Are You Renewing Your Football Season Tickets?
Mates,
In my email box a little while ago is the annual solicitation to renew my season tix for football. And for the first time since 1980 I am truly stumped about what to do:
"Michigan Football Season Ticket Holders:
As one of our most invested supporters, we wanted to outline the details surrounding football season tickets for the 2021 season. Our goal continues to be our student-athletes, season ticket holders, and fans' health and safety. The Athletic Department is planning for and is optimistic that we will be able to have season ticket holders in attendance at Michigan Stadium this fall."
But there are so many obstacles to attendance: The obvious virus issue which manifests itself in myriad of ways - % of allowed attendance? tail-gating allowed? What happens when they cancel games? And then you have the issue of whether we'll even be worth watching.
Question: On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being 'no way, no how am I getting tix' and 10 being, 'I'd crawl over glass to see my beloved wolverines', where are you on that scale?
XM
pi^2 seems to be pretty accurate for me.
+ 10^0
I stopped 4 years ago. Its much cheaper to go game by game. I think on average last 4 years I pay face or over on 2 home games a year and half face or less about 5 times a year.
Ditto. Gave them up in 2018 (when the home schedule sucked), haven't really missed them. When leaving the tailgate to go to the game started to become a drag, the writing was on the wall.
We are renewing because it is something we enjoy doing together. I much prefer winning football but that is really low on the reasons we spend the money and go to games.
The kids are at an age where they are mostly done with weekend extracurricular activities now so the games are a nice family outing. When the 2 oldest go off to college, it will be time to consider whether we stop renewing.
Just renewed. So 100%. I just let the money ride since last year. So it was *free* this year. I enjoy the experience of tailgating and the game no matter how the team is doing; obviously better when the team is good.
Always a 10. Never waiver.
I rolled mine over from last year. Already renewed.
I will not renew the year they put in me in the ground or if I do not have the money.
10
Every home game morning is like Hanukkah (I'm Jewish, so the Christmas morning analogy doesn't seem apt). I wake up with anticipation.
Excitedly select and put on one of my about 100 Michigan t-shirts.
Love seeing all of the cars flying Michigan flags and filled with Michigan fans on the drive from Birmingham to Ann Arbor.
The anticipation as we take 5th or Main toward the stadium.
Love all of the sights and sounds of tailgaters and students streaming up to the stadium.
Get goosebumps every time the James Earl Jones-narrated video starts to play.
At least a few tears hit my eyes as The Victors is played, the team runs out of the tunnel, and the players leap up to Touch the Banner.
Watching the game on television doesn't give me the same feeling...so I'm there...rain or snow...win or lose.
1989, you are a mensch. love the reasoning.
with our 4 oldest sons playing ball, 2 of them in college, i just don't know how we'd make it down to a michigan game.
XM, we are fortunate to only be 45 minutes from Michigan Stadium.
One of our two kids is a sophomore (our son, AKA 2023 UM Grad) at Michigan; the other is a high school junior (our daughter - hoping to be 2026 UM Grad) who loves the games. So it's pretty easy for us to dedicate our Saturdays to being in Ann Arbor.
Feel this 100%. Only graduated 4 years ago but still have made it back to 2-3 home games (in addition to a road game) each season the last 3 seasons fans were allowed at games. Just a great way to meet up with friends from UM who are now scattered across the country. Still wake up feeling like a 5 year old (hangover aside) on those fall Saturday mornings. Looking forward to my first season as a season ticket holder. Go Blue!
I’m spending my money on a team that deserves it. Buying basketball season tickets. I hope everyone does the same and sells out every home game at Crisler next season. Maybe an empty big house will help Warde and Harbaugh realize something ain’t right. Clearly the results on the field ain’t doing it. Anyone thinking the staff shakeup will change anything doesn’t know a thing about football.
Rx I’m 100% with you as someone who goes to way more basketball games than football.
Basketball has always been my favorite sport. Grew up as a Pistons fan and have always preferred Michigan hoops to football. Have basketball season tickets and typically get to about 15 of the home games every year.
That being said, nothing replaces the experience of those precious seven or eight football Saturdays in the Big House.
Nothing beats the big house. The only reason I might go watch a live game is because I miss the atmosphere. Anyone who knows me knows I love football more than anything else.
Who even thinks crap like this? Maybe an empty Big House? Yeah were you alive in 2020??? Anyhow not going is a personal decision. Taking a full dump on the AD and the coach yeah that’s a vendetta. Cancerous people cause disease to spread.
GO BLUE FOREVER
I love posts and posters like this. And I’m glad that as I frequent the board, I am again in the presence of the all knowing fan and his absolute statements of false choice and conclusion, and I can learn from him for free.
Though the problem he may encounter is that there are many here who feel a sense of optimism surrounding the staff shakeups, and many of them forgot more about football while taking their morning shits today than this guy knows.
So maybe you and everyone else like you just climbs down off your crosses and lives a normal life amongst the rest of us, watching the games and sparing the inanity of moronic bluster.
The athletic department is banking on people like you that “Feel optimism” with the football staff shakeups. That’s why they were done. They are masters at PR. They routinely sell you a “new hope” product.
No one on a cross here. You represent the majority of Michigan football fans who love the trip down memory lane on 4 hour football Saturday. It’s your “Tradition” because if you don’t respect tradition can you really be a Michigan football fan??
Meanwhile I’ll continue driving the 35 minutes to see Michigan basketball played as much as possible. Watching a collective group led by up to date schemes by the head coach.
Well, that and a buddy/former high school teammate sat in LB meeting rooms with the new DC, but I guess he also doesn’t know a thing about football either since he disagrees with you.
And if you don’t puff your feathers and lecture other people anonymously on a message board, are you really on a message board?
