Stadium Expansion A Good Idea? Why was there an 8-2 Vote?

[NaturalStateReb]

Go to dynamic pricing.  Some sports franchises have followed the airlines in doing so. 

Agree, but I think it would only work if you go the donation aspect out of it. 

[Atlhogfan1]

Agree, but I think it would only work if you go the donation aspect out of it.

Or do it with just certain sections like in the upper level or with just certain games.

http://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/dynamic-ticket-pricing-gains-traction-in-college-football/

[razoredge178]

Or do it with just certain sections like in the upper level or with just certain games.

http://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/dynamic-ticket-pricing-gains-traction-in-college-football/

So tax the nose bleed sections for a few more bucks for prime games, and leave the lower bowl alone?

I could be way off the mark here, but I'm thinking the price elasticity of folks in the upper deck is pretty tight. It ?could? work when your home schedule is amazing, and your team is promising, like this upcoming season. It could sink like a rock turd when conditions are less than ideal.

Interesting idea-- doesn't seem like a Jeff Long kind of move..

[ricepig]

Or do it with just certain sections like in the upper level or with just certain games.

http://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/dynamic-ticket-pricing-gains-traction-in-college-football/

Well, we've done that to a small degree in the past with SEC packages and non-cons.

[Atlhogfan1]

Well, we've done that to a small degree in the past with SEC packages and non-cons.

Yes.  More of a manual way of dynamic pricing vs letting a program do it. 

So tax the nose bleed sections for a few more bucks for prime games, and leave the lower bowl alone?

I could be way off the mark here, but I'm thinking the price elasticity of folks in the upper deck is pretty tight. It ?could? work when your home schedule is amazing, and your team is promising, like this upcoming season. It could sink like a rock turd when conditions are less than ideal.

Interesting idea-- doesn't seem like a Jeff Long kind of move..

No.  Doubtful they would do this for those high demand games as it could create a situation like you noted.  Although it would be a reward for those who do donate in order to get lower level seats.  The certain games would be La Tech or an early Nov game after hunting season has started or Vandy, Ms St, South Carolina, UK etc.  As rice has said, we have kind of done it already in a manual way. 

It would be a way to sell seats which would otherwise go unsold and get people in the stadium.  A program like ours probably would set a bottom price as NSR mentioned they are willing to take or not fill the seat.

[bphi11ips]

Yes.  More of a manual way of dynamic pricing vs letting a program do it. 
No.  Doubtful they would do this for those high demand games as it could create a situation like you noted.  Although it would be a reward for those who do donate in order to get lower level seats.  The certain games would be La Tech or an early Nov game after hunting season has started or Vandy, Ms St, South Carolina, UK etc.  As rice has said, we have kind of done it already in a manual way. 

It would be a way to sell seats which would otherwise go unsold and get people in the stadium.  A program like ours probably would set a bottom price as NSR mentioned they are willing to take or not fill the seat.

Pricing like this has been going on in the concert world for a long time.  It's called scaling.  When seats go unsold, promoters give them away and make money on parking, merch, and food and beverage sales.  Squeezing the last nickel out of an event is now an artform.  Why should college football be any different? 

[Farmer Hogget]

No, he made very good points. This is a large chunk of money that really doesn't provide anything for the regular fan or student, at a time when funding to institutions like UAMS is being squeezed. It's a tough time to be throwing that kind of money around.

The money is coming from the stadium expansion.  If there is no expansion, there is no money.  You understand that, right?

[ricepig]

The money is coming from the stadium expansion.  If there is no expansion, there is no money.  You understand that, right?

No, they don't.

[ImHogginIt]

There is some tax revenue being "used", in that no property taxes are being collected on this improvement, or the stadium itself.

So you want the state to collect property tax from itself ? Hell I thought I was a liberal democrat 

[bphi11ips]

Brummett got it right today.  The truth is usually somewhere in the middle.

[mizzouman]

Brummett got it right today.  The truth is usually somewhere in the middle.

This is ALWAYS the case. 

[ricepig]

http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2016/jun/22/brummett-online-life-neighborhood/

[ricepig]

Brummett got it right today.  The truth is usually somewhere in the middle.

Which is what most sane people have been saying.

[bphi11ips]

Which is what most sane people have been saying.

Pretty much what I've been saying. The current plan works now. It isn't perfect but will be fine if we continue to fall somewhere between Vanderbilt and Alabama. I'm have higher aspirations myself, but I don't answer to the Chancellor, President, or Board of Trustees.

[Atlhogfan1]

http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2016/jun/22/brummett-online-life-neighborhood/

"This issue poses yet another of those dreaded false choices.

Not keeping up with the neighborhood Joneses in football would not mean more money for laboratories and classrooms. It's not a zero-sum equation — college football versus college classrooms. These endeavors are not connected except nominally for the purpose of official pretense."

