Blue & Gold Hospitality at FiFo

[Benny B]

I haven't been paying attention - and I can't seem to find anything definitive online - but is MU going to replicate the B&G hospitality rooms at the BC over at the FiFo?  The donor award chart lists:

"Invitation to Blue & Gold Game Day Brunch" at the $500 donor level
"Ability to Request Mezzanine Club Passes" at $4,000
"Ability to Request Marquette Room Passes" at $12,000

Not really sure what the Game Day Brunch, Mezz Club and Marquette Room are supposed to be, let alone how they compare to the old hospitality rooms at the BC.  Anyone have any insight?

[Smokin' Jae]

Can't speak for sure with how it will work for MU games yet but I can speak for the bucks. The Marquette room is the BMO club which is all inclusive, food is great and drinks are strong. The players locker room is just outside of the club and you can watch the players run out. Used to be called the fiduciary club room at the BMO and was only available to people in row AAA.
The Mez club is the level in between the main concourse and first floor atrium, I would liken it to the courtside club at the BMO, exclusive area with cash bar and some free snacks available. The Mez club doesn't serve much of a purpose to me as I like the atmosphere of the main concourse better, but if you are looking for a quieter more exclusive area with nicer bathrooms than the Mez club is for you.

[Babybluejeans]

Is "FiFo" a thing?

[BrewCity83]

Do they give us a place to hang our coats, like the old "Blue and Gold Room"?

[Benny B]

Is "FiFo" a thing?

It will be in a few months. 

[alexius23]

No Blue & Gold Room. Mildly bummed...

[ChuckyChip]

For the Mezzanine Club (formerly know as the Courtside Club at the BC) they now scan your pass and then put a wristband on you.  I assume that this is to prevent people from giving their passes to others.  Seems like it could create a bottleneck at move heavily attended games.  That said, the club space was very nice, with a nice sampling of concessions available, plus the usual "light" snacks.

[brewcity77]

I haven't been paying attention - and I can't seem to find anything definitive online - but is MU going to replicate the B&G hospitality rooms at the BC over at the FiFo?

This has been one of my gripes. When I picked up my plastic bag yesterday, they said the room at the South end of the 100 level concourse was open to season ticket holders. Not sure what will be offered there, but there is another viewing area that is apparently STH only (I'm sure all what, 8,000 of us will fit comfortably?).

The only coat check I saw was $2/coat check around section 120 or so, somewhat near the Bango bench.

Probably my biggest disappointment with this venue is the lack of a comparable B&G room option. Jumping that donor level from $500 to $4,000 is pretty massive.

[Ardmore Mug]

+1000   

[mu_hilltopper]

.. they said the room at the South end of the 100 level concourse was open to season ticket holders. Not sure what will be offered there, but there is another viewing area that is apparently STH only..

We went to it .. I think it was near Sec 103.  It's a nice room/lounge with a few couches and a desk (they handed out the plastic bags.)   You could look out the window to the game, and a door went out to a viewing area, except it was just a corridor at the back of some sections.

It might fit 50ish people .. no coat racks, etc.

And no one checked for a pass/ticket.  Was open to any riff raff.

[TheGym]

We used the Mezzanine club yesterday and it is a nice place to hangout before the game.  It makes it a lot easier to get to our seats.  We will probably be in the concourse at halftime as someone else said the vibe in the concourse is much better.  FYI, the Mezzanine Club has a coat check room as well.

[brewcity77]

We went to it .. I think it was near Sec 103.  It's a nice room/lounge with a few couches and a desk (they handed out the plastic bags.)   You could look out the window to the game, and a door went out to a viewing area, except it was just a corridor at the back of some sections.

It might fit 50ish people .. no coat racks, etc.

And no one checked for a pass/ticket.  Was open to any riff raff.

I'm hoping that was because all the STHs were waiting for plastic bags. But while the view is better, I definitely so far appreciate the coat check and snack/beer options from the B&G Room better.

[Windyplayer]

Is "FiFo" a thing?

I like it!

[StillAWarrior]

Is "FiFo" a thing?

Reminds me of a old joke about Mike Tyson -- and apparently even Michael Spinks before that.

Using that as a reference, maybe we can call it "Studio 54"

[Benny B]

Probably my biggest disappointment with this venue is the lack of a comparable B&G room option. Jumping that donor level from $500 to $4,000 is pretty massive.

It would be interesting to ascertain whether this was a decision influenced primarily by internal or external factors, IOW, did MU consciously make the decision to eliminate the B&G Room at the FiFo or were circumstances outside their control.

