This just in. The rich get richer.

[mu_hilltopper]

Well, damn.

Got the single-game ticket form for season ticket holders today .. every year, I round up my friends to buy MU tickets, usually purchasing in the neighborhood of 100 tickets for a variety of games they want to attend.

I do it as a service out of friendship to my buddies, and to an extent, as a service for Marquette, as I really don't get anything out of it.  I already have seats.  I'm definitely generating ticket sales, though, as I'd bet those guys wouldn't buy half of those seats if I weren't coordinating it for them.

The problem?  This year, MU has decided to open ticketmaster's gates by point priority, broken into 6 groups from the mega-point old-timers, down to the 50 points and under pond scum club.  Prior to this new rule, everyone got an equal shot at these extra tickets at the same time, first come, first served.

The reason this ticks me off is that .. the high point people?  They already have their reward: great seats.  With the new rule, MU is making sure that the FRIENDS of people with high points get good seats, too.

Not that I don't see logic in this new rule.  To the victor go the spoils.   Points = priority.  It's just that before, that priority went for the purchase of YOUR tickets, not tickets for your friends too.

Sigh.

(Edit:  I'd forgotten.  It was only the last 2-3 seasons where it was first come first served.  Prior to that, you'd mail in your forms and they filled them based on point priority.  It was nice while it lasted.)

[LastWarrior]

How about they just open the extra tickets to everyone on Ticketmaster?  That way the folks that live out of town (ME) and want to visit for a weekend (ME) can get decent seats rather than sitting in the corner section in row Z (ME LAST YEAR).

[mu_hilltopper]

What you're arguing for is to skip all pre-sales, and just go right to the public sales.

True enough, if you're at the bottom of the food chain, you're always looking up. 

It's a perk for STHs (more accurately, their friends) .. but it does benefit MU.   Think of it this way .. during the pre-sale, MU has ~3,000 people acting as salesmen, hawking their product.

I'm surprised, though, that you'd get bad tickets if you just bought on the first day of public sales.  With the exception of the UW game last year, I'd bet there are 5000+ tickets open for each game *after* the pre-sale.

Although .. I do wonder .. how many STHs out there buy quantities of singles like I do?  Dunno.

[LastWarrior]

I bought the minute tix went on sale the last 2 years and ended up with horrible seats both years.  When I called the ticket office, they said all the tix were purchased by season ticket holders.  My bad for not planning ahead but it's still a disservice to out of State alumni that want to make a weekend out of a game.  This year I bought the mini-ticket plan (eventhough I'll only be able to attend half the games) and I ended up in Row V... yeah, row V.

I personally think it would be a good idea for the school to save some seats for out of State alumni that are available for purchase the morning of the game at the ticket office.  It's not fair for season tix holders to buy up all the excess tix and then turnaround and sell them on ebay (ala Wisconsin game last year).  Heck i'd be willing to pay more to buy the tix from the school than some bozo on ebay.  Additionally, I think it would make sense to only allow season tix holders to buy as many extra tix as they have season tix.  So if you have 2 season tix, you can buy up to 2 extra season tix per game.

[bilsu]

It has been a prioty system for a few years. The only thing that has changed is they set times for ordering. That is an advantage to you, because in the past you just sent in your order and you were put in the right catagory according to your points. Now you have to order at the appropriate time to maintain your prioty. A 300+ point person can start ordering at 10, while a 50 + person can start ordering at 2. Guess what happens to the 300+ person that forgets or cannot go to MU site until 2. He becomes a 50+ person. Last year you just had to mail your form in by a certain date and you were set. My bet is that next year this system will be changed as the big point holders will not appreciate this system.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

It has been a prioty system for a few years. The only thing that has changed is they set times for ordering. That is an advantage to you, because in the past you just sent in your order and you were put in the right catagory according to your points. Now you have to order at the appropriate time to maintain your prioty. A 300+ point person can start ordering at 10, while a 50 + person can start ordering at 2. Guess what happens to the 300+ person that forgets or cannot go to MU site until 2. He becomes a 50+ person. Last year you just had to mail your form in by a certain date and you were set. My bet is that next year this system will be changed as the big point holders will not appreciate this system.

anyone who wants tickets, just PM me.  I'd be happy to put an order in for you.

[mu_hilltopper]

You know, that's a good point, bilsu.  I'd forgotten that.  It's only been a 2 (3?) year window of being first-come, first-served thru ticketmaster.  Prior to that, you mailed in your form and they filled it based on points.

HOWEVER .. I did have an occasion last year to do both .. I'd sent in a form prior to the due-date.  And I did ticketmaster the minute it opened.  They called me days after the ticketmaster opening on questions about my mailed-in form.

This meant, that they did NOT fill my mailed in form before ticketmaster opened.  I'd have gotten better seats had I just done all-ticketmaster.

(Sort of.  Ticketmaster still hoses you on seat choice.)

.. I doubt they'll change the system much next year for because "the big point holders will not appreciate this system."  First off, the change this year works very well in their favor.  Their only complaint could be that a 1-hour window isn't enough time.  Gotta draw that line somewhere.  I suppose I should be happy they don't give the high pointers a week do snatch up all the seats first.

