Cohen say...

[DAWGS1.sixpack]

I said last year we under built.
That not necessarily a bad thing but when you have hundreds of people standing along the walkways, that is a bad thing.
I would like to see the left field line berm taken out and chairbacks built there, maybe 10-15 rows high all the way to the right field wall

 

[Confucius Say]

You can get chairback seats on stub hub for or state games for 25 bucks for fri and Sunday games. Little more for Saturday

 

[msu_wx]

There needs to be a deep dive in to the experience for the average fan. Most out of town folks cannot commit to season tickets as you do not know (if you have kids) what you will be doing weekend to weekend. If you look up a week out (some times shorter) and decide to go to a game, to put it bluntly, it sucks.

Carrying chairs from BFE to the berms. You have to get there, with small kids in tow, 2 hours before first pitch to find a spot to put your chairs. My younger ones are usually ready to go before the game even starts. When you get done you can look forward to packing up camp and hauling it all back to BFE, with hot, tired kids in tow. Certainly makes the decision to go much more difficult. Especially when the kids aren’t enthused about going.

I think the ticket exchange is the way to go. I would go to 4-5 series a year if I could sit in a chair like a human. I currently go to maybe 1-2 per year only because my oldest is obsessed with State baseball (and football and basketball for that matter). I’m sure there are thousands of others like me that would love to go more, but it’s just too much hassle.

This is 100% correct.

 

[Arthur2478]

Is the secondary market for tickets so screwed up that non-season ticket holders cannot get a chair back for a single game? Is it really either buy season tickets OR be stuck on a berm?

I’ve been a Saints season ticket holder for 16 years and posting tickets to games I cannot attend could not be easier. Originally it was through nfl Ticketmaster and now the default is through Seat Geek. It is a very simple and convenient process as a seller and equally as simple as a buyer.

Instead of doing construction on a beautiful new stadium, maybe take that $ and dedicate to a first class ticket exchange (where the university can charge handling fees and make money off the transaction)

Baseball season ticketholders have an integration with StubHub built into their DogTag account. This is what I use to sell my tickets for any game I can't attend. Check StubHub the week or so before the game you'd like to go to and I'm sure you can find some options.

 

[DudyDog]

There are places to find individual game tickets. Here for one. Just start a thread saying, hey, I need 2 tickets to Saturday's game. There are people who read this board who have tickets to sell every once in a while. Or try the ticket exchange on this site. Facebook has two group pages of folks selling tickets. It's an easy exchange to forward tickets to the buyer. People are saying we need a ticket exchange. There is one now. Say you want a ticket and the seller can email it to you.

Having said that, I have 2 tickets to this Friday's and Sunday's game. Anybody want them, let me know. $25 each. See, that's easy.

 

[Go Budaw]

There needs to be a deep dive in to the experience for the average fan. Most out of town folks cannot commit to season tickets as you do not know (if you have kids) what you will be doing weekend to weekend. If you look up a week out (some times shorter) and decide to go to a game, to put it bluntly, it sucks.

Carrying chairs from BFE to the berms. You have to get there, with small kids in tow, 2 hours before first pitch to find a spot to put your chairs. My younger ones are usually ready to go before the game even starts. When you get done you can look forward to packing up camp and hauling it all back to BFE, with hot, tired kids in tow. Certainly makes the decision to go much more difficult. Especially when the kids aren’t enthused about going.

I think the ticket exchange is the way to go. I would go to 4-5 series a year if I could sit in a chair like a human. I currently go to maybe 1-2 per year only because my oldest is obsessed with State baseball (and football and basketball for that matter). I’m sure there are thousands of others like me that would love to go more, but it’s just too much hassle.

You nailed it. And to be fair, I think the AD always recognized that an expansion would be needed sooner rather than later. But they still needed 2-3 years of data to justify the investment, and they will have that. I think more chairbacks will also allow an expanded number of the mobile pass tickets that allows fans to occupy empty seats on the non-crazy weekends. And maybe it will yield actual planned GA chairbacks (maybe in the upper deck). Who knows.

 

[My Bru]

There are places to find individual game tickets. Here for one. Just start a thread saying, hey, I need 2 tickets to Saturday's game. There are people who read this board who have tickets to sell every once in a while. Or try the ticket exchange on this site. Facebook has two group pages of folks selling tickets. It's an easy exchange to forward tickets to the buyer. People are saying we need a ticket exchange. There is one now. Say you want a ticket and the seller can email it to you.

