Idea to increase butts in seats.Thursday night,send a text to season Tix and ask

[mdpitt]

if they will be attending the game. If they can't, they are given an option to forfeit the tickets and they go into a pool for secondary market and the holder gets the amount they are sold. Do not discount the tickets and always keep them face value to not dilute value. Maybe increase on high demand.

I would only do this for the lower bowl so it's always considered premium. Maybe give season ticket holders first crack to buy extras until 3pm Friday then it goes out to anyone.

Ideally, a smartphone makes this very easy and could be done through an app but maybe a dumb phone could do the same with y and n answers.

Many will say the secondary market is really easy ( I agree ) but realize many think a scalper is the only option and many of those folks just don't want to deal with them.

It frustrates me when many in my group and surrounding families just kind of toss their tickets for arm room if someone isn't going but maybe the ease and seeing money go into an account to carry over to the next season would be a great retention tool and maybe used to upgrade in the future as it seems like free money.

Fire away about the downsides. My goal is to have butts in sold seats.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Hire these guys to play.

 

[Pghfan]

if they will be attending the game. If they can't, they are given an option to forfeit the tickets and they go into a pool for secondary market and the holder gets the amount they are sold. Do not discount the tickets and always keep them face value to not dilute value. Maybe increase on high demand.

I would only do this for the lower bowl so it's always considered premium. Maybe give season ticket holders first crack to buy extras until 3pm Friday then it goes out to anyone.

Ideally, a smartphone makes this very easy and could be done through an app but maybe a dumb phone could do the same with y and n answers.

Many will say the secondary market is really easy ( I agree ) but realize many think a scalper is the only option and many of those folks just don't want to deal with them.

It frustrates me when many in my group and surrounding families just kind of toss their tickets for arm room if someone isn't going but maybe the ease and seeing money go into an account to carry over to the next season would be a great retention tool and maybe used to upgrade in the future as it seems like free money.

Fire away about the downsides. My goal is to have butts in sold seats.

Great idea but sounds like a pretty large undertaking. Doubt the ticket office has anywhere near this capability. Basically be an internal stubhub. If anything, a university would have to outsource this to a 3rd party and that would cost money

 

[PITTLAW]

if they will be attending the game. If they can't, they are given an option to forfeit the tickets and they go into a pool for secondary market and the holder gets the amount they are sold. Do not discount the tickets and always keep them face value to not dilute value. Maybe increase on high demand.

I would only do this for the lower bowl so it's always considered premium. Maybe give season ticket holders first crack to buy extras until 3pm Friday then it goes out to anyone.

Ideally, a smartphone makes this very easy and could be done through an app but maybe a dumb phone could do the same with y and n answers.

Many will say the secondary market is really easy ( I agree ) but realize many think a scalper is the only option and many of those folks just don't want to deal with them.

It frustrates me when many in my group and surrounding families just kind of toss their tickets for arm room if someone isn't going but maybe the ease and seeing money go into an account to carry over to the next season would be a great retention tool and maybe used to upgrade in the future as it seems like free money.

Fire away about the downsides. My goal is to have butts in sold seats.

The secondary market only has value if there is demand for tickets in the first place. People that do not use their tickets often give them to friends or clients...or sell on StubHub, etc. Since Pitt already has a partnership with StubHub, I seriously doubt Pitt would want to dilute that deal [to the extent they would even be contractually be permitted to do so]. So bottom line, I think the proposal is pretty worthless--sorry. Best way to get butts in seats is to make attending the games fun and/or compelling. It is not the price or access to tickets that is keeping people away. Do not believe me? Well the fact that Pitt sells more tickets than those people attending the games regularly, suggests that the value of the tickets is pretty low--otherwise, they would attend [give them away or sell them]. Hail to Pitt!

 

[BuffetParrothead]

Appreciate you thinking this thru and coming up with an idea to get butts in the seats.

