On Ticket Prices

[CL82]

There has to be value for the season ticket holders and three year plan holders. Lower the price, add food coupons, give them the option to buy up excess tickets at a dirt low price, maybe all of the above but there needs to something more than just appealing to school spirit.

I can't disagree more with Fishy's point that filling the stadium doesn't matter until we win. It makes a huge impression as to viability of the program. It makes for a better product for our current consumers both in the stands and on TV. It makes a better product for broadcasters.

Empty seats aren't making us any money. We might as well use them for self-promotion. Rutgers did that successfully. It's not why they are in the B1G but it certainly didn't hurt them. I especially like the idea of putting together a student program, tickets, bus, tailgate (food, pregame entertainment and activities) at cost. Get the students butts in the seats. It's an investment in the future.

 

[CTBasketball]

Ticket prices are absurd.

Selling out the Rent every week won't get us in a P5. Especially if we're still be a 3-5 win football team.

 

[Dooley]

Ticket prices are not absurd. The product is absurd. Fans have shown that they will pay $40 per seat for a good game and a good product. They will not pay $20 per seat for the 2014 version of UCONN football (and its opponent).

 

[J187Money]

disagree. It might dip a little but I think the 20K figure seems steady. The schedule has been known for a couple years, the program has been in decline since RE left, and is in a rebuilding mode with Diaco. I don't see a material drop-off.

Agree. There is about 18k of inelastic demand.

 

[junglehusky]

ZLS's point that fees on fees on fees is annoying enough to push casual fans away from buying is a good one that should be heard by the athletic department, even if the larger point about winning is also true.

 

[Dooley]

There has to be value for the season ticket holders and three year plan holders. Lower the price, add food coupons, give them the option to buy up excess tickets at a dirt low price, maybe all of the above but there needs to something more than just appealing to school spirit.

I can't disagree more with Fishy's point that filling the stadium doesn't matter until we win. It makes a huge impression as to viability of the program. It makes for a better product for our current consumers both in the stands and on TV. It makes a better product for broadcasters.

Empty seats aren't making us any money. We might as well use them for self-promotion. Rutgers did that successfully. It's not why they are in the B1G but it certainly didn't hurt them. I especially like the idea of putting together a student program, tickets, bus, tailgate (food, pregame entertainment and activities) at cost. Get the students butts in the seats. It's an investment in the future.

UCONN really needs to address how it handles its season ticket holding diehard fan segment going forward. There are many UCONN fans that will take a "win, then I will come back" approach. Whatever. How folks choose their spend their hard earned dollars is up to them. But the problem with that is UCONN might not win again for a number of seasons. If/when that happens, our stadium will become increasingly silver with empty bleacher seats.

To make sure that UCONN retains as many of their diehard season ticket holding fanbase as possible, they're in a tough position. If they lower ticket prices, they are essentially acknowledging that we know that we suck so here's a bone. Fans will stay away from the Rent in droves if UCONN tells them that we are going to suck for a full season. That said, they also run the risk of alienating their diehard fanbase if they continue to charge season ticket holders double the price of what they charge the casual fan, who will likely arrive late and leave games early.

If I were working at UCONN, here's what I'd do:

1. I would offer season ticket holders an incentive to renew early. Renew by March 31 and you get 50% off per seat (essentially making tickets cost around $20/game for preferred seating). That way, if you run promos for every regular season game to try to fill the stadium, you aren't penalizing the season ticket holding fanbase that renewed early. At this stage in the game, you're either going to renew or not and you likely already know your intention right now. You won't even need until March 31 to decide. But perhaps an incentive to renew early and save LOTS of money would retain some of the 3-5K season ticket holders who have likely decided that they will not renew next year. UCONN isn't going to add season ticket holders next year...not with our own team's struggles and the very weak home lineup next year. The goal should be retainment and then survival. See below...

To sell seats that weren't renewed by March 31...

2. Begin "Top of the Rent" packages MUCH earlier...like Spring Game early. This is a nice option for diehard fans who want to save some cash and don't mind where they sit. Honestly, the last row of the Rent is still a decent seat. There really isn't a bad seat in the house and giving fans an option to buying upper deck seating much earlier than a few weeks before next year's home opener will fill in some empty pockets of the stadium. A filled seat beats an empty seat 100 times out of 100.