Having said that, I have 2 tickets to this Friday's and Sunday's game. Anybody want them, let me know. $25 each. See, that's easy.

I've noticed that most of our 'average fans' do not really like to interact with human beings. They would rather use an app and be as anti-social as possible.

 

[AlSwearengen]

There needs to be a deep dive in to the experience for the average fan. Most out of town folks cannot commit to season tickets as you do not know (if you have kids) what you will be doing weekend to weekend. If you look up a week out (some times shorter) and decide to go to a game, to put it bluntly, it sucks.

Carrying chairs from BFE to the berms. You have to get there, with small kids in tow, 2 hours before first pitch to find a spot to put your chairs. My younger ones are usually ready to go before the game even starts. When you get done you can look forward to packing up camp and hauling it all back to BFE, with hot, tired kids in tow. Certainly makes the decision to go much more difficult. Especially when the kids aren’t enthused about going.

I think the ticket exchange is the way to go. I would go to 4-5 series a year if I could sit in a chair like a human. I currently go to maybe 1-2 per year only because my oldest is obsessed with State baseball (and football and basketball for that matter). I’m sure there are thousands of others like me that would love to go more, but it’s just too much hassle.

And this is where I am (no kids though). Because of my job right now, Saturdays are difficult. Doable but difficult b/c I have to make sure someone is on standby in case of a problem. I can’t buy tickets a month or even two weeks in advance b/c I don’t know that far ahead if i can make it. Sunday’s are good for me and I was going to buy tickets for this Sunday’s game off of stub hub or wherever but it looks like rain so i just decided not to worry about it. Standing is a no go for me. I cant wait for the day that i can decide the day before a Saturday game to go and be able to sit down. I live 3.5 hours from the stadium by the way.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

I've been saying it for years...we need to tank for about 8 years to alleviate ticket inflation.

Hell, I remember good crowds for a real crappy year. It's more than fandom for some.

 

[The Peeper]

I don't think thats the case with the Lofts. There are still some empty in the original 12 and they have plans for 12 more in LF after at least 6 are sold and so far that hasn't happened.

 

[paindonthurt_]

Are you insinuating that 95% of our fan base can’t commit to approximately $1000/year for 2 baseball season tickets?

 

[The Peeper]

The Hump doesn't need a penny put into it until there's a coach with some fire in his belly in place and some fans start showing up. A new facility w/ no fans in it is a total waste.

 

[rynodawg]

For whatever reason, not enough people list their tickets on Stubhub. The Quinnipiac Sunday game is not a ‘high demand’ game. There will be lots of empty seats. Yet, there are only two options available at the moment for a family of four. $40 each (plus fees) for Section 115, or behind home plate for $79 each(plus fees).

 

[The Peeper]

StubHub is already set up for baseball, football and basketball.

 

[The Peeper]

StubHub is already the "official Fan to Fan Ticket Marketplace of the Bulldogs".

 

[Go Budaw]

Are you insinuating that 95% of our fan base can’t commit to approximately $1000/year for 2 baseball season tickets?

For 10 years? Absolutely. I’m not saying they can’t afford it, I’m saying that long of a commitment is money down the toilet for minimal benefit for an overwhelming majority of our fans.

And considering that there are only ~4,800 or so chairbacks that were sold, but 143,000 living alumni (who all have families who may not be alumni) plus another 100,000 (at least) who aren’t alumni but are die hard fans and regularly attend MSU sporting events with their families, you could argue that its actually a lot more than 95%.

 

[The Peeper]

Several posters in this thread saying they can't commit one way or the other, ticket holders are the same. That game is over 2 weeks away, as it gets closer tickets will appear. As for the price, if you factor in ticket cost, Bulldog Club premium donation for behind the plate, tickets are going to be expensive. I agree 100% there needs to be affordable general admission seating but if someone is going to sit in a chairback, they are going to have to pony up.

 

[Dawgg]

Are you insinuating that 95% of our fan base can’t commit to approximately $1000/year for 2 baseball season tickets?

I mean... most of us had to sell our trailers to get to Omaha, sooooooooo....

 

[Nunya.sixpack]

Are the plans for the Hump online?

 

[Dawgg]

Eliminate the berms?

If there is a God...

