Jamie Pollard statement regarding ticket scanning process during home opener

[CycloneErik]

Correct... an estimate. JP doesn't even have an accurate count at this point.... so why would I? I'm estimating.

I've been to other Cy-Hawk games before, and I'd say the opposing team has close to 1/4th of the seats in most of these games. Maybe I'm wrong on that??

Maybe. You tend to be comically pessimistic, so you're most likely overestimating the Iowa crowd here.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

Correct... an estimate. JP doesn't even have an accurate count at this point.... so why would I? I'm estimating.

I've been to other Cy-Hawk games before, and I'd say the opposing team has close to 1/4th of the seats in most of these games. Maybe I'm wrong on that??

I would say 5 to 8,000 squawk fans at the game, there fanbase is getting a lot like ours refusing to go over to the others stadium because of the harassment either real or imagined and refuse to go. They get 2,500 tickets from ISU, so at most maybe another 5,000 are getting them on their own. Much like when ISU goes to the craphole. they call Kinnick.

 

[clonedude]

Maybe. You tend to be comically pessimistic, so you're most likely overestimating the Iowa crowd here.

Okay? Whatever. If that makes you feel better.

 

[Clonehomer]

The process we had on the south was, have the ticket pulled up on the phone, hold it to the phone, the turnstile turned, as soon as the next ticket was slid up, the turnstile turned, it was a second or two at best for each of us to go through. I have no idea what the turnstiles were doing if they took 5-10 seconds just to turn after scanning.

I don’t think the turnstiles on the North side were motorized. They just locked or unlocked. Our family of 5 maybe took 10 seconds total to scan all the tickets and get through. But we were just using 1 phone and NFC to scan the tickets. For us, it was seamless. I also am used to using the wallet app for tap to pay so it was already setup.

I can see for those that haven’t embraced the full cashless and cardless systems where it may be a bridge too far to have that as the only way to get your tickets. Should’ve done it as an option this year.

 

[VeloClone]

I think the complaints are justified and appreciated Pollard's apology, but I don't think this was a "last minute" issue. When I was walking to, and waiting in line in the south entrance, I could see the length of the bridge at a standstill all the way to the back to the base of the bridge. And that was 30 minutes before kickoff. Once I got to my seats in section C, I could see out the north entrance that the cluster there went almost all the way back to Trice Drive (or whatever they are calling it these days). That crowd did not thin until the first quarter was nearly over.

60,000 scans / 30 minutes across 30 scanners (10 at each of the entrance) = 66 scans per minute = 1 scan per second per machine. Anything less than that adds to the entrance time.

We'll get more efficient as the season moves on, but the math says to either show up 45+ minutes early or plan to miss kickoff.

The bridge was packed and backed up through the first quarter for the first game last year too.

 

[clonedude]

I would say 5 to 8,000 squawk fans at the game, there fanbase is getting a lot like ours refusing to go over to the others stadium because of the harassment either real or imagined and refuse to go. They get 2,500 tickets from ISU, so at most maybe another 5,000 are getting them on their own. Much like when ISU goes to the craphole. they call Kinnick.

There will be about 20k Hawk fans that come to the stadium with no plan whatsoever on going into the game.

 

[VeloClone]

From the other thread, sounds like the wall might be coming down. Stay tuned.

Mr. Pollard, tear down this wall!

 

[carvers4math]

I would say 5 to 8,000 squawk fans at the game, there fanbase is getting a lot like ours refusing to go over to the others stadium because of the harassment either real or imagined and refuse to go. They get 2,500 tickets from ISU, so at most maybe another 5,000 are getting them on their own. Much like when ISU goes to the craphole. they call Kinnick.

Assuming their band will stay safely at home to prevent further sexual assaults that they never filed police reports about

 

[flycy]

View attachment 116290
Nice seats huh?

I thought maybe you were exaggerating. Nope, that is terrible. Needs to come down. Who thought that was OK?????

 

[clonedude]

Assuming their band will stay safely at home to prevent further sexual assaults that they never filed police reports about

Gawd... I hope so. I don't think any marching band should ever travel to any away games... it's dumb. Nothing worse during a game than two bands trying to play over one another from the stands. Just stay home!

 

[CyAg]

It might not be an improvement to you, but I guarantee the AD didn't just change it for the hell of it.

#1 Ticketmaster may not have given them a choice
#2 They may have gotten financial incentives to go this direction
#3 It will cut down on fraud...which is something they hate having to deal with
#4 This in the long run will cut down on the number of people they need at gates that they're struggling to hire
#5 This isn't some special Iowa State thing...this is damn near everywhere at large facilities

You did not answer the question if you are on staff?

 

[CyAg]

It might not be an improvement to you, but I guarantee the AD didn't just change it for the hell of it.

