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Auburn's athletic dept. operated at a deficit of $866,000 last year'
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:19 pm
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:19 pm
They would rather go in the red than have the possibility of opposing fans buy tickets that they can't sell.
LINK
quote:
Rather than place available tickets on the open market, Auburn leaned on big-money boosters to sell out its 2013 home games with Georgia and Alabama, according to a report late Tuesday in the Wall Street Journal.
The country's leading financial newspaper did an intensive study into Auburn's ticket-selling practices last season, and found that the Tigers' 3-9 record in 2012 left it challenged to fill Jordan-Hare Stadium. That struggle continued late into the season, even with the team on the way to the SEC title.
With ticket sales waning early in 2013, the school began sending emails to members of the Talon Society (boosters who have donated more than $500,000 to the athletic department) and other top donors, asking them to purchase tickets. The strategy apparently worked, as the school sold all but 43 tickets to the Georgia game and 212 to the Iron Bowl.
In detailing those ticket sales, the WSJ found the following:
• Thirteen Auburn donors each bought 20-plus tickets at $95 each for the 2013 Iron Bowl, while four bought more than 50. For the Georgia game, those numbers were 16 and six, respectively.
• Auburn booster Jim Cleveland spent a total of $17,100 for 180 tickets to the two games. Cleveland, owner of Cleveland Brothers Construction in Auburn, is a close friend of athletics director Jay Jacobs.
However, by not placing the tickets on the open market, Auburn might have cost itself more than $1 million according to the WSJ's research. Auburn's athletic department operated at a deficit of $866,000 in 2013.
The school chose this route over releasing the tickets into the open market because it didn't want more rival fans than was absolutely necessary getting into the games.
"Our goal is not to have empty seats at the stadium," Auburn spokeswoman Cassie Arner said. "We especially don't want any seats to be occupied by fans of other schools, including Georgia or Alabama fans."
LINK
This post was edited on 11/12/14 at 12:23 pm
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:23 pm to Toddy
While it is still pretty pathetic sounding, the general concept of a University Athletic Foundation working at a deficit due to issues like this is not a huge deal.
A Foundation running a deficit or a near deficit due to long term debt payments like Tennessee was pre-SECN money is a much bigger issue.
Still hilarious.
A Foundation running a deficit or a near deficit due to long term debt payments like Tennessee was pre-SECN money is a much bigger issue.
Still hilarious.
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:25 pm to Toddy
Sounds to me like they've been doing some extra spending on dem playuhs
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:26 pm to Toddy
damn...that's 4 qbs worth of money.
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:28 pm to piggidyphish
Auburn's athletic department seemingly has some real doofuses in management positions.
This post was edited on 11/12/14 at 12:28 pm
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:28 pm to Toddy
My only concern is that if a team (college or pro) starts placing unsold tickets in the resale market in an attempt to capitalize on the higher revenue, does that open the door to them purposely withholding a number of tickets in order to increase demand and drive the price up?
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:29 pm to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
Auburn's athletic department seemingly has some real doofuses in management positions.
More than likely...but it was also coming off a 3-9 season. I can believe the line wasn't very long to snatch up tickets.
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:30 pm to Toddy
Wait....is this the rumor that was circulating on Monday? Is this the final deathblow that gets Tim Jackson fired at AU?
Seriously, who gives a shite?
Seriously, who gives a shite?
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:30 pm to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
found that the Tigers' 3-9 record in 2012 left it challenged to fill Jordan-Hare Stadium
Band wagon fanbase
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:30 pm to RT1941
quote:
Seriously, who gives a shite?
Toddy.
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:31 pm to PJinAtl
Agree. This is just a bad practice for a quasi-state institution to be participating in. Not to mention the total lack of transparency. Like I said earlier, Auburn seems to have good ole boys in management when in reality they need big time business people who understand and run things like a Fortune 500 company.
This is a problem at a bunch of athletic departments in the last 5-10 years since money has gotten so big. Heck, some of the small D1 athletic foundations we audit are dealing with $100s of millions in monies for new facilities, contributions, salaries, etc and these folks are not qualified to be running an entity of that size.
This is a problem at a bunch of athletic departments in the last 5-10 years since money has gotten so big. Heck, some of the small D1 athletic foundations we audit are dealing with $100s of millions in monies for new facilities, contributions, salaries, etc and these folks are not qualified to be running an entity of that size.
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:31 pm to Toddy
What does this have to do with gay marriage?
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:32 pm to piggidyphish
quote:
damn...that's 4 qbs worth of money.
An AU fan with a sense of humor. The Red Crowned Crane of the sports world
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:33 pm to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
Auburn seems to have good ole boys in management
No shite. Did you see Gene Chizik's buyout?
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:33 pm to Toddy
What that article doesn't tell you is that these are unused tickets from players' families, high school coaches, etc. and aren't "available" for resale until the last minute. They call on donors a day or two before the game to take large portions of unsold tickets so they aren't left unsold. If any ticket office can get every ticket sold, then I'd be surprised. We are talking a few hundred tickets out of 87,000 or so.
This post was edited on 11/12/14 at 12:35 pm
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:35 pm to StopRobot
Still paying Chizik and some other ex-coaches salaries. I am amazed how the press failed to mentioned that fact.
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:35 pm to Smoke7024
Well yea but that happens everywhere. This is a totally different situation.
Posted on 11/12/14 at 12:36 pm to Smoke7024
Why the hell does the Wall Street Journal have such a hard on for AU?
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