Football Ticket Renewals - CU May Have Lost A Season Ticket Holder

[The Alabaster Yak]

You kinda seem to be downplaying the negativity by saying people are going to go to some games anyway, which I only highlight because that appears to part of the attitude from the AD.

I’m saying that the decision to raise ticket prices isn’t some idiotic move of a tone deaf AD. It’s calculated as they know they will establish a new base price and they also look at 2023 and know they will sell a bunch of tickets because of the home schedule.

I am in full agreement that they will have to put a better product on the field to get some fans to return and naturally purchase season tickets again. That’s the case whether they raise prices this year or not

Some people here are acting like this AD is being run like the Rockies, where the product on the field isn’t important because they are printing money anyways. That’s not the case

 

[Duff Man]

I’m saying that the decision to raise ticket prices isn’t some idiotic move of a tone deaf AD. It’s calculated as they know they will establish a new base price and they also look at 2023 and know they will sell a bunch of tickets because of the home schedule.

I am in full agreement that they will have to put a better product on the field to get some fans to return and naturally purchase season tickets again. That’s the case whether they raise prices this year or not

Some people here are acting like this AD is being run like the Rockies, where the product on the field isn’t important because they are printing money anyways. That’s not the case

I don't think it is idiotic, but not necessarily 5D chess either. Yeah, NU, CSU, and USC are on the schedule, but the other three home games are:

Arizona
Oregon State
Stanford

Even if you make people purchase bundles and/or season tickets (very likely), those non-marquee games are the type of games where the stadium is half empty. Even with tickets sold, the bottom line still takes a major hit.

 

[MiamiBuffs]

If he has good beer and snacks he can get a couple of friends to come over and stand next to him while he pees in the bathtub.

wifey no likey

 

[goalline]

wifey no likey

So you tried it before?

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

I don't think it is idiotic, but not necessarily 5D chess either. Yeah, NU, CSU, and USC are on the schedule, but the other three home games are:

Arizona
Oregon State
Stanford

Even if you make people purchase bundles and/or season tickets (very likely), those non-marquee games are the type of games where the stadium is half empty. Even with tickets sold, the bottom line still takes a major hit.

Sure, which was going to be the case regardless of ticket prices.

 

[MiamiBuffs]

So you tried it before?

She wasnt home

 

[MtnBuff]

So you tried it before?

You would think the wifey would prefer it.

Drunk enough he has a much better chance of hitting it.

 

[Duff Man]

Sure, which was going to be the case regardless of ticket prices.

To a point. I think the AD might have gotten a warped mood of the fanbase from 2021 attendance though.

 

[SewallBeach]

To a point. I think the AD might have gotten a warped mood of the fanbase from 2021 attendance though.

Leadership in the ticket office has been the same for 15 years (outside of a new AAD in 2019 and the previous AAD is still in house). You may be right, but it would only be due to incompetence.

 

[Buffalo Brad]

Buff fans will turn out to both of those games in 2023 regardless what happens this season, probably including yourself and most here who are giving up their season tickets

You severely overestimate my desire to see the team I really do love and care about getting embarrassed weekly. I will not be at any of those games and even the Ewes in Folsom will most likely be a toss up at best. Has nothing to do with the rise in prices as much as it does with how bad the program is and where it will be headed. Money will go to Hoops and maybe visiting an iconic stadium each season to see a game. If CU decides to ever get serious again, I will jump back in.

 

[rosstr]

It's a gamble, but they also know Colorado is a fairweather sports state with every sport, college or pro, except for the Broncos who are essentially bulletproof. Tickets will be sold again if the program starts winning, and if it doesn't, then they are going to lose the current season ticket holders anyways.

This comment will surely receive pushback, but people here act as if the AD is tone deaf with raising ticket prices. I assure you, they are not. It's 100% a calculated move where they have decided the non-renewals lost are worth establishing the new baseline cost for season tickets and donations and may even be revenue neutral in the near term with the people who DO renew making up for it. Will be interesting to compare 2021 to 2022 revenue this time next year.

Lol Plati, RG are the definition of tone deaf. Toss Cardboard Karl in there as well. How these people have jobs after this long would only happen in a government entity.