3. Begin selling Mini Game plans MUCH earlier to coincide with Top of the Rent packages. Nobody is going to want to sit through Villanova next year so for the casual-turning-diehard fan, why make them? Sell as many tickets to ECU and possibly Houston (hopefully) as possible. Offering fans a choice of paying for a full season Top of the Rent package or paying the same amount for a mini plan to the top 3 games of the schedule is a smart thing.

4. Offer double/triple (depending on if you buy preferred vs seat back tickets) points on ALL season ticket and mini plans for account holders. If you entice fans with the possibility of upgrading their MBB or WBB seats through buying football tickets, that may persuade some sales.

5. Offer discount programs for parking, merchandise, in-stadium concessions, road game packages (Missouri and BYU are two VERY exciting road games) etc. 20%, 30%, 50% off...whatever. Give fans a reason to renew or buy tickets by offering a game day savings for the misc expenses that all add up.

Single game tickets...

6. Offer flex pricing on single game tickets. Villanova and Army should be offered at a cheaper price than ECU.

Tickets unsold 24-48 hours per kickoff...

7. Promo codes to discount all tickets. Villanova and Army now cost $5. ECU now costs $20. Yes, season ticket holders all-in would still cost more than piecing together a season based on game-by-game promos. But the hope is that with offering incentives to renew early, getting double/triple points, and discounts on other misc game day expenses, the overall all-in game day cost will come out to be about the same if parking and concessions are discounted.

Tickets unsold...

8. Give them away to Military, emergency personnel, and middle school (or younger) kids to avoid potential recruiting violations with high school kid free tickets. Building a fanbase has to start now so that when the year comes that UCONN wins again (and the casual fans catch wind of it), they can sell tickets and people will actually care.

 

[CTBasketball]

Ask yourself this - would you spend 40 bucks on a TV-frozen steak dinner or would you rather spend 40 bucks on a good cut of beef at a restaurant?

Why would any non-diehard fan spend $40 to see the worst team in the country? I don't care if we're a 6-6 program every year, the casual fan isn't spending $40 per game.

 

[upstater]

I'm not going to address their whole structure, but rather the price per ticket. Illinois can do what it wants with $30m+ from the B1G. They are not very concerned, it seems. Uconn with its $2m a year from TV can't afford to start taking $1m less at the gate per game.

This is an apples and oranges comparison. Unless you can show that you would double attendance by dropping the price of tickets to $30 or $25, then you're not helping yourself at all.

We know there's a question here of how long UConn can possibly survive outside the P5 structure. UConn can't afford to take itself out of the game prematurely.

 

[whaler11]

I'm not going to address their whole structure, but rather the price per ticket. Illinois can do what it wants with $30m+ from the B1G. They are not very concerned, it seems. Uconn with its $2m a year from TV can't afford to start taking $1m less at the gate per game.

This is an apples and oranges comparison. Unless you can show that you would double attendance by dropping the price of tickets to $30 or $25, then you're not helping yourself at all.

We know there's a question here of how long UConn can possibly survive outside the P5 structure. UConn can't afford to take itself out of the game prematurely.

Or you can just keep the prices the same and let attendance erode like at the Civic Center.

 

[BNich]

I'm not going to address their whole structure, but rather the price per ticket. Illinois can do what it wants with $30m+ from the B1G. They are not very concerned, it seems. Uconn with its $2m a year from TV can't afford to start taking $1m less at the gate per game.

This is an apples and oranges comparison. Unless you can show that you would double attendance by dropping the price of tickets to $30 or $25, then you're not helping yourself at all.

We know there's a question here of how long UConn can possibly survive outside the P5 structure. UConn can't afford to take itself out of the game prematurely.

I agree. Sounds like everyone is asking for free tickets. If you're unhappy with the performance on the field and you're unhappy about ticket prices stay home. Otherwise your waffling fan "support" if that's what you want to call it, gets us no where. I drove 2.5 hours to stand in the pouring rain for $50 to watch my beloved Huskies on the road. Sure they lost. I was there until the final whistle cheering my team on. If you have better things to do and family to attend to on a Saturday go do it. Uconn is looking for loyal committed fans. Not those that will attend only when it's convenient. If you all want to be on the P-5 level, you need fans that set aside time each Saturday to watch or attend each game. Right now, it doesn't appear this is the case at all. The FSU's, LSU's, UF's, OSU's, Michigan's, etc. of the world, their fan base stops everything they are doing to watch or attend their teams games. Same with Alabama, Auburn, etc. If you're unhappy with the performance of the on-field product, don't show up, but at the same time, don't expect to get this program to a p-5 level with no support from the fan base.

