Season Ticket Sales

[GOAPPS37]

Now, that is unofficially decided that we are heading to the Camelia Bowl, let's go down there and win the thing and look toward the 2016 season which brings me to our poor numbers of season ticket sales. Isn't something in the neighborhood of 4,500? And isn't Old Dominion's number around 12,000? I would like this forum to present ideas on how we can increase our season ticket sales for next year and beyond. Here are my initial suggestions:

1. In order to secure a seat for the Miami Hurricane game, you must purchase a season ticket.

2. Do not include the Miami Hurricane game in the 1/2 Season Package.

3. Block off the sections between the 40 yard lines on both the East and West sides for season ticket holders. This system may already be in place, I'm just not sure.


I have many so called "Die Hard" APP fans who are my friends, but they simply don't step up to the plate and purchase season tickets even though they do not miss a home game. They always purchase tickets outside the stadium at least at half the price I paid for my season
ticket. They also do not contribute to the Yosef Club. Don't get me wrong, I love these people. They tailgate at my spot at every home game and we enjoy talking APP football. They are fans in the sense that they make the trip to Boone and walk into KBS and cheer the Mountaineers on, but that is where it stops. Most of my friends are in their mid fifties and have followed APP since graduating in the early 80's and it just baffles me each year why they do not contribute something to the Yosef Club. This should be part of their family budget each year because it is something their family enjoys doing each Saturday the Mountaineers are at home. I am not saying to break their bank. I'm just saying "GIVE SOMETHING TO THE YOSEF CLUB" & "BUY A SEASON TICKET". Like it or not, ASU has stepped up to the Big Boy Level and I challenge all APP fans to step up their commitment as well to the program.

[AppDawg]

Great post.

Here is the problem and you hit the nail on the head:

"They always purchase tickets outside the stadium at least at half the price I paid for my season ticket."

We have too much supply. The greater fanbase knows, there is no risk waiting until gameday see what the weather is then decide to purchase tickets. I think DG is doing right by thinking about removing the endzone bleachers.

Right now our supply is greater than demand - Econ 101.

[JTApps1]

I would take away all GA sales until every seat was filled because a lot of people will wait to buy a lower priced GA ticket and either sit on the bank, or go find a seat that is empty or in the student sections. The bank should be used for standing room only.

[AppinATL]

Now, that is unofficially decided that we are heading to the Camelia Bowl, let's go down there and win the thing and look toward the 2016 season which brings me to our poor numbers of season ticket sales. Isn't something in the neighborhood of 4,500? And isn't Old Dominion's number around 12,000? I would like this forum to present ideas on how we can increase our season ticket sales for next year and beyond. Here are my initial suggestions:

1. In order to secure a seat for the Miami Hurricane game, you must purchase a season ticket.

2. Do not include the Miami Hurricane game in the 1/2 Season Package.

3. Block off the sections between the 40 yard lines on both the East and West sides for season ticket holders. This system may already be in place, I'm just not sure.


I have many so called "Die Hard" APP fans who are my friends, but they simply don't step up to the plate and purchase season tickets even though they do not miss a home game. They always purchase tickets outside the stadium at least at half the price I paid for my season
ticket. They also do not contribute to the Yosef Club. Don't get me wrong, I love these people. They tailgate at my spot at every home game and we enjoy talking APP football. They are fans in the sense that they make the trip to Boone and walk into KBS and cheer the Mountaineers on, but that is where it stops. Most of my friends are in their mid fifties and have followed APP since graduating in the early 80's and it just baffles me each year why they do not contribute something to the Yosef Club. This should be part of their family budget each year because it is something their family enjoys doing each Saturday the Mountaineers are at home. I am not saying to break their bank. I'm just saying "GIVE SOMETHING TO THE YOSEF CLUB" & "BUY A SEASON TICKET". Like it or not, ASU has stepped up to the Big Boy Level and I challenge all APP fans to step up their commitment as well to the program.

I don't like forcing people to buy season tickets to get to one game, historic though it may be.. Feels like extortion to me...right alongside the Seat License scam that pro teams get away with. Hate it. Now saying you can guarantee your seat in the stadium for that game with season tickets is fine, because its accurate and you give fans the option to buy or not buy and take their chances. Charging a bit more for the Miami game for single game sales is fine.

