Shockers vs UAB Ticket Special

[vancedave56]

It's a great day for a basketball game even if the opponent isn't Tulsa. IMO, it would be a great time for a "family outing" to a Shocker game. The day after Thanksgiving on a Friday night. What a great time to do something together. That's just my opinion, and I will be there. :)

[1972Shocker]

To promote, (or worse, to poorly promote), games at IBA while ignoring those dynamics is there fault. The fans are who they are and the athletic department is taking on the responsibilty and potential risks for their own decisions.

I don't think WSU is promoting this game. My understanding is that is the responsibility of the 3rd party promoter. Not sure what the potential risks are for the athletic department. My understanding is that we receive a flat $125,000 guarantee for this game regardless of the crowd. So the athletic department gets to test exactly what kind of a fan base we currently have with no financial risk. If the game is under-supported they will probably not get additional games at IBA from 3rd party promoters and they will gain some valuable knowledge of what might and might not work for games at IBA Arena and they do that without taking any financial risk and we get a game that is at least a notch or two above what we apparently could attract on our own. I don't see that the AD or 3G made a bad or risky decision at all in accepting this game.

I don't expect anywhere close to a sellout. Could be anywhere from 8,000 to 12,000. Anything less than 8,000 would be pretty disappointing. Hopefully, we end up at the top of that range.

[dregn]

From my 12 years in the Wichita area, people tend to buy tickets to events late. Last time Cirque came through town I was able to get front row tickets a week after tickets went on sale, yet I think in the end the show was close to selling out. It's been the same way for concerts the whole time I've been here. I don't see a reason it wouldn't be the same for a basketball game.

Also, I think this is the year in all sports programs at WSU where the economy is going to have it's largest effect. Since season ticket renewal is usually in the spring, this is actually the 2nd year since the largest part of the downturn for the Wichita area from a season ticket purchasing perspective. For those who were on a borderline last year, they would likely be off of it this year. It's pretty obvious to me that the buzz around the program is higher than it has been since 2006, yet there are still a good deal of seats avaliable for season tickets. I think it's a big reason volleyball attendance has leveled off the last two years. This effect will hurt the ticket sales for this event.

Also for those who want to compare fan bases of the "home" teams at IBA this year, I saw the K-State vs Fort Hays State on TV today and there were maybe 6-7k people there and I think that's generous (official box says 12568, but I saw no section more than half full). I gurantee you they'll be more than that at Koch on Tuesday night. We do have great fans.

[shocklight]

Lets see guaranteed $125,000....get that for 8 years running. $1,000,000.00 WSU was not going to get! I think this is enough reason for Wichita to sell this game (and seven more) out. Come on Wichita fans, step up!

[shockmonster]

ShockTalk says. "If Marshall isn't thrilled with the turn out, perhaps he should talk to them about attendance expectations and what could affect them."

I think that Marshall and staff have just begun to recruit a higher calibre of players. With the kind of job offers that he could command (if we want to keep him), games like these in IBA is what he's looking for to raise WSU's basketball profile. The Shocker community needs to support quality opponents like this and hopefully in the future, better and larger BCS schools.

[shox1989]

Wichita on the cheap is reporting that WSU students can get discounted tickets for the UAB until November 11.

http://wichitaonthecheap.com/2011/11/03/wsu-student-discount-to-the-uab-vs-shockers-game/

Students can purchase tickets in the student section for $11 until Nov. 11.

I hope a lot of students take advantage of this deal.

[ShockTalk]

I think that Marshall and staff have just begun to recruit a higher calibre of players. With the kind of job offers that he could command (if we want to keep him), games like these in IBA is what he's looking for to raise WSU's basketball profile. The Shocker community needs to support quality opponents like this and hopefully in the future, better and larger BCS schools.

I'm all for raising WSU's basketball profile, however, we played UAB at Koch in 07-08 without a return game and they were just as successful then as now. Yes, I know that was an exception to the rule and a surprise, but we've been playing teams like this all along. This game gave WSU a chance to raise their RPI with a "home game" without a return and in place of playing a very low RPI team at Koch.

