STH Sound Off

OddStack

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Two games so far this year; two games with ticket promotions this year. (Both games had their own promotion in addition to the Red Barron promotion which was good for both games.) If they continue to prioritize getting people into the stadium at a discount, where do STH stand? Do you like it b/c it adds to the atmosphere, does it upset you b/c it "disrespects" the STH price, or are you somewhere in between?

I know some have sounded off in other threads, but I'm interested to see the opinions all in one spot.

Mods: feel free to add a poll; I have never been able to figure it out.
 

At least from my point of view season tickets are not that expensive considering the size of the U and this is a pretty wealthy metro area. I am on the 40 yard line 5th row. I am not bothered by free tickets or discounts. A full stadium what the goal has been since moving out of the Metrodome.
 

At least from my point of view season tickets are not that expensive considering the size of the U and this is a pretty wealthy metro area. I am on the 40 yard line 5th row. I am not bothered by free tickets or discounts. A full stadium what the goal has been since moving out of the Metrodome.

+6
 


12 year season ticket holder here. I’m ok with cheaper ticket options to help fill the stadium. We need to re build our fan base somehow. I was very happy to see an almost full house for the opener with SDSU.
 

I want to see the atmosphere improve. The price of season tickets is not that bad and I would rather see big crowds and a rowdy student section than worry about how much I am paying. I don't think about it to be honest, I hope each game for a nice and rowdy, loud TCF Bank Stadium.
 


Like others I have season tickets and I want more people at the game. The game is more fun when it's full.
 

I want the stadium to be full of rabid fans. If that means Red Baron Pizza or $20 tix I am fine with that. I pay quite a bit to sit where I sit and park where I park, but I do that by choice and most of it is a donation to the football program. How can I not be OK with that?
 

Used to care more but having butts in the seats is better than not...so am fine with it.

Now only if those butts could holler on opponent second downs...
 

How could anyone be upset with selling the worst seats in the house at a discount to help fill the stadium? Most season ticket holders are in much better seats that shouldn't be compared to the seats getting sold for $10 each or given away with frozen pizzas. If you want to wait it out and see if you can find $10 seats in the upper deck end zones, then by all means, cancel your season tickets. If you want a good, affordable seat, in a good to great location, then pay the price and be a season ticket holder. They are absolutely still "protecting" the season ticket holders. They are not selling good seats for $10. In fact, they could have sold more $10 seats, but specifically quit to protect the higher price seats.
 



How could anyone be upset with selling the worst seats in the house at a discount to help fill the stadium? Most season ticket holders are in much better seats that shouldn't be compared to the seats getting sold for $10 each or given away with frozen pizzas. If you want to wait it out and see if you can find $10 seats in the upper deck end zones, then by all means, cancel your season tickets. If you want a good, affordable seat, in a good to great location, then pay the price and be a season ticket holder. They are absolutely still "protecting" the season ticket holders. They are not selling good seats for $10. In fact, they could have sold more $10 seats, but specifically quit to protect the higher price seats.

Well said.
 

I'm not a STH, but I would be a fan of a "reverse auction" style sellout to sell off remaining tickets each week (but with some assurance that they purchaser attends the game). Even better if they stay for the whole game.

Tickets need to get to a point where it starts to feel like a scarce item, and then people will start to fight over them.
 

I am no longer a STH, but I was for years.

I am 100% in favor of any deals to get more people in the place. A rowdy crowd improves my experience.
 

It’s not much different than Spirit Airlines selling tickets for $100 round trip to LAS while Delta sells First class seats to LAS for $800+. One could argue its the same product. But it’s not.

I think some of the STs still have too high of a donation attached. But that was Norwoods misfire. It will take few good seasons (and good home schedules) for the price of these STs will be back to market value.

Overall, all of the various promo tickets are a very different product than STs.
 



I am no longer a STH, but I was for years.

I am 100% in favor of any deals to get more people in the place. A rowdy crowd improves my experience.

This echoes my thoughts.

Speaking as a 12 year season ticket holder- I want a better atmosphere and a packed house. Our group willingly pays more than we would going by the single game route every week. I view my 2 tickets ($618 total, including chairbacks) as a way to support the program, sit with my buddies, have a consistent seat every week, etc.

If your goal is so save every last penny and still go to the majority of the games, then season tickets are not the best move for you.
 

