WLC Attendance-Better than expected

[Warrior of Law]

I thought the attendance at the WLC game was pretty decent, all things considered.  The fact is, they play in a cavernous facility.  If MU played in a venue like Xavier or SLU, we'd be talking about waiting lists to get tickets.  There is a core 6,000 of us who have season tickets and, after that, it comes down to drawing the average fan with give aways, quality opponents, etc.  For a college with 10,000 students, playing in a NBA town, in a NBA facility, MU (and its fans) does a great job.

[Daniel]

I thought the attendance at the WLC game was pretty decent, all things considered.  The fact is, they play in a cavernous facility.  If MU played in a venue like Xavier or SLU, we'd be talking about waiting lists to get tickets.  There is a core 6,000 of us who have season tickets and, after that, it comes down to drawing the average fan with give aways, quality opponents, etc.  For a college with 10,000 students, playing in a NBA town, in a NBA facility, MU (and its fans) does a great job.

True. For Coach Wojo, he may look around and thinks it's empty.  Put this crowd in the Duke facility that holds like 9300 and its SRO or some can't get in. The BC is just a huge place.

[Galway Eagle]

12,000 if you include grad school students. 

[Benny B]

12,000 if you include grad school students. 

I've yet to run into someone else who had Fanatics tickets as a grad student.  Not saying it doesn't happen, or doesn't happen often.... but that's just my experience.

[mu_hilltopper]

  There is a core 6,000 of us who have season tickets and, after that, it comes down to drawing the average fan with give aways, quality opponents, etc. 

Not sure what your 6,000 figure is supposed to enumerate.  Perhaps "non-student" season ticket holders?   IIRC, they sell about 3000 student tickets.  With the attendance of the WLC game at 12200, that leaves 9000 regular season ticket holders, as there was likely only a handful of "walk up" sales for that game.

As was discussed in another thread, MU likely lost 1500-2000 season ticket holders since last season. 

[🏀]

Fantatics were 4,100 and I don't think it has changed much.

[GOO]

There can't be more than a few hundred non-season ticket holders attending that game.  Mainly Wisconsin Lutheran fans.  So that attendance is pretty much our season ticket base, which is impressive.

I must say, if UWM "needs" an 8K arena if the current Mecca/US Cellular/UWM arena is torn down, Marquette "needs" a 13.5K arena.  Obviously I'm not serious and UWM needs an 8K arena for graduations (maybe) and that is about it.  They really need a 3K arena for basketball.

A 13.5K arena for Marquette would drive season tickets sales higher, because if you didn't get season tickets, you'd be out of luck for getting tickets for any decent game.  It would be sold out and a bigger event to get tickets for games.

[Coleman]

Not sure what your 6,000 figure is supposed to enumerate.  Perhaps "non-student" season ticket holders?   IIRC, they sell about 3000 student tickets.  With the attendance of the WLC game at 12200, that leaves 9000 regular season ticket holders, as there was likely only a handful of "walk up" sales for that game.

As was discussed in another thread, MU likely lost 1500-2000 season ticket holders since last season. 

Where was this discussed? Why do you think that is the case?

[Warrior of Law]

Most MU season-ticket holders are not particularly fickle fans.  Many have had tickets for 20+ years. I think it is highly doubtful that they would lose 25% of their season-ticket holders in one season.  If you assume a non-student ticket holder base at 8,000, a reduction of 2,000 would be a loss of 25% in one year.  As further evidence, I didn't even move any closer this year  

[flash]

I've yet to run into someone else who had Fanatics tickets as a grad student.  Not saying it doesn't happen, or doesn't happen often.... but that's just my experience.

I'm a grad student with fanatic tickets, and I'm the only one I know who got them. 

[bradley center bat]

Fantatics were 4,100 and I don't think it has changed much.

That number is a bit high.

[Galway Eagle]

I've yet to run into someone else who had Fanatics tickets as a grad student.  Not saying it doesn't happen, or doesn't happen often.... but that's just my experience.

Knew a couple.

[source?]

I've yet to run into someone else who had Fanatics tickets as a grad student.  Not saying it doesn't happen, or doesn't happen often.... but that's just my experience.

I have fanatics tickets as a grad student. I know several other law students who do too.

[mu_hilltopper]

Where was this discussed? Why do you think that is the case?

Dr. Blackheart brought it up.  Attendance for the WLC game was 12,160, and let's just say 160 tickets were "walk up" purchases, which may be generous.  So the STH base this season is 12,000.

Last year, the lowest announced game was 13,400 for Grambling.  Again, little chance there were many if any walk-up sales.

So .. STHs likely went down about 1,400 tickets from last year, plus or minus, about -11.5%. 

The bloom is really off the rose for the MUBB product.   You gladly handed over $60 for two lower bowl seats to watch the Notre Dame, Syracuse, Louisville, Pitt, UConn, Cincy games, and you bought those cupcakes you didn't want to see, just so you had a good seat for the ~9-10 great games.  Not to mention the annual donation request.

Now you're dropping $70 per game, you've got only 4-5 decent games on the schedule, have a team that didn't even make the freaking NIT last year, coach and AD deserts the ship, and suddenly just going through the secondary market for the solid games makes a lot more economic sense.

