Luck's presser about facility upgrades

[DCWV4life]

It is really interesting looking at the numbers and trying to see some sort of trend.....Think about this number from 07 when we went 11-2 to '10 when we went 10-3 we lost more fans on average than going from 10-3 to 4-8....3867 per game.

I will never argue anyones budget with them, if they say they can't go to games because of ticket cost now so be it, they probably should not have been going to games before seeing that it was a minimal rise in cost if the numbers are correct.

I really do like your idea for the games that lack interest.....mini packages of sorts.

The other thing i wanted to note but forgot, we should not get attendance and ticket sales mixed up...one has nothing to do with the other. A lot of people by season ticket passes and never go to games, I know a couple, I doubt if WVU has taken a large hit on season ticket sales and revenue.

 

[bbwvfan]

Charleston Daily Mail | WVU sells near-record number of season tickets

Only two years featured season ticket sellouts for WVU football: 2007 and 2008.
In 2007, fans were rallying around a team led by Pat White, Steve Slaton and Owen Schmitt. The 2008 season was White's senior season and followed WVU's upset victory over Oklahoma in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
- See more at: Charleston Daily Mail | WVU sells near-record number of season tickets
2007 and 2008 were the only years prior to the increase in ticket prices from 2012 when WVU sold out their season ticket allotments.

Wasn't 2007 the year with the most significant jump in ticket prices? The explanation was the increased salaries for the HC and his assistants.

If I remember correctly, this was during Eddie P's. time. As we know, ticket sales generated the majority of revenue for the WVU athletic program. This is not as necessary today as it was back then. Hopefully, the prices can remain level for the foreseeable future. But, like everything else in life... things get more expensive with time.

So... I don't think the price of season tickets is the reason fans choose to buy. Our fair weather fans will buy when they feel there is going to be a good product on the field. They will jump off the bandwagon... like in 2012... when the team starts to struggle.
Only two years featured season ticket sellouts for WVU football: 2007 and 2008.
In 2007, fans were rallying around a team led by Pat White, Steve Slaton and Owen Schmitt. The 2008 season was White's senior season and followed WVU's upset victory over Oklahoma in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
- See more at: Charleston Daily Mail | WVU sells near-record number of season tickets

 

[DCWV4life]

Alabama inks lucrative new multimedia rights deal - CBSSports.com

If this happened at WVU there would be a riot and Luck would be dead by sundown! lol

 

[WVUDAD]

Last year when we were talking about this i decided to track my expenses. My wife and I usually drive up and back for most of the home games. We stop once on the way back to eat and I can make the trip on one tank of gas....my cost per game was 180 bucks for two people, including ticket, gas, and food. So what in the heck our these other people doing?

I would like to see the receipts on that, tickets are between $55 and $80 a piece, so take $65 as a start, so $130 for tickets, even if you drive a small car 15 gallons of gas is $55 so just what did you eat?

 

[Slaton10]

11 million people live in Ohio, 1.8 million in West Virginia. I remember when WVU opened with Ohio State. OSU fans bought WVU season tickets just to watch one game. There were many empty seats for every other game that year.

WVU has a great fan base but we are nowhere near that of OSU. If an OSU fan cannot afford the increace, there will be many willing to take their place. WVU not so much. I know people who have had season tickets for years who no longer can afford the ticket prices.

Attendance is a problem with many CFB teams. That trend will most likely continue. WVu has many fair weather fans who will pay $64 per seat to watch a top 20 team, but won't spend the time and money to watch a 7-5 campaign.

With B12 TV money, it is really not necessary to fill the stadium to pay the bills and be profitable. Luck should concentrate on getting season tickets sold and packages for the less than desirable games to keep the stadium filled. In my opinion, if there are less than 50,000 fans at the stadium, that game was overpriced. Some of that revenue can be offset by added concessions and beer and apparel sales.

Luck needs to aggressively change the decline in attendance at WVU games, both in football and basketball. We should have a waiting list for season tickets. Every game should be a sellout. A full stadium also helps build excitement which benefits across the board including recruiting. Bring a 5 star into a half empty stadium and see if he signs.

