Dome Pricing for Football

[rrlbees]

This, I think, is where you're wrong. Neither paying for parking nor paying for concessions is necessarily a cost associated with attending a game. There is ample free parking within a 15-minute walk of the Dome, and one doesn't need to buy a $6 beer or $3.50 Dome Dog from the concession stands to attend the game.

These things are superfluities - luxuries, for those who are really struggling to get by - not tied to the cost of getting into the Dome to see a football game. If someone insists upon paying $12 to park at Skytop or dropping $20 on a bite and a beer in the Dome, fine, but inability or unwillingness to do so hasn't got a thing to do with someone's ability to get into the building and watch a football game.

And I think the earlier point still stands - the economy in Central New York is doing fine, especially compared to some areas. The average Central New Yorker is not worse off than the average resident of, say, Gainesville or Tuscaloosa.

Tough to take a family to a game which essentially becomes a 4-5 hour thing and not buy anything at the concession stand. Can't carry anything in. BTW, if there is free parking someplace 15 minutes away, that may not be far to some people but it is far for others especially considering the landscape.

 

[dollarbill44]

BTW, if there is free parking someplace 15 minutes away, that may not be far to some people but it is far for others especially considering the landscape.

I just read about some 62 year old guy who was hiking alone in a canyon in Utah when he slipped and fell 10 feet, breaking his leg and dislocating his shoulder. He dragged himself for 4 days before being rescued.

If you want free parking, you can overcome the walk.

Btw, SU does offer handicap drop off at Gate A. I've arranged for this in the past for my dying grandfather.

 

[OttoMets]

For elderly and disabled people, yes, 15 minutes could certainly be prohibitive. They need a better option (which might not be the cheap option). But that is a small percentage of the target demographic.

As for the concessions thing, I don't buy that at all. We had season tickets when I was a kid. I didn't get food and I didn't miss out on much. You can't afford concessions, you eat before you go. It is quite possible (preferrable, in fact) to go four hours without eating. Come to think of it, it's the mindset that children need to get a snack during every excursion that leads directly to people having difficulty making a 15-minute walk.

 

[MCuse44]

I've been running this experiment for the last five years. I pick one game a year and invite tons of people for a tailgate that would otherwise never go to a game. It ages from babies to retirees. $12 may seen ridiculous but its brought up.

Basketball games are shorter, cost less (i think ?) and happen mostly during the week at night. Best turnout I ever had was Maine last year. I believe a 7pm start.

 

[sutomcat]

Be interesting to see how many of those seats are actually sold as well, This year I have my two seats in sec 130 plus Buddahs in 115 that i give away every week to somebody, but every second half I end up sitting with 2 or 3 others in my seats or the seats in 115. WE haven't had any issue fitting 5-6 people in these areas which are suppose to be the best seats. where I site section 130, I could probably get another 5-6 people in my area as the seats are never even close to be filled.

For me, I don't mind the money because I know the program needs it and its worth it for me, that said the preferred seating cost, one time $10,000 donation just takes away from a direct orange club donation, but they do apply it to this.

What gets me at this point is why they make it so difficult to donate directly for the new practice facility which I had to go out of my way to do and why the I can't get an invite to the ernie davis scrimmage, is that ED club even still around, they don't make it very easy to be a donor for this program. IN addition, I don't think my donation for the practice facility was everapplied to my orange club donor level, which at that point I just say **** it. I really would just prefer to sit down with someone at one point every year to figure all this **** out but I guess that is too much to ask... Why arent they doing more of a grass roots campaign for the parctice facility?

Frustrating to see the least, as I would imagine their donors under 40 isn't abundant right now yet I am still treated like crap, IMO> Damit I want my pony rides and cotton candy

You should drop Chris Gedney a line and let him know what your experience has been. I think you will find it will be worth the trouble to do so. cjgedney

 

[cliftonparksufan]

MikeSU02

Why is this not a problem anywhere else in the country? Are people in Mississippi rich? Or many other areas of the country? Why is it not an issue for Cuse BBall? CNYers like to complain about things that really have nothing to do with showing up. It is all excuses. Bottomline is CNYers are poor FB fans. It is too bad, especially since an hour and a half to the West there are great FB fans.

