FYI - Screen shots will no longer work for ticket entry at games

[NWICY]

Really great to tell fans "we're cheap and dont want to pay security to be there as long, so tailgating is shortened for many games, also be sure to end your tailgate early so you can be in line an hour ahead of the game". Not great to be chipping away at the main reason our attendance outperforms our on-field results.

Seems like in a number of ways the department has come off as simply cheap nowadays, even when it may be a poor decision in the big picture. Reminds me how they switched the soda cups in johnnys last year to the smallest cups they could find, and then started policing what cups people could use where (they were literally paying people to do nothing but guard the larger cups that were only to be used for coffee)

There were cup police in Johnny's? LOL that is a waste of resources.

 

[CyAg]

Really great to tell fans "we're cheap and dont want to pay security to be there as long, so tailgating is shortened for many games, also be sure to end your tailgate early so you can be in line an hour ahead of the game". Not great to be chipping away at the main reason our attendance outperforms our on-field results.

Seems like in a number of ways the department has come off as simply cheap nowadays, even when it may be a poor decision in the big picture. Reminds me how they switched the soda cups in johnnys last year to the smallest cups they could find, and then started policing what cups people could use where (they were literally paying people to do nothing but guard the larger cups that were only to be used for coffee)

Well said good sir. You make articulate, intellgent and rational points in discourse, more often than not. We will not discuss the not.

 

[NoCreativity]

nothing else, you've proven in this thread that you're willing to waste a hell of a lot of your own personal time

I'll make my own decisions on how to use my time.

I don't know how enjoying a couple more beers with my wife, checking out the merchandise lines, exploring the arena, finding my seats, making friends with other people who got there early, watching the opening band all before the main event is a waste of time but that's just me.

 

[Marcelason78]

There were cup police in Johnny's? LOL that is a waste of resources.

Must not have been a weekend.

 

[jcisuclones]

I like JP but he is full of s*** on this issue. That is a first rate cop out if I ever heard one. There are plenty of college kids who don't go to games who would work the tickets if they paid enough. I don't know what they pay.......but they could pay more if they need to. I'm not just saying this to say it. I have 3 kids in Ames as we speak. One will be done in December, one in the spring and one just started. Hard to find people to work on weekends? BS? Go down Duff to every restaurant and tell me are they struggling because no one wants to work on weekends? Hardly. And most are what.............college students.

It was the fans fault because we didn't get their early enough...........and we don't understand tech. Well geeze JP I guess we should treat every home game in Ames like going to the airport, right. Will that be enough "adapting" to this boneheaded policy? I hope he didn't think about what he was going to say very long and that it was something off the cuff. Because I always thought of him a little better than that. I guess the next move will be to put the students in the top 5 rows of section A so we can get more money for their seats from donors so we can pay the help, right? Unbelievable!

Most of the people working "security" are Iowa Central and DMACC athletes, and have been for as long as I can remember. Are you willing to give up your saturdays to work security? Literally, he said that he does not want to stray away with what we had, but can he do that when doing that isn't an option?

 

[flycy]

Daughter had tickets on her phone but was worried because I pay for tickets and e-mail is different than hers. she called the ticket office the day before and got everything straightened out then. Got there at 12 and walked right in and was offered entry into Jacobsen building to cool off if need be. No problems. Maybe the answer is to prepare beforehand, and not be B####ing about everything. New cell phone towers really improved reception!

As many have said, there was no problem at noon, about 1230 on things came to an absolute standstill for whatever reason. If the masses had started entering at 12 instead of a few, the standstill would have happened then. It's silly to suggest everyone should have to entire an hour early. It has nothing to do with being prepared. For some things worked perfectly, for others with no explanation they did not. I imagine a portion of the holdup was a few who did not know what to do, but there were an unreasonable number of glitches with the tech. The turnstiles were awful.

 

[Cyclone06]

I always laugh at people who complain about "the gameday experience". You are there to watch a football game, what the **** more do you need for "the gameday experience".

The experience is cheer and watch your Cyclones.

Maybe it’s just me getting older and change of life phase, but actually going to games is the least enjoyable it’s ever been. Yesterdays entry did not help.

 

[CyDude16]

It just really feels like ISU is pushing fans away. Which probably isn’t bad cuz those fans are cheapskates anyway.

That’s certainly a take.

 

[flycy]

1. You have a point there, for sure. 2. Get 'er done! 3. Of course I thought of that. It wouldn't be perfect, but those that 'really' needed it could be allowed. Fans would have to keep their umbrellas very low and maybe only use them during time outs, or slow play. Be considerate . On the other hand, umbrellas come out during heavy rain, yes? Ponchos, or reflective plastic tarp sun shields could work and be better than umbrellas. Either this, or bake!! 4. It was just a thought. I have never seen it, tarps to shield the players. Have you? The players are well conditioned but it must be baking down there on the sideline. 5. I knew there was a reason for the restrictions on bottles, concessions being one of them. They need to make an exception clause for extreme heat days. IMO.

