OT: MSU to Implement PSDs, and Mark Hollis Comes off as a Dick
Heres a few ideas of how NOT to squeeze a few extra dollars out of your alumni after your second-rate team had two good seasons: Link
"Any time you have something positive happen, it comes at a cost"
So we finally won a bowl game. Now you have to pay for it.
"Now it’s in the hands of those that make the contributions and buy the tickets to determine if we’re going to be successful or not. Because it takes those resources, flat out."
Guilt your patrons into giving more money. If the team fails, they didnt give enough.
"If individuals don’t understand the plan or are unable to support at that level like other institutions do, then as an AD, I’ll have to refocus what our expectations are and where we want to go based on those returns."
That's right. The only way we can have high expectations is if you give money.
"This is the plan. It’s up to our alums and fans to make a decision about how they want to support the program."
"It’s very common at Alabama. It’s very common at programs like LSU or Texas or Ohio State or others."
Don't feel the need to mention Michigan, one of the top grossing ADs in the country. I'll settle for "others"
Michigan fans, I know we don't always see eye-to-eye with Dave Brandon (rawk music, road jerseys), and we sometimes feel hit up for cash too, but lets be thankful that it doesn't come off like this. Mark Hollis really wants to sell you a candy bar, and he's trying to make you feel guilty for not buying it. Little Brother, its time to get off my porch!
January 27th, 2012 at 12:04 PM ^
The fact that DB constantly cheapens the Michigan brand (in his everpresent quest to "expand the brand") only shows he doesn't know what he's trying to "sell."
That would be an opinion, not a fact. The thing that many here are reluctant to acknowledge is that Brandon can't just cater to the hardcore freaks like us. He has to reach out to the average fan - the guy who buys tickets but doesn't have a prospective 2014 depth chart drawn up. The average fan has different desires than the hardcore freak. The average fan loves "events." He buys the UTL jerseys, sings along to "Don't Stop Believing" and loves to wave pom-poms. There are a lot more of him than there are hardcore types. He ultimately determines whether or not our athletic department makes money (which in turn affects the level of financial support our athletic programs can get).
January 27th, 2012 at 7:59 AM ^
Have they been selling out their football games? I still see large swaths of empty seats in the upper levels.
edit: sorry if duplicative - I just read a similar comment above. *Neg* away..
January 27th, 2012 at 8:00 AM ^
Um...your wrong. Us season ticket holders have to make a "voluntary" tax deductable donation each and every year to the Victors Club based upon the value of our season tickets. I have six tickets (2 in section 2 and 4 in section 3) and I pay $1,400/year for the priviledge of buying those tickets.
MSU is just late to the party, that's all.
Edit - sorry - didn't see the reference was to the waiting list. Yes, you are correct there. My bad.
January 27th, 2012 at 8:00 AM ^
Oh, just come out and say it, Hollis.
"We wish we were Michigan, so please give us more money."
There's no need to dance around the real issue here: MSU's crippling inferiority complex.
January 27th, 2012 at 8:18 AM ^
I suspect Hollis is going to find out from the fans rather quickly that Statefans are not
like Alabama, LSU, OSU and Michigan fans. There will be strenuous push back on this, and if he goes forward, fewer fans in the stands, and a lot of bitching at him when the team wins fewer than 10 games.
January 27th, 2012 at 8:38 AM ^
January 27th, 2012 at 8:52 AM ^
Who gives a shit? Do we have to comment on them every time they do something? "OMG, can you believe they did (something)? God they wish they were Michigan. They are such assholes! Lil bro, lil bro, lil bro, sparty, sparty, Dantonio, jackass"
January 27th, 2012 at 9:09 AM ^
If Penn State has gone from 107k to 104k to 101k the past three years because of a new seating license program, I can only imagine what will happen at MSU.
I look forward to seeing about 60k at Spartan Stadium in the near future. Thanks, Hollis, more tickets for me.
January 27th, 2012 at 9:17 AM ^
Triple post. HOKE STARE.
January 27th, 2012 at 9:30 AM ^
Remake of the 1970's movie Animal House.
They can call it: Flounder Goes to Michigan
January 27th, 2012 at 9:13 AM ^
He isn't coming across as a dick. He is swinging for the fence and trying to build an elite program, plain and simple. Usually Spartys arent smart enough for that. You should be worried about Hollis.
January 27th, 2012 at 9:30 AM ^
But I don't get what Hollis is doing that makes this worthy of ridicule. He's simply confronting the fact that for pretty much all BCS programs the football team is the lifeblood of the athletic department and that after the two best seasons in a long time, he's trying to raise more revenue. I don't see why we as Michigan fans: (a) care or (b) think that it's a good excuse to call Hollis a dick or to make more jokes about Dantonio.
I think that Hollis has done a pretty good job at State. Most of his hires have worked out. He's done some interesting things to raise the profile of their programs (such as the Carrier Classic or whatever they called it) and now he's trying to increase revenue to continue building their program. Good for him.
Something like Dantonio calling out Hecklinski is interesting but only because it involves Michigan. I don't care what State does, but think that the obsession of some fans with the whole "little brother" and "inferiority complex" thing isn't needed. This is Michigan fergoshsakes. We don't need to stoop to that level.
January 27th, 2012 at 10:50 AM ^
This is no different than what DB did prior to last season. Michigan had ND and OSU at home, as well as the kick off game against Nebraska. Brandon saw it as an opportunity to raise the ticket prices.