Lets see guaranteed $125,000....get that for 8 years running. $1,000,000.00 WSU was not going to get! I think this is enough reason for Wichita to sell this game (and seven more) out. Come on Wichita fans, step up!

I have no proof, however, I'm guessing with sell outs at Koch, WSU makes more than $125,000 a game there, even after paying a "buy in" fee. Given that WSU's athletic revenue over the last 4 years average $20 mill per year, that $125,000 amounts to 0.625% of the annual revenue. See above for combined reasons to do this game.

Wichita on the cheap is reporting that WSU students can get discounted tickets for the UAB until November 11.

http://wichitaonthecheap.com/2011/11/03/wsu-student-discount-to-the-uab-vs-shockers-game/

Students can purchase tickets in the student section for $11 until Nov. 11.

I hope a lot of students take advantage of this deal.

Great find @shox1989:. Hopefully the good news will be spread by all.

[im4wsu]

I have no proof, however, I'm guessing with sell outs at Koch, WSU makes more than $125,000 a game there, even after paying a "buy in" fee. Given that WSU's athletic revenue over the last 4 years average $20 mill per year, that $125,000 amounts to 0.625% of the annual revenue. See above for combined reasons to do this game.

The price for my ticket in 104, row 13 is $19.41 ($330 for 17 home games). With 10,506 seats, if they all averaged $19.41, would be $203,921, before operating costs, salaries, opponents' fees, concessions, etc. A guarantee of $125,000 doesn't look too bad to me.

[martymoose]

Quite a few people must have just realized tickets weren't included in their ticket packages. I had been looking at what was available in the different sections periodically for a few weeks and it had been staying about the same since the day after the tickets went on sale to the general public. But, in the last week or so probably at least 1000 tickets have been sold maybe more.

[fansince80s]

The price for my ticket in 104, row 13 is $19.41 ($330 for 17 home games). With 10,506 seats, if they all averaged $19.41, would be $203,921, before operating costs, salaries, opponents' fees, concessions, etc. A guarantee of $125,000 doesn't look too bad to me.

Whats the SASO down on row 13?

[im4wsu]

Whats the SASO down on row 13?

II happen to be a Charter Guardian with 4 tix, but I believe you can get these at lower SASO levels as well. Since SASO contributions go to scholarships and not operating expenses, those "donations" should not be factored in to this particular analysis.

[_kai_]

I saw a commercial for the game sometime yesterday during one of the NFL games. The first one I've seen.

Maybe they've started up an ad campaign for the game now.

And to the people asking if WSU is in charge of promoting the game, etc. They're not. That doesn't mean they won't be a part of trying to get people out, but the promoter himself is responsible for all advertising as well as any TV deal that would want to cover the game. That's the deal with the guaranteed money. The promoter guarantees money up front, but takes all responsibility for everything else. Tickets sold, tv deal, advertising, etc.

[ShockTalk]

The price for my ticket in 104, row 13 is $19.41 ($330 for 17 home games). With 10,506 seats, if they all averaged $19.41, would be $203,921, before operating costs, salaries, opponents' fees, concessions, etc. A guarantee of $125,000 doesn't look too bad to me.

Fair and good rebuttal, @im4wsu:.

[RoyalShock]

I know no one called anyone out specifically as a bad fan. But as a group, we were called out. What is a group but a collection of individuals. So if you call out the group, you're calling out the individuals. My point wasn't one of perception. At some point we have to be intelligent enough to dig past the surface, beyond perception.

I refuse to believe that the reputation of the WSU fan base, after so many examples of how well they support the program and travel, will be tarnished much if the UAB game - one game - isn't close to a sellout. I agree it may change what this and other promoters believe they can accomplish with a game at IBA. But I don't agree that it's a huge deal.

[wsushox1]

I guess my broke High School butt can find the money too attend.

Still don't know what seats I am going to spring for.