AD letter and higher ticket costs

[Trice]

I brought this up in a long post about why the SEZ might not be a great investment and was universally ridiculed and my post was labelled as nothing more than trollish fiction, but it was hardcore message board Cyclone fans responding, not the average/casual fan that fills Jack Trice every Saturday.

The bottom line is you can't spend $30M plus on a stadium renovation and not increase season ticket prices, but if you raise ticket prices and fail to put a good product on the field, all you've done is spent $30M to see your stadium 20% empty each Saturday.

I think the SEZ project is a massive "All In" gamble by JP, he just taxed the hell out of the ISU fan base for decades - and he did it based on three years of data that happened to coincide with the biggest win in ISU history and back to back bowl games. Can ISU sustain that type of success on the field? If not, what has changed so much since 2010 (when season average attendance was 45K) to suggest that ISU fans will pay more money for the same product?

Also, if you're going to do a major stadium renovation, why would you ever schedule a home/home with Arkansas State? Pay them to come to your stadium and use the seats you're adding.

I'm sure I'll get lambasted for this but you raise some fair points. But I think there are some things you leave out or underestimate.

There's been a big culture shift among the Cyclone fan base. More people are buying in, people who were already in are stepping up. Fan support for major sports has been through the roof, but the most important aspect of that is that it was trending upward even before Fred arrived or Rhoads beat Oklahoma State in 2011. Add in record enrollment as the state's largest university and you've got thousands more future ticketholders than before.

The second is the cumulative effect of millions of dollars in facility investments. It isn't just the stadium, it's the new football facility, scoreboard, etc. ISU is making an investment in football it hasn't before. And that's how you have to view it, as an investment. With any investment there is risk.

But yes, those whole rosy scenario won't work out if Cyclone fans abandon their teams after a bad season or two (cough, Hawkeye basketball, cough). But given the culture shift, they obviously feel like the Cyclone fan base is ready to support it.

 

[NATEizKING]

Do they no longer offer special ticket pricing for the under-30 crowd?

They do but increasing ticket prices too much isn't going to attract new ticket holders which has been the goal. Are you saying keep the ticket prices the same for the under 30 crowd?

 

[Trice]

They do but increasing ticket prices too much isn't going to attract new ticket holders which has been the goal. Are you saying keep the ticket prices the same for the under 30 crowd?

I'm not suggesting anything one way or the other. I was just genuinely curious if they still did that.

 

[NATEizKING]

I brought this up in a long post about why the SEZ might not be a great investment and was universally ridiculed and my post was labelled as nothing more than trollish fiction, but it was hardcore message board Cyclone fans responding, not the average/casual fan that fills Jack Trice every Saturday.

The bottom line is you can't spend $30M plus on a stadium renovation and not increase season ticket prices, but if you raise ticket prices and fail to put a good product on the field, all you've done is spent $30M to see your stadium 20% empty each Saturday.

I think the SEZ project is a massive "All In" gamble by JP, he just taxed the hell out of the ISU fan base for decades - and he did it based on three years of data that happened to coincide with the biggest win in ISU history and back to back bowl games. Can ISU sustain that type of success on the field? If not, what has changed so much since 2010 (when season average attendance was 45K) to suggest that ISU fans will pay more money for the same product?

Also, if you're going to do a major stadium renovation, why would you ever schedule a home/home with Arkansas State? Pay them to come to your stadium and use the seats you're adding.

$30 mil is pocket change in the college football world.

 

[NATEizKING]

I'm not suggesting anything one way or the other. I was just genuinely curious if they still did that.

Yeah I think $225 and no donation gets you lower balcony corner to 20 yard line on opposite corners, but those seats are hard to get.

 

[Cycsk]

Perhaps as they increase fees for parking, they will do something about the gravel that has become some of the sections. The plows have torn it up.

 

[hawkfan]

But yes, those whole rosy scenario won't work out if Cyclone fans abandon their teams after a bad season or two (cough, Hawkeye basketball, cough). But given the culture shift, they obviously feel like the Cyclone fan base is ready to support it.

Oh, I don't disagree there's been a culture shift this past three years....I'm merely suggesting that low ticket prices and historically unparalleled national exposure (I.E. CPRs speech/OSU win) have been what's responsible for that culture. What happens when those two variables are no longer present.

 

[Cycsk]

Interesting fact. We have more than 52,000 in attendance for the Oklahoma State game in 2011 ... that means that they showed up before we benefited from the "historically unparalleled national exposure" of the game.

 

[NATEizKING]

Oh, I don't disagree there's been a culture shift this past three years....I'm merely suggesting that low ticket prices and historically unparalleled national exposure (I.E. CPRs speech/OSU win) have been what's responsible for that culture. What happens when those two variables are no longer present.

By then ISU will have 40k students

 

[VeloClone]

Interesting fact. We have more than 52,000 in attendance for the Oklahoma State game in 2011 ... that means that they showed up before we benefited from the "historically unparalleled national exposure" of the game.

And I'm pretty sure that many had to leave work early like I did to travel for that game. There was a lot of committment from fans to show up for a game that ISU was pretty much universally predicted to get blown out of (nice job Blum). Just give ISU fans something - anything - to believe and they will come.

