Ticket Sells

[WinOneThisCentury]

Love the discussion here and some great points by numerous people. I think we all acknowledge Iowa isn't in bad shape here compared to many schools as far as ticket sales are concerned. The one issue I have is that, when I was in school, and it was awhile ago, the students I went to the games with were jacked up and during the game we got our section jacked up when the other team had the ball. And it seemed a majority of the stadium was like that...we were always concerned about Kinnick really being a home field advantage for the team. Look at how Seattle in the NFL does it...do you think they get any advantage playing in their home stadium?

Maybe it came from the top...as Hayden Fry used to plug the fans all week saying he needed them loud and how important their support was, especially for big games. Now it appears to me, the stadium is a little stale unless there is a big play or a big third down or something. It's not the constant noise thing.

 

[hawkihayes]

This is really making me question getting season tickets again next year. This year's home schedule is much better than next year and there are thousands of tickets available each week from the ticket office at face value. Hell you can get singles on the 40 yardline for Wisconsin and Nebraska. Probably the clown game too, didnt check that one.

Agreed and that is why after 10 years I just cancelled my tickets. We can't make it to all the games and in past years I had no problems selling my tickets for face or even higher. Last year I couldn't give away two games and most games I struggled to get 40 bucks a ticket. Tailgating issue's, rent a cops, stale game day environment, reseating, made the decision easy sadly. This administration is still stuck in cruise control. This situation may wake them up but I doubt it. Taking the ticket money today and getting a new 70"TV.

 

[imported_ankle23]

Love the discussion here and some great points by numerous people. I think we all acknowledge Iowa isn't in bad shape here compared to many schools as far as ticket sales are concerned. The one issue I have is that, when I was in school, and it was awhile ago, the students I went to the games with were jacked up and during the game we got our section jacked up when the other team had the ball. And it seemed a majority of the stadium was like that...we were always concerned about Kinnick really being a home field advantage for the team. Look at how Seattle in the NFL does it...do you think they get any advantage playing in their home stadium?

Maybe it came from the top...as Hayden Fry used to plug the fans all week saying he needed them loud and how important their support was, especially for big games. Now it appears to me, the stadium is a little stale unless there is a big play or a big third down or something. It's not the constant noise thing.

the energy is fading, and that is a fact. and 'back in the day' we didn't have to 'pipe in music' or have some 'environment' as a reason to be entertained. you know, the game did that.

who can afford to go to these games? by and large, older folks. you know the type that says 'sit down'........and the older folks ain't getting any younger.

 

[trj]

No reason to jump off a cliff yet because of declining attendance, but man one bad hire at HC and this bad boy could unravel quickly.

 

[leiserom]

I live in Texas and this is the first year in quite a few years I dont have plans to go to a home game. I would like to go to homecoming but I cant get off that Friday. We are going to the Pitt game however and maybe Maryland. Stadiums I have never been to in places I havent been to. Sounds more exciting. My wife had a bad experience at Kinnick a number of years ago and almost will not go back. She went for the UNI game two years ago as our niece was in the UNI band. Alas she quit the band so no point in going to that game now.

 

[trj]

Bingo. It's amazing how badly people want to make a big story about of something which isn't. Most programs would love to have our success (including many of our Big Ten brethren).

That being said, here's my 2 cents on what may be deterring fans:

-The no-fun crackdown. Arrest the belligerent drunks, take the containers away from the obvious ones and leave everybody else the hell alone.

-weak non-conf + 11:00am = No Thanks, I'll catch it on TV and enjoy one of my last few "summer" weekends doing something else outside.

-the fan itself. Only only need look at the obsession people have with their cell phones to see that we have an increasingly different breed of human being walking the streets. Many of them prefer a digital world to the real one. If you can't survive 3 hours without WiFi, Twitter, texting etc... you may be less of a football fan, than you are a digital addict that needs to constantly be entertained. (I love my toys too, but I'm capable of putting them down)

The game....is still...on the field.

I get what you are saying, but you can't ignore the causal fan. You need their discretionary income you need all the revenue streams you can get.

 

[tm3308]

i'm guessing folly would rather have iowa's 'problem'.

you can buy a saison tacket at isu - 4 different price levels. i believe all 4 are less expensive than the one iowa offers. and what is their capacity? (not the grazing areas and standing on top of the jacobsen building.....) 50k? they list at 55k, but i'm not buying that.

and again, at the end of the day, Kinnick stadium is 93% sold out with one week to go in July. It's not like iowa has some big problem on it's hands.

This definitely isn't a big issue right now. I don't know what sales looked like the past few years, but I'd wager that a lot of people don't want to spend $350+ this year for essentially two tickets (Wisky and Nebraska). This year's home slate is garbage outside of those two games. A lot more convenient to just get tickets to those games and save some money.