We drive 5 hrs to home games and stay over so when we cant make one which is rare we GIVE the tickets to people in Pittsburgh who we know will make the game!
PITT fans should have a responsibility to be sure their ticket is used by someone ( PITT fan someone).

As PittLaw mentioned the best way to get people to the game is make it the place to be!

 

[mdpitt]

The secondary market only has value if there is demand for tickets in the first place. People that do not use their tickets often give them to friends or clients...or sell on StubHub, etc. Since Pitt already has a partnership with StubHub, I seriously doubt Pitt would want to dilute that deal [to the extent they would even be contractually be permitted to do so]. So bottom line, I think the proposal is pretty worthless--sorry. Best way to get butts in seats is to make attending the games fun and/or compelling. It is not the price or access to tickets that is keeping people away. Do not believe me? Well the fact that Pitt sells more tickets than those people attending the games regularly, suggests that the value of the tickets is pretty low--otherwise, they would attend [give them away or sell them]. Hail to Pitt!

I agree with you in many regards but I actually think there is stub hub value in lower bowl but not in upper. My casual experience is that lower bowl gets listed, are bought and attended but upper areas are not. My thought is "how do you get more lowers on the market and attended" maybe stub hub could be a partner to make it happen more.

I'm realistic of what the obstacles are but I'm personally a seat snob. I won't sit far away and more people might be like me.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

What bothers me are the people who sit in the bars and stay at tailgates after kick off.
Thats why I thought selling alcohol at the games who help get some of those people in the stadium.
I suggested having some sort of raffle late in the 4 th qtr. Someone else mentioned a 50-50 which is drawn at the same time as an incentive to show up and stay.

 

[Swervin27]

What bothers me are the people who sit in the bars and stay at tailgates after kick off.
Thats why I thought selling alcohol at the games who help get some of those people in the stadium.
I suggested having some sort of raffle late in the 4 th qtr. Someone else mentioned a 50-50 which is drawn at the same time as an incentive to show up and stay.

home games must annoy the heck out of you then because there are thousands of "alleged" fans decked out in pitt gear, all over the north shore but not in the stadium.. If we could count actual fans in the "area", we'd have some great numbers.

 

[HailtoPitt]

I agree with PittLaw that while this is a nice attempt to come up with an idea, it won't work because there will still plenty of tickets available cheaply regardless of this proposed solution.

Bottom line is that the stadium is too large for Pitt's fanbase. All of the gameday activities, tents, concerts, and whatever else Pitt comes up with will not matter much. The best solution is to tarp the upper deck and demand that people pay a premium for seats that remain. IF this is combined with a winning coach, then things could change.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

in tne areaome games must annoy the heck out of you then because there are thousands of "alleged" fans decked out in pitt gear, all over the north shore but not in the stadium.. If we could count actual fans in the "area", we'd have some great numbers.

We could base the attendance calculation on fans area, near the stadium, or thinking of attending the game. It would be a similar calculation to how the government calcualtes the unemployment rate.

 

[California Panther]

Any idea is better than the phone call that woke me up at 7 AM this morning with someone from Pitt trying to push tickets for the UPS game. Don't these people realize that the entire country doesn't have the same time that Pittsburgh does?

 

[Saboteur]

The secondary market only has value if there is demand for tickets in the first place. People that do not use their tickets often give them to friends or clients...or sell on StubHub, etc. Since Pitt already has a partnership with StubHub, I seriously doubt Pitt would want to dilute that deal [to the extent they would even be contractually be permitted to do so]. So bottom line, I think the proposal is pretty worthless--sorry. Best way to get butts in seats is to make attending the games fun and/or compelling. It is not the price or access to tickets that is keeping people away. Do not believe me? Well the fact that Pitt sells more tickets than those people attending the games regularly, suggests that the value of the tickets is pretty low--otherwise, they would attend [give them away or sell them]. Hail to Pitt!

