Luck's presser about facility upgrades

[bbwvfan]

EXACTLY what is made up, BB? The steam tunnels are full of asbestos, the PRT is caked with it, every floor tile in the older buildings, are you guys going to say that every president of WVU sat on their hands because they are not tearing it out? I just do not get the hatred of the past, had Pastilong not got WVU in the BE in the early 1990s, this conversation would not even be happening, because we would probably be in CUSA with Marshall right now.

Not sure how you go from us making excuses for Luck… to the asbestos issue at the Coliseum… to us making excuses for Holgorsen.

None of us are making excuses for anyone.

We're simply saying fans like you will bitch about any change, while the rest of us look forward to the challenges ahead.

Thankfully, Luck has provided us a revenue stream to allow our beloved sports programs to keep up in the arms race.

 

[WVUDAD]

Not sure how you go from us making excuses for Luck… to the asbestos issue at the Coliseum… to us making excuses for Holgorsen.

None of us are making excuses for anyone.

We're simply saying fans like you will bitch about any change, while the rest of us look forward to the challenges ahead.

Thankfully, Luck has provided us a revenue stream to allow our beloved sports programs to keep up in the arms race.

Slaton was trying to use the asbestos in the coliseum as a reason to deride Pastilong, BB. Every one of you guys are trying to use facilities as an excuse, read through the posts.

 

[bbwvfan]

Slaton was trying to use the asbestos in the coliseum as a reason to deride Pastilong, BB. Every one of you guys are trying to use facilities as an excuse, read through the posts.

I encourage you to read through the posts in this thread… copy and paste for us… an example of when I or anyone else tried to use facilities as an excuse for coaching performance.

Now… if you want to go back in time… and find discussions dealing with recruiting and facilities…or find discussion about how our facilities are falling behind our competition…. then you are tracking.

If you want to say WVU's facilities were on par with the competition when Pastilong was the AD, I would not argue that. But, the arms race was leaving WVU behind…. way behind…

He did not have the money to keep up…. pretty simple…

 

[WVUDAD]

I encourage you to read through the posts in this thread… copy and paste for us… an example of when I or anyone else tried to use facilities as an excuse for coaching performance.

Now… if you want to go back in time… and find discussions dealing with recruiting and facilities…or find discussion about how our facilities are falling behind our competition…. then you are tracking.

If you want to say WVU's facilities were on par with the competition when Pastilong was the AD, I would not argue that. But, the arms race was leaving WVU behind…. way behind…

He did not have the money to keep up…. pretty simple…

Then why pour piss on him? Slaton does not go a day without slamming the man. Pastilong did a great job as our AD brought our sports to a new level. Slaton is pissed because fraud left and blames pastilong. I would not have bent over for him either it was clear that he was going to flaunt job offers every year.

 

[ralphiewvu]

Dont even mention Oregon, they get everything they desire from their benefactor. Whether BB and you like it or not, WVa is indeed a poor state, and the fact that there are 10,000 empty seats at a home game against Oklahoma tells the tale. Since Holgorsen has been our coach, the stadium has been full FIVE times, Against Marshall, LSU, and sPitt in 2011, and against Baylor and KSU in 2012, I keep hearing from you guys how much WVU fans want to see Oklahoma and Texas, , more people turned out to watch us play Kansas in 2012 than OU, More people came to see us play Marshall than UT.

So you'd rather see Uconn and Louisville grace us with there presences at mountaineer field then Texas and OU? News flash this past years Texas game had more people at it then ethier the conn or loserville in 2011. The reason the OU game was so poorly attended was because the students had off the week after. We were already 5-4 and OU had several loses as well.

I'd rather see Texas and OU then the crap the BE spewed out every year. Sure it'd be fun to play Pitt again but if you look at it, they are the only rival we lost by moving to the B12. Considering we were going to lose them anyway, it is what it is.

