CAHoya07
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by CAHoya07 on Feb 22, 2010 14:56:01 GMT -5
I do think the school could do a better job marketing the program to locals. I didn't go to GU nor did anybody in my family. I grew up a big fan - having season tickets as a kid and staying loyal to Gtown basketball even while I was an undergrad at UVA (in the mid-90's when we actually had a decent program). Returned to being a season ticket holder a few years ago. Gtown basketball is a good product, and I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility for the team to become DC's team or at least get a lot more local interest. I think a good place to start would be to de-emphasize the "We are Georgetown" mantra. Even as a life long Hoya fan, it makes me feel like a bit of an outsider at the games - just seems elitist/exclusionary. 100% agree! I'm a huge Hoya fan but have no affiliation with the school. I grew up in upstate NY , an hour out of Syracuse. Its the product on the court that drew me in, not anything else. Ewing, Zo, Mt. Mutombo, JYD, etc was the reason for my allegiance. I felt the hoya paranoia. I feel like many Hoya fans feel entitlement because of the school they go to and that other schools' fans are hicks, thugs, etc. Well, whatever they are, they are making for threads like this. I also feel the "We are Georgetown" chant excludes many Hoya fans. The basketball program is back and the fans need to embrace it. Do we want to see the product go back to the late 90s , early 00's? I know I don't. Fans need to cheer from minute 1, not after down 20. Going back to this for a second, I understand if that's how you feel, but I think that the "We Are Georgetown" slogan applies to any Georgetown fan, especially from the local DC community. Everybody who cheers for Georgetown helps make it a special program. I really don't think it's intended to be elitist or exclusionary, except to brag that we are better than other schools, which, of course, we are. Also, it's JT III's favorite cheer, so I don't think it's going anywhere any time soon.
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Post by alonzosflattop on Feb 22, 2010 15:06:18 GMT -5
I, for one, find it particularly obnoxious to imply shaming individuals or businesses for selling their tickets to games. It is none of anyone else's business what someone does with their tickets. They are their property. If they need the money and can't attend a certain game, then it is their business whether they sell their tickets. This idea that you are obligated to some sect of privileged fans who are too good to sell tickets is ridiculous. Deal with the fans that you don't like, no the people who you want to blame for their being there. Unless someone on this board is going to pay for every unused ticket, I think this shame mongering needs to stop.
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Post by staggerlee on Feb 22, 2010 15:38:24 GMT -5
...This idea that you are obligated to some sect of privileged fans who are too good to sell tickets is ridiculous,... Are you talking about that privileged sect of fans that are on the court and bench and call themselves the Georgetown Hoyas ? Yeah, why should anyone consider what they think. I think I can understand the roots of your aversion to shame
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SFHoya99
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
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Post by SFHoya99 on Feb 22, 2010 15:42:13 GMT -5
Aside from refusing to sell to a person because of protected status (race, sex, etc), I'm pretty sure Georgetown can put any restriction on the tickets they sell. If they want them to be non-transferrable, they could. A lawyer can correct me if I'm wrong.
Likewise, that would decrease the number of season-ticket holders, both in scalpers and in folsk who can't go to every game and ultimately decrease revenue significantly.
Any short term solution (you can only sell through the University, you can lose your season tickets, even identifying the scalpers, etc.) will hurt short-term revenue and I imagine by more than those annoyed by being next to Syracuse fans.
(that said, why not kill the priority of the scalpers - they shouldn't be getting access to sweet seats if real fans want them?)
Long term, the solution is to build the fan base. But short term, there's only little things to be done.
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FLHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Proud Member of Generation Burton
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Post by FLHoya on Feb 22, 2010 18:02:02 GMT -5
Long term, the solution is to build the fan base. But short term, there's only little things to be done. Correct answer in my view. If we're being honest with ourselves, we have to look at every suggestion we make through the eye of what our Athletic Department and Ticket Office have the means and willingness to accomplish. Steve Alleva, for what he's accomplished in his time in McDonough, is a miracle worker in my book, and a tirelessly working one at that. But we're only just recently even giving him an actual staff of people. Ditto the Hoyas Unlimited people--they're at the highest number I can remember and that's, like, four people. We've made a lot of progress in five years expanding the base of season ticket holders, and reaching out to local constituents. We still have a long way to go, and the task of filling the Verizon Center on a consistent basis with a core group of Georgetown fans may actually be out of reach for all I know. But we keep making progress, I assure you. You can look at the season ticket numbers year to year, and the HHC donation numbers and money figures. Every extra ticket we sell means a slightly less likely chance an opposing fan sits in a seat (as we all know however, that's not a 1 to 1 ratio). It takes a lot of effort to pull off something memorable. The Duke Gray Out was in the works since the summer--seemed like it was all we talked about at HHC board meetings back then. The Cuse and Duke games in 2006 were a lot like that. With the staff we have and the (complete and utter lack of any serious) funding we have, certain things you just cannot do on a game-in, game-out basis. Not yet. Was letting the Cuse game this year alone a strategic miscalculation? Sure seems like it. But I'm not sure what would have worked--as I keep emphasizing, those Orange fans in the 400 level bought their tickets on Ticketmaster. The long term solutions that build our fan base will hopefully slowly eat away at that problem. Until then, in the short term--don't be shy about keeping the ideas coming, just like DFW is on the front page (the personal ID card is a fascinating idea for discussion, although sadly the first thing I thought of was reasons McD wouldn't spend $$$ to do it). And send those ideas to McDonough, including Steve Alleva--he asks for feedback all the time. My (uninformed) guess is that we'll see at least some step taken next season to keep Georgetown tickets in the hands of Georgetown fans--I think even the folks complaining in this thread about being "called out" for selling their tickets would agree, we'd all rather see GU fans seated in the Verizon Center than our opponents' supporters. Course, one method that's been proven to lower the number of ticket brokers w/ season tickets hasn't been brought up too much here: Raising donation level requirements.
