Season Ticket Holders Getting Screwed

Submitted by 2Blue4You on

I know this subject has been brought up a ton in past years and even more this year with the lame home slate and low ticket sales, so immediate apologies.  Supposedly the Athletic Office has employees using "modern" methods of determining the pulse of its loyal followers so maybe they read MGoBlog?

With tickets once again going for around $24 on Stubhub and the Athletic Department offering faculty tickets, hotdog, pop, tee shirts, etc. for $42 a ticket, I once again feel like a fool paying about $65 a ticket AND a seat donation to keep my season tickets.  This on top of paying (I mean donating) $2000 to get 4 seats switched into my name a few years ago.  Couldn't they roll out some free hot dogs, a pop, a program, or an M-Den gift card to show their appreciation?  What is the upside to having season tickets anymore besides the personal pride?  It is no longer a distinction that put you ahead of the mile long waitlist, that has been eroded away. 

Luckily for them, I live in AA and have significant time, money, and some emotion left wrapped up in Michigan sports, but kids come along, priorities shift, and there may come a time when...  And I consider myself a positive fan and as diehard as they come.  Maybe someone in the athletic department reads this and if it is news to them, they are sorely out of touch with the reality of the situation. 

Happy Friday and see you all tomorrow.  For those of you without season tickets, enjoy your free hot dog! Go Blue! 

Bando Calrissian

September 19th, 2014 at 1:49 PM ^

Why don't they do that? Because they already got you. It's as simple as that.

If you're looking for loyalty, this Athletic Department hasn't really done that very well in about 25 years. The only difference now is it's just about as overt as it's ever been.

Class of 1817

September 19th, 2014 at 4:18 PM ^

This is the game of chicken that's being played all across the country, and especially in Ann Arbor.

The AD knows this year's football offering is sub-par, yet the department has to bluff it as a premium (ugh) product, betting on the fact that tens of thousands of people will fear losing their spot in line more than actually getting their value.

And yes, when the department sees that things are coming up a bit short, they know they can still throw out the lifeline via groupons, special discounts, and promo emails practically begging for more season ticket holders.

It's why Vote With Your Wallet isn't an easy proposition...just an effective one.

BornInA2

September 19th, 2014 at 1:58 PM ^

Some of us may not have the best opinion of Brandon, but anyone who's been around in business for any length of time knows that it is far, far less expensive to keep an existing customer than it is to get a new one. And while their may be an exception for products that traditionally have long, long wait lists (Michigan football and new iPhones on release day), the M Athletic Department should still know AND act on this.

Treat your existing and best customers exceptionally well, both so that they come back and so that they refer others to you.

Gulogulo37

September 19th, 2014 at 11:01 PM ^

Spot on. The sports market is not like other markets. True loyalty is real, and it's essentially a monopoly. Apple can't afford to alienate customers because then they'll just go to Samsung. When football fans get alienated, people just grumble. Can't just go root for State now and say "Screw Michigan".

ilah17

September 19th, 2014 at 1:52 PM ^

FWIW I think the "free" MDen gift card is illusory. We needed one more ticket for my son so I was going to use that deal. But when you add the ticket to your cart, there's a $10 fee. I don't recall paying that $10 fee when I've purchased single-game tickets in the past, but maybe someone can correct me? 

Seems obvious that ticket sales are down, and as you point out, there is no longer a waitlist. The athletic department will have to wake up soon and realize that Beyonce messages and free pom poms will not be enough to keep season ticket holder purchasing their tickets. 

Sam and Ira were giving away 25 sets of 2 tickets each today at a car dealership. For free, I believe it was first come first served. That definitely sent up a red flag to me. 

aiglick

September 19th, 2014 at 2:19 PM ^

This is why social media is great. It really gives a voice to the pleased or pissed off consumer. I wish consumers would voice their pleasure more when companies go above and beyond but I certainly appreciate when somebody shares a bad experience so that I can avoid making the same mistake.

The AD just has to realize this isn't a one turn game. People like the OP are going to realize it doesn't pay to be a season ticket holder and as a result the AD will lose money which ironically is why the AD raised prices initially.

They wanted to play with our emotions and loyalties well they will reap what they sow. Turn back AD before we reach the tipping point.

UMaD

September 19th, 2014 at 1:55 PM ^

I'm all for bashing the athletic department and Dave Brandon for a host of reasons, but cry me a river on ticket prices. You knew the deal when you signed up.

I'm pretty sure that if/when your OSU or MSU tickets next season are selling for double or triple face value you're not going to send the AD a check to make up the difference.

2Blue4You

September 19th, 2014 at 2:06 PM ^

I am allowed to be a bit pieved at the AD department for doing nothing besides a Lego Movie and free tickets to a free scrimmage that I was unable to take advantage of. 

I knew what I was signing up for finacially and that is why I continue to purchase season tickets for football and basketball tickets.  I don't send a check back to the Athletic Department because we use the tickets and attend the games.  When we can't we sell them or give them to friends.  We also paid the "dynamic pricing" for ND last year ($225), OSU ($235) and PSU $110).

I can whine a bit.