 

[WVUDAD]

So you'd rather see Uconn and Louisville grace us with there presences at mountaineer field then Texas and OU? News flash this past years Texas game had more people at it then ethier the conn or loserville in 2011. The reason the OU game was so poorly attended was because the students had off the week after. We were already 5-4 and OU had several loses as well.

I'd rather see Texas and OU then the crap the BE spewed out every year. Sure it'd be fun to play Pitt again but if you look at it, they are the only rival we lost by moving to the B12. Considering we were going to lose them anyway, it is what it is.

The attendance numbers say people would rather see more regional teams. 33,000 for the home finale last season............

 

[DCWV4life]

Actually nothing has changed for WVU fans and attending games:

4-8 under DH avg 52,909
3-8 under RR avg 48,322
4-7 under Dandy Don 45,561

It does not matter who we play, our fans come out when we win and don't when we lose...I am sure we are the only school in the country where this happens.

Marshall had more fans than UT......In 2009 more fans showed up for Liberty than the Pitt game does that mean Liberty is a new rival or more fans show up to games on holiday weekends. Keep trying to skew those numbers.

 

[bbwvfan]

The attendance numbers say people would rather see more regional teams. 33,000 for the home finale last season............

They do?

How do you explain these attendance numbers then?

1992 - Louisiana Tech - 27,751
1980 - SU - 34,441
1985 - Temple - 34,721
2003 - Temple - 35,942
1991 - RU - 38,127

What about the Backyard Brawl… can't get more regional than that…. right?

1995- Pitt - 38,795
1999 - Pitt - 40,660

The KU game in 2012 drew 51,112…. that is more fans than a lot of the home finale's of my lifetime…

 

[bbwvfan]

That was just a sample of home finale's.

There are plenty of other putrid crowds we can find.

DAD loves to harp on the poorly attended 2012 OU game. Yet it outdrew a significant number of Pitt games from the past.

 

[WVUDAD]

They do?

How do you explain these attendance numbers then?

1992 - Louisiana Tech - 27,751
1980 - SU - 34,441
1985 - Temple - 34,721
2003 - Temple - 35,942
1991 - RU - 38,127

What about the Backyard Brawl… can't get more regional than that…. right?

1995- Pitt - 38,795
1999 - Pitt - 40,660

The KU game in 2012 drew 51,112…. that is more fans than a lot of the home finale's of my lifetime…

Ill try YOUR tactics, uh, school had not started yet, out for Thanksgiving break, team sucked, coach sucked, too hot, too cold. One reason given for our latest coaching change was attendance, even though THAT coach had the highest attendance of any during his tenure.

 

[WVUDAD]

Actually nothing has changed for WVU fans and attending games:

4-8 under DH avg 52,909
3-8 under RR avg 48,322
4-7 under Dandy Don 45,561

It does not matter who we play, our fans come out when we win and don't when we lose...I am sure we are the only school in the country where this happens.

Marshall had more fans than UT......In 2009 more fans showed up for Liberty than the Pitt game does that mean Liberty is a new rival or more fans show up to games on holiday weekends. Keep trying to skew those numbers.

Bill Stewart 57,200 average, NO losing seasons....................................

 

[bbwvfan]

Ill try YOUR tactics, uh, school had not started yet, out for Thanksgiving break, team sucked, coach sucked, too hot, too cold. One reason given for our latest coaching change was attendance, even though THAT coach had the highest attendance of any during his tenure.

True.

But like life, things change. Now that WVU is in the Big 12 with its revenue stream secured, it is not as reliant on season ticket sales and game day sales to support the athletic department. Not to say Luck doesn't care anymore about attendance figures, but they aren't as important today as they were when Stewart was in charge.

Luck is doing so much to enhance the fan experience at home games. Once the football teams starts winning, the fair weather WVU fans will return.

 

[Anotherwvufan]

True.

But like life, things change. Now that WVU is in the Big 12 with its revenue stream secured, it is not as reliant on season ticket sales and game day sales to support the athletic department. Not to say Luck doesn't care anymore about attendance figures, but they aren't as important today as they were when Stewart was in charge.