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Post by Fan Of The Game on Feb 22, 2010 18:35:32 GMT -5
Let's keep that suggestion out of the discussion, FL! I'm barely holding onto the second to last row of the lower bowl...an increase will push me to the 200 level. (Or more likely get me to cease my season tickets completely and just buy individual game tickets for Big East and Top 25 non-conference home games. I'd spend much more per ticket but much less over the course of the season.
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CTHoya08
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Bring back Izzo!
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Post by CTHoya08 on Feb 22, 2010 19:34:37 GMT -5
Would there be a way to implement the ID card without making it mandatory? Maybe make it an option to swipe along with the ticket barcode. Then maybe give those whose cards have been swiped the most the first chance to move up, or increased ticket seniority, or whatever (as an out of towner, I don't know how this works) without totally shutting out those who aren't going to use every single ticket.
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Post by nolahoya on Feb 23, 2010 14:07:37 GMT -5
Two years ago at the end of the season I called Steve Aleva and requested a change in my seats. I sit in Sec. 112 and told him I was sick and tired of going to HOME games and sitting next to opposition fans EVERY game. I said the entire row other than us was opposition fans. He said he would "see what he could do". So I stayed in my seats. Well the last 2 years the row has always been Hoya fans. I asked a guy sitting next to me if he was the season ticket holder and he said no the tickets for the row were from the Athletic Dept. So it is worth it to complain and call out the traitors who sell to opposition fans. Unfortunately, I missed the SU game because I was in New Orleans, but if I was there I definitely would have taken down seat and row numbers and passed the info on to Steve. As someone earlier posted, if we can't go to the games, the seats are either empty or we give our tickets to Hoya fans, we NEVER EVER sell the tickets to opposition fans.
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Post by ColumbiaHeightsHoya on Feb 23, 2010 15:01:59 GMT -5
Isn't stubhub a verizon center sponsor? I have sold tix for Harvard, St. Johns & Seton Hall this year on stubhub as no one I sit with needed them. They were all bought by locals although the Harvard one was a local although I am sure no one wants to beat me up over that one.
The challenge of filling the booth will always be a problem but I agree with all posters that outside of the occassional one or two opposing fans in the lower bowl, that needs to be more Gtown and regular sellers should be bumped up. Also, who has the suite of jack asses in section 100. They were all Cuse.
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skyhoya
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by skyhoya on Feb 23, 2010 15:11:37 GMT -5
many of the suites were ALL Orange. No surprise, we did the same thing at Wachovia. Itg one game a yhear, they really lived it up.
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CAHoya07
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 3,598
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Post by CAHoya07 on Feb 23, 2010 15:32:35 GMT -5
For the record, it's not ALL opposing fans that buy tickets on StubHub, some Georgetown fans do use it too. For the 100th Anniversary Marquette game in 2007, that's how I got my parents lower bowl seats.
Nevertheless, it does seem too easy for opposing fans to get their grimy hands on tickets this way.
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kchoya
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
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Post by kchoya on Feb 23, 2010 15:50:46 GMT -5
I, for one, find it particularly obnoxious to imply shaming individuals or businesses for selling their tickets to games. It is none of anyone else's business what someone does with their tickets. They are their property. If they need the money and can't attend a certain game, then it is their business whether they sell their tickets. This idea that you are obligated to some sect of privileged fans who are too good to sell tickets is ridiculous. Deal with the fans that you don't like, no the people who you want to blame for their being there. Unless someone on this board is going to pay for every unused ticket, I think this shame mongering needs to stop. Actually I don't think they're the ticket purchaser's property. I haven't done any research on the issue, but I think they'd be more properly classified as a license, which the university could revoke or place conditions on.