I think people are just waiting for Cuse to build an open air stadium and they will come in droves.:crazy::crazy::crazy:
The bottom line is that Cuse football is not as high on the pecking order as it is in other parts of the country. If it was, then the price of parking and concessions and tickets would not matter.

 

[Scooch]

It seems obvious that SU will need to slash their preferred seating pricing, if the programs improvement on the field and move to the ACC doesn't generate enough ticket sales.

Our attendance pattern in the Dome is literally unlike ANY other stadium I see (and I watch a lot of CFB each week). No one else has gigantic expanses of empty seats between the 40s. No one. Which leads me to believe that we simply do not have enough boosters willing to shell out money to sit in those seats.

 

[dollarbill44]

It seems obvious that SU will need to slash their preferred seating pricing, if the programs improvement on the field and move to the ACC doesn't generate enough ticket sales.

Our attendance pattern in the Dome is literally unlike ANY other stadium I see (and I watch a lot of CFB each week). No one else has gigantic expanses of empty seats between the 40s. No one. Which leads me to believe that we simply do not have enough boosters willing to shell out money to sit in those seats.

I don't think most college stadia have VIP boxes for the wealthy boosters, do they? Therefore, they fill up those seats between the 40s. Given the choice between the 2, I'm in a box in the Dome.

 

[syracuse95]

It seems obvious that SU will need to slash their preferred seating pricing, if the programs improvement on the field and move to the ACC doesn't generate enough ticket sales.

Our attendance pattern in the Dome is literally unlike ANY other stadium I see (and I watch a lot of CFB each week). No one else has gigantic expanses of empty seats between the 40s. No one. Which leads me to believe that we simply do not have enough boosters willing to shell out money to sit in those seats.

This seating pattern is exactly why I believe price is, in fact, an issue. Looking around the dome, the most sparsely populated areas are the lower level sidelines and upper corners. The upper level endzones are not full, but they are much more densely populated than the sidelines…which tells me that the cost of these seats is too high.
I don’t know that they need to slash the preferred pricing as much as they need to reduce the available product.
If there are X number of people willing to buy “A” level preferred, then why do we have (X+500) “A” level seats?
If there are Y number of people willing to buy “B” level preferred, then why do we have (Y+700) “B” level seats?
Cut the number of seats in each donation level down closer to the actual market for that donation level, and move all of the preferred seats to the first level and closer to mid field. That will open up some sideline seats to a lower price point and potentially sell them. The donors get closer to midfield at a price point they were already comfortable with. The general public gets access to seats that, up until now, were preferred only. The university potentially sells more tickets. Win-Win-Win.
Over the past 10 years they have gradually reduced the number of sideline seats that are preferred, especially in the upper deck, but there are still far too many. All of the currently sold preferred seats look like they would fit between the 30’s, but the preferred sections extend all the way inside the 10’s.
When I signed up for preferred seats a few years ago, I asked what seats were available. I was shocked to find out that I could essentially pick anywhere I wanted. I was able to get 8 piggyback aisle seats as a first year donor. That would not happen at most other BCS schools.

 

[Moontan]

I don't think most college stadia have VIP boxes for the wealthy boosters, do they?

Yes, they do.