 

[imported_ankle23]

This definitely isn't a big issue right now. I don't know what sales looked like the past few years, but I'd wager that a lot of people don't want to spend $350+ this year for essentially two tickets (Wisky and Nebraska). This year's home slate is garbage outside of those two games. A lot more convenient to just get tickets to those games and save some money.

just looked up ticket prices - hadn't looked prior to now:

2014 Iowa Football Ticket Types and Prices
General public season ticket	$395 each for seven (7) home games
"Mini-season""ticket package	Yet to be determined
UI faculty and staff season ticket	$325 each for seven (7) home games
UI student season ticket	$175 for seven (7) home games or $163 (STAT discount); $150 for six games (no ticket for Iowa-Nebraska the day after Thanksgiving) or $140 (STAT discount)
UI student guest ticket	If available, $395 each for seven (7) home games
Single-game tickets	Northern Iowa -- $60 and $25 (Youth ticket); Iowa State -- $70; Ball State -- $55 and $25; Indiana -- $65 and $25; Northwestern -- $65 and $25; Wisconsin -- $70; Nebraska ($70)
Kinnick Stadium chairback	$45 per seat, per season
Automobile game-day parking	$100 (must be eligible, limit one)
RV game-day parking	$300 (must be eligible, limit one)
Hawkeye Express	$12 for round-trip; cash only; boys and girls 12 years old and younger are free

 

[ohhawk]

Maybe I'm imagining things but within the last couple weeks I went to look at single game tickets several times and most indicated a flat fee (varied by section) plus the ticket price. Now the flat fee is gone.

 

[DumDumDugan]

And now for some stupid questions from the guy who just wandered in and hasn't followed this thread at all. Would it be possible at all to do something like reduce the prices a little? It seems to me that might spur sales some. And is it true the athletic department makes all the money off the parking ramps at the hospital? I've always assumed that was an urban legend, but if that's true, then it seems like the athletic department would have all the revenue they'd need, because the parking there is so expensive it is evil.

 

[imported_ankle23]

And now for some stupid questions from the guy who just wandered in and hasn't followed this thread at all. Would it be possible at all to do something like reduce the prices a little? It seems to me that might spur sales some. And is it true the athletic department makes all the money off the parking ramps at the hospital? I've always assumed that was an urban legend, but if that's true, then it seems like the athletic department would have all the revenue they'd need, because the parking there is so expensive it is evil.

1 week left in july and the place is 93% sold out. i don't foresee pricing going south, based on that. the atheletic department has improved the stadium and the football facilities recently. that stuff is big bucks. if we want a winning athletic department, it will continue to require big infusions of cash, which is what the football program provides.

 

[lightning1]

It goes back to 2010, if you ask me. Raised ticket prices, Tailgate Crackdown and poor product on the field vs expectations (real or imagined). And the golden rule of sales. The customer comes first. The AD has lost sight of that. They seem to think "the wealthy customers come first, the rest of you can kiss my $%^." They offer no incentive to attend the games. They've steadily whittled away at the game day options and experience for the past 5 years. It's become a sad affair when compared to what it used to be. They can have it. I'll watch it from home or a friends house. Without fear of the Gestapo writing me tickets. etc.
If there are an average of 5K unsold tickets per home game, that's roughly 3.5 million in lost revenue. Could be more but I figure $100 per person for a game.

 

[imported_ankle23]

It goes back to 2010, if you ask me. Raised ticket prices, Tailgate Crackdown and poor product on the field vs expectations (real or imagined). And the golden rule of sales. The customer comes first. The AD has lost sight of that. They seem to think "the wealthy customers come first, the rest of you can kiss my $%^." They offer no incentive to attend the games. They've steadily whittled away at the game day options and experience for the past 5 years. It's become a sad affair when compared to what it used to be. They can have it. I'll watch it from home or a friends house. Without fear of the Gestapo writing me tickets. etc.
If there are an average of 5K unsold tickets per home game, that's roughly 3.5 million in lost revenue. Could be more but I figure $100 per person for a game.

there won't be 5k unsold. that is the number now, and it isn't even august.

 

[teachercoach]

It goes back to 2010, if you ask me. Raised ticket prices, Tailgate Crackdown and poor product on the field vs expectations (real or imagined). And the golden rule of sales. The customer comes first. The AD has lost sight of that. They seem to think "the wealthy customers come first, the rest of you can kiss my $%^." They offer no incentive to attend the games. They've steadily whittled away at the game day options and experience for the past 5 years. It's become a sad affair when compared to what it used to be. They can have it. I'll watch it from home or a friends house. Without fear of the Gestapo writing me tickets. etc.
If there are an average of 5K unsold tickets per home game, that's roughly 3.5 million in lost revenue. Could be more but I figure $100 per person for a game.

