New student ticket prices to be released next week; DB statement (updated)

Submitted by dnak438 on

 

The U-M athletic department will announce the new student ticket prices next week.

— Mark Snyder (@Mark__Snyder) October 17, 2014

 

Statement from U-M AD Dave Brandon pic.twitter.com/hl9zF4W2j1

— Mark Snyder (@Mark__Snyder) October 17, 2014

 

UPDATE: As announced on MGoBlue:

CSG President Bobby Dishell made a presentation to the Regents regarding the findings from a CSG survey about the student experience at football games and the student body's relationship with the athletic department. He outlined the following agreements between Michigan Athletics and CSG that will take effect immediately:

  • Athletics will work to design a new plan for next season that will include a significant price decrease for football student season tickets. Athletics will announce student season-ticket prices for the 2015 football season next week.
  • Rental fees for athletic facilities will be eliminated for student groups with a charitable focus.
  • The department has committed to work with the Big Ten to create a blackout weekend where Crisler Center will be available for MUSIC Matters in 2016.
  • Monthly meetings with students will be held with Athletic Director Dave Brandon to address topics relating to all 31 teams and Michigan Athletics.
  • Dishell and Brandon will have regular standing meetings.
  • The athletic department will create a student advisory board comprised of student-athletes, non-athletes, season-ticket holders and non-ticket holders.
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pearlw

October 16th, 2014 at 9:26 PM ^

Name another school...Ha - well how about the entire Ivy League, Stanford, Northwestern. Every school would do it if they could get the donation...look at the other schools I listed. Stanford coach David Shaw is the "Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football." Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald is the "Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach."

Joined: 01/09/2011

MGoPoints: 4657

mbrummer

October 16th, 2014 at 8:51 PM ^

" We have worked closely  CSG over the past year and this will continue to strengthen our very important work with the student community."

 

Would the CSG agree with that statement? Were their voices heard, given a chance when the price increase, general seating, punishment/rewards for seats decisions were being made?

Or now is it convenient to spread the blame and say, you've been doing something when clearly you have not until it bites you in the rear end

Joined: 07/29/2008

MGoPoints: 7872

Baloo

October 16th, 2014 at 8:50 PM ^

The problem for Brandon right now is that people just assume bad faith in everything he says or does, even if it's something we have been wanting for years. Is it fair? Of course not, but when you have a history of deception and duplicitousness, that's what you get.

Joined: 10/03/2014

MGoPoints: 3647

Bando Calrissian

October 16th, 2014 at 9:13 PM ^

This is exactly it. People who are pushing back against the criticism in this thread don't seem to realize this bizarre late-evening release doesn't exist in a vacuum. It comes from a guy with a history of duplicitous public relations and clearly disingenuous actions. That's how DB rolls. When he's up against the ropes, of course he's going to put this out to make himself look like the good guy, even if it is a lot of things people have been asking for, as if people will completely forget the context.

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 68120

Baloo

October 16th, 2014 at 11:33 PM ^

Eh, that wasn't really my point.  You seem to think that this move is solely to make Brandon look like a good guy.  My point was that regardless of the motive, he's not going to look like a good guy either way because people are so convinced that he should be hated based on his record. 

Joined: 10/03/2014

MGoPoints: 3647

Baloo

October 16th, 2014 at 8:50 PM ^

The problem for Brandon right now is that people just assume bad faith in everything he says or does, even if it's something we have been wanting for years. Is it fair? Of course not, but when you have a history of deception and duplicitousness, that's what you get.

Joined: 10/03/2014

MGoPoints: 3647

Voltron Blue

October 16th, 2014 at 8:51 PM ^

Hmmm. Simply the fact that it appears he has the rope to try to change the student relationship...leads me to believe that there's a good chance he doesn't get fired. Schlissel may be giving him one more chance.

Joined: 01/16/2009

MGoPoints: 4054

turd ferguson

October 16th, 2014 at 8:54 PM ^

"Monthly meetings with students will be held with Athletic Director Dave Brandon to address topics relating to all 31 teams and Michigan Athletics."

LOL.  Unless that happens, in which case not LOL

Joined: 12/09/2009

MGoPoints: 26493

East German Judge

October 16th, 2014 at 8:54 PM ^

Good, so student ticket prices will go down, but how about concessions?  $5 for a dog, water, etc., while I believe in capitalism, this former CEO needs to think that what if I lower prices a litle bit, like dogs for $3, my bet is that a TON of people would buy a lot more concessions.  He would make less per item, but sell a whole lot more and in the process end up making even MO' MONEY!!!!