My point is that just about every team in the country has increased ticket prices sometime over the last 5 years...it would only make sense that they would.given the average increase in cost a business takes on an annual basis..in Ohio State's case they increased it over 10% without pushback...

You cannot measure Wv 1.8 million population as its pool to draw from...I would suggest 30% or likley higher of the season ticket holders are from out of state....and you can draw that as reasonable conclusion that a high percentage of the 1.8 million have never been to a game and another large percentage that are Marshall fans.........

 

[Anotherwvufan]

I see your point. Some teams have raised prices because they need to, some because they can. We don't fit into seither category. We could make money in this conference with little to no attendance. What we need are full stadiums. Pricing needs to be adjusted so we keep the stadium full. We pay the same amount to see Towson as we do for Oklahoma. It has been 2008 since we sold out of season tickets. We have no waiting list. It would be easier to make that drive if you are getting that pair of tickets for $75 rather than $110. Might even bring your kids. I pay more for two tickets than I paid for 3 just a few years back.

 

[DCWV4life]

I see your point. Some teams have raised prices because they need to, some because they can. We don't fit into seither category. We could make money in this conference with little to no attendance. What we need are full stadiums. Pricing needs to be adjusted so we keep the stadium full. We pay the same amount to see Towson as we do for Oklahoma. It has been 2008 since we sold out of season tickets. We have no waiting list. It would be easier to make that drive if you are getting that pair of tickets for $75 rather than $110. Might even bring your kids. I pay more for two tickets than I paid for 3 just a few years back.

But do you think it is really price keeping people away? You said it yourself we have only sold out of season tickets once in the history of the program, we do not have a waiting list, and we have fairweather fans. Luck has been here for a short period, but even under the legend of Eddie P we were not bringing in fans by the numbers. I think no matter what the price if the team wins 11 games then the stadium will be packed.

 

[Slaton10]

But do you think it is really price keeping people away? You said it yourself we have only sold out of season tickets once in the history of the program, we do not have a waiting list, and we have fairweather fans. Luck has been here for a short period, but even under the legend of Eddie P we were not bringing in fans by the numbers. I think no matter what the price if the team wins 11 games then the stadium will be packed.

I think winning is huge.. I think the idea of this "Fan Experience" Group is a great first step in improving the game day experience..I think with any type of price increase you need to provide a perception of value...for eon's its been about the blue lot and just the game...you need to provide more than just a live game these days as a reason to get to the stadium...

 

[DCWV4life]

I think winning is huge.. I think the idea of this "Fan Experience" Group is a great first step in improving the game day experience..I think with any type of price increase you need to provide a perception of value...for eon's its been about the blue lot and just the game...you need to provide more than just a live game these days as a reason to get to the stadium...

But we have a portion of this fanbase that rips the admin for spending money on improving facilities, what are these idiots going to say when we start spending money outside of the facilities! I am sure they will call for Lucks head since nothing like this has been done in the past....if Don didn't need fun gameday expirience then why do these coaches? lol

The ideas on this board are really good and it wiould be great if we moved in that direction.

 

[GoldRusher]

But we have a portion of this fanbase that rips the admin for spending money on improving facilities, what are these idiots going to say when we start spending money outside of the facilities! I am sure they will call for Lucks head since nothing like this has been done in the past....if Don didn't need fun gameday expirience then why do these coaches? lol

The ideas on this board are really good and it wiould be great if we moved in that direction.

Report: Sooners set to embark on $350 million stadium expansion | CollegeFootballTalk

 

[DCWV4life]

Report: Sooners set to embark on $350 million stadium expansion | CollegeFootballTalk

Wow....Just think we are spending 100 mil to fix just about every stadium/field/arena on our campus, they are spending 350 mil just to fix up the football stadium.

Every time I hear about a school adding seats I really wish they would do something with the open endzone, what a waste of space.

 

[GoldRusher]

It's an arms race that schools like WVU can't win but we CAN spend smart (see the weight room) to stay somewhat competitive as far as recruiting ect..

