I am asking a bunch of people for their opinions on this because I don't want to seem like a Karen but whatever, let's see what CF thinks.
TL;DR - ESPN Invitational was the worst fan experience of all the tournaments I've been to since going to multiple since graduation and wondering if I should complain. I hope the team experience was way better.
----
I purchased tickets to the ESPN Invitational earlier this month because I found out I would be in the US and I try to go to most of our holiday tournaments. It's a cool way to meet fans both Cyclones and others in usually a fun setting with a good early season look against cool competition. Leading up to the event I signed up for every presales and newsletter and received minimal info on basically everything.
We had an incredible showing of fan support with probably 2/3 of ALL fans there being Iowa State this weekend. It was amazing. I would probably rank it in terms of people ISU, A&M, PSU, VT, BSU, VCU, Butler, and FAU with some fans coming up the last day for FAU as they were in the championship.
I also bought courtside hospitality tickets all 3 days because I usually try to do that for all the holiday tournaments as sort of a "treat yourself"/holiday present for myself. Every tournament is different but they usually include some mix food, alcohol, special access to certain areas, and good seats.
ESPN offered the following which required a separate purchase for the area on top of your hospitality fee. Key points highlighted by me
ISU was the evening session all 3 nights so I paid $90 x 3 for the experience + fees so roughly an extra $300. Tickets for upper deck were $35 a session (though the last night I got tickets for $6 on TickPick)
Courtside hospitality was really just taking over one of the baselines as you can see in the black area in the first pick but did provide some cool angles.
Night 1
I arrive 45min before tip and they haven't let anyone in yet. Wait in line for a very long time with thousands of other fans and half of us miss tip off.
Food was Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Chips, and Lemonade/Tea/Water and my 2 drink tickets which I used for a mixed drink each. Afternoon session had the exact same from what a Penn State fan told me.
Night 2
I arrive an hour before tip and there was ample time to enter the arena before tip off.
Food was Hot Dogs, Chicken Nuggets, and Lemonade/Tea/Water and my 2 drink tickets which I used for a mixed drink each. Afternoon session session was only hot dogs from what a A&M fan told me.
(no pic sorry)
Night 3
I arrive around halftime of the previous game so not a huge issue getting in and got to see tip off easily.
Food was cold turkey sliders on parker rolls with cheese and tomatoes. I made a comment about hot food and someone came around and asked who wanted hot pretzels. Also my 2 drink tickets. Afternoon session was a Nacho and Salsa bar with beef and chicken from what a VCU fan told me.
Multiple times throughout the weekend there was players, team personel, and even employees on the "lounge furniture" so the only seating area was occupied.
Alcohol was Titos, New Amsterdam Gin, and Jack Daniels, or beer wise was 16oz domestics with I think a Jai Alai IPA as the fancy one. Wine, no clue.
Outside of the hospitality section, the tournament was very poorly ran. Little information compared to most tournaments with the NIT Tip-Off being of similar vibes... just like show up and figure it out. The website is absolutely awful and it's actually a separate custom TicketMaster account just for ESPN Wide World of Sports which is madness. The entire place was basically shut down without any of the restaurants or activities availble except for the tourney itself. Not even a Uber Pickup area sign until you found it yourself.
Anyway. Long story short. Do you complain? Would you complain or ask for a full or partial refund on anything.
TL;DR - ESPN Invitational was the worst fan experience of all the tournaments I've been to since going to multiple since graduation and wondering if I should complain. I hope the team experience was way better.
----
I purchased tickets to the ESPN Invitational earlier this month because I found out I would be in the US and I try to go to most of our holiday tournaments. It's a cool way to meet fans both Cyclones and others in usually a fun setting with a good early season look against cool competition. Leading up to the event I signed up for every presales and newsletter and received minimal info on basically everything.
We had an incredible showing of fan support with probably 2/3 of ALL fans there being Iowa State this weekend. It was amazing. I would probably rank it in terms of people ISU, A&M, PSU, VT, BSU, VCU, Butler, and FAU with some fans coming up the last day for FAU as they were in the championship.
I also bought courtside hospitality tickets all 3 days because I usually try to do that for all the holiday tournaments as sort of a "treat yourself"/holiday present for myself. Every tournament is different but they usually include some mix food, alcohol, special access to certain areas, and good seats.
ESPN offered the following which required a separate purchase for the area on top of your hospitality fee. Key points highlighted by me
ISU was the evening session all 3 nights so I paid $90 x 3 for the experience + fees so roughly an extra $300. Tickets for upper deck were $35 a session (though the last night I got tickets for $6 on TickPick)
Courtside hospitality was really just taking over one of the baselines as you can see in the black area in the first pick but did provide some cool angles.
Night 1
I arrive 45min before tip and they haven't let anyone in yet. Wait in line for a very long time with thousands of other fans and half of us miss tip off.
Food was Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Chips, and Lemonade/Tea/Water and my 2 drink tickets which I used for a mixed drink each. Afternoon session had the exact same from what a Penn State fan told me.
Night 2
I arrive an hour before tip and there was ample time to enter the arena before tip off.
Food was Hot Dogs, Chicken Nuggets, and Lemonade/Tea/Water and my 2 drink tickets which I used for a mixed drink each. Afternoon session session was only hot dogs from what a A&M fan told me.
(no pic sorry)
Night 3
I arrive around halftime of the previous game so not a huge issue getting in and got to see tip off easily.
Food was cold turkey sliders on parker rolls with cheese and tomatoes. I made a comment about hot food and someone came around and asked who wanted hot pretzels. Also my 2 drink tickets. Afternoon session was a Nacho and Salsa bar with beef and chicken from what a VCU fan told me.
Multiple times throughout the weekend there was players, team personel, and even employees on the "lounge furniture" so the only seating area was occupied.
Alcohol was Titos, New Amsterdam Gin, and Jack Daniels, or beer wise was 16oz domestics with I think a Jai Alai IPA as the fancy one. Wine, no clue.
Outside of the hospitality section, the tournament was very poorly ran. Little information compared to most tournaments with the NIT Tip-Off being of similar vibes... just like show up and figure it out. The website is absolutely awful and it's actually a separate custom TicketMaster account just for ESPN Wide World of Sports which is madness. The entire place was basically shut down without any of the restaurants or activities availble except for the tourney itself. Not even a Uber Pickup area sign until you found it yourself.
Anyway. Long story short. Do you complain? Would you complain or ask for a full or partial refund on anything.
