Season Ticket Survey from the U

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A_Slab_of_Bacon

A_Slab_of_Bacon

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Season Ticket Survey Incoming!

We do a lot of bitching, er discussing, about season ticket prices, picking the right coaches, season ticket benefits, gameday experience and etc.

I just got an email survey from the university regarding my season tickets that included questions about just about everything we talk about on here with plenty of fields to add free text. Check your email and get typing and clicking.
 

I just received and completed an online season ticket survey from the U. It was all about the experience as a season ticket holder. They asked a lot of questions about quality of being a season ticket holder, perceived value of being a season ticket holder, whether we feel valued from the U, game day experience, etc. They also asked a few questions about what they can do to provide more value - exclusive give-a-ways to season ticket holders (fleece blanket, collectibles, etc.), better food options and the like.

It feels like we get a similar survey a few months after a new AD starts, so this one felt similar to the one that was sent around a few months after Mega Tongue was hired.

I'll be curious to see what the outcomes are of this.

Go Gophers!!
 


theTurning said:
Glad they're reaching out.
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They also listed a lot of pertinent things to ask questions about. Sometimes the surveys are kinda ... off. This one had a lot of room for typing away and asked about a lot of things, prices, value for the tickets, would you reccomend them, what kind of bonus swag you like most, all sorts of stuff.
 

Completed mine. Next they should bring some groups of season tix holders in for a focus group discussion...with perks. Would go a long way. I'm part of three generations of U grads in my family, so I hope they find the feedback usable.
 


PMWinSTP said:
Completed mine. Next they should bring some groups of season tix holders in for a focus group discussion...with perks. Would go a long way. I'm part of three generations of U grads in my family, so I hope they find the feedback usable.
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I participated in an in-person focus group at the U for season ticket holders a couple of years ago. They didn't follow up with us, so I'm not sure what actions they took.

Go Gophers!!
 

I once got to meet with Norwood League after I complained about them canceling the North Carolina game. I got a free Diet Coke out of the deal.

Sent from my Commodore 64 using Tapatalk.
 

Word said:
I once got to meet with Norwood League after I complained about them canceling the North Carolina game. I got a free Diet Coke out of the deal.

Sent from my Commodore 64 using Tapatalk.
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No tongue?
 




Just spent a good 30 minutes writing a short novel about my experience.

I think a good example of where season ticket holders are on the totem pole came last week in the Ski-U-Mah lot. For two years now, we have been unable to park in the center rows until the cones come down, and will get reprimanded immediately if you break this rule. However, last week, there were at least a dozen Iowa tailating vans and buses parked in the nice corner spots beyond the cones with no issue.
 

I would hope everyone would focus on how the seating zones are unnecessary. If you are a season ticket holder and paying a donation -- you should sit in the best seat available to be purchased. It drives me nuts that people can buy the tickets right next to me from the U for likely less than I pay. The number one perk of being a season ticket holder is sitting in a better seat than anyone buying on the open market if you ask me. I don't want a TSHIRT.

I also hate that at my donation level -- I could be buying club seats for Hockey. It doesn't make sense how football is sooooo much more expensive with far less demand.
 

anticallihan said:
I would hope everyone would focus on how the seating zones are unnecessary. If you are a season ticket holder and paying a donation -- you should sit in the best seat available to be purchased. It drives me nuts that people can buy the tickets right next to me from the U for likely less than I pay. The number one perk of being a season ticket holder is sitting in a better seat than anyone buying on the open market if you ask me. I don't want a TSHIRT.
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Since when is a tiered pricing structure not a reasonable way to prioritize allocation of assets?

anticallihan said:
I also hate that at my donation level -- I could be buying club seats for Hockey. It doesn't make sense how football is sooooo much more expensive with far less demand.
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So buy club seats for hockey. Who's stopping you?
 

They are asking about pricing? I was assured that they had all the market research they needed on that topic when they announced the three year increase.

On a more serious note, this is a great step if they actually take action based on it. I've felt for a long time like the U has felt like fans need to do a better job buying tickets, not that the U needs to do a better job selling them. They definitely need to do a better job understanding their value proposition and providing a product (not just on field, but total experience including pricing and relationship building) that more fans want to buy.
 



dpodoll68 said:
Since when is a tiered pricing structure not a reasonable way to prioritize allocation of assets?
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BECAUSE IT IS ARBITRARY AND DOESN'T MATCH DEMAND! The donation tiers needs to change --- or they need to scrap it. Just base all seating on Gopher points rank. Let market forces play out for what people are willing to pay.

Why do you think this survey is going out? They lost almost 20% of seating ticket holders! You can't sell most tickets for face value. That is what the questions revolved around.
 

PMWinSTP said:
Completed mine. Next they should bring some groups of season tix holders in for a focus group discussion...with perks. Would go a long way. I'm part of three generations of U grads in my family, so I hope they find the feedback usable.
Click to expand...

Finding and acting upon it are 2 fundamentally different things.
Here's hoping they act and implement changes which help all.
 

