attendance issues

[1972Shocker]

A pretty good summary of the issues (most of which which have been discussed on this thread) but not much discussion of solutions.

A couple of things did catch my attention that perhaps could be addressed relatively easily:

Create a marketplace to buy and sell tickets (49% responses)

This already exists but apparently is not well known by a good % of the fan base. Perhaps a better marketing/PR/communication effort needs to be made to make this commonly known. Also anything that could be done to make the process better known and better used by season ticket holders.

Improve the parking situation for fans

Again is the shuttle service well known and is it robust enough and convenient enough to make it attractive. Have the drop off as close to the arena as possible. People might very well be willing to pay $5.00 a head for this service if you drop them off at the doors to the arena. Whether or not that is practical to do that is a question. I assume the drop off know is over by Weideman Hall.

[DUShock]

As I have stated here and on other platforms, the attendance issue is reflected in the parking lots near tip off. GA and BG lots are filled to capacity while numbered lots are empty. The issue is not the casual fan but the corporate and business ticket holders who don’t attend the games unless it is a quality opponent or he team is ranked.

HCGM needs to stop his bitching about “the fans” we do, and have consistently shown up. Look at our attendance numbers in the late 90’s and early 2000’s it was 7600-7800 strong. Each and every game. Additionally, not throwing those “fans” a bone by participating in BCS tourneys close by because they lack palm trees may also contribute to the fair weather nature of attendees.

At the end of the day, winning, and doing so against quality opponents, takes care of the problem.

Go Shocks!

[Kung Wu]

Why in the heck the shuttles don't run for EVERY SINGLE home game is head scratching. And why the shuttles aren't allowed to drop people off right in front of the arena, is similarly head scratching. They have the parking solution staring them right in the face, but it's unreliable (casual fans don't know if they can count on the shuttles to be running at Game X vs Game Y) and not as customer friendly as it should be (drop them off right at the front door).

[ShoxRoxMySox]

I've never considered using a shuttle before, and a simple google search wasn't helpful, but I'd like some more info on that for this VCU game. Can anyone pass that along to me, please?

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

Why in the heck the shuttles don't run for EVERY SINGLE home game is head scratching. And why the shuttles aren't allowed to drop people off right in front of the arena, is similarly head scratching. They have the parking solution staring them right in the face, but it's unreliable (casual fans don't know if they can count on the shuttles to be running at Game X vs Game Y) and not as customer friendly as it should be (drop them off right at the front door).

So what you're saying is the University should also invest into the Electrical busses ala the City thus saving everyone money and the environment?


GENIUS!!

[Kung Wu]

So what you're saying is the University should also invest into the Electrical busses ala the City thus saving everyone money and the environment?


GENIUS!!

They already run shuttles every weeknight game. They have no shuttle service on weekends. Casual fans have no idea if they can park around the campus and get a ride in.

Your comment went over my head.

[1972Shocker]

Why in the heck the shuttles don't run for EVERY SINGLE home game is head scratching. And why the shuttles aren't allowed to drop people off right in front of the arena, is similarly head scratching. They have the parking solution staring them right in the face, but it's unreliable (casual fans don't know if they can count on the shuttles to be running at Game X vs Game Y) and not as customer friendly as it should be (drop them off right at the front door).

This doesn't have to be and probably should not be a free service. I can't speak for everyone but I would happily pay $5.00 per head to be dropped off and picked up at or close to the arena.

[abdullah_sharif]

just checked stubhub for the vcu match and there are plenty available.. some at $27.. so i looked for two.. $27 x 2 = $54.. but the checkout is $82 after their mafia fees. surely the athletic department could buy a license for ticketing software and cut this in half. mrs sharif wont pay a 50% surcharge to a ticket broker.

[Jhook89]

Kinda seemed like Boatright isn’t going to do anything, because he feels that there are answers in place already for most of the complaints.

[Kung Wu]

This doesn't have to be and probably should not be a free service. I can't speak for everyone but I would happily pay $5.00 per head to be dropped off and picked up at or close to the arena.

It needs to be free. You don't want casual fans having to worry about how to pay for a shuttle for one game, whether or not they can pay on the shuttle, whether they take cards because nobody in 2019 carries change or cash anymore, and all the irritation that comes along with those unknowns.

[Awesome Sauce Malone]

They already run shuttles every weeknight game. They have no shuttle service on weekends. Casual fans have no idea if they can park around the campus and get a ride in