Season Ticket Holders
This doesn't apply directly to myself for a few years as I can obviously get student tickets, but what actually goes into getting football season tickets? There's a waiting list but how long does it take to get off it? Is there a way to by pass the waiting list with donations to the school?
April 23rd, 2011 at 10:33 AM ^
Got a couple million?
April 23rd, 2011 at 10:35 AM ^
Yes, a donation to the victors club would help you pass the list. This has been covered in several other theads, and the consensus was a donation of around $400-$900. At the very least, this donation would get you seats to any game you wanted.
April 23rd, 2011 at 12:05 PM ^
i flopped a $1k into the victors club a few weeks ago. i was in the area, and hand-delivered the check. clearly this was past the deadline, but the donation officer said it would be in time to apply for the upcoming ticket cycle.
have to say, i didnt get the impression that they were really grateful. it's a decent chunk of change for me, but i have received warmer receptions paying parking tickets than i did for this donation. i know it's chump-change for the department, but im young and an alum and expected a little more that a sticker and a polite thank you. dont they know the story? This week he moppin' floors, next week it's the fries...
long story short, they were very cryptic when i inquired as to if this would get me off the waitlist. i, too, failed to join upon graduation and only signed up very recently. ideally id just like to get regular "blue" tickets, but im guessing (based on the response i received from the v-club) that ill be going through scalpers this season and ponying up more money next year. the donation amount might have been low during the RR era due to BoMoLlo fan attrition, but it seems like things have moved forward and back to business as usual since the coaching change.
April 23rd, 2011 at 12:14 PM ^
If it was a few weeks ago, they probably had most of the season ticket situation figured out (ie who didn't renew, who did, who was offered new tix, etc). I was just sent the email to renew my tix yesterday.
April 23rd, 2011 at 12:21 PM ^
Actually, there is no need to go thru scalpers. By donating to the victors club, you have access to single game tickets for each game, including ND, MSU, and OSU, at face value. These can all be arranged thru those in the Victors Club.
If you are in the victors club, you may not get season tickets right away. But you will get tickets to the games you want. You just need to call up and ask for them.
April 23rd, 2011 at 12:45 PM ^
I have season tickets, but I probably won't be back in MI for any of the games, so if you're interested in buying the full season or half season at cost, let me know.
steven (dot) krieger (at) gmail
I'm with you on this. The personal correspondence that I've received from the Victors Club leaves a lot to be desired. Yes, I'm only one of thousands of Victors Club members. And yes, my annual contribution isn't one of the largest. But it's significant for me. Regardless, the least they could do is, you know, actually sign their e-mails with a name.
April 23rd, 2011 at 10:44 AM ^
The dumbest thing I ever did was not apply for tickets after I graduated (thinking that I would not have the time to go to the games). At that time, I believe you had priority if you applied right upon graduation. It took me three years on the waiting list before I was able to get season tickets.
What kind of donation are you talking about? It would take a lot to bypass the waiting list (and you'd be better off going for club seats or a suite, but I think they are sold out).
<<edit: see below links to mgoblue.com>>
April 23rd, 2011 at 10:37 AM ^
April 23rd, 2011 at 10:38 AM ^
Facebook marketplace is your friend. There are tons of students up there selling for each game, so getting a non-validated student ticket to use with your MCard shouldn't be a problem, especially if you are only looking for a single.
April 23rd, 2011 at 11:13 AM ^
Find a foreign student who doesn't care about football. Have them log in to the ticket system and then pay for them yourself and have them shipped to you. If they know you well, and really don't care about football, they'll let you do that without paying any sort of commission on the tickets.
April 23rd, 2011 at 12:21 PM ^
find a friend or someone who is studying abroad, it was possible to even change the address for where they get shipped.
April 23rd, 2011 at 10:48 AM ^
I am not an almunus, but when I got a job out of college the first thing I did was went on the waiting list. I joined the waiting list in February of 2009, a few months later I was offered season tickets but they were not renewable, each seat was in a different location. Then after that season I donated $300 to get two blue zone seats, which is $125 per seat, but you get 1 point for every $100 so I added an extra $50. Then in April 2010, I got renewable tickets. So technically I was only on the waiting list for one year, which I find remarkable considering I'm not an alum. Sadly I've donated more money to UM than I have Lawrence Tech.
April 23rd, 2011 at 12:01 PM ^
Surprisingly, there is much less 'reward' for being an Alum. I think it's 10 points. It's equivalent to donating a $1000 one time. What's even more surprising is that if you are a letterman, you only get 5 points. So, being an ex letterman is only worth a $500 donation.
