Season tickets

[BengalSapper]

I am debating season tickets this year. If I buy 2 tickets and pay a $75 I get tickets for $20 a ticket per game. I think that I will just buy tickets now for $16 a pop. I don’t see the advantages for season tickets. Any thoughts?

 

[sasquatch]

Sapper, yours is a question every person in the region probably has. If you recall last year, ISU devalued the price of the season ticket by offering half-off promotions at least a couple of times. They also gave away free tickets to at least one game. If they do that again, then I would say, no, don't buy season tickets.

Also, last year before the season started, ISU ran a special one day sale where you could buy season tickets for $50. So yeah, another reason not to buy now.

There is a great big IF this year, though. ISU contracted this year with a sports and marketing firm, KP Sports. They do work with season ticket sales, so I don't know if this means they'll do something to keep the value of the season ticket intact.

The plus side of season tickets is it gives you a reserved seat. Of course, there's not a lot of bad seats in Holt, so it's just a matter of how much you like a certain seat. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think season ticket prices this year are $84, which equals $14 a seat for 6 games.

 

[up for the challenge]

There is no reason not to sale out Holt Arena. Any suggestions...??

 

[spazdog1]

To sellout Holt, people have to buy season tickets. I know where you're going with waiting and buying them by the game, but unless I'm wrong, season ticket revenue is something that the athletic department can bank on it. Here are a number of reasons to buy season tickets...

1. Season tickets provide ticket holders with reserved or preferential seating.

2. The more season tickets sold, the lessor the need for give aways and discounted tickets.

3. They are reasonably priced. For example, I live in Meridian and have had season tickets for BSU games for 30 years or so. This year, I believe I paid $375 or so per seat for 6 home games. In order to have the opportunity to buy my 30 yard line seats, I pay the Bronco Athletic Assoc. an additional $695. (Don't even let me go into the premium skybox pricing - something like $2200 per seat). ISU games are cheap in comparison.

4. Buying season tickets is a great way to support the football program. Also, in many athletic programs, revenue generated from football programs help fund other university athletic programs.

5. If you have season tickets, because you're invested, you tend to work your schedule around the home football schedule. That puts focus on the team and that's what ISU needs.

6. Season ticket holders tend to support the community and game sponsors. Take the new practice field for example. ICCU stepped up to help make the team better. You can,too.

7. Because season ticket holders sit in the same seats each game, they sit with the same group of other season ticket holders and thus, have a great opportunity to get acquainted with those around their seats. This may make the game more than a game. It has a tendancy to be a social event, too.

There are more reasons to buy season tickets. These items just popped into my head. Maybe a separate thread to list the positives about having season tickets are in order.

The bottom line, in my opinion, is that buying season tickets helps the school, the team, the community and you.

 

[BengalSapper]

To buy you have to donate to the Bengal foundation to buy tickets. $75 is the smallest amount

75/2 (number of tickets) =37.50/6 (games)=6.25+14=$20.25 a game why buy season tickets?

 

[up for the challenge]

I would think that the local businesses would support the football team. They could purchase season tickets to give to their customers.

 

[BengalSapper]

I work for a local business in sells and it is cheaper for us to just buy tickets rather than buy season tickets. It is not the local businesses that have to get behind the team that I keep reading on this board. It is ISU!!!!!!!!!
The problem is the lack of enthusiasm from the university both from administrator’s students and faculty. To fix this it has to start from the front. If ISU football is a major issue for the president and other faculty it will be for students. Many universities have black outs on school functions other than football on things like major rivalry games or homecoming ISU does not. Many universities will cancel class if a game is played on a week night ISU would not even think of it. If ISU wants to sell tickets it is not the businesses that need to do it. It is ISU that has to advertise promote and sell the football team. If ISU does not have the personal or the knowledge give me a call and I will show you how it is done.