UMaD

September 19th, 2014 at 3:02 PM ^

I don't really know what you're talking about scrimmage and Lego movies for.  They gave you a price for tickets, and you decided it was worth it. End of story.

Now you're mad that they are having other promotions? This is like being mad that something you once bought is on E-bay or Craigslist for super cheap. Or the shoe store putting last year's model on clearance.

Michigan's ticket values have gone down because they got embarrased by Notre Dame. It happens. It's the "risk" you take. It's also been the norm since 2007, so if you're surprised you shouldn't be.

The market COULD go back up.  If we win all our games and so does Maryland, the ticket for the 11/22 game will be for several hundred dollars. If that happens...  Will the athletic department get to say you are screwing them?  Will you feel guilt for getting a huge bargain?  Of course not. It's the deal implicit to buying season tickets.

People who complain about ticket prices have a very obvious recourse - don't buy them again.  At least then, you'll have a legitimate beef ("these tickets are just too expensive to buy"). For now you sound like the guy who sues Starbucks when he spills coffee on himself or blames McDonald's for providing unhealthy food. You - guy who will pay too much for a bad product - are the problem.

The AD is just acting like a business.  We can argue about the downsides of that and what they should do instead, but it's not really pertinent to what you're complaining about, which just boils down to "I paid a lot of money for tickets so I want the team to be good."

It seems like you should be mad at yourself. You're buying dynamic priced tickets on years with good schedules and season tickets on years with bad schedules.

1464

September 19th, 2014 at 5:16 PM ^

Uggh.

This business philosophy makes me sick.  Sure, supply and demand.  No gun to your head.  However, loyalty is a two way street.  Treat your patrons like garbage, and your damage isn't immediately visible.  Piss away tradition and erode your fanbase by charging them EXACTLY as much as they will pay and your foundation for the future is gone.

If I am a museum curator, my job is to present people with an awesome experience.  To have kids come in, and when they grow up, they want to bring their kids back.  To generate genuine interest in the subject matter so as to nourish a passion towards aviation/natural history/science/etc.  My job is not to see a schoolbus roll up and think to myself "I wonder exactly how much money I can leech out of these little assholes..."

You say that we don't get it because business.  I say you don't get it because myopia.  30 years from now, only one of us will be right.  Short term goals lead to long term failures.

C Tron

September 19th, 2014 at 2:20 PM ^

You're such a jerk.  I'd be willing to bet that after reading about their WRs, their massive OL, and their stud DE.  You  think we're going to lose and, at this point, just hope we don't get blown out. You probably think Utah seems like a lighter-talent version of what Florida was with Meyer & Tebow.

You're always so negative.

You Only Live Twice

September 19th, 2014 at 1:58 PM ^

It's the prevailing sales model - not saying I like it either or agree with it.  If I sign up for another Citi credit card I can get $100, new customers only.  Why don't they give me $100 for staying with them for several decades?  

What Bando said..

SWPro

September 19th, 2014 at 4:49 PM ^

But won't you have more marquee games in the up years now?

 

I mean this year you are getting UTL with Penn State. I get that ND, MSU and OSU are on the road but I don't really understand how you would blame the AD for that.

 

So next year you'll like get a UTL, MSU and OSU. Seems like it'll be pretty hot.

 

If you are buying season tickets every year it seems like balancing one season shouldn't matter if 2 season are balanced.

 

Then again I don't buy season tickets. I'll go to 4 games this year including UTL and pay a total of $190.

 

Free tix to App State, free tix tomorrow, and $45 for Minn. $140 off stubhub to UTL with decent seats. I could likely buy a couple more of the lame games off stubhub for ~$30 a piece and that would be a pretty good deal.

True Blue Grit

September 19th, 2014 at 2:22 PM ^

We have 6 people sitting around us who've become good friends with and enjoy seeing every home game.  That alone is worth the extra money to us.  And being older and wiser now, we've put the higher prices in perspective as a quasi-donation which helps the student-athletes.  Now the $4.50 water bottle price is another thing entirely.  That's just frickin robbery. 

reshp1

September 19th, 2014 at 2:21 PM ^

I bought my iPhone full price but now the new phone is out and my phone is only worth half as much I paid. I mean, can't apple throw in a new case or dock to show their appreciation? 

aiglick

September 19th, 2014 at 2:24 PM ^

This is suposed to be more than a simple transaction between a business and a consumer. We have thought of ourselves as more than a consumer but the AD's message is that is all we are. We're not loyal fans who have had the same seats for 40 years as in bando's case. We're not fans who watch every game possible and write on message boards because we care so much about the program. We're not fans who shell out exorbitant amounts of money to watch 18-23 year olds play a game of football like the season ticket holders. We are simply consumers.

If they're not careful we may start acting like it.

UMaD

September 19th, 2014 at 3:25 PM ^

When I see a see of red in the stands during OSU games in down years, it's pretty clear that Michigan fans act like rational consumers, just like any other fans.

I'm upset about a lot of crap that the AD does, but raising ticket prices is not going to be one of them.  Getting a bargain on season tickets is not a constitutional right.