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**Scott** · November 30, 2018, 02:15 PM

I believe that there are several factors at work here.

1. They have reached a price point that is causing demand to fall - people simply can't afford to pay more $$$$ every year
2. An aging fan base is not being replaced by new fans
3. In person attendance is not as appealing when you have so many options available not only to watch games on tv or online but also all of the other entertainment options available today
4. Large numbers of WSU alumni and potential WSU fans have left Wichita for jobs in other cities

IMO, #2 and #4 are the biggest factors. Take a look around CKA and you can't help but notice that the average WSU men's basketball fan is getting a bit long in the tooth. As existing season ticket holders get too old to attend or are no longer alive, the pool of potential replacement buyers is just not there. Even if you have an interest in buying season tickets for the first time, you will spend a lot of cash for horrible seats and it will take years or decades to move to a better location. Most people are not going to deal with the hassle and expense and will just watch on tv and buy some great seats from Stubhub for one or two games instead.

**ShockerFever** · November 30, 2018, 02:17 PM

Originally posted by WuDrWu View Post

I actually don't believe it has a lot to do with "bandwagoners". I just think it's a tough sell, in today's world of quality broadcasting, to entice people to buy 2 tickets in row 34, where it can be miserably uncomfortable and perhaps have an obstructed view, for $86. I think generally folks that don't mind dropping a C note going to a game want, perhaps even expect, a much better seat.

Actually, you’re right on the money.

You can’t decrease the price of individual tickets, as that screws the season ticket holders out of what they pay for their seats.

WSU is really stretching it with the pricing but the whole production value is still poor at best. The actual on the court product is obviously really high but some are there for the whole experience, and are paying a pretty penny for it. The AD never does anything to improve the fan experience or looks into changing how things are done but the price continues to go up. That’s a setup for disaster, and we’re starting to see that point now. I mean the pricing at concessions alone is just straight up greedy gouging at this point. But then again, some people still pay for the crap for some reason.

The athletic department may wanna start the process of taking less advantage of your most loyal supporters and perhaps start throwing some bones to them once in a while.

**Stickboy46** · November 30, 2018, 02:31 PM

Originally posted by ShockerFever View Post

Actually, you’re right on the money.

You can’t decrease the price of individual tickets, as that screws the season ticket holders out of what they pay for their seats.

WSU is really stretching it with the pricing but the whole production value is still poor at best. The actual on the court product is obviously really high but some are there for the whole experience, and are paying a pretty penny for it. The AD never does anything to improve the fan experience or looks into changing how things are done but the price continues to go up. That’s a setup for disaster, and we’re starting to see that point now. I mean the pricing at concessions alone is just straight up greedy gouging at this point. But then again, some people still pay for the crap for some reason.

The athletic department may wanna start the process of taking less advantage of your most loyal supporters and perhaps start throwing some bones to them once in a while.

Speaking of Production Value. Here is the production value that Houston's revamped arena is going to give ... We need to step our game up ...

**WuShock16** · November 30, 2018, 02:50 PM

I know that college athletics "is what it is" in terms of being big business, but this is the danger of being so overtly biased towards those who pay big money. You have people like me who feel left out and then stop caring as much. Now, I get that I am small potatoes and that the world does not revolve around me, but those of you who might know my background would know that I am the LAST person who WSU can afford to have lose interest. I have not been to a game yet this season. I am not even able to go Saturday, but it doesn't kill me like it would have 5-10 years ago to miss a big game.

The current administration might not care and will think this will be a problem of a future administration, but the "Marshall Faithful" won't exist in 25-30 years. There won't be a core of 6-7k people going to games every night just because it is Shocker Basketball. God forbid, if this program ever returns to 1990s-level play, it is screwed.

I don't know what the answers are, but I know that the current path of college athletics overall is highly unsustainable, and the bubble will burst at some point in my lifetime.

**C0|dB|00ded** · November 30, 2018, 03:06 PM

The reason demand is slightly waning (only Wichita State can call 300 available tickets waning demand) is due to past success and current struggles. The economy is strong, our ticket prices are very high comparatively (some schools in our conference almost give tickets away. Sound familiar?). Losing to a D9 school right out of the gate is going to shake a few bandwagoners. This is an opportunity for new blood to experience Koch Arena. The only production Wichita State needs to worry about is the W-L column. Let's win this game and get on a roll.

T

...:cool:

**wusphlash** · November 30, 2018, 03:12 PM

One of the "absolutes" in life, you will never please everyone. Some will not be pleased with this post. You saw it here first.

**ArtVandalay** · November 30, 2018, 03:15 PM

I'd also point out that the availability of individual game tickets through the box office has been almost non existent the last few years with sellouts via season ticket holders. Any time I've looked to go the last few seasons, I've gone straight to the secondary market, as the ticket office only released seats a day or two a head of time if they had any available. I'm not sure how many people know there are individual seats this season through the box office.

