Syracuse Goes Mobile Ticketing (Luddites Take Note)

[OttoMets]

-Make cellular phone calls
-Surf the internet
-Cable TV
-Streaming television
-Sony walkmans
Etc etc

Hell, at one point, even a black and white TV wouldve been on this list.

Sorry, mine was a bad sentence, that was confusing.

I was talking about material purchases that come with ancillary and unrelated benefits (like the ability to attend a sporting event) beyond the purpose of the device itself. I'm truly stumped on this one; I can't think of any parallels.

 

[OttoMets]

Because that is what the market dictates. The market (ie all sports teams college and pro) are shifting towards mobile tickets. Hence, if you want to continue to go to games you adjust and have a smartphone on you. It's a prerequisite.

The vast majority of fans (like 99%) have smartphones and the ones who use mobile ticket enjoy mobile ticket vs paper tickets. You draw that out and most fans who haven't used mobile tickets will enjoy it once they use it and get the hang of it. So the businesses are catering to the consumers off of the testing it has done (and saving money in this case as well and making it safer in this post-covid world). So it's a WIN-WIN

By the logic, some of you use the ACC Network wouldn't even exist or cable TV for that matter. You would want ALL your SU games on free over the air stations (not even cable.) But the market dictates that the majority of sports games are on cable, and some are on a sports tier of cable you have to pay extra for. It is a prerequisite that to watch said games you own a cable box or subscribe to a streaming service of some sort.

Not for nothing, but it's not the market dictating this, it's the service provider. The market doesn't seem to care one way or another (25% of you all used mobile tickets last year, some of us would not in 100 years use them, and a great many in the middle could have used them but chose not to).

It's a top-down change, seemingly unresponsive to the market, that isn't a blip for some of you but will harm some of us -- in our longstanding relationship to the school and programs -- greatly.

And also, please, let's not fall for the "safer" line that they're pushing - we all know it's BS. You stand a couple feet away from the ticket-taker and have a contact-free interaction with a phone, and you have an identical interaction with a traditional ticket.

 

[orange79]

Are we going to let the hicks of West Virginia handle this change better than us?

WVU Athletics Announces Transition to Mobile Ticketing - West Virginia University Athletics

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Improved health and safety measures, contactless points of entry, added convenience and ease of flow through the gates are just some of the benefits

wvusports.com

 

[Pyle]

Ok...but why?

Please, take this further: since when did owning a tech toy become a prerequisite for participating in society and enjoying the rights and privileges conferred to toy-owners? And for what reason?

Not for nothing, but it's not the market dictating this, it's the service provider. The market doesn't seem to care one way or another (25% of you all used mobile tickets last year, some of us would not in 100 years use them, and a great many in the middle could have used them but chose not to).

It's a top-down change, seemingly unresponsive to the market, that isn't a blip for some of you but will harm some of us -- in our longstanding relationship to the school and programs -- greatly.

And also, please, let's not fall for the "safer" line that they're pushing - we all know it's BS. You stand a couple feet away from the ticket-taker and have a contact-free interaction with a phone, and you have an identical interaction with a traditional ticket.

I enjoy mobile ticketing for concerts. I still used paper ticket for Dome games last year. And everything you said is spot on. I never handed anyone my ticket last year, hold it out, beep, done. When I go to concerts, pull up my electronic ticket, hold my phone out, beep, done. Same exact process, paper or digital.

 

[reedny]

Quote from the WVU article:

And, if you are a collector of the hard ticket and want to keep your collection up to date, the department intends to provide information in the future to fans who want to buy a commemorative ticket of the 2020 football season.


Hey SU, you better do this too.

Of course. This is not that hard, and shouldn't force so many binary choices. Just make traditional tickets available as mementos for those who don't mind paying a few extra bucks.

 

[Nāraṅga]

From the original post:
(Please note, fans who do not have a smart phone may call our box office at 888-DOME-TIX to talk through their ticket options, however, be advised that printed tickets will no longer be available.)

It doesn't sound like SU is forcing anyone to get a smart phone. If you want to resist, there will be some kind of option. It might require you to jump through a few hoops, but you will be accommodated. I tried calling the box office to ask what the options are, but, surprise, surprise, no-one answered. It's going to be ok.

 

[OttoMets]

From the original post:
(Please note, fans who do not have a smart phone may call our box office at 888-DOME-TIX to talk through their ticket options, however, be advised that printed tickets will no longer be available.)

