SIAP: Brandon To Cut Student Ticket Prices Next Season
Title says it all. Didn't see this posted but I am sure it's in one of the threads. Looks who's trying to make the PR move of PR moves the day he knows his fate will be determined.
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/10/u-m_athletic_depa…
October 16th, 2014 at 4:17 PM ^
The good part is Dave Brandon doesn't have to be around to make that happen.
October 16th, 2014 at 4:39 PM ^
The timing of Brandon's capitulation tells you everything you need to know:
If he were sincerely attempting to provide what Michigan students and customers want, then he would have made these moves a year or more ago.
The fact that he waited until the writing was on the wall--until Presidential statements, and student rallies, and Regent meetings uniformly suggested he could be forced out--shows this capitulation is not sincere.
And because it isn't sincere, it cannot be trusted.
Go in peace, Dave Brandon.
But go now.
October 16th, 2014 at 5:52 PM ^
I think he would've been better off just keeping quiet on this.
Or if asked, just promise that they will not go up next year.
Cutting them just makes you look desperate and you're admitting you were wrong.
Next year's home schedule SHITS on this year's schedule. If he would've just shut up or said "I can promise you that they will not go up a cent"...it wouldn't look so bad.
What's next? He going to pass out free candy?
This is why you hire an AD from within college athletics...PR moves shouldn't be made like pizza sales. "Our customers are unhappy, so we're going to cut prices" "Our customers are still unhappy, so we're going to show a movie before every game and call it THE MICHIGAN EXPERIENCE." "Our customers are still unhappy, so we're going to make a commercial on how we've sucked, then change the packaging and they'll think we've gotten better."
Michigan football is NOT Dominos Pizza.
October 16th, 2014 at 6:47 PM ^
Disagree.... if Brandon had said, "Student ticket prices will not go up next year," I guarantee the reaction would be, "oh, so in response to these very loud and clear complaints, your answer is 'we will literally do nothing.'"
October 16th, 2014 at 7:32 PM ^
and act like he was doing everyone a favor?
October 16th, 2014 at 7:55 PM ^
I believe ticket prices are unchanged from 2013 (though they were hiked significantly that year).
October 16th, 2014 at 9:58 PM ^
October 17th, 2014 at 9:25 AM ^
I'm just saying don't say it NOW.
Say "we're evaluating our student season ticket model and I can assure you that prices are not going to go up next year. Even with a more competitive home schedule, prices will not go up. However, like I said, we're evaluating everything and we'll look to work with our student fan base to find a system that works."
In short "I know I fucked up, but I don't want to make a drastic change right now because everyone will think that I'm making it to save face...but I'm going to make it 4-5 months from now when no one is looking and then people may not link the two as easily."
I'm not saying don't do it. Heck no, lower them. I'm just saying he's running around giving away the house trying to save his job and he looks AWFUL doing it.
Just shut up, relax, put some measures in place and come up with a plan. Get the RIGHT people on board to help you make some of these decisions and slowly work towards solutions that work.
In the meantime, you can always talk about these committees you've come up with that include students or season ticket holders or whomever...that show progress, transparancy and an openmind.
Then, maybe at the start of 2nd semester...drop the bomb with some of these amazing changes.
You and I would still know it's bullshit, but ESPN and the national media isn't going to pick up on it. And it'll honestly look like there was a process and that you included people in the decision.
Right decision. Just poor timing.
October 16th, 2014 at 6:56 PM ^
It was the student body president that leaked the news at the regents meeting. And its actually a smart move on his part because he said he and Brandon had verbally agreed to lower prices for next season. Having the news out there now makes it damn near impossible to not lower prices even though it was only a verbal agreement. And hell, it may not have even been verbally agreed on. It could have been a convo like:
Student pres: "Will you lower ticket prices next season?"
Brandon: "Sure, that's something that we'll consider."
For all we know, he could have just backed Brandon into a corner that he can't get out of on prices.
October 16th, 2014 at 7:11 PM ^
October 16th, 2014 at 9:03 PM ^
October 16th, 2014 at 4:17 PM ^
Well, he's promised CSG they'll be lowered. Of course two key caveats:
1) He's a weasel making a handshake agreement.
2) They promised hockey prices would be lowered, then lowered the number of home games so students were paying more on a per game basis.
October 16th, 2014 at 5:41 PM ^
Quick, everybody check next season's football schedule to make sure the location for Michigan / Ohio State hasn't changed from "Ann Arbor" to "TBA".
October 16th, 2014 at 10:54 PM ^
That is shady and worthy of great disdain.
October 16th, 2014 at 4:18 PM ^
too little too late
October 16th, 2014 at 4:21 PM ^
October 16th, 2014 at 5:14 PM ^
I hope you are right. He might be a smooth enough political operator to survive this I fear.
October 16th, 2014 at 7:15 PM ^
October 16th, 2014 at 4:18 PM ^
Be sure to thank him as he's walking out of his office with a box full of his peronal items....
October 16th, 2014 at 4:21 PM ^
Wow! Grasping at straws? I don't know.
October 16th, 2014 at 5:50 PM ^
A future attendance/revenue disaster is being sown as current students establish their own traditions of watching the game on TV w/ friends over beers.
Fast forward 10-15 years and those $1,000+ season ticket solitations (in 2014 dollars) are going straight to the trash can.
The question for Brandon is why did he wait so long?
October 16th, 2014 at 4:20 PM ^
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October 16th, 2014 at 4:21 PM ^
Dishell also said that the relationship between the students and the AD was broken, and not sure if it could be repaired by the current administration.
