Captain 14
- The Last Best Place
Empty airline seat = empty hotel room = empty stadium seat = zero revenue. Can't warehouse 'em.Same with hotel rooms
Empty airline seat = empty hotel room = empty stadium seat = zero revenue. Can't warehouse 'em.Same with hotel rooms
First, hopefully there is a sellout, but I still don’t understand why what Kansas does is relevant — especially when a sellout at both places is not an apples to apples comparison. As mentioned earlier, their stadium seats 13,000 less and they are less than an hour from a large metropolitan area. Both schools started with essentially the same base attendance number — about 37,000 in first game. The Illini’s number dropped after a loss to Indiana in a way — long drive in last minutes of the game — that many probably saw as “so Illinois.” This while Kansas has remained undefeated. And if the numbers I saw Wednesday morning were correct — about 13,000 seats remaining — Illini have sold as many tickets and the revenue from those tickets is quite a bit higher than what Kansas has received. But I think the answer as to why the game hasn’t sold out yet (though hopefully it will) can be traced to this conversation. The fan’s and general public’s perception of the program has eroded to the point that Illinois’s most loyal fans are using the vaunted Kansas football program as a measuring stick.Its very relevant to note, if they can do it, why can't / don't we?
It takes time to get cause-related marketing deals and donations in place. I wrote about this in a earlier post, but DIA is trying to balance budget implications with maximizing getting butts in the seats. The “insane level of fandom” is only concerning itself with the butts in the seats side of the equation. In general, I’d say not blindly following advice from people on a fan forum who are only concerned with one side of the equation is probably a good thing. Many are comparing Kansas’ sellout with the Illini’s efforts to do the same. As of Weds morning, I believe the total tickets sold by both institutions was about equal, but the revenue generated from Illinois ticket sales was significantly more.Finally. They could’ve added 4 days of ticket sales if they just listened to this board‘s advice last Sunday.
Listen DIA, people on this board posses an insane level of fandom to be this present during the horrible seasons. If “we” think prices are too high - prices are too high.
Yeah but isn’t the idea behind this that the credit union covered a good bit if not all of the difference? In that case you drop the price as low as you can to get people in.$27.25 is a little too cheap for my tastes. I would have bought them if they were around $40.
EyeoftheIllini said: What is it with the fixation with Kansas? They’re 2 states away and in a different conference. Is it just because they used to be bad and now have seemingly turned the corner like the Illini? Not sure that warrants the other comparisons. But I’ve seen Kansas mentioned more in this thread than combined in 3 thread drifts about Bill Self leaving in the basketball topic section. |
I simply thought the KU yardstick is convenient b/c, like us, they've been largely woeful since a high water mark in 2007, and now are suddenly relevant. As someone else pointed out, however, they're not exactly suitable as an attendance comparison b/c KC is so close. It's ~ 40 miles to downtown and the same to, say, Overland Park in the south suburbs. (I did work in Overland Park and Lanexa, KS throughout 2010 and used to drive over to Lawrence occasionally b/c it's a charming little college town.) Topeka is only 30 miles away.First, hopefully there is a sellout, but I still don’t understand why what Kansas does is relevant — especially when a sellout at both places is not an apples to apples comparison. As mentioned earlier, their stadium seats 13,000 less and they are less than an hour from a large metropolitan area. Both schools started with essentially the same base attendance number — about 37,000 in first game. The Illini’s number dropped after a loss to Indiana in a way — long drive in last minutes of the game — that many probably saw as “so Illinois.” This while Kansas has remained undefeated. And if the numbers I saw Wednesday morning were correct — about 13,000 seats remaining — Illini have sold as many tickets and the revenue from those tickets is quite a bit higher than what Kansas has received. But I think the answer as to why the game hasn’t sold out yet (though hopefully it will) can be traced to this conversation. The fan’s and general public’s perception of the program has eroded to the point that Illinois’s most loyal fans are using the vaunted Kansas football program as a measuring stick.
I suppose we should also factor in that the Chicago population is roughly 5x that of Kansas City, but I think you're still probably right overall.I simply thought the KU yardstick is convenient b/c, like us, they've been largely woeful since a high water mark in 2007, and now are suddenly relevant. As someone else pointed out, however, they're not exactly suitable as an attendance comparison b/c KC is so close. It's ~ 40 miles to downtown and the same to, say, Overland Park in the south suburbs. (I did work in Overland Park and Lanexa, KS throughout 2010 and used to drive over to Lawrence occasionally b/c it's a charming little college town.) Topeka is only 30 miles away.
40 miles That's the distance from Champaign to Decatur. It's a much heavier lift from Illini fans to drive from Chicago, even the south burbs, or Indy or StL, and especially so for a night game. Much easier, IMO, for KU to ramp up attendance given those convenient travel times.
That's a good point. + KU Lawrence is a smaller campus than UIUC, with only around 20k undergrads, and so 1/3 fewer undergrad alums than we generate annually. In terms of generating sporting excitement and ability to draw butts to seats, however, it seems that KU would have the upper hand given the proximity to KC. And KU's Memorial stadium is easier to fill, as it seats 47k; ours holds 61k, which is 30% more.I suppose we should also factor in that the Chicago population is roughly 5x that of Kansas City, but I think you're still probably right overall.