Thanks for your post!

3. No umbrellas aren't allowed on rainy days and they shouldn't as every umbrella would obstruct probably a half dozen spectators views.

 

[alarson]

Most of the people working "security" are Iowa Central and DMACC athletes, and have been for as long as I can remember. Are you willing to give up your saturdays to work security? Literally, he said that he does not want to stray away with what we had, but can he do that when doing that isn't an option?

Then expand the talent pool. For the level of actual "security" necessary for things like tailgating lots you certainly dont need athletes. Most security is there to "observe and report" not to be bouncers.

Pay a bit more to attract more labor if necessary. What he cant afford to do is to ruin the one good thing our gameday environment has had going for it when the results have generally not matched.

 

[jcisuclones]

Then expand the talent pool. For the level of actual "security" necessary for things like tailgating lots you certainly dont need athletes. Most security is there to "observe and report" not to be bouncers.

Pay a bit more to attract more labor if necessary. What he cant afford to do is to ruin the one good thing our gameday environment has had going for it.

Dude don't kill the ******* messenger here. They don't pay the people, they pay the groups as a fundraising effort for these juco teams.

 

[CyDude16]

Then expand the talent pool. For the level of actual "security" necessary for things like tailgating lots you certainly dont need athletes. Most security is there to "observe and report" not to be bouncers.

Pay a bit more to attract more labor if necessary. What he cant afford to do is to ruin the one good thing our gameday environment has had going for it when the results have generally not matched.

Even if you made the pay more desirable, it’s not a desirable job.

 

[alarson]

Dude don't kill the ******* messenger here. They don't pay the people, they pay the groups as a fundraising effort for these juco teams.

That really isnt any better. This is a hundred million dollar business, not a high school funding things off bake sales. If those groups cant do the job, then they aren't how the AD should be running those things. Its far past clear that the groups doing similar for concessions are also inadequate and should be replaced by actual employees.

 

[Trice]

I always laugh at people who complain about "the gameday experience". You are there to watch a football game, what the **** more do you need for "the gameday experience".

The experience is cheer and watch your Cyclones.

You know better than this. Sure, there's a lot of dumb, peripheral stuff but most of what we're talking about here actually matters if you want to, you know, attract people to your product and sell tickets.

 

[CyDude16]

That really isnt any better. This is a hundred million dollar business, not a high school funding things off bake sales. If those groups cant do the job, then they aren't how the AD should be running those things. Its far past clear that the groups doing similar for concessions are also inadequate and should be replaced by actual employees.

Concessions, Johnny’s and SEZ club are run by a separate entity entirely that’s not connected to the Atgletic Department, just fyi. It’s Levy Restaurants.

 

[alarson]

Even if you made the pay more desirable, it’s not a desirable job.

I did similar jobs as a high schooler (worked security for a summer and worked parking cars for fairground events). They were nice little gigs for someone of high school/college age to make a little cash on a gig basis

 

[CyDude16]

I did similar jobs as a high schooler (worked security for a summer and worked parking cars for fairground events). They were nice little gigs for someone of high school/college age to make a little cash on a gig basis

And things have changed since then. Assuming you can just throw a higher hourly pay out there to fill positions for a not so desirable job out in the elements is rather asinine.

 

[jcisuclones]

That really isnt any better. This is a hundred million dollar business, not a high school funding things off bake sales. If those groups cant do the job, then they aren't how the AD should be running those things. Its far past clear that the groups doing similar for concessions are also inadequate and should be replaced by actual employees.

They've been doing this for years and it's worked just fine. They had a new system implemented and it didn't go as well as they expected to, and apologized for it, and said they would work to improve. What more do you want? The NFL started this ticketing system within the past few years as well and they had similar issues when it started. Guess what? THEY IMPROVED AFTER THE ISSUES HAPPENED.

 

[jcisuclones]

That really isnt any better. This is a hundred million dollar business, not a high school funding things off bake sales. If those groups cant do the job, then they aren't how the AD should be running those things. Its far past clear that the groups doing similar for concessions are also inadequate and should be replaced by actual employees.

You act like they don't do this already. My friend works for Levy in KC and he has the same exact issues trying to hire people to work events.

 

[IcSyU]

That really isnt any better. This is a hundred million dollar business, not a high school funding things off bake sales. If those groups cant do the job, then they aren't how the AD should be running those things. Its far past clear that the groups doing similar for concessions are also inadequate and should be replaced by actual employees.

How many of these types of positions have you tried hiring for? Ask the service industry how recruiting is going for them right now.

I'm quite confident Jamie is doing most of what is best for the bottom line and I'm guessing whatever gets paid to Iowa Central is significantly cheaper than what employees would cost. The softball players next to us said they don't see a dime of the money directly but it pays for their Florida softball trip each spring.