Tent Sales

**CY ST8T** · 04-16-2007, 11:54 AM

So I have been assuming that the ISU vs. Iowa game will fill up from tent sales and knew that the Iowa Banker's Association is one of the biggest that has a large event both at Kinnick and Jack Trice every year. My dad belongs and always gets his tickets each year for both. He contacted me today and let me know that Pollard did not allow the Association a block of tickets this year and instead the Association will have a big tailgate for members with Big Screen televisions and a meal for $15. So I am starting to wonder if there seriously are going to be empty seats now.

**cstrunk** · 04-16-2007, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by CY ST8T

So I have been assuming that the ISU vs. Iowa game will fill up from tent sales and knew that the Iowa Banker's Association is one of the biggest that has a large event both at Kinnick and Jack Trice every year. My dad belongs and always gets his tickets each year for both. He contacted me today and let me know that Pollard did not allow the Association a block of tickets this year and instead the Association will have a big tailgate for members with Big Screen televisions and a meal for $15. So I am starting to wonder if there seriously are going to be empty seats now.

Pollard made a decision in choosing not to sell single game Iowa tickets, and he is sticking true to his word. I applaud him for that. Tough to hear that some people won't be able to make it into the Iowa game even if there are a few empty seats, but he is sending a loud and clear message. Iowa State needs season ticket holders, not every other year Iowa game ticket holders.

**cycloneworld** · 04-16-2007, 12:10 PM

Sticking to your word is one thing...but leaving 15,000-20,000 empty seats for the Iowa game will be a mistake IMO. That is $1 million of easy money...to leave that on the table would be bad.

**ISUFan22** · 04-16-2007, 12:13 PM

I'm waiting until the fall to see how this plays out...until then...it's dead to me.

**Cyclone62** · 04-16-2007, 12:13 PM

Sticking to your word is one thing...but leaving 15,000-20,000 empty seats for the Iowa game will be a mistake IMO. That is $1 million of easy money...to leave that on the table would be bad.

Pollard is playing with a double-edged sword with this move. We won't know if his plan works until next season most likely. If/When he does the same for the Nebraska game, we'll see how many more season ticket sales there are compared to this year when everyone is trying to see who will flinch first, JP or the fans holding out on season tickets.

**jparker22** · 04-16-2007, 12:14 PM

Hmm... Might be a little early for this. The association and other big tent participants will most likely have to wait for thier ticket allotment. I would guess that they will be able to get some tickets late in the "game". JP cannot give those tickets out now with 4 months remaining in the season ticket purchasing window. Let the sales continue and the requests will continue to come in for the tents. A true marketer will use this to guage the demand and alot the tickets for the game when the dust settles.

Pure speculation on my part.

**CY ST8T** · 04-16-2007, 12:19 PM

I'm trying to use it though to sell a few more season tickets. I'm trying to convince my dad and brothers to just buy the $150 or $195 season ticket as Iowa fans and then I can sell the rest of there games for them.

**HGPuck** · 04-16-2007, 12:30 PM

The only question should be, which would generate more revenue, single game sales for the Iowa game or the incremental increase in season ticket sales due to the Iowa game move? It is kind of fuzzy math regardless of how you calculate, but I think a fair and reasonably conservative season ticket sale estimate is 35k. This means that there will be roughly 10k single game tickets that would go unsold (add in 4k or 5k from the Iowa allotment, dont remember which it is, plus the tent packages add another couple thousand). If you sell single game tickets for $70 which is probably a little high because quite a few would be hill side that is $700,000 in lost revenue. If you assume a season ticket price of $300 (another estimate based on the 350 price plus the other lower priced season tickets) you would need to generate additional season ticket sales of 2,333 due to not selling single game tickets. My thinking is that this would be a pretty close call, but the plan probably gets pushed over the top by the additional benefits of having season ticket holders and from where Im sitting the enjoyment of it upsetting hawk fans.

edit: If we sell 35k and 38k would be the max due to the other schools allotment and tent sales then that 3k would be $210,000 so the increase to season ticket sales by the plan would only need to be 700 tickets, assuming the above prices.

