Free Concessions

[bnoro]

I'm sure all of this is true. But the fact remains that the Dome's food offerings are an embarrassment compared to many other sports arenas. Yes, I'm not coming to a game for a fancy dinner, but I would appreciate edible food. If you're bringing kids, that's not asking for much.

No one is saying they aren't. I personally will not eat food at the dome, I eat before or after. It's not hard to go 4 hours without eating.

I'm just explaining that there is unfortunately a logical explanation why it is the way it is and it's not really anyone's fault currently.

 

[JRHEETER]

More importantly

Please present me with the items that are your FAVORITE in the Dome.


Also, please present me with what items you REALISTICALLY WANT in the dome.

With that, please also present to me what are the WORST items in the Dome

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

SU s

SU should contract with Tully’s for their chicken tenders. I hadn’t eaten at Tully’s in years and stopped earlier this week and their tenders were excellent.

Far too much breading for my taste, but otherwise very good

 

[IthacaMatt]

No one is saying they aren't. I personally will not eat food at the dome, I eat before or after. It's not hard to go 4 hours without eating.

I'm just explaining that there is unfortunately a logical explanation why it is the way it is and it's not really anyone's fault currently.

Yes, it's not hard to go 4 hours without eating. Now, explain that to a 5 year old attending their first game, that "you should have eaten more at Applebee's, Bobby". Makes for a great fan experience. And of course, this is "all about the fans", right?

All the various shttty aspects of visiting the Dome - parking, traffic, terrible concessions, half-hearted attempts at drawing people to the Quad before games, the elevators not working most of the time in the parking garage across from the law school, impossible crowds in the concourse at big games, all of it - this is what people think about when they consider whether or not to get re-engaged.

It all matters. I would hope they looked at a 10,000 person decline in in-person attendance this year, and figured that out.

 

[SuFTW]

They used to have Dino pulled pork sandies at one of the stands before the renovation. This can be done they just choose not to.

Maybe it didn’t really “work” for Dinosaur for one reason or another. Yes that is part of the choosing, but they aren’t going to offer food out of the goodness of their hearts. Can and being worth the effort are not the same, but I don’t know why it was stopped.

 

[JeffCuse]

The 300's upper corners are always empty.

I'd create a 4 pack family pack. $349 for 4 seats for the entire season and every game comes with 4 free hot dogs, 4 free sodas or beers, and 4 free fries or popcorn or some other snack type food.

And kids get a free foam finger.

 

[Cusefan95]

The stand that was on the away side of the 50 in the 100s.

No, who is the “they” that choose not to. Really good chance it’s Dino BBQ, and within their contractual constraints with the concessionaire there’s not anything SU can do to change Dino’s mind.

 

[bnoro]

The 300's upper corners are always empty.

I'd create a 4 pack family pack. $349 for 4 seats for the entire season and every game comes with 4 free hot dogs, 4 free sodas or beers, and 4 free fries or popcorn or some other snack type food.

And kids get a free foam finger.

Right now the least expensive season ticket is $99.

So you're undercutting the price of each ST by $12, and then adding in approximately $350 worth of concessions to the package.

And SU would probably have to cover concessions cost to build the package, so they actually lose money here.

Brilliant.

 

[GoSU96]

Right now the least expensive season ticket is $99.

So you're undercutting the price of each ST by $12, and then adding in approximately $350 worth of concessions to the package.

And SU would probably have to cover concessions cost to build the package, so they actually lose money here.

Brilliant.

They would do it with the savings on Zeed’s NIL. See how it all comes together?

 

[Cusefan95]

Right now the least expensive season ticket is $99.

So you're undercutting the price of each ST by $12, and then adding in approximately $350 worth of concessions to the package.

And SU would probably have to cover concessions cost to build the package, so they actually lose money here.

Brilliant.

We’ve had posters suggest giving all those tickets away for free before - so this suggestion is actually more viable than that idea. It’s not actually viable - just a slightly less bad idea. An improvement on normal board discourse, if you will…

 

[JeffCuse]

Right now the least expensive season ticket is $99.

So you're undercutting the price of each ST by $12, and then adding in approximately $350 worth of concessions to the package.

And SU would probably have to cover concessions cost to build the package, so they actually lose money here.

Brilliant.

I'm not sure if you are trying to be snarky, but yeah. That's exactly right. You are selling a package deal. Selling 4 tickets in bulk. Yankee Stadium does this all the time. They will take 4 seats that regularly go for something like $69 each, sell them for like $199 and throw in a free hot dog and a drink.

Have you really never seen this before? I didn't invent it. It's a way to motivate families who are less concerned about the sightlines and more about the experience and the value. This isn't "costing" the university, it's making them ~80% profit vs 0%.

 

[JeffCuse]

We’ve had posters suggest giving all those tickets away for free before - so this suggestion is actually more viable than that idea. It’s not actually viable - just a slightly less bad idea. An improvement on normal board discourse, if you will…

Yeah, I'm not seeing why this idea is being shot down out of hand. Other stadiums do this ALL THE TIME to fill seats that would otherwise be unsold. Here's just one example. Every seat price listed there is below typical cost and includes a food voucher (and a backpack)

 

[SuFTW]

Yeah, I'm not seeing why this idea is being shot down out of hand. Other stadiums do this ALL THE TIME to fill seats that would otherwise be unsold. Here's just one example. Every seat price listed there is below typical cost and includes a food voucher (and a backpack)


View attachment 251061

That’s group sale pricing, which is different from what you proposed.

 

[JeffCuse]

That’s group sale pricing, which is different from what you proposed.