Luck is doing so much to enhance the fan experience at home games. Once the football teams starts winning, the fair weather WVU fans will return.

But Dad will still be at hunting camp waiting for the return of Pastilong and Nehlen

 

[GoldRusher]

attendance (or lack thereof) is becoming an issue all over cfb, not just WVU.

 

[WVUDAD]

True.

But like life, things change. Now that WVU is in the Big 12 with its revenue stream secured, it is not as reliant on season ticket sales and game day sales to support the athletic department. Not to say Luck doesn't care anymore about attendance figures, but they aren't as important today as they were when Stewart was in charge.

Luck is doing so much to enhance the fan experience at home games. Once the football teams starts winning, the fair weather WVU fans will return.

WOW, just plain WOW. Luck has raised the price to sit in the same seat, he has raised the price to park, he has moved long time season ticket holders to new sections, I guess if you call selling overpriced luke warn draft beer as an enhanced fan experience..........several of you guys are really buying the BS Luck is selling, hell with winning, just line the pockets, BUT borrow money to spend even more than you make.

 

[Slaton10]

WOW, just plain WOW. Luck has raised the price to sit in the same seat, he has raised the price to park, he has moved long time season ticket holders to new sections, I guess if you call selling overpriced luke warn draft beer as an enhanced fan experience..........several of you guys are really buying the BS Luck is selling, hell with winning, just line the pockets, BUT borrow money to spend even more than you make.

Average ticket price for a Wv game...64.00

At the Neighbors house........$79.00

A 13 percent price increase for Ohio State University football tickets doesn't seem
to have driven away the Buckeye faithful.

 

[DCWV4life]

Does anyone have any information on the actual increase in ticket prices over the years? How large was it? I figure I should not base my judgement on the situation from someone who claimed they do not go to football games at WVU.

 

[bbwvfan]

Charleston Daily Mail | WVU ticket package prices to rise

Season tickets went up $30 in 2012.

Individual tickets rose $5 that same year.

MAC donations rose from $25 to $50 depending upon level of donation.

 

[Anotherwvufan]

Average ticket price for a Wv game...64.00

At the Neighbors house........$79.00

A 13 percent price increase for Ohio State University football tickets doesn't seem
to have driven away the Buckeye faithful.

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.

 

[DCWV4life]

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.

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.

QUOTE]

IMO that 1.8 million number gets thown around way to much when talking on this subject...Our fan base is not only coming from WV, but PA, MD, Ohio, and yours truly from DC. The actual state itself is has a small population, but a lot of the border areas with other states are home to many WVU fans who left for work and other reasons.

Our fan base is what it is...but they seemed have no problem with the increase (as far as sales) our first year in the Big12. You said it best, we have fairweather fans of the professional sort. We have fans who b$tch and moan about the price of this and the price of that yet have not attended a game in years. You have people saying it cost me 500 to drive to a game. 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 really like you last idea...mini packages. Or even a gameday sale where all unsolds go for 10 bucks.

In the two years of Big 12 play we have had only one game less than 50,000...in the two years prior we had two games under 50,000...end of the yer game with Rutgers and a game 4 match up with Bowling Green. IMO the attitude of the WVU ticket buyer has not changed at all or very little due to the Big 12 or even price increase. We are just not a very good fan base when our team is down. Hell at 7-5 our fans wanted to jump off a bridge even though for years this was an acceptable record. RR spoiled this fan base with dreams of national titles, Luck IMO is actually putting things in place where we can compete on that stage. From a team that went 10-3 to a team at 4-8 we lost about 3600 fans on average...that is not to bad.

Think about this...until the Iowa St game last year we were averaging 56,744 per home game, our most since 2009. Iowa St game was a fluke and had many influences, if you took the average from the last three home finals which includes Kansas, Pitt, and Rutgers(only game under 50,000) we would have been right on track with our 09,10, and 11 numbers which all had winning teams. not bad for a 4-8 team.