Season Tickets

[Clickclack]

Received my season tickets today! Can't wait to get this season underway.

[GODANESGO]

Same here..

[Dane Pound]

I was happy to get my tickets today as well. The exhibition game is a week away and then things start rolling!

 

One thing different this year for members of the Varisty Club. The pre-game gatherings will be in the Old Gym instead of the Hall of Fame room. HOF will be for season ticket holders who donate at the $500 or over level. I guess if you're a Varsity Club member who gives over $500 maybe you could go to both?

 

One other thing mentioned in the letter along with the tickets is the policy for postseason tickets. As stated the priority will go donors beginning at the $2500 level, then life-time giving to athletics and finally to season ticket holders. According to the letter 95% of last years tickets went to athletic donors.

[McFan]

I was happy to get my tickets today as well. The exhibition game is a week away and then things start rolling!

 

One thing different this year for members of the Varisty Club. The pre-game gatherings will be in the Old Gym instead of the Hall of Fame room. HOF will be for season ticket holders who donate at the $500 or over level. I guess if you're a Varsity Club member who gives over $500 maybe you could go to both?

 

One other thing mentioned in the letter along with the tickets is the policy for postseason tickets. As stated the priority will go donors beginning at the $2500 level, then life-time giving to athletics and finally to season ticket holders. According to the letter 95% of last years tickets went to athletic donors.

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If I'm reading this right, it's as follows:

 

1. $2500 and up that year get priority.

2. Then total lifetime giving.

3. Then ticket holders.

 

Is that correct?

[Dane Pound]

That's correct.

[alumni '92']

nice treat to find in the mailbox (actually on the counter in the kitchen) when i returned home from work earlier this evening ...

 

If I'm reading this right, it's as follows:

1. $2500 and up that year get priority.

2. Then total lifetime giving.

3. Then ticket holders.

Is that correct? - McFan

 

McFan, great to see you're still out there, we'll see you at the RACC ...

 

I understand this is a business ... it was, however, a bit disheartening to read the new, official policy for distribution of postseason tickets ... question ... will there be a deadline for $2500 donations or may that contribution be accepted the day before any NCAA tickets become available? ... i would like to think that an individual would not be given priority to scarce tickets for an NCAA first round game because they appeared in early march to make their contribution ... i am understanding of the attempts being made by the athletic dept. to maximize revenue ... i'm there ... i've only been a "small-time" cash donor, but have also consistently dropped over $1000 per year for basketball season tickets, attended most every UA sport at some point during their season, traveled to far away states to support our teams, marketed the program at virtually every opportunity to those around me (ask anyone I know), risked stability in my relationship, joined varsity club, etc. ... there needs to be a policy for tickets, and a bureaucractic approach is understandable, but to essentially say to a very loyal core who showed up every night when the team was struggling mightily, just a few years ago, that they can be bought out by newbies, rubs ... many on this board got to know one another on a first name basis because there were often only about 500 people at home games ... one of the reporters for the times union posed a question to a UA fan toward the end of last season, "What is your response to all of these new fans showing up now that the team is on the verge of making the dance?" ... my response would have been "welcome aboard," but it would have been followed by, "where the hell have you been?" ... yes the wins bring out others, but how can the university look long term fans in the eye and tell them that that they are below any recent donor for tickets to premium events? ... "It's business" ... understood here ... sorry to be idealistic, but what is the right thing to do? ... this is a natural progression that comes with success ... again, understood ... but, it is the timing ... it reminds me of RACC parking becoming a pay-lot ... it wasn't about 40-50 dollars, but the timing was bad, the program wasn't "there" yet, and when folks were coming out to a half filled arena, holding season tickets, doing everything they can to help the program grow, throw them a bone ... three UA fans sat around my dinner table tonight sporting a small frown while discussing the tone of the letter ... it could have read, "The UA Department of Athletics enjoyed tremendous success in 2005-2006, and we strive to go further with your help. While we do everything within our power to attract corporate support, this program can only advance with your generous contributions. If you can remember the sense of accomplishment that our university community felt as the final seconds ticked away in the AE Championship win over Vermont (insert any other significant UA athletic accomplishment you'd like ...), I hope you'll be moved to make a tax deductible donation to support UAlbany athletics ..."

i'll be making a donation in the near future, renewing my varsity club membership when it expires, and would encourage others to do the same ... i would love to see a new football stadium (along with a new building for the business dept., etc.) and am willing to contribute what i can, but "Don't be left watching the games on TV" was a bit disappointing

 

Go Danes

[GODANESGO]

Great post '92. Their contribution figure is at best a quarter of all the money I see in a year as a college student, before any of my school/living costs.

 

Well, if we make it to the NCAA's again, I guess I really only need one kidney right??

[Dane Pound]

I agree with Alumni 92 that the letter along with the tickets dampened my initial excitment a bit about getting the tickets.

