Big House Suites Available

Submitted by davidhm on

Just recieved an email from the Athletic Dept stating that 2 suites are available.  Suites 508 East and 506 East (both are East Side by South goal line).  $70,000 annual donation required along with 3, 5 or 7 year committment.  $70k gets you 16 season tickets and 4 parking passes (2 Champions lot, 2 Blue lot)

So, who is gonna put together the Kick Starter? 

joeyb

July 8th, 2013 at 11:05 AM ^

That would be pretty awesome, but the 3-year agreement basically forces you to make the kickstarter for $210k and I'm not sure that we could get enough contributions to do it. Now, if the AD were willing to negotiate on that so that we only had to donate $35k/year and/or made it so we could go year-to-year, then I think a kickstarter would be successful.

In any case, I think that Brian/Seth should talk to the department and see if they can work out some sort of deal with them, because, even if we could raise $210k, there's no guarantee that the box is there by the time that the kickstarter finishes. I also doubt that they would want to hold onto $140k over the course of the next year.

DH16

July 8th, 2013 at 11:30 AM ^

It's something I'd be willing to help with if it ever got off the ground, but at full price it's just not realistic because $70K can go a lot farther elsewhere, the University would also have to subsidize/help out with the multi-year thing. I still think it would be awesome. Think of all the kids there who couldn't stay in the regular crowd because of all the issues, but could sit in a suite and still have a similar experience.

JHendo

July 8th, 2013 at 10:47 AM ^

A way to start spending the gold coins that have just been collecting dust in my Scrooge McDuck style swimming pool that really isn't as much fun to swim in as I thought it would be...

MLaw06

July 8th, 2013 at 11:00 AM ^

the original ones uses to be really heavy and fat, but then they started busting up the credit card readers so they slimmed them down.  i think chase actually offers a card w/ a lot more metal in it in case you're interested in carrying metal around.

1464

July 8th, 2013 at 11:02 AM ^

I've worked around high end bars for long enough to see about a dozen black cards.  There is just something about the weight that sets it off.. it makes me think of the business card scene from American Psycho.  The weight.  The embossed lettering.  The subtle refinement of the print.

WolvinLA2

July 8th, 2013 at 11:16 AM ^

I met Mark Cuban at a bar in Manhattan Beach, and he hung out with me because I was the only one in the bar who knew who he was (this was before he was doing TV shows and such). He bought me drinks on his black Amex. That's the only time I've seen one.

WolvinLA2

July 8th, 2013 at 11:41 AM ^

He was actually very down to earth. It was a pretty uppity bar on a week night, and everyone there was pretty dressed up, except him. He was wearing old tennis shoes, cheap looking jeans and a t-shirt. No one was hanging out with him because he looked like he didn't fit in with the ritzy crowd there, when in reality he was the richest guy there by a mile.

The real funny part of the extended story is this: I was there with my cousin, and we each had a girl we met there who were pretty interested in hanging out post-bar. That was before we met Cuban. Once I recognized him, I started talking to him and invited him to hangout with our group. He bought us all drinks, it was great. The girls didn't know him, so we bragged a bit about who he was making us look cool for "knowing" him. About a half an hour later he left with both of them.

Feat of Clay

July 8th, 2013 at 3:39 PM ^

I can't take those cards seriously after seeing one of the primo jerks on one of the Real Housewives shows wave his around.  He got a furniture store to open after hours so he and his girlfriend could choose very ornate, shiny, gaudy furniture, and he credited that to having the BLACK AMEX.  

But now none of you can take me seriously, since you know I've watched Real Housewives.

Boy, watch that show and you just keep on losing.

MLaw06

July 8th, 2013 at 10:54 AM ^

it wouldn't be bad if you split it into 4 groups of 4.... but it's hard to get 4 groups like that together for a multi-year commitment. 

price sounds reasonable per person.

one thing to note... i haven't really seen suites for sale on stubhub or whatnot... would be concerned that there is not much of a secondary market so you really have to attend all the games, which is a significant multiyear commitment.

davidhm

July 8th, 2013 at 12:14 PM ^

They have a "Premium Seat Exchange" that I believe is powered by Stubhub.  However, once you post the tickets, they are considered a "donation" and you get no revenue from the transaction. The tickets can then be purchased by other Premium Ticket holders.

