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re: Saban goes off on the apathetic student section again
Posted on 9/10/19 at 12:20 pm to Bamadiver
Posted on 9/10/19 at 12:20 pm to Bamadiver
quote:
On the way home from T-town on Sunday some radio sports broadcaster made the comment that we are paying NFL game prices for a product well below those standards. I would have to agree.
I’ve been shouting this from the rooftops that past few years. On the same page.
Once people come to their senses and realize Alabama football is at worst a hobby and at best, a pretty expensive entertainment venture, they’ll understand that we are quite plainly supporters - nothing more, or less.
While nothing will beat a big gameday on campus, that’s pretty much at this point a 1-2 a year occurrence, max.
Not only are some Alabama season tickets hovering around the level of several lower-tier/market teams (Titans, Bucs, etc...), the extraneous time commitment and lodging hassle for many can push those costs way above and beyond.
Moreover, outside of blind loyalty to our alumni, what is the driving force here?
Alabama waits until 3 weeks before to announce a Gametime, making same day travel plans a real hassle. 75% or more of games aren’t quality matchups, and the value of the ticket can fall to almost worthless for season ticket holders. The seats are bleachers, the concessions are a few steps above public school lunch food, they don’t sell alcohol, and games can last as long as 4 1/2 hours. Again, if the price of going to a college game was a fraction of what a professional game costs, it’s all good on my end.
As alumni continue to live farther and farther away, there has to really be something to keep them coming back. The days of attending games as an almost mandatory ritual on Saturdays is long gone.
I hope Alabama can do their part to make these games more attractive. Sell better food. Sell alcohol. Improve scheduling. It’s not that hard.
1
Posted on 9/10/19 at 12:23 pm to TidalSurge1
Gene Chizik on SEC network addressed Sabans comments about scheduling. He said the other coaches will not go along with scheduling 9 SEC games and 3 power 5 games because they dont have the same quality of depth as Alabama. Chiz said he does believe Saban when he says Alabama cant find anyone to play them. One of the other guys asked Chiz if he would play Alabama. Chiz said no, I wouldnt play them. Not for any amount of money. Its not worth it.
Posted on 9/10/19 at 1:37 pm to ATLabama
quote:
ATLabama
Agree with all that, and it baffles me that so many people still buy season tickets. 10 years ago, I completely understood, but it's so easy to find good seats at a reasonable price these days it makes little financial sense. Unless you really like going to away games and the post-season games, I see no point in buying season tickets.
And that doesn't even get into all the other stuff you mentioned that comes with going to a game. Even from Bham, it's pretty much an all day commitment to go to a game. I can't imagine the drain on folks that drive in from Mobile, Huntsville, Atlanta, etc. And once you drive in they've pretty much moved you off campus unless you have a parking pass. One game a season is about all I can handle anymore.
Posted on 9/10/19 at 2:28 pm to The Spleen
quote:
Agree with all that, and it baffles me that so many people still buy season tickets. 10 years ago, I completely understood, but it's so easy to find good seats at a reasonable price these days it makes little financial sense. Unless you really like going to away games and the post-season games, I see no point in buying season tickets.
Well, a lot of us were on the list and then got in 7-8 years ago, made a donation to get in and kind of feel like we owe it to ourselves to keep them even if year to year we have no desire to. Ok, I don't know about us, but that's how I feel.
Honestly, it'd be easier for me to give them up and just pay ala carte for the 3 games a year I go to, but I have a sunk cost and a part of me loves having the same seats in the same place like I dreamed of as a kid and taking my kids to those same seats.
Posted on 9/10/19 at 3:09 pm to SummerOfGeorge
I can see that. I do still miss the seats my parents had for several years. They stopped renewing in Shula's next to last year. Talk about horrible timing. 
And I should have added that I'm an accountant and naturally look at things through a financial prism. And my wife and daughter are so wishy-washy on going, buying 4 would be stupid. Even my 16 year old son has gotten to a point that he really doesn't have much interest in going to the games. I took him and a friend to the Miss St game last year and they were ready to leave at halftime.
And I should have added that I'm an accountant and naturally look at things through a financial prism. And my wife and daughter are so wishy-washy on going, buying 4 would be stupid. Even my 16 year old son has gotten to a point that he really doesn't have much interest in going to the games. I took him and a friend to the Miss St game last year and they were ready to leave at halftime.
Posted on 9/10/19 at 3:15 pm to The Spleen
quote:
And I should have added that I'm an accountant and naturally look at things through a financial prism.
Me too, which is why my sunk cost of a donation knaws at my soul everytime I consider giving them up.
Amortization schedules pop up in my head and I get the shakes
Posted on 9/10/19 at 4:45 pm to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
Honestly, it'd be easier for me to give them up and just pay ala carte for the 3 games a year I go to, but I have a sunk cost and a part of me loves having the same seats in the same place like I dreamed of as a kid and taking my kids to those same seats.
I got off the list about 4 years ago. Held my season tickets for 3. They were pretty good seats - Second row in the South EZ, that little cluster of 3 rows isolated below the rest of them.
When I say last year I couldn't give tickets away, I mean I actually offered up 4 games (forgot which ones, wasn't Auburn, State, or A&M), and was unable to find someone.
Looking at this year's ticket market, 3 games will net you roughly 10 dollars a ticket. The Ole Miss and Arkansas games will net you 40-50, and the Tennessee game may net you no more than 65-70... If your total costs for tickets (seat + donation) is $1650, that means you are paying a premium for the LSU game of... and please don't laugh/jump off a bridge... SIX-HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS per ticket.
From a sunk cost perspective... I think the theory holds weight in the recommendation of, "don't look at past losses to account for future gain."
Some people may take this the wrong way... but we have C+ talent running this multi-billion dollar sport. In no other industry would someone with Greg Byrne's scholastic or professional resume ever be allowed to run a business of this size.
College athletics needs to start bringing in AD's with business sense - not career collegiate guys who are clueless about corporate strategy. If those guys sat at the table, we'd have alcohol sales, P5 games only, and preset kick-off times before the season by the time toe meets leather in Dallas next fall.
Posted on 9/10/19 at 4:58 pm to ATLabama
You could get LSU, Arky or OM and three directional schools for 285
Posted on 9/10/19 at 6:57 pm to Bear88
Next year we have aTm, Auburn, and Georgia. Those 3 together will be worth substantial money.
Posted on 9/10/19 at 7:04 pm to ATLabama
quote:
If your total costs for tickets (seat + donation) is $1650,
Where the hell were you sitting? I'm in U4-EE and I'm less than $600 per ticket package, including donation.
This post was edited on 9/10/19 at 7:10 pm
Posted on 9/10/19 at 7:05 pm to ATLabama
nm
This post was edited on 9/10/19 at 7:07 pm
Posted on 9/11/19 at 9:28 pm to TroyTider
It wasn't just the students. Those $1200 a season RV lots were about half empty at game time, too.
Last Saturday was brutally hot and that stadium is a sweat box since they enclosed the endzones. Honestly, I've been to one game in there since they did that. Sat in the Zone and felt like I was getting epilepsy from all the dang lights and pumped in music. Maybe I'm just an old fart, but that wasn't a pleasant game experience and I haven't been back.
Last Saturday was brutally hot and that stadium is a sweat box since they enclosed the endzones. Honestly, I've been to one game in there since they did that. Sat in the Zone and felt like I was getting epilepsy from all the dang lights and pumped in music. Maybe I'm just an old fart, but that wasn't a pleasant game experience and I haven't been back.
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