I can understand if they eliminated it because there simply isn't ~3,000 SF of available space for it, but if they simply decided to go the NYC-hedge-fund "let's make things more exclusive" route in the new digs, then that would be troubling, especially given the timing of recent tax changes on deductibility/priority points.  If you want to raise the bar, great... do it slowly.  Doesn't have to be the snail's pace of $250 to $500 over the last ten years, but at least hit $750 on the way to $1,000 and subsequent round numbers to lessen the blow, if for no other reason that your $500 giving range is predominantly your younger donors*... alienate them, and you're not going to be able to replace the sweatervests as they begin to fade and fray.

Still trying to understand WTF the "Gameday Brunch" is that we commoners are entitled to.

*EDIT: Speculating here.  If the majority of $500/year donors are sweatervests, it might be time to look into some different fundraising strategies.

[cheebs09]

Based on the tour, it sounded like the $4K Mezzanine access was what took the place of the B&G club. I have no idea what it took to get in the BC B&G club room, but they made it sound like it was the same thing just a different name. I'm guessing $4K is more of a commitment than in the past.

[Benny B]

Based on the tour, it sounded like the $4K Mezzanine access was what took the place of the B&G club. I have no idea what it took to get in the BC B&G club room, but they made it sound like it was the same thing just a different name. I'm guessing $4K is more of a commitment than in the past.

It was $500 last year.  It was $250 at least until about 2010 or so.

[T-Bone]

Champagne Room at Art's just requires you to donate your last shred of dignity.  It's a bargain.

[GooooMarquette]

Is "FiFo" a thing?

Honestly, I would prefer just "the Forum." Or maybe "the Forvm" if we want to be more traditional.

[brewcity77]

If you want to raise the bar, great... do it slowly.  Doesn't have to be the snail's pace of $250 to $500 over the last ten years, but at least hit $750 on the way to $1,000 and subsequent round numbers to lessen the blow, if for no other reason that your $500 giving range is predominantly your younger donors*... alienate them, and you're not going to be able to replace the sweatervests as they begin to fade and fray.

This exactly. Even if it jumps from $500 to $1,000 or $1,500 that will encourage people. Those that were donating a little extra to get to $500 might be willing to ante up to get to those numbers, but getting to $4,000 is crazy.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Champagne Keystone Light Room at Art's just requires you to donate your last shred of dignity.  It's a bargain.

FIFY

[jsglow]

Based on the tour, it sounded like the $4K Mezzanine access was what took the place of the B&G club. I have no idea what it took to get in the BC B&G club room, but they made it sound like it was the same thing just a different name. I'm guessing $4K is more of a commitment than in the past.

Okay, here's the scoop guys.  The Courtside Club in the old BMO was in the moderate 4 figures.  The Blue and Gold 'coatroom' with the Chex party mix was maybe $500.  Those two experiences were night and day different.  On top of that, within the old Courtside was the Marquette Room which was where the true high rollers were.  But apart from free booze and food, they really didn't get an experience better than regular Courtside members like chick and me except for the fact that Joe True was even nicer to them. 

In the new Fiserv, the equivalent to the Courtside where the players mingle and run through (I'm pretty sure it's the BMO Club) starts with a 5 figure annual donation.  We opted out.  The Mezzanine Club is priced roughly where Courtside had been but without the ability to hang with the boys.

Hope that gives everyone sufficient clarity.

[brewcity77]

I didn't think it was that complex, but jumping the baseline booster room experience from $500 to $4,000 is a significant hike.

[jsglow]

I didn't think it was that complex, but jumping the baseline booster room experience from $500 to $4,000 is a significant hike.

Agreed.

Look, if anyone thinks Fiserv wasn't coming with a price increase.......

[Benny B]

Agreed.

Look, if anyone thinks Fiserv wasn't coming with a price increase.......

Aside from the fact that fundraising has zero anything to do with the rental costs of a new arena, the ticket prices didn't jump 8x.  Again, a 50% or 100% bump is justifiable... but unless MU has a bunch of cheapskates* sitting at the $500, this has all the marks of exclusivity strategy, i.e. "let's raise a lot more money from the high rollers," instead of a general rising tide strategy, i.e. "let's raise a little more from everyone."

At some point, B&G has to recognize that Millennials are going to be their base 20 years from now, and given that they have proven to be an extremely difficult nut to crack, they really need to start building those relationships now.  Not to mention, alienating Gen X - who I would presume makes up a big portion of that "I can do $500, but WTF is up with the $4,000 ask?!?" today isn't going to help a cohort that seems like it's finally willing to look past the massive DP ("DiUlio-Potawatomi") it took back in '94.

In short, I really hope B&G isn't selling out the future to get a few years of revenue boosts.

*That's an official fundraising term for people who donate a lot less than they can afford.