So Does SU Lower Season Tix Prices?

[GoSU96]

Agree. The bad attendance is due to a few factors, the relatively unattractive schedules in recent years is not a big one and changing to the ACC is not going to be impactful in terms of driving demand higher.

The biggest problems with attendance, IMHO, are as follows, in descending order:

1) The team loses a lot more games than it wins. Even at home. This area does not support losing teams.
2) The games have been awful to watch. For far too many years. We get beat badly a lot and rarely show any signs of having even a decent offense to watch. If we have to lose a lot, it would be more interesting to lose games 45-40 instead of 27 to 7.
3) The economy is bad here, a lot of people that used to go to games are gone and the ones they are still here have less disposable income to spend on football.

The quality of the schedule is probably 4th on the list. It becomes more of an issue as more games are moved to NYC.

Everyone knows that the pricing for football tickets is really screwed up right now. We are the only program in the country I see with the endzones mostly filled and the areas between the goal line and the 25 yard line mostly empty. I know a lot of people that used to have seasons in preferred areas but switched to food stamps because of the huge price differential and the fact that a) they can still sit in their old seats if they want and 2) the seats in the food stamp sections are not that bad anyway.

The long term goal should be to increase the season ticket base, increase interest in the program so we start getting sellouts and then, when interest has been restored, increase ticket pricing accord to demand. With the added revenues from TV from joining the ACC, I think we should drop prices for the good seats for football, cut the preferred seating donations for football and give people strong incentives to buy season tickets. Take a loss on ticket revenue now to get to a point where pricing can be adjusted to where it belongs later. And do everything possible to make the product on the field something fans would enjoy seeing. In the final analysis, that is the most important thing.

Sometimes you have to take a step backwards to take two steps forward.

I'd move 3) to 1). That's biggest problem.

Local attitude is back to where it was in the late '70's. The brand loyalty/passion that is there for hoops is not there for football.

 

[rrlbees]

Agree. The bad attendance is due to a few factors, the relatively unattractive schedules in recent years is not a big one and changing to the ACC is not going to be impactful in terms of driving demand higher.

The biggest problems with attendance, IMHO, are as follows, in descending order:

1) The team loses a lot more games than it wins. Even at home. This area does not support losing teams.
2) The games have been awful to watch. For far too many years. We get beat badly a lot and rarely show any signs of having even a decent offense to watch. If we have to lose a lot, it would be more interesting to lose games 45-40 instead of 27 to 7.
3) The economy is bad here, a lot of people that used to go to games are gone and the ones they are still here have less disposable income to spend on football.

The quality of the schedule is probably 4th on the list. It becomes more of an issue as more games are moved to NYC.

Everyone knows that the pricing for football tickets is really screwed up right now. We are the only program in the country I see with the endzones mostly filled and the areas between the goal line and the 25 yard line mostly empty. I know a lot of people that used to have seasons in preferred areas but switched to food stamps because of the huge price differential and the fact that a) they can still sit in their old seats if they want and 2) the seats in the food stamp sections are not that bad anyway.

The long term goal should be to increase the season ticket base, increase interest in the program so we start getting sellouts and then, when interest has been restored, increase ticket pricing accord to demand. With the added revenues from TV from joining the ACC, I think we should drop prices for the good seats for football, cut the preferred seating donations for football and give people strong incentives to buy season tickets. Take a loss on ticket revenue now to get to a point where pricing can be adjusted to where it belongs later. And do everything possible to make the product on the field something fans would enjoy seeing. In the final analysis, that is the most important thing.

Sometimes you have to take a step backwards to take two steps forward.

Couldn't agree more Tom. They can't lower the donations since we already paid it. I didn't go back and look at last year so I don't know if they went up, down or stayed the same. It felt like they went up or maybe stayed the same. As to football tickets, they almost have to lower them. If I did the math right in my head, if they left them the same, it would be a 20% increase in per game price.

 

[DPCuse]

I noted in another thread that the Athletic Dept should throw in a couple of non conference, upper deck, behind the basket b-ball tickets to football season ticket holders and keep the football ticket pricing the same. Just so the fans feel like they were given something for the football scheduling quirk. And it wouldn't cost the university anything since those seats are open anyway and you'll at least get some parking and concession revenue from the throw away b-ball tickets. And it doesn't compromise your ticket pricing structure for football going forward. Just an idea.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

I noted in another thread that the Athletic Dept should throw in a couple of non conference, upper deck, behind the basket b-ball tickets to football season ticket holders and keep the football ticket pricing the same. Just so the fans feel like they were given something for the football scheduling quirk. And it wouldn't cost the university anything since those seats are open anyway and you'll at least get some parking and concession revenue from the throw away b-ball tickets. And it doesn't compromise your ticket pricing structure for football going forward. Just an idea.

What if you're already a basketball season ticket holder?

 

[upperdeck]

if the school had given the season ticket holders who pay the bigger bucks, say 5000 people each a couple tickets for 5 games, those tickets which went unsold anyway, we would have won the the attendance title in bball.. and it still would not have cost the school a dime..

 

[Orangello]

What if you're already a basketball season ticket holder?

30 pack of Genny Screamers

 

[oldpinepoint]

Agree. The bad attendance is due to a few factors, the relatively unattractive schedules in recent years is not a big one and changing to the ACC is not going to be impactful in terms of driving demand higher.