Losing 10%+ of your regular customers doesn't surprise me.

[Coleman]

Dr. Blackheart brought it up.  Attendance for the WLC game was 12,160, and let's just say 160 tickets were "walk up" purchases, which may be generous.  So the STH base this season is 12,000.

Last year, the lowest announced game was 13,400 for Grambling.  Again, little chance there were many if any walk-up sales.

So .. STHs likely went down about 1,400 tickets from last year, plus or minus, about -11.5%. 

The bloom is really off the rose for the MUBB product.   You gladly handed over $60 for two lower bowl seats to watch the Notre Dame, Syracuse, Louisville, Pitt, UConn, Cincy games, and you bought those cupcakes you didn't want to see, just so you had a good seat for the ~9-10 great games.  Not to mention the annual donation request.

Now you're dropping $70 per game, you've got only 4-5 decent games on the schedule, have a team that didn't even make the freaking NIT last year, coach and AD deserts the ship, and suddenly just going through the secondary market for the solid games makes a lot more economic sense.

Losing 10%+ of your regular customers doesn't surprise me.

This makes sense. I still pay for tickets up front (vs. secondary market), but I have switched to the weekend game mini-plans. Those are the only games I want to go to anyway, and I live in Chicago so weeknight games don't make sense for me. I suspect there are many people like me.

[77ncaachamps]

As was discussed in another thread, MU likely lost 1500-2000 season ticket holders since last season. 

And VT gained 1500-2000!

[🏀]

That number is a bit high.

As long as the section hasn't decreased since 2008, it's spot on.

I've put too much crap on those seats before games.

[TallTitan34]

For what it's worth I think there may have been a pretty decent walk up crowd.  Wisconsin Lutheran was well represented in the upper deck.  They even had a student section up there.

[mu_hilltopper]

For what it's worth I think there may have been a pretty decent walk up crowd.  Wisconsin Lutheran was well represented in the upper deck.  They even had a student section up there.

Yikes .. if true, that makes the STH decrease even bigger..

[nathanziarek]

We had to move to worse seats for the third year in a row. Two under grad degrees, a masters, 11 years of season ticket holder points and a tiny donation this year ... if we're losing Season Ticket holders, they're doing a good job of snapping up the seats I want.

[GOO]

We had to move to worse seats for the third year in a row. Two under grad degrees, a masters, 11 years of season ticket holder points and a tiny donation this year ... if we're losing Season Ticket holders, they're doing a good job of snapping up the seats I want.

I think at the top there is little dropping of tickets.  A total guess on my part, but I suspect that there is a hardcore 7K tickets that rarely get cancelled in any meaningful amount.  I know I didn't move up to better seats this year...  got about the same as I have the last few years. 

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Can someone explain the big boy season ticket process to me for when I graduate after this year? Im kinda lost. You can PM me if it's easier too.

[jsglow]

Happy to Chitown.  I'm sure I'll miss a few details but this will be close enough.

Of course you know that tickets come in different price levels and, more importantly, different required Blue/Gold donation requirements.  In the Upper Deck, from about the baseline through the entire non-student endzone, no donation is required at all.  Lowest price season ticket is $125 I believe.

Anyway, for EXISTING season ticket holders we go through re-seating every June.  (Used to be ever 2 years. Damn tax law.)  We are assigned a place in the re-seating line based on a number of factors.  MU degree, check.  Consecutive years with season tix, check.  Donations to both Athletics and other MU stuff, check.  You get the idea.  Then when your time comes up, you go online and pick your seats in real time via the computer.  Well, you can't pick your EXACT seats (damn tax law again) but you pick section/row and preference (aisle, middle).  So that's how we renew.  Pay all at once or in monthly installments and the nice envelop arrives in October.

As a NEW season ticket holder, your window opens AFTER we have done re-seating.  Of course you're the bottom of the barrel.  You don't think you can have Jump Around Guy's seats do you?  He's earned 'em.  But there will be plenty available and typically younger alums want to go for something a little lower priced.  I have argued (unofficially) that a new grad ought to buy the $125 seats and then sit with his friends in the student section for a year or so.  Upper deck of course as I know the ushers check over there.

Then AFTER new season tickets have been on sale for awhile, the Mini Plans start followed by the single game tickets. And so it goes.

Oh, and one thing to add.  Season ticket holders get first dibs on additional seats before the general public does.  I think the limit is 8.  We again bought tickets for our friends for the Bucky game on our account.  That way they get better seats than they would have otherwise.  We also got good seats for the Al Game for ourselves using the same logic.  (Al Game not part of this year's package.)  

[Tugg Speedman]

I agree ticketholders bailed after last and that was great for me.  Enough good seats opened up that I moved up to very good seats.

Thank you fickle fans.  Enjoy the 400 section in a few years when they are good again and you want back in.

[jsglow]

I agree ticketholders bailed after last and that was great for me.  Enough good seats opened up that I moved up to very good seats.

Thank you fickle fans.  Enjoy the 400 section in a few years when they are good again and you want back in.

Actually, short of actual courtside, chick and I think we have the very best seats in the house.  We're you in 400 before Heisenberg?