Season Ticket "Range"

[Jeffreauxdawg]

Rather than getting lost in the other thread, I wonder how far away from Starkville you can live and actually enjoy season tickets for football. I would assume Jackson and Memphis are doable if you don't have kids and a lot tougher if you do.

So how far away do some of you travel for single games, all games, or somewhere in between? Kids no kids?

 

[Mafiadawg]

2.5 hours for a day trip would be about the max for me.

 

[Go Budaw]

Rather than getting lost in the other thread, I wonder how far away from Starkville you can live and actually enjoy season tickets for football. I would assume Jackson and Memphis are doable if you don't have kids and a lot tougher if you do.

So how far away do some of you travel for single games, all games, or somewhere in between? Kids no kids?

Huntsville (3-3.5 hrs) was no problem at all before kids. After kids…no bueno…like you said.

 

[Smoked Toag]

Rather than getting lost in the other thread, I wonder how far away from Starkville you can live and actually enjoy season tickets for football. I would assume Jackson and Memphis are doable if you don't have kids and a lot tougher if you do.

So how far away do some of you travel for single games, all games, or somewhere in between? Kids no kids?

Jackson, Memphis and Birmingham are all easily doable, even with kids. I'm talking hassle-wise here, not expense, obviously that varies from person to person. I might even expand this to Hattiesburg and Huntsville.

The next rung out, such as the Coast, Atlanta, Nashville, Little Rock, New Orleans.......probably need a hotel for a night or two. Can get pricey.

That's why I'm glad to see the growth of Huntsville, we need a town like that within driving distance of Starkville to give us some fans, and places for alumni to live and get tech jobs and such. Even though it's in Alabama, I mean it's not like the gap between us and Bama/Auburn is going to get bigger. Can only help.

 

[Mobile Bay]

I live 3.5 hours away and that is too far for me to want to do a day trip. You got to figure a 7pm kick, games close to four hours, an hour getting on the road good, that puts me at 3:30 AM getting home. No way Jose.

An 11 AM kick, an hour getting in, half hour for bathroom breaks on the road. That is 6am leaving. Once again, no thanks

 

[Seinfeld]

I think 2-3 hours is the sweet spot. We used to live in Olive Branch and made 5 games minimum per year. It was 2:15 driveway to driveway, and even if either my wife or I had to work til 5 on Friday, it was a piece of cake to load the car, grab dinner on the way, and be in Starkville for a couple drinks no later than 8.

Since we moved to Arkansas 5 years ago, I think we’ve been to 3, maybe 4 games. It’s just no fun burning up half your weekend on the road

 

[FQDawg]

Rather than getting lost in the other thread, I wonder how far away from Starkville you can live and actually enjoy season tickets for football. I would assume Jackson and Memphis are doable if you don't have kids and a lot tougher if you do.

So how far away do some of you travel for single games, all games, or somewhere in between? Kids no kids?

This is obviously a Your Mileage May Vary kind of question. Before I had kids, I drove up from New Orleans four or five times a year. But I also had friends to stay with and I was usually able to get a ticket from someone in my tailgate group so costs were pretty negligible. Now I live in Starkville but also have two young kids, so I generally only tailgate once or twice a year and haven't been inside the stadium since 2016.

 

[Go Budaw]

Jackson, Memphis and Birmingham are all easily doable, even with kids. I'm talking hassle-wise here, not expense, obviously that varies from person to person. I might even expand this to Hattiesburg and Huntsville.

The next rung out, such as the Coast, Atlanta, Nashville, Little Rock, New Orleans.......probably need a hotel for a night or two. Can get pricey.

That's why I'm glad to see the growth of Huntsville, we need a town like that within driving distance of Starkville to give us some fans, and places for alumni to live and get tech jobs and such. Even though it's in Alabama, I mean it's not like the gap between us and Bama/Auburn is going to get bigger. Can only help.