You're killing me smalls... these promotions are everywhere. Point being...whether you are making an 80% profit for 30 people in a group sale, or a 4 person family, its still all about selling seats that otherwise wouldnt be sold, taking a smaller profit, and hopefully creating new fans who will pay more next time

 

[orangefog]

You're killing me smalls... these promotions are everywhere. Point being...whether you are making an 80% profit for 30 people in a group sale, or a 4 person family, its still all about selling seats that otherwise wouldnt be sold, taking a smaller profit, and hopefully creating new fans who will pay more next time

View attachment 251062

View attachment 251063

Notice how they have a sponsor?

 

[JeffCuse]

Notice how they have a sponsor?

lol. They don't all have sponsors. I am still bewildered these are not common knowledge. I think more teams offer them than dont. Look, it may not be a fit, i'm just saying let's not act like its some inherently bad idea. Many teams see it as a valuable way to fill seats and build enthusiasm among families and younger generations who may be expected to buy full priced tickets later

 

[Cusefan95]

I'm not sure if you are trying to be snarky, but yeah. That's exactly right. You are selling a package deal. Selling 4 tickets in bulk. Yankee Stadium does this all the time. They will take 4 seats that regularly go for something like $69 each, sell them for like $199 and throw in a free hot dog and a drink.

Have you really never seen this before? I didn't invent it. It's a way to motivate families who are less concerned about the sightlines and more about the experience and the value. This isn't "costing" the university, it's making them ~80% profit vs 0%.

Unless its changed, I think ticket revenue goes to the athletic department and concession revenue goes to the Dome which is a separate business entity. So this wouldn’t work because it’s asking the athletic department to still make 0% (or take a loss). By the way JW deflected the question about concessions, it doesn’t appear to have changed. And if I’m the AD who is constantly squeezed by the University, my willingness to create a system where the University effectively gets the revenue from ticket sales in a bid to increase attendance is non-existent.

And your example isn’t comparable to the Yankees, because you’re including food at 7 Syracuse games, not 1 Yankees game. Concessions in that Yankees example is probably $80, the tickets cost $200…for your idea at Syracuse to work, ticket cost needs to go up, or the free hot dog and drink can only be at a limited number of games.

 

[JeffCuse]

Unless its changed, I think ticket revenue goes to the athletic department and concession revenue goes to the Dome which is a separate business entity. So this wouldn’t work because it’s asking the athletic department to still make 0% (or take a loss). By the way JW deflected the question about concessions, it doesn’t appear to have changed. And if I’m the AD who is constantly squeezed by the University, my willingness to create a system where the University effectively gets the revenue from ticket sales in a bid to increase attendance is non-existent.

And your example isn’t comparable to the Yankees, because you’re including food at 7 Syracuse games, not 1 Yankees game. Concessions in that Yankees example is probably $80, the tickets cost $200…for your idea at Syracuse to work, ticket cost needs to go up, or the free hot dog and drink can only be at a limited number of games.

OK. So the program needs to be massaged. Sell them for individual games rather than the season. Scale back the food. We need creative solutions to try to get more people back in the building. We need fewer "No's" and more "Yes, with these tweaks"

I'm tired of pasting but a quick google and you will see MANY college football programs offering 4 packs of season tickets at a dramatic discount.

 

[Cusefan95]

OK. So the program needs to be massaged. Sell them for individual games rather than the season. Scale back the food. We need creative solutions to try to get more people back in the building. We need fewer "No's" and more "Yes, with these tweaks"

I'm tired of pasting but a quick google and you will see MANY college football programs offering 4 packs of season tickets at a dramatic discount.

Syracuse football used to have Topps family four packs which included 4 tickets, parking, and concession coupons for $75-100. No idea if they still do that, but if they don’t - they didn’t stop because it was a huge success. And if they do, family deals are obviously not the solution to filling the Dome for games.

 

[upperdeck]

We had the tops section for years.

the fact that the family of 4 can get into all the games for $400 makes it pretty cheap if food is what is holding them back.

 

[JeffCuse]

Guys, if the model won't work in Syracuse, if its been tried before, fine. On to the next idea. I was only pushing back on the initial idea that the model is inherently ridiculous because it clearly works in other places for other reasons. But again, happy to accept it wont work in the Dome and move on.

 

[orangefog]

Guys, if the model won't work in Syracuse, if its been tried before, fine. On to the next idea. I was only pushing back on the initial idea that the model is inherently ridiculous because it clearly works in other places for other reasons. But again, happy to accept it wont work in the Dome and move on.

Ideas are good, I hope SU is exploring every one of them and creative enough to think up new ones.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Right now the least expensive season ticket is $99.

So you're undercutting the price of each ST by $12, and then adding in approximately $350 worth of concessions to the package.

And SU would probably have to cover concessions cost to build the package, so they actually lose money here.

Brilliant.

"Losing money" only if that ticket would otherwise have been sold.
Last time I checked, we haven't had a sell out in years.

So, compared to no sale, an empty seat, no parking, and no concessions purchased, the university is making something compared to nothing. That's the point. If they sold 25,000 tickets, you don't need to do this.

But it seems you are connected on this issue, and your thinking and responses in this thread about why the University can't do better is kind of like the essence of the problem.

 

[IthacaMatt]

We’ve had posters suggest giving all those tickets away for free before - so this suggestion is actually more viable than that idea. It’s not actually viable - just a slightly less bad idea. An improvement on normal board discourse, if you will…

Now, this may be ancient history, but I remember when the school would give away early season tickets to radio call-in shows, Boy Scout troops, Pop Warner football teams, just to try to drum up early season excitement, and hook a customer for life at a young age.

When you are 1/3 empty or more, what are you losing by doing that?

Minor league baseball teams still do this all the time.

 

[JRHEETER]

I dont think we will need to worry about attendance for the next few years with Fran.

Concessions on the other hand.....