ISU and buying tickets (TicketMaster)

ISUFan22 · 07-05-2007, 01:19 PM

I sent JP an e-mail earlier today asking some questions about the move to TicketMaster. He replied quickly, as always. I had some follow-up questions for him and will report back when I have a response.

Mr. Pollard,

I think for the first time, I am disappointed in a change that has happened under your watch. Perhaps I'm jumping to conclusions and if so - please forgive me.

When the Barry Stevens Fundraiser was announced, I saw the list of players and was immediately excited. I went to buy the tickets, three of them. Instead of being charged $60 for the tickets (plus a few bucks for shipping, etc - which is expected), I was asked for over $80 after all the Ticketmaster fees. I decided instead to buy the tickets at the door when the event comes around.

I recently discovered the new ticket system is also through Ticketmaster. Being it is new, I have not yet bought tickets (plan to soon, renewing basketball season tickets), yet I wonder if I'll incur similar Ticketmaster fees.

Can you confirm/deny this? Spending money isn't as much of an issue instead of giving money to Ticketmaster in outrageous fees instead of it going to Iowa State.

Thanks for your email. First, the Barry Stevens Event is not an athletic department event. It is an event being put on by the Iowa State Center similar to when they have a concert. In fact, the athletics department has contributed to the event by paying a portion of the rental costs being charged by the University to the Barry Stevens' Foundation so the event can make more money for the Foundation. As a result, I am not aware nor is our department involved with the setting of the fees they are charging for tickets purchased through the Iowa State Center.

As for our change to Ticketmaster, it is unfortunately the way of the future. In fact, the company we used to use, Paciolan, was purchased last week by Ticketmaster so all athletic department's are going to be facing the same change in operating cultures as we all move forward. As our society moves more to a ticket less environment (buying tickets online, bar coded tickets, print at home tickets, etc) the investment in technology only increases which drives the fees the ticket companies can and will charge. Trust me, if there were a more economical way to sell tickets - that still provided the service that customers demand, we would be doing it in a heartbeat.

Thanks again for your note. Have a great summer.

Jamie Pollard

Mr. Pollard,

As always, I appreciate your swift, personal responses.

Good insight into the Barry Stevens Event. Glad to hear the athletics department is contributing to this as well. It's a great cause and I'm excited for the game as well.

In dealing with Ticketmaster, the odd thing is, they charge you more when printing the tickets online vs. having them mailed out to you.

I did see in our basketball season ticket renewal application there was a $10 processing fee. I think this is similar to what I've experienced in the past when buying/renewing season tickets and have no issues with it. I just hope this fee doesn't increase and single game tickets don't incur large fees - that are nearly as much as the individual ticket itself.

Again, thanks for the response and explanation!

brianhos · 07-05-2007, 01:24 PM

Cool that he responds so quickly. I have never gotten a response from him.

Wesley · 07-05-2007, 01:27 PM

Yeah, put my stamp on that letter too, 22. Too bad ticketmaster has bought out all the competition so they can charge even more. pathetic. Where is the Chinese ticketmeister office when we need on? Or one from India and Mexico City? If it takes $10 buck to do this electronically, thios must be an expensive server farm they operate.

Wesley · 07-05-2007, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by brianhos

Cool that he responds so quickly. I have never gotten a response from him.

22 is well known around campus and can pull strings if need be.

DaddyMac · 07-05-2007, 01:31 PM

I've always got a response from him, several in fact. I even got one well after 10:00 pm one night.

As for his "Trust me, if there were a more economical way to sell tickets - that still provided the service that customers demand, we would be doing it in a heartbeat."

I've said it before - Ticketreturn.com

Give it a shot.

You can pick your SEATS - not just your ticket price level, or even just your section. I don't think TM does that. And there was a $1 surcharge for the ticket I bought Tuesday which beats the pants off of TM. They're barcoded - so you can track attendance, reissue, cancel, whatever.

And you get a list of your tickets under your account, can print them at home (for free), email them to somebody if you want to give them away. Again, I don't know that TM does that stuff.

UNI and Drake use them as well as the I-Cubs

I'd hope that JP and the A.D. did their due-dilligence and didn't simply go with the big-player and in turn, pass the buck to the fanbase

brianhos · 07-05-2007, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by Bryceman

Yeah, put my stamp on that letter too, 22. Too bad ticketmaster has bought out all the competition so they can charge even more. pathetic. Where is the Chinese ticketmeister office when we need on? Or one from India and Mexico City? If it takes $10 buck to do this electronically, thios must be an expensive server farm they operate.

