We Out: A student view of the new ticket policies

Submitted by Michigan Eaglet on

I know that the new tickets policies for football and basketball have been discussed at length here, but this article has been getting a lot publicity today by many Michigan students, especially among basketball season ticket holders. It more eloquently gives the argument as to why the author and many other students (including myself) have sold back our student basketball tickets and how this athletic department continues to erode their image in the eyes of students and future alumni. It's decently long, but worth the read, especially by some of the fan base that are easy to dismiss the students as apathetic.

http://droptheglovesblog.wordpress.com/2013/09/23/we-out-the-totalitarianism-of-the-michigan-athletic-department/

ypsituckyboy

September 23rd, 2013 at 5:52 PM ^

53.9% - the average percentage of student who didn't show up for games last year. That's the only number that matters in my opinion. Until students actually show up and create a hostile atmosphere, they need to shut up and quite whining. With pathetic attendance figures like that, no one has the right to complain. End of story.

Gameboy

September 23rd, 2013 at 8:59 PM ^

'93 Aerospace. I had season tix to basketball all four years. Went to every game except for two, I believe, and drove all day to get to New Orleans for the Final Four. I worked multiple jobs to pay for all that. I was not going to waste it by not going.

I just spent thousands to fly to A2 to watch ND game. I donate to the school regularly and has served in the local alumni club. I will put my loyalty to the school to anybody around here.

Owl

September 23rd, 2013 at 9:02 PM ^

I'm not questioning your loyalty, but your apparent disdain for the students. I have no idea where you're getting the idea that the student body is full of spoiled trust fund kids. That hasn't been what I've seen here at all. 

Also, please don't conflate loyalty to the athletic program and loyalty to the school. 

Gameboy

September 23rd, 2013 at 9:05 PM ^

I have disdain for waste. I cannot even fathom buying the whole season ticket to show up for just a handful of games, which is what the students are doing. I was a starving student, season tickets were extreme luxury, and I was not going to waste it. It ticks me off that so many students have no appreciation.

Owl

September 23rd, 2013 at 9:09 PM ^

That seems perfectly reasonable to me. Tickets are expensive, not sure why you'd buy them if you're not going to use them. That's their decision though, and I'm not understanding how we jump from "some students are making poor decisions" to "it's our job to decide what students do with what they've paid for." That's seriously demeaning to me at least, and I'm showing up. 

Gameboy

September 23rd, 2013 at 9:14 PM ^

It is not my job, but it is the AD's job and he came up with what I consider a very good compromise.

With this program, if kids don't want to use the tickets, then it is fine, as there are others who will fill the space. The only game affected is the MSU game. And if you are so upset, you can get the single game ticket to guarantee your seat at the game.

You are getting the tickets at greatly reduced price. Why are you bitchin' that discounted tickets come with additional restrictions? If students don't like it, they can buy the regular season tickets at the regular price.

Owl

September 23rd, 2013 at 9:24 PM ^

At least from my perspective as a current student, because it comes off as really hostile. It's like the University and its students are viewed as a burden to the AD, who'd much rather operate as an independent corporate entity. When you say things that basically amount to "the AD is doing you a favor by giving you lower prices, stop complaining," I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to view myself in relation to our athletic programs. Is the AD there for its own sake or for the University? 

jmblue

September 23rd, 2013 at 9:41 PM ^

I agree that there are broken lines of communication here.  I think the athletic department is not articulating the crux of the issue, which is that the team (whether football or basketball) needs student support to have a good home advantage.  It's particulary important for students to be there because it's socially acceptable for students to stand and make a lot of noise, whereas it isn't in the alumni sections.  In any college stadium/arena, the students are the key to the homefield/homecourt advantage.  I don't think this policy is anywhere near as draconian as people are making it sound, but I don't think it's been sold very well by the AD (which surprises me given Brandon's background).  

This is where I disagree with the "It's their ticket and their decision to go" argument.  If you buy opera tickets and don't show, the singers probably will sing just as well.  But if a lot of people buy tickets to a sporting event and don't show, that can negatively affect the team (not to mention positively affect the other team).  You buy a ticket with the implicit understanding that you're going to be there and cheer.

 

Mr. Yost

September 23rd, 2013 at 10:31 PM ^

Do you honestly think that these measures would be taken?

I really doubt it.

The athletics department isn't making enough money of students tickets to care about restructuring something that isn't broken.

If students showed up on time, filled their allotment and cheered hard...this is a non issue. Brandon or the department does nothing.

We all know that wasn't the case...so they took action. Don't bitch, whine and moan over the action that was taken. That's their right...just like it was yours not to show up to games over the past few years.

People always want to whine when consequences and measures are taken in response to THEIR actions.

Mr. Yost

September 24th, 2013 at 1:13 PM ^

I wasn't referring to you specifically.

I'm sure there are plenty of students that have attended every game/match possible.

This is about students as a whole and not you and your counterparts that are doing the "right" thing.

