About seating in the SUNDOME

[Bull Matrix]

Do you think they can maybe open up that section for the students ever again since we are heading to the BIG EAST?? I know that UL and some other schools in C-USA complained to take away the student seating behind the visiting bench. Hell, if that does not work then we should just move all the students to the other side of the court that is away from the team benches like Pitt and Duke have their set up. That way we can have that whole side filled up with students standing up and cheering for the team. To be honest, that section behind the visiting bench looks embarrasing at times. Those donors need to start showing up or lose their seats. Put them behind the baskets since they dont show up.

[Omniscientbull]

Until students start supporting this program on a regular basis I don't think you have grounds to be complaining or asking people who give $2,000 per year as a donation plus $26 per game per ticket to move.

[USFMikeB]

There's an NCAA rule about the rows directly gehind the visitor's bench, if I recall correctly...

[bigbull]

Yeah there is....Especially in the BE and I believe the first 2 rows are reserved for the other team in the BE

[Velcro]

Until students start supporting this program on a regular basis I don't think you have grounds to be complaining or asking people who give $2,000 per year as a donation plus $26 per game per ticket to move.

I'll take that one step further... the answer is no... they'd possibly give studetns other sections, but not that one.  Pretty much the entire bottom level's season ticket sections are sold out!  Considering the donations and ticket costs associated, as omni said, that is a ton of money per year to lose if we were to put free tickets in that section.  It won't happen.  The studetns have 2 sections down low, plus the end zone and the entire section in level 2 above that.  If anything, if we get that much support consistently to need more than those 1500 seats, which would be awesome... they'd give the students seats that don't generate huge revenue, like the upper rim (3rd level) or a portion of the 2nd level, maybe above the home end zone.  

one lower section is about 20 seats wide x 10-12 rows.

200-240 seats x 2000 bucks ($400k - $480k) is an aweful amount of money to give up.  (yes, many donors would probably still give the same amount regardless, since it goes towards football tix anyway, but the point is still the same)

[79 Bull]

Velcro is right.  The point is we are too deep in with donors buying those seats as season tix to change them to student seats now.  I always wonder who those donors are in that section - E1.  They must be corporate seats or some special category like that because they have a good 60% no show rate compared to only about 20% no shows for the season tix on the other side.

[Brad]

Perhaps they're part of the group that hugely expanded the donor base when football came to be.  It could be they are giving their $2,000 (or more) for good football tickets (which they avidly attend) and just buy the hoops tickets because they can.  They don't look at it like they spent $2000 on basketball - so they're not invested in the program in that sense.  Not being big hoops fans, they're content to wait for either a Top 25 team or something as big as Big East play.  

Since the donation covers seating in both sports, it would not surprise me at all.  

For a long time I sat in the section near the floor directly across from the Bulls bench (C or D? I can't remember) and was amazed at the number of no-shows in that section even (one of the older season ticket sections).  

I know it is worse behind the visitor's bench.  The owners of those seats are likely in the bandwagon category - we start to win, they start to come to the games.

[Velcro]

I agree... that is what i guess part of them are... but they are still donors who own those seats.  Unless they all can get lower level seats somewhere else in the arena... they wouldn't be happy if we just took their seats away and gave em to students.  It just wouldn't happen.  It would be great to see student support that high, but they'll have to accept that the more students we have, the higher up in the arena they'll have to sit.  Just get there early!

[Brad]

I agree... that is what i guess part of them are... but they are still donors who own those seats.  Unless they all can get lower level seats somewhere else in the arena... they wouldn't be happy if we just took their seats away and gave em to students.  It just wouldn't happen.  

Whoa!  I'm not suggesting anyone take their seats - I was just trying to explain the no-show...last I heard, it's almost impossible to get two seats together in the lower sections now...so even moving current donors is out of the question.  

I'm sure the shoe has been on the other foot numerous times - paying donors want better seats - yet they see a near-empty student section and wonder what gives -  Why can't I get those?

I'd worry about getting the students there on a consistant basis and create a real demand for the first level tickets - who knows maybe they might even camp-out, form a local law enforecement organization and elect a Sheriff to over see the mass of students in line for prioirty seating.

Demand needs to exceed supply....had that happened 10-15 years ago on a consistant basis, there might be more student sections today.

modified by Bulliever to correct typing

[Velcro]

I know you weren't saying to take their seats... but that was the initial question...  "are we ever going to give those seats to the students?"  

So i was just making my own connections