questions about season tickets

Submitted by sheepman on

Hey all, 

So my wife and I got the email a few weeks about joining the interest list for $150. 

The email said, "Donors to Michigan Athletics who give $150 or more have the first opportunity to purchase any available season tickets to Michigan football."

What are the odds that we would get season tickets if we paid this? 

How much is the PSD for future seasons (low, high)? It says it will be waived this year.

Thanks in advance.

 

I dumped the Dope

April 26th, 2015 at 9:45 PM ^

for 2 end zone tickets....so this would be an equivalence to paying the PSD if you get the tix this year.  Personally I would call and see what your chances are for this year (this fall), they might not be able to give a solid answer until April 30th as that's the window for existing season tix renewals.

Your donation may also be 80% tax deductible, just like the PSD...

My educated guess is they are looking to scoop up anyone willing to take season tix and are not near the point of saturation yet due to some things that went on in the past.

East German Judge

April 26th, 2015 at 9:50 PM ^

PSD - High & Low per seat range from $75 - $600 - excluding students ($0) and suites/club are higher:

And as was mentioned, 80% of just the PSD is considered a charitable donation for Federal tax purposes and the University does provide you a receipt/letter for that purpose.  More info can be found at http://support.mgoblue.com/annual-giving/preferred-seat-donation/

rob f

April 27th, 2015 at 4:57 PM ^

of The Big House, I thought it might be time to ask this question (which I've wondered about at times over the last several years):

Why aren't chairback or club seats ever available on StubHub?  I often go to StubHub for road game tickets, and occasionally, too, for home game seats (sometimes need extras besides my season tickets) and I don't think I've ever seen tickets for sale in those sections.

If the opportunity ever came up (at a reasonable price, of course) to get a pair of seats in club or chairback sections, I'd jump on it.  I love my season tickets (been sitting there in those same seats since 1980) and have no intentions of ever moving to other seats, but just once, would love to see what those seats (or even suite seating----good luck with that, huh?)  are like.

treetown

April 27th, 2015 at 7:31 PM ^

Forgive me but I may not understand your question. Do you mean you've never seen any one put up club or chairback seats up on Stubhub or do you mean if the Athletic Department ever puts up unsold chairback and club seats up on Stubhub?

I think all of the chairbacks are spoken for and for club seats by season ticket holders - I believe most of those are also part of someone's season ticket package. Surprised they haven't shown up on Stubhub especially last year, but usually those tickets will found a relative, neighbor or friend who is happy to take them.

The chairbacks are nice - out in the crowd, but with a real seat. I'll admit that I'm getting too old to stand all game anymore everyone certainly stands up during amazing plays.

rob f

April 27th, 2015 at 10:56 PM ^

I mean tickets that individual sellers put on StubHub. 

I don't remember where I read it, but seem to recall reading several seasons ago (probably shortly after the construction was finished and the suites and club seating were opened) that the Athletic Department to some extent somehow regulated resale of those tickets by setting up some type of ticket exchange system, effectively preventing them from being listed on the secondary ticket websites such as StubHub.  As I'm sure there are MGoBloggers who hold suites, club seats and chairback seats,  I'm hoping one of them can clarify. 

In addition, wasn't StubHub given some kind of designation as the "Official Ticket Marketplace" by the Big Ten at some point a few years ago?  Do they still have some kind of "official" status whicch would allow for the individual universities within the B1G to restrict resale of certain classes of tickets (for example, U of M student tickets do not get Stubhub listing while I have seen student tickets listed for other B1G venues).

Granted, I don't look for extra home game tickets more than a few times per season, but when I do, I've just never seen any seats listed from any of those areas.

rob f

April 27th, 2015 at 11:04 PM ^

for posting that tidbit, just saw it after finishing editing my most recent post moments ago.  Does that apply to chairback seats like it does to suite and club seats?

What it boils down to, then, is that unless you know someone or buy said seats outside the stadium, it's extremely difficult to obtain them. 

