Crappy Orange Bowl Tickets

[CoolDawg]

Add me to the list of those disappointed by the tickets I was assigned to the Orange Bowl. I feel like I was lied to by the Bulldog Club. When the bowl ticket order form was sent out, it stated that our allotment of bowl tickets would be less than in past years, but that the seats assigned would be better. I now find myself in Section 410, in the upper deck. Today, I could buy tickets in that section on Stubhub for $33.00. The tickets allotted to MSU are certainly not better than past years. I have learned my lesson. Never again will I purchase tickets through the MSU ticket office. I will be willing to gamble that I can buy the same or better seats than those sold by MSU, for less money.

 

[57stratdawg]

Welcome to the club. Seems worse this year than in years past.

 

[Lawdawg.sixpack]

It's accentuated this year because of the extremely low secondary market of the Orange Bowl, which is not a new occurrence for the bowl.

 

[dickiedawg]

I don't believe anyone was lied to. It seems very feasible to me that the overall allotment MSU received would be better.
We basically got 1/4 of the stadium (half of one sideline and half of one end zone). If, in the past, we got all of one end zone, this is much better (and more equitable, IMO.) Problem being, half the tickets are the exact same. So if you're not in the top half of ticket purchasers, there's literally no difference. Beyond that, for a lot of tickets the difference is mostly indiscernable. How much better is the goal line than the corner of the end zone, really?
I'd guess the top 25-35% of tickets are noticeably better than what you would have gotten if our whole allotment was EZ. Now, none of that eases the pain that you paid anywhere from 2-10 times fair market value for the ticket.

That part sucks hard. But it's more of an Orange Bowl problem (and other Florida bowls) than a system-wide problem. I can about guarantee you if we were in the Peach Bowl or Sugar Bowl this isn't an issue.

 

[patdog]

When the bowl ticket order form was sent out, it stated that our allotment of bowl tickets would be less than in past years, but that the seats assigned would be better.

I don't recall any statement like that. We have no control whatsoever over what tickets we're allotted from any bowl. We get what they give us. Period.

 

[dawgstudent]

He did make a statement saying this...

Looking ahead, bowl pre-order forms will go out next week for those planning to join the football team in the postseason. The deadline to lock in Bulldog Club priority rank for postseason tickets is November 21. Under the new bowl agreements, schools are getting better seats, but a fewer amount of tickets, so increasing your rank is more important than ever.

http://www.hailstate.com/SportSelec...06&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=16800&ATCLID=209739016

 

[aTotal360]

 

[GhostOfJackie]

I should have learned my lesson in past years, but this is the worst it's ever been. Not saying it's entirely the University's fault, but they have the money to play with and I don't. I'll let them sort it out when nobody buys tickets through them next year.

 

[patdog]

He does say increasing your rank is more important than ever. And that statement is probably true overall. But for the Orange Bowl specifically, teams this year get fewer seats, but basically the same ones as before.

2014 Orange Bowl seating chart

2009 Orange Bowl seating chart

 

[Seinfeld]

Maybe, but all I can say is that my BC ranking puts me in the top 5% of BC members, and I ended up with corner end zone seats. For a bowl game that is probably going to be at less than 50% capacity for the actual game, that is beyond absurd.

 

[Seinfeld]

In a previous thread, a lot of folks were asking why I bothered to write to Scott and what I expected him to do about it. While I did actually ask the ticket office if there was any chance for a refund(I knew there wasn't), I didn't really expect Scott to be able to do anything about it this year. My point in writing him was to make 100% certain that he was aware that this will be the last year that this will be my problem. If the SEC ADs and the SEC office choose to do nothing, the 15,000 tickets that the school is going to have to eat next year will become their problem.

 

[patdog]

That's the bowl system. Local sales get most of the sideline seats and team sales get most of the end zone. That's the way it's always been and that's the way it's always going to be. Everyone has to make their own choice of whether they want to support the school and the team or get good seats. But I have little sympathy for people bitching about their seats when they purchase through the school. You knew what you were going to get. Or at least you should have. If you don't like it, just go out and buy tickets on your own.

 

[Seinfeld]

One thing I'll agree with you about is that I didn't do enough due diligence in checking the secondary market for the Orange Bowl before ordering tickets, but what has happened in this particular game isn't just the "bowl system". This will mark the 4th bowl game I've attended in the last decade, and I have never been outside the 30-yard line when ordering postseason tickets through the BC. If the amount that I paid to MSU for tickets had exceeded fair market value but I had received decent seats, I would have been fine with that. The sticking point in this case, though, is that not only did folks pay 5X what the tickets are worth, but high ranking fans got terrible seats too.

Anyway, I'll admit that I didn't do as much research as I should have leading up to ordering these tickets, but I certainly won't make that mistake again

 

[kired]

I don't have a problem with the price because bowl tickets over the past 5 years have been a large boost to my BDC ranking. I joined after Mullen was hired --- so I don't' have 20 years worth of giving, I don't buy a boatload of tickets, and I'm not donating a ridiculous amount of money to increase my ranking.

My only complaint is we were led to believe ticket locations would be better this year, but these are the worst bowl tickets I've had during this 5 year streak. It won't keep me from ordering them again in the future just because it's the cheapest BDC points I can get. But I did decide after the second gator bowl that I would not order extra for any friends, then stick them with crappy seats at face value. Now I just order enough for me, my wife, and kids.

 

[Topgundawg]

All bowls have problems selling tickets except the NC and maybe the Sugar this year. Take a look at last years NC or this years Rose Bowl. There will be plenty of tickets. The one thing that amazes me is how many tickets some folks bought. I believe they were hoping for the Sugar. The Cotton Bowl has over 12,000 tickets on Stub Hub with Baylor. Peach will have plenty. Hell even the Music City with ND as a draw has really cheap tickets. Its the nature of Bowls.....

 

[paindonthurt_]

Yes its absurd but it has nothing to do with Scott Stricklin or MSU's athletic department. Its the same for every bowl game. Its a little worse for us this year b/c we are in the Orange Bowl. What a great problem to have.

If people didn't know this before they booked tickets, thats on them. I knew my tickets were gonna be less than desirable, and I was gonna pay a premium for them. I made that choice b/c I wanted to be guaranteed a ticket, and I wanted to buy through the Mississippi State AD (points and support). And I didn't have any inside information. I simply knew based on past results and experiences. Its been the same for 5 years in a row.

 

[Topgundawg]

I agree with you that all High Ranking BDC members should get the best tickets we have to offer. All Bowls have to set a price for tickets. You can not control after market. Not any difference in going to Walmart and buying something for $3 dollars a pound and a few days later they realize they need to move it and drop the price to 99 cents.

 

[aTotal360]

I can assure you I will NOT buy from the university again unless they can tell me where my seats are before they run my CC. If they can't figure out a way to do it, then I will simply go to Stubhub. Like 57Strat said in another thread...it's not about price, it's about value.

 

[CoolDawg]

I know that historically, the tickets allocated to the schools are not that great for bowl games. However, I will reiterate that this year we were told that the tickets would be better than those provided to us in past years. We were also told that we would have fewer tickets than in past years. I assume we were told this in order to create a higher demand for tickets through the MSU ticket office. I would not be upset if they had told us the truth in the beginning, but they certainly did not, and I don't like being lied to. I feel like they have pissed on my leg and are telling me that it is raining. In future years, I will most certainly buy tickets from sources other than the MSU ticket office. Almost every time, the seats will be better and at a lower price.