Football season ticket holder survey - 2012

Submitted by BlueFish on

Once again, I encourage all MGoBlog football season ticket holders to respond to the Athletic Department's season ticket holder survey, which should've hit your e-mail inbox this afternoon.  It's a lengthy survey (took me about 20 minutes to complete, since I once again provided lots of free-form comments), but it was a good opportunity to let the AD have it provide feedback on "stadium experience" issues that are frequently discussed on this blog (e.g., piped-in music/Special K, ticket prices, scheduling/competition, and...piped-in music).  If enough of us respond, we might just be heard.  But that's what I thought last year, too.

Oh, and somebody please tell them (on the last question) to include an "N/A" option on future surveys -- I forgot to do this (again) before submitting.  I can't really comment on the stadium experience for disabled persons or the helpfulness of the event staff (among other things), but the survey forces you to answer questions like that.

Go Blue!

P.S. For anyone interested, blog discussion on last year's survey: http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/football-season-ticket-holder-survey

dahblue

November 30th, 2012 at 2:04 PM ^

Funny...I noticed the lack of "n/a" as well and left a note about including that option to get more accurate responses.   Great minds and whatnot.

FieldingBLUE

November 30th, 2012 at 2:16 PM ^

comments about petitioning the Big Ten for realigning the divisions to put M & Ohio together, as well as balancing the Big Ten home schedule to get Neb & Ohio on different home years.

Also, I suggested they go back to the 3-tier system of pricing (while retaining overall season ticket cost):

- non-Big Ten/MAC = $50

- Big Ten/BCS Low = $75

- Premium (ND/OSU/MSU/Bama) = $100

It would be a lot easier to recoup season ticket expenses at those prices for the crap games.

notYOURmom

November 30th, 2012 at 2:29 PM ^

Honest to pete my students would not pass this by me without comment (and I teach survey development).  The first question dissallows any other mode of transport to the game other than "personal auto", and it's a REQUIRED question.  If  you walk to the game (as I do), you literally can't complete the survey.

I just hope they did not pay a lot of money for this (although perhaps they did not, as they made the exact same mistakes last year0.

Smash Lampjaw

November 30th, 2012 at 4:11 PM ^

For noon starts there are good alternatives. For 3:30 starts, we have an awfully long drive, and have to get back to our dog, who misses us, so from about 2:30 until midnight my gut growls. I might be willing to fight the lines if the payoff was edible, but sheesh. Food is one of the best reasons to attend minor league baseball. Why can't it be something like that?

dahblue

November 30th, 2012 at 4:15 PM ^

You raise a good point (and I mentioned it in my survey).  There's so much good food in A2, that local vendors should be included to allow for good food options.  Beyond that, why not in-seat vendors?  You'd think that Brandon would be eager to open that revenue stream (especially water on hot days).

DH16

November 30th, 2012 at 3:59 PM ^

I hope that all of you could say something on that, it seems like they tried to address the issue a little bit with the HAIL app but failed. Whether it's taking away tickets from students who don't go, shrinking the section, making it semi-GA, anything to make the rest of us students show up and show up on time, they should at least try something.

DH16

November 30th, 2012 at 11:24 PM ^

They should at least go to a system where instead of tickets being allocated by credit hours for who gets the best seats, it goes by games attended, with maybe an extra .5 added for for a ticket scanned by game time if they can keep track of that. Could be a nice incentive.

Taking away tickets from students who don't show up would be nice, as I want students who care in the section, but students do have a right to see their football team play, so that could get a little messy. Within some reason they should institute a way to both reward people who show up and penalize people who don't, and I don't think it would be that hard.

Dess

November 30th, 2012 at 5:11 PM ^

The AD's response: Just upgrade to the Roth club.

I went to a game up there, and for like 8 or 9 dollars I got a freshly carved herbed roast beef sandwich. They had stadium crap too, but for like a couple dollars more than stadium crap I got a top tier sandwich.

UofM Die Hard …

November 30th, 2012 at 3:21 PM ^

since this is kind of on the same topic I will ask it in here.  My wife wants me to take her to a Michigan game next season and really wants to go to the Ohio game on November 30th...I was like um ok that will be tough.

My question is when do they go on sale?  I moved to WA from Michigan the year we won the National Championship and havent been back to a home game since, so I am out of the loop on buying home tickets.  Any tips or suggestions for me.  I realize I am going to pay a pretty penny but just wondering whats the best approach here?

 

Thanks MGo Friends

a2bluefan

November 30th, 2012 at 5:26 PM ^

Season ticket renewals usually happen late April-early May. General ticket sales (single tickets) usually go on sale in July. BUT...

If you're talking about buying single tickets, there is almost zero chance that those will be made available for the Ohio game. These almost always have to be purchased as part of a 3 or 4 game pack if you don't have season tickets. Limited quantities of those packs usually go on sale after season ticket renewals are done (I think), and they sell out pretty quickly. This 3-4 game pack thing is something that changes from year to year, though, so it's possible they don't even do it.

