Osu's Plan For Increasing Season Ticket Sales

SUMG · January 30, 2008

(from the DMN blog. Maybe we can make FIU fans buy our season tickets to see the FIU game at Fouts):

Oklahoma football fans wanting to watch the Bedlam rivalry against Oklahoma State next season in Stillwater will have to purchase 2008 OSU season tickets for $419.

OSU officials announced season ticket prices Tuesday for its seven home games in 2008 and also said that the school won’t be selling individual tickets for the OU game Nov. 29 at Boone Pickens Stadium.

Fans wanting to see the OU-OSU game must purchase $419 OSU season tickets. There will be no single-game tickets available for the Bedlam game on Thanksgiving weekend.

According to a school statement Tuesday, OSU is making a concerted effort to increase season ticket sales. Iowa State implemented an identical plan last season for its rival game against Iowa and saw a 30 percent increase in season ticket holders.

“Our decision to eliminate single-game tickets for Bedlam is based upon our desire to grow our season-ticket sales,” OSU athletic director Mike Holder said in a statement. “Our ability to compete for championships, in all sports, is dependent upon our fans’ commitment to buying season tickets in football and basketball on an annual basis. Frankly, this decision is all about the long-term success of OSU Athletics. Based on solid results at Iowa State, we believe this decision can produce a positive result at OSU.”

meangreendork · January 30, 2008

(from the DMN blog. Maybe we can make FIU fans buy our season tickets to see the FIU game at Fouts):
Oklahoma football fans wanting to watch the Bedlam rivalry against Oklahoma State next season in Stillwater will have to purchase 2008 OSU season tickets for $419.
OSU officials announced season ticket prices Tuesday for its seven home games in 2008 and also said that the school won’t be selling individual tickets for the OU game Nov. 29 at Boone Pickens Stadium.
Fans wanting to see the OU-OSU game must purchase $419 OSU season tickets. There will be no single-game tickets available for the Bedlam game on Thanksgiving weekend.
According to a school statement Tuesday, OSU is making a concerted effort to increase season ticket sales. Iowa State implemented an identical plan last season for its rival game against Iowa and saw a 30 percent increase in season ticket holders.
“Our decision to eliminate single-game tickets for Bedlam is based upon our desire to grow our season-ticket sales,” OSU athletic director Mike Holder said in a statement. “Our ability to compete for championships, in all sports, is dependent upon our fans’ commitment to buying season tickets in football and basketball on an annual basis. Frankly, this decision is all about the long-term success of OSU Athletics. Based on solid results at Iowa State, we believe this decision can produce a positive result at OSU.”

Wow, that's gutsy. Smart? I don't know.

Baby Arm! · January 30, 2008

Didn't we do something similar with the SMU game at Fouts two years ago?

THOR · January 30, 2008

i've got no problem with this. if you want to see the game of the year, you need to pay up and buy season tickets. no reason to let a casual fan get to see this game. you need to be a dedicated fan to see bedlam....i love it!

NT80 · January 30, 2008

Fans wanting to see the OU-OSU game must purchase $419 OSU season tickets. There will be no single-game tickets available for the Bedlam game on Thanksgiving weekend.

And OU will now do the same to OSU fans. So, say an OU fan buys an OSU season ticket for $419 and tosses all but the OU ticket in the trash. OSU now has "x" number of unused tickets and unoccupied seats for every home game (ie. no concessions, parking, or other revenue either). Why not just upcharge the OU game ticket price to $419 for visitors then you can sell the other game tickets to other users. Many programs up the ticket prices for special or rival games (NT vs. Navy = $25).

untcampbell · January 30, 2008

I guess I would SELL the unused tickets, if I was diehard OU enough to support the OSU program with season tickets.

But this shows the value of having true RIVALS on your schedule every year.

SilverEagle · January 30, 2008

I guess I would SELL the unused tickets, if I was diehard OU enough to support the OSU program with season tickets.
But this shows the value of having true RIVALS on your schedule every year.

Totally agree.

January 30, 2008

I guess I would SELL the unused tickets, if I was diehard OU enough to support the OSU program with season tickets.
But this shows the value of having true RIVALS on your schedule every year.

That is correct. And the value of dedicated fans. My buddy has UT season tickets and he lives in California. He sells most of them and uses his season ticket and Longhorn foundation status for road game and bowl game priviledges.

Dodge2007 · January 30, 2008

Great marketing tool for the big boys.

Very similar to what the Mavericks do to see the Spurs or Koby or whoever. They package up a great game with a couple of less quality opponents.

Unless UNT went independent and had a new stadium, I could see them pulling that off. But its a only dream right now.

Cowtown · January 30, 2008

This is not really that crazy.

When Tech was coming to play TCU the small Tech allotment sold out quickly. Tech fans on their own came up with the idea to buy TCU season tickets so they would be assured a seat.

But I do think it is kind of sorry for the home university to lay down such a rule. The OSU folks know that even if OU were to reverse the whip next year it wont matter all that much, cause OU is usually sold out to its own fans already.

UNTflyer · January 30, 2008

But this shows the value of having true RIVALS on your schedule every year.

Nobody at UNT wants a real rivalry... it might lead to school spirit and increased athletic fees.

Stan R · January 30, 2008

Nobody at UNT wants a real rivalry... it might lead to school spirit and increased athletic fees.

