Pollard on Cydline show?

**ISUFan22** · 10-13-2009, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by DaddyMac

I don't think JP was ever half as optimistic about the south endzone project as many of the posters on this board would like to think he is/was.

IMO - it's been a wish list item from the get-go. I had no expectations of it happening. Nor am I sure it should right now.

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

Also, check out the Baylor Attendance thread....people are predicting low to mid 40ks for a game that is halfway through the season. I'm not sure why everyone is itching for the AD to bowl in the south endzone when we can't fill out current stadium.

Fans are going to have to step up (which they already have IMO) or the football team is going to have to win some games to make it happen.

Exactly. This was always more likely to be done later rather than sooner. For it to have started after this season or next (which is what some thought it would be) the following needed to happen...

- Wins
- Big donor for the project
- Season ticket sales continue to go up
- Economy not tank

Well, all of those didn't happen. Lots of ifs, no reality.

As far as fans needing to step up, I think the fans have (as you noted). I'm not sure how much more fans can be expected to step up in current conditions for a losing program. I'd contend the fans have done their part, and then some.

It's time for the program to do its part now for more fans to join in.

**TheHelgo** · 10-13-2009, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

We have a higher average ticket price than Nebraska. I'm paying $54 (which is face value) for the ISU-Neb game in Lincoln in 2 weeks. That ticket will likely be $90 next year.

Face value tickets are $60 for the Baylor-ISU game this weekend...

My buddy and I were talking after the KState debacle, that at some point fans aren't going to keep coming back for more...too many kicks to the groin.

I am guessing Nebraska requires much higher donation levels than ISU. Also, with a stadium of 80K, I assume that it is much easier to sell certain tickets at $54 or less. May I ask where your seats are for that game?

**RotatingColumn** · 10-13-2009, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by Frak

Sure, if you want to do it half-***ed.

The new seats would only need to support cardboard cut outs, not actual fans.

What exactly does bowling in the stadium do for us? That's what I want to know.

**Clark** · 10-13-2009, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by bellzisu

Iowa s season tickets might be less then ours, but the donation levels are a few hundred dollars higher. Pick you poison. Plus you cant get any seats without a donation i believe or a seat fee

University of Iowa Official Athletic Site :: Iowa

The donation ranges from $600/seat to $50/seat

**cybsball20** · 10-13-2009, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by Clark

University of Iowa Official Athletic Site :: Iowa

The donation ranges from $600/seat to $50/seat

You don not need any donation to sit in the end zones.

**TheHelgo** · 10-13-2009, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by RotatingColumn

What exactly does bowling in the stadium do for us? That's what I want to know.

Gives us a stadium that at least looks like it belongs in major college football. Seriously. That is the primary reason I want to see it done. I brought a few Mizzou fans up last year for the ISU/Mizzou game in Ames, and was slightly embarrassed as they made underhanded comments about our endzones (both south and north). I can't say I disagree with most of what they were saying, even though I vigorously defended JTS. JTS simply does not look or feel big time.

**theshadow** · 10-13-2009, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by TheHelgo

I am guessing Nebraska requires much higher donation levels than ISU. Also, with a stadium of 80K, I assume that it is much easier to sell certain tickets at $54 or less. May I ask where your seats are for that game?

The last two times I went to ISU-NU in Lincoln ('05 and '07), I paid $65 (face) through ISU and sat somewhere between Rows 92-96 in the endzone.

And it looks like face for this year's game is $65 again.

**cycloneworld** · 10-13-2009, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by bellzisu

Iowa s season tickets might be less then ours, but the donation levels are a few hundred dollars higher. Pick you poison. Plus you cant get any seats without a donation i believe or a seat fee

They still have seats without donation requirements. My parents have season tickets and the people next to them donate $0.

Like I said, they may be a little higher than ours...but not a lot.

**theshadow** · 10-13-2009, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by TheHelgo

I brought a few Mizzou fans up last year for the ISU/Mizzou game in Ames, and was slightly embarrassed as they made underhanded comments about our endzones (both south and north).

