Ford giving away free Sparty/FAU tickets to employees

Submitted by Bodogblog on

Latest detnews article linked, talking up improvement(?) of sales. My sister is a Sparty grad and sent me the e-mail from Ford: 4 tickets complimentary, for any employee

I wonder if the jump from 12K to 25K over the last several days is Ford "buying" tickets to give to employees? Epic fail for Sparty, and any poor slob who shelled out $75 for this game. Free offer isn't open to the general public, only Ford emp's, but still.

In retrospect, who in FLA is an FAU fan?  Of those, how many would travel to Michigan?  Spartan fans living 5 minutes away won't pay to see this game. 

http://detnews.com/article/20100909/SPORTS0202/9090372/1132/sports/Ticket-sales-for-MSU-Florida-Atlantic-game-at-Ford-Field-steadily-improving

robpollard

September 9th, 2010 at 4:01 PM ^

Well, even if you get a free ticket, you usually pay for parking or maybe grab bite to eat at a local bar.  Perhaps go visit a casino and lose a few bucks. Heck, if you really plan on getting plastered and coming in from west of E Lansing, maybe you get a hotel room downtown (though I assume that will be few).



Thus, more people at the game helps Detroit.

NateVolk

September 9th, 2010 at 3:34 PM ^

The price is too high for those tickets. I don't buy the argument that Michigan would sell a similar number seats at that price, but I doubt they'd sell out the same game.

By my standards, if Michigan isn't playing before a sell-out, it is embarrassing.

Geaux_Blue

September 9th, 2010 at 7:48 PM ^

between the metro detroit population and UM fan base that Michigan couldn't sell out 65,000 when they sell out 113,000. the reason people are talking about it is up until about a month ago they had sold 7-10,000. as MSU fans (and admin) have talked up their extensive fanbase in metro Detroit as part of their assault of extensive Michigan coverage (Detroit bias) and limited Spartan reporting, this is "very telling" about how much that base is willing to support their team. 

Brodie

September 10th, 2010 at 12:13 AM ^

Because MSU's fanbase in Metro Detroit is nonexistent. There's an alumni base, perhaps. Maybe a basketball fanbase of some sort. But the ugly truth is that Michigan State is a very distant second to Michigan in Metro Detroit. This is just more proof of what 90% of us already knew.

Michigan would have sold at least 60,000 tickets to this event. Not just because our fanbase is larger, but because the school is closer and a much more compelling brand... who would people who don't really care about college football rather pay money to see?

Tater

September 9th, 2010 at 3:36 PM ^

If their fanbase doesn't have enough loyalty to fill Ford Field for one game, even a dog like this one, they have no business calling anyone who goes to Michigan games a "Walmart Wolverine."

ty@thelionsinwinter

September 9th, 2010 at 4:53 PM ^

This game is a desperate, stupid money/attention grab.  Tickets weren't included in season ticket packages, driving is a major pain in the ass, and all for a dog of an opponent we'd be horrified to have give us an exciting game.

Playing a tomato can is one thing when you can roll out of bed, tailgate at your usual spot, and go on about your typical gameday business--but to pay a typical-game price per seat, drive for 90 minutes, park, not be able to tailgate, and then be 90 minutes from home when the festivities are done?  Maybe for a half-decent opponent, but c'mon.  There was not a clamoring for this.

If M played a "road" game against UAB in Theoretically Double-Sized Kelly/Shorts Stadium, and charged season-ticket holders and students full price, I wouldn't expect TDSKSS to sell out either.

Peace

Ty

jmblue

September 9th, 2010 at 5:09 PM ^

Well, it's a far drive for fans that live near EL.  But presumably, this game was designed for Spartan fans in the Detroit area, giving them a shorter drive than usual.  Yeah, it's a terrible opponent to play against, but an established program doesn't have to worry about the caliber of the opponent when it comes to selling tckets.   I don't blame MSU students for passing, but the alums should step up to the plate. 

We did play in the 1995 Pigskin Classic against Virginia.  Granted, it was a home game, and obviously against a better team, but it was a late addition to the schedule and wasn't part of the season ticket package.  It still sold out. 

ty@thelionsinwinter

September 10th, 2010 at 10:37 AM ^

Key words, of course: "1995", and "Virginia".

Also, traveling to LA is a "thing", a big deal you can make a big trip out of.  Traveling to Detroit from the Lansing area is in the uncomfortable middle ground between "conveniently close" and "exotically far away."