I think everyone sells more tickets than those who attend, but the ratio of no shows at Pitt seems to be higher.
I agree the game day experience needs to improve but I'll tell you...it is pretty damn good already.
Let's face facts....what other college team has both tailgating AND restaurant options within a few hundred yards of the stadium? Not Ohio State which does not allow alcohol in parking lots and but one (though very nice) near drinking/dining option.
I think that we have been shortchanged and unfairly criticized as a fan base because no one and I mean no one likes to watch bad football.
Like it or not, that is what we have been asked to consume as fans.

 

[HailtoPitt]

I think that we have been shortchanged and unfairly criticized as a fan base because no one and I mean no one likes to watch bad football.
Like it or not, that is what we have been asked to consume as fans.

It isn't only about wins and losses or amenities in or near the stadium. South Carolina won 1 game in two seasons in 98-99 and still averaged well over 70,000 fans.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

As Crazy Paco pointed out in another thread Chancellor Nordenberg rebuilt Pitt Athletics & Facilities and return Pitt Football and Basketball to Winning.

Chancellor Gallagher is clearly looking to expand that winning and all aspects of Pitt Athletics by hiring A.D. Barnes, Coach Pat Narduzzi, and keeping Coach Dixon whose primary job is not just winning but producing higher Revenues in Attendance, Recruiting Resources, by Winning will bring in more fans.

Yet, Pitt now shares the ACC TV & Bowl Revenues that provides a stable income to build and develop Pitt Athletics even more under Gallagher and Pitt can thank Nordenberg for that legacy.

Penn State has one of the highest Attendance in CFB, but loses money due to how the Big Ten distributes such monies among all Big Ten Programs. It is the Penn State License Rights and Luxury Boxes that helps provides a very profitable Program that is not shared with the Big Ten.The Big Ten TV & Bowl Money does the rest in adding to that profit, but the Penn State Scandal has really drained the overall Revenues too. Penn State have a great Booster Contribution System both in numbers of Alumni and Big Contributors that helps augment those expenses and that was built by Paterno's Winning.

Frank Beamer's Virginia Tech Winning over Ten+ Years and in the Top 25 and 10 did the same for Virginia Tech Football and their President made sure they went to the ACC when that opportunity happen. Frank Beamer knew when to retire and did not leave the scandal that happen at Penn State by cover ups and confusions without Institutional Control over the Football Program.

Winning over a period of Ten Years in the Top 25 can develop a Top 25 Program and keep providing it with Revenues when this is done and Top 10 Winning increases and advances that even at a greater and stable rate over Ten Years as well.

Pitt's A.D. Barnes is open to innovations and providing the seeds that encompass Pitt Traditions, History, and Prowess and working the coaches to do it and Winning is the Water that makes those seeds grow and bare Fruit every year until Strong Roots are developed and established over Ten Years!

 

[Pghfan]

Wait a sec, did someone say that Ohio state doesn't allow alcohol in the parking lots? No way is that true.

 

[VJPITT]

Here is one idea. WIN

 

[Saboteur]

It isn't only about wins and losses or amenities in or near the stadium. South Carolina won 1 game in two seasons in 98-99 and still averaged well over 70,000 fans.

I am in Gettysburg. South Carolina and Virginia (excluding western VA which later seceded) were the only two southern states that did not have any volunteers for the Union in the Civil War.
I would suggest that SC is probably an exception to the rule. Plus....and time flies... That was almost 20 years ago.

 

[Saboteur]

Wait a sec, did someone say that Ohio state doesn't allow alcohol in the parking lots? No way is that true.

Yes I did and yes it is true.
One lot with premium payment all others....no.

 

[Pghfan]

Yes I did and yes it is true.
One lot with premium payment all others....no.

Wow, shocked. Thought buckeye tailgates were fun

 

[Saboteur]

Wow, shocked. Thought buckeye tailgates were fun

The alcohol is essentially consumed in and outside bars (outside sections are roped off) near the stadium and in nearby buildings owned by OSU.
They are fun...but if you want to drink you have to find where to do it