Season Ticket Thermometer

[Broodwich]

I think he's attempting sarcasm, and referring to different people than you think as the \"nerds\".

Ain't heard that one in a long time.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb_LYmk8lrY"]YouTube - NERDS!!!!![/ame]

[Bobber]

It wasn't that long ago we were in the low 20's for ticket sales. I think we're doing pretty well if we're in the low 30's now after a big increase in ticket prices, donation levels, and a team that has been playing subpar.

I would't read into that 1 in 6 not renewing number too much. You're going to have a certain percentage who aren't going to renew every year anyway. With all the changes, sure that number is going to increase. Actually with the donation increases that were needed, if 5 in 6 renewed, that's a pretty good number and a net revenue gainer for the athletic department.

And folks please don't pick on the people who are have been long time supporters for ISU and are not happy. They made a commitment to ISU long before a lot of you were born. Things change and if they're not happy, they are free to vote with their check books. Until we actually do something on the football field and routinely sell out Jack Trice, they have a point....

[MontyBurns]

And folk please don't pick on the people who are have been long time supporters for ISU and are not happy. They made a commitment to ISU long before a lot of you were born. Things change and if they're not happy, they are free to vote with their check books. Until we actually do something on the football field and routinely sell out Jack Trice, they have a point....

You are 100% correct. We are trying to do things the the way a lot of other schools do but we have a huge flaw in our policy and quite frankly fans do have a right to be ticked off by it.

[IcSyU]

You are 100% correct. We are trying to do things the the way a lot of other schools do but we have a huge flaw in our policy and quite frankly fans do have a right to be ticked off by it.

I wasn't upset until the "I'm better than you'll ever be" got played. Stuff like that instantly pisses me off.

[cyclonefan59]

"This is a place where we can express our personal opinions without others taking it "

Of course it is, but there are many posts that are meant to be personal and that is not all right. Everyone, at some point, make decisions based on emotions and not necessarily on facts. Give the guy a break. There are too many posters that are in love with their so called wit.

[CyAggie]

So, what is the flaw?

[Angie]

"This is a place where we can express our personal opinions without others taking it "

Of course it is, but there are many posts that are meant to be personal and that is not all right. Everyone, at some point, make decisions based on emotions and not necessarily on facts. Give the guy a break. There are too many posters that are in love with their so called wit.

While I agree, the last few responses to him have been about his comments about the "nerds on this board." I have personally only responded to that comment, as it deserved.

There are many topics that affect people on a personal level here, and we encourage people to post on them without fear of mockery. However, there is a way to do that without insulting others or using rhetoric that appears to be only based in emotion.

[everyyard]

It wasn't that long ago we were in the low 20's for ticket sales. I think we're doing pretty well if we're in the low 30's now after a big increase in ticket prices, donation levels, and a team that has been playing subpar.

I would't read into that 1 in 6 not renewing number too much. You're going to have a certain percentage who aren't going to renew ever year anyway. With all the changes, sure that number is going to increase. Actually with the donation increases that were needed, if 5 in 6 renewed, that's a pretty good number and a net revenue gainer for the athletic department.

And folk please don't pick on the people who are have been long time supporters for ISU and are not happy. They made a commitment to ISU long before a lot of you were born. Things change and if they're not happy, they are free to vote with their check books. Until we actually do something on the football field and routinely sell out Jack Trice, they have a point....

Disclaimer: this isn't directed at Bobber just replying to his point.

Hey, I have said it many times...those are not the ticket holder's seats they are Iowa State's. Pollard should do what he can to compete with our BIG 12 CONFERENCE not the northeast iowa conference. If someone's pride and ego is bigger than their desire to watch and support Iowa State athletics then get out of the way. There are PLENTY of affordable seats and I am sorry that the 50 yard line seats don't cost $8 a game anymore...I mean seriously, can you even get into a Harlan High School football game for that. Everyone opposed to ticket prices understands that we are competing with Texas, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Oklahoma, etc for tv, championships, and recruits don't you? I would LOVE to hear the theories of how we build a COMPETITIVE big12 program, facilities, and get recruits if we keep our ticket prices the same for 50 years from the "don't ask me for more money" crowd. To me, that says those of you who are upset you're having to give more have been mooching what little success we have had off of our BIG donors (and big isn't the Gold club guys). Or, maybe you are Cyclone fans for the last 35 years as here was finally a division 1 college team you could follow that until recently hasn't put an emphasis on winning and expected nothing of you in return except loyalty...well, news flash: Letting that mind set develop for 35 years was a MISTAKE by Iowa State and we should have been demanding winning and more help from our fans a long time ago. Also, I don't know if you noticed but Division 1 football isn't even the same sport it was even 10 years ago. The money is now HUGE and falling behind now would be fatal to a division 1 football team. Maybe those of you are upset are the same people that said we should move to the MAC which makes me SICK but I guess if all you care about is watching football, getting no more involved in your team's success than buying the t-shirt and claiming ownership of a seat at a stadium for 50 years then I can see why that seems like a good move.

[MontyBurns]

So, what is the flaw?

We've designated different sections of the stadium as being available for season tickets with different donation levels. I don't know how many seats are in each section, but let's say there are 4,000 seats that require a $1,000 donation for season tickets. We have not sold out all of the seats at any of the donation levels. So if, for example, we sold 3,000 of the 4,000 available seats to $1,000 donors, what do we do with the other 1,000 seats?