If I was designing the system, I would double or triple those points. (if not more)
April 23rd, 2011 at 10:06 PM ^
5 points for being an alum, 10 for being a letterwinner:
http://www.mgoblue.com/victorsclub/priority-points.html#pointscalculation
But yeah, it seems like you should get more consideration for dropping all that money and time at the University.
April 23rd, 2011 at 11:01 AM ^
Count me in the idiot for not getting season tickets after graduation group. Although I'm in grad school now I'm thinking I should jump on the waitlist anyway and hope that by the time I'm done, I won't have to wait much longer.
April 23rd, 2011 at 11:13 AM ^
By the time I graduated, I had accumulated enough credits to be on the edge of the student section (around 35 yard line) where all the hand sitters would yell at me to sit down (do students still stand the whole game?) As you might imagine, I asked them in the most polite way I could muster to get off their asses and cheer.
I didn't want to go back to the endzone after graduation, probably because I was (?am) a spoiled moron. Get back on the waitlist, it costs nothing and you know you'll want to go to the games at some point.
April 24th, 2011 at 12:27 AM ^
I had the same seats this year (near the 30 yardline) right on the edge of the student section. Those seats are sooo awesome, I'm gonna be disappointed when if I don't get the same section this year....
And yes, the student section does still stand for the whole game
April 23rd, 2011 at 11:27 AM ^
i joined the alumni association right away and paid the dues - eventually becoming a liftime member. i jumped to the head of the waitlist and didn't miss a single season.
April 23rd, 2011 at 11:38 AM ^
In another world, I should have done what you did. Next time the IFNGSTAG (idiot for not getting season tickets after graduation) group meets at Ashley's for drinks, please come so that I can buy you enough drinks until you are as dumb as I am!
April 23rd, 2011 at 11:08 AM ^
Is it possible to get a single season ticket or can you only get them in pairs? I read through most of it but may have missed it.
April 23rd, 2011 at 11:58 AM ^
You can get a single season ticket. In fact it's easier to get and you'll get a better sight line. (few people want them and they are sprinkled throughout the stadium)
April 23rd, 2011 at 12:22 PM ^
With that being said I think I need to make the trek over to MGoBlue to get my name on the waiting list and perhaps look to donate some when I get extra money.
I got a single season ticket after graduation, because most of my close friends were a year behind me and still in school, and I was still in school and not made of money, but these are long term investments, and trying to sit with someone for a game is not the student section where it's just "cram them all in". I don't know if it's worth the investment for a game or two a year, and then trying to find out what to do with the rest of the season, and you do kinda get to know the people around you (though often they're spreading out their tickets to different people for the so-so games, so if you go to every one, that may be hit or miss). But if you're sure you're going to want a friend to come with you, or plan on having a kid you want to take to every game, take it under consideration. If it's all about the game, the game, the game, then go for it.
My typical gameday experience consists of heading to the golf course right at 7 to get our tailgate set up. Approximately 45 mins before the game I follow the crowd to the stadium and enjoy the game(way more when we win of course). The past 2 years I have only missed one home game. I am a chameleon and have no problem with who I sit around. However, due to my rooting style, I'd be better suited to be in a single seat near the student section. I do appreciate the input and the other perspective that I will wholeheartedly agree that I miss at times.
April 23rd, 2011 at 11:22 AM ^
Are your friend! You will pay far less than face value for all of the non-conference cupcake games (save for ND). You might have to pay close to face for the season opener. Conference games all go for under face except osu and sparty. This year would be one of the few years that season tickets might be cheaper because of the ND night game, Nebraska coming here for the first time, and osu. Sure you dont sit in the same seats every game but you get to sit in different parts of the stadium to watch from all vantage points.
April 23rd, 2011 at 11:36 AM ^
April 23rd, 2011 at 11:42 AM ^
How dare you suggest that my mindless internet banter contributes less than your cold, hard cash! For shame!
well... not you obviously, with 27K pts, thats different.
April 23rd, 2011 at 12:24 PM ^
I'm not an alum, but I put my name on the wait list back in 1998. I would donate about $100-$300 year. Each year I was on the wait list, I received non-renewable season tix only missing the Homecoming game each year.
After being on the wait list for a long time, I upped it to $500 and then received a letter that $600 or more got season tix. Then I upped to $800 the next year, only to get a letter saying $1,000 and up got season tix.