My thoughts on stadium expansions are to maybe add more suits and additions for donor types but as far as the open end I would rather see a landscape design or something along those lines to beautify the stadium, especially things with fall color. IMO for many schools adding seats is the wrong move because again jmo more fans will be staying home to watch the game because I feel the TV folks are going to do a great job of making the CFB season must see tv am one will get the best coverage of it all by watching it unfold at home along with the other financial advantages of NOT drinking 7$ sodas. I think we are fine where we are as far as seating capacity, some if the higher profile programs I get expanding stadiums but I think we are about right.

 

[Slaton10]

Wow....Just think we are spending 100 mil to fix just about every stadium/field/arena on our campus, they are spending 350 mil just to fix up the football stadium.

Every time I hear about a school adding seats I really wish they would do something with the open endzone, what a waste of space.

I wouldn't get caught up in the what OU's spending..I would suggest the 100 mill Wv is spending is a first phase..once they get the full revenue share look for them to go full steam ahead in more suites and more upgrades..I think adding more seats will come once they feel the demand is there...

 

[DCWV4life]

It's an arms race that schools like WVU can't win but we CAN spend smart (see the weight room) to stay somewhat competitive as far as recruiting ect..

My thoughts on stadium expansions are to maybe add more suits and additions for donor types but as far as the open end I would rather see a landscape design or something along those lines to beautify the stadium, especially things with fall color. IMO for many schools adding seats is the wrong move because again jmo more fans will be staying home to watch the game because I feel the TV folks are going to do a great job of making the CFB season must see tv am one will get the best coverage of it all by watching it unfold at home along with the other financial advantages of NOT drinking 7$ sodas. I think we are fine where we are as far as seating capacity, some if the higher profile programs I get expanding stadiums but I think we are about right.

Very good post

I agree with a lot of what you are saying...and i understand your reasoning it makes sense...but if we offer more seats then we can offer more seats at cheaper prices is my thinking....whether that is a reality i am not sure, but whether it be Luck or whoever at the wheel when our Big 12 money hits the full scale i believe the best marketing move for WVU will be to lower the prices. Put seats in that endzone, move the student section over there and offer good seats to paying customers. If I was the AD this the way i would go. I still don't think that is the fix for empty seats.

Also not going to lie, the nature idea is pretty sweet.

 

[WVUDAD]

You cannot measure Wv 1.8 million population as its pool to draw from...I would suggest 30% or likley higher of the season ticket holders are from out of state....and you can draw that as reasonable conclusion that a high percentage of the 1.8 million have never been to a game and another large percentage that are Marshall fans.........

The same can be said for any school, they all have out of state season ticket holders, so using the population is a good metric for possible customers. I know people who live all over the place who get Ohio State season tickets.

 

[GoldRusher]

I wouldn't get caught up in the what OU's spending..I would suggest the 100 mill Wv is spending is a first phase..once they get the full revenue share look for them to go full steam ahead in more suites and more upgrades..I think adding more seats will come once they feel the demand is there...

No doubt about it the upgrades will continue and get better with more money. Hard not to get at least a little excited with a guy like Luck and his background with football and a superstar NFL son at the helm knowing more money is on the way.
The arms race never ends in CFB you MUST spend to try n keep up or get left behind and in the age of realignment the latter is a VERY bad idea.
If winning ensues at say a 10 per year average the next 5 years or so then I guess I have to agree on seating, nothing creates interest in ANY sport like winning. If the demand for a seat gets high enough then yep, gotta put more in there.

 

[bbwvfan]

Does Nebraska consider population metrics when making facility investments?

 

[Slaton10]

No doubt about it the upgrades will continue and get better with more money. Hard not to get at least a little excited with a guy like Luck and his background with football and a superstar NFL son at the helm knowing more money is on the way.
The arms race never ends in CFB you MUST spend to try n keep up or get left behind and in the age of realignment the latter is a VERY bad idea.
If winning ensues at say a 10 per year average the next 5 years or so then I guess I have to agree on seating, nothing creates interest in ANY sport like winning. If the demand for a seat gets high enough then yep, gotta put more in there.

For years the fans of Wv have said that Wv Football is their "Pro" team, its all they have...if that is the case they should be more than completely supportive that Wv provides a elite experience for both players and fans on Saturdays..........and I think that is EXACTLY what Luck is giving them..