 

[rosstr]

But you believe they are driving die hard season ticket holders away by increasing the cost, and while that might be true for some, most people are giving them up because, as you said, they are becoming generally more fair weather and deciding they wanted to do something different with their Saturday afternoons. Most of those people were leaving anyways, so increasing the cost, establishing a new baseline and making up for that lost revenue with the increased cost on the people who have decided to renew and anyone new fans who decide to buy is probably the best strategy.

I agree that they aren't getting the long term, die hards back without putting a winning product on the field, and even then, I bet many people here will decide the TV product is better and they like having their Fall Saturdays without an obligation. If they start winning, they'll attract new fans along with some of the old.

And yes, I believe many of you who gave up season tix this year will either get back in next year or at least buy whatever 4 game pack is required to get Nebraska and CSU tickets. Can we please stop pretending those two opponents aren't the most anticipated games of any season they are on the schedule? Both will be effective sellouts.

You are so cavalier about losing customers. Any successful business knows how truly terrifying it is to lose a single customer let alone thousands, and how unbelievably difficult it is to win one back.

But CUAD is not a successful business. We already know this.

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

You are so cavalier about losing customers. Any successful business knows how truly terrifying it is to lose a single customer let alone thousands, and how unbelievably difficult it is to win one back.

But CUAD is not a successful business. We already know this.

My point is they know they are going to lose customers no matter what. It’s what happens for most sports teams when they aren’t good. Keeping ticket prices the same isn’t going to stop that.

Doing what makes sense from a financial standpoint in the near term can be separate from the ultimate goal of fixing the football product.

 

[rosstr]

My point is they know they are going to lose customers no matter what. It’s what happens for most sports teams when they aren’t good. Keeping ticket prices the same isn’t going to stop that.

Doing what makes sense from a financial standpoint in the near term can be separate from the ultimate goal of fixing the football product.

I’d argue that ‘unlinking’ financial success from your product’s success will lose you more money short and long term. Destroying your customer base to harvest a non-guaranteed little extra profit is massively foolish

 

[MiamiBuffs]

You are so cavalier about losing customers. Any successful business knows how truly terrifying it is to lose a single customer let alone thousands, and how unbelievably difficult it is to win one back.

But CUAD is not a successful business. We already know this.

This.

When I was in sales we never got customers back that left.

Those of us steeped in the CU football of the 1990s are their target audience too. Were connected to the tradition years. Were in our prime income years as well but were also starting to get old. We grew up watching college football as kids and likely chose CU because of their success. We didnt have an iphone the day we were born. The next generations saw crappy teams, watched more tiktok or played video games instead of watching football. And they have no disposable income (or a house) right now because of their student loans.

The future aint rosy. Why they are throwing us away with a price increase and also not improving the product is dumb.

I’d argue that ‘unlinking’ financial success from your product’s success will lose you more money short and long term. Destroying your customer base to harvest a non-guaranteed little extra profit is massively foolish

Even if they were good again Im not sure I would go back. Its expensive. Costs me the entire day. None of my friends go anymore. You can see more on TV. Why should I sign up?

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

I’d argue that ‘unlinking’ financial success from your product’s success will lose you more money short and long term. Destroying your customer base to harvest a non-guaranteed little extra profit is massively foolish

Again, you believe that raising ticket prices is driving away season ticket holders and I am saying the ones who are leaving were leaving regardless.

 

[rosstr]

Again, you believe that raising ticket prices is driving away season ticket holders and I am saying the ones who are leaving were leaving regardless.

I can guarantee that raising ticket prices will drive thousands of people already dissatisfied into not purchasing the product at all. Literally. I guarantee.

 

[Not Sure]

Again, you believe that raising ticket prices is driving away season ticket holders and I am saying the ones who are leaving were leaving regardless.

That’s an easy argument to make because there’s no way to test the theory. Maybe some were going to leave anyway. Maybe not. No way to tell. Bottom line is that’s it’s incredibly bad optics to raise prices while delivering a subpar product. There are some folks, like me, who will pay it and rip into the poor kid who has the misfortune of taking our phone call. There are others who view a rate increase as the final straw.
In purely economic terms, all else being equal, when you increase the cost, demand will fall. That’s Econ 101. Whether revenues fall is a function of the difference between how many sales are lost compared to the increased revenue per sale.

