Old Dominion Has A Big Problem

[MeanGreen61]

By Harry Minium

The Virginian-Pilot

© October 4, 2012

If you’re one of the 4,500 people on the waiting list for Old Dominion football season tickets, good luck. It doesn’t appear that you’ll be able to purchase a season ticket earlier than 2014.

Moreover, ODU’s planned move to Conference USA could cost a handful of current season ticket holders their seats next season.

Conference USA requires that schools set aside 2,000 tickets per game for visiting teams – double what the Colonial Athletic Association requires. That means that 1,000 seats now sold through ODU season tickets won’t be available in future years.

Athletic director Wood Selig said the likelihood of rescinding anyone’s season ticket is remote, however, because attrition should reduce the school’s season-ticket base naturally. “We’ll do everything we can to make sure that doesn’t happen,” he said.

LINK TO THREAD (article posted without link)

http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=591489

[untbowler]

sounds like a good problem to have, hopefully it is attrition that gets their numbers to 2K needed

[Stan R]

wait, I'm confused I think. By attrition they are referring to hopefully losing 2,000 season ticket holders? Is that what I'm reading? Sounds absurd to hope for that.

[Stan R]

Sounds like they are in a great position. Time to bring in temporary aluminum bleachers! No way I'd let season ticket requestors go empty handed.

[Harry]

Maybe we could sell the the temporary bleachers at Fouts?

[GTWT]

wait, I'm confused I think. By attrition they are referring to hopefully losing 2,000 season ticket holders? Is that what I'm reading? Sounds absurd to hope for that.

I think the magic number is 1K not 2K. Under their old conference they reserved 1000 for visitors, under cUSA they need an additional 1000.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Maybe we could sell the the temporary bleachers at Fouts?

Or we could just let them play at Fouts.

[VideoEagle]

Every year, some season ticket holders don't renew. This is from people movin away, changing financial or social situations, dying or any numer of things that have nothing to do with those fans still wanting to have the tickets. This turn over is where they hope to Get the additional 1000 tickets. They are not hoping fans get mad and don't come back.

[Green Jackal]

Every year, some season ticket holders don't renew. This is from people movin away, changing financial or social situations, dying or any numer of things that have nothing to do with those fans still wanting to have the tickets. This turn over is where they hope to Get the additional 1000 tickets. They are not hoping fans get mad and don't come back.

So they are hoping that their fans die or fall upon hard financial times?

[forevereagle]

So they are hoping that their fans die or fall upon hard financial times?

Not all of them, just enough to free up 1000 seats.

[Stan R]

So they are hoping that their fans die or fall upon hard financial times?

I'm not dead yet! I'm feeling better!

I think I'll go for a walk!

[JesseMartin]

I admit I know nothing about Old Dominion. So my questions are: 1) What is their capacity, 2) What is the average attendance, and possibly most importantly 3) What is their proximity to other schools they will be playing on a regular basis? Depending on the stats, this may be a non-issue.

Edited October 6, 2012 by JesseMartin

[CurveItAround]

1. ~20,000

2. ~20,000 with waiting list

3. great proximity to ECU, Marshall, and new member Charlotte (in the process of starting football program)

That entire area is a very solid recruiting hotbed. They have been a power at FCS level and all indications are that they will continue to be pretty successful as they transition to FBS level. General consensus is that they are a very solid add to the eastern division and were pushed by existing CUSA schoools such as ECU and Marshall in order to provide schools located close to them.

[JesseMartin]

So, realistically, the point is that they have more demand for seats than actual seats, and with a new FBS situation, a great opportunity to expand without having to beg for money? Damn, that's tough. Charge double for season tickets for the inaugural year of a stadium expansion, a year in advance, use that as a fat down payment on the expansion. Demand goes down at the higher cost but you get the benefit of being the first. With that kind of following, I don't see them worrying if the only problem is that they need bigger facilities to house all of their fans...you know, instead of getting bigger facilities and hoping for more fans. If only we had such a problem.