 

I know these kind of policies are probably universal in the DI world and it was only a matter of time before they came to UA. I also know it's money that makes things happen and I understand although I'm not always thrilled about it.

 

The only issue I would have with these policies is that donations in other areas of the University aren't figured into your "tally." As alumni we (our household) generally donate to the general scholarship fund, graduate programs, often any extra fund-raising mission like President Hall's fund and then we buy season tickets and contribute to the athletics department. I'm nearly as big a fan as anyone (except Bob87, Alumni 92 and others who are in a league of their own) but am not going to start funneling all our donations into one area to increase our chances at post-season tickets.

[kikuria]

As much as the tone of the letter bothers me and many others on this board the following statement from the letter bothers me as well.

 

"A new season of Great Danes basketball is about to begin with the season opener against Bucknell on November 11th."

 

In fact the season opener is the day before when the women host Lasalle. I understand and agree that the men are what most fans come to support. I however enjoy both the mes and womens team and am continously frustrated by how it seems the Athletic Department overlooks the women. Another example is the lack of publicity or even mention of the womens purple and gold scrimmage.

 

I know that the letter mostly goes on to talk about the opportunities before mens games and postseason tickets etc. but at the minimum it should have been mentioned that the women open the season. Afterall season ticket purchases include both the mens and womens games. If they were bought seperately I would have no complaint.

Edited October 27, 2006 by kikuria

[alum73]

I guess the only thing I can say is that this is the norm, not the exception. Since going to Coaches vs. Cancer at Florida last year, I get the Florida ticket package info, and they have $ amounts much greater than $2500, just to get tickets to certain games. UCONN is the same. I guess you have to put the shoe on the other foot. If you had donated 2500 or more, would you be upset if you couldn't get aticket and someone who gave less? Assuming you've been giving smaller amounts for many years, the lifetime giving will get you a ticket. When we never had a chance for the NCAAs, this obviously wasn't an issue. I prefer having the issue.

[Clickclack]

I guess the only thing I can say is that this is the norm, not the exception.  Since going to Coaches vs. Cancer at Florida last year, I get the Florida ticket package info, and they have $ amounts much greater than $2500, just to get tickets to certain games.  UCONN is the same.  I guess you have to put the shoe on the other foot.  If you had donated 2500 or more, would you be upset if you couldn't get aticket and someone who gave less?  Assuming you've been giving smaller amounts for many years, the lifetime giving will get you a ticket.  When we never had a chance for the NCAAs, this obviously wasn't an issue.  I prefer having the issue.

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alum,

 

Excellent point, imaging you gave that much money to athletics or you are someone who has been giving for years (15-20 years). Only to find out that season ticket holders got the tickets over you. Personally, I'm not that bothered with this policy, it was bound to happen as the program continues to rise.

 

The statement "Don't be stuck watching the games on TV" did strike me a slightly odd though, interesting choice of words.

 

What's really eating at me is the lack of exposure of the program. I listen to both Willand and Murh's show. LCC has been all over, and we are bareally mentioned. The coaches haven't been on to talk about the program, no players have been on. What the heck is going on?

[McFan]

I think other schools have a point system that includes points for season tickets and longevity of those tickets, as well as donations etc.

 

Those seem like a good idea, in the end however I bet the donation$ outweigh the season ticket points substantially. The way of the world.

[bob87]

I think other schools have a point system that includes points for season tickets and longevity of those tickets, as well as donations etc.

 

Those seem like a good idea, in the end however I bet the donation$ outweigh the season ticket points substantially.  The way of the world.

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Yes, I think I heard an NFL team(NE) weighs their Super Bowl tickets lottery that way. All teams reward loyalty in one way or another because it is good for business. It is a matter of how they define loyalty (donations vs years of season tickets)

I am not going to worry about what I can't control. When there are enough people with big bucks that price me out of the game, I will worry about it at that time. As far as the present if we are fortunate enough to make the NCAA's again this season , the sites are Buffalo, Lexington, Sacramento, Winston-Salem, Columbus, Chicago, New Orleans or Spokane. I think Buffalo would be the only one where UA would have a potential shortage of tickets and there is not a place on the list that UA would not be able to sell me a ticket.

And I would certainly be able to get a ticket in Buffalo from other sources if UA is out of tickets. It has been extremely easy to buy NCAA tickets there in the past.

[alum73]

Bob87,

You could skip a couple of your road rps, or Met games to give the dough to UA and be comfortably in on tix!!

[Dane Pound]

As we discussed yesterday at the football game I think Bob's road trip costs should be factored in as donations since he's an ambassador for the University. The Utah trip is a great example. There's probably a lot of people in Utah who don't know much about Albany. After Bob's trip there they'll know a lot about Albany and probably even more about how much $iena stinks.