[ricepig]

Pretty much what I've been saying. The current plan works now. It isn't perfect but will be fine if we continue to fall somewhere between Vanderbilt and Alabama. I'm have higher aspirations myself, but I don't answer to the Chancellor, President, or Board of Trustees.

I aspire to win championships, I don't think demographics allow for a 100,000 seat stadium. If there gets to be a long list for tickets, than they'll address it, but as most have said, TV is talking a lot of them.

[razoredge178]

I aspire to win championships, I don't think demographics allow for a 100,000 seat stadium. If there gets to be a long list for tickets, than they'll address it, but as most have said, TV is talking a lot of them.

College football will trend right with/behind the NFL, which trended with/behind MLB. Smaller stadiums, higher priced seating...a pretty defined shift in the way sports programs shift the supply-demand trends to their favor.

That's why the bleachers, in some capacity, will need to be addressed at some point. I can see them ripping out the east side upper deck bleachers and adding two or three more levels of suites. Very doable. Maybe they rip out bleachers between the 30's in the lower bowl, add chairbacks, and reduce stadium capacity by 6-10K in doing so, but increase per seat pricing by 30-40%. Also very doable. Maybe add the rent a chairs to all lower bowl seats and make it a mandatory bolt-on vs. an option. Lots of options, from small investments to large.

Year over year, we're a 65K attendance program. Maximizing $$$ for all those seats should be a priority.

[Pig in the Pokey]

This thread.... On what planet is 80% of the vote not a landslide decision? OP makes it sound like 8-2 was a close vote. It wasn't. That's a damn landslide.

[ricepig]

This thread.... On what planet is 80% of the vote not a landslide decision? OP makes it sound like 8-2 was a close vote. It wasn't. That's a damn landslide.

It makes for good discussion in the summer, it's either this, or band/uniforms......

[Atlhogfan1]

College football will trend right with/behind the NFL, which trended with/behind MLB. Smaller stadiums, higher priced seating...a pretty defined shift in the way sports programs shift the supply-demand trends to their favor.

That's why the bleachers, in some capacity, will need to be addressed at some point. I can see them ripping out the east side upper deck bleachers and adding two or three more levels of suites. Very doable. Maybe they rip out bleachers between the 30's in the lower bowl, add chairbacks, and reduce stadium capacity by 6-10K in doing so, but increase per seat pricing by 30-40%. Also very doable. Maybe add the rent a chairs to all lower bowl seats and make it a mandatory bolt-on vs. an option. Lots of options, from small investments to large.

Year over year, we're a 65K attendance program. Maximizing $$$ for all those seats should be a priority.

And smaller venues creates more demand and a sense of urgency to acquire tickets and attend events.  It is what we are seeing in college basketball now with some of the newer arenas, other than Louisville's, being built smaller.  Some of the NFL franchises like Pittsburgh and Denver could sell thousands of more tickets and have sold out for years. 

We just need to find a balance.  I wouldn't want to see the capacity of RRS get much bigger anytime soon.  Wouldn't want to get into a BWA situation.  This is why I think we are doing this expansion the right way in terms of what is being added.  The SEZ upper deck was built for an expansion to be put on it and for a lot less than this NEZ expansion.  But it wouldn't be the right decision now. 

[Inhogswetrust]

This is ALWAYS the case. 

Except the Brummett getting it right part. That isn't always the case and usually isn't. On this issue there is one thing that he assumed. He made it sound as if ALL students coming from Dallas to the UA couldn't get into SMU. MAYBE some of them had no desire to go to SMU but could have gotten into SMU or even other really high ranking academic schools if they wanted.

[ricepig]

Except the Brummett getting it right part. That isn't always the case and usually isn't.

Yeah, I would have bet your last dollar that he would have fallen in line with Pryor.

[Inhogswetrust]

This thread.... On what planet is 80% of the vote not a landslide decision? OP makes it sound like 8-2 was a close vote. It wasn't. That's a damn landslide.

good point.

[Seebs]

A person can now go from one side of the Stadium to the other.
1,500 cheap SRO tickets makes for a great college experience and immense eye candy potential.
People can now enter through the North EZ.
Big ole TV you can watch us get screwed through replay.
College students yelling at rich fans in their box seats - that will be a train wreck and hopefully televised on the big ol TV.
Halter Top competitions
Beer sales is next - drunk college kids in SRO
Fist fights in SRO being shown on Big ol TV
Rain soaked co-eds


How is any of this bad?

[ImHogginIt]

It makes for good discussion in the summer, it's either this, or band/uniforms......

I think the band has been wearing the same uniforms for over 25 years 

[Inhogswetrust]

I think the band has been wearing the same uniforms for over 25 years 

Now I know what that smell was!