It doesn't sound like SU is forcing anyone to get a smart phone. If you want to resist, there will be some kind of option. It might require you to jump through a few hoops, but you will be accommodated. I tried calling the box office to ask what the options are, but, surprise, surprise, no-one answered. It's going to be ok.

Thanks, I'm holding out a little hope on this and I'm open-minded about what alternatives they'll suggest, though I'm leery about the "be advised that printed tickets will no longer be available"...not sure what alternatives that'd leave us with.

And I had the same experience as you - can't reach a live person from the box office.

 

[orangedave]

Thanks, I'm holding out a little hope on this and I'm open-minded about what alternatives they'll suggest, though I'm leery about the "be advised that printed tickets will no longer be available"...not sure what alternatives that'd leave us with.

And I had the same experience as you - can't reach a live person from the box office.

Same here, especially at peak times like season renewals. I just set my phone down and do other things Annoying, yes but I will say that whenever I have made contact with a living, breathing person I have found them to be very accommodating and professional.

 

[TexanMark]

With the in person season cancelled for fans...SU needs to throw us a bone. I see that '21 will be ugly especially, if they raise ticket prices and also shove mobile tickets down our throats.

How about for a $15 fee you can get card stock tickets mailed to you. You only can use them and agree to enter at one special Luddite gate. SU has a few months to figure this out. A nice compromise IMHO.

 

[reedny]

With the in person season cancelled for fans...SU needs to throw us a bone. I see that '21 will be ugly especially, if they raise ticket prices and also shove mobile tickets down our throats.

How about for a $15 fee you can get card stock tickets mailed to you. You only can use them and agree to enter at one special Luddite gate. SU has a few months to figure this out. A nice compromise IMHO.

"Luddite gate" ... lol. That would lighten things up. Of course it would have to be Gate "L" (Section 111 - near Fine Mess), and we'd need tee-shirts and hats.

 

[upperdeck]

you can buy tickets to movies on your phone too, but its not the only way to get in.

if you are a large group of say 8-10 tickets, which is easier handing out tickets or going to an app and manually sending 1 to tom 2 to dick 3 to harry and one each to your 4 kids.

or what it your like me who on occasion brings the wife and we start to go in to together and now she decides she wants to hang out an see the band march in and her phone is in the car?

the phone app should add to the experience not force the experience

 

[Newhouser]

SU could eliminate half of these concerns if they offered a major incentive to opt in on electronic tickets. The stuff they offered wasn't a big enough carrot especially if they knew this was in the works.

 

[upperdeck]

Its not like we are paying them money for the fan experience of going to game. since everything is free it makes sense for them to do whats best for them.. Oh Wait.. I got that backwards.

 

[Cusefan69]

With all the contacts the board has I am surprised there has been no board survey taken of preference and have it shared with SU as a sampling of the "voice of the customer ". Give them data to digest during this likely period of no sports and maybe they can revisit certain aspects of decisions or adjust things for the future. There was also a thread on the Cuse Fan Counsel. Maybe some of you that want to push for some change should throw your hat in? Could be a good place for teeing up your concerns. I have also seen this board send email to the AD in the past with results. Maybe send him an email if you are looking to message something? Or maybe some one with connections should tell the university to send a survey out to its STHs for things they need feedback on. Unless someone from the AD or marketing team reads this board.

 

[Doc5120]

Sorry, mine was a bad sentence, that was confusing.

I was talking about material purchases that come with ancillary and unrelated benefits (like the ability to attend a sporting event) beyond the purpose of the device itself. I'm truly stumped on this one; I can't think of any parallels.

This is not an ancillary benefit, but would internet count?

Real life example: I've been working from home throughout the pandemic, as mandated by my workplace. In order to do so, I need internet to connect. Like the majority of people, I already have internet. But, what if I didn't, and my reasoning was I wanted to "disconnect" while at home. Work essentially forced me to get a "luxury" item. I really don't know the answer, but thought I'd throw it out there for discussion sake.

 

[upperdeck]

It has been brought up at our work place.. many had internet but not good enough for 8 hrs a day. Some what work to pay for it to be extended.. Some were told to go work at a coffee spot wifi.

Back in the dark days, we suddenly got pagers for 24x7 coverage.. Then they bought us cell phones,, then they said you had to be on call 24x7 but buy your own cell phone.. So now its like a $100 a month tax.. Now go work from home and thats another $100 a month tax

This is no different, the assumption that everyone wants/has a cell phone is wrong.. And I know many who have a cell phone for work and thats it, no personal use allowed.