 

[MtnBuff]

Again, you believe that raising ticket prices is driving away season ticket holders and I am saying the ones who are leaving were leaving regardless.

Sense I get is that a lot of these people were on the fence. Considering dropping their tickets but they had been in the family for how many years so the people were wondering if they should give it one more year.

Then you hit them with a substantial increase in prices, good way to shove them into not renewing.

And in almost any business it is much more cost effective to keep your current customers than to try to replace them.

 

[rosstr]

Again, you believe that raising ticket prices is driving away season ticket holders and I am saying the ones who are leaving were leaving regardless.

Your scenario: 20k customers. $400 ticket. 2k will not renew due to poor product regardless of price. Raise prices to $500/per because all 18k will still purchase.

My scenario: CUAD is massively misreading the resiliency of its abused customer base. 2k will leave due to poor product. An additional 4k will leave due to poor product and rising cost.

Short term and long term financial sense will bear out in favor of not ****ing your customer after putting out THE literal worst P5 record for two straight decades.

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

Not sure what to tell you guys. Prices increase all the time in sports, even when the fans aren’t getting the product they believe warrants it. This is nothing new. Yes, they will lose some customers strictly because of the increase (I’ve never said they wouldn’t), but I disagree that they are losing double the amount from the price increase than they are from people who are leaving regardless of cost.

I’m not arguing it’s “the right thing to do”, just that they obviously believe the increased revenue from higher prices will cover more lost revenue from non renewals than keeping prices the same. I’ve also mentioned my thoughts on the 2023 season and how it’s likely going to be a financial success for the AD.

This all coincides with the belief that going into 2024, there will be one of two things taking place… 1. Dorrell will have gotten this team to 6+ wins and the product on the field will be in more demand, but with higher ticket prices, or 2. They will have fired Dorrell and there will be the allure of a new coach and better days ahead. Oh, and this also coincides with the new Pac 12 media deal that is going to soften the financial blow to any short term lost ticket and concession revenue.

End of the day, I don’t think it’s some 5D chess move, but there are reasons why that decision was made beyond, “rIcK gEoRgE iS sToOpId”

 

[Ruckus]

Again, you believe that raising ticket prices is driving away season ticket holders and I am saying the ones who are leaving were leaving regardless.

The OP is about dropping tickets due to raised ticket prices. He’s not gonna be the only one.

 

[Gary Indiana]

That may be his strategy, but that doesn't mean it's a good one. You don't just win back longtime, loyal customers who have decided enough is enough. I get that college football fans are not your average consumer, but at the end of the day, that's what they are -- consumers of a product. The season ticket holders aren't cancelling because the home schedule isn't good enough this season. They're cancelling because after several years of paying annually to watch a ****ty product, they decided they'd rather spend their money and their afternoons doing something else. The prospect of paying more to watch the Buffs get skull ****ed by USC next season isn't going to motivate these people to show up again and tell Rick to take all their money. A chance to rub elbows with a **** ton of red polyester clad ****heads isn't going to do it either.

You mentioned earlier that the sports market in Colorado is full of fair weather fans. That's true, and always has been. But fair weather fans don't buy season tickets. Diehard fans do. Fair weather fans buy a ticket to the night game against USC with a Pac 12 title on the line because the team is good. They sure as **** don't buy season tickets simply because Nebraska or CSU is on the schedule.

What is happening here is diehard fans are becoming closer to fair weather fans. These are people who have lived and died with the Buffs since they were kids. Now they'll watch on TV and hope the Buffs do well. Maybe they'll go down and see if they can get a cheap ticket when the weather's nice. But, it's no given that the majority of them are back buying season tickets for anything less than several years of good play on the field.

Maybe I'm wrong, but anything short of the Buffs hiring a huge name as a new head coach, and I don't see CU getting back a lot of these ticket holders for years, if at all.

Very well said and this is my impression as well.

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

The OP is about dropping tickets due to raised ticket prices. He’s not gonna be the only one.