 . . . I'm not sure I buy "sell out any stadium anywhere on no notice" as the only benchmark of an "established program," but if that's it, then cool--MSU is not an established program.  In fact, I'd be inclined to agree anyway.  This season is pivotal for Dantonio's tenure, and in a truly established program, no season is pivotal.



Peace

Ty

Brodie

September 10th, 2010 at 3:48 PM ^

Maybe not anyone, anywhere but in the largest city in the state where the school is located? To me that says a lot about MSU's popularity and how they're thought of in this part of the state.

I mean, let's just look at this... OSU has sold out "road games" vs MAC tomato cans in Cincinnati and Cleveland. Alabama always sells out when they play in Birmingham. Texas just got a massive crowd to show up for a "road game" against Rice in Houston. The major programs can make this work. I'm inclined to believe Michigan is such a program. Clearly State isn't.

Geaux_Blue

September 9th, 2010 at 7:52 PM ^

FAU didnt have a stadium and their only option was to hold the game at SS or at a "neutral field." given they get the gate for the game, and FAU was unlikely to have a draw that MSU would in Michigan, they decided to suck it up and do it up north. i'd like to believe if UM played Tulsa in Grand Rapids they could sell more than 40,000 tickets. 

ty@thelionsinwinter

September 10th, 2010 at 11:17 AM ^

In my mind, MSU and FAU have no business playing each other to begin with.  I love my team and I love gamedays, but they shouldn't be playing tomato cans ever, let alone at Ford Field.

Now, you may well be right about UM outdrawing MSU at theoretical meaningless netural site games . . . that and six dollars will get you a cup of coffee at Caribou, I guess.



Peace

Ty

Brodie

September 10th, 2010 at 12:19 AM ^

Ask the capacity crowd who showed up in Cleveland to watch OSU play a "road game" against Toledo about how hard it is to sell out such a game.

Anything other than admitting the truth... that MSU fans shit the bed here and are showing the truth behind their "dominance" of the State... is just wrong.

Dr. Chim Richalds

September 10th, 2010 at 4:27 PM ^

Were those tickets $60-90 for any lower-bowl seats between the end-zone? No. Guarantee they were not. The sheer amount of people that MSU brought to the Final Four in Detroit, and the fact that a ton of tickets were sold for the UNC game there earlier that year proves that there is a Spartan fanbase there. The FAU AD is the one who shit the bed with those outrageous ticket prices for a crappy game against a team who hasn't beaten anyone of note in their entire history. As far as the OSU example you use, I seem to remember Toledo having a big win or two over the last couple years...

jmblue

September 10th, 2010 at 4:48 PM ^

The fact that MSU basketball fans turned out in droves does not necessarily mean that MSU football fans would do likewise.  Maybe MSU basketball attracts a casual fan in a way that football doesn't.  The bottom line is that if your football program wants to be taken seriously, it can't play a de facto home game in front of a half-empty stadium.  Bowl representatives will not like this.

Brodie

September 10th, 2010 at 4:45 PM ^

I already acknowledged MSU's basketball fanbase. Hence "perception"... the perception in Metro Detroit is that Michigan is the football school and State is the basketball school. People without a real rooting interest typically cheer for both to do well.

And the Final Four thing was like... I was cheering for you dudes, I think everyone was. It was such a monumental moment for the entire region. It's hardly comparable.

Dr. Chim Richalds

September 10th, 2010 at 5:44 PM ^

This is why FAU made a monumental F-up with their choice of venues. They saw the Final Four and thought that their team could pull in fans because of that. I honestly don't think UM would sell out Ford Field with those same ticket prices against the same opponent. Call me crazy, but the economy is bad. Would you pull in more fans? Probably. I'm just saying that this isn't on MSU. This was FAU's rodeo from the get-go, and they screwed it up.

Daytona Blue

September 9th, 2010 at 3:48 PM ^

George Perles has to be worried, as when MSU is rocking the Motor City bowl the only way people are going to come is if they get free tickets with their large pizza pizza!!

 

DenverRob

September 9th, 2010 at 3:51 PM ^

its just a bad game to put anywhere including spartan stadium.

When we play Umass it won't be 113,090 but it will still be a sell out.

 with the free tickets the stadium will make more $$ in concessions, this could be the logic since it wasn't selling out.

jmblue

September 9th, 2010 at 3:52 PM ^

You know it's pretty bad when there's a newspaper article written two days before the game about how "ticket sales are steadily improving."  Watch out for that last-minute rush! 