 

[Waquoit]

Or you can just keep the prices the same and let attendance erode like at the Civic Center.

Worse yet, raise prices the same year you have the worst Civic Center sked in over 30 years.

 

[whaler11]

I agree. Sounds like everyone is asking for free tickets. If you're unhappy with the performance on the field and you're unhappy about ticket prices stay home. Otherwise your waffling fan "support" if that's what you want to call it, gets us no where. I drove 2.5 hours to stand in the pouring rain for $50 to watch my beloved Huskies on the road. Sure they lost. I was there until the final whistle cheering my team on. If you have better things to do and family to attend to on a Saturday go do it. Uconn is looking for loyal committed fans. Not those that will attend only when it's convenient. If you all want to be on the P-5 level, you need fans that set aside time each Saturday to watch or attend each game. Right now, it doesn't appear this is the case at all. The FSU's, LSU's, UF's, OSU's, Michigan's, etc. of the world, their fan base stops everything they are doing to watch or attend their teams games. Same with Alabama, Auburn, etc. If you're unhappy with the performance of the on-field product, don't show up, but at the same time, don't expect to get this program to a p-5 level with no support from the fan base.

Good lord you've been to 2 games in how many years? You aren't a marytr - you just happened to go to consecutive games because geography allowed it.

You are lecturing people for not showing up? There is a lot of nonsense around here - the worst flavor is the people who don't live here being critical of attendance.

 

[whaler11]

Worse yet, raise prices the same year you have the worst Civic Center sked in over 30 years.

Anytime you can win a national championship and reduce your already disappointing attendance you have to do it.

 

[John]

Agree. There is about 18k of inelastic demand.

I'm guessing 18K will be the rock bottom.

 

[John]

ZLS's point that fees on fees on fees is annoying enough to push casual fans away from buying is a good one that should be heard by the athletic department, even if the larger point about winning is also true.

the fees they tack on annoy the ever-loving sheet out of me. Like the $10 fee to order Men's BB season tickets. What the hell is that?????

 

[CL82]

I'm guessing 18K will be the rock bottom.

Mmm, if things don't get better on the field, it can and will get worse.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The UConn ticket model: Absurdly high season ticket prices AND donations (aside from top of the rent and young alumni) or just wait until the season starts and get everything for half off.

UConn literally does nothing to reward or incentive the season ticket base. Even throwing us a freaking tee shirt, New logo decal and some kind of preferred/discounted parking to show us some love would be appreciated, so when you sell tickets for half of what we paid during the season we don't feel so ripped off.

 

[zls44]

Fishy had the key- winning solves a lot of the problems. But I think it's pretty clear at this point that the team isn't close to winning again.

They can sit back and maintain the status quo, which appears to be that their idea of a way to keep up in the arms race is to do so in the backs of their most loyal customers. Get creative! Get people in the building and buying merchandise, becoming invested in the program.

Look at them as partners, not accounts.

 

[SubbaBub]

The UConn ticket model: Absurdly high season ticket prices AND donations (aside from top of the rent and young alumni) or just wait until the season starts and get everything for half off.

UConn literally does nothing to reward or incentive the season ticket base. Even throwing us a freaking tee shirt, New logo decal and some kind of preferred/discounted parking to show us some love would be appreciated, so when you sell tickets for half of what we paid during the season we don't feel so ripped off.

I have to disagree that season ticket prices are absurdly high. In the culture of big time CFB, to which we all aspire, it is required that the University spend ridiculous amounts of money on things no sane person would spend that much.

Buying a season ticket is supporting the program. It's not going to the movies, not even a MLB or NFL game. It's an investment in something you care about. Comparing UCONN to other universities, our package is fairly priced. Donations are not necessary for all seats. If you look at the BB tickets it's much worse.

Parking and concessions are set by the Rent and it's vendor's, not Uconn. But if you want to compare, I know Penn State charges $20 to park in the Red lot equivalent if you pre-order, and $40 on the day of the game.

We are not yet at top level CFB, culture wise, and we won't be for at least 20 years assuming it's a positive experience. CFB is a generational thing and until you have grandparents who attended games at the Rent as students, the fanbase bucket will be less than full.

So when the BC trolls come on here and brag that they came up 3k short of a sellout against USC, I LOL pretty hard at how pathetic their fanbase is.

