my investments)...I renewed my season tickets believing Kill will continue & succeed in his mission and one day will relish in the glory of a B1G championship in my very expensive seats.