Pushing Mini Plan Buyers Out

[Nick UC 92]

So UConn has decided to only sell football mini plans in sections 104, 126 and 138. When I called them on it they said they are saving the best sections for their season ticket holders.

We have bought eight tickets the last two years in the lower chairback sections. Two years ago to four games and last year to three games because they changed the mini-plan offering to three games.

I cannot believe when attendance is down and the program has not sniffed a bowl game they decide to punish fans who come to the games and spend money on concessions by not allowing us to buy seatback seats unless we are season ticket holders.

Short sighted.....if they push people away like this, they will be in the AAC for a very long time. SAD!!!

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

You get a free garden flag though.

 

[gioff23]

Did they say they reserving best seats "for now" or forever. I find it hard to believe a month to 6 weeks from now, they won't provide you with more options. I actually think its fair to reserve best seats for ST holders, at least up until a point you know you'll have plenty left.

 

[whaler11]

Selling the seatbacks in mini plans was super dumb. Now they have made everyone mad! Well played.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Anyone willing to pay for those seats should be able to get them and probably a free beer or two. Even when we’ve had our larger crowds of the last few years (sadly like 30k) the bleachers near the seat backs are packed and the seat backs are 20% full.

 

[huskymedic]

I cannot believe when attendance is down and the program has not sniffed a bowl game they decide to punish fans who come to the games and spend money on concessions by not allowing us to buy seatback seats unless we are season ticket holders.

I get your overall point but for clarification UConn Athletics gets zero dollars from food concessions (or parking).

 

[zls44]

Anyone willing to pay for ANY SEATS AT ALL should be able to get them and probably a free beer or two.

FTFY

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I get your overall point but for clarification UConn Athletics gets zero dollars from food concessions (or parking).

I feel like the name of the site should include that.

 

[CL82]

I get your overall point but for clarification UConn Athletics gets zero dollars from food concessions (or parking).

Should have built the stadium on campus.


(Oh why not? It's the summer and camp hasn't started.)

 

[Woof 101]

This has to be the fault of the new Assistant Director of Ticket Operations...
This job posting is scheduled to be removed at 11:59 PM eastern on July 20, 2018.....

 

[uconnphil2016]

You get a free garden flag though.

A garden flag made by @Chief00 . Important detail left out.

 

[Exit 4]

Probably a waste to post on this quiet thread, but the obvious missed opportunity here was to hand out Randy Edsall garden gnomes. People love Randy and they love those stupid little garden statues and in this case 1 + 1 would = 3.

 

[Nick UC 92]

Did they say they reserving best seats "for now" or forever. I find it hard to believe a month to 6 weeks from now, they won't provide you with more options. I actually think its fair to reserve best seats for ST holders, at least up until a point you know you'll have plenty left.

They said it was a new policy...I told them it was extremely shortsighted and they started telling me that true fans stick with the team through thick and thin and I should buy season tickets. I said I have bought 8 tickets via the mini plan the last two years when the program was a dumpster fire and attendance was bleeding out. They didn't seem to care. That is entirely their prerogative but not a good way to promote butts in the seats given the performance on the field the last few years.

 

[huskymedic]

They said it was a new policy...I told them it was extremely shortsighted and they started telling me that true fans stick with the team through thick and thin and I should buy season tickets. I said I have bought 8 tickets via the mini plan the last two years when the program was a dumpster fire and attendance was bleeding out. They didn't seem to care. That is entirely their prerogative but not a good way to promote butts in the seats given the performance on the field the last few years.

In the end, did you buy any Mini-Plans seats?

 

[Waquoit]

Selling the best seats in the mini-plan was unfair to our best fans. Complaining about the new policy is just whining.

 

[Wordbomar]

This is a silly complaint. Season ticket holders deserve to have the options to get the best seats.

 

[whaler11]

Now that the deduction for the ticket donations are gone there is no point in that aspect of the pricing.

Just right price the stupid tickets and sell them to whomever wants to buy them.

 

[Nick UC 92]

In the end, did you buy any Mini-Plans seats?

No....waiting to see if they change their position

 

[Nick UC 92]

Selling the best seats in the mini-plan was unfair to our best fans. Complaining about the new policy is just whining.

You think so....the choices for the university are 1) sell the tickets to a willing buyer or 2) save them for season ticket holders who don't exist and are not going to buy the tickets.

 

[Nick UC 92]

This is a silly complaint. Season ticket holders deserve to have the options to get the best seats.

Of course assuming they were selling the tickets....have you seen how empty the stadium has been the last few years.

 

[Nick UC 92]

Now that the deduction for the ticket donations are gone there is no point in that aspect of the pricing.

Just right price the stupid tickets and sell them to whomever wants to buy them.

Exactly! I spend money to park, to buy the 8 tickets, for concessions and other merchandise. Is the university being wise with this strategy? Cutting your nose off to spite your face.

 

[whaler11]

Exactly! I spend money to park, to buy the 8 tickets, for concessions and other merchandise. Is the university being wise with this strategy? Cutting your nose off to spite your face.

Right they should just price them at x

Season ticket gets x-10%
Mini plan gets x-5%
single game gets x

The stupid combination of donation+face just creates issues.

 

[SubbaBub]

Right they should just price them at x

Season ticket gets x-10%
Mini plan gets x-5%
single game gets x

The stupid combination of donation+face just creates issues.

Not sure this is the right model but your point is spot on. They have over 15 years of data, in good times and bad. They should know exactly what people are willing to pay for season tickets, mini plans, and singles.

Figure out what your ST's are willing to pay and put them in the good seats. Fan it out from there.

At the very least it will look better on TV.

If you have to give upper deck endzone seats away for $10, do it. At least your best fans will get something for their backing.

 

[TheDoggPound]

Isn't buying ST's virtually just as cheap as buying this mini plan?

 

[CL82]

Right they should just price them at x

Season ticket gets x-10%
Mini plan gets x-5%
single game gets x

The stupid combination of donation+face just creates issues.

Have to look at the donation data to see how much that generates.

I'd guess an optimal model might look something like:

Donation level 1: Give them a fancy name, like Husky Premier or something. First shot for season tickets at 90% of $x, choice of tickets, plus perks (extra meet and greets and events before and during the season, insider emails, maybe an express entrance into the stadium, maybe some extra promotions like cushions, cup holders, preferred parking etc.) Window to buy begins at date certain and end. Then

Donation level 2: Give them a less fancy name, Like True Blue Club. First shot at remaining seats. 1 meet and greet. 1 Gift during the season. insider emails. They get preferred entrance after it closes for a limited time after it closes for Premier. Still priced at 90% of $x

Season Ticket Holders: Next shot at tickets at 90% x

Mini- plan holders: Next shot at tickets at 95% x.

Single seat holders: $x

Try to cluster each group so that each group gets to sit with peers.

Then promote the living piss out of the remaining seats to get people in the door, but first open it up to first three groups sequentially to be able to get the same deal (or maybe even slightly better) if they want to buy additional seats.

I'm sure this could be tweaked, a lot, but something that adds more value to the fans who want to pay for the privilege makes sense. Perhaps you could discount the first two contribution levels for fans who have a history as season ticket holders. Been buying ST since day one? Then the required contribution level is reduced.