 

[MSOrange]

This is not an ancillary benefit, but would internet count?

Real life example: I've been working from home throughout the pandemic, as mandated by my workplace. In order to do so, I need internet to connect. Like the majority of people, I already have internet. But, what if I didn't, and my reasoning was I wanted to "disconnect" while at home. Work essentially forced me to get a "luxury" item. I really don't know the answer, but thought I'd throw it out there for discussion sake.

My company is giving us a $30 monthly stipend for internet expenses while we are working from home. But to your point, that is an interesting way to think about for those who may have chosen not to have internet at home for that reason.

 

[upperdeck]

have they calculated the added costs of water/elec/heating/cooling into the tax too..

 

[KaiserUEO]

i found a picture of typical CNYers with their tickets in hand, on the way to their way to a game at the Dome last year.

this should help to clear things up...

 

[orangedave]

I tried going in one of those last year and they charged me for 2 parking spots - 1 for the carriage and 1 for the horse.

 

[reedny]

i found a picture of typical CNYers with their tickets in hand, on the way to their way to a game at the Dome last year.

this should help to clear things up...

View attachment 184443

Wow the driver is actually looking where she's going ... and the kids are alert. Amazing that they eked out an existence without a cell phone and FB.

 

[Consigliere]

With all the contacts the board has I am surprised there has been no board survey taken of preference and have it shared with SU as a sampling of the "voice of the customer ". Give them data to digest during this likely period of no sports and maybe they can revisit certain aspects of decisions or adjust things for the future. There was also a thread on the Cuse Fan Counsel. Maybe some of you that want to push for some change should throw your hat in? Could be a good place for teeing up your concerns. I have also seen this board send email to the AD in the past with results. Maybe send him an email if you are looking to message something? Or maybe some one with connections should tell the university to send a survey out to its STHs for things they need feedback on. Unless someone from the AD or marketing team reads this board.

Rest assured that multiple people in the depatrtment read this board religiously right up to the top man himself. Hi, John!

 

[OrangeXtreme]

i found a picture of typical CNYers with their tickets in hand, on the way to their way to a game at the Dome last year.

this should help to clear things up...

View attachment 184443

SWISH FINALLY GOT A PONY RIDE !!!

 

[Ticket Guy]

A few points to consider here

1. In NY state there is a law in the ticketing and entertainment statue that states that PAPER HARD tickets has to be included as an option when buying tickets. The Bills tried mobile last year and plenty of fans opted out in favor of the old style hard tickets.

2. A major drawback for mobile tickets is that when fans get up to the line to get in they can't access the internet to bring up their tickets and with so many fans hitting the internet in such a small area it makes it unusable. This was a common problem at Bills games last year, Penn State for football and every concert at Lakeview.

3. With recent reports that cell phones actually have more germs on the screen that most public toilets do you actually think it is safe to run the scanner over them thousands of times a game. Just imagine if 1 person had covid how many other cell phone screens can the virus be passed to over the course of a day.

 

[sutomcat]

A few points to consider here

1. In NY state there is a law in the ticketing and entertainment statue that states that PAPER HARD tickets has to be included as an option when buying tickets. The Bills tried mobile last year and plenty of fans opted out in favor of the old style hard tickets.

2. A major drawback for mobile tickets is that when fans get up to the line to get in they can't access the internet to bring up their tickets and with so many fans hitting the internet in such a small area it makes it unusable. This was a common problem at Bills games last year, Penn State for football and every concert at Lakeview.

3. With recent reports that cell phones actually have more germs on the screen that most public toilets do you actually think it is safe to run the scanner over them thousands of times a game. Just imagine if 1 person had covid how many other cell phone screens can the virus be passed to over the course of a day.

FYI, here is a link to the actual law and the section of it referring to paperless:

(c) employ a paperless ticketing system unless the consumer is given an option to purchase paperless tickets that the consumer can transfer at any price, and at any time, and without additional fees, independent of the operator or operator's agent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an operator or operator's agent may employ a paperless ticketing system that does not allow for independent transferability of paperless tickets only if the consumer is offered an option at the time of initial sale to purchase the same tickets in some other form that is transferrable independent of the operator or operator's agent including, but not limited to, paper tickets or e-tickets. The established price for any given ticket shall be the same regardless of the form or transferability of such ticket. The ability for a ticket to be transferred independent of the operator or operator's agent shall not constitute a special service for the purpose of imposing a service charge pursuant to section 25.29 of this article.

NYS Open Legislation | NYSenate.gov

www.nysenate.gov