Parking Lots

NUChicago

Junior
Aug 23, 2001
3,764
337
83
Long time west lot pass holder here, which we got bumped this year. We got the golf course south lot. Any information on the tailgating scene, fans, etc in that lot???
 

jne381

Freshman
Sep 2, 2013
530
54
23
I was in the South Golf last year, and I am back there this year. It seemed alright, but I didn't get a lot of time to tailgate because I drive in from West Michigan. However, I plan to pickup my tailgating game this year.
 

FEW

Redshirt
May 29, 2001
50
26
0
Long time west lot pass holder here, which we got bumped this year. We got the golf course south lot. Any information on the tailgating scene, fans, etc in that lot???

22 consecutive years STH, Platinum Donor. Booted from West lot. Entering terminal mode on being STH. BTN looks better every week.
 

Purple Pile Driver

All-Conference
May 14, 2014
28,049
3,269
113
22 consecutive years STH, Platinum Donor. Booted from West lot. Entering terminal mode on being STH. BTN looks better every week.
How can that be? Did you call and see what is up? Seems like a lot of people got booted from the west lot. I am in golf course -North, but don't have your stats.
 

Sheffielder

Senior
Sep 1, 2004
9,921
731
113
I love the South Golf Lot...easy in and out, tailgating on grass over asphalt...I can honestly say if I had the points I'd still take the South Golf Lot over the West Lot, but hearing all those who got bumped has me worried I could be on the chopping block...the perils of football success...
 

Bwm57

All-Conference
Sep 12, 2011
3,736
1,098
103
Four years in South Golf lot, I think it's great.
 

JoeWildcat

Sophomore
Jul 31, 2001
2,725
133
46
22 consecutive years STH, Platinum Donor. Booted from West lot. Entering terminal mode on being STH. BTN looks better every week.
That sounds like a mistake. I don't remember exactly how many priority points I have ( maybe 150, and a Tier 3 contributor), and I got into the west lot. It sounds to me like you are a higher level contributor with more points. I suggest you call them to see what the deal is.
 

Kiteboarder

Freshman
Mar 13, 2002
1,826
95
38
I got bumped from the west lot to golf course north. I guess that's what 20 years as a season ticket holder, 20 years of consecutive giving with 15 years at the benchwarmer level gets a loyal, long time fan who is also an alum.

Keep homeland terrorist bernadette dorn on the payroll for 22 years and bump me out of the west lot - makes perfect sense. Way to go NU.
 

Purple Pile Driver

All-Conference
May 14, 2014
28,049
3,269
113
Really weird. I don't donate a cent to the school and an a first year STH and got a west lot parking pass. Just told the super I'm an Andrea Doria survivor and slipped him $50
Are you an ex-player, employee or some other way associated to NU? There has to be some criteria to move you up or it is a random draw? I'd like to know what is the points cut off for the West lot. Can't tell if you are yanking our chain.
 

FEW

Redshirt
May 29, 2001
50
26
0
That sounds like a mistake. I don't remember exactly how many priority points I have ( maybe 150, and a Tier 3 contributor), and I got into the west lot. It sounds to me like you are a higher level contributor with more points. I suggest you call them to see what the deal is.
Oh, it's a mistake. For sure. However, my status is nothing compared to WaveJumper. So the new formula is more expensive parking. And the result will be fewer tickets sold.
 

its_the_sauce

Junior
May 29, 2001
4,567
361
83
Oh, it's a mistake. For sure. However, my status is nothing compared to WaveJumper. So the new formula is more expensive parking. And the result
will be fewer tickets sold.

The "new" formula is now in its third year I believe. Are there people that are tier 3 that got booted? There really shouldn't be any surprises as they told is in May it appeared tier 3 would be required for east/ west lots.
 

willycat

Junior
Jan 11, 2005
21,448
318
0
Are you an ex-player, employee or some other way associated to NU? There has to be some criteria to move you up or it is a random draw? I'd like to know what is the points cut off for the West lot. Can't tell if you are yanking our chain.
I also just got notified that I no longer qualified for a west lot pass. I have asked for an explanation but nothing yet and it's appears that you needed to give a minimum of $600 to get a spot. To bad, since I have been a ST holder and contributor since 95' but might be having second thoughts now.
 

NUChicago

Junior
Aug 23, 2001
3,764
337
83
I need to check my tier (I believe we are 3), but my story is similar 25 year season ticket holder with consecutive years of giving. I am glad to hear the golf course tailgating is nice and convenient. Do we see a large uptick in donations and new season tickets???
 