Jackson (or that distance) is about the closest you can be without needing a hotel, if you actually want to enjoy the trip. And even that is pushing it. If it’s a late kick, you basically have to get an early buzz and cut yourself off at 5 PM or so to be able to drive back. Early kick, you don’t really have time to tailgate at all unless you get up early as hell for the drive in.

 

[Phil Wenneck.sixpack]

2-3 hours is easy. I did it for years. Biggest drawback though is you miss alot

of other games that you may like to watch. And go ahead and get ready because it consumes your whole weekend. Or at least for me since I drove back and forth every time. But I mean if you're a football fan and love going to games, you won't mind. I think this thread touches on something else that influences ticket sales and such. Starkville isn't exactly in a highly populous region. Jackson, Memphis, Desoto County, your biggest alumni areas are at least 2 hours away or more. Tupelo is close and Columbus is closer but I'm not sure many alums set their sights on moving there. Speaking of which, what in the world happened to that place? That's another story for another day I suppose.

 

[Smoked Toag]

Jackson (or that distance) is about the closest you can be without needing a hotel, if you actually want to enjoy the trip. And even that is pushing it. If it’s a late kick, you basically have to get an early buzz and cut yourself off at 5 PM or so to be able to drive back. Early kick, you don’t really have time to tailgate at all unless you get up early as hell for the drive in.

If you're trying to drink a substantial amount, you shouldn't be driving at all. Just sayin'.

Ultimately people are going to do what they want to do. If you want to ***** and moan about convenience, nothing I can say will help you.

 

[Maroonthirteen]

Currently, 2 hrs. I go to 3-4 football games and 2-3 baseball weekends a season. Kids are older and done with sports. I will say a 2hr drive one way....all day in Starkville.....that return 2hr drive is tough, but doable. However, I have to have a weekend break in between games.

However, 20 years ago, no kids, I drove from Memphis northeast burbs (before any road improvements to 78)8)8 ) to Starkville and a road game, 8-9 times a football season. i had season tickets bUt I was much younger and a free place to crash in Columbus. It was a solid 3hr drive and a long tough day but I loved it.

 

[DirtyDog]

I live 2.5-3 hours away and have been going to games every year except the last of the Croom era where it was too unbearable. While very doable, it still wears on you depending upon the game time. A night game generally puts me getting home at 1am. That's fine for awhile but becomes less pleasant as you get older. I would think much beyond 3 hours and you have to have a hotel. I have paid for many nights of hotels ($250-500 depending on the 2-night requirement) and that gets expensive in a hurry when you throw in the tickets and feeding kids. I bought a townhouse/apt since my kids are in school now, but I reserve one bedroom for me and my wife. It makes all the difference in the enjoyment level just to know I have a place to stay whenever I want.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

I have bitched about this before, but when I lived in Dallas it was a real turd to get to a game. The three options were:

Fly from DFW to ATL to GTR. Factoring in drive to airport and rental car pickup etc.. 6.5-7 hours for that little jaunt if you go with a one hour layover in ATL, which can always be risky with the amount of storms in DFW and ATL.

Fly from DFW to Jackson and get a rental car to drive to Starkville. 6 hours for that one.

Drive it 8.5 hours.... I always opted for the drive just do to the savings and convenience.

I really hope with Texas and OU coming GTR gets a flight to DFW. It would open up tons of options for a lot of bulldogs out west to get to more games and for MS dog fans to get out to AtM, Texas, and OU games. For me personally, I would be able to get to games quicker from 2200 miles away now than I could from 550 miles away if GTR gets a DFW direct flight.

 

[thatsbaseball]

I'm not sure that "range" per se is the single biggest obstacle to season ticket purchases. I would wager there are thousands of fans within 50 miles of Starkville who no longer buy season tickets due to fill-in-the-blank reasons.

 

[Go Budaw]

If you're trying to drink a substantial amount, you shouldn't be driving at all. Just sayin'.