 

[up for the challenge]

Local businesses have the opportunity to purchase season tickets to show their appreciation to the football team and ISU as the football team and ISU help support the local businesses as a customer throughout the year. I know the football players volunteer their time to the community and businesses throughout the year. Businesses could give their season tickets to their employees or customers. There is no reason for local businesses not to purchase season tickets as it is good for the ISU football program and the local businesses. For example: A local resident likes to go eat out at different local restaurants, he or she is a good customer to these restaurants, the manager or owner walks up to customer and gives me a couple of tickets to the game. The local customer is happy, the business manager or owner is happy for their business, and the ISU football program is happy to see fans at the game. Season tickets purchases are a way to build the program.

 

[spazdog1]

First, let me preface a response with this... It's encouraging to hear fans wanting to attend the games, whether it's thru give-aways or buying walk-up tickets or with season tickets. First and foremost, butts in the seats. Support the team, support the community.

However, will the draw be the same for Western State as, say North Dakota or E. Washington? In my view, probably not. That's another reason for season tickets. You get invested by buying your season tickets and you will probably attend each game. It becomes a priority. Attending games with a walk-up or give-way tickets, there's no prior investment and most likely no priority. Something better comes along, boom, you're gone. No walk-up tickets for the game for you and the give-aways are wasted, most likely.

Let's look at season tickets another way. Let's say you want to go to a movie at the theatre. What's a ticket, say $7.50 each so for you and a date it's $15 or so for 90 minutes to two hours. For the sake of using easier numbers, say a 100 minute movie. What's the cost for a Bengal ticket and the foundation factor, using Sapper's numbers for you and your date it's $40.50 for let's say a 3 1/2 hour (210 minute) game. From the theatre refreshement prices I paid the last time I went to the movie, costs for drinks and all of that is probably slanted in ISU's favor. All things considered (total costs for attending and the time factors), the overall cost to attend an ISU with season tickets is very similar and instead of watching a movie you are attending a NCAA live football game. Which is more fun, more eventful, more rewarding? To me, live entertainment, being part of the event. Hands down. And this example is illustrated by using Sapper's numbers for a couple of season tickets. One more thing... at least a portion of your donation to the foundation is tax deductible. (I am not a tax consultant and this is not intended to be offering tax advice).

One more thing that I would like to address, and I belly ache about this every year. I live in Meridian but have an office in Pocatello. As the season draws near and I'm in Pocatello, I try to get the poster/schedules to display in the windows of our Pocatello office. But, I can't remember going to the Dome to pick up poster/schedule in mid-August and being successful with that task. Since I'm not in Pocatello full time, I stop by again and again until I can get them. I've finally picked up the poster/schedules after the second home game. There have been years when the second home game is the fourth game of the season! I've been promised to have someone deliver a couple to our office but as of yet, their shadow hasn't darkened our doorway. If the printer's the issue, get a new printer. If it's the staff... Just saying. How can ISU expect to get the fans and businesses behind the team if they can't even get their schedules and football posters in time for opening kick-off for the first game?

 

[up for the challenge]

Good to hear you are on board with the program but do not worry about the schedules / posters for your office. Buy the season tickets and if you choose to do something else on game day than give your tickets to your customers and / or employees. They will appreciate it. The football program needs help from the local businesses to sale out Holt Arena. Take your horn to the game, have some pop corn, and enjoy the gam win or lose. The players and coaches will be fired up with a sold out Holt Arena.

 

[sasquatch]

UFTC, you're missing the point. It's not about the poster itself. It's about poor marketing, poor communication, poor commitment, poor relations, and so on and so on.

I know from experience that the football poster schedule has come out several games into the season. Why even bother printing one? Posters are great, and inexpensive, marketing tools. Hanging a poster in a local business shows a relationship and civic commitment to both Pocatello and ISU. And yeah, it's advertising for the school so somebody may just want to go and buy a ticket.

I hope the new marketing company working with ISU can help with a lot of these issues.