Blocking the Miami game from the half season packages, well, I can't get behind that either . What, you're gonna have one package with three games and the other with two? Again, I would be ok with charging more for the Half that includes the Miami game.

As far as reserving the space between the 40's for season tickets, I think that's already the case, but I could be wrong, I just know my section in the 111 is for season tickets. Any seats not purchased for that purpose I guess after a certain time can be up for grabs.

I think we just need to step up our marketing and salesmanship game as far as season ticket sales goes.

[bcoach]

Great post.

Here is the problem and you hit the nail on the head:

"They always purchase tickets outside the stadium at least at half the price I paid for my season ticket."

We have too much supply. The greater fanbase knows, there is no risk waiting until gameday see what the weather is then decide to purchase tickets. I think DG is doing right by thinking about removing the endzone bleachers.

Right now our supply is greater than demand - Econ 101.

That is absolutely correct. We do have too much supply. Taking the bleachers down is an easy fix. Move the band back over next to the students ( not crazy about that but..). You take away the end zone seats and fill the other seats with the band. Now there is not so much supply and it hasn't cost a dime. It is just humane nature. When you don't think you can get something you want it all the more. It makes you take action. Then if and I say if you create the need you can put the bleachers back up in very short order.

[sixtoes9134]

Yosef Donation to get you parking and season tickets at App are the best deal on the planet. Can't believe every Alumni who comes to games frequently doesn't do it. It's really ridiculous and honestly pisses me off.

[AppDawg]

Based on interviews I have listened to from DG, I think the mini-packs may go away. From a business mindset, I can't say I disagree with him.

[ASUGrad2014]

I am definitely joining the Yosef Club next year! Cannot wait to not have to worry about finding tickets and parking!

[AppRy]

Blocking the Miami game from the half season packages, well, I can't get behind that either . What, you're gonna have one package with three games and the other with two? Again, I would be ok with charging more for the Half that includes the Miami game.
.

I'd be ok with taking it out of the mini-pack. I don't know the logistics on them, but why not have a game in both packs to keep both at 3 games?


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[appbud]

I'm a Yosef club member and have been for years and also buy season tickets each year even though there are some games I know I can't attend.

[appbio91]

I have two sets of friends who have donated at the chancellor level for years. They both buy mini season because job situation prevents them from being off 6 Saturdays. One has three kids the other has two so buying season tickets for games they know they can't use is a big expense. This hardline attitude might hurt more than help.

Look we put 27-30k in there for years between 2006 and 2010. We had mini season packs during that time. We also had a ton of excitement surrounding the program. They will come back after a couple seasons like this one.

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[97grad]

...
2. Do not include the Miami Hurricane game in the 1/2 Season Package.
...

Some good suggestions here but I can't get behind this one. We have been YC members for years and are half-season ticket holders. 3:30 game times combined with a 3.5 hour drive from Raleigh with small children together imply a relatively costly stay in a Boone hotel, so the bottom line is that we cannot make every home game. But we're hardly among those who should be excluded from getting dibs on Miami tickets.

One more thing to keep in mind with respect to availability is that in addition to the ever-present tickets being sold outside the stadium, we have these deals that the athletic department often puts out. Speaking again about half season packages, I was a bit annoyed to find this year that after the YC/Season ticket renewal deadline, a third package was announced that had all Saturday games. Luckily I was able to make the GS Thursday game but that would have been a nice option to consider up front. I get that it is better to have butts in the seats than not, but we're conditioning fans to avoid committing up front. Not only are App State tickets not hard to come by, this includes good seats that are supposed to be reserved for YC members.

[AppDawg]

It was mentioned on here previously and I like the idea - if the Miami game is included any mini pack it needs to be with any midweek games and/or any game after Thanksgiving.

97grad - to your remark that we are conditioning fans not to commit upfront, I wholeheartedly agree. We need to get the folks that are on the fence and wait until game day to commit earlier. Hopefully in the near future many of these incentives, including all variations of mini packs, are not needed.

That said, I do think in our recent state of the fanbase that these incentives have been needed of late for nothing else to get folks up the mountain and remind them how much fun App football is. we lost a large chunk of the Fanbase post AE and to a greater extent post JM - I view these incentives as an effort to get these folks re-engaged.