Tix sales reflective of society... wealthy are more wealthy - Barta said, "All lux boxes and suites are sold out and their is a waiting list"... these are same people who pay $8000+ to park behind press box and - logical that efforts would be to cater towards that demographic. At some point, selling the last 2-7000 seats is gravy. Just for kicks: BTN revenue per school next year = approx. $24M, that is more than total ticket revenue in Kinnick in 2002.

 

[WegsBabyUnk]

I didn't renew...i got "cracked down on" last year in front of my kids while tailgating. 20+ other people in the vicinity doing the same as me and they chose me. I'll stay at home and watch on TV and my kids can do whatever they want else, because they don't enjoy the games anymore.

 

[HawkinGoferLand]

Here's a story on Michigan student ticket sales down 7,000:
http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/roa...um-students-business-tv-ncaa-michigan-tickets

32% of Alabama's student tickets went unsold and 39% of Georgia's:
http://totalfratmove.com/declining-student-attendance-at-college-football-games-sweeps-the-nation/

Will next generation of fans show up?
http://espn.go.com/college-football...-concern-students-show-college-football-games

Florida St ticket sales down last yr despite Heisman and Championship team (ave 7k unsold seats):
http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2014/02/17/Colleges/Attendance.aspx

 

[mopkins]

Even the NFL is having huge issues with ticket sales. Face it, every game is televised now and with the availability of HD tv and 60" tvs for under $1,000 it makes a lot more sense to stay at home and watch it on tv. No traffic, no gas money, no dealing with long lines for bathrooms/concessions, no crammed bleachers where you can barely sit down, etc. Plus at home you get to see different angles and about 2-5 replays of every single play, even the controversial ones. At the actual game they dont want to show if the ball was fumbled or not because the fans might boo the refs which would JUST BE HORRIBLE (sarcasm).

This is a huge issue with every stadium and has been for the past 5+ years. NFL and MLB have started showing all reviewed plays on the big screens now, also the NFL has started showing highlights from other games inside of the stadiums along with halftime locker room speeches and stuff.

I have been an Iowa season ticket holder for 5+ years now and every year I struggle to decide whether or not its still worth it or not.

 

[eveningnewsteam]

Even the NFL is having huge issues with ticket sales. Face it, every game is televised now and with the availability of HD tv and 60" tvs for under $1,000 it makes a lot more sense to stay at home and watch it on tv.

That is true. I missed my first game in Kinnick in a long time last year for the Missouri State game. Once the game was over, turned on another game and kept my *** planted in the recliner. Thought to myself, this isnt bad. Game is over. No walk to the car, no waiting in traffic and no 3 hour drive after I get out of Iowa City. If the product on the field wasnt so average and the gameday environment wasnt so stale, not sure Id feel that way.

 

[hoffahawk]

This is my 12th straight year with season tickets, and I sit with a group who has been purchasing season tickets for over 30 years. Here is my take on why ticket sales are lacking:

1. Game day experience has been negatively impacted. For those of us who have been doing this a while, there is a notable change in the atmosphere outside and inside the stadium. The constant construction everywhere around Kinnick does not help things (hospital, football facilities, etc). Also, the tailgating lots have changed a lot in the last few years (old ones gone, new ones built, existing reassigned etc.) and the access of some of the parking passes has changed. For example, a Silver Hawk pass used to put you in the Dental Lot, now you need a Gold Hawk Pass for that lot, and part of it is now for RV parking only.

Simply put, it is not as convenient to attend a game. It's congested with the construction, and the good tailgating lots are reserved for people who have donated the most. Sadly, most of those lots are rarely full anymore except for the marquee games, and parking for everyone not in possession of a Golden Hawk or a Kinnick Society pass must tailgate pretty far away from Kinnick. Also, the new alcohol rules have not really affected the way my group tailgates (although I miss being able to carry my open beer everywhere), but the overall effect has been to tame the "party" atmosphere that once existed. Tailgating was a very entertaining experience before the new rules, and ultimately there were very few people who were really causing any problems. It was just fun to walk around and observe. People were creative, care free and fun because they didn't have to worry about stepping 1 foot too far and getting a ticket. Now everyone seems more guarded and cautious.

So just a question to you and anyone that is unhappy about the parking, traffic leaving, etc.

Would you be happy if they would have built a new stadium on the West Campus (west of Finkbine and the HOF) where there would have been unlimited parking, I-80 right around the corner, etc.?

An honest question as for as ****** as the parking situation and the hassle that traffic can be I think the stadium is perfect where it is currently at and if they would have built a new stadium out there it would have lost so much of the history and atmosphere that makes Kinnick what it is.

Call me old school if you want but that can't be replaced. I also think once the Children's hospital is complete it will be a pretty cool back drop and awesome that all of those sick kids will be able to somewhat experience the gameday atmosphere and take their mind off of the horrible illnesses that they are fighting with everyday.

 

[HawkeyeMHA]

Dude, it's July, we have a couple games with a couple k seas remaining. Sold out by game time. Over react much?