I think most don't care if they're selling $10 tickets in the upper deck corners to fill the place up....

I think the problem lies in that when I look over at the upper deck club on the home side, it looks like it's half full. Whether those are sold seats just not being used or unsold tickets, I don't know. If they're unsold, that's one of the first things that needs to be adjusted, IMO.
 

What I don't get is that if all of the sudden they are interested in butts in the seats and are basically giving away tickets to accomplish that, why don't they just lower (or better yet get rid of) the "scholarship donation??" We had season tickets for ten years and couldn't justify paying the donation anymore, so we dropped the season tickets and went with a three pack. If they dropped the mandatory donation, they would have higher season ticket numbers and more consistent, dedicated fans. Right now with their promotions I am sure they are picking up the stray deal seeker that will go a game once or twice ayear, but now they have less predictability and have to continue to top the last promotion to keep it going. Dumb thinking on the U’s part and a plan that is ultimately unsustainable in my opinion unless we are challenging for the West every year.
 
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I keep my season tickets mainly because I love our seat location which is a crap shoot if you buy game by game. We are in the second deck, row 1. Nobody in front of us and great sight lines. That's worth the cost premium to me and I really don't care what the other people attending paid.

The only question I ask myself each year at renewal time is "was it worth it?" and so far the answer has always been "yes".
 

I keep my season tickets mainly because I love our seat location which is a crap shoot if you buy game by game. We are in the second deck, row 1. Nobody in front of us and great sight lines. That's worth the cost premium to me and I really don't care what the other people attending paid.

The only question I ask myself each year at renewal time is "was it worth it?" and so far the answer has always been "yes".

This echoes my thoughts as well. Really like where I sit and there are several others around me who have had ST as long as I have had them. I did go from 4 to 2 tix a few years ago...partly from the seat donation increase and partly from not finding others who wanted to go to the games.

Winning at an elevated level will help a lot. Until that happens, I do think they need to bite the bullet and drop the seat donations on all but the best seats, and lower the amount on those seats as well.
 
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I'm fine with the promotions. Hopefully people will enjoy the experience and come back. I resented the large increase in scholarship donations which would have likely priced us out of our seats but thankfully Coyle slowed that down. I'm willing to pay what we do for our seats, but not hundreds more.
 

What I don't get is that if all of the sudden they are interested in butts in the seats and are basically giving away tickets to accomplish that, why don't they just lower (or better yet get rid of) the "scholarship donation??" We had season tickets for ten years and couldn't justify paying the donation anymore, so we dropped the season tickets and went with a three pack. If they dropped the mandatory donation, they would have higher season ticket numbers and more consistent, dedicated fans. Right now with their promotions I am sure they are picking up the stray deal seeker that will go a game once or twice ayear, but now they have less predictability and have to continue to top the last promotion to keep it going. Dumb thinking on the U’s part and a plan that is ultimately unsustainable in my opinion unless we are challenging for the West every year.

I don't mind the discounts -- I'd rather have a full stadium. And my recent college grad daughter has benefited from the promotions a few times over the past two years, so I like that.

However, I do agree with the sentiment above. If they priced tickets throughout the stadium based on supply and demand, they would have more season ticket holders and wouldn't have to scramble to sell 20,000 single-game tickets each week. Season ticket prices are based on the U making as much money as possible, and the single-game promotions are based on trying to fill the rest of the stadium. Maybe they could try one pricing strategy that accomplishes both.
 

I agree with all of you. Pack the place at any cost! I had tickets from 2000-2015. Kid activities and many 11am games sent us packing as I couldn't justify eating the cost when we couldn't go (which was 3-4 times/year).

Listening to Bariero discuss this with Mason yesterday combined with me picking up first-row second deck tix on the secondary market for $25 for tomorrow's game led to the original post.

I'm glad to hear that STH aren't soured by the U's attempts!
 

It’s not much different than Spirit Airlines selling tickets for $100 round trip to LAS while Delta sells First class seats to LAS for $800+. One could argue its the same product. But it’s not.

I think some of the STs still have too high of a donation attached. But that was Norwoods misfire. It will take few good seasons (and good home schedules) for the price of these STs will be back to market value.

Overall, all of the various promo tickets are a very different product than STs.

Post of the day!
 




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