MSU has home games against Boise State, ND, OSU, and Nebraska, as well as a homecoming game against Iowa. This is a phenomenal home schedule by any standard. Throw in MSU's recent success and there isn't going to be a better time to raise prices.
FYI, their PSD is slightly higher than Michigan's, but their season ticket price for 7 games, before donation, is only $308 which is still very reasonable.
January 27th, 2012 at 11:25 AM ^
I don't consider raising ticket prices or implementing PSDs to be "dickish" behavior. I found that more in the way he came across by the quotes in the article. He basically told the fanbase that the only way to support the program was by giving more money. It came off as significantly entitled, especially considering their fanbase doesn't even make it a priority to attend their games in the first place.
January 27th, 2012 at 9:41 AM ^
While i agree we dont need a post everytime one of our rivals does something, this strikes me as different. Only for the reason that it speaks to a culture change in EL. A couple good seasons, and they wanna play with the big dogs. Thats all well and good but honestly their fan base sucks. Season ticket holders? Why? The fans who go to games here and there will be turned off. You make MORE money from doing well Mark!!!
I dont agree with everthing DB does either. The premuim games this year at 85 a piece to start were salty. I understand the lights, scoreboards, renovation all cost money but dont tell me A2 or EL havent done well from successes in other revenue generating areas. Jerseys, hats, bowl game checks (which doesnt cost you for success it actually pays you Mark). I love walking into the big house, havent missed an opener in 10 years, always go to as many games as possible, but lets not sit here and say.. "how could msu ever think to do this" when we have been put through some big changes lately as well.
Side note: I really get uneasy when I hear DB say he isnt going to use the lights for special games every year, and maybe not even once a year. Not sure if he was just playing them down, but to ME, they are a big deal. Especially if you raise ticket prices to help pay for them I want then USED!
January 27th, 2012 at 11:42 AM ^
Games don't have to be played at night for the lights to go on. They are used for pretty much all 3:30 games. Before we installed them, we used to have to ask ABC to bring in portable lights for those games.
Also, the thing that has ADs everywhere scrambling to raise revenue is the cost of scholarships. We're one of the most expensive public universities in the country to attend, which means that covering the cost of 300 or so athletic scholarships/room and board runs into the eight-figure range.
January 27th, 2012 at 9:59 AM ^
Mark Hollis comes off as a dick because he is. He has a bigger ego then Kanye when it comes to anything Michigan related. Almost anytime Michigan does something better then MSU you can find an example of him trying to one up Michigan; The Big Chill comments, his Twitter comments, the new scoreboards and the list goes on.
January 27th, 2012 at 10:34 AM ^
I am an evil vindictive person, but the financial situation at MSU makes me smile. They had to raise tuition 9% just to keep their doors open. They haven't touched Breslin since they added some court space in 2001. And Magic Johnson isn't getting any younger. Its been a while since Izzo has put a player in the NBA, and this economy isn't getting better any time soon.
The East Lansing Walmart is already stocking up on green and white pom poms, which will be placed on vacant seats in spartan stadium. These pom poms will henceforth be referred to as "Walmart Spartans", and may their numbers soar to the heavens.
I am an evil vindictive person. But damned if it isn't great to be a Michigan Wolverine.
January 27th, 2012 at 11:54 AM ^
are, when you amortize the cost of the "donations," at least BCS game priced. That said, a lot of the aspects of the program we fans value cost money, and the competition we are up against gets stiffer every year (yes, that IS what she said). Sparty just trying to keep up with Big Brother on this one; the tone of his message is not the upbeat, positive tone I think most would try and take when making this significant an ask of their fans.
Fact that they don't sell out is only marginally relevant; this is directed at alumi sitting between the 20s, and those are always sold, even if not always occupied. We've got some of that going on as well for those MAC-fests where we announce 110K.
January 27th, 2012 at 3:15 PM ^
Coming at this from a Spartan grad perspective, nearly everything you said is correct with regard to the letter that Hollis sent out. The one thing I will correct you on is that PSL's have existed between the goal lines (approx) since about 2005 or so (IIRC). My big issue with this is the timing of it all. Yes, now is the time due to an uptick in the program, but perhaps the university would be better served if we went to a Rose Bowl more than once in a generation and a half (One RB appearance since the 60's). You then have to consider that nearly all parking on campus requires a donation to purchase a parking pass. This again ups the cost of the tickets. My four MSU tickets will cost me in total (tickets + PSL+parking donation+Parking) over $2300 this year. FTR, my four UM tickets will cost me about $2200. The way I see it, build the program, sustain it, then ask for more money. At that point, you will get it.
Those of you on here poking the bear about not selling out the home games...Look at it this way. How many sellouts did UM have in the late 60's-early 70's? That is where the MSU program is right now. Like it or not, they have turned the corner and will not (hopefully) return to their old ways. You also have to remember that the press largely ignored MSU for about 20 or so years which also resulted an the downturn in interest. If you constantly hear about how great something is (and UM was from about 75-??) people will naturally want to watch those games. When I was growing up in the 80's you couldn't even get an MSU game on the radio unless we were playing UM...and then I was at that game. Remember, its easy to back a winner...Look no further than the Pistons.
January 27th, 2012 at 4:35 PM ^
The one thing I will correct you on is that PSL's have existed between the goal lines (approx) since about 2005 or so (IIRC).
That's what I thought, too. But I don't see it mentioned.
I can tell you that I would have had a very hard time in resisting the temptation to write something like, "While noticeably absent from Hollis' remarks about other programs, the University of Michigan has had similar preferred seating donation requirements dating back to 2003..."