HAH!! Funny but sadly true at the same time. :unsure:

greenjoe · January 30, 2008

I read the OSU article that a fan couldn't buy just a OSU-OU ticket. I would think that an OU fan or some other fan could buy a ticket to the OSU game to be included in his OU season ticket package. Just like last season, I purchased a OU and SMU ticket with my season tickets.

This move by OSU is to prevent people from cherry picking games. Not to prevent fans from other teams from following their teams on the road.

I think it's a good idea.

Buy Season Tickets

GO MEAN GREEN

DallasGreen · January 30, 2008

HAH!! Funny but sadly true at the same time.

Very true. This kind of thing is what kept SMU in business at Ownby in the SWC days as they could not accomodate A & M and UT so those fans bought SMU season tickets in the year that they were to come to Dallas. Finally they got tired of subsidizing the metroplex privates. Sort of sad to see the empty but sold seats for the other games in Ponyland, but SMU was crying all the way to the bank, and still gives its creative "announced" attendance. Demand an athletic fee and increased athletic funding before the admins cause NT to be left in the dust of those whizzing by us in D-1, and I include the other members of the SBC in that group!!!

SUMG · January 30, 2008

I read the OSU article that a fan couldn't buy just a OSU-OU ticket. I would think that an OU fan or some other fan could buy a ticket to the OSU game to be included in his OU season ticket package. Just like last season, I purchased a OU and SMU ticket with my season tickets.
This move by OSU is to prevent people from cherry picking games. Not to prevent fans from other teams from following their teams on the road.
I think it's a good idea.
Buy Season Tickets
GO MEAN GREEN

After thinking about it, I think you're right, GreenJoseph. I think that OSU would still have to allot each visiting team "x" number of single game tickets.

Edited January 30, 2008 by SUMG

GreenAlums · January 30, 2008

Demand an athletic fee and increased athletic funding before the admins cause NT to be left in the dust of those whizzing by us in D-1, and I include the other members of the SBC in that group!!!

DG, can you provide some athletic budget numbers that show UNT is greatly under-supporting athletics? That's not a challenge, I'm just curious if we under-budget compared to other programs as bad as it sounds. Put the numbers here and let's revive some of the pressure that I'm sure has been on this board before I started posting.

DallasGreen · January 30, 2008

DG, can you provide some athletic budget numbers that show UNT is greatly under-supporting athletics? That's not a challenge, I'm just curious if we under-budget compared to other programs as bad as it sounds. Put the numbers here and let's revive some of the pressure that I'm sure has been on this board before I started posting.

I would refer you to the Strategic Plan for Athletics. You will not see any concrete numbers, and we have had some slight increases in recent years, but nowhere close to the amounts that would allow us to be competitive. The numbers on DeLoache and Jennings come from a reliable source. Our leaders talk about wanting to compete but are hesitant to put their money where their mouth is. Alums won't come forward until they see the university's committment. SMU is one example but so will be FAU,FIU, UCF, USF,etc. With winning comes outside $$, but you can't have winning w/o internal committment first unless you have a Schnelly or a Fry who can work smoke and mirrors and presently we have none of the above.

KRAM1 · January 30, 2008

Is everyone 100% sure that this new policy at OSU applies the visiting team's allotment of tickets??? I am not so sure that there will not be an allotment provided to OU just like in the past...so the OU fan could by a single ticket if he/she was "lucky enough" to get one even through OU for the game. I can't see OSU cutting out all the visiting team ticket allotments as the other schools would certainly do that to OSU...and then the thing would just roll on to every other school who thinks they can sell out the stadium for each game with season ticket holders...I know this is the OU game policy, but.....will other schools follow? I wonder if you have described the policy in full????? <_<

NT80 · January 30, 2008

Is everyone 100% sure that this new policy at OSU applies the visiting team's allotment of tickets??? I am not so sure that there will not be an allotment provided to OU just like in the past...so the OU fan could by a single ticket if he/she was "lucky enough" to get one even through OU for the game. I can't see OSU cutting out all the visiting team ticket allotments as the other schools would certainly do that to OSU...and then the thing would just roll on to every other school who thinks they can sell out the stadium for each game with season ticket holders...I know this is the OU game policy, but.....will other schools follow? I wonder if you have described the policy in full?????

I believe the Big?12 has league policies about number of visitor tickets that must be alloted to opponents. I want to say about 5000. As with our allotment from OU the past few times, they can be split up if the home school desires, not in a common section like before. NT had a policy last year for OU tickets too. I believe if the order was from a non-known UNT fan it had to be accompanied by like a $50 Mean Green Club donation per ticket or similar.

GoMeanGreen1999 · January 31, 2008

And OU will now do the same to OSU fans. So, say an OU fan buys an OSU season ticket for $419 and tosses all but the OU ticket in the trash. OSU now has "x" number of unused tickets and unoccupied seats for every home game (ie. no concessions, parking, or other revenue either). Why not just upcharge the OU game ticket price to $419 for visitors then you can sell the other game tickets to other users. Many programs up the ticket prices for special or rival games (NT vs. Navy = $25).

Great point on the amount of "throw away" tickets and unoccupied seats for their other games - you can bet that there will be a lot of OU people that will do this so they can see that one game.