**Kyle** · 04-16-2007, 12:35 PM

My understanding was that 38,000 would be a sellout with the number they usually keep reserved for tent sales. I'm not quite sure what is up with this. Anyone know about that for sure?

**CY ST8T** · 04-16-2007, 12:37 PM

It will be more fun with signs saying "Thanks Jamie for putting the hawk fans OUTSIDE!" or any other humorous rips on the fact that they are sitting outside. But on the other hand how does it look on television and how long do we listen to rips on not filling the stadium if it truly does not fill by September.

**Cyclone62** · 04-16-2007, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Kyle

My understanding was that 38,000 would be a sellout with the number they usually keep reserved for tent sales. I'm not quite sure what is up with this. Anyone know about that for sure?

I think that's about right. The number allotted to the other school, and tent sales, along with season ticket sales, all need to add up to the capacity the stadium holds in seats. I think that technically the hillsides get added to that total number, but because the tent sales (?) and allottments are given to actual seats, we can't go over the max. capacity with all those numbers added together. That's my understanding at least.

**wartknight** · 04-16-2007, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by Kyle

My understanding was that 38,000 would be a sellout with the number they usually keep reserved for tent sales. I'm not quite sure what is up with this. Anyone know about that for sure?

Yes, I remember Jamie saying that they can't sell more than 38,000 season tickets due to what they have to give other schools and tent and group sales. No one needs to get their undies in a bunch right now about 15,000 empty seats-If we can't sell more than 38,000 anyway, then we're looking at 6,000 empty seats--tops.

**heshwar** · 04-16-2007, 12:44 PM

Looks like they will be getting 25-50 single game tickets per tent. The rest if they want in have to buy season tickets.

2007 Cyclone Tents - CYCLONES.com—The Official Web Site of Iowa State University Athletics

**aeroclone** · 04-16-2007, 02:44 PM

38,000 is the number of actual seats that can be sold as season tickets. We have to leave the 4000 or so for visitors and a couple thousand more for tent parties. However, selling 38,000 season tickets will not sell out the Iowa game because we also sell season tickets for hillside. These tickets are not included in the 38,000. That said, I don't know if anybody has any idea how many hillsides are included in the 32,000 or so season tickets sold to this point.

Another thing to keep in mind when looking at financials for extra season tickets versus single game Iowa tickets: there is more to consider than just the ticket price itself. If an individual buys season tickets instead of just Iowa tickets, that person will also have parking, concessions, merchandise, etc. at seven games instead of just 1. This would make the number of additional season tickets needed to make up the money difference even smaller. Throw on the fact that once someone buys season tickets they are more likely to buy them next year and the value of that extra season ticket is huge. I think looking at the numbers today Pollard and company have made the right call with the Iowa game even if we don't sell another season ticket between now and September.

**pulse** · 04-16-2007, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by aeroclone

38,000 is the number of actual seats that can be sold as season tickets. We have to leave the 4000 or so for visitors and a couple thousand more for tent parties. However, selling 38,000 season tickets will not sell out the Iowa game because we also sell season tickets for hillside. These tickets are not included in the 38,000. That said, I don't know if anybody has any idea how many hillsides are included in the 32,000 or so season tickets sold to this point.

Another thing to keep in mind when looking at financials for extra season tickets versus single game Iowa tickets: there is more to consider than just the ticket price itself. If an individual buys season tickets instead of just Iowa tickets, that person will also have parking, concessions, merchandise, etc. at seven games instead of just 1. This would make the number of additional season tickets needed to make up the money difference even smaller. Throw on the fact that once someone buys season tickets they are more likely to buy them next year and the value of that extra season ticket is huge. I think looking at the numbers today Pollard and company have made the right call with the Iowa game even if we don't sell another season ticket between now and September.

Exactly, any Iowa State fan that thinks this is a bad idea or is worried about it is foolish. (sorry fools)