Yeah I acknowledge there will be some who do, mostly due to principal, but I think there are more who drop them because they don’t want to waste their Saturdays anymore and were going to drop them regardless of an increase or not.

 

[rosstr]

Not sure what to tell you guys. Prices increase all the time in sports, even when the fans aren’t getting the product they believe warrants it. This is nothing new. Yes, they will lose some customers strictly because of the increase (I’ve never said they wouldn’t), but I disagree that they are losing double the amount from the price increase than they are from people who are leaving regardless of cost.

I’m not arguing it’s “the right thing to do”, just that they obviously believe the increased revenue from higher prices will cover more lost revenue from non renewals than keeping prices the same. I’ve also mentioned my thoughts on the 2023 season and how it’s likely going to be a financial success for the AD.

This all coincides with the belief that going into 2024, there will be one of two things taking place… 1. Dorrell will have gotten this team to 6+ wins and the product on the field will be in more demand, but with higher ticket prices, or 2. They will have fired Dorrell and there will be the allure of a new coach and better days ahead. Oh, and this also coincides with the new Pac 12 media deal that is going to soften the financial blow to any short term lost ticket and concession revenue.

End of the day, I don’t think it’s some 5D chess move, but there are reasons why that decision was made beyond, “rIcK gEoRgE iS sToOpId”

This dilutes your take into a nothing burger. Like debating whether Biden should have pulled out of Afghanistan. “Well, he had his reasons” Well no ****. His assessment was wrong.

RG may believe he is tacking in the correct direction but his assessment is dead wrong, not only now, but for 2022, 2023 and 2024.

 

[GoBuffs08]

Again, you believe that raising ticket prices is driving away season ticket holders and I am saying the ones who are leaving were leaving regardless.

I didn't renew 4 seats because of the increase. Had pricing stayed the same I would have renewed. If CU showed any signs of improving or actually cared about trying to improve and they increased pricing I would have been fine with paying more. CU sucks and I think it is an insult that the AD wanted me to pay a lot more $ to watch a horrible product that they don't care about improving.

 

[Not Sure]

I have to remind myself constantly that inflation is real and they I’m not the only one experiencing it. I get that costs are increasing for the AD just like they are for everybody else. The fact of the matter is that charging more for a ****ty product is a great way to lose customers. Money is becoming scarce for everybody, and choices will be made regarding spending on hobbies.

 

[PAHIBuff]

Your scenario: 20k customers. $400 ticket. 2k will not renew due to poor product regardless of price. Raise prices to $500/per because all 18k will still purchase.

My scenario: CUAD is massively misreading the resiliency of its abused customer base. 2k will leave due to poor product. An additional 4k will leave due to poor product and rising cost.

Short term and long term financial sense will bear out in favor of not ****ing your customer after putting out THE literal worst P5 record for two straight decades.

Yes to the bolded, I'd just add "misreading the continuing resiliency...." IMO 2021 was the tipping point for a lot of the old guard of long term fans, and up through 2001-2020 the fan base has shown more staying power than I would have thought possible for a sorry deteriorating product. As to the debate over whether the non-renewals are ticket price based or not, I'll tell you honestly that I wouldn't have gone to any individual games last year if the tickets had been Free. I did watch most of the games on TV up to the point that I knew a loss was inevitable. I last had a season ticket for 2 of the MikeMc years but dropped them. Before that I used to attend about 2 or 3 individual home games per year.

The history of CU football from 1986 through 2021 would make a great Harvard Business School study titled "How To Destroy a Successful Brand". Also available in three volume hard copy, $79.95.

Having said all this, consistent success (7 or 8+win seasons) would cure a lot of problems, but the program is digging out of a huge hole. Right now, oddly enough, it's a blessing to be in the PAC 12 where some of the other schools' problems and/or lack of commitments to success are as significant as CUs, and where the zeal for college football overall in the conference is waning. That is Thin Soup for optimism but it is what it is.

 

[Da Lama]

home game threads should have more posters active during the game, since they're not at Folsom. but I expect the negativity will be even more intense than the last few years.

When opponents are curb stompin' our asses on the regular, why wouldn't they be?

 

[hokiehead]

When opponents are curb stompin' our asses on the regular, why wouldn't they be?

no reason I can think of