2025 Athletics Update

[beentherebefore]

Unpopular opinion. Would like to see a broad range of arts and athletics available to students of a liberal arts university. Not minor league football and basketball teams with a school attached.

It's the argument that has always been going on at ISU--and I assume at most universities with a more "middle class" fanbase and alumni. Back in the 1970s, the professors did not like the push towards athletics (there was a huge anti-Earle Bruce crowd), and we got what ended up with for about 30 years (Johnny Orr notwithstanding).

Universities are supposed to be institutions of higher LEARNING, so the argument is understandable. But, the UNIVERSITY is also posed with the expectation of providing a universal (complete) educational experience. It is a tough call.

I, too, am not a fan of colleges becoming mostly known for as minor league institutions for the NBA and and the NFL.

There has to be a balancing point somewhere.

 

[JK4ISU]

Serious question here - What the **** more do you need?

I go to bb and fb games to watch bb and fb.

I guess I don't understand all these people who need more than that. I hear "we need to enhance the experience", the experience is watching and cheering on your favorite to a win.

One other thing, not everyone has the same preferences as you and yours are not superior. The example is the Soukup section. The seats are terrible and people pay a premium for the amenities.

 

[beentherebefore]

I believe schools can chose not to follow title 9 now. However, if they don't follow title 9 they are not eligible for federal financial assistance. So, no FASFA Students loans, Pell Grants, other student grants (not sure about research grants) etc. So, doubt SCOTUS would overturn it...feds put strings on Money all the time.

I believe that has always been the case, but no school would want to not get federal funding.

 

[BCClone]

Food trucks inside hilton?

Yeah it’s a small people family so small truck.

What happens when I’m thinking JTS and someone brings up Hilton.

 

[beentherebefore]

One other thing, not everyone has the same preferences as you and yours are not superior. The example is the Soukup section. The seats are terrible and people pay a premium for the amenities.

Would people pay to make it worthwhile for stadium chairs like in Sukup but between the 40s? Might be a way to increase revenue, but I know it would lower overall capacity.

 

[BCClone]

I haven’t seen them, are they there for all games or just the big ones?

Okay, due to what someone else asked, if Hilton, none, if JTS then I’ve seen at least the tenderloin one there every game.

 

[Remo Gaggi]

Just stop and consider what you might cut back on every month. For example, one less dinner out might save you $100. That’s $1,200 a year for those of you who got your degree from Iowa U. Multiply that by 20,000 Cyclone fans and there’s your $24,000,000 extra every year, problem solved. You can thank me later.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

I don’t know that I need anything more, it would be nice to have better amenities, though. That first game, we decided to get something to eat at the game. The choice was hotdogs. I used to live in Omaha and go to Creighton games. You could get craft beer, Famous Dave’s BBQ, Runza’s, Omaha Steak burgers, pizza, etc. The highest donors could get delivery to their seats. Creighton did this because they moved from an old facility where they sold about 6,000 seats to a new one that holds 17,000 and providing an enhanced experience allows them to be in top 20 attendance year after year. As I said, I don’t expect any change unless ISU starts having a hard time selling seats.

You are comparing two totally different things here. Creighton sits in a city of over a million people, with no football to take money from the program. The city of Omaha also passed a $216 million dollars bond issue to pay for part of the arena, another $291 million was brought in from private indivuals and business. Their arena is much like Wells Fargo in Des Moines, owned by the city, and Creighton plays there games there. Compare that to ISU and Hilton, owned by the university, not the city of Ames. I suppose ISU could cut a deal to play all their games in Des Moines and get a cut of the gate and food sales, but how many people would want that?

CHI Health Center Omaha - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Mr.G.Spot]

I think this increase for donation levels is unlikely to be a problem. The increase of 50% a few years ago didn’t change CC numbers much, so I doubt this will either. The revenue that is being left on the table is having premium seating underpriced. Since there is a long waiting list for Jack Trice Club and donors who qualify can’t get seats in the lower bowl of Hilton, it tells me that those tickets are underpriced. He should double the price of JTC tickets and side sections of the lower bowl of Hilton. If you price the tickets high enough, reseating takes care of itself and then provides an incentive to make the higher donation.

Fair concept, but raising prices will decrease some demand. The current price is $250 a game. What do u think it should go to?

 

[StPaulCyclone]

You are comparing two totally different things here. Creighton sits in a city of over a million people, with no football to take money from the program. The city of Omaha also passed a $216 million dollars bond issue to pay for part of the arena, another $291 million was brought in from private indivuals and business. Their arena is much like Wells Fargo in Des Moines, owned by the city, and Creighton plays there games there. Compare that to ISU and Hilton, owned by the university, not the city of Ames. I suppose ISU could cut a deal to play all their games in Des Moines and get a cut of the gate and food sales, but how many people would want that?

