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Post by section220 on Jun 29, 2008 8:58:43 GMT -5
I agree that a ticket increase was both overdue and necessary, but... when does it end??? Since 2004 I've seen my tickets go from $5 a game to $40 a game. And I know that to have lower level seats for a major D1 basketball team its gonna be pricey. And I know that what I had percieved as a major increase in prices last year only got us in the ballpark of most mid-level basketball schools. But maybe I'm just bitter that when everyone seems to be gouging the consumer, my beloved Georgetown Hoyas are kind of doing the same to me! Maybe I should just stop complaining because I'm gonna pay it, I love this team, and I love Steve Alleva because he always takes care of me!
Next issue, since I'm just gonna pay the $$$ and be done with it, why require a donation for the entire 200 level? I'm always trying to think of ways that Gtown could bring in fans, like myself, who have no affiliation with the school and don't think that forcing them to pay a $50 donation per seat or shoving them up into the 400-level is the answer. The only way that we're gonna get the 'booth's home-court advantage to where I'm sure we all want it to be is to draw on the fans from the local community. And I don't mean the local corporate community who take buisness partners to the game and talk stocks or read the newspaper at the game. I'm talking the blue-collar community and we're pushing them further and further up. Maybe I come at this situation with a different perspective than most, but I'd love to hear what everyone thinks.
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Jun 29, 2008 9:05:21 GMT -5
220: This is simply leveraging demand to generate $upport for the program. In past years the Athletic Department did not take full advantage of the popularity of the basketball program. Even with these prices they are delivering more value for money than some similarly priced professional sports (e.g., the NBA) are.
I have not seen the AD's letter yet (hasn't hit Boston) so I can't comment on whether it was well-written or ham-handed. As an aside, if this will drive out some of those who seem to sell the majority of their tickets on eBay or Craigslist thereby allowing more real supporters access to good seats, then that is a good thing IMO.
EDIT: I've seen the cover letter (thanks, DFW) and it seems pretty even-handed to me. I've not seen the specific price increases, but can understand how it may well be a significant commitment of $$ for many. DFW raised another point in his email to me: if airfares do not improve, that will be a major consideration for out of town season ticket holders.
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hoyatables
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Post by hoyatables on Jun 29, 2008 9:20:41 GMT -5
220: This is simply leveraging demand to generate $upport for the program. In past years the Athletic Department did not take full advantage of the popularity of the basketball program. Even with these prices they are delivering more value for money than some similarly priced professional sports (e.g., the NBA) are. I have not seen the AD's letter yet (hasn't hit Boston) so I can't comment on whether it was well-written or ham-handed. As an aside, if this will drive out some of those who seem to sell the majority of their tickets on eBay or Craigslist thereby allowing more real supporters access to good seats, then that is a good thing IMO. Good point about the speculators, Dan. While I suspect that some may just try to pass on the cost to the scalpees, there may be others that decide the cost increase is just not worth it. I think the tone of the letter was actually pretty fair and balanced and also basically said that "if we want to stay competitive, we need to do things the way that other competitive schools do them, and that means raising more money to pay for those things."
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Post by Coast2CoastHoya on Jun 29, 2008 10:07:37 GMT -5
Tables: True, the program has been a good value-for-money the last few years. True, the program needs more money. A little more warning would have nice though. Basically, the choice for less-young alums and others on a tight budget is between season tickets and all other forms of entertainment for about half a year, or for those of us from the West coast, a trip home. Of course, I will suck it up and pay because, hey, I can't imagine a season without the A Team or the Hoyas!
PushyGuyFanClub: that's insane. 1400%? Are you sure your seat's not in Zimbabwe? How does Mrs. PushyGuyFanClub feel about this?
Dan: the letter was ok -- the main thing it missed the boat on was a bottom line. I get that donations and seat prices are going up, but what's my total? That's the main thing it needed.
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Post by PushyGuyFanClub on Jun 29, 2008 11:08:55 GMT -5
I know coming off of the YA discount distorts the market, but yeah, a 1400% increase. Positively zimbabwean. I wish we could have bought futures in this market a few years back. We'd be sitting pretty.
Speaking of futures...if Gtown needs cash so badly...why not sell us 5-year ticket packages. They lock in a home court advantage, we lock in prices (perhaps rising only at the actual US rate of inflation (we'll use the CPI)), and they get all of the cash up front to do whatever it is they feel like they need to do (i.e., capital projects).
The good news is that MrsPGFC is happy to pay it (I'll cave to, though I am investigating lower cost options). She wants to hang on to the seats. I'm the one who's been getting killed in the market.