Lots of good stuff here: lower ticket prices, less commercialization of the games, no more talk of "the brand", removal of piped-in music during games, etc.
It sounds like Dave has been trying to give ground to save his job, but that the CSG doesn't trust him and wants him out.
October 16th, 2014 at 5:11 PM ^
If they're going to remove the piped in music, does this mean no more Dennis Norfleet dancing to "Atomic Dog"? Somehow, I can't see him doing the same moves he did last Saturday to "Hail to the Victors" or "Varsity".
I do have to laugh at the plan to renegotiate the student ticket policy again after they did it last year. I suppose Mr. Dishell didn't get it right the last time.
I also wonder if lowering the ticket prices is going to mean the students actually show up before the game starts, i.e., the original problem the first change in the ticket policy was supposed to address. Or are the student behaviors going to remain the same, i.e., with large numbers of no shows or late arrivals? I wonder if Mr. Dishell has an answer to that question.
We'll see what happens. The non-conference schedule is getting better (no MAC teams until 2020), so the whining about the home schedule should come to an end. The AD is working to get the wi-fi/network access improved, so the students can take plenty of selfies in the stands and post them on their facebook pages during the game. I suppose that'll help. Perhaps they'll give student discounts on concessions, etc.
If the tickets for students do go from $295 to $150 and they sell 20,000 of them, then that's about $2.9M in revenue lower per game from the higher price. Thank goodness the Big Ten is reneogiating its new television rights next fall because whatever increases they get from that will help cover the reduced revenue from student tickets.
October 16th, 2014 at 5:41 PM ^
The "whining" about the home schedule isn't likely to end soon, considering we have Sparty and OSU either at home or on the road together every other year. Add to that no more ND, and people will absolutely complain. Rightly so.
October 16th, 2014 at 10:56 PM ^
is pretty damn good! If we get PSU and Wisconsin or Nebraska at home in th eoff years - I think that will balance out. I'd much rather have MSU and ohio BOTH at home rather than splitting them every year.
Hopefully we'll NEVER see another home schedule like 2014 again!
Go Blue!
October 17th, 2014 at 9:08 AM ^
Next year is great. What about the year after that? That's literally my entire point.
October 16th, 2014 at 7:34 PM ^
October 16th, 2014 at 9:01 PM ^
October 16th, 2014 at 4:21 PM ^
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October 16th, 2014 at 4:23 PM ^
I would literally kill a hobo for a slice of Backroom pizza right now. Or, even better, for a slice of the far superior In 'n Out (RIP)'s pepperoni. When the adults were behind the counter at In 'n Out, not the kids, man oh man was that a meal.
October 16th, 2014 at 4:27 PM ^
Didn't they move to South U near NYPD once that apartment building went up? Been a while some I've been back.
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October 16th, 2014 at 4:28 PM ^
Pretty sure they just closed.
October 16th, 2014 at 4:45 PM ^
October 16th, 2014 at 4:24 PM ^
mmmm backroom...although weirdly i have no recollection of what it tastes like or being there, but I know I've been there
October 16th, 2014 at 4:26 PM ^
Whomever bought the Brown Jug also bought Backroom and raised the prices and slashed the size of the slice in half.
October 16th, 2014 at 4:27 PM ^
And students are only protesting the Athletic Director?
Kids these days...
October 16th, 2014 at 6:57 PM ^
It's back to a dollar for cheese and 1.50 for pepp now. I swear they put crack in their pies.
October 16th, 2014 at 7:02 PM ^
Man, that's the saddest damn thing I've read in a while. I used to live on South U and Backroom pizza was the best damn drunk food.
Does Pizza House still deliver at like 3am? I was so proud of myself the day I figured out that we could call in our order from the bar at closing time, and then the food would be getting delivered by the time we stumbled home.
October 16th, 2014 at 4:26 PM ^
October 16th, 2014 at 5:23 PM ^
But I'm hurting, too. I won't be able to walk for a week at least. I'm all wobbly like a giraffe. Maybe we can just cuddle, honey. Would you like that?
October 16th, 2014 at 4:26 PM ^
Make it $10 a ticket. Season for $70 Why try to make money on the students. All you want is a FULL STUDENT SECTION on kickoff, correct?!!! right?
Make them free already. Who the hell tries to make money on the students? Dumb asses.
Free Dominoes Pizza! Free tshirts to the students
FIRE DAVE!
October 16th, 2014 at 5:21 PM ^
October 16th, 2014 at 11:47 PM ^
October 16th, 2014 at 4:29 PM ^
The #1 reason that I heard people say they didn't buy student tickets: The Prices were too damn high!
October 16th, 2014 at 4:32 PM ^
Dude is predictable, if nothing else. I imagine him sitting in his high-back leather chair, sipping cognac while reading a few books simultaneously: One-Minute Manager, Rich Dad/Poor Dad, and How to win friends and influence people while listening to 7NA on his Bose Wave Radio.
October 16th, 2014 at 4:36 PM ^
October 16th, 2014 at 4:37 PM ^
These "PR" moves he's been making lately, of which many are to the fans benefit, have made me dislike him even more.
Dave, go kick rocks.
October 16th, 2014 at 4:45 PM ^
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October 16th, 2014 at 4:51 PM ^
Except these PR moves he's been making should have occured for this year, but he was too arrogant to listen to the fans then. Now that he's about to be fired, it's a different story for him.