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Feb 23, 2010 16:12:52 GMT -5
Actually I don't think they're the ticket purchaser's property. I haven't done any research on the issue, but I think they'd be more properly classified as a license, which the university could revoke or place conditions on. Bingo, and this is why SF's post above is absolutely correct. ON EDIT: I also wouldn't be surprised to learn the license is already non-transferrable, meaning GU would simply have to enforce an already-existing rule. Any season ticket holders wish to reproduce the fine print on the back of their stubs here?
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PhillyHoya
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 2,016
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Post by PhillyHoya on Feb 23, 2010 16:22:58 GMT -5
Tickets are on my desk.
"This ticket is a revocable license and may be taken up and admission refused upon refunding purchasing price. Ticket not transferable, resale prohibited. No refunds or exchanges except in case of event cancellation. Once delivered this ticket will not be replaced if lost, mislaid, stolen, mutilated or destroyed. The holder of this ticket assumes all risk and danger incidental to the game or exhibition, whether occurring prior to, during or after same, and agrees that the management, its agents, players and performers are not liable for injuries resulting from such causes."
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Post by grokamok on Feb 23, 2010 16:50:34 GMT -5
We need an economic solution to the problem to counter the economic incentive of selling seats. I'm not sure if something like this has been suggested:
Set the default HHC season ticket buy-in very high. Then reduce it significantly for: any young alum (1-5 years out) and anyone who earns enough "attendance credits" the prior season. Certain games at which we have a problem with the percentage of opposing fans ('Cuse, WVU, Pitt, etc.) would count double or triple. The first season we would have to design alternate ways of monitoring support, since we wouldn't have any attendance-monitoring system in place.
This could eliminate the economic incentive to purchase tickets just to sell on stub-hub and would encourage use by season ticket holders in the first place.
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CAHoya07
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 3,598
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Post by CAHoya07 on Feb 23, 2010 16:57:53 GMT -5
Ticket not transferable, resale prohibited. So we prohibit resale, yet we promote StubHub? Interesting...
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Cambridge
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Canes Pugnaces
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Post by Cambridge on Feb 23, 2010 17:04:19 GMT -5
We need an economic solution to the problem to counter the economic incentive of selling seats. I'm not sure if something like this has been suggested: Set the default HHC season ticket buy-in very high. Then reduce it significantly for: any young alum (1-5 years out) and anyone who earns enough "attendance credits" the prior season. Certain games at which we have a problem with the percentage of opposing fans ('Cuse, WVU, Pitt, etc.) would count double or triple. The first season we would have to design alternate ways of monitoring support, since we wouldn't have any attendance-monitoring system in place. This could eliminate the economic incentive to purchase tickets just to sell on stub-hub and would encourage use by season ticket holders in the first place. Here's my problem. I buy season tickets with a partner (my brother). We attend several games together, but we also split up the tickets to invite friends (I'll take them all for one game in exchange for him taking them all for another). Do I lose credit, because I'm not going to all the games? I'm sure I'm not alone in buying season tickets in a group and pooling donations to get the good seats.
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Post by grokamok on Feb 23, 2010 18:13:02 GMT -5
We need an economic solution to the problem to counter the economic incentive of selling seats. I'm not sure if something like this has been suggested: Set the default HHC season ticket buy-in very high. Then reduce it significantly for: any young alum (1-5 years out) and anyone who earns enough "attendance credits" the prior season. Certain games at which we have a problem with the percentage of opposing fans ('Cuse, WVU, Pitt, etc.) would count double or triple. The first season we would have to design alternate ways of monitoring support, since we wouldn't have any attendance-monitoring system in place. This could eliminate the economic incentive to purchase tickets just to sell on stub-hub and would encourage use by season ticket holders in the first place. Here's my problem. I buy season tickets with a partner (my brother). We attend several games together, but we also split up the tickets to invite friends (I'll take them all for one game in exchange for him taking them all for another). Do I lose credit, because I'm not going to all the games? I'm sure I'm not alone in buying season tickets in a group and pooling donations to get the good seats. Yes, you would lose credit if neither of you attended. However, you could identify both yourself and your brother as primary seat-holders, gaining credit if either of you attend. Perhaps additional credits could be available for proving your guests were Hoya die-hards. The discount you would get would be relative to the attendance record of other season ticket holders. I would envision maximum economic credit for attending less than the full slate of games, since only a few would be able to attend every game. Hitting the high-credit games (i.e., 'Cuse, WVU or Pitt) would help get one "over the hump" towards the max credit, helping to ensure that we maintain whatever semblance of a home-court advantage we have at Verizon (the Duke gray-out notwithstanding). There could be some non-economic (or non-ticket-renewal-price-related) recognition of those who attended the full slate (e.g., admission to an early-season practice the following year, GU-hosted happy hour, etc.)
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