[97grad]

That said, I do think in our recent state of the fanbase that these incentives have been needed of late for nothing else to get folks up the mountain and remind them how much fun App football is. we lost a large chunk of the Fanbase post AE and to a greater extent post JM - I view these incentives as an effort to get these folks re-engaged.

Agreed, my point is just that we need to realize that these are contradictory goals. Maybe we need another season or 2 of easy tickets (and of course results on the field) before putting the screws to people to commit early. My instinct tells me it would be better to err on the side of doing this later.

[Saint3333]

Offer season ticket holders a $30 discount compared to the combined pricing of single game tickets ($5/game).

Allow season ticket holders to purchase the same number of single game tickets as they have season tickets. Given the Miami and Wake games the next two years that option will make having season tickets more valuable.

Where we do have more demand than supply is in the club level, there is currently a waiting list and I think DG was very high on the building ODU had in its endzone and I could see us removing the bleachers in the north endzone and adding more club seating there.

[bcoach]

What is really sad about this whole thing is that we are hanging our ticket sale hopes on one game. One game brings in "event gawkers" not a fan base. We just don't have the fan base that we would like to have. That is what we need to work on and it entails cultivating the students and then keeping them after they go to work. So far we have not been very good at that. This problem is not going to be solved this year or next. It is a process. I think we now have an AD that really cares and has the knowledge and drive to make it happen. It is going to take some time and I don't see him doing anything to drive any of the present loyal fans away.

[kiddbrewer]

Offer season ticket holders a $30 discount compared to the combined pricing of single game tickets ($5/game).

Allow season ticket holders to purchase the same number of single game tickets as they have season tickets. Given the Miami and Wake games the next two years that option will make having season tickets more valuable.

Where we do have more demand than supply is in the club level, there is currently a waiting list and I think DG was very high on the building ODU had in its endzone and I could see us removing the bleachers in the north endzone and adding more club seating there.

I was thinking the same thing. Offer season tickets (full season) at a reduced per game cost. Keep the mini package and offer a discount too, but not as much.

I know Gillin is on record not liking the mini package, but I think it serves a purpose. There was a time back several years ago, I had to get a mini package and it was helpful to have the option.

[TheMoody1]

The mini package made more sense in the SoCon. Three games in Boone and for many there were two or three easy road games to attend. In the Sun Belt to attend 5 or six games it is a lot closer just to go to all 6 games in Boone.

[Gonzo]

I think pulling the endzone seats is short-sighted. 2015 was the perfect storm, scheduling wise, for poor attendance on the heels of two years of a lackluster on-field product and post season ineligibility. 2016 brings us an ACC home game against a 5-time BCS national champ led by a very high profile coach in his second game as the HC of the Hurricanes, on the heels of what might be an 11-win season for the Apps.

Forcing people to commit early is a bad idea as well, especially with my age group. Aziz Ansari had a really good stand up bit about this. People are flaky in 2015. If you make people commit before August to plans in November they're just going to say no. I don't think fundamentally changing our ticket sales strategy will be effective. As some have mentioned, we're not too far removed from averaging close to 30,000. With the way we're winning, we will get there again soon so long as the Conference stops screwing us over with holiday games and multiple week day games. DG's emphasis should be on making sure we aren't shafted a third year in a row.

Marketing needs work re: season ticket sales. Personally, my girl friend and I are joining Yosef this year and getting season tickets now that I'll finally be done with law school. I'm 26 and a half. Class of 2011. I have never been called or otherwise solicited by the Yosef Club and neither have any of my friends who didn't inquire themselves about joining. I've heard people on here talk about our phone center. I have some friends who went to NCSU who worked in theirs calling alums all day asking for WPC membership. One of them solicited Phillip Rivers once. If we indeed have a program like that I don't know if they're understaffed or what.

[vegattk]

I think pulling the endzone seats is short-sighted. 2015 was the perfect storm, scheduling wise, for poor attendance on the heels of two years of a lackluster on-field product and post season ineligibility. 2016 brings us an ACC home game against a 5-time BCS national champ led by a very high profile coach in his second game as the HC of the Hurricanes, on the heels of what might be an 11-win season for the Apps.

Let's not forget too that we had some HORRIBLE weather games this season. Tack that on to "hard-to-get-to" Thursday night games it ended up dropping our averages.

If we have good weather and less Thursday nights we'll see those huge numbers again...