Thanks for your insights into my and other people’s fanhoods. We always learn so much from folks like you. Keep it up!
See you guys in the fall. Maybe. Some of you, I guess. The ones who aren’t as smart as these guys are.
I probably wouldn't use that wording; all of our teams deserve fan support. If you're choosing to spend your discretionary income on a team that you find more enjoyable to watch, that's fine. If you prefer to see more winning for your financial outlay and time commitment, that's fine, too. If your dissatisfaction is directed at the coaching staff and/or AD, that's also fine. But it's not the players who don't deserve your support; they're working hard (and for little pay).
The only problem with basketball is that half the games are weeknights. Even if you're in Oakland or Wayne County its a hike to get home after a weeknight game.
Local Ann Arbor residents alone are more than enough to fulfill a sellout every game. Obviously it’s hard for most people to come to Ann Arbor when they schedule games at 9pm on a Thursday. But Crisler only seats 12700. If you take out the students your talking about 9000 fans per game. That is doable IMO
I do believe Warde and Harbaugh are fully aware that something ain't right. Turning over both your Offensive and Defensive Coordinators in two seasons is a pretty strong move to change things up.
The question is whether they can make effective changes. With player turnover as high as it is, I could make an argument either way. Unfortunately, any uncertainty since 2006 or so has ALWAYS worked against Michigan football. We really don't know how to act when we catch a break.
I hope more people do the same with the women's team - they really deserve more support. That's the only difference between Michigan and the elite programs now. Time to show recruits women's hoops is a big deal at Michigan
100% renewing football but with a lot less passion than past years. We will attend fewer games and my brother will appreciate the free tickets
I am 100% more excited about renewing our basketball season tickets and getting back in to Crisler
I don't want to. But I'm sure I will. Stockholm syndrome and all that.
Dave Brandon is gone BTW. He can't hurt you anymore... so they say
They already have my money from last year so yeah, I'm renewing. Had we not had to make the decision over the summer last year I'm not sure I would have renewed at this point. But, it is what it is and we'll see how things go.
I live in Florida, so no season tickets for me. When I retire, I might want to bring my wife to a game, though. So, in fall 2022, I might like to find 2 tickets.
If I lived in the area and had the money, I'd be pumped for a real-ish season. That's my two cents as someone hoping to simply be able to get to Ann Arbor for a single game this year
I'm wondering how this is going to work. Is it going to be like last year (presumably without the continually pushed back deadline), where you can roll over or be refunded your money if you aren't given tickets. Because I've seen nothing indicating how many fans will be allowed at games. The email even says "The Athletic Department is planning for and is optimistic that we will be able to have season ticket holders in attendance at Michigan Stadium this fall." One, they don't even know, but two, that certainly doesn't say how many season ticket holders.
Yes.
Turned them in 3 years ago. Every game is on television. Just not into wasting an entire day like that anymore. I have a lot of better ways to spend the money as well.
If you are looking for even more ways and better ways to spend the money, I can share with you my Venmo.
I guess I've never looked at going to a live sporting event as a waste. Where would you rather be? Home after the last 13 months?
Of course.
After not getting to go to a game of any sort for a year, I would crawl over glass.
ABSOLUTELY RENEWING!!! Did you hear me?
Phil, you were shouting. I could hear you all the way up north. My ears are sensitive.
I'm done! Great ride had my 2 since 1980, have never missed a home game, daughter even scheduled her wedding around the games. Just not worth it anymore. Last few years watching tickets on the street going for peanuts. One game I tried to sell my other ticket and ended up giving it away. Was great fun while it lasted. Loved the experience, but at 73, I'll just sit or lay in front of my flat screen and drink a beer. Thanks for the memories.
Down in front!
The thing to think about is next years tickets. Are you willing to give them up because this year might be rough on the field? What happens if its not rough, and next year suddenly holds max value based on a really fun season and a good 'croot class? The inverse - a bad season this year, will likely result in a new coach for next year. So there's promise in next year regardless on how this season goes. Isn't it true that giving up season tix means you've lost them to the wait list? No promise to get them back next year. (Does a wait list still exist?)
Of course, there is always the possibility that a bad season continues to result in more Harbaugh next year. So, we're right back where we started - with a tough decision to make.
Glad I could help you through this decision - I'm sure you'll make a good choice!
Yes, reluctantly.
10, already renewed. Being in a stadium with 110,000 people is going to feel so awesome and surreal. Can’t wait.
GoodLuckVarsity, if this was an "old normal" season, I would totally agree with you. It's not just the 109,998 other fans (I get two tix) -- it is the band, James Earl Jones saying it is the best university in the world, the team running under to the Go Blue sign, all topped off by the game and the rest of the three or four hours. And, of course, it is feeling young again!
But this is a "new normal" game. How many of those other 110K fans have their vax shots? Is everyone going to be required to show their immunization card to enter? I have been buying season tix since 1971 -- at row 75, section 3, I can only imagine what might be happening around me as people yell, scream at excitement over the fabulous M plays, etc. Hot air rises, though it is outdoors just like many of the political rallies that have been superspreader events.
I would like to get excited but I have also recently read about directions to those who have gotten vax shots to stay away from situations like this. This would be my 50th renewal but at this point, I would say "5" at best. Will call the Athletic Dept on Monday to review their plans. That's what I did last year, and you know how it all worked out. I rolled my seat donation to this year.
Sorry, I hit "save" more than once!
Nope.
Been a ST holder (along with my dad) for the past 20 years. Not renewing this year. 4-hour drive each way to games, and given the product on the field as of late, well...let's just say it's too much for both of us these days.
We'll likely still go to one game this season, though.
Section 17 will miss you... I think I remember that's where you were too?