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Season ticket renewal

W

Webergrad02

Active member
Whether or not to renew my tickets and Wildcat Club membership a has been a pain staking decision this year. Judging by the Road to Reno thread, I am not alone in my wondering if it is worth it. I decided not to renew my tickets this season.

My first memories of basketball are sitting in the DEE on my parents laps watching the great teams of the early 80's in a sold out arena. I could name you every player on the roster each year without fail. There was no question as to where I would attend college, I was a wildcat. I was a student during the magical 1999 year and even suffered with a smile during the Cravens years. How could I make through then and not now when we are having success?

It seems like the attitude from the university has changed recently. The game experience has declined the past few seasons. Fans and sponsors alike have complained about Super Annoying Time Out Guy, yet he still is out there butchering promotions. Student support has never been worse and administration and marketing just don't care. Our idea of marketing is giving out free tickets to the point that it angers long time supporters. We are still doing our radio broadcast like we did 25 years ago, it will be interesting to see what the KJZZ broadcast will bring to the table (Hopefully Positive). Then you have the conference tournament in Reno that supposedly our coach, AD and president were against and then somehow they voted for it. The cherry on top was our awesome home schedule. There has been little in the way of accountability and lots of excuses.

I still bleed purple, it is in my blood. I will still be at most games this season. But I just don't support the way some things are going. So it is time for my excuse, I am young and inexperienced, but I am going to keep scratching, clawing and leaving my money in the bank this season. :tothehand:
 
A very smart person once told me that there are really only two positions when it comes to problems that we face. You can choose to be part of the solution or you are part of the problem.

Doing what you are doing can be part of the solution only if you take it through the next few steps. You need to say the things you just said to the athletic administration. Write a letter, with your real name on it, and let them know how you feel. Go in person, if you feel more comfortable doing that. If you just fade away, your point will never be made and you become part of the problem.

If you have ideas about how to improve the situation, share them with the people who might be able to actually implement them.

You have a choice. Take the next steps or continue to spit into the wind and side with the problem. :twocents:
 
you become part of the problem.
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I'm as dumb as they come and I see it differently; I think '02 and I may be a "(result) of the problem." His description of his relationship with Weber State is eerily similar to my own and my feelings and decisions sound near identical. I have e-mailed or mailed letters and responded to web-based feedback forms more than a half-dozen times in the past few years, voicing my frustrations about some of the points '02 stated. I also e-mailed both the Big Sky and WSU concerning the change in conference tournament format and that change could very well jeopardize my longtime season tix support. I did not receive a single response from any of my feedback, nothing even acknowledging my concerns as a fan and customer. My take away? As a fan and a customer I believe these problems exist, are real and they could care less. Theirs? It doesn't seem like they believe there is a problem.
 
Thanks for your efforts and feedback SW. You have taken steps to be part of the solution, and I respect that. You put your name to it and took responsibility. I think that we can always expect no response from the BSC. They just do what the University Presidents tell them to. I'm surprised that our AD didn't get back to you. Maybe it should go to the president. If you are talking about the schedule, go directly to Randy. It helps if you can tell him how you have contributed to the program over the years. Even if you have never donated, but have simply bought tickets over the years, he is still going to listen to you. He may not do what you tell him, but he will at least know your concerns. Of course, all voices are not created equally. It's the big donors that get the most attention, not us little guys. However, that is not a reason to stand back and not be heard.

Also, I know that Randy has had an earful about the schedule. He may be as frustrated as we are. He puts it together, but he has no control of the amount of money he can use to bring teams into the Dee. I know it is crass to say, but money talks and BS walks. :coffee:
 
Interesting discussion...

I have my own opinions with regard to the Athletics Department (I wrote quite the epistle last week on the football forum and made my opinions known there) and feel that there are lots of untied issues that they just don't care to take care of. Marketing is a JOKE, but Jerry isn't going to do anything with Bozo the Marketing Director, so...thats that.