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kellycpcm
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Post by kellycpcm on Jun 29, 2008 11:13:11 GMT -5
We can’t compare ourselves to Louisville. They are the only decent game in town. In DC we have our Pro Teams and Georgetown is one of four area college BB teams going to the NCAA, three of which have been to the Final Four in the last five years. It’s a little tougher market for Muir to compete in.
Also we do not have football revenue to carry the Athletic Department like many of the Big East schools. I was surprised at UCONN’s shoe deal. They got $1M for a practice facility. That all said, Muir is taking advantage of the opportunity at this time because we sold out the lower and 200 levels last year. I just hate to pay $82 a ticket for the non-conference games. That’s ($32 + $50 (750/15) HHC per game) for a $40 face value ticket.
I am a season ticket holder for football at another major school, and as a donator, they sure treat us better than Georgetown. My same season tickets in four years have gone from $550 each to $1230 each all in. That’s about the same as the change in the price of gas for my car.
I still think that these are the best tickets in town, just a little pricier.
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Jun 29, 2008 11:50:53 GMT -5
Dan kinda mentioned this, but do you guys think that the higher prices will encourage people to attend more games, or will they be too high and allow only people who can afford them, but who will not go to every game (only the biggest ones), to buy tickets?
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kellycpcm
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Post by kellycpcm on Jun 29, 2008 11:58:12 GMT -5
jgalt,,
If you see the logic, all the seats are sold out in the 100's and 200's to season ticketholders,(Georgetown has our money and HHC donation), therefore, the only individual games tickets are in the 400's or from resellers.
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jgalt
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Post by jgalt on Jun 29, 2008 19:42:38 GMT -5
jgalt,, If you see the logic, all the seats are sold out in the 100's and 200's to season ticketholders,(Georgetown has our money and HHC donation), therefore, the only individual games tickets are in the 400's or from resellers. Yeah i know. what i am asking is if making the tickets (thats ticket+donation) more expensive will discourage those who buy season tickets and then only go to the biggest games and sell the rest of their tickets (or just waste them by not using them or letting opposing fans get them) from purchasing ticket plans, like Dan mentioned. The new prices dont apply to me because i am a student, but i was just trying to add to the discussion.
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SirSaxa
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Post by SirSaxa on Jun 29, 2008 19:53:00 GMT -5
jgalt,, If you see the logic, all the seats are sold out in the 100's and 200's to season ticketholders,(Georgetown has our money and HHC donation), therefore, the only individual games tickets are in the 400's or from resellers. Yeah i know. what i am asking is if making the tickets (thats ticket+donation) more expensive will discourage those who buy season tickets and then only go to the biggest games and sell the rest of their tickets (or just waste them by not using them or letting opposing fans get them) from purchasing ticket plans, like Dan mentioned. The new prices dont apply to me because i am a student, but i was just trying to add to the discussion. I think you are suggesting the more expensive the tickets, the greater percentage will be bought by people who are so well off they'll pay a lot of $$ even though they only go to a few games, and they don't want to hassle with the resales. Therefore, fewer people will actually attend some of the less attractive games. Could be. But somehow or other, tickets generally seem to get to those who want to see games. My guess? Maybe it will have a small impact on OOC cupcake games. But good games? People want to go.
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theexorcist
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Post by theexorcist on Jun 30, 2008 6:26:43 GMT -5
A few things.
1. As has been pointed out, Louisville has no other competition for your money at the highest level of pro sports. Washington does.
2. Compared to Duke, Georgetown has a big arena. A big arena with a WNBA attendance champion banner.
And a big arena whose inflexibility on dates makes it consistently difficult for Georgetown to get good home games.
3. We got baited and switched. Georgetown's argument last year with regards to a weak nonconference schedule was "wait until next year". Well, we waited .... and when we get a better nonconference schedule, we pay for it.
4. I found the letter blunt and condescending.
Let's take a look at "some people may find these raises excessive". Yes, when you're raising the price when the team is not expected to be as good as it was last year, the housing market has tanked, and gas is more than $4 a gallon, I find that price raise excessive.
Even better is the comment that Georgetown is not in the same price bracket as its peer institutions. I see that as two things. One says that they will have no compunction against raising prices in the future. The other is an insinuation that we've been free-riding and we should feel guilty.
Look, I'm a sucker. A letter saying "look, we don't have I-A football, we gave III an extension, we need the money to be competitive" sounds a hell of a lot better than "we're going to raise prices, suck it up".
5. After whining, I'll suck it up and get tickets. But not everyone's going to do this. Some people are going to pass on basketball (and maybe go for partial season tickets for the Capitals, who also play in winter and have a fan-friendly administration). That may mean more fans who won't cheer as loudly for the Hoyas. It also may mean a potential drop in attendance.
6. One other thing. With the price increase and the tone of the letter, Georgetown better be good next year. If the administration wants to make this a capitalism issue rather than a school spirit issue, I'll expect results for my investment.