 

[Trice]

Oh, I don't disagree there's been a culture shift this past three years....I'm merely suggesting that low ticket prices and historically unparalleled national exposure (I.E. CPRs speech/OSU win) have been what's responsible for that culture. What happens when those two variables are no longer present.

You're missing my point. I'm talking about a culture shift, not bandwagon jumping. Since Pollard arrived in Ames, he has asked Clone fans to step up and they've responded in donations and ticket sales. Well before Rhoads' speeches, there was evidence of this shift. It goes back to the support for the Chizik hire, and strong ticket sales for year four of what had been a completely underwhelming Greg McDermott tenure.

So I think there's evidence that support of the athletic program from Cyclone fans/alums had been steadily growing and that it can be sustainable over time. Sure, it may rise and fall somewhat as the programs succeed or stumble, but I think the baseline level of support is and will be way up.

 

[Trice]

And I'm pretty sure that many had to leave work early like I did to travel for that game. There was a lot of committment from fans to show up for a game that ISU was pretty much universally predicted to get blown out of (nice job Blum). Just give ISU fans something - anything - to believe and they will come.

Absolutely. And to that I would add, run your programs the right way with student athletes we can be proud of. I think that matters here.

 

[PabloDiablo]

There is no doubt a major gamble going on within the AD. Pollard is wagering that the fans are ready to support a big time team and since we have no Phil Knight or T. Boone or the Dr. Pepper guy from Baylor, we as a fan base have to step up as a whole to raise the budget level a little.

Ultimately, if we want a winner in the current college football climate we have to put our money where our mouth is and grab our seat at the big boy table. If we want to continue sniffing dirt then we can stay cheap.
(I'm not saying it doesn't suck, just they way it is and is going to continue to be):unsure:

 

[mtownclone]

CyHawk7,
*
I think that "bumping up the donation levels" is the same as reseating. If it's not the same, can you explain the difference.

 

[Stormin]

By then ISU will have 40k students

How much do students pay for their season tickets?

 

[CyHawk7]

CyHawk7,
*
I think that "bumping up the donation levels" is the same as reseating. If it's not the same, can you explain the difference.

Ive heard some people when talking about reseating mention everyone starting with a clean slate and priority points resetting. I don't know if that's actually true or not just what I heard a poster say. That in my mind is the difference. Pollard says in his letter that they won't be doing a reseating for basketball but will be bumping up donation levels for certain areas significantly. So they're obviously not the same whether what I mentioned is the difference I honestly don't know.

 

[Stormin]

There is no doubt a major gamble going on within the AD. Pollard is wagering that the fans are ready to support a big time team and since we have no Phil Knight or T. Boone or the Dr. Pepper guy from Baylor, we as a fan base have to step up as a whole to raise the budget level a little.

Ultimately, if we want a winner in the current college football climate we have to put our money where our mouth is and grab our seat at the big boy table. If we want to continue sniffing dirt then we can stay cheap.
(I'm not saying it doesn't suck, just they way it is and is going to continue to be):unsure:

It has been pointed out that we pay more for football season tickets than K-State. We seat more people in our stadium and have not had their success. We have been paying more and donating more. Still waiting for the great success.

IMO, a lot of our season ticket holders sit in some not so good seats. Those seats are priced accordingly and those fans put up with their seats. You raise the price too much and those same fans might say, "Screw it". I will only attend half as many games and buy some good seats. And only on those games that I want to attend. No more Thursdays. No late night November games in freezing weather. Those same fans do not get to park in donor lots because they are priced out so that is not a factor either.

The prudent thing to do is to be patient and make small incremental increases. You do that with $10 and $20 increases annually to keep the Cyclone ticket holder hooked. It is a long term type of situation and you want to keep those fans long term. A big bump will lose many fans and then you will find that you will have to discount those tickets to get them back in the stadium. Small increases in season ticket prices. Upping the parking permit from $50 per season to at least $75 or $100 for the donor lots would be wise. We need to think long term though and not jump things too much at once.

 

[Stormin]

Read the letter from the AD. It mentions the $4 million figure and IMO that refers to the additional costs of retaining our coaches and other costs. From the letter, it is apparent that there will be a definite increase coming in basketball season tickets. There looks to be about 16-17 home games in a season ticket package. A $5 increase per game would probably be warranted given the demand and success of the basketball team.

For season football tickets I look for maybe a $25 increase across the board. Raise the annual parking permit fee for donor lots to $75 at least from the $50.

IMO, there is a definite increase coming for basketball. The letter seems to be mostly about that. For football, I look for there to be the big change in price for the End Zone Club at $750 each. I don't look for a big increase for those sitting in end zone seats moving to the wedges. Probably $200 instead of the $175 they were paying now. Pollard is smart enough to not go up a whole lot because he would not want attendance to fall after a stadium expansion. That would not look good.

 

[ripvdub]

What about the projected 10-15 mil more we'll be making by the end of the current grant of rights?

 

[Stormin]

What about the projected 10-15 mil more we'll be making by the end of the current grant of rights?

Not sure. But it looks like we got over $23 million this past year.

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/co...ols-thanks-to-giant-revenue-distribution.html