I like the concept as I am sick of having premium seats sold to opposing fans.  However, those tickets aren't cheap and I don't see this eliminating premium seats from making it onto the secondary market via Craigslist, etc.

MLaw06

July 8th, 2013 at 10:57 AM ^

davidhm, do you currently have a suite or did you express interest in one?  how come they didn't send that email to everyone?  just curious.

davidhm

July 8th, 2013 at 11:17 AM ^

I was interested back in 2010 when they built them but couldn't find 2-3 others to go in on them with me.  Premium seats ended up being the better value for me. Quite frankly, the viewing lines from the suites are poor. While the windows don't have frames, they do have seams that cause you to have to shift left or right to view around it.  Yes, a minor detail, but annoying as hell to someone who really likes watching the action on the field.  For schmoozers there for the atmosphere - AKA corprate entities  - they have a coouple TV's you can watch.

The big plus is the ability to have alcohol in the suite.  Yes, I know alcohol is forbidden in the Big House, but you get access to your suite the weekend prior to the first home game and there is no security checking what is brought in.  Anyone living in Ann Arbor, ask your local purveyor of spirits and they will tell you they sell boxes upon boxes of alcohol for this very purpose.  

Feat of Clay

July 8th, 2013 at 3:50 PM ^

I've never been in a suite but I've enjoyed club level several times and I think it's the best of both worlds.  If I had money to burn (I don't, would one of you PLEASE hire my husband already?!?) I think I'd go for club level.  

You can sit outside and enjoy the crowd noise, but you have chairback seats, easy access to warmth and weather cover if needed, and bathrooms with no lines.  Also some pretty good food choices.  You are somewhat removed from the energy of the crowd, which is a downside, but you're not as closed off as you would be a glassed-in box.

davidhm

July 8th, 2013 at 4:41 PM ^

...and don't in the least bit feel removed from the energy of the crowd. My seats are directly across from the band and the students - which is why I chose them!

IMO, the worst seats in the stadium are: 

  • all the suites
  • the 50 yard lines seats in the 400 club level.  

The 400 Level Club seats on the 50 yardline would be well worth the $4,000/seat/year donation if they were open air. The glass is that bad!

Wolverine Devotee

July 8th, 2013 at 11:04 AM ^

Suites ruin sports IMO. No place I rather be than in the crowd.

I miss the old Michigan Stadium. 1927-2007

1464

July 8th, 2013 at 11:06 AM ^

I was in a suite for Game 5 of the 2005 NBA finals in Detroit.  It was the game that Horry hit the three on Rasheed.  I was drinking free Bombay all game.  That was the most electric crowd I've been a part of, especially in OT, sans the fact that the game lost the Pistons the series.

Suites can be a lot of fun.

M-Wolverine

July 8th, 2013 at 4:20 PM ^

But I was at Game 3 in 2005, and while it was rocking, it was nothing compared to Game 3 in 2004. That was the loudest basketball game I've ever heard. And I think it shook the Lakers.

WolvinLA2

July 8th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^

They ruin sports? How so? If you are someone who prefers regular seats, then take those. It's not like they're taking them away. But different people have different ideas of the ideal game experience. I don't think it ruins anything.

gwkrlghl

July 8th, 2013 at 11:56 AM ^

If someone wants to drop $200k to sit in those suites its fine by me. When you get a bunch of them together to all throw in their $200k, it keeps down the ticket prices for the rest of us

MLaw06

July 8th, 2013 at 11:03 AM ^

let's start up the kickstarter...

the way it could work is if someone puts up the schedules for the next 3 years and ppl commit to groups of 4 for each game at a certain price.  if the aggregate price hits $70k w/ enough commitments, then we designate one person to go pull the trigger and then they will take care of splitting tix, etc. for the group.

MLaw06

July 8th, 2013 at 12:11 PM ^

no doubt this is expensive... but i'm sure it can be tranched out by the desirability of the particular opponent... i.e., sell OSU tix for 1800 a seat and Akron for 150 a seat... 

Akron for 150 a seat is not much worse than what you can find on stubhub for sideline seats right now.

814 East U

July 8th, 2013 at 11:16 AM ^

There have been many threads on tickets but this may be the first domino to fall in terms of people not willing to pay the high prices to see central and akron. College football prices are entering into the realm of professional prices but instead of seeing Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady I get to see above average high school athletes who got MAC offers.