Ultimately people are going to do what they want to do. If you want to ***** and moan about convenience, nothing I can say will help you.

I agree you shouldn’t be driving after drinking. That’s kinda the point….you need a hotel to crash in or you have to basically cut yourself off early or not drink at all….which requires people to make a sacrifice they wouldn’t have to make if watching at home.

And nobody is bitching and moaning about inconvenience. There’s nothing inherently inconvenient about a hotel except the money…and Starkville is no worse than anywhere else on that front.

 

[Hugh's Burner Phone]

I have bitched about this before, but when I lived in Dallas it was a real turd to get to a game. The three options were:

Fly from DFW to ATL to GTR. Factoring in drive to airport and rental car pickup etc.. 6.5-7 hours for that little jaunt if you go with a one hour layover in ATL, which can always be risky with the amount of storms in DFW and ATL.

Fly from DFW to Jackson and get a rental car to drive to Starkville. 6 hours for that one.

Drive it 8.5 hours.... I always opted for the drive just do to the savings and convenience.

I really hope with Texas and OU coming GTR gets a flight to DFW. It would open up tons of options for a lot of bulldogs out west to get to more games and for MS dog fans to get out to AtM, Texas, and OU games. For me personally, I would be able to get to games quicker from 2200 miles away now than I could from 550 miles away if GTR gets a DFW direct flight.

GTR is Delta. I don't think you can go anywhere on Delta without going to Atlanta first. It wouldn't surprise me if you were flying LA to Seattle they would find some way to route you through Atlanta.

 

[Smoked Toag]

I agree you shouldn’t be driving after drinking. That’s kinda the point….you need a hotel to crash in or you have to basically cut yourself off early or not drink at all….which requires people to make a sacrifice they wouldn’t have to make if watching at home.

And nobody is bitching and moaning about inconvenience. There’s nothing inherently inconvenient about a hotel except the money…and Starkville is no worse than anywhere else on that front.

This leads me to another theory I have. Most people say that watching on TV and grilling, etc. is 'easy'. And I agree, you cannot argue with that convenience. But I think people get angrier watching on TV, and it makes for a less 'happy' experience. I've often noted that most of the message board freakouts were from drunk people sitting at home yelling at the TV (I've been here too). I tend to go to 2-3 games per year, and often buy cheaper tickets, and do the drive in one day. Seems I just do better at the games as far as getting too high or too low. This is not counting when we are just awful, which is a different situation. I am assuming a baseline level of competence.

I notice this in other State sports too. It's like you invested something, so it's not just a totally shallow effort, like watching on TV.

And not to mention you get all the away game weekends to sit around on the couch if you want.

 

[maroonmadman]

I'm not sure that "range" per se is the single biggest obstacle to season ticket purchases. I would wager there are thousands of fans within 50 miles of Starkville who no longer buy season tickets due to fill-in-the-blank reasons.

This did it for me. We moved from Kosciusko to Madison Co. The distance was not a problem, the new, bigger house note pushed fun stuff, like football games, out of the picture for the time being. It really sucked because I had some excellent Bulldog Club points accrued now all that has gone to hell in a hand basket.

 

[Shmuley]

I travel on foot. To my couch.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

I know. I was hoping AA would put one in.. just a twice a day shuttle service. Not sure if it's viable today, but I would think once the pandemic is over, maybe those UT fans will peddle their influence.**

 

[GloryDawg]

Live in Jackson Metro. 121 miles from Starkville. I have season tickets and up to last season attended every home game. I may not attend every game this season. I am thinking that I might tart buying season tickets every other year. One year we get BAMA, LSU, Ole Miss at home. Good home schedule. The other we get Arkansas, A&M and Auburn. Not so good. However with OU and TX joining i might just keep buying ever season if the schedule is good every season. Regardless I will continue to contribute to the bulldog club.

 

[The Peeper]

TSA agents have told me and my wife both for the last 2 years that there is a "Westbound" flight coming. WTVA had a story one night about it being in the works. I don't know if it was Covid related or Delta lobbying against it but so far, nothing.