 

[rrlbees]

This seating pattern is exactly why I believe price is, in fact, an issue. Looking around the dome, the most sparsely populated areas are the lower level sidelines and upper corners. The upper level endzones are not full, but they are much more densely populated than the sidelines…which tells me that the cost of these seats is too high.
I don’t know that they need to slash the preferred pricing as much as they need to reduce the available product.
If there are X number of people willing to buy “A” level preferred, then why do we have (X+500) “A” level seats?
If there are Y number of people willing to buy “B” level preferred, then why do we have (Y+700) “B” level seats?
Cut the number of seats in each donation level down closer to the actual market for that donation level, and move all of the preferred seats to the first level and closer to mid field. That will open up some sideline seats to a lower price point and potentially sell them. The donors get closer to midfield at a price point they were already comfortable with. The general public gets access to seats that, up until now, were preferred only. The university potentially sells more tickets. Win-Win-Win.
Over the past 10 years they have gradually reduced the number of sideline seats that are preferred, especially in the upper deck, but there are still far too many. All of the currently sold preferred seats look like they would fit between the 30’s, but the preferred sections extend all the way inside the 10’s.
When I signed up for preferred seats a few years ago, I asked what seats were available. I was shocked to find out that I could essentially pick anywhere I wanted. I was able to get 8 piggyback aisle seats as a first year donor. That would not happen at most other BCS schools.

Nice well thought out post.

 

[DomeStranger]

Exactly 'Cuse 95 ... I have friends that have had season tickets "on the 10" since the dome opened. They simply can't afford to pay for preferred and that's the closest you get.

You would think for someone buying 8 season tickets a year for 30+ years (through the good, bad and the g-roby) could get better seats in 30 years.

It's definitely time to trim those preferred seating tickets and give the people who've been shelling out for season tickets first option at 'em.

No wonder fans aren't getting "hooked" ... hard to get hooked on the live experience when every game you go to see is from row ZZ in the endzone. And every game you watch on TV puts you right on the 50.

 

[Millhouse]

It seems obvious that SU will need to slash their preferred seating pricing, if the programs improvement on the field and move to the ACC doesn't generate enough ticket sales.

Our attendance pattern in the Dome is literally unlike ANY other stadium I see (and I watch a lot of CFB each week). No one else has gigantic expanses of empty seats between the 40s. No one. Which leads me to believe that we simply do not have enough boosters willing to shell out money to sit in those seats.

I wonder if they're actually selling those seats and those people are just no shows. Wouldn't surprise me

 

[Millhouse]

Exactly 'Cuse 95 ... I have friends that have had season tickets "on the 10" since the dome opened. They simply can't afford to pay for preferred and that's the closest you get.

You would think for someone buying 8 season tickets a year for 30+ years (through the good, bad and the g-roby) could get better seats in 30 years.

It's definitely time to trim those preferred seating tickets and give the people who've been shelling out for season tickets first option at 'em.

No wonder fans aren't getting "hooked" ... hard to get hooked on the live experience when every game you go to see is from row ZZ in the endzone. And every game you watch on TV puts you right on the 50.

i love the end zone seats. it's not like you're the last row of the rose bowl. no bad seats in the dome

 

[Scooch]

I wonder if they're actually selling those seats and those people are just no shows. Wouldn't surprise me

God, that would almost be worse. But I kinda doubt it, there's just soooooo much silver, we'd be talking about a solid 50% no show rate. I just can't imagine that'd be the case.

 

[OttoMets]

i love the end zone seats. it's not like you're the last row of the rose bowl. no bad seats in the dome

We're in the last row. I wouldn't trade it for anything. It's the worst view in the house, yet not a bad view. And I don't have to spend a moment worrying that the codger behind me is going to tug on my shirt-tail and yell at me to sit down.

 

[syracuse95]

God, that would almost be worse. But I kinda doubt it, there's just soooooo much silver, we'd be talking about a solid 50% no show rate. I just can't imagine that'd be the case.

They're not sold. You can go on SUAthletics.com right now and buy lots of A,B,C, and D preferred seats for any of the remaining games. These are all unsold preferred season tickets that are available for single game sales.

 

[Scooch]

They're not sold. You can go on SUAthletics.com right now and buy lots of A,B,C, and D preferred seats for any of the remaining games. These are all unsold preferred season tickets that are available for single game sales.

Thanks.

Then SU should either slash prices or sell a lot less of those preferred seating tickets.

 

[Bayside44]

Thanks.

Then SU should either slash prices or sell a lot less of those preferred seating tickets.

