HAIL (student loyalty program) unveiled
Program is here: http://www.mgoblue.com/hail/
The rewards page is down but it can be viewed by clicking on the Rules page.
Highlights:
STUDENT PROGRAM ONLY
2 pts per event attended
1 pt if check in doesn't occur 20 minutes prior to start
Check ins will be via a mobile app, or ipads at venues.
Rewards: Vary based on tiers/grand prizes including swag, food vouchers, money and priority access to other tickets. Grand prizes exist from a drawing of people earning 100+ points.
My issues: What is to to stop people from leaving early if? IThis is mentioned as a goal but i didn't see an explanation for it.
How accurate can this app be to prevent someone from checking in "early" from the golf course/parents tailgate?
Is it really fair (or if not fair a good plan) to make every event worth the same points?
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:01 PM ^
According to the FAQ on that page:
What is the definition of "attending" an event?
Full attendance is defined as checking-in to an event no later than 10 minutes after the scheduled start time and leaving the same event only after regulation play has expired.
That makes it SOUND like they are accounting for when you leave, although I'm not sure how they can enforce that if you check in without a smartphone.
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:15 PM ^
I saw that, but it leaves as many questions as answers. Say I don't use the app on my phone but use the ipads to check in instead, do i have to go check the ipad again when i want to leave?
If you only get 1 point for showing up late do you also lose that point if you leave early? Does that mean showing up late and leaving early to say a womens tennis match (which maybe i'm only going to because of this) is worth 0 points the same as not going as all?
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:04 PM ^
Students who check in will automatically earn two points for most events, with the exception of football, men's basketball and ice hockey.
So this is just to bribe kids to go see the lesser sports? They're already giving the tickets away for free and even offering free pizza, these points better buy some impressive stuff to work.
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:06 PM ^
No, it looks like Football, Men's BB, and hockey are the only ones where being 20 minutes early matter.
What sports can I earn points for attending?
All of them! As a general rule, all sports earn you two points for attendance (except Football, Men's Basketball, and Ice Hockey). To earn the full two points for Football, Men's Basketball and Ice Hockey you must check-in at least 20 minutes before game time, after that you only earn one point for those sports.
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:11 PM ^
MGoBlue needs better press releases.
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:24 PM ^
Why don't they let the Michigan Daily staff do the press releases? There are always plenty of talented writers there.
August 24th, 2012 at 11:08 AM ^
Oh that was a good one
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:24 PM ^
I can also see this turning into students just checking into the games to get the points and doing homework in the student section. Juuust like Northwestern...
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:50 PM ^
Better to have them there than not at all.
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:14 PM ^
Kids do homework in the student section?
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:18 PM ^
I've seen it happen. Not at Northwestern, at Michigan. At hockey games, even.
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:26 PM ^
so many questions. for one, how the hell do they focus?? Second, I hope they're getting shamed into doing it at home
August 24th, 2012 at 1:21 AM ^
August 24th, 2012 at 3:45 AM ^
I work at the stadium. Every now and then I'll see someone bring in a book, and I'll say very loudly (not shouting) "A book? What do you need a book for?". Usually gets a smile out of them...
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:08 PM ^
Free Pizza? Where?
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:07 PM ^
Definitely going to be some bugs to work out with this... So if I don't have a smartphone, have to wait in a super long line to use the ipad and end up being too late am I out of luck?
And personally, I hope that they don't determine seating this way. Not all students are able to make it to every basketball/hockey/ other weekday sporting event due to coursework.
That being said, it's a good idea, and I'm sure they'll use this year to tweak it and make positive changes down the road
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:15 PM ^
You'd think they could just do the major sports via scanning of the ticket. If you go out of town one weekend but sell your ticket to a friend who makes it through the gates 20 minutes early, they should be rewarded as well.
This is also really easy to scam. I assume the checkin is based on your phone sending GPS coords as part of the checkin (the app just accesses the phone's GPS ability). There are plenty of apps out there for spoofing GPS coords for a purpose of checkin (they're commonly used to scam those deals where you get something after X checkins).
Plus of course half the time my cellphone doesn't work in the bowl...
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:20 PM ^
might be the biggest key. Hard enough to get a text out sometimes let alone trying to get an app to connect to 3g.
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:01 PM ^
August 24th, 2012 at 2:33 AM ^
has a similar program called VIP cards, as you walk in you just sqipe your VIP card like a credit card and get points on when your there, its way quicker than the Ipad and could work better for games.
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:14 PM ^
I'm lost just reading about this. Seems like good intentions, but factor in a Saturday morning with 30,000 drunk college kids descending on the stadium trying to figure this out... Sounds like a big old cluster.
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:18 PM ^
They are definitely gonna have to buff up reception/data transfer at the stadium if this is going to work as well. As an ATT subscriber, it is a pretty miserable experience trying to send a text or check a score within a half mile of the stadium on gameday.
Also, sucks if your phone runs out of battery during the game. No credit for you!
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:23 PM ^
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:42 PM ^
PSU and other student sections are filled prior to the game because they have general admission seating. If you want a good seat, you HAVE to show up early. That is the only way to fill the student section on time, works for our basketball games too.