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DFW HOYA
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Post by DFW HOYA on Jun 30, 2008 9:14:16 GMT -5
Your post is montly complaints. What would you do differently?
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theexorcist
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Post by theexorcist on Jun 30, 2008 9:29:28 GMT -5
Your post is montly complaints. What would you do differently? The problem I have is with the letter. I would not have pulled the "peer institutions" crap. I would have emphasized that, as indicated on the HoyaSaxa main page, that Georgetown needs this money from its season ticket holders to remain competitive. The letter, as written, was insulting in its unwritten claim that Georgetown's athletics department will charge what the market will bear. Appealing to my capitalistic influences as opposed to my school spirit influences has costs. I also remember something from last year when ticket prices rose was a comment on the letter (which I may be hallucinating) that essentially said Georgetown hadn't raised prices in eons. Well, they can't use that defense this year when they jacked up prices significantly. In a year when the team is expected by few, if any, to challenge for a national championship (as opposed to last year), I would have raised prices by a smaller amount. This is particularly notable since complaints about a weak home schedule last year were met with "it will change next year". Everyone conveniently forgot to mention last yera that we're being charged a premium not to watch the Hoyas beat up on Fordham. So, summary version - more conciliatory letter, and not jacking up ticket prices just because you can.
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turbohoya
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Post by turbohoya on Jun 30, 2008 9:46:53 GMT -5
anybody in NY area get the letter yet? Still nothing in my mail box...
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Post by Fan Of The Game on Jun 30, 2008 10:12:29 GMT -5
I don't mind the increase if that's fair market value. I.E. I'll pay the $750 donation to stay in the back row of section 100, but I want to make sure that all the seats in front of me actually sold out and that someone paid at least a $750 donation to get them. Last year I ordered individual game tickets to a few Big East games and was surprised to see the tickets I received be in the 100 level. How is that even possible?
The answers I have received had indicated that these were either tickets that people donated back to the University (I can't imagine so...the odds of me getting these seats to a Big East game would mean a lot of people are donating their tickets back) or that they came from some sort of athletic department ticket reserve held for players' families, former players, university guests, etc. And that concept makes sense, but I really hope someone has the reigns on the volume of that going on before asking me for a 33% increase in my donation.
As I said, I don't mind the money, it's going to a place I love; I just don't like to see inefficiency in how we manage things. If they lay out the donation levels so that you need a $500 minimum donation to get 100 level tickets, then we should get at least, I'm guessing 3500 donations of $500 or more (once you take out the student sections)? And if the 200 level needs a donation for season tickets then we should expect, what 6000 donations of $25 or more?
I'm all for us collecting $4-$5M, but I want the athletic department to be held accountable for it. You gotta' have some faith in people being able to do their jobs, and past experiences with the ticket office have caused me to at least question their organizational skills.
Please someone correct me if my math is wrong. Also, I don't have access to the last annual report...how many donations at each level were received last year? Enough to fill the lower bowl?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2008 10:26:53 GMT -5
...I really hope someone has the reigns on the volume of that going on before asking me for a 33% increase in my donation... Since they're asking you for a 50% increase, do you still need an explanation? Math is hard... ;D
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Post by Fan Of The Game on Jun 30, 2008 10:29:47 GMT -5
D'oh! I knew there was going to be a math error in there somewhere.
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Post by hoyasaxa98 on Jun 30, 2008 10:30:00 GMT -5
If they lay out the donation levels so that you need a $500 minimum donation to get 100 level tickets, then we should get at least, I'm guessing 3500 donations of $500 or more (once you take out the student sections)? And if the 200 level needs a donation for season tickets then we should expect, what 6000 donations of $25 or more? I'm all for us collecting $4-$5M $4-5mm seemed like a high number... Using your numbers: 3500 donations of $500 = $1.75mm and 6000 donations of $25 = only $150,000 so the total would be $1.9mm
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2008 10:41:56 GMT -5
And not all lower-level seats have a $500 minimum donation. Corner sections have lower numbers (I don't have the numbers in front of me, but they are lower).
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TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Jun 30, 2008 10:45:58 GMT -5
If they lay out the donation levels so that you need a $500 minimum donation to get 100 level tickets, then we should get at least, I'm guessing 3500 donations of $500 or more (once you take out the student sections)? And if the 200 level needs a donation for season tickets then we should expect, what 6000 donations of $25 or more? I'm all for us collecting $4-$5M $4-5mm seemed like a high number... Using your numbers: 3500 donations of $500 = $1.75mm and 6000 donations of $25 = only $150,000 so the total would be $1.9mm Did you include the four lower bowl sections that have Young Alums in them in this figuring?
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