 

[up for the challenge]

If you are anyone else has an issue with the posters, etc., contact the athletic department and tell them your concerns. They will listen to you. The businesses should not care about marketing, etc. they should care about purchasing season tickets for their customers or employees.

 

[BengalSapper]

UFTC, you're missing the point. It's not about the poster itself. It's about poor marketing, poor communication, poor commitment, poor relations, and so on and so on.

I know from experience that the football poster schedule has come out several games into the season. Why even bother printing one? Posters are great, and inexpensive, marketing tools. Hanging a poster in a local business shows a relationship and civic commitment to both Pocatello and ISU. And yeah, it's advertising for the school so somebody may just want to go and buy a ticket.

I hope the new marketing company working with ISU can help with a lot of these issues.

This is correct. :clap: :clap: :clap: As a businessman it is hard to justify spending my marketing budget on ISU football when ISU athletics don’t. I want to see the marketing plan. I want to see the game day plan. I want to see the planning and preparation that is put into the games and game day atmosphere. I am sick of the entitlement attitude at ISU and want to see a “we will work hard to put your butts in the seats” not a “you should all just spend your money and show up because you should attitude”. It has to start from ISU. And as for UM and MSU they do put more butts in the seats but they spend a lot more and put a major emphasis on marketing advertising and public relations.

 

[up for the challenge]

Voice your concerns to the ISU athletic department about marketing, etc. They will listen to you. Maybe, you can help them. Right now, the football program has to play in two money games every year and take a beating for the athletic department to stay a float. As I mentioned, ISU student-athletes are good customers to the local businesses and volunteer their time to the community and local businesses. It is time for the local businesses to give back regardless of posters, etc. and purchase season tickets are a way to give back. Let's not get cheap here.

 

[spazdog1]

Please don't take this wrong. I'm an advocate for season tickets. As a business person, I understand that businesses need to contribute, too.

To me, the problem lies with gap between the athletic staff and the public. Maybe someone knows what the staff, not coaches, but the admin staff does during the summer. I would venture it's a slow time. During that time, why not contact businesses and in Pocatello, Idaho Falls, Blackfoot, etc. and get their input. Why not go out to the site and talk to those in the lunch rooms at noon? Find out what it would take for them to come on board? In the meantime, talk to former season ticket holders and try to find the reason that they are former ticket holders. Build some excitement in the business communities. Build some excitement with the public in general.

I know a number of people on this board are not excited to hear about BSU, but I think this is relevant. Over the past 6 or so years, their home basketball attendance stunk. They tried some cheap ticket nights and family deals. It just didn't seem to work. This past year, they waived the athletic assoication fees to those basketball season ticket holders that also had football seats. In addition, they offered early bird pricing which could resolve some of the issues that we've already discussed in this thread. Granted, BSU had a better team this past year and their home attendance almost doubled fron the previous year. They identified those that are committed to the university in some form and rewarded them for their support. Rumor has it that next year (2014-2015), the waiver for the athletic association will expire and we will be paying again for the privilege of having the opportunity to buy season tickets. We'll see how that goes. My point is, BSU is looking for a way to reach out and reconnect. ISU should be thinking of doing the same.

 

[up for the challenge]

Give them a call and voice your concerns. They will listen to you and take your suggestions into consideration. Maybe, you will get some answers and have a better understanding of what they are doing.

 

[votb]

JUst responding to one phrase UFTC made about "bring your horns to the game"...

The horns (Vuvuzuelas) are no longer allowed by the Big Sky at indoor football games. New rule change made about a month ago...

 

[PBP]

Up:

When you go to a game this year you have to leave your horn at home. They have been banned by the conference.

PBP

 

[up for the challenge]

No Horns. Do you think that will hurt the season ticket sales ? Maybe, go with metal cow bells this season to replace the horns. I do not think a fan can blow a whistle at a game.

 

[PBP]

I don't know if cowbells are allowed either. Honestly don't remember the exact wording of the new rule.

PBP