No talk on ticket prices?

[BryceC]

As I said in my big post, I don't have a problem with this. However, we have 2 years coming up with no UT and OU on the schedule. If we don't make some noise with those teams off the schedule, we could be seeing a HUGE backlash from some fans. This is my only fear with this pricing thing.

 

[isuno1fan]

As I said in my big post, I don't have a problem with this. However, we have 2 years coming up with no UT and OU on the schedule. If we don't make some noise with those teams off the schedule, we could be seeing a HUGE backlash from some fans. This is my only fear with this pricing thing.

No risk, no reward. There isn't an alternative. JP puts plenty of fair season ticket prices out there for all sports. The seats aren't as good, but there are options for those with thinner wallets.

 

[dmclone]

Where did we end up in season ticket sales this year? How many of those were the cheaper packs?

 

[BryceC]

No risk, no reward. There isn't an alternative. JP puts plenty of fair season ticket prices out there for all sports. The seats aren't as good, but there are options for those with thinner wallets.

Good point. We'll just have to wait and see, and hope.

 

[DaddyMac]

As I said in my big post, I don't have a problem with this. However, we have 2 years coming up with no UT and OU on the schedule. If we don't make some noise with those teams off the schedule, we could be seeing a HUGE backlash from some fans. This is my only fear with this pricing thing.

That's an interesting point. It's almost a little unfair for Chizik. He gets years 2 & 3 with a relatively light schedule - missing the two big southern schools. Yet still a pretty large rebuilding task in front of him. The team must and will improve. But 8 or 9 win seasons aren't very realistic.

But come year 4 when people are expecting bigger things - having a full class as seniors and pretty much all his recruits - the competition gets ratcheted back up. He'll be hard pressed to get those wins in year 4 and 5. Not saying he can't or won't. But the expectations go up at the same time the opposition does.

 

[DaddyMac]

Where did we end up in season ticket sales this year? How many of those were the cheaper packs?

We were just over 36K in season tix. Endzones sold out, however many of those there were (4K ???). I don't think the corner package sold out, but it was close. Those were the outter two sections in the SE, SW and NW. Spit balling and say another 4K?

Otherwise there were 7500 or 8000 students. The balance were full price. So maybe 20K+ were full.

Total guesses.

 

[SlyCy]

BryceC, are those all 2008 season ticket prices?

 

[BryceC]

There are the Cy's Pack tickets, and Varisty club tickets as well.

 

[brianhos]

We should do a poll as it gets closer to the NCC deadline of how many people donated less, how many the same, and how many bumped up. It will be interesting to see how many people upgrade their NCC donation to try and go after better seats. If you ever want to get better seats, now is the best chance to do it.

 

[DaddyMac]

There are the Cy's Pack tickets, and Varisty club tickets as well.

Cys pack only got hillsides, right? And there is question on whether or not the hillside seasons counted to the season total.

Good point on the varsity. 2 for 1, half price.

 

[BryceC]

BryceC, are those all 2008 season ticket prices?

I think most are 2008, as I found most of the numbers in the "renewals" section of the team websites. I'm not sure about MU and KU - that's why I made the note about I doubt they will go up over $10 a ticket. We'll revisit this in the Spring to make sure, but again, I highly doubt anybody else passes our $58 per ticket bill.

 

[CYKOFAN]

I've been a season ticket holder for 35 years but I'm to the point where I am seriously considering getting single game tickets. This year we will be in a donation area, and our seats aren't that good. I want to see some results on the field before I shell out this kind of money, and though I think our record may be better due to the schedule, I don't see the team being much better. We'll be paying probably double what we did 5 years ago, and how long do we have pay a lot to watch mediocre football based on hopes for the future. I'm getting tired of the whole money thing with coaches making millions for mediocre and poor results, whether at ISU or elsewhere. This continued fleecing of the fans is lessening my enthusiasm for college football, something I thought could never happen.

 

[ISU_Alum_2000]

Some people are never happy.

When our team is winning 2-3 games per year, and there is no hope for improvement, they complain that our AD doesn't make the commitment to win. Now that we have an excellent AD who has committed to hiring top-quality coaches, and has a clear vision for success that he SHARES with the fans so they know exactly where the money is going, they complain that he is making them spend too much for tickets.

I hesitate to say "grow up", but if $50/ticket over the course of an entire YEAR is too much of a difference for you to buy tickets, then perhaps you are not in a situation where you should be considering buying them in the first place.

I am NOT trying to say that "only the rich should be able to buy tickets", I'm just stating the reality: we are in a BCS conference, and if we want to COMPETE, we have to pay to play.

I'm pretty sure that this "unhappiness" is not shared by the majority of fans. JP does not set these prices by throwing a dart at the wall. There is market research behind these prices, and clearly it shows that the majority of fans will support the program at these prices.

I am also pretty sure that it is not everyone's RIGHT to have season football tickets for a BCS school.

I am ALSO sure that, as a consumer, it is your absolute right to "complain" by not buying tickets.

So what's it going to be?

If you want to compete with the big boys, then start acting like one.

Bring on the negative rep...