I guess I can understand the university wanting to regulate the resale of those seats, but ultimately, since so many of those seats have gone unoccupied the last few seasons, I would think it would somewhat be in the best interests of the university for those seats to be filled.

umbig11

April 28th, 2015 at 7:06 AM ^

Chairbacks, Club, and Suite tickets are protected. There are only a few ways to get them. Obviously, purchasing them for the season is one. After that, someone would need to post them on Craigslist, MGOBLOG ETC. There is a special ticket exchange that premium suite and club seat holders have as well to buy them. I have purchased extras many times for friends and family. For example, if I can't make a game I sell them back to the university and they re-sell them on the Premium exchange to other club seat holders. Hope that helps.

rob f

April 28th, 2015 at 5:45 PM ^

As I would still like to watch a game from club and chairback seats each at least once, this info helps me avoid pursuing tickets where tickets are not going to be found.  And as I stated in an earlier post, I'm perfectly happy with the seats I've held since '80 and have absolutely no intention of purchasing season tickets in the club or chairback areas.  Besides, with my daughter's wedding to pay for in the fall of '16, my wallet is much more likely to be empty rather than full for most of the next 18 months or more (ouch!).

I'll just have to keep my eyes and ears open for anyone here on MGoBlog who might have a spare pair and a sympathetic ear.

  :-)

LSAClassOf2000

April 26th, 2015 at 9:53 PM ^

The 2015 guide listed end zone seats at $75 for PSD for end zone seats and as much as $200 for the "blue" seats, as I recall, so if that's what they are discussing in your message, essentially that price range would get you somewhere between abotu the 10 and the end zone on either side of the stadium save for the student section at that particular level. I could be misremembering though - admittedly, that paperwork is in my desk drawers at work.

HenneGivenSunday

April 26th, 2015 at 10:11 PM ^

If they are soliciting new interest list members (I am currently on that list at $150).. I would imagine they're trying to get more season ticket holders. I was told a few weeks ago that I would be offered tickets this year, and to expect to hear from them in May. I won't feel 100% about it until I get the official invite, but it sounds like if you want the to pony up the $150, you can get tickets.




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umbig11

April 27th, 2015 at 2:22 AM ^

If you donate more than the required minimum your odds will go up. For example, a $500 donation would almost guarantee you season tickets in the end zone. Once season renewals are complete at the end of April they will go down the list as far as points. Each $100 donation equals 1 point. $500 = 5 points etc. The university usually caps season tickets around 67 K. Last year they were slightly off by about 5%. The AD has recently stated that due to high demand they may increase the season ticket allotment. So, now is the time to get in. Here is the email address of someone that can help answer your donation questions in detail: [email protected]. Adam works for Athletic Development and is a donor rep and will gladly assist you. Best of luck to you!
Go Blue!!

vablue

April 27th, 2015 at 7:53 AM ^

I thought Hackett announced that they now had a waiting list for season tickets for the first time since 2007? Based on that, I would say your odds of getting them for the minimum donation are low.

clarkiefromcanada

April 27th, 2015 at 11:28 AM ^

I think that comment is a bit of smoke and mirrors and here is why: last season there was an email sent from Michigan to former ticket purchasers that if they bought a select pack of tickets that they would have the opportunity to buy season tickets this year (note, not mention of either donation or psd). I would think that there would be some traction on that and that a "list" was created from those individuals who wanted to get season tickets (probably not gigantic, though)

Most recently, Michigan has been sending the letter the OP mentioned to past ticket purchasers who have an online account with Michigan (several of my relations received it) and it indicates that the minimum donation is $150 while stating, plainly, that every effort will be made to get donors of that level season tickets. They make no guarantees but this would be a plane skywriting level error in marketing if they solicited donations, intimated the likelihood of season tickets and then pulled the carpet on it. Brandon, perhaps...Hackett, no.

So Hackett has his "list" from the 3-pack buyers last fall and pretty much all the new donors at $150 (a couple people I know have done this recently) so he's not exactly lying about it. He's just kind of not telling how he got the list to form...

FWIW, I think this is a good idea for Michigan. Despite the Harbaugh factor there is a real difference between drawing 60 k for a free spring game and 109 k (at $65 a ticket for UNLV). Brandon was not wrong about the competition being my 55 inch, recliners and bottle of Glenlivet 18 (necessary for the last several years) with a large glass. Hackett has made every effort to engage potential season ticket holders and, in the current economic climate, probably has to...