 

[Shamoan]

im actually going to come to cohen's defense on this one...the plans were basically complete when he took over, so we should blame loafers for under building. either way, it was obvious it was 10-15% too small. many here said exactly that.

 

[Confucius Say]

For whatever reason, not enough people list their tickets on Stubhub. The Quinnipiac Sunday game is not a ‘high demand’ game. There will be lots of empty seats. Yet, there are only two options available at the moment for a family of four. $40 each (plus fees) for Section 115, or behind home plate for $79 each(plus fees).

Look again. Section 213. 4 tickets. You're welcome.

 

[Ridgeland Dog]

What I run into is nobody wants to pay face value.

 

[archdog]

He also very politely said they gave everyone 3 years to
decide if they wanted a seat and sold one to everyone that said they wanted one

That's ********. Sorry. He didn't give everyone 3 years to decide if they wanted a seat. Someone explain to me how he gave us all 3 years.
To my knowledge, the design was a closed door process, except when they had the town hall type of meeting for Q & A. At that point in time, they were at probably 90% or closer to 100% final construction documents ready to bid the project. For instance, through all the comments they received that day, what changed in the overall design based on those comments?

In my experience, the pretty pictures and presentation blew everyone away. So much in this case, the only point of contention was the LFL spots and how they will work. The first I heard about the zero (0) grandstands was opening day 2 years ago when the stadium was half complete. Also at that time, all season tickets were already sold. So when the all sold out communication is made during season ticket time purchasing time, why call in and request a seat.

Regardless, the stadium is awesome. Food choices are awesome and getting better. LFL is better now than it ever has been, and its safer. So at the end of the day, they should have had a better system of gauging on seat demand. But as we all know, last years success translates to this year's demand. This years projections also raises demand. If we continue our streak of super regionals and hopefully Omaha trips, demand is going to keep going up.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

For 10 years? Absolutely. I’m not saying they can’t afford it, I’m saying that long of a commitment is money down the toilet for minimal benefit for an overwhelming majority of our fans.

This was me fifteen or so years ago. I had two tickets & tried selling some during seasons but no one was interested. Eventually, I got the message and gave them up.

I love baseball but realized that having long-term season tickets wasn't worth it & I had some really good seats.

 

[aTotal360]

The ol "you're not using'em, so sell them dirt cheap" card.

 

[My Bru]

This was me fifteen or so years ago. I had two tickets & tried selling some during seasons but no one was interested. Eventually, I got the message and gave them up.

I love baseball but realized that having long-term season tickets wasn't worth it & I had some really good seats.

Considering the fact that most of our alumni do not live in the Golden Triangle or within an hour, at some point we are going to have to address this. People cannot always come to 3 games per weekend. There needs to be incentive to come.

 

[paindonthurt_]

But based on your math it worked out great.
143k times the 5% who could afford it or WANTED to make it a priority did so by buying tickets.

I get everyone wants a ticket WHEN THEY WANT IT, but that’s not how capital projects and building stadium works (thank god considering it’s partly tax payer money).

They built a bad *** stadium. There is more demand there. They are going to add to it.

That’s better than going too big and not being able to take away.

 

[paindonthurt_]

This is actually an argument for not over building. If you couldn’t sell individual tickets what makes you think the university can?

 

[paindonthurt_]

Correct, just like the media is wrong abt what people can afford in Mississippi, some people on this board are wrong.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Considering the fact that most of our alumni do not live in the Golden Triangle or within an hour, at some point we are going to have to address this. People cannot always come to 3 games per weekend. There needs to be incentive to come.

Yeah but what?

This is actually an argument for not over building. If you couldn’t sell individual tickets what makes you think the university can?

Agreed. I'm shocked that the university is allegedly considering it. It's going to be a white elephant in a few years when the new car smell is gone because you know people will complain about all the empty seats again.

I hope there is no seat expansion at all.

 

[rynodawg]

It’s not realistic to try and recoup the Bulldog Club donation or even face value on games like Quinnipiac. Just like I’m lucky to get $10 on my $200 Saints pre-season tickets.

Also ticket office will have a few each weekend for $15. Friday and Sunday games are available right now for Oregon State. If I attend any this year will try that route.

 

[InTheIttaBenaHotSun]

I do not like this move. You totally eliminate the fan who lives out of town or does not want to buy season tickets.