CHI Health Center Omaha - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Agreed. A better comp may have been Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

 

[alarson]

Would people pay to make it worthwhile for stadium chairs like in Sukup but between the 40s? Might be a way to increase revenue, but I know it would lower overall capacity.

Most other stadiums are reducing capacity, so it'll probably come for ISU at some point too.

 

[jsb]

Serious question here - What the **** more do you need?

I go to bb and fb games to watch bb and fb.

I guess I don't understand all these people who need more than that. I hear "we need to enhance the experience", the experience is watching and cheering on your favorite to a win.

I have this same question about people that say it is 'easier to stay home and watch the game'. There's NOTHING like being at a big game in person. There's always a possibility that I get priced out of going to games at some point and then I'd have to watch from home. But I'd never pick watching from home over being at Jack Trice or Hilton.

 

[jsb]

I don’t know that I need anything more, it would be nice to have better amenities, though. That first game, we decided to get something to eat at the game. The choice was hotdogs. I used to live in Omaha and go to Creighton games. You could get craft beer, Famous Dave’s BBQ, Runza’s, Omaha Steak burgers, pizza, etc. The highest donors could get delivery to their seats. Creighton did this because they moved from an old facility where they sold about 6,000 seats to a new one that holds 17,000 and providing an enhanced experience allows them to be in top 20 attendance year after year. As I said, I don’t expect any change unless ISU starts having a hard time selling seats.

Updating the food options at Hilton was on the agenda at one point (right now they basically only have steam tables for food---they can't grill anything, for example). But that update is on the back burner due to COVID and paying the players.

 

[beentherebefore]

It goes by scholarships provided.

Because that is what it is supposed to be about, providing education equally. So you must provide scholarships equally, or at least the same ratio as the overall student body numbers.

But now it is or might be about money going to the athletes too. So I dont think they know the actual ramifications yet, until someone challenges Title IX on the matter.

I think you are correct. By the letter of the law (and I mean the words in the law as written), there seems to be nothing mentioned about money, but maybe that can be "implied" in a contemporary reading.

 

[FinalFourCy]

https://iowastatedaily.com/290345/news/athletic-department-budget-team-revenues-ticket-sales-and-more/#:~:text=Women's%20sports%20expenses%20increased%20from,by%20gender%20were%20%2452.99%20million.

Womens basketball needs to cut some expense. $4mil negative

Yes. Frankly, a near gutting of non-revenue costs other than player compensation is needed.

Given the writing was on the wall for at least a decade that this “transformational” moment was coming, we’ve needed to go all-in on football and basketball, and getting as lean as possible outside of that.

 

[kirk89gt]

Screwing people over who can't get seats in the sections that align with what they're giving is also not smart.

KU reseats the Phog every year. Houston, reseats every two years.

I would be curious to better understand how a reseating could happen given the lack of transparency in how our athletic “points” accumulate and where you reside on the points leaderboard in relation to everyone else.

It probably would be an unpopular opinion, but it could make sense to limit the max number of season tickets a donor could purchase (mostly applicable to the higher level donors). This could free up some seats and allow others to move up.

 

[syclonefan]

Okay, Okay, here is a GREAT compromise for all the beer/no beer sales in JTS. In Cy-Town will be a convenience store (think old keg shop) and it will be stocked hard with Ames Lager and busch light. Maybe a couple other things. Now when you come in for tailgating, you must pop your trunk and get a one minute search for any smuggled in alcohol. So all alcohol has to be purchased there, you can bring in your own but will get a $5 per beer fine handed to you right there.

That should pay a large amount of NIL. You will be allowed 1 beer to carry in. Everyone should be happy with this compromise.

But is Jamie going to allow alcohol to be sold in CyTown? Heard the brewery/bar was N/A beers only.

/s

 

[FinalFourCy]

One other thing, not everyone has the same preferences as you and yours are not superior. The example is the Soukup section. The seats are terrible and people pay a premium for the amenities.

Are you willing to pay more for more amenities?

You said you hadn’t been in 30 years. A good chunk of the price increase is inflation. Most of the rest is paying for an increase in the cost to fund a program at the highest level. TJ is probably making nearly $2.5 million more, adjusted for inflation, than Orr was getting in 1993. The staff and facility costs are much higher

So, either you don’t want to watch top ranked high major basketball, or you’re wanting high amenity seats at low amenity prices

 

[BCClone]

But is Jamie going to allow alcohol to be sold in CyTown? Heard the brewery/bar was N/A beers only.

/s

I think if it’s a self contained location that it wouldn’t be a big deal. Also, a non alcoholic distillery…….I don’t think there is such a thing and who would go to a N.A. brewery or have one?

 

[syclonefan]

I think if it’s a self contained location that it wouldn’t be a big deal. Also, a non alcoholic distillery…….I don’t think there is such a thing and who would go to a N.A. brewery or have one?

Comment was sarcastic hence the /s…