The biggest problems with attendance, IMHO, are as follows, in descending order:

1) The team loses a lot more games than it wins. Even at home. This area does not support losing teams.
2) The games have been awful to watch. For far too many years. We get beat badly a lot and rarely show any signs of having even a decent offense to watch. If we have to lose a lot, it would be more interesting to lose games 45-40 instead of 27 to 7.
3) The economy is bad here, a lot of people that used to go to games are gone and the ones they are still here have less disposable income to spend on football.

The quality of the schedule is probably 4th on the list. It becomes more of an issue as more games are moved to NYC.

Everyone knows that the pricing for football tickets is really screwed up right now. We are the only program in the country I see with the endzones mostly filled and the areas between the goal line and the 25 yard line mostly empty. I know a lot of people that used to have seasons in preferred areas but switched to food stamps because of the huge price differential and the fact that a) they can still sit in their old seats if they want and 2) the seats in the food stamp sections are not that bad anyway.

The long term goal should be to increase the season ticket base, increase interest in the program so we start getting sellouts and then, when interest has been restored, increase ticket pricing accord to demand. With the added revenues from TV from joining the ACC, I think we should drop prices for the good seats for football, cut the preferred seating donations for football and give people strong incentives to buy season tickets. Take a loss on ticket revenue now to get to a point where pricing can be adjusted to where it belongs later. And do everything possible to make the product on the field something fans would enjoy seeing. In the final analysis, that is the most important thing.

Sometimes you have to take a step backwards to take two steps forward.

Lets not forget #5- Keep beer sales open through quarters 3 and 4. People would stay longer as they would be passed out drunk. I've said my peace.

 

[GoSU96]

is it bad that i would rather buy expensive seats for the usc and possibly temple games and skip the home season tickets altogether?

Why, do you buy tickets to go see Syracuse play, or guys in white. What difference should it make who the opponent is?

 

[rrlbees]

Why, do you buy tickets to go see Syracuse play, or guys in white. What difference should it make who the opponent is?

That is always one of the dumbest things people say...you go to see SU not the opponent. The answer is sometimes both. Going to the extreme, if our home schedule was 6 games against Buffalo or 6 games against USC, you'd even go to more of the latter.

 

[GoSU96]

That is always one of the dumbest things people say...you go to see SU not the opponent. The answer is sometimes both. Going to the extreme, if our home schedule was 6 games against Buffalo or 6 games against USC, you'd even go to more of the latter.

It's not dumb, it should be obvious, if you are a fan of the program.

 

[PhatOrange]

I don't think the economy has anything to do with it. You're talking cheap tickets. It costs more to go out to dinner and have some drinks than it costs to go to a football game; yet as typical in Syracuse bars and restaurants are packed.

People might eye roll this but I know lots of people who will be on the fence about going to a game and then just don't go because they view it as such a hassle to drive up to the dome and find a place to park, topped off with then having to walk two miles. When you couple this with a bore you to death offense and tomcat's points 1 and 2 people just don't bother dealing with that hassle, it's not worth it.

 

[JeremyCuse]

I don't think the economy has anything to do with it. You're talking cheap tickets. It costs more to go out to dinner and have some drinks than it costs to go to a football game; yet as typical in Syracuse bars and restaurants are packed.

People might eye roll this but I know lots of people who will be on the fence about going to a game and then just don't go because they view it as such a hassle to drive up to the dome and find a place to park, topped off with then having to walk two miles. When you couple this with a bore you to death offense and tomcat's points 1 and 2 people just don't bother dealing with that hassle, it's not worth it.

I agree with your point about the costs verus a night out a decent restaurant and bar but what you need to remember is that in Syracuse a lot of those people dont even consider going to a game. Honestly I know dozens of people as I am sure most everyone else local does who simply dont go to games or even consider it. Its like the idea never crossed there minds, they will watch it on TV or even talk to you about it but they simply dont go to games period.

 

[PhatOrange]

I agree with your point about the costs verus a night out a decent restaurant and bar but what you need to remember is that in Syracuse a lot of those people dont even consider going to a game. Honestly I know dozens of people as I am sure most everyone else local does who simply dont go to games or even consider it. Its like the idea never crossed there minds, they will watch it on TV or even talk to you about it but they simply dont go to games period.

Agree 100%. I know a lot of people that going to the game just doesn't even cross their mind. It doesn't have anything to do with money.

The Syracuse economy from my view isn't even all that bad. We're not talking Detroit or Michigan here. I believe you could make a game free and people still wouldn't go.

I bet if Syracuse was 8-0 with VT coming to town the Dome would be packed. As Tomcat said, this town just doesn't support a loser especially when it's a boring loser that can't score points.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Agree 100%. I know a lot of people that going to the game just doesn't even cross their mind. It doesn't have anything to do with money.

The Syracuse economy from my view isn't even all that bad. We're not talking Detroit or Michigan here. I believe you could make a game free and people still wouldn't go.

I bet if Syracuse was 8-0 with VT coming to town the Dome would be packed. As Tomcat said, this town just doesn't support a loser especially when it's a boring loser that can't score points.

Agree also about the economy, theres a lot of business here paying people good money there just not the big corporations people know about. Do enough research and you will find plenty of employment at more then a decent wage includign warehouse jobs, assembly work, office jobs, etc etc

The hard thing for SU to do is to change the perception of getting those people who dont normally consider going to games to actually get off there asses and go. I mean go to any local Tullys or Rosies or other sports bars for an SU fball home game and there will be tons of fans in there they just simply dont consider going to games and all this bitching back and forth isnt going to change that either way. Those people or fans certainly dont read the board and have no clue about how much more exciting an ACC schedule could be honestly I dont know what it would take to get them into the dome for what probably is there first time or only there second, third etc.