I understand the comparison to Kansas as to where the two programs are right now — second year coaches have seemingly turned around the programs or at least have them headed in the right direction. But the attendance/sellout comparison is just plain silly.
EyeoftheIllini said:
What is it with the fixation with Kansas? They’re 2 states away and in a different conference. Is it just because they used to be bad and now have seemingly turned the corner like the Illini? Not sure that warrants the other comparisons. But I’ve seen Kansas mentioned more in this thread than combined in 3 thread drifts about Bill Self leaving in the basketball topic section.
I don’t think It’s a fixation but rather a watermark of national interest. The Illini aren’t currently getting love like Kansas but there is hope there is room for us nationally if we win. I also think it’s possible for kansas to go on a losing streak (btw, it was fluky Iowa state doinked it twice and miss a third FG). I think Illinois beats them regardless of venue, strictly from an X&Os football standpoint.
I appreciate thier fan base for coming out to support them. It reminds me when I lived in KC and the Royals turned the corner. They want to be proud of their teams. In many ways they remind me of our fanbase. Unfortunately, Illinois fan base has the unique ability to turn into Eeyore after years of bad coaching and AD mismanagement. Thankfully, I can say I’ll be attending my 3rd game of the season this Saturday while living 300miles from Champaign. Not all fans are ready to commit like I have but I think they are close.
Don't know how many here read Robert on IlliniBoard, but I assume a high percentage. I assumed the Kansas stuff originated there, where he has posted about the ranking drought. Longest spell used to be KU but they just broke it. Now it is Illinois who has gone the longest without being ranked. To be hopefully rectified in the near future.First, hopefully there is a sellout, but I still don’t understand why what Kansas does is relevant — especially when a sellout at both places is not an apples to apples comparison. As mentioned earlier, their stadium seats 13,000 less and they are less than an hour from a large metropolitan area. Both schools started with essentially the same base attendance number — about 37,000 in first game. The Illini’s number dropped after a loss to Indiana in a way — long drive in last minutes of the game — that many probably saw as “so Illinois.” This while Kansas has remained undefeated. And if the numbers I saw Wednesday morning were correct — about 13,000 seats remaining — Illini have sold as many tickets and the revenue from those tickets is quite a bit higher than what Kansas has received. But I think the answer as to why the game hasn’t sold out yet (though hopefully it will) can be traced to this conversation. The fan’s and general public’s perception of the program has eroded to the point that Illinois’s most loyal fans are using the vaunted Kansas football program as a measuring stick.
I agree completely, but I don’t absolve the DIA for this fiasco that’s resulted in public pleas from the coach and AD to attend the games which publicly advertises a lack of fan support when I believe the fan support is there and has always been there - the problem is the prices.It takes time to get cause-related marketing deals and donations in place. I wrote about this in a earlier post, but DIA is trying to balance budget implications with maximizing getting butts in the seats. The “insane level of fandom” is only concerning itself with the butts in the seats side of the equation. In general, I’d say not blindly following advice from people on a fan forum who are only concerned with one side of the equation is probably a good thing. Many are comparing Kansas’ sellout with the Illini’s efforts to do the same. As of Weds morning, I believe the total tickets sold by both institutions was about equal, but the revenue generated from Illinois ticket sales was significantly more.
Illini keep playing well and the sellouts will come. And they will come without generating a deficit in the ticket revenue line.
Not sure it's fair to say fan support has always been there but has just been hindered by price. We've had games over the past few years where tickets are less than $10 and the stadium is still empty.I agree completely, but I don’t absolve the DIA for this fiasco that’s resulted in public pleas from the coach and AD to attend the games which publicly advertises a lack of fan support when I believe the fan support is there and has always been there - the problem is the prices.
This has been an ongoing issue through the whole season. The DIA needed to address this in the week leading up to the VA game with a solution that would work for the remainder of the season. Instead they just gave away free tickets to the UVA game without meaningful strategic adjustments.
The result is now Illini FB fan support is perceived as a program hurdle which I completely disagree with, and it is 100% the DIA’s fault imo.
Yes. Smart man. Let's hope for 101.FWIW, here’s my text conversation today with my buddy from work who is an Iowa alumnus.
View attachment 20355
Keep stackin those seats peeps!!Yes. Smart man. Let's hope for 101.
I’m not saying the DIA is perfect nor do I know how its or the university’s budgets are set, but they have a revenue goal for ticket sales to meet that I’d guess is basically given to them. They put together a plan to meet that, and part of that plan was to make the Iowa game — because of its inherent appeal as a hated rival — a premium priced game (no reduced price ticket packages). I believe most if not all of the other games have such packages. That means they are counting on this game to be integral in achieving their revenue goals.I agree completely, but I don’t absolve the DIA for this fiasco that’s resulted in public pleas from the coach and AD to attend the games which publicly advertises a lack of fan support when I believe the fan support is there and has always been there - the problem is the prices.
This has been an ongoing issue through the whole season. The DIA needed to address this in the week leading up to the VA game with a solution that would work for the remainder of the season. Instead they just gave away free tickets to the UVA game without meaningful strategic adjustments.
The result is now Illini FB fan support is perceived as a program hurdle which I completely disagree with, and it is 100% the DIA’s fault imo.