Finally in 2009, I got 2 seats for renewable season tix. Once I got my tix, due to finances, I've had to cut my annual donation to the minimum to keep my tix. The only thing that I don't get is the ability to buy the big road games with my renewal (ie ND, MSU, PSU, OSU, etc). Though if they have remaining road games later, I do get offered before the public, being a season ticket holder.
April 23rd, 2011 at 12:26 PM ^
did you have before you received season tickets?
April 23rd, 2011 at 12:41 PM ^
The first 5 years, I would average about a $100-$250 donation and every now and then throw a $300 donation, if I could.
It was a long and well worth wait. At the same time, it wasn't so bad because like I said, I was offered a package every year that was only missing the Homecoming game, which I would just pick up on Stub Hub or Ebay.
April 23rd, 2011 at 10:13 PM ^
I can't find proof, but I believe the University switched to the priority point system circa 2005. At least, that's the year they imposed PSDs. Before the new system, I believe the waitlist was just a straight list, and it's probably true that large donations enabled you to bypass it. I was on the old list for about five years and was never directly informed by the AD about the new priority point system. So basically, I paid to get added to the old system, lost that money, and got to start at zero again. When I inquired with them, they said all people on the waitlist were notified. Another unsigned response. Warm fuzzies.
April 23rd, 2011 at 12:56 PM ^
I'm NOT an alum. I gave $500 right after the 2007 season for my first donation and for 08 I got non-renewable tickets for row A. The next year I gave $2,500 so I could get 4 tickets and I recieved 4 season tickets in row 1 sec 37. So there you go. The more you give each year the better chance you have to get in. You are better off by giving as much as you can for one year rather than making a smaller donation for a longer period of time. If you have a specific location you want to sit in put it in the request area and they will listen too. That's how I got such good seats. All you have to do is ask. If you have questions emai me. [email protected]
Hey..Go Blue quick Question though we just bought Nore Dame vs Michigan tickets from a Notre Dame alum at our church were do the visting Alum sit?
April 23rd, 2011 at 10:40 PM ^
They disperse the visiting fans around the very top of the stadium in sections 7 thru 9 or 10.
My first year out of U of M, Paul Goebel (UM All-American and All-Pro) called me up and encouraged me to become a member of the Presidents Club. One of the best moves I ever made. If you are in need of tickets they will always find you a pair. I have had season tickets for longer than most of you are old, but if I need an extra set no problem.
So how does one come up with 30K the first year after graduation? Buy a 20 year life insurance policy made out to the University of Michigan. At the time I took my policy out it was only a $250 annual premium. It will open many doors for you and get you started into the habit of annual gifting back to the University.
Once that wonderful degree, you have attained from UM, starts producing the big bucks you can up your donations. Whether it be 10 years or 30 years until you feel comfortable to increase your contributions you have your self covered when the Alumni office calls you up asking for donations. In the meantime all your buddies will have thought you hit the lotto by becoming a member of the Presidents Club.
GO BLUE
On a somewhat related note, can anyone tell me if their points have been updated for last year's donations yet? I made my normal donation before the January 31 deadline but my account hasn't updated. I sent a couple emails and they told me not to worry they would be added soon. That was about 2 months ago.
Being on the waiting list is bad enough, but when your points don't update it is frustrating.
donation on 26JAN11. They originally told me it would be updated end of Feb. Then when it was not updated I called. They said end of March. Then early April still no updates. I called again with a little more anger in my voice and they updated it that day.
I would recommend that you call them once a week until it gets updated.
April 23rd, 2011 at 10:22 PM ^
Yet another unfavorable anecdote about the V-Club. When I signed up for the new waitlist, I sent all of my information: years of graduation, etc., because I wanted those 5 points. I also sent information about my season tickets in college, but those don't count unless you keep buying them year after year. Nevertheless, my first membership statement last year said 2 points. I was like, what? They supposedly fixed it after I contacted them, but reading stories like yours doesn't instill confidence in their recordkeeping.
Keep in mind that the giving year is from July to June, so they probably don't feel all that inclined to update points until June 30:
http://www.mgoblue.com/victorsclub/honor-roll.html
Granted, if you made a contribution (large or otherwise) in January to improve your point standing for the upcoming season, you'd understandably want your total to be credited properly before they start making decisions about season tickets. Now that you've sufficiently worried me, I'll be contacting the V-Club on Monday.
April 23rd, 2011 at 11:49 PM ^
you're no longer eligible for studen tickets, you'll probably be able to get them.