It's called a monopoly. You can charge whatever you want. Just nickel and dime the sheeple and most of them wont notice. See project destiny for another example.

brianhos · 07-05-2007, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by DaddyMac

I've always got a response from him, several in fact. I even got one well after 10:00 pm one night.

As for his "Trust me, if there were a more economical way to sell tickets - that still provided the service that customers demand, we would be doing it in a heartbeat."

Wells Fargo downtown is doing it with their tickets... Dahls tickets is a great way to do it. Heck, hire me, I can write a ticketing system that will cost way less than ticketmaster.

DaddyMac · 07-05-2007, 01:59 PM

Have you ever noticed the fees that Dahls tickets charges.? They took their cue from Ticketmaster. I tried purchasing a couple tickets for a Stars game this past season and practically had to pay for an extra ticket. Fees (for two tix) were in the 20+ range. Obscene.

Civic Center is a TM outlet as well - same story. Double digit fees.

At least this TicketReturn is an established entity. And they provide the full services for scanners and complete solutions. And as I said, I haven't seen any of the features they offer duplicated by TM.

I'd wager the number one reason cited by JP for TM would be exposure/marketing. Although there is a valid point to the fact that the Iowa State Center already uses TM for their non-ISU sports events.

Hawk4Life24 · 07-05-2007, 02:26 PM

Destiny won't pass. C'mon it took the DSM area forever to get the penny increase for schools.

The ticket situation at ISU is an interesting one. Say the Athletic department created a Cy's Prime Seat Club. This could be a place for season ticket holders who can't make it to games to re-sell there tickets. This may not be a good idea for football as there are less events. However for basketball say someone has some good lower level seats and can't make the game. They could re-sell them via the website and then the person buying them could just print them out at home.

DaddyMac · 07-05-2007, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by Hawk4Life24

The ticket situation at ISU is an interesting one. Say the Athletic department created a Cy's Prime Seat Club. This could be a place for season ticket holders who can't make it to games to re-sell there tickets. This may not be a good idea for football as there are less events. However for basketball say someone has some good lower level seats and can't make the game. They could re-sell them via the website and then the person buying them could just print them out at home.

That's an interesting point - let us know how it goes over at iowa.

They use the same system that just got bought out by TM.

Hawk4Life24 · 07-05-2007, 02:38 PM

I got the idea from the St. Louis Cardinals. I'm not sure how it would work out exactly but it makes sense by allowing fans to re-sell the tickets. You would think a school might sell more season tickets if someone can't get to all of the games. If the ticket buyer knows they have an outlet to re-sell them without eating the tickets.

jbhtexas · 07-05-2007, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by DaddyMac

As for his "Trust me, if there were a more economical way to sell tickets - that still provided the service that customers demand, we would be doing it in a heartbeat."

I've said it before - Ticketreturn.com

You could always email your suggestion to ADJP.

DaddyMac · 07-05-2007, 03:26 PM

Several times already, my friend.

Several times.

And well before this all came down - last summer in fact. Doesn't matter anyway. Contracts are signed and the commitment is made. And according to the presser - "long term".

I don't mind TM necessarily. It'll just be a wait and see regarding the fees. If they sock it to us beyond what the old site did, I won't be happy.

bmuff · 07-05-2007, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by Hawk4Life24

Destiny won't pass. C'mon it took the DSM area forever to get the penny increase for schools.

The ticket situation at ISU is an interesting one. Say the Athletic department created a Cy's Prime Seat Club. This could be a place for season ticket holders who can't make it to games to re-sell there tickets. This may not be a good idea for football as there are less events. However for basketball say someone has some good lower level seats and can't make the game. They could re-sell them via the website and then the person buying them could just print them out at home.

I think that this is only a good idea if games are routinely sold out. Otherwise, the AD would rather just sell single game tickets. If the games are sold out, though, the AD could set up a program where they buy the tickets back and then try to sell them as singles.

cyclonenum1 · 07-05-2007, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by Hawk4Life24

Destiny won't pass. C'mon it took the DSM area forever to get the penny increase for schools.

The ticket situation at ISU is an interesting one. Say the Athletic department created a Cy's Prime Seat Club. This could be a place for season ticket holders who can't make it to games to re-sell there tickets. This may not be a good idea for football as there are less events. However for basketball say someone has some good lower level seats and can't make the game. They could re-sell them via the website and then the person buying them could just print them out at home.

LSU did this with their basketball tickets a few years ago in hopes of having more of the seats purchased by season ticket holders (ie: lower level, better seats) filled with actually fannies come game time. I don't think it worked to their satisfaction so they discontinued doing it after that one season.