As for season tickets. I really think that the lack of concern, continued condescension toward fans by administrators, the awful home schedules, and the loss of a reason to really cheer during the conference season is going to affect season ticket sales. Combine that with last years overall record, this might be the worst tickets sales in sometime for Weber State.

As for me...I still have my tickets and am still a member, grudgingly, of the Wildcat Club.
 
To me...it seems like interest in Weber State Athletics is starting to resemble the Great Salt Lake...experiencing an ALL TIME LOW!
 
I'm not renewing and its mainly because of the schedule. My kids love going to games and they don't care who we are playing but I certainly do. I refuse to attend games versus non-D1 opponents. Even in other seasons I've usually not attended these games. Add this to the fact that I'll be out of town for the S Dakota game and it makes little sense to purchase season tickets for one nonconference game. My family and I will be to most games but it's no longer a priority. If the schedule improves, making the cost worth it, then maybe it will become a priority again.
 
SWeberCat02 said:
I'm not renewing and its mainly because of the schedule. My kids love going to games and they don't care who we are playing but I certainly do. I refuse to attend games versus non-D1 opponents. Even in other seasons I've usually not attended these games. Add this to the fact that I'll be out of town for the S Dakota game and it makes little sense to purchase season tickets. My family and I will be to most games but it's no longer a priority. If the schedule improves, making the cost worth it, then maybe it will become a priority again.
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Im with you on this one

I'll go to the games against the dbaggies and against South Dakota, but after that I'll wait till conference starts.

Im a Wildcat fan through and through, but I want to see Weber play somebody in the DEC, not just a bunch of non D1 opponents
 
Why doesn't everyone on this blog boycott the "goofus" games? Just don't attend and make it known to the Athletic Department that we don't support such "BS" scheduling.
 
As far as buying season tickets or not, that is a personal and money issue. Just take the games you want to attend and multiply it by the single game price of the seats you want. If the season ticket price is the same or less than what you are going to pay anyway, get the season tickets. If you get the season tickets and choose not to attend some games, that's OK.

I got my 14 season tickets and have made my yearly contributions. I probably will not attend some of those dog games. It depends on what else I have going. I don't plan any protests because I know what goes into putting that schedule together. Do I want it to get better? I sure do, along with many others in and around the program. How will it get better? Money, exposure, RPI, a lot of hard work, a little luck and did I mention money. :nod:
 
I find it completely weird that I actually agree with webergrad02 and SWWCAT but I also have chosen NOT to renew my season tix of 20+ years. The home schedule is garbage and has gotten worse every year for the last while. Don't tell me its all about $$ when Coach A could get teams such as Purdue in here. Plus now they offer the games for FREE on KJZZ where i can use my own bathroom that actually has HOT water to wash my hands. I have voiced my concerns in email and in person with those at WSU but get fed the same old line. Also since nobody could answer my question on how the tickets for the BYU game in SLC will work I decided to opt out of season tix this year and plan on going to the Conf. tourney as long as WSU finishes in the top 3 of the regular season. :twocents:
 
I didn't renew because athletics isn't interested in marketing its own brand. If they don't think marketing is important, then I felt that renewing my season tickets wasn't important.

I ended my membership in the Wildcat Club last year after getting my membership packet late and finding out that the luncheons would only happen once a month (I see that there are 4 total this year). My beef, I donated at the level that I should get a football parking pass and didn't get it till after the season ended. Who cares about "special" parking in the Dee. Totally mismanaged!
 
I just got a call from Utah State saying that they noticed that I had bought tickets to two games last year. He asked if he could help me find seats to any individual games or could he help me get season tickets this season. It is kind of sad when a rival team reaches out to you and the school, you graduated from, donate to and have supported for many years seems not to care.

To me this thread is an indication that things are broken with Weber Athletics. So far Tal and Olds (and his 500 tickets) are the only forum members that have renewed their tickets and memberships this year. I know that we complain a lot and are the vocal minority, but what business can afford to lose over half of their long time customers? A good percentage of the Wildcat Club will leaving us due to natural causes in the next 10 or so years.
 