Gocatsgo2003

All-Conference
Mar 30, 2006
47,072
3,423
78
I also just got notified that I no longer qualified for a west lot pass. I have asked for an explanation but nothing yet and it's appears that you needed to give a minimum of $600 to get a spot. To bad, since I have been a ST holder and contributor since 95' but might be having second thoughts now.

The $600 minimum donation to get priority for a west lot pass has been in place for a couple years now and is well-documented.
 

cedricmelons

Redshirt
Dec 13, 2001
387
28
28
Anybody get west lot without making a Tier 3 ($600+) donation? Last year I got west lot without giving at Tier 3 level. This year I got booted. I have 355 total football purple points.
 

willycat

Junior
Jan 11, 2005
21,448
318
0
The $600 minimum donation to get priority for a west lot pass has been in place for a couple years now and is well-documented.
Not true. I gave $200 last year and got a west lot pass. There were others you gave $100 and remained the lot as well.
 

its_the_sauce

Junior
May 29, 2001
4,567
361
83
Not true. I gave $200 last year and got a west lot pass. There were others you gave $100 and remained the lot as well.

Being an east lotter I'm not totally familiar with the full west lot set up. Are there that many spaces being eliminated with the rehab?
 

KramerCat91

Redshirt
Oct 18, 2007
1,626
43
38
I got booted to the north golf lot despite being a 21-year STH. I figured that I wouldn't need to make the $600 parking pass donation, but I was wrong. Darn 10-3 record last year.
 

JoeWildcat

Sophomore
Jul 31, 2001
2,725
133
46
That sounds like a mistake. I don't remember exactly how many priority points I have ( maybe 150, and a Tier 3 contributor), and I got into the west lot. It sounds to me like you are a higher level contributor with more points. I suggest you call them to see what the deal is.
Correction; with the new point system I have 763 points, not 150. It looks like the $600 contribution is the key factor though now. It's all about the money.
 

villox

Senior
Aug 19, 2008
22,084
670
66
I think they were very upfront about saying that based on the donations and requests for passes, you'd need to donate at least $600 to get a west lot pass this year.

Remember, they allocate ALL of the passes out within the tiers FIRST, THEN count the points. So it really doesn't matter what you did before, unless you're trying to break a tie within your current giving year tier.
 
Jul 25, 2011
7,697
562
113
This thread is a lot of people not understanding how good they've had it for the past 20 years vis-a-vis other college football programs...

Edit: Meaning, how much do you think it takes to get season tickets and parking within easy walking distance at basically every other program (or at least the ones we are trying to emulate) in the B1G?
 
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FEW

Redshirt
May 29, 2001
50
26
0
You mean schools where you call up and ask for season tickets and you get told the current number of years on the wait list or do you mean the schools where they ask how many do you want?
 

Gocatsgo2003

All-Conference
Mar 30, 2006
47,072
3,423
78
You mean schools where you call up and ask for season tickets and you get told the current number of years on the wait list or do you mean the schools where they ask how many do you want?

He means schools like Nebraska, where the required minimum donation to get into a lot of a similar proximity as the West Lot or East Lot is a $5,000 annual donation with levels at $3,000, $2,000, $1,000, $500, and $300. Or Penn State, where the option to purchase parking isn't even offered without a minimum $1,000 donation and a reserved spot is at least $2,500. Or Wisconsin, where a similar lot is a $5,000 minimum donation and tiers of $2,500, $1,000, and $50 are offered.
 
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Jul 25, 2011
7,697
562
113
He means schools like Nebraska, where the required minimum donation to get into a lot of a similar proximity as the West Lot or East Lot is a minimum $5,000 annual donation with levels at $3,000, $2,000, $1,000, $500, and $300.
Wow, that's pretty cheap.

 

catfans5

Sophomore
Jan 15, 2011
2,166
105
0
We were lucky and received west lot without a contribution, but we paid for two straight years. I expect we will have to pony up next year. This is still a very reasonable ticket and parking option.
 
Jul 25, 2011
7,697
562
113
True, but those are all MINIMUM levels (since added Penn State and Wisconsin above for additional context). Would guess that a much higher donation is required to guarantee access to such lots.
Very true.

Either way, the point is that while I get the frustration it's like getting free cable for 20 years and then when Comcast sends you a bill for $50 bucks, deciding never watch TV again. I wouldn't do it, but it's a free country.
 