Bodogblog

September 9th, 2010 at 3:59 PM ^

Hate to play the "if this were Michigan" game, but I'm not above it.  If this were Michigan, it just feels like the headline would be different.  "U of M sells only 25K tickets at Ford Field."   I know I'd consider it a failure.  It would get a lot more talk

Of course if this were Michigan playing, the fuckin' thing would have sold out.

Augger

September 9th, 2010 at 5:19 PM ^

That was always my thought about why I could survive being a Lions fan.  I almost had to be a Michigan fan growing up, because if I was a Lions/MSU fan and watched meltdowns on both Saturday and Sunday every week, I doubt I would still be alive today.

Aug

Token_sparty

September 9th, 2010 at 6:07 PM ^

Stop stating the hurtfully obvious! At least I can say that I became a football fan at about the time that Barry Sanders made his first play a beautiful cutback 18-yard scamper.  The Lions were at least mediocre then, as were the Sparties. 

But if you turn your logic around, you are primarily a Michigan fan just because you like winners.  Bandwagon fan much?  I kid, I kid!

Helfy

September 9th, 2010 at 5:02 PM ^

A friend of mine works there and got four free tickets.  He took them out to his car at lunch and left them on his dashboard.  Later that afternoon, someone broke into his car and left four more.

 

*rimshot*

NateVolk

September 9th, 2010 at 6:11 PM ^

Classic!

I have been avoiding my buddy who is a season ticket holder at Spartan Stadium. He is one of those guys who gets free MSU stuff all the time. He'll practically beg me to go knowing I am a grad. 

If there ever was a time  I wish I would have just tanked it and spent my late teens and early 20s doing weed in my mom's basement, this is the time.

Token_sparty

September 9th, 2010 at 6:15 PM ^

First, they came on too strong with the first ads, and haven't been able to recover.  When the prices were announced, people said, "Hell no!"  Some MSU fans bought at full price, but if you have season tickets already, there isn't much incentive to pay $39 - $75 per ticket to see yet another tomato can get its ass whupped.  Second, the opponent blows.  Send a good Florida team (UF, Miami, Fla State), and that venue sells out in like 5 minutes.  Okay, send Miami or FSU; we all know Urban Cryer wouldn't play even a mediocre team unless it were a home game.

Geaux_Blue

September 9th, 2010 at 7:59 PM ^

but that's an MSU excuse for why Spartan Stadium doesn't sell out against MAC teams, etc. "because they're a MAC team *eyeroll*" i don't make crap compared to what people do for salary and still find a way to go to every game i can. and this would still be an excuse if they'd sold... 30,000? 40,000? not 12k after dropping the price to 20 and including Ford allotment/purchase.

Bocheezu

September 9th, 2010 at 7:20 PM ^

The line came out the Conference and Events Center, to the parking lot, and went to the back wall of the lot and kept going.  I have no idea how long a wait that ended up being, but I haven't seen a line that long since Top Thrill at Cedar Point this summer. 

The Mick

September 10th, 2010 at 9:54 AM ^

Since it is a home game for FAU and their own stadium (Lockhart Stadium) only seats 20'450 spectators, 25'000 sold tickets isn't that bad, especially since they expect a strong walk-up on the day of the game. Dunno how much they have to shell out to use Ford Field, but it could be worth it.

 

MichaelBluth

September 10th, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^

Let's be realistic here. Lower Bowl tickets cost $78 with a $10 service charge. Nobody wants to pay $90 to watch Florida Atlantic. The pricing was ridiculous.

Michigan and MSU sell out games against UMass, Northern Colorado, and Eastern Michigan because they are included in the season ticket package. Neither fan base would sell out Ford Field against a crappy opponent with the pricing as it is. $90 for lowers? No way.

Dr. Chim Richalds

September 10th, 2010 at 1:49 PM ^

This is exactly it. This game is a "home" game for FAU, because they didn't complete their stadium on time and had to find a different venue. They chose Ford Field because they thought they could pull in more revenue from Spartan fans than they would trying to rent a place like the Orange Bowl and market it to their fan base there. That is a good strategy prima facia, but where they screwed the pooch was trying to make an extra buck by driving up ticket prices. Nobody wants to pay $90 for lower bowl tickets, plus parking, plus conscessions to watch MSU play a crappy Sun Belt team, especially when their first five games, I believe, are in the state of Michigan. Their AD said he got the idea from watching MSU fans pack Ford Field for the Final Four, and is now trying to blame MSU fans for the poor showing when he is the one who set the outrageous ticket prices. What he didn't think is that watching what will essentially be an exhibition football game is nowhere near the Final Four.