**Power Outlet** · November 30, 2018, 03:39 PM

In the current macro environment of ticket sale trends WSU is doing great. Watch random games from all over the country with both ranked and non ranked teams from big conferences and small and you will see all sorts of empty seats. 300 available is what it is ( and will fill up between now and game time anyway). The place is going to be rocking tomorrow night.

**abdullah_sharif** · November 30, 2018, 05:08 PM

been a season ticket holder since 2005/06? and have eight tickets that i get for friends/family and i can tell the price increases are starting to take their toll with everyone in my group. i think the university has found price equilibruum.

mrs sharif and i pondered not renewing ours ( or selling them to hold our seats ) and watching on tv either at home or at the watering hole. for us, it’s not about the money but rather perceived value with game production, socializing, etc.. i agree with many on SN that tv has changed the dynamic and has given the public more options.

our tastes have changed a bit as well.. quite honestly we enjoy our sporting kansas matches just as much or more for less than half the price. btw, our athletic department could learn a few things from them in how we’re treated as investors in the program, game day production, and fan experience.

**proshox** · November 30, 2018, 06:15 PM

The real issue is that season ticket holders are paying more than “market value” for the tickets. I have tracked stubhub for the past couple of years to determine if buying season game tickets was a better deal. I found I can get better seats for less money.

Some games are practically free and some games you pay up, but in total you come out ahead by foregoing the season tickets. This was true during Fred and Ron’s senior season. It will be more true this year.

I still buy buy season tickets (as a supporter), but it isn’t a rational decision.

**SHOCKvalue** · November 30, 2018, 07:00 PM

It's bordering on the annoying to be at a WSU MBB game anymore, when the clock isn't actually running and players aren't on the floor. Everything else outside of that is total amateur hour and sucks the life out of you. The awful intro/hype vids, the constant stream of silly timeout promos, the cluster that is the integration of music, it's volume, and the band, and the general overall production quality are really not even MVC level. Enjoy watching Marshall and the boys do their thing, and that is the main point of being there, but otherwise the balance of the time I'm basically doing an internalized eye roll.

And not to sound too entitled or anything, but I've always been a little off-put by the fact there is no alumni pricing or points advantage in the season ticket process. No sh*ts given by the WSU athletic department if you're one of "us". Go look at other T50 MBB programs and look at the difference in this regard. Other schools care; bunch of nope from WSU. Butthurt, but whatevs.

**Shocktoberfest** · November 30, 2018, 07:39 PM

Preach.

**MadDog** · November 30, 2018, 08:46 PM

I guess I’m in the minority here, but speaking as one who has had season tickets for over 30 years, I would not be at all offended if the athletic department offered up any available tickets a day or two before the game at a significant discount. I would rather they sell the row 34 tickets for $10 than have the seats go empty. A good way to help build the fan base.

**ShockerFever** · November 30, 2018, 11:49 PM

Originally posted by SHOCKvalue View Post

It's bordering on the annoying to be at a WSU MBB game anymore, when the clock isn't actually running and players aren't on the floor. Everything else outside of that is total amateur hour and sucks the life out of you. The awful intro/hype vids, the constant stream of silly timeout promos, the cluster that is the integration of music, it's volume, and the band, and the general overall production quality are really not even MVC level. Enjoy watching Marshall and the boys do their thing, and that is the main point of being there, but otherwise the balance of the time I'm basically doing an internalized eye roll.

And not to sound too entitled or anything, but I've always been a little off-put by the fact there is no alumni pricing or points advantage in the season ticket process. No sh*ts given by the WSU athletic department if you're one of "us". Go look at other T50 MBB programs and look at the difference in this regard. Other schools care; bunch of nope from WSU. Butthurt, but whatevs.

Again, right on the money. No pun intended.

It really is a high major program with a low major production being run by a mix of the two, basically a mid major athletic department and athletic director. Sometimes I wonder what Boatright does and thinks during games. Probably just the never ending $$$$$$. It's kinda sad that they don't give a ****. They've set a bar, a really low bar, and the status quo is just fine as long as the pocketbooks continue to get lined. I wonder if the flatlining and fall of season ticket renewals maybe would maybe spark an interest to make the production more important to make people think they're worth the funding they're investing into going to games.

Schaus had the opposite thing going on. He was high major talent running a mid major program. Now, the roles are reversed. I could only imagine if Schaus was still here while we were really taking this program to the next level what he could have done. As it is, the athletic department is simply not proactive and taking things for granted. It will eventually bite them, but they don't care enough about the future. The present is all that's on their minds.

It'd be cool to have an MC or something (no I'm not talking the Hitman God forbid but some energetic college student or something) to run through timeouts, interview some fans, or whatever, upping the level of professionalism, and making things fresh, giving Don Hall a break from the mic so he can focus on more important things like imaginatively calling out a Shocker three... sponsored by Klein Construction and Flooring.

Nothing will change though. Except the ticket prices and SASO contributions.

**Shocktoberfest** · December 1, 2018, 09:00 AM

Love the Shox and have been a loyal fan for almost 30 years. But I have to agree with you all on many points. We truly have been on cruise control for quite a few years, but the speed limit has been increased significantly. It's obvious.

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