We've demostrated that we can step up for big games and good teams. We are not yet so hungry for FB that we will turn up in full force for extended periods of dreck, opponents or play. But, we do show pretty well considering. By all rights we shouldn't out draw any P5 programs, but we do.

 

[SubbaBub]

Fishy had the key- winning solves a lot of the problems. But I think it's pretty clear at this point that the team isn't close to winning again.

They can sit back and maintain the status quo, which appears to be that their idea of a way to keep up in the arms race is to do so in the backs of their most loyal customers. Get creative! Get people in the building and buying merchandise, becoming invested in the program.

Look at them as partners, not accounts.

Maybe it's the fan in me, but I don't think we are that far away. I have no idea, why after an entire off season of practice and training we can't seem to execute simple blocking and make simple reads on defense. I honestly thought that with a real coaching staff that cared, I believe they care, why haven't they drilled down on each individuals technique and made the corrections. At some level, being big and strong should get you most of the way there.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

@SubbaBub It's not I disagree with you entirely, but we cannot continue to compare UConn football and our specific situation with the rest of FBS.

We have barely a decade playing FBS Football and while in that time we've accomplished a lot and sold out our building, we now find ourselves in an awful new league, without rivals and in the midst of our 4 losing season in a row.

Your points are valid, but again as I repeatedly say on here you're not going to sell tickets as an investment or as a commitment to UConn. The die hard fanbase of 15-18k may continue to show up but unless you make it more affordable and give someone who knows that instead of buying season tickets I'll just wait until the season starts and get them half off, your going to have an empty rent.

 

[Wonkster]

As a season ticket holder I've advocated they bus in the homeless and give them free coffee and hotdogs. They have to get people in the stadium.

Hey - you stole this from the Democrats in Wisconsin on Election Day, except they give away cigarettes along with a couple of pre-marked ballots.

 

[noeynox]

Hey - you stole this from the Democrats in Wisconsin on Election Day, except they give away cigarettes along with a couple of pre-marked ballots.

I've advocated using the homeless for a lot of things, so maybe they stole it from me

 

[Husky25]

To me it comes down, you can sell those discounted tickets or for the most part they go unsold. I would rather make a little money than no money. The product today is barely watchable. We buy season tickets because we love and support the school and program, but watching us play offense last night..... I can't expect a non die hard to WANT to pay to see that in person.

Agreed. I wouldn't mind if the corners and upper reaches of the second deck were a priced a little lower. Season ticket holders generally want to be closer to the field and 50 yard line, so reducing those tickets doesn't really affect them.

To be honest, I buy season tickets for when the program climbs the mountain again and I would rather be early to the party than late. I also enjoy the tailgating and hanging out with my friends, whom I otherwise wouldn't see very often due to distance, time, and other obligations (marriage, kids, etc.). Supporting the program is an ancillary "benefit" at this point, Though I pay my money, am in my seat by the time the coin hits Jonathan between the eyes, and typically stay until the final gun.

 

[SubbaBub]

@SubbaBub It's not I disagree with you entirely, but we cannot continue to compare UConn football and our specific situation with the rest of FBS.

We have barely a decade playing FBS Football and while in that time we've accomplished a lot and sold out our building, we now find ourselves in an awful new league, without rivals and in the midst of our 4 losing season in a row.

Your points are valid, but again as I repeatedly say on here you're not going to sell tickets as an investment or as a commitment to UConn. The die hard fanbase of 15-18k may continue to show up but unless you make it more affordable and give someone who knows that instead of buying season tickets I'll just wait until the season starts and get them half off, your going to have an empty rent.

I agree, my point as a season ticket holder and donor, is that I don't care if they sell single game seats for $20 or $5 if that's what it takes to fill the place. If anyone needs to buy single game seats to save a few bucks, go for it. Just be there at kickoff.

I harbor no delusions that sell outs are possible for teams like Stony Brook, Temple or Tulsa. I was disappointed that BYU and BSU weren't close to sold out.

These will be our money games attendance wise going forward. What ever marketing strategy is needed to maximize attendance to these games, UCONN should do it.

This next 3 year cycle is going to be brutal. If I'm honest, I'm reconsidering. Not becuase of the money, but the time involved and a level of aggravation has been grating. I follow these games as a break, I don't need additional stress of thinking about whether or not the tailback is picking up the blitz correctly.

I'll probably stick (assuming I get my preferred seats) because its a good day out with the family, but even two years ago it wouldn't have crossed my mind.