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:25 PM ^
perhaps because a large percentage of our students actually, you know...GO TO CLASS and study and earn degrees so kids from other schools have someone to work for =) or deliver pizza to. Or whatever other college puns/jokes you'd like to spin. But in all seriousness, I don't have a huge issue with this at all. Michigan is known as much if not more for it's academic programs as it's sports programs. Granted I put more focus on my athletics and practice than I did my studies, but I have a job and earned my degree all the same.
August 24th, 2012 at 1:17 AM ^
August 24th, 2012 at 9:26 AM ^
they are complaining the students aren't turning out for basketball games like they used to.
I think it has to do with our modern connected world.
In the 80's, two or three games a year would be on TV. If you didn't make a game, it was listening by radio, or just not knowing until later. At the same time "multitasking over connected world" was yet to happen. And lets face it, that Atari or Commodore, or the early PC or Apple games were just not as captivating as today's xBox and PlayStation variants. The icing on the cake, you sneak in peppermint schnaps in your hot chocolate for those noon games in November.
Now, every game is on TV. You can TIVO it, you can listen to it, get scores, etc. all over the place. If you miss something there are all kinds of ways to see it later. Oh, and you cannot bring anything into the stadium, so if you do want to party, you have to do it outside of the stadium. A late morning roll out after Friday night parties, and then "tailgating" on you way to the game, and then finding something inexpensive ot eat before getting to Michigan Stadium -- well, that pretty much equals late arrival.
I was from out of state. One of the best things I ever did was buy those season student tickets. I missed 1 or 2 games the year Bo went 6-6. (A combination of bad weather and a sucky season.) When I look at the student section today, there seem to be a lot of out country-ers present as well. I am guessing there a many Yeshpremi's who get fully indoctrinated, and the ones that don't, do not buy season tickets.
I like the idea above - first come, first serve on the seats. Want to be the next Lloyd Brady or Totally Awkward Guy, then get your ass up and out the door.
August 24th, 2012 at 12:30 PM ^
Try gettting tv reception on half the channels in the door. And I remember when some of the dorms finally got tvs in the lounges on all their floors, rather than just the main floor. Now you just watch it on your phone, anywhere.
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:25 PM ^
Buncha cynics in heyah. It's a good start regarless of flaws.
The big item is going to football, hockey and basketball games on time gets you a bonus point. It will help build a culture of students getting there on time.
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:32 PM ^
1 pt if check in doesn't occur 20 minutes prior to start
Translation: Get the fuck in your seats on time you drunks
/ADspeak
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:36 PM ^
This doesn't actually do anything to fix the problem. The people who didn't show up in droves aren't going to care that they don't get their t-shirt or five(!!!) dollars.
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:16 PM ^
Agreed. I had hoped that it would be sport specific and have a direct correlation to what tickets you get the next year. So a student who is a football fan and shows up 20 minutes early every game gets better tickets the next year than someone who shows up late to only 2 or 3. Attending women's volleyball games has nothing to do with it, you can do it by simply scanning tickets, and it rewards the good fans by giving them something they are guarenteed to want. Or was that just too simple?
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:39 PM ^
Anyone on here know where I could purchase a fake Mcard? I'm in highschool but I'd love to participate. I'm a huge fan
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:08 PM ^
I know where you can purchase a real one, but it costs a LOT of money.
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:33 PM ^
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:50 PM ^
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:58 PM ^
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:13 PM ^
We're talking about being an actual Michigan student and having a real MCard.
"A lot of Money" = Tuition
"Out of State about 58 grand" = Out of State Tuition
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:25 PM ^
I was just joking, my sense of humor doesnt go over well on this board
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:00 PM ^
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:08 PM ^
I can tell that you're still in high school and it's not because you said you were.
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:20 PM ^
I want to go nice on the newbies, after all we were all newbies once. But this guy makes Mr. Mario86 look like a Rhodes Scholar
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:13 PM ^
Asking where to get an illegal fake ID on mgoblog....
probably not your best idea.
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:44 PM ^
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:47 PM ^
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:54 PM ^
They've also announced something called Maize Star Events. It looks like each of the nonrevenue sports gets one per year, for a big game. The events will feature the MMB, the dance team, and some extra pagentry.
http://www.mgoblue.com/promotions/maize-star.html
I'm assuming those are the "bonus points" HAIL games, but I could be wrong.
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:10 PM ^
Meh, I like the idea, but the rewards aren't really anything special. I'll probably check into the football games just to get my free shirt, but after that I doubt I'll bother with the program.
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:11 PM ^
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:25 PM ^
I'm convinced that seating is a bit more of a clusterfuck then they let on. I'm entering this year with 2nd semester junior status and ended up in the mid 50's of section 32. This just so happens to be the same area that one of my friends sat in last year and he was an incoming freshman...
I understand that its difficult to make everything work out fairly, but I'm getting tired of moving further into the endzone every year without dropping towards the field all that much and sitting in seats that people with 76 credits less than me sat in last year.
I also probably won't sit in my actual seat for a single down this year since I usually show up early and find a cozy spot in rows 30ish, but having to enter section 32 is a total drag.
/rant to people who have no control over this.
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:49 PM ^