Williesfan

Freshman
Sep 24, 2009
2,744
54
0
Long time west lot pass holder here, which we got bumped this year. We got the golf course south lot. Any information on the tailgating scene, fans, etc in that lot???


Been in the south golf course lot ever since it opened. Plenty of room and decent fans. They could have the ports potties maintained better but I think all lots have the same issue. I have been a STH for 19 years contribute to the Wildcat fund the last several albeit not at the $600 plus level. My priority points are in excess off 300 and I have 16 seats in my package cut down from 20 a couple years back. I have been wanting the east lot but can't get in. I am not going to donate $600 on a possibility. The only problem I have in the golf course is that I throw a huge tailgate then I have to take the 10 minutes to walk to the stadium.
 
Jun 1, 2014
4,774
292
70
Are you an ex-player, employee or some other way associated to NU? There has to be some criteria to move you up or it is a random draw? I'd like to know what is the points cut off for the West lot. Can't tell if you are yanking our chain.

Embarrassed for all of you that you didn't get the reference to one of the great scenes in Seinfeld history
 

YesterdaysCat

Junior
Dec 7, 2015
1,470
270
0
Which means that there weren't enough people who had priority to bump down those who haven't paid the minimum $600. That situation clearly changed this year.

I feel badly for the people who were downgraded, but NU has been warning us for several years that the requirements had been changed and that donations needed to be at a certain level.
 

YesterdaysCat

Junior
Dec 7, 2015
1,470
270
0
The kicker is many of these schools would even require a nice donation to park at a lot as close as the golf course.

Yes, but those schools have a lot more built-in demand (due to more alumni and local fan interest). If the West Lot is suddenly empty in three years after a series of 4-win seasons, you'll see people being upgraded to fill up the lots as demand wanes. I doubt that ever happens at the big state schools even after years of crappiness.
 
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CatFanEd

Redshirt
Jun 8, 2001
1,151
34
48
Retained my spot in the East lot but had to pony up $600. for the second year in a row. I think they are trying to be fair.

Long time west lot pass holder here, which we got bumped this year. We got the golf course south lot. Any information on the tailgating scene, fans, etc in that lot???
 

villox

Senior
Aug 19, 2008
22,084
670
66
Yes, but those schools have a lot more built-in demand (due to more alumni and local fan interest). If the West Lot is suddenly empty in three years after a series of 4-win seasons, you'll see people being upgraded to fill up the lots as demand wanes. I doubt that ever happens at the big state schools even after years of crappiness.

Each year would be evaluated differently. They would know based on who signed up for which passes how many people would have to donate at which level in order to guarantee a spot in the lot, at least assuming sufficient people had donated by the time they ran the numbers. I don't see how it would ever go empty as long as there are enough requests by people who have donated $100, it's just possible that they'll say "you need to donate $600" and then not enough do, and then people who donated $200 or $100 get in anyway.

It's also possible that the very act of notifying people that they'd have to donate $600 caused people to donate $600, and if they hadn't done so, donating less would have been enough. Good for them.

Who here can tell us what game theory says?
 

Gocatsgo2003

All-Conference
Mar 30, 2006
47,072
3,423
78
Yes, but those schools have a lot more built-in demand (due to more alumni and local fan interest). If the West Lot is suddenly empty in three years after a series of 4-win seasons, you'll see people being upgraded to fill up the lots as demand wanes. I doubt that ever happens at the big state schools even after years of crappiness.

Right... that's what the system is, which has been clearly communicated on a number of occasions.
 

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
37,923
1,339
113
Each year would be evaluated differently. They would know based on who signed up for which passes how many people would have to donate at which level in order to guarantee a spot in the lot, at least assuming sufficient people had donated by the time they ran the numbers. I don't see how it would ever go empty as long as there are enough requests by people who have donated $100, it's just possible that they'll say "you need to donate $600" and then not enough do, and then people who donated $200 or $100 get in anyway.

It's also possible that the very act of notifying people that they'd have to donate $600 caused people to donate $600, and if they hadn't done so, donating less would have been enough. Good for them.

Who here can tell us what game theory says?
The real issue is that with the construction taking place there are fewer spots than there were. All those people complained and wanted the lot redone (I really had no problem with it) got their wish but many of them now find out they can no longer park there. Probably similar numbers donating at levels as before but now fewer spaces,