Their north end zone is a grass hillside with a friggin' rock pile. Not exactly top shelf.

**cycloneworld** · 10-13-2009, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by TheHelgo

Gives us a stadium that at least looks like it belongs in major college football. Seriously. That is the primary reason I want to see it done. I brought a few Mizzou fans up last year for the ISU/Mizzou game in Ames, and was slightly embarrassed as they made underhanded comments about our endzones (both south and north). I can't say I disagree with most of what they were saying, even though I vigorously defended JTS. JTS simply does not look or feel big time.

I do agree with you...but have you ever been to KU? That stadium may be the worst in the Big 12. But if you win games, things like that don't matter.

**Tornado man** · 10-13-2009, 01:39 PM

I will always be buying my "regular" season tix, plus donating every year, and increasing that when I feel I can. I did that prior to Pollard arriving, and will continue after he's gone.
I've been critical of some things he's done, but Jamie has a tough job - as many other AD's do. He needs cash flow on a year-to-year basis. Many other schools also depend on the mini-packs and discounts to increase ticket sales, so it's not like we're the only one.
I've been very impressed with the renovations at JTS, and plans for the future. However, until the football team puts out a consistent, winning product, these improvements are like a screen door on a submarine in terms of increasing the fan base.

**jbhtexas** · 10-13-2009, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

Also, check out the Baylor Attendance thread....people are predicting low to mid 40ks for a game that is halfway through the season. I'm not sure why everyone is itching for the AD to bowl in the south endzone when we can't fill out current stadium.

There are also some other aspects to consider besides mid-season attendance. Perhaps you couldn't/can't fill the stadium for every game. But if there was a bowl and 10,000 more seats added to the stadium, could you fill it for some of the games...like Iowa, NU, season opener, etc? What would the additional revenue be from these 2-3 games that might fill up the bigger stadium? Would more seats help attract a home/away series with a bigger name BCS school? Would more seats help attract better TV time or more sponsors?

I don't know the answer to those questions. But, if you had 10,000 more seats and could get $50/seat for a couple of games, that is 10,000 * 50 * 2 = $1,000,000 in additional revenue...which is not insignificant...

**frontrangeclone** · 10-13-2009, 01:40 PM

I was at the Army game a few weeks ago, and was just astounded by the terrible quality of the sound system, so, through the wonder of email, I contacted JP, and as usual, he responds back fairly quickly. Instead of me paraphrasing what he wrote me, I'll just paste it right here (in italics)...

1. We are aware of the sound system challenges. Unfortunately there is not an inexpensive or simple solution. We do need a new system but need to wait to see when we may be in a position to bowl in the south end zone since that will drastically change our sound system needs and location. Until then it is a constant struggle that includes many variables (song, wind direction, wind strength, temperature, crowd size, etc).

**cycloneworld** · 10-13-2009, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by jbhtexas

I don't know the answer to those questions. But, if you had 10,000 more seats and could get $50/seat for a couple of games, that is 10,000 * 50 * 2 = $1,000,000 in additional revenue...which is not insignificant...

Definitely not insignificant but $1m extra per year won't come close to paying for an upgrade of that magnitude. Assuming the upgrade costs $50 million and we get 50% donated and finance the other $25 million over 30 years at say 5%, the annual debt payment alone is $1.6 million.

Using your $50 per ticket, we would have to sell an extra 32,000 seats each year just to meet the debt payment.

**ISUFan22** · 10-13-2009, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

I do agree with you...but have you ever been to KU? That stadium may be the worst in the Big 12. But if you win games, things like that don't matter.

Yeah, that stadium is pretty lame. I mean, it's not horrid but certainly not what you'd expect from a Big 12 stadium.

The other thing we should be thankful for is parking and the vast amount of it we have in the immediate vicinity of our stadium/arena. Not much in Lawrence at all. The area around the stadium does not have much, you basically end up parking on streets if you can find a spot or pay $20-40 to park in someone's lawn, apartment complete or business parking lot.

IMO, it's kind of a mess. However, I was very surprised how quickly we got out of there.