SXSW "Arena vs Couch"
http://schedule.sxsw.com/2014/events/event_IAP18492
I was perusing the SXSW schedule today and saw that the linked event is happening today. It's a discussion of the challenges teams are facing getting people to attend games live when the home experience keeps getting better and better, and what teams can do to improve the in-stadium experience. One of the panelists is Jordan Maleh, Michigan's director of Digital Media.
Are there any MGoBoard members attending SXSW, and could we get a report from this? I doubt anything groundbreaking will be shared, but it will probably be very interesting to see how the speakers see and approach the issues differently. It ties into our ongoing discussions about student and attendence in general, and what our school is doing to combat the problems.
before they got popular.
I'm into different discussions now
/pushes glasses up
you've probably never heard of them.
Let me guess what our suggestions might be:
1. More and lounder Rawk Music
2. Better Wifi
3. Creating the "wow" experience (Rocket man, Beyonce halftime shows, illuminated bracelets for night games, etc)
4. Giant noodles
My guess at no point will the discussion turn to the cost of actual attendance. It seems we believe that variable to be a non-issue.
That would constitute defeat by our burgeoning marketing division. Do you mean for them to go tell Dave Brandon that they are unable to create the wow experience value add super fantastic synergy?
$$$$$$$$$. There used to be a time when the average Joe Blow could afford to go to a game. Those days are long gone and probably not ever coming back.
How about for a family of 4 to go to a game? Or even for just a couple?
2 tickets ---> $100-400
2 meals ---> $40-60
2 beers ---> $20
Parking ---> $30
You're looking at ~$350 just to take your SO to an inconsequential game. Those numbers will obviously increase for more significant games, rivalries, playoffs, etc. And this doesn't even touch upon the immeasurables like dealing with traffic, weather, rowdy fans, waiting in long lines, subpar view of the game, and just overall comfort level (looking at you, you sweatpants-wearing manchildren!)
Those in charge of making the tough decisions are so far removed from reality and the middle class in general that I don't ever see prices coming down. They have a bottom line to wortry about just like any other business. It is what it is, I suppose.
I wish more teams would do stuff like this. Say what you want about the Cubes, but the dude has some business sense.
a weird, hard to watch mash-up of players, that right there would make me a Mavs fan. Good move there, wish more owners were like Mark Cuban.
Also, I refuse to pay for tickets to
A.) college athletics that exploit athletes (in my definition that is basketball and football)
B.) Pro teams that used public funds to build their stadiums...
I get what you are saying to some degree. But college athletics, while possibly exploiting players (if you don't want to count the estimated $100,000 most get in tuition and other benefits each year), does give money to the university to pursue and build other educational structures that may not have otherwise been possible.
Also, as far as public funds being used to build all or part of pro stadiums, there is a reason cities do that, i.e., because all those people bring lots of additional revenue to the city. They wouldn't just use public funds for these stadiums if the city was getting no benefit over the term of the stadium. That's why the owners have such leverage in those situations (relocation).
In regards to the topic, I agree that $$$$ is the main problem. Way too much money and hassle to attend games on a regular basis for the average family.
I may not be pure, but I stand by my psuedo-statement!
Out of curiosity, do you consider all college football and basketball players to be "exploited," or just the minority that actually are good enough to play professionally?
(We'll leave aside the detail that playing professionally is no guarantee of long-term financial success.)
mostly just the minorities that are 'farmed' in the inner city, picked and dispersed by the colleges, and then used for financial gain...
I think the whole thing is exploitive. And the more I think about it the more that I think that college's shouldn't even field athletic teams... but whatever. go blue
and I doubt any of us think that ticket prices will drop. (Just got my Indy 500 tickets - will mark my 38th straight 500 and the cost per ticket went from $85 to $108).
Anyway - the game day experience is something that cannot be attained by watching on TV. For some that isn't a big deal, however for others ... well, game day is THE ENTIRE DAY. I know I've whined about this year home schedule, but I'll still be making my 5 hr. round trip to Ann Arbor for as long as I can. Guess I'm an addict ... but there are worst things to be addicted to ...
Go Blue!
the point about pricing his inventory to market, i think, is on point though. at some of the lesser home games, i think it's clear that it's not just students who aren't showing up.
I make a pretty solid income (especially being a single guy) but I'm certainly not wealthy. Cost off attendance only starts to bother me when the product on the field isn't performing.
Michigan Basketball is getting more expensive, that's fine they are putting out a "A" product.
Michigan Football and Detroit Lions are raising prices or maintaining high prices while putting out a "C" product.
Nothing replaces the being at the game, sure fewer TV timeouts would be nice, but it beats being at a bar.
I remember attending a SXSW panel discussion a two or three years ago on exactly the opposite, improving the "couch" experience (for sporting events) and the "live" experience (for TV shows... as opposed to watching on DVR).
I'm a bit hazy on the details, but I remember one of the panelists (I'd like to think he was the CEO of a Twitter curation company... perhaps Mass Relevance?) discussing how companies were trying to provide a "couch" experience to replace/imitate the social aspects of the "arena" experience.
Nothing really to add to the discussion, just a cool starry bra.
I remember attending a SXSW panel discussion a two or three years ago on exactly the opposite, improving the "couch" experience (for sporting events) and the "live" experience (for TV shows... as opposed to watching on DVR).
I'm a bit hazy on the details, but I remember one of the panelists (I'd like to think he was the CEO of a Twitter curation company... perhaps Mass Relevance?) discussing how companies were trying to provide a "couch" experience to replace/imitate the social aspects of the "arena" experience.
Nothing really to add to the discussion, just a cool starry bra.
The fact that sports teams ask—no, not even ask but expect—their paying customers to repeatedly waste time staring at air just so that the TV execs can inundate the lazy asses at home with adverts really pisses me off. Nothing anoys me like wasting my time. Combine that with the hassle of security lines, overpiced food & drinks and lengthy commute times and, frankly, why would anybody go to see it live?
They charge a premium for a discount experience and that's unsustainable.
Laugh at me if you want but TV will be the death of sports. Used to be if you wanted to see the game then you needed to be at the game. They can build stadiums as fancy as they want but they'll never be able to compete with the convenience of home if that experience keeps improving.
...that the modern stadium experience is just too sterile. Yeah, the smoky haze of the Silverdome might not have been good for your lungs but damn if I'm not nostalgic for the weird mix of smells (cigarette smoke, grilling hot dogs, piss, etc.) that used to characterize the old venues like the Silverdome, Tiger Stadium, etc. Shit, I even miss those annoying poles that limited visiblity at Tiger games.
Toss in a couple of drunks getting in a fight and, yeah, it was worth spending a couple of bucks on the cheap seats (when cheap seats were literally cheap and sometimes not even seats) just to see what might happen.
but you're referencing pro games, which already are ... blah. The college experience is just so much better .... for me and my family !
Go Blue!
This answers many questions...
Jordan Maleh, Director of Digital Marketing, is responsible for the management and execution of Michigan Athletics email, mobile, online advertising, and social media across the university's 29 intercollegiate sports. Prior to Michigan, Maleh served as marketing manager for the New York Knicks, where he was responsible for managing and overseeing all of the Knicks’ digital brand assets.
We wonder how our unique, college tradition-laden sports atmospheres have been converted to the "same old" NBA/NHL/MiLB experiences and here we have one of those guys as DB's inner-men.