I had a blast on the berms during the super regional last year.

^^^^This ALL DAY LONG!!^^^. Why the hell some would down vote this is beyond me. Y’all are damn idiots.....17 a chair back seat with a net in front of you. Give me a lawn chair on the front row of the right field berm with a cooler of baseball water.

 

[Bcash2]

What exactly do you mean by "the ticket exchange"? I've seen it mentioned before, and wondering if you're referencing an already existing thing, or something that you would like to see as an option?

 

[johnson86-1]

What I run into is nobody wants to pay face value.

Don't all the tickets have the same face value? I would suspect that very few of the games should fetch face value, with non-conference being generally below face value and conference being generally above, subject to I guess game times impacting it a lot too.

 

[InTheIttaBenaHotSun]

If there is a God...

Bet you’re a real hoot at parties..

 

[tbaydog]

I mean... most of us had to sell our trailers to get to Omaha, sooooooooo....

and my wife would still be in the trailer park if weren't for me......

 

[Trojanbulldog19]

I pay face value and then some for seats. But some are still way over priced still. Makes no sense mlb games are a cheaper ticket than MSU baseball games. I have bought great tickets day of game for mlb for less than 50 bucks. There are people selling their Saturday Oregon state game tickets for 60 plus. When the school sells them for 15 each that's quite a markup. Not sure why some of our fans want to upcharge other state fans like that. I understand charging a bit extra than face value to recoup fees that stubhub makes you pay.

There are multiple options to build on to the stadium to sell chairbacks for season ticket holders to expand that. Then build chairbacks that aren't sold out to season ticket holders but first come first serve week of game that are higher than GA say like 25 bucks each. Take out both berms and extend chairbacks for season tickets. Then build upper deck Chairbacks for GA plus that cost more. Then maybe extend and build bleachers that blend in further down in upper deck for GA.

They built too small to start with and then didn't provide really any realistic cheaper seating options for their multitudes of fans that aren't season ticket holders but still attend a lot of games as a collective.

The ga season ticket that allows you sit in grandstands on weekends that aren't as busy was step in right direction. But at same time people also don't want to do that either in case they aren't allowed to or they have multiple family members So they didn't want to do that for a few series a week.

There are a lot of people that were used to taking families any weekend paying 10-15 per ticket and having a bench to sit on. I believe that grew our fan base and made our brand grow. As amazing as the new stadium is, it alienated a large portion of the fan base that loves baseball and would go to 4-5 series. We have a large enough baseball fan base that those seats would be full just as much as the rest of the season ticket seats on any game. To me what looks the worst is our seats right behind home plate that don't get full. Nobody cares about seats not full way down the baseline. Every park in America has that problem.

 

[Go Budaw]

This is actually an argument for not over building. If you couldn’t sell individual tickets what makes you think the university can?

1) Overbuilding would also be a problem. I don’t think anyone is suggesting doing that. We are talking about expanding (or other methods) to hit the intersection of the supply / demand curve...not blow past the demand.

2) OP referenced a time period of 15 years ago. Both the program itself and the stadium were extremely mediocre. Not nearly the same demand as now.

3) What makes me think the university could sell individual tickets more efficiently than a random season ticket holder? I don’t know, just the fact that they have millions of dollars in resources that could be deployed that the individual doesn’t have. Starting with its own IT department which could set up a ticket exchange, a brick and mortar ticket office with salaried employees that run it, capital that can use both of the above to either internally or outsource the creation of phone apps that can be used to network with other buyers and sellers, And oh yeah, also complete control of who sits where and when they can sit there while inside the stadium.

Not even to mention, all of that would be set in motion in order to sell or resell as many tickets as possible as the sole focus of its existence, which solves the issue of the 80% or more of folks who just don’t give a crap about getting rid of their unused tickets.

 

[Trojanbulldog19]

Ticket office told me 15 bucks when I called them. Of course that doesn't cover costs, but as ryno said you can't expect to recoup that.

There needs to be GA options than berm and SRO. The other season ticket option to do ga but possible chairbacks is better, but not for who don't want to do season ticket. Blended in bleachers somewhere would be nice. Doesn't have to be camera view put them up high in outfield.

There also needs to be like a section for GA plus. Chairbacks for week off but higher than normal GA by about 15-20.

Then they must expand season ticket holder chairbacks. The demand is there.