Adjust ticket prices to aim for sell outs

Hawknick

Hawknick

Banned
I was thinking about the changing marketplace in the age of HDTV and surround sound. More people watch football at home due to the technology now because it is more economical. The new TV deal and money reflects this change in viewing habit.

With more money coming from television the ticket price model should also change. The goal should shift slightly from the profit level it is at to the primary goal being selling out the stadium with as many Hawkeye fans as possible. This will ensure that the atmosphere at Kinnick Stadium is maintained along with the home field advantage.

To this end I have a few ideas;

Increase the student section make it easier and more affordable for students who tend to have a limited budget to get in. College students tend to be the most vocal of all fans.

Have better family rates. Make it more affordable for people to bring their kids. This will help in building the next generation of Hawkeye fans, and make it so much easier on the parents.

More generous youth group rates. This is similar to the family rate, but this would be intended for church youth groups, scout groups etc etc.

Cheaper cheap seats, these are the seats that are empty the most often. Up on the top rows in the corners by the endzone. Those seats should be cut rate so that us average Joes can get in without breaking our budget. There are a lot of big time Hawkeye fans who just want to go, but can't afford today's prices.

Let me know what you all think.
 
You're not wrong, nick
But it will never happen.
If there is a chance at a dime the fools in the Athletic Dept will charge a dollar to see it.

The story of the guy selling pencils for $50,000 comes to mind; when asked why he charges that price he responded "I only have to sell one"
Falling attendance? Up the per-seat License/I-Club "Donation" (extortion) and raise the ticket prices!

The University of Stupid

Another example
I despise the commercials in Kinnick. I refuse to patronize any businesses (except Pancheros; gotta have me that carnitas) that pre-empt the college experience and think it's a good idea to offend the hearing of a captive audience.
 
BLKNGOLD48 said:
None of this is going to happen.
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Correct. All we will probably see is...they won't increase ticket prices this year.

Right now, the students just aren't showing up. What I would like to see is...and this ties in a little to the OP's post...put the students in the bottom half of the section they are in. Open up the top section to the public and bring back "knot hole" type tickets, except they are for families only (minimum 1 adult and 1 child).

Of course, this will never happen and I'm not even sure how it could be implemented.

Ultimately, the sellouts will come when the team starts winning more.
 
You can't demand exorbitant donation/seat licenses from the season ticket base, PLUS the full price of tickets to this garbage home schedule, and then slash the remaining inventory in an attempt to engineer a sellout. This will only serve to **** everyone off, then you lose an even greater number of season ticket holders the following year. And if they lower donation levels and ticket prices across the board (0% chance of happening), that's a HUGE drop in revenue. They're pretty much screwed no matter what.
 
Is someone that gets a discounted 50th row endzone seat really going to make the 50 yard line crowd that upset? It's not the same seats being sold.
 
Hawknick said:
I was thinking about the changing marketplace in the age of HDTV and surround sound. More people watch football at home due to the technology now because it is more economical. The new TV deal and money reflects this change in viewing habit.

With more money coming from television the ticket price model should also change. The goal should shift slightly from the profit level it is at to the primary goal being selling out the stadium with as many Hawkeye fans as possible. This will ensure that the atmosphere at Kinnick Stadium is maintained along with the home field advantage.

To this end I have a few ideas;

Increase the student section make it easier and more affordable for students who tend to have a limited budget to get in. College students tend to be the most vocal of all fans.

Have better family rates. Make it more affordable for people to bring their kids. This will help in building the next generation of Hawkeye fans, and make it so much easier on the parents.

More generous youth group rates. This is similar to the family rate, but this would be intended for church youth groups, scout groups etc etc.

Cheaper cheap seats, these are the seats that are empty the most often. Up on the top rows in the corners by the endzone. Those seats should be cut rate so that us average Joes can get in without breaking our budget. There are a lot of big time Hawkeye fans who just want to go, but can't afford today's prices.

Let me know what you all think.[/QUOT
I would be for reducing student prices if it would get them to the games. Not sure that I why they don't show. But if it works Im all for it
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Yes, the key is would low ticket prices increase attendance or would it make it more likely the people that buy them end up blowing off the game. The best way to increase attendance is to make the game worth a person's time.
 
I do think Iowa will have to get a little "creative" in 2015 because there are going to be some seats to fill. Plenty of seats to fill. I personally have 4 close friends who are giving up their season tickets this year ... I gave mine up 2 years ago. It's tough to pay the money and then make the time commitment ... and watch an average product ... Kinnick used to be rocking and man, I have good memories ... The enthusiasm is gone. Gary does not realize how many Iowa fans will truly start staying away.
 
I think one issue Iowa should address (especially with the new B1G contract could be worth 50 million a years) is student tickets. They need to just do a flat fee for students to attend any and all sporting event. Charge like $99 for an entire season that covers all sports.

1) Promote a culture within the student body of going to games, be it football or women's basketball. All sports covered, to promote and encourage support of all athletics

2) Create future customers. This is key, with students growing up with HD and every game on TV, you need to get them to the games to experience it and hopefully create a paying customer in 5 years.

3) Fill the stadium up with students (obviously there would be a cap for each game) yet when the teams are good you line the students up and create excitement getting into the games.
 
During the Lick years, they never adjusted ticket prices and the place was 2/3 empty. Unless fb gets to the point of Lick futility,nothing will be done.
 
Hawknick said:
Is someone that gets a discounted 50th row endzone seat really going to make the 50 yard line crowd that upset? It's not the same seats being sold.
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Yes, it would **** me off. I don't sit at the 50, but why should someone get to watch the game for less than I paid? It's like paying full price for a vacuum cleaner, then finding out that it was on sale the whole time, you just happened to talk to the wrong salesperson. Would probably be the last time I ever shopped at that store.
 
These ticket prices are the reason that Iowa is able to self sustain their athletic programs. If you start to change the scheme then you're going to run into more problems down the line.
 
Sparky said:
These ticket prices are the reason that Iowa is able to self sustain their athletic programs. If you start to change the scheme then you're going to run into more problems down the line.
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More problems are coming, you can count on it. They would have to cut ticket costs and donations in half to keep 60K ticket holders, IMO.
 
The idea is to shift some of the revenues from tickets to television and other media. Also some these poorer seats don't sell at all (even though they should) it is better to get some revenue rather than none. Viewing habits are shifting because of technology, so ticket prices need to keep up with the competition.
 
Hawknick said:
The idea is to shift some of the revenues from tickets to television and other media. Also some these poorer seats don't sell at all (even though they should) it is better to get some revenue rather than none. Viewing habits are shifting because of technology, so ticket prices need to keep up with the competition.
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What you're suggesting is that the university voluntarily give up millions of dollars in revenue. It's ridiculous to even suggest. Just because they'll be making more money from TV doesn't mean they will settle for less money from ticket sales. Some organizations - and bear with me here, cuz I know this sounds crazy - actually try to maximize their revenue from all available sources. Very few think they're making TOO much money, and voluntarily decide to give some of it back. Maybe that will be the new trend in capitalism some day, but we're not quite there yet.
 
Some Hawk fans will purchase tickets regardless of the price. It's not the price of admission that causes the empty seats; it's the product on the field. Improve the product and the seats will be full regardless of the price.
 
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