I think that's the point I have been trying to get to. The Dome needs to get to a flatter, fairer price structure. Some pay way too much, others way too little for basically the same exact thing.

 

[dollarbill44]

Thanks.

Then SU should either slash prices or sell a lot less of those preferred seating tickets.

Like I said earlier, sell all the sideline season tix at the same price, 1st come, 1st served. Fill outward from the 50. If you don't sell all of them, offer the season tix buyers from the upper corners to move down at a very nominal increase. The last tix sold should always be the upper corners, ideally.

 

[Millhouse]

someone should send a cleaned up cut and paste of this to the AD.

 

[Upstate]

Maybe the Endzone Seats should be free. No one seems to ever want to be there.

I think the University and the city are pretty distant. I mean you have a great school, obviously housing the children of mostly white-collar americans, plucked in the middle of a pretty depressed/blue-collar city. Had Syracuse been an Ag, public school of the same size, I think the interest would be greater, because there would be more connection between locals and the University. It's more difficult to really feel a connection to a school when you're in upstate NY, where the large majority of families couldn't send their kids to SU, and there is a disconnect based on the small # of alumni in the area.

Theres nothing to really do about that now, and I understand there are now programs that can get students from OCC and ESF into SU programs, and maybe that will help down the line to garner more interest and make more of a connection with the school and the community. When you think about it, they really are on two different pages, as far as the makeup of the SU community and the City of Syracuse community.

 

[Scooch]

Maybe the Endzone Seats should be free. No one seems to ever want to be there.

I think the University and the city are pretty distant. I mean you have a great school, obviously housing the children of mostly white-collar americans, plucked in the middle of a pretty depressed/blue-collar city. Had Syracuse been an Ag, public school of the same size, I think the interest would be greater, because there would be more connection between locals and the University. It's more difficult to really feel a connection to a school when you're in upstate NY, where the large majority of families couldn't send their kids to SU, and there is a disconnect based on the small # of alumni in the area.

Theres nothing to really do about that now, and I understand there are now programs that can get students from OCC and ESF into SU programs, and maybe that will help down the line to garner more interest and make more of a connection with the school and the community. When you think about it, they really are on two different pages, as far as the makeup of the SU community and the City of Syracuse community.

This is all true. But it's funny how Syracuse locals seem to have no reservations about rooting for professional teams like the Yankees, Giants and Bills --soulless, profit-driven enterprises that have zero affiliation to CNY. Yet they refuse to get attached to the private organization that brings more visibility and notoriety to their community than anything else by a country mile.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Many Central New Yorkers are living on another planet when it comes to all things parking-related. Anything that isn't an enormous free lot in front of a suburban big-box store is somehow "difficult," "inconvenient," or "expensive." I really believe that this crazy concern contributes to the attendance problem.

Ding ding ding we have a winner. Otto took the words out of my mouth with that first line. Central New Yorkers attitude on SU and fball as a whole is on a different planet. Some of the things I have heard are insane.

 

[OttoMets]

Maybe the Endzone Seats should be free. No one seems to ever want to be there.

I think the University and the city are pretty distant. I mean you have a great school, obviously housing the children of mostly white-collar americans, plucked in the middle of a pretty depressed/blue-collar city. Had Syracuse been an Ag, public school of the same size, I think the interest would be greater, because there would be more connection between locals and the University. It's more difficult to really feel a connection to a school when you're in upstate NY, where the large majority of families couldn't send their kids to SU, and there is a disconnect based on the small # of alumni in the area.

Theres nothing to really do about that now, and I understand there are now programs that can get students from OCC and ESF into SU programs, and maybe that will help down the line to garner more interest and make more of a connection with the school and the community. When you think about it, they really are on two different pages, as far as the makeup of the SU community and the City of Syracuse community.

But there are a ton of Syracuse alumni and the city and area. And a huge number of SU students are locals.

And a ton of people want to sit in the endzone seats; have you been to a game this year? The two third deck endzones are the most densely-filled areas in the stadium.