We're gonna need a bigger hammer.
As a freshman at Boise State in 1999, I used to pick up my free game tickets at the Student Union info desk on the day of the game. A couple of years and a couple of championships later, I was camping out in front of the ticket office the Mondays before games for hours. By the time I was a senior...the writing was on the wall—I had to become a season ticket holder while the getting was good. Now, after 5 years as a season-ticket holder—more writing-on-the-wall arrived in my mailbox on Thursday: I don't know if I can afford it anymore.
The "Decade of Dominance" factsheet was what you were supposed to see first. That part was supposed to make us feel better...maybe a twinge of guilt that we might be taking all of this success for granted. Keep reading...turn the page. "We're raising ticket prices almost 20% AND you'll be paying BAA membership fees on top of that". Nice.
I always pictured myself being a lifelong season ticket holder...I got in when the getting was good...now my kids can attend games with me. Sure, there would be lean years with the pocketbook, but we could always just renew and sell the tickets to someone for the season. That way, we'd keep our tickets for a better day. But, the thing is—I'm starting to see a trend and I'm just not sure I can keep up. The worst part is, it may affect the lifelong ticket holders and the younger fans alike...the younger fans, incidentally, being the lifelong ticket holders in the future. Now, the dilemma...the winning has brought the fans in droves—but will the fans be there to see the winning product if they keep getting priced right out of their seats?
So, I've got till May to figure out what to do. For the short term...for the long term. Do we downgrade our seats? Sell them off for the year in hopes that next year's a better fit? Do we drop them altogether (perish the thought)? Should I sell off a kidney?
I know, Gene, I know...we have to support the team and "keep up with the Joneses"...but weren't those shiny new Skysuites supposed to foot the bill for future expansion? I'd sooner part with a limb than my season tickets, but in the grand scheme of things, tickets aren't life's top priority. I'll continue mulling it over...in the meantime, make room in the South End Zone...we may be coming down!
3.07.2009
Blue collar team...white collar business
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4 comments:
I am feeling the pain since I saw the pricing announced also. My 4 south end zone tickets were approx $600 last year, and scheduled to be over $1000 this season. I don't know what I am going to do yet, thankfully the order form hasn't gotten here yet.
Got mine today...I'm screwed. I have to try to orchestrate a ticket swap...try to downgrade or *gasp* give up my tickets. Hopefully if worse comes to worst, I can just sell off my tix for the year and pay the BAA fees so I can keep them in my name.
What's up with the funny money in the bank? Is this some sort of NWO thing? We're not changing to the Euro are we?
Glad I ran across your blog. I have been a season ticket holder for about 8 years. I got lucky because my section (106, nosebleed seats) still only cost $140 for the BAA fees this year. I had a friend looking to get season tickets. He was told that the exact same section is now $450 for the BAA fees. I called the ticket office. They told me I was grandfathered this year, but next year it would be $450 for me as well. For two tickets, in the nosebleed section it will work out to over $100 a game per seat. Guess I will be watching from home or on the radio, because I refuse to pay that much for my seats. Boise State has forgotten who got them where they are.
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