Disappointed in fans

U

undutchable

Well-Known Member
I know I'm preaching to the choir. I always was proud that Iowa had one of the best/loudest fan bases in college sports. This is something I don't know if I can be proud of anymore. To hear that the Purdue game will most likely not sell out is unfathomable, UNFATHOMABLE! Think of all that may be on the line... A chance to play for the program's best start in school history (irregardless of what happens in the Minn. game), a chance to clinch a shot at the Big Ten championship, a chance to take another step closer towards a potential national championship. Not to mention Senior day. It is entirely possible that there may not be another chance to see an Iowa team with this much to play for this late in the season in your LIFETIME... This is the first time its happened in over 100 years and there is no guarantee that we'll be here again in a long while.

I've been living on the west coast for 15 years, lived in Iowa as a child and I've never had the opportunity to go to Kinnick. I considered spending dollars I don't have to fly out... Watching an Iowa game with empty seats for me is like a starving person watching a fat kid take a bite of a filet mignon and throwing the rest out. Ok, I'm overstating things a bit, but it does make me angry. Am I missing something? Say it ain't so Iowans!

I know season tickets sales were down this year, but how are all these people not coming back?

http://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sp...ilable-senior-day-purdue-gary-barta/75467850/
 
5+ years of sub par product doesn't get resolved in 6 months add to that the crackdown on tailgaiting, the general price to go to a game + all the extra hassle its just not worth it.
 
Garandx said:
5+ years of sub par product doesn't get resolved in 6 months add to that the crackdown on tailgaiting, the general price to go to a game + all the extra hassle its just not worth it.
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I decided to take a solo vacation this year. It came down to IC for a game or Vegas. Vegas was cheaper.
 
Lets say you buy 2 season tickets at $350 a pop, and you donate $1000 a year to get better seats. Then you spend $700 a year to get a parking spot, and you spend money on beer and food, and you spend a whole day traveling to Iowa City and back for a game. All in you are talking upwards of $2500-$3000 investment to go watch Iowa play 7 home games. Just imagine how foolish you have to be to drive these people away from this. It wasn't about the W/L as much as it was about Sally Mason and her idiotic attitude toward the game day atmosphere in Iowa City. It isn't an accident that as soon as Sally announced she was leaving that the athletic department started taking drastic steps to improve it's relationship with the fans.

Now the problem is you have lost thousands and thousand of people who were willing to pay $3000 + a year to consume your product. What they found out is they could pay $200 to go to a single game in Kinnick if they weren't a season ticket holder. They also found out they can watch and cheer on the Hawks in their homes, their neighbor's homes, at the bar just as easy. They can get tons of stuff done before and after the game, while still cheering on the Hawks.

I wouldn't call anyone a bad fan if they don't go to the games. I would call it incompetency on an enormous scale to drive away your fan base by being tone deaf, and stupid. Good riddance Sally Mason. Why couldn't you just do your job and let the AD do his? Instead you have show your complete and utter disdain for athletics, and try to tear it down the best you could.....just utter incompetence really.
 
So what are the numbers looking like for Purdue? Perhaps Ill make the trip down from gooferland.
 
undutchable said:
I know I'm preaching to the choir. I always was proud that Iowa had one of the best/loudest fan bases in college sports. This is something I don't know if I can be proud of anymore. To hear that the Purdue game will most likely not sell out is unfathomable, UNFATHOMABLE! Think of all that may be on the line... A chance to play for the program's best start in school history (irregardless of what happens in the Minn. game), a chance to clinch a shot at the Big Ten championship, a chance to take another step closer towards a potential national championship. Not to mention Senior day. It is entirely possible that there may not be another chance to see an Iowa team with this much to play for this late in the season in your LIFETIME... This is the first time its happened in over 100 years and there is no guarantee that we'll be here again in a long while.

I've been living on the west coast for 15 years, lived in Iowa as a child and I've never had the opportunity to go to Kinnick. I considered spending dollars I don't have to fly out... Watching an Iowa game with empty seats for me is like a starving person watching a fat kid take a bite of a filet mignon and throwing the rest out. Ok, I'm overstating things a bit, but it does make me angry. Am I missing something? Say it ain't so Iowans!

I know season tickets sales were down this year, but how are all these people not coming back?

http://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sp...ilable-senior-day-purdue-gary-barta/75467850/
Click to expand...

Hold onto your wad there skippy...is the game tomorrow?
 
I hate to be mean but you have never been to kinnick but feel you have the right to complain about fan attendance?

I cancelled my season tickets this year. Instead I've watched iowa in ames, madison, iowa city this coming weekend and already booked flight/hotel/tickets for the big ten title game. Somehow the overall costs were about the same.
 
