South Car games will be a bit more expensive for some fans

[mbr33ct]

The best seats in the house at South Carolina women's basketball games will come at a higher price this season.

For the first time, the Gamecocks are requiring fans to make a “seat donation” for the right to be in certain seats at women’s games. The charges apply only to courtside seats.

The donation fee will be $400 annually for the first row in courtside sections (101-103, 107, 109, 113, 115-118) and $200 annually for seating in the lower rows of sections 105 and 114. The change will affect roughly 320 seats, less than 2 percent of the Colonial Life Arena capacity.

...and so the "seat donation" gig is beginning even for the Gamecocks, I've seen this happen before...were was that?

As I was reading this, the thought came to me...why didn't they do this from last year, while A'ja Wilson was still on team and coming off a NC season. Perhaps the Admin didn't feel the urgency to implement this since the Gamecocks were, by all accounts bring in the highest attendance in WCBB again primarily because A'ja was still there...then it "dawned" on me South Car may be expecting fewer fans to show up next season in part for the lack of a marquee name(s) and to make up for this loss of revenue they will introduce these "seat donations".

A new fee will make USC women's basketball games more expensive for some fans

 

[JordyG]

 

[Charliebball]

The best seats in the house at South Carolina women's basketball games will come at a higher price this season.
As I was reading this, the thought came to me...why didn't they do this from last year, while A'ja Wilson was still on team and coming off a NC season. Perhaps the Admin didn't feel the urgency to implement this since the Gamecocks were, by all accounts bring in the highest attendance in WCBB again primarily because A'ja was still there...then it "dawned" on me South Car may be expecting fewer fans to show up next season in part for the lack of a marquee name(s) and to make up for this loss of revenue they will introduce these "seat donations".

A new fee will make USC women's basketball games more expensive for some fans

what was attendance like before Wilson? Winning should keep the fans coming back.........better hope for no long losing streaks........if that happens you'll find out exactly what kind of fan base you have........

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

^We were 10th in average attendance, but I don't think you can credit a large part of the increase to A'ja's presence. I think the increase from 2013-14 to 2014-15 had more to do with being a 1 seed/having a big season in 2013-14. I do think attendance will drop a little this coming season, but we should still be 1st in attendance.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

The best seats in the house at South Carolina women's basketball games will come at a higher price this season.

...and so the "seat donation" gig is beginning even for the Gamecocks, I've seen this happen before...were was that?

then it "dawned" on me South Car may be expecting fewer fans to show up next season in part for the lack of a marquee name(s) and to make up for this loss of revenue they will introduce these "seat donations".

A new fee will make USC women's basketball games more expensive for some fans

The seat donation gig is very common. Maybe not so common for women's basketball, but, since we moved to Arizona we pay the fee for football (duh - almost every school does this), softball (everyone in the grandstands pays - outfield, no), and Women's Basketball (because we sit on the floor, one of those rows of folding chairs locations).

I don't, however, think it has anything to do with making up revenue. The seat donations typically go to over-all athletic fundraising, the tickets go to whatever they go to. In any case, attendance like theirs is a nice bonus income for the program that most schools lack, but the net profit, whatever that might be, probably is not a substantial sum compared to the expenses of the WBB program. No program is funding through their ticket sales.

 

[huskymedic]

South Carolina does not have an athletic department revenue problem:

#16 in Country in 2016/2017 for Total Revenue (all sources of operating revenue): USA TODAY Sports

 

[j66kicker]

South Carolina does not have an athletic department revenue problem:

#16 in Country in 2016/2017 for Total Revenue (all sources of operating revenue): USA TODAY Sports

Like Jack Nicholson said in The Departed, "I haven't needed more money since I took Archie's milk money in the third grade... ... ... ... but I like it."

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

South Carolina does not have an athletic department revenue problem:

#16 in Country in 2016/2017 for Total Revenue (all sources of operating revenue): USA TODAY Sports

No, but poor schnooks like me, pay it anyway. Seat fees and booster club donations use to be mostly tax deductible, but no more.

 

[jennyo70]

Louisville WBB does this as well. Center court seats, on both sides of the arena, have a donation attached to it. Being in those seats allows you the opportunity to go to the bar accessed via those seats. They ask to see your ticket if you try to access the bar area. Otherwise, you have to go to main concourse to have access to drinks and snacks.

For those who have seats close to the floor, like myself, it is a long hike to make a bathroom run. Would be nice to have access to the bathroom via the fancy bars, but my budget does not allow for it. Besides, I have excellent seats, behind our bench, 5 rows from the floor. Just across the aisle from the donation seats.