FWIW, my work @ the UI has been supported by a donor to the University of Iowa, who considers themselves, small donors to the UI athletic program. But they still donate millions of dollars to the athletic program annually.
With all due respect, these are the donors that can afford the UI to have practice facilities built, stadiums renovated, and coaches salaries inflated...& the amount of alcohol they drink has zero to do with the millions of dollars they donate a year.
The revenue generated by the UI directly from footballs games is minor in comparison to these donations. & whether you realize it or not, the UI is a business, and when demand FAR exceeds supply, a business man would be stupid to not fleece the consumer for every penny the product is worth, especially when the quality of the product is outstanding (i.e. Apple).
Until demand decreases SIGNIFICANTLY (which unless the team takes a nose-dive, it won't), the UI will continue to do whatever they want because the big donors don't care one bit about all the squabbling about how many points one season ticket holder has compared to another OR when & where they can drink alcohol, etc. etc. etc.
You are acting as though the fans or students have no impact on the football program. It is like owning a restaurant, with some awesome tables and chairs and other cool stuff that you can do/sit on while you are there.. then one day telling everyone that you can use all that stuff, but if you are eating.. then you can't.
I understand that the fans might not make or break a team. Take all the fans out of the stands this year and yes the Hawks still win most of their games. Take them out of the stands when the Hawks are on a down year.. They lose.
You can sit here and tell me that they are making all their money because of how well the football program is doing and no one cares about how many people are getting s**t on.
But, Who is buying those tickets/hot dogs/$6 drinks?
Priorities or not, Its going to make people not come to games. (back to the restaurant) I don't care if it is the best food in the area.. People like convenience and like a good time. People WILL stop coming.
Business is "Business" but you don't s**t on your clients.
(BTW, I'm not saying drinking in the middle of the street is still fine.. but cracking down on the people that are fighting/puking/stumbling/screaming profanities/slurring (knuckleheads) is entirely fine. Ticketing people standing on the side of the road watching traffic, talking to passer-byers, watching for friends.. come on)
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