 

[mj4cy]

I'm sorry, but I don't we think we should have to pay more than schools who make BCS and good bowls year in and year out. They not only get to see a great team play year in and year out as well as bowl game trips, they get to pay less than me having to watch us lose to Kent State and UNI. I will probably get season tix anyways next year, but seriously. I know some will say "you gotta cough up the dough if you wanna see improvements." I would like to at least see 6 wins again before I shell out more money.

 

[DaddyMac]

One thing that I guess we need to consider, when comparing our prices to the likes or UT, OU, etc, is that this might be JP's only option.

I did a little searching for the new donation requirements for the sections in '08. In there they lay out the donation numbers for the conference schools. ISU is 9th in number of donors, and dead last in average amount per donor. Put those together and we're only ahead of Baylor.

Those were '05 numbers, but I doubt that we've improved our position by a great deal


Seat reorg

 

[isuno1fan]

Posted this in the other thread as well. It assumes we sell out to capacity with season tickets. I know..not a reality, but easiest way to do the math. Bottom line is it illustrates a point.


Do the other schools have lower priced season ticket options like we do as well (i.e. Cy's Pack, hillside, endzone??) or are all seats the same price? If they do not offer the options we do, an argument could be made that these options greatly lower the avg. cost.

If I figure 55k capacity then:

Hillsides = $150 x 3k = 450K
Cy's Pack + Endzones = 12k x $195 = $2,340K
Rest of Seats = 40K x $350 = $14,000K

Averages = $16,790k / 55K = $305/seat average

If your stats above are correct, a $305/seat average would put us right in the middle of the Big 12.

 

[DaddyMac]

Posted this in the other thread as well. It assumes we sell out to capacity with season tickets. I know..not a reality, but easiest way to do the math. Bottom line is it illustrates a point.


Do the other schools have lower priced season ticket options like we do as well (i.e. Cy's Pack, hillside, endzone??) or are all seats the same price? If they do not offer the options we do, an argument could be made that these options greatly lower the avg. cost.

If I figure 55k capacity then:

Hillsides = $150 x 3k = 450K
Cy's Pack + Endzones = 12k x $195 = $2,340K
Rest of Seats = 40K x $350 = $14,000K

Averages = $16,790k / 55K = $305/seat average

If your stats above are correct, a $305/seat average would put us right in the middle of the Big 12.

Factor into that (I believe) 8K of the seats are students and they don't pay anything close to $350 for a season ticket. In fact, they have the cheapest seat in the place, don't they?

 

[dmclone]

Some people are never happy.

When our team is winning 2-3 games per year, and there is no hope for improvement, they complain that our AD doesn't make the commitment to win. Now that we have an excellent AD who has committed to hiring top-quality coaches, and has a clear vision for success that he SHARES with the fans so they know exactly where the money is going, they complain that he is making them spend too much for tickets.

I hesitate to say "grow up", but if $50/ticket over the course of an entire YEAR is too much of a difference for you to buy tickets, then perhaps you are not in a situation where you should be considering buying them in the first place.

I am NOT trying to say that "only the rich should be able to buy tickets", I'm just stating the reality: we are in a BCS conference, and if we want to COMPETE, we have to pay to play.

I'm pretty sure that this "unhappiness" is not shared by the majority of fans. JP does not set these prices by throwing a dart at the wall. There is market research behind these prices, and clearly it shows that the majority of fans will support the program at these prices.

I am also pretty sure that it is not everyone's RIGHT to have season football tickets for a BCS school.

I am ALSO sure that, as a consumer, it is your absolute right to "complain" by not buying tickets.

So what's it going to be?

If you want to compete with the big boys, then start acting like one.

Bring on the negative rep...

A couple things i wanted to point out.

I'm sure the majority of people on this thread can easily afford the tickets. I can afford the tickets. I make 3 times as much as I did back in the early 90's. The question for me is about bang for your buck. Could my $2,000/year go somewhere better?

Then comes the comment about "compete with the big boys". The truth is that you don't need to charge $59/game to "compete with the big boys". Hell the "big boys" don't even charge $59/game.

Why does everyone assume that just because you spend money you are going to win? How did Kansas and Missouri do so good this year? How did KSU do so good in the past? KF makes $3 milliopn dollars a year and they can't beat Western Michigan.

 

[isuno1fan]

Factor into that (I believe) 8K of the seats are students and they don't pay anything close to $350 for a season ticket. In fact, they have the cheapest seat in the place, don't they?

Yes they do.

Again, there are financially appealing options for those that don't want to pay the $350 pricetag. The choice is yours....really no reason to complain.

 

[mj4cy]

A couple things i wanted to point out.

I'm sure the majority of people on this thread can easily afford the tickets. I can afford the tickets. I make 3 times as much as I did back in the early 90's. The question for me is about bang for your buck. Could my $2,000/year go somewhere better?

Then comes the comment about "compete with the big boys". The truth is that you don't need to charge $59/game to "compete with the big boys". Hell the "big boys" don't even charge $59/game.

Why does everyone assume that just because you spend money you are going to win? How did Kansas and Missouri do so good this year? How did KSU do so good in the past? KF makes $3 milliopn dollars a year and they can't beat Western Michigan.

Excellent point. It seems like money is the easy excuse for not winning. I know it's huge, but look at the Minnesota Twins. They either make the playoffs or have a winning record almost every year and have a very low payroll. They just find a way to make it happen. No excuses.