Last game I went to was Michigan State in 2011(?) before I moved out of Iowa. It cost over $125 just to go by myself. It was a hassle.
 
deanvogs said:
Lets say you buy 2 season tickets at $350 a pop, and you donate $1000 a year to get better seats. Then you spend $700 a year to get a parking spot, and you spend money on beer and food, and you spend a whole day traveling to Iowa City and back for a game. All in you are talking upwards of $2500-$3000 investment to go watch Iowa play 7 home games. Just imagine how foolish you have to be to drive these people away from this. It wasn't about the W/L as much as it was about Sally Mason and her idiotic attitude toward the game day atmosphere in Iowa City. It isn't an accident that as soon as Sally announced she was leaving that the athletic department started taking drastic steps to improve it's relationship with the fans.

Now the problem is you have lost thousands and thousand of people who were willing to pay $3000 + a year to consume your product. What they found out is they could pay $200 to go to a single game in Kinnick if they weren't a season ticket holder. They also found out they can watch and cheer on the Hawks in their homes, their neighbor's homes, at the bar just as easy. They can get tons of stuff done before and after the game, while still cheering on the Hawks.

I wouldn't call anyone a bad fan if they don't go to the games. I would call it incompetency on an enormous scale to drive away your fan base by being tone deaf, and stupid. Good riddance Sally Mason. Why couldn't you just do your job and let the AD do his? Instead you have show your complete and utter disdain for athletics, and try to tear it down the best you could.....just utter incompetence really.
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Hammer meet nail. My sentiments exactly.
 
HawksMN said:
So what are the numbers looking like for Purdue? Perhaps Ill make the trip down from gooferland.
Click to expand...

The Ath Dept announced that season ticket holders could buy purdue game tickets for $30 apiece for them or their friends to use. I asked a couple of friends and they already had purdue tickets.

If the hawks get to 10-0 I think you will see a big buy on tickets for Purdue. The Ath Dept might over even better family packages.

I would not say disappointed in fans for not having it already a sell out as Deanvogs is right. I know a lot of people who were going to games who are now spending money on other things but still watching every game on TV, and going to one or 2 games a year where they can buy a ticket for 20-30 bucks outside Kinnick.

In 2013 the last two games of the year had great crowds in cold weather and the team was fun to watch, especially a great defense. Last year's total meltdown at the end was too much for many and almost me after 40+ years of buying season tickets.

I would say congrats to the fans who are at the stadium.
 
"Hold onto your wad there skippy...is the game tomorrow?"

I've been hearing they're too many tickets available and won't sell out next week from radio shows I've been listening to online. If it happens to sell out next week, faith restored...

Thanks deanvogs, not being in IC, I don't know what was going on. And it is expensive, I get it. I don't blame people if they aren't getting season tickets if they feel they are getting their money's worth. If it were the Iowa/Illinios game, I get it. However, I think these next two games are special and seats should be filled.
 
HawkeyeDenis said:
Last game I went to was Michigan State in 2011(?) before I moved out of Iowa. It cost over $125 just to go by myself. It was a hassle.
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This. Sad to say, but a lot of folks who would like to go to games just can't afford to anymore.
 
"Home theater" experience is better and cheaper than ever.

Season tix, "donation", travel, gas, hitel, etc etc....over 20 years...factoring in interest....can put a couple kids through college.

A couple years worth of season tix expenses, will also pay for a 70" ultra hi-def, 7.1 surround sound, soundproofed acoustic room, zero gravity recliner...room....that is daddies "escape" :cool:

That said, tough to beat a couple experiences a year in person.

Keep winning...it'll help, but it's simply a tough go for most people anymore.
 
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What's scary (for the university) is people like myself who finally broke the cycle of always buying season tickets suddenly don't miss the drive, the parking, the crowds, the overzealous cops, the mandatory donation, the bleacher seating etc.

Instead I've finally gone to camp Randal and bought a 4k tv with the money to watch iowa games in style.

It's a problem every college is starting to realize. Fans no longer just automatically buy season tickets
 
HawkeyeWalker said:
"Home theater" experience is better and cheaper than ever.

Season tix, "donation", travel, gas, hitel, etc etc....over 20 years...factoring in interest....can put a couple kids through college.

That said, tough to beat a couple experiences a year in person.
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Beat me to it ;)
 
Cardinals54 said:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This. Sad to say, but a lot of folks who would like to go to games just can't afford to anymore.
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^^^^ Jon, would it be okay if I made a political post here?;)

For me, I'm actually proud of the many thousands who kept shelling out $$$$$$$$$$$.
 
mopkins said:
I hate to be mean but you have never been to kinnick but feel you have the right to complain about fan attendance?

I cancelled my season tickets this year. Instead I've watched iowa in ames, madison, iowa city this coming weekend and already booked flight/hotel/tickets for the big ten title game. Somehow the overall costs were about the same.
Click to expand...

Yes. But I'm talking about these next two games, if you are in the area and have the $ to get there, go to these next games, they are special. I don't have either of these luxuries. Season tickets are another issue or what you do when Iowa is 4-3 I don't care.
 
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