Purdue cuts price of football tix

[Tskware]

Saw in the LHL today that Purdue, whose attendance fell to a pitiful 35,000 or so per game, will cut the price of 90% of its tickets this season in an effort to win back the fanbase.

I have said for years, the cost of season tickets is going to hit a wall, sooner rather than later. Even powerhouse programs in the SEC are no longer selling out every game. How much is a Purdue v. Eastern Kentucky or SE Missouri really worth, given the availability of nearly every game in the country on HD TV?

I think schools would be wiser in the long run to keep prices lower for the live audience, that is the best way to build long term loyalty to your school.

 

[KapitalCat]

I agree with you and at some point ticket prices are going to reach a saturation point in which even winning won't bring fans back into the stadiums. I think too it points to the sound business decision UK made to make Commonwealth more fan friendly and recruit friendly even at the expense of reducing capacity.

 

[robo222]

Originally posted by KapitalCat:
I agree with you and at some point ticket prices are going to reach a saturation point in which even winning won't bring fans back into the stadiums. I think too it points to the sound business decision UK made to make Commonwealth more fan friendly and recruit friendly even at the expense of reducing capacity.

Agree with all points both of you make... It should be an interesting next few years.. Sure seems like the ticket buying base has shrunk considerably as we're not bringing in 60K very often... Plenty of games on TV but who wants to watch sport being played on TV when no fans aren't in the seats? Not me.... Call me old school

 

[gamecockcat]

There was an article on Yahoo earlier this week that said Bama football ran a $33 million surplus and gave about $9 million to the university. However, Auburn football ran a $22 million (I think) surplus but the whole athletic department lost about $13 million. From an article last year, only about 20 schools have an athletic department that runs in the black (out of 128). I agree that ticket prices are quickly approaching the point where more and more fans will do a cost/benefit analysis rather than just blindly forking over their dough. When you consider all the costs (ticket, souvenirs, food, parking, etc.) and the time (better plan on 5+ hours to go tailgate, watch the game and get home, at least), I totally understand a fan thinking, 'I can watch this game and 3 others at the same time in the comfort of my home in front of my HD widescreen TV AND watch the next set of games in the time I can go watch one in person.' While the experience of sitting in front of the TV is no where close to the live experience, if it's UK vs. WKU/EKU/mid-level MAC/Troy/etc., I know which way I'd lean.

But, with so many athletic departments running deficits, can they really afford to cut ticket prices? Selling more tickets at a lower price might yield more revenue but there is a limit. If Auburn's athletic department can't make a profit, how can the MAC, Mountain West, etc. conference teams even dream of making one?

 

[bigbluegrog]

Originally posted by KapitalCat:
I agree with you and at some point ticket prices are going to reach a saturation point in which even winning won't bring fans back into the stadiums. I think too it points to the sound business decision UK made to make Commonwealth more fan friendly and recruit friendly even at the expense of reducing capacity.

Amen to this. I think UK has held prices fairly steady the last couple of years, but then we have sucked - so there was little choice. If we get this thing rolling, I will be interested to see what they do. Being in the $300 K-fund area and buying 4 tickets, I may have to move to public seating if ticket prices go up more than a couple of dollars. But giving up my tix altogether would be a last resort.

 

[167Hike]

This kind of relates to UK athletic board meeting at the end of Barnhart's second year. He was presenting the revenues for each of the major sports (football, men's & women's basketball, baseball and then all the other sports rolled up into Olympic sports). He came to women's basketball and announced a 2000% increase in revenue generated. One board member ask "how could this be? Didn't you slash prices this past year?" Barnhart then proceeded to explain that in year one we sold 54 season tickets at $250 a seat. This year we sold approximately 3500 season tickets at $25 a seat. With the fact that we own the gym they play in and control all concessions there it was just a matter of getting more butts into the 9000 seats Memorial holds.

Yes we are reaching the tipping point on the upward price of tickets. I expect an adjustment down for the "normal seats" in the near future for football. This will be in part to the model that the true demand will be on the premium seating now under construction and that's where the big money will be made. The normal seats will just need to be filled and they will go hunting for a price coupled with product on the field.

This also would be the model to explain why a renovated Rupp is a bad idea. The Reno plans only call for 23 to 28 special suite areas in the renovation. Why do that when you can get the +70 Louisville got when they build the Yum! Center.
This post was edited on 2/20 4:21 PM by 167Hike

 

[Tskware]

Baseball, believe it or not, has done the best job of all the major sports at keeping ticket prices within reason. You can go to most games for $25-40. (now beer prices at any ball park are out of reality, but I digress). You can get infield box seats at GABP for under $50, and they are very good view.

I would 10-1 rather go to a live event than sit on my ass by myself in my basement watching the game. But like others, I am old school, and may no longer be in the majority. And for sure, who in the hell wants to watch a game on TV where there is no one at the stadium? That is uber lame.

 

[loucatfan]

I have pointed this out before on this board but some of you might not remember it. The great Sonny Werblen TV Mogul and New York jets owner predicted two decades ago that the TV experience would be so good some day that the Pros would have to give tickets away to have enthusiasm at the game for the TV audience from which the revenue would be produced.

He is not quite right but some of his thoughts are coming home to roost.

For my wife and I who have tailgated since CWS stadium opened it is strictly a social event with about twenty wonderful friends and lots of good memories.

However with the rise of so many activities for the young folks like traveling baseball (70 games) soccer, cheerleading competitions etc the younger crowd has neither the time, money or inclination to tailgate and spend all day at a ball game when they can have a better experience watching at home after taking their kid to soccer or some other activity.

It will be interesting to see how our fans respond to buying up the last fifteen thousand or so unsold tickets.

The elasticity of demand example given above concerning women's basketball was an excellent point. MB just needs to figure out what that number is to fill up the stadium.

Aside from the negative message a less than empty stadium sends to recruits there is the financial issue. It costs basically the same amount for UK to put on a football game attended by 40,000 people as it does for 61,000. So every unpaid for seat is a loss to the bottom line . If you have to sell the final undesirable seats for ten bucks each that is ten bucks you would not otherwise have gotten.

Lou

 

[robo222]

TV TO's.... Man I hate'em when at the game..... especially when it's hot/cold.

 

[loucatfan]

Yep . Been a complaint of mine for years . Also not showing replays of controversial calls which people at home can see over and over again.

Another issue related to season ticket sales is the fact that five to seven thousand tailgaters will have to be relocated far away from the stadium . My guess is that will negatively affect ticket sales as some will simply give it up. It had to be done to better the program. I get that. But unfortunately may be a negative unintended consequence of costing ticket sales.

Once people get out of the habit it is very hard to get them back. That is why we are still suffering from the Joker fiasco.