Don't make donations mandatory! Here is what you do: You set a specific block of seats available for donation if you want to upgrade. Make them between the 40 and 40. Fans that want to sit there will donate. Really folks it's marketing 101. I have no doubt if my wife was running the sales and marketing department the Gophers would sell our every game. She put UMD in the black in fu-king 120 days!!!!!
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
They are asking about pricing? I was assured that they had all the market research they needed on that topic when they announced the three year increase.

On a more serious note, this is a great step if they actually take action based on it. I've felt for a long time like the U has felt like fans need to do a better job buying tickets, not that the U needs to do a better job selling them. They definitely need to do a better job understanding their value proposition and providing a product (not just on field, but total experience including pricing and relationship building) that more fans want to buy.
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They ask about pricing.
 

ruppertflywheel said:
Don't make donations mandatory! Here is what you do: You set a specific block of seats available for donation if you want to upgrade. Make them between the 40 and 40. Fans that want to sit there will donate. Really folks it's marketing 101. I have no doubt if my wife was running the sales and marketing department the Gophers would sell our every game. She put UMD in the black in fu-king 120 days!!!!!
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If donations aren't mandatory... its still gonna be roughly the same price it would just be the ticket price, but no minor tax break...

I don't get why folks get hung up on the "donation" as if they can just do away with it without any impact...
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
If donations aren't mandatory... its still gonna be roughly the same price it would just be the ticket price, but no minor tax break...

I don't get why folks get hung up on the "donation" as if they can just do away with it without any impact...
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Do the math. You have t look at concessions, parking, memorabilia sales, etc. Empty seats don't create revenue.
 




A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
He should check his txt messages....
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I thought the timing of the survey was interesting but I took the opportunity to be very direct. I filled one out a few years ago and went to the focus group and we see how that turned out. Waste of time unless they actually get the money and support from administration to make the necessary changes to be a successful program.
 

GringaGopher said:
I thought the timing of the survey was interesting but I took the opportunity to be very direct. I filled one out a few years ago and went to the focus group and we see how that turned out. Waste of time unless they actually get the money and support from administration to make the necessary changes to be a successful program.
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It would be interesting to know what the folks at the U think the fans want / perceive... and then compare that to survey results. I agree what they do with it is what matters, if anything.

Honestly I don't think the U does very much at all as far as outreach or even... stuff for football ticket holders other than sending us tickets in the mail and an event or two I am aware of. I may as well be buying something on amazon, except some amazon vendors follow up so I guess it is less than that. I'm not sure the folks at the university get that.

I got another survey earlier this year, much less comprehensive, that was more related to giving. The survey was kinda weird in the way it asked me to rate all these benefits or perks you get from the university you get from giving. Except I am only aware of a handful of these perks because I don't give enough to get the top perks. But the survey asked me several times about these top perks that I'm not a part of.... I told them I was actually a bit more disappointed now that I found out the few things they do... I don't get. And some perks I knew about but didn't even know they were semi exclusive for folks who gave at my level, stuff I was even qualified for. I mean they simply didn't tell me until I figured it out via survey, wtf.

I mean who asks folks Hey how do you like X, Y, Z.... oh yeah you don't get Y Z.... and thinks that's a good idea? I'm not sure some folks there actually understand how to work with other people...
 

I, too, gave them an electronic earful - most of which I've published here before. But its really simple when you think about it:

1. Win - the university should spend the time and money on facilities and coaches to field a winning team- which then allows me to associate with a relevant team and program. Without delving too deeply into the psychology of it, my wallet opens up for a lot of misguided and inappropriate things, but if I feel good about it, I don't give it much thought!
2. Price - the cost of my association with U of M football is measured against all other spending choices, if #1 is addressed, that choice is easier.
3. Experience - its entertainment, its college football, when it ceases to be college football I can retain my association with the program (#1) at a different price point (#2) and get a better entertainment experience. (Really the easiest part of the equation - as others have said, don't mess with me in the parking lot, hassle me at the gate and annoy me with manufactured mood during the game.)
 

GraniteCityGopher said:
1. Win - the university should spend the time and money on facilities and coaches to field a winning team-
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So the $300,000,000 to build the stadium and the $110,000,000 for the new athletes village isn't enough investment for you over the last 10 years?
 

Ski U Master said:
So the $300,000,000 to build the stadium and the $110,000,000 for the new athletes village isn't enough investment for you over the last 10 years?
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I think the new stadium has diminishing returns as far as investment goes.

At some point Hey we're not playing in the crappy dome anymore... really doesn't pay off with the fans as otherwise a stadium is sort of required to play the game at all. Not sure folks see that as investment over time as just a thing that should be there.
 


Just tell them to win, and they'll win, right? The other teams will just bow down and lose because the Gopher fans demand it! It's just that easy!
 

Master/Maximus - Yes, the facilities expenditures are the right direction. The thought was that facilities should stay current or exceed other programs. The relevancy of that statement now really addresses the coaching staff. The school has to be committed to hiring coaches that recruit, develop and game-manage with any in the league. I think this is a huge unknown right now and effects decisions to re-up season tickets. In fact, the history or college football indicates that the coach and staff are more important than the facilities, e.g. Neyland, Bryant, Fry.
 

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