I renewed, but I usually get 6 tickets and this year, only 2. The 4 who passed this year didn't do so for any of the reasons expressed on this forum. Just that they weren't able to make it to very many games last year and thought this year would be the same.
I renewed because when it comes down to it, the people I'm supporting are the players and the coaches. Of course I'd like to see a better non-conference schedule, but in the end, I'm all about the Big Sky. I hate the move of the conference tournament to Reno, which I know I won't be able to get to, but that doesn't impact my decision to buy season tickets. The games are still great fun. And the Dee is a great place to watch a game.
 
Almost every year, I get a letter and a phone call. But, then again, I haven't moved or changed numbers for a long time. At least once a year and sometimes twice, I get a call from a student athlete, thanking me for helping to provide them an education. I've been thanked by coaches and administrators as well.

I'm not sure how or why they are dropping the ball with some of you, but it has not been my experience at all. I don't need their thanks to know that I am doing the right thing. I would do the right thing anyway. However, I do appreciate the effort and sentiment. :thumb: :thumb:
 
oldrunner said:
Almost every year, I get a letter and a phone call. But, then again, I haven't moved or changed numbers for a long time. At least once a year and sometimes twice, I get a call from a student athlete, thanking me for helping to provide them an education. I've been thanked by coaches and administrators as well.

I'm not sure how or why they are dropping the ball with some of you, but it has not been my experience at all. I don't need their thanks to know that I am doing the right thing. I would do the right thing anyway. However, I do appreciate the effort and sentiment. :thumb: :thumb:
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:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: Good job Old's, but unless they start treating the $50 Wildcat Club members like they matter eventually the Wildcat Club will literally die off. If you treat the small time donors like they matter then eventually as they get good careers, etc, etc...they would become higher level donors. :twocents:
 
I'm with you 100%, Mr. Farmer.

I suppose that it is a graduated response to the amount of donation. However, more attention needs to be paid to the smaller donors. I thought that I saw a Wildcat Club tailgate tent at the football game last Saturday. If I wasn't mistaken, it looks like they are reaching out. I think that the coaches luncheons should be tailored to the wishes of the rank and file in the WC. I'm not sure what all they can do, but all donors should feel appreciated. :coffee:
 
Larry you are right!!

But there is a bigger problem. I've been preaching this for years! I address this over and over and over and over again. When a student graduates, it doesn't matter how many times you call that recent (young) alumnus, if that person is not connected to their institution, they will NEVER support it. You might get them out for the occasional game, but they will be lukewarm supporters. The FIRST, and most important step is to get them while they are freshman in college, or HELL EARLIER novel idea?! Make football and Men's Basketball games the place to be. "THE" attraction that you would be embarrassed to not attend. It is the event to be at! If you get them while they are students, they will be loyal when they are alumni. The Purple Pack was getting more and more students excited about being at Weber. You were seeing Greek Letter Societies back in the stands and now...NOTHING!! THE LEGACY OF THE CURRENT LEADERS WILL BE WITNESSED IN THE FUTURE BY THEIR EFFORTS IN THE PRESENT. Administrators actions not only affect the present, but spell success or failure in the future. We are seeing the fruits of the leadership over the past decade and it isn't good. Yes, it will take work to change the direction and it can be done, but we need better individuals steering the ship. I like our captain...Bovee, but he needs better people around him.

YES...I still have my season tickets, and yes, I am still a Wildcat Club member, along with the Grid-Iron Club, but I am waning thin with my support. I HATE THE RENO move! I can't stand the largess of athletics and the pathetic excuse for marketing. I am not happy with the direction of alumni or WSUSA. It is an insult to MY hard work as a student and a young professional. Lastly, I am absolutely frustrated by the lack of connection athletics is making with its FANS. EVERYONE can do a lot more.
 
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