 

[ezsoil]

I did the trek from Houston TX every football game for the past 10 years ...I'm moving to the coast and the 6 hour difference will be welcomed

 

[johnson86-1]

This leads me to another theory I have. Most people say that watching on TV and grilling, etc. is 'easy'. And I agree, you cannot argue with that convenience. But I think people get angrier watching on TV, and it makes for a less 'happy' experience. I've often noted that most of the message board freakouts were from drunk people sitting at home yelling at the TV (I've been here too). I tend to go to 2-3 games per year, and often buy cheaper tickets, and do the drive in one day. Seems I just do better at the games as far as getting too high or too low. This is not counting when we are just awful, which is a different situation. I am assuming a baseline level of competence.

I notice this in other State sports too. It's like you invested something, so it's not just a totally shallow effort, like watching on TV.

And not to mention you get all the away game weekends to sit around on the couch if you want.

I'm the opposite. It is a miserable experience to go through the trouble of going to Starkville and then the team not even get off the bus. Makes me much more pissed than if I'm sitting at home and can at least be glad I don't have a long drive ahead of me. And it's also a bigger high to be in the stadium when things are going well. THe difference in high between being at the stadium and at home watching with friends is not as big as the difference in low between watching at the stadium versus at home though.

 

[johnson86-1]

Rather than getting lost in the other thread, I wonder how far away from Starkville you can live and actually enjoy season tickets for football. I would assume Jackson and Memphis are doable if you don't have kids and a lot tougher if you do.

So how far away do some of you travel for single games, all games, or somewhere in between? Kids no kids?

If money isn't taken into account, I think four, maybe five hours away. Can leave at lunch on Friday, still have dinner in Starkville on Friday night, have all day saturday, and then get back by lunch on Sunday. THat's obviously expensive.

If you are talking about being able to do day trips, I'd say about two hours max if I am the one driving. Anything beyond that in a day and it's pretty grueling to me. And to be honest, I wouldn't even want to do many trips where I'm driving after the game period. A lot more fun to be at home and be able to have some drinks and relax than be at the stadium and not be able to have a drink without worrying about the drive home.

 

[Duke Humphrey]

Covid and pilot shortage is what I am told. Pre-COVID, Delta was up to 5 flights a day at GTR....

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

Rather than getting lost in the other thread, I wonder how far away from Starkville you can live and actually enjoy season tickets for football. I would assume Jackson and Memphis are doable if you don't have kids and a lot tougher if you do.

So how far away do some of you travel for single games, all games, or somewhere in between? Kids no kids?

I would need Fish to loan me one of his private jets. 12 hours drive time would be tough for a day trip.

Seriously, I'm hoping to be able to travel by the end of October. I would love to sneak over for a game this year. Definitely planning a trip to the Dude next spring on my fantasy football winnings.

 

[D4L]

I live 2 hours away and always want to get a hotel if I come to games. I have made the drive back plently of times and it is brutal, not to mention dangerous if really late. Hopefully we'll have a place in Starkville one day.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

You spent 18 hours 6.6 x per year (66 home games last 10 years) driving to Starkville for the last 10 years. That's the equivalent of:

30 work weeks in drive time total.

40 hours on the Atchafalaya bridge alone.

You have driven through Gross Tete no less than 132 times and chuckled everytime.

76k miles or $42k in driving expenses at $.55/mile.

I have one statement and one question.

Nobody can question your fandom or loyalty... And what do you use to control ball, taint, *** sweat and general swamp *** discomfort driving so much?

 

[MSUDC11]

Originally from the Pine Belt and I knew quite a few people in the Laurel/Hattiesburg area who had season tickets and came up for games regularly. In those days we drove up for most games but rarely stayed the night due to hotel costs and availability. It definitely made for some long days, especially since many of our games were either at 11 am or they were night games. It usually meant we'd have to leave the house around sunrise or get back home after midnight. Once I was a student and had a dorm or apartment, friends or family that came up to visit would end up crashing at my place.