If you're not already signed up for M Insider emails, you should do so in order to at least receive info about onsale dates. http://www.mgoblue.com/insider/ 

Beyond that, it's pretty much Stubhub or take your chances on game day from scalpers. If you can get in on the ticket packs, it's probably your best deal money-wise, as the entire pack could end up costing less than a single ticket for the Ohio game on Stubhub (depending on how the season progresses and the significance of that game). And you can always put the other games back up for sale to recoup some funds.

Others might have additional insight, but that's my $0.02. Good luck.

Section 1

November 30th, 2012 at 3:53 PM ^

I just finished it.

They asked about some pretty pertinent stuff.  Parking (it is the biggest problem they face).  Entry gates (a huge problem especially the south gates, a partial cause for all of the late-arriving students).  Bathrooms (are they freaking kidding?)  Stadium sound system.  Merchandising.  Et cetera.

I was happy to answer the questions, and let them know what I thought.

For me, the merchandising/food/appearance of staff questions were all a waste of time.  Who really eats anything at the Stadium after you've been tailgating for a couple of hours?  To each his own I guess.  It was interesting that they asked about whether you were comfortable taking your family to the games and whether fan rowdiness was a problem.  '....YOU SUCK!'

Doc Brown

November 30th, 2012 at 4:31 PM ^

My biggest complaint: IMPROVE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE MMB AND SPECIAL K. It is not that difficult to not play stadium music over the MMB. I cannot tell you how many times special K played 7NA over the MMB. 

MichiganManOf1961

November 30th, 2012 at 4:39 PM ^

Something needs to be done about the empty seats at the games.  There is no reason why the student section should be 3/4 full midway into the first quarter.  Perhaps the Athletic Department should raise the prices of student tickets, offsetting the astronomical sums alumni are forced to pay, to actually get their tushes in their seats before kickoff!

The food has gotten progressively worse over the years and is getting more expensive.  I remember when I could get a sodapop, bratwurst, and french fries for $5-6, now that might get you the fries.  I told my wife that I refuse to buy any of that commercially made garbage in the stadium at such extreme costs, so she'd better fill up on what is provided for FREE at tailgates and not rush to the concession stand after the first.  Luckily, the games this year were warm enough so I never even had to fork over money to that Aramark or whoever runs the stands once this year.

Parking has been getting more expensive and harder to come by.  It is difficult to walk close to a mile when it is freezing cold out and the rates in the areas close to the stadium are much too high.  Likewise, the golf course is nice, but recently has become louder and filled with more crass fans.  It is also dangerous to walk on after the first few games because of hidden holes and such. 

I do NOT want the Big 10 to be corrupted by the likes of Rutgers and Maryland, and I have informed the Athletic Department of this on a few occasions.  Per usual, I have yet to receive an appropriate response and felt it necessary to again file my grievances in this survey. 

The schedule was lacking this year.  While Michigan was able to go undefeated at home, I felt as though I missed out on some of the fanfare for the more significant games and often felt as though I was but a bystander in this year's Michigan season; my contributions to the school will reflect such a slight.

I do not like the music that is being absolutely blasted into the stadium, it has been getting more and more obnoxious.  Perhaps this is how Dave Brandon intends to get students into the game, by injecting hiphop music mid-game, every few minutes, but it doesn't seem to be working.  Thank you Mr. Brandon, but the marching band has been fine for years and will continue to be fine.  We don't need your pumped in rock music to drown out the sounds of the game.

I hope the Athletic Department reflects on these surveys, but I doubt they will; unless your propositions somehow show how even more gratuitous piles of money could be raked into this corporate franchise.

~Herm

billmgoblue

November 30th, 2012 at 6:27 PM ^

Well we know u are 50 years old or plus just give your tickets up so that us real fans can stand up and cheer if u don't like it stay at home and watch it on your 32 inch tube Tv u are complain about stupid stuff and yes mix different uniforms in there Brandon us fans and kids love it

a2bluefan

November 30th, 2012 at 5:42 PM ^

My complaints were few:

Mashed up ruinated hot dogs - $4.00

Better "jumbo" dogs (but still not that great) - $6.00

It's a f'ing hot dog, fergodsakes!

I'm a Pepsi products person.

Still need some work on the sound system. It was very uneven this year.

That's about it. Interesting to hear folks' complaints about parking and stadium entry. Those just aren't an issue for me. I park on Pauline. I usually leave my tailgate 30-35 minutes or so before kickoff. Enter thru gate 8 (nw corner) and am in my section 18 (sw corner) seats in time for the MMB's entrance.

 

 

 

 

a2bluefan

November 30th, 2012 at 8:28 PM ^

I should qualify by saying that my seats are on row 94.  I enter the north entrance to the suite structure and go upstairs, and walk on the upper concourse down to section 18 and enter from the top, only having to walk down 2 rows from the portal.  If your seats are below the lower portal, maybe it's not worth the effort, but if you're above the lower portal I HIGHLY recommend my approach. 

emozilla

November 30th, 2012 at 7:57 PM ^

I am loathe to reveal it, but here is the secret to a hassle free game day (2 year season ticket holder... Perfect record!)

Park at the Ashley St. structure for $3 (yes $3). Its a mile walk, but if you park by the stadium you'll just wait in traffic forever after the game anyway. Walk to the stadium, getting beer at Happy's along the way. Enter at the Chrisler entrance. This is a recipe for success :-)