I say tough.  1 hour is plenty.  Make time.  Last year, I was on vacation and brought a laptop for the purpose of buying these tickets for my friends as soon as I could.  If it's not important to you, then you could wait until later.  That's your choice.

[muhoosier260]

well now you have a retirement project to keep you busy in 40 years

[augoman]

every year I buy as many tickets for family and friends as I can..., the seating (yes, I'm in the first group) last year sucked, and the ability to get more than 4 together was slim.  the good news is, I appreciate the fact that they could be worse, and all my friends and family do, too.  A few years back I couldn't get sufficient ticks for Looville, so bought a luxury box from a friend for the night, bought all the extra seats in same that I could, and sold my 4 season seats to guy next to me.  We had a ball!  I had friends w/season ticks asking to join us in the box!  Very memorable (especially the win), and I believe many co's have boxes available.  I heard of mine thru the grapevine, but have seen them advertised in miljournal.-great solution to tick squeeze!

[mu_hilltopper]

I do wonder if they fixed the ticketmaster problems from last year.

Last year .. I couldn't get more than 4 seats at a time.  But clearly, enough seats existed, as I'd place two orders for the same game, and would end up next to eachother.  A couple games, I had to place 3 orders.

The prior year, I didn't have any issues buying 10-12 tickets at a time.

Why ticketmaster can't do a better job displaying tickets available and allow users to choose where they want to sit .. is beyond me.

[Ready2Fly]

augoman - how much did that box run you?  I've got a bunch of friends coming in to town for the Georgetown game, and the idea of a box was floated out there.  We all graduated in '06, so we don't exactly have tons of money to throw around.  But for a one-time thing it might be worth it.

Also, how many people can you fit in a box?  10?  15?  20?  If it's too packed, does it make watching the game unbearable?

[Eye]

I'd be looking for the same answers on a box for the Louisville game. Have several folks from the La Crosse area that would like to attend.

[Big Papi]

I bought the minute tix went on sale the last 2 years and ended up with horrible seats both years.  When I called the ticket office, they said all the tix were purchased by season ticket holders.  My bad for not planning ahead but it's still a disservice to out of State alumni that want to make a weekend out of a game.  This year I bought the mini-ticket plan (eventhough I'll only be able to attend half the games) and I ended up in Row V... yeah, row V.

I personally think it would be a good idea for the school to save some seats for out of State alumni that are available for purchase the morning of the game at the ticket office.  It's not fair for season tix holders to buy up all the excess tix and then turnaround and sell them on ebay (ala Wisconsin game last year).  Heck i'd be willing to pay more to buy the tix from the school than some bozo on ebay.  Additionally, I think it would make sense to only allow season tix holders to buy as many extra tix as they have season tix.  So if you have 2 season tix, you can buy up to 2 extra season tix per game.

You can always get good seats for a majority of the games.  You just need to be a little more imaginative.  I won't tell you my secret but i usually go to 4-5 games a year and I end up getting some very good seats.  But you can try the 5 game packs, Ebay, ticket brokers, and there always seems to be posts on here during the year from season ticket holders who can't make a game or don't want to go watch a game against a not so good team.  There is nothing wrong with the current process and this is coming from a non season ticket holder and someone who has no ties to any season ticket holders who are willing to give, buy or sell me tickets.

[augoman]

Ready2fly, Eye- Price was not bad because it was from a friend's company-exact cost eludes me; I purchase as many additional tickets for the box as allowed, I had pizzas delivered at half, had couple cases of beer and soda stocked in reefer, and other snacks-for which the concessions charge major body parts- also was few years back.  I think I had 20 peeps in box; not bad until food comes- then the commotion is somewhat distracting.  Further, I felt 'host' obligations initially...,  second half was much more fun, and sharing it w/all those friends was outstanding.  I'd gladly do it again.

[Eye]

If you recall a price, go ahead and shoot me a message at my inbox. Thanks Augo.

[mu_hilltopper]

I think we're all curious.  Are we talking $5000?  $2000?  $500? 

[augoman]

'topper,
short of doing some digging I think I (remember I purchased from a friend) paid a base of $875, plus 400 for 8 addtl tckts, plus $29 per pizza, plus for the beer, the snacks, and so on.  I believe this to be close, if not dead on.  Now, I know a guy who bought one out of the Journal 2 years ago, and paid $500, but NOT for a primo game.  That includes 12 tckts, 2 parking passes.  Today's rates..., ? 

[DAtruth]

if any season ticket holder needs to get rid of road game tickets please let me know..buying on the ticket sites and ebay is shakey at best..i need louisville, cinci, notre dame and maybe wv..would like to sit with other folks wearin mu colors..though ill b there regardless of who i have to rub elbows with even if they are wearing red

[Eye]

Here's the answer I got from a saleswoman at the BC ...

Marquette v. Louisville game package: 12 tickets, 4 parking passes.  $3000.00. You may purchase an additional 8 tickets to fill the suite at 20 people. Let me know if you are interested in our waiting list.