We live in Starkville now and honestly that's probably the only thing that's making me keep my season tickets. I don't have to worry about a hotel, and I have time to get things done at home or around town or sit back and watch some of the other games. We also just kinda let our house be the family tailgate site, much more convenient than lugging a tent and all of the food and equipment to campus, plus we only live 3 miles from the stadium so I can leave an hour to an hour and a half before kickoff and make it to my seat in time to watch the band pregame show. For most games I can usually maneuver through postgame traffic fairly easily and get home within 20-30 minutes of leaving the stadium.

Even with those conveniences we still don't make every game and it gets harder to commit every year. We opted out last year so I'm excited to be back for this season, but I'm also a diehard that posts on internet fan sites. The casual fan probably does not share my level of excitement right now if I had to guess. And admittedly if we lived out of town, my in person attendance would probably dip from 5 or 6 games a year to 1 or 2.

 

[woozman]

8-hrs round trip for me from the coast. Usually make to all but 1 or maybe 2 games as a season ticket holder (for over a decade now). I have already decided that I’m only going to 4 games this year.

Too long to drive back after a night game so I stay in Starkville (rare due to demand), Columbus, or Meridian. Becoming much easier to stay at home and watch. I’ve seriously been contemplating canceling next year and using that money to go to a home and an away game each year instead.

Will always go to at least 1 hone game and stay. We have a tradition now of timing our departure on Sunday to hit Jordan’s Fish Camp on 45 in State Line at 11:00 (before church crowd)

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

I fear a lot of 1100 games so that opens up 3-4 hour one way drives. Back in the good ole days of Mullinz when we were flying high with a of night games, getting back to Flowood at 0100 was no fun (especially for those dedicated church goers), but was still only a few times her year.

 

[8dog]

11 am is not a slot for throwaway games. Its a pretty good window for the networks so to the extent the expansion moves us down I dont think it increases the odds of 11 am games

 

[TankOwens]

Birmingham is easy. Season tix, kids are older (teen & a preteen). Usually all 4 of us make a game or two, then my son and I and usually one of his friends make the rest. Traffic can suck if Alabama has a home game and you time it wrong.

 

[paindonthurt_]

I grew up in southwest Ms before 25 was 4 lane.

My father didn’t miss many home games and I was with him on most of them.

I guess it comes down to want to like most things.

 

[ezsoil]

Lol well I flew usually twice a season and I have been retired the whole time so I could take my time stop different places along the way to spend the night if needed...and I avoid the I 10 route unless I HAVE to go that route ...I HATE the east bound Baton Rouge bridge with a passion so I usually went up 59 through Shreveport to 20...

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

So... Gold Bond Medicated or Boudreaux's Butt Paste? Inquiring minds want to know.***

 

[Bulldogg31]

Rather than getting lost in the other thread, I wonder how far away from Starkville you can live and actually enjoy season tickets for football. I would assume Jackson and Memphis are doable if you don't have kids and a lot tougher if you do.

So how far away do some of you travel for single games, all games, or somewhere in between? Kids no kids?

The better the team, the easier the travel.

I’m betting in 2014 there were some pretty long drives that became “doable”.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

Touche'. I made it sans complaint, twice.

 

[Bulldogg31]

Touche'. I made it sans complaint, twice.

You, me and a bunch of other people did the same. Loved every minute of it.

I was only partially kidding btw. If I had to guess I’ll bet season ticket sales to those who live within easy travel distance are pretty steady year in, year out. It’s the participation from those outside of easy travel areas that really drops when the team isn’t very good.
Makes sense. Less FOMO means less dinero.

Same reason stadium expansions have to be slow and steady, rather than reacting to a few good years. Two bad seasons in a row and BAM, people have found other ways to spend their Saturdays.