#1 Ticketmaster may not have given them a choice
#2 They may have gotten financial incentives to go this direction
#3 It will cut down on fraud...which is something they hate having to deal with
#4 This in the long run will cut down on the number of people they need at gates that they're struggling to hire
#5 This isn't some special Iowa State thing...this is damn near everywhere at large facilities

Quantify the actual costs and exposures you listed vs fan costs.

 

[Cloned4Life]

I had no issues getting in a$$hat. I was in my seat 10 minutes before kickoff using the TM app.

I've never had cell issues in the past. I was surprised that it was so bad Saturday.

I have/had no intention of installing Google wallet until I discovered the cell coverage was sooo bad in the lots and didn't want to hold up the line when I got there.

How 'bout you do you.

Not trying to pick a fight, just legit amazed. You have gotten cell service at Jack Trice in prior years!? No one I have EVER talked to - family, friends, acquaintances, etc - has ever gotten service at JTS, other than randomly spotty slow service every once in a blue moon. Sincerely, really happy for you!

This past Saturday I had great service the entire game. First time I can remember. On the bridge during a 45 minute+ wait, at concessions, at our seats. I honestly couldn’t believe how amazing the cell coverage was basically the entire time I was in the stadium. iPhone 14 Pro here.

 

[IcSyU]

You did not answer the question if you are on staff?

Let's see...location Rochester, MN...

I'm going to go with no.

Quantify the actual costs and exposures you listed vs fan costs.

I can't speak exactly to Iowa State's situation...

But I can throw out what I've seen from my clients, industry feedback I've received from clients, and common sense. If you think athletics willy nilly did this for the hell of it, especially with how stingy we tend to be with money, there's no reasoning with you.

 

[Cyclone Pfan]

Not trying to pick a fight, just legit amazed. You have gotten cell service at Jack Trice in prior years!? No one I have EVER talked to - family, friends, acquaintances, etc - has ever gotten service at JTS, other than randomly spotty slow service every once in a blue moon. Sincerely, really happy for you!

This past Saturday I had great service the entire game. First time I can remember. On the bridge during a 45 minute+ wait, at concessions, at our seats. I honestly couldn’t believe how amazing the cell coverage was basically the entire time I was in the stadium. iPhone 14 Pro here.

It was a 180 for me. I've had acceptable cell coverage in past years. I'm not watching espn in the stands or anything, but I've always been able to send/receive texts. I could even use varsity app on walk to/from stadium. Even pics at end of game without major issue.

I've always used screen captures in the past to get in.

We were 0-for-4 with cell coverage saturday with 4 different phone types, all on Verizon. Same story from my kids friends and most of the folks in my tailgate party.

I helped a few non tech savvy folks getting their tickets into their (apple & Google) wallets through the week. I was panicked when I couldn't get any sustained cell coverage saturday to buffer my tickets in the TM app or browser.

I was able to get my tickets to pull up in the app while in line though and all ended good.

 

[Cycsk]

Sorry if someone has already suggested this, but thought I would offer a suggestion for those who care (and yes, I will be offering this to Pollard himself):

Take care of educating folks about how to scan their tickets by putting a few "practice" scanners and turnstiles along the bridge with staff to help people have their "bad" experiences out of the way when there are no consequences.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

Saturday I would say I had the best cell service tailgating and in the stadium that I have ever had. We have USCellure and I could text and update scores from ESPN. I was shocked but it was that way the entire game.

 

[CyAg]

Let's see...location Rochester, MN...

I'm going to go with no.

I can't speak exactly to Iowa State's situation...

But I can throw out what I've seen from my clients, industry feedback I've received from clients, and common sense. If you think athletics willy nilly did this for the hell of it, especially with how stingy we tend to be with money, there's no reasoning with you.

Thank you for your reply and I all I am doing asking you to provide additional background on the rational and points you posted on. They may be fully valid, but in a point of discussion in which you were asked to back up your point, your last response was not a direct answer to a simple question on staffing connection, you said you could "throw out" these points and then just dismissed all by no reasoning with me and how stingy we are.

You may very well be correct on all points but I simply asked you to provide background and justification on them. Is that difficult? And before you talk stingy, I think I have earned my donor qualifications.

Best wishes and have a good night.

 

[cysdaone]

At our turnstile at the south gate, the ticket staff was taking each person's phone and putting it in the right place and scanning it for us. Not sure if all of the turnstiles were like that, doesn't sound like it. They were trying to move people through. Still took forever.

They also shouldn't have taken the tents away over the ticket people.

 

[2speedy1]

At our turnstile at the south gate, the ticket staff was taking each person's phone and putting it in the right place and scanning it for us. Not sure if all of the turnstiles were like that, doesn't sound like it. They were trying to move people through. Still took forever.

They also shouldn't have taken the tents away over the ticket people.

They were trying that at our North gate....but it didnt matter. They could not get our tix to read either, neither could the supervisor.

It was not user error for some, they just flat out wouldnt work.