Joined: 10/05/2014

MGoPoints: 190461

gustave ferbert

October 16th, 2014 at 8:57 PM ^

They basically put up with his BS with the seating policy.  the ticket price increases, etc.  For their entire colleg career. And now ticket prices are going to go down next year where they can't benefit.  I hope they are offered something generous as alums. . .

Joined: 06/21/2011

MGoPoints: 46362

TheBoLineage--

October 16th, 2014 at 9:02 PM ^

sources indicate that FoxNews will begin looking into the CSG Group.

 

Speculation from The Sources suggest that DB will Buy-Off the CSG Group--  in much The Same Way that DB bought-off the Varsity Coaches with that Letter N Stuff.

 

you know--  buying-off everyone with Salaries N Stuff  . . . 

 

 

Joined: 09/20/2014

MGoPoints: 72

Njia

October 16th, 2014 at 9:07 PM ^

Can I call you "Dave"? I have 20+ years of experience in managing change and advising clients (most of whom are business executives) on how best to avoid touching the third rail and alienating their organizations.

I know you'd probably like to do what you can to save your job so permit me to give you some suggestions:

  • For once, stay away from the prepared, test-marketed, double-spoken statements and hold a town hall for students wherein they get to ask you whatever they'd like; show some humility and self-awareness but don't you dare get "choked up" - students will sniff that shit out faster than a pack full of dogs at a dairy farm.
  • Immediately offer food and beverage vouchers for student ticket holders that can be used with a valid student ID for the remainder of 2014, including the start of basketball season; it will help you build some good will and make up for the assinine 2014 football ticket prices.
  • Candidly enumerate and acknowledge where you have failed (in case it isn't obvious to you, ask anyone outside the department); ask for help from students, faculty, alumni and other members of the University community in determining what steps can be taken to repair these essential relationships.
  • Be visible on the academic campus; shake hands, talk to people, smile and show people you have a pulse.

After you've done all that, here's the really important part: hold a second town hall meeting. Ask people what they like and value most about the University, its traditions, its events, teams and identity. That will give you a clue to our cultural DNA and the "third rail" that you'd do well to avoid.

Finally, ask what we'd like to change, if anything. Help us understand what trade-offs would be necessary to give us what we want more or less of. Check back with us often and give us updates on progress. Keep us informed. NO MORE RUDE SURPRISES.

If you do those things, you've got a reasonable chance to keep your job. Consider it one of those 90-day "performance improvement plans" I'm sure you've given to people on your team who didn't meet your expectations.

Kind regards,

Njia

Joined: 09/15/2009

MGoPoints: 35773

dnak438

October 16th, 2014 at 11:02 PM ^

I don't know how many of you heard John Bacon's interview with Sam Webb on WTKA when Dave Brandon was doing his media blitz, but Bacon said at one point that the problem with Dave Brandon opening himself up to the broader public -- to be more approachable in order to win his critics over -- is that it only works if you're a likeable guy. "I'll leave it at that" is how Bacon ended his statement. Basically he called DB a jerk. If DB has a town hall meeting it might do even more damage, as hard as that is to imagine (actually no it's not that hard to imagine).

Joined: 08/12/2009

MGoPoints: 7912

julesh

October 16th, 2014 at 9:09 PM ^

Taking care of students is half the battle, but there's still the other half. What about the price gouging for regular tickets? Or the $5 bottles of water? Or putting more stock in the mythical "Michigan Man" than actual resume?

If cutting student ticket prices somehow makes DB survive all this, there is something seriously seriously wrong here.

Joined: 11/28/2011

MGoPoints: 21974

East German Judge

October 16th, 2014 at 9:35 PM ^

The other thing this former CEO does not realize is that by disenfranchising the student population and pricing them out of the market with $295 season tickets, when they become alumni, they may have very little incentive and desire to then pay full ticket prices for season tickets as they may never have ejoyed the football viewing experience in the Big House.

Joined: 10/05/2014

MGoPoints: 190461

Undefeated dre…

October 16th, 2014 at 9:36 PM ^

The release represents a strong forging of an important relationship with U-M students, who are an important strength of the University as it forges forward in its important mission of strong academics.

Joined: 09/17/2008

MGoPoints: 1560