Options:
(1) Leave them empty.
(2) Fill them with $500 donors (preference to ones with most NCC points).
(3) Sell them as single game tickets thru ticketmaster to anyone including non donors and fans of the visiting team.

Pollard has chosen option (3).

If you're a $500 donor who had to move to a worse seat in 2008 and you look over to your old section and see a South Dakota State fan who donates nothing sitting there, how does that make you feel? And why should you have bought your season ticket when you could have bought individual game tickets for the same total price and had better seats?

[CycloneWanderer]

We've designated different sections of the stadium as being available for season tickets with different donation levels. I don't know how many seats are in each section, but let's say there are 4,000 seats that require a $1,000 donation for season tickets. We have not sold out all of the seats at any of the donation levels. So if, for example, we sold 3,000 of the 4,000 available seats to $1,000 donors, what do we do with the other 1,000 seats?

Options:
(1) Leave them empty.
(2) Fill them with $500 donors (preference to ones with most NCC points).
(3) Sell them as single game tickets thru ticketmaster to anyone including non donors and fans of the visiting team.

Pollard has chosen option (3).

If you're a $500 donor who had to move to a worse seat in 2008 and you look over to your old section and see a South Dakota State fan who donates nothing sitting there, how does that make you feel? And why should you have bought your season ticket when you could have bought individual game tickets for the same total price and had better seats?

How much would said single game tickets cost? would the be more expensive than the single game tickets in the $500 area? If they are, I have no problem with it - they are paying for their seat.

[SeattleClone]

I wasn't upset until the "I'm better than you'll ever be" got played. Stuff like that instantly pisses me off.

You mean the guy who's "given more money to ISU than you'll ever dream of"? Yeah, I'm with you on that... I'm heading up to Ames on the bike right now to check out the new JTS signage and get some Es Tas. I'll let you know if his name is on the stadium. Because, I don't know about you, but I've dreamt of A LOT of money... I'm talking my-name-on-the-new-south-endzone money.

[IcSyU]

You mean the guy who's "given more money to ISU than you'll ever dream of"? Yeah, I'm with you on that... I'm heading up to Ames on the bike right now to check out the new JTS signage and get some Es Tas. I'll let you know if his name is on the stadium. Because, I don't know about you, but I've dreamt of A LOT of money... I'm talking my-name-on-the-new-south-endzone money.

I figure if I can find 100-125 student loan lenders at $40,000/year, I already have $5,000,000 Then after I talk to the Nigerian dude that e-mailed me, I have another $20,000,000 after his account freezes, and there's $25,000,000 to donate

P.S. The new signage is pretty tight if I say so myself.

[JDDCy]

In response to Monty,

You're option #2 sounds great but is it really possible to pull that off. At what point do they move the $500 dollar donor up a section? It would be very difficult moving people to different sections in the short amount of time between the end of season ticket sales and the start of the season. I would think that would be a logistical nightmare because not only are you moving the Cardinal guy to the Gold but now you have opened a spot for the States 250 guy to move to Cardinal and so on down the line. A lot of time the single game tickets aren't available in multiple seat packs. They are single seats scattered around the section.

I upped my donation from States 250 to Cardinal to stay in the same seats. I considered dropping down but figured after 10 years in the same spot it was time to step up to stay there but really the seats I kept really aren't much better than what I would have had to move to. If I had to move down 1 section I'm pretty sure I would have been watching the game and not been looking over at my old seats thinking about the good old days in section 12. That seems rather immature but who am I to judge.

As far as option 1 goes I would be po'd if I knew they were leaving seats open just to make a few people feel better that single game tickets weren't better seats than season ticket seats.

[everyyard]

In response to Monty,

You're option #2 sounds great but is it really possible to pull that off. At what point do they move the $500 dollar donor up a section? It would be very difficult moving people to different sections in the short amount of time between the end of season ticket sales and the start of the season. I would think that would be a logistical nightmare because not only are you moving the Cardinal guy to the Gold but now you have opened a spot for the States 250 guy to move to Cardinal and so on down the line. A lot of time the single game tickets aren't available in multiple seat packs. They are single seats scattered around the section.

I upped my donation from States 250 to Cardinal to stay in the same seats. I considered dropping down but figured after 10 years in the same spot it was time to step up to stay there but really the seats I kept really aren't much better than what I would have had to move to. If I had to move down 1 section I'm pretty sure I would have been watching the game and not been looking over at my old seats thinking about the good old days in section 12. That seems rather immature but who am I to judge.

As far as option 1 goes I would be po'd if I knew they were leaving seats open just to make a few people feel better that single game tickets weren't better seats than season ticket seats.

It is okay to give at a higher level than your seats are. we upped our level but chose to remain in the seats we have which are at a lower level because we are happy with them.

[MontyBurns]

In response to Monty,

You're option #2 sounds great but is it really possible to pull that off.

What Wisconsin does is have the # of seats at each level less than the demand at that level. So if you're willing to donate $1,000 to sit in a $1,000 section, you can "apply", but if you're low on their points scoring system, you may not get into that section...and you change your seating donation to $500 and get into a $500 section. It's essentially a waiting list. It ensures that all the "donation required" seats are filled with donating season ticket holders. All the single game tickets they sell are located in non-donation seating sections on the ends of the stadium and in the end zone. Pollard either didn't think of the ramifications of his plan or he grossly overestimated the demand for donation-required seating.