I have not missed the point whatsoever, this is simply a reaction by the AD to the students not attending games. It's really a simple point.

If the students attended (as a whole), there would be no need for this reaction by the AD.

The reaction may not be right, you may not agree with it, it may be the worst move in the history of decision making...however, it is the students fault that a decision had to be made. Live with it.

Jonesy

September 24th, 2013 at 12:51 AM ^

Filling seats is important, in fact the top article on mgoblog right now features an interview with a potential recruit who specifcally says what he likes about Michigan is the huge stadium that they fill every week.  No one wants to come play in front of an empty or apathetic crowd.

snoopblue

September 23rd, 2013 at 6:02 PM ^

Coming off a miraculous national title game run, mens basketball creates a lot more of a buzz on campus than in previous years. You have to give the students a shot to come and support a good team, the team had been bad for a long time and average the past few years. 

Don't ever let anything divide the fanbase, because that feeds right into to our current Athletic Department's uber-business minded philosophy. 

ypsituckyboy

September 23rd, 2013 at 6:14 PM ^

The Michigan basketball team has made the NCAA tourney four out of the past five years. That means they're a good program, not average. If someone considers an NCAA tourney team average, they don't know basketball. Also, if people expect consistent NCAA Final Four runs before they'll start showing up to games, they're a bandwagon fan and they shouldn't get special treatment with regard to tickets.

MaizeNBlue

September 23rd, 2013 at 7:08 PM ^

Making the tournament does not = good program for big-name schools in big-name conferences. It means average. And we weren't even that until 2010. Unless you are a student who showed up and bought tickets when we were mediocre, I don't see how you can be so hostile to the students.

ESNY

September 23rd, 2013 at 8:35 PM ^

And I caught the Ellerbe eras where we had to replace 3/4 of the team every year due to attrition. By the time senior yr rolled around the student sections consisted of 1 1/2 section in the lower level and that's it. i never missed a game.



The self entitled generation is really out in force for this one. Show up for your games and then you can complain about the policies.

Hail-Storm

September 24th, 2013 at 9:31 AM ^

No sarcasm. My 5 years were all during Ellerbe's time. The student section was far away from the floor (Amaker fixed that, thank god), and the team was horrible. I only went to a few games over that time frame. They were still fun, but those who had season tickets were truly die hards.  

In regards to the article, I don't have much to say about basketball, as that is a glass house I can't enter, but the football points were very poor. Complaining about noon starts, plain donuts, and showing up late because he created some of his best memories outside the stadium? This guy does not seem to get it at all. Also, his comma structure is all over the place.  I would hope for a better structured argument, as well as, much better grammar from a 5th year Michigan Student. 

MichiganTeacher

September 23rd, 2013 at 8:50 PM ^

You don't know what you're talking about. Making the tournament 4 out of 5 years is an average program? Sit down and rest.

As for being hostile to students - I'm a teacher. I'm all about the students. But if my students whined and complained about ticket policy changes after years of under-attendance and providing an anemic homefield advantage, I would tell them the same thing. Sit down and rest. If you don't like it, find another team to support. Enough already.

/getoffmylawn

/seriouslygetoffmylawn

 

snarling wolverine

September 23rd, 2013 at 9:02 PM ^

Unless you are a student who showed up and bought tickets when we were mediocre, I don't see how you can be so hostile to the students.

Many of us were. I had three years of Brian Ellerbe and one year of Tommy Amaker when I was here. I still went to the games. If you are a current student, you are incredibly fortunate to be here with Beilein and the program he's built. Go to as many games as you can.

jmblue

September 23rd, 2013 at 9:20 PM ^

Whoa, have we already gotten to the point where we're now taking NCAA Tournament appearances for granted?  This, after going 11 years (1998-2009) between appearances?  For those of us that went to school during the drought (myself included), hearing our name called on Selection Sunday will never, ever get old.

I think most of us can agree that it's not good to have a ton of student ticketholders not showing up.  We can debate whether the AD is taking the right measures to solve the problem, but I don't understand how or why people would justify the poor attendance.   Our basketball crowds are very front-running, alumni included.  I don't think we should make excuses for any of them.  It hurts our homecourt advantage when half the people who paid to attend don't show.

 

snarling wolverine

September 23rd, 2013 at 6:25 PM ^

A year ago at this time, we were defending Big Ten champs and had one of the best recruiting classes in the country.  We were a preseason top 5 team and started the year 16-0.  It was no great mystery that we had a good team on our hands.  

What level of success does Michigan need to have before the students care enough to fill up their section?

 

 

MaizeNBlue

September 23rd, 2013 at 7:34 PM ^

1 year does not a program make, and using LAST year of all years to display your argument when it is so vastly an anomaly from what our program has been in the past decade is a rather small sample size.

I agree that the section should be full. I'm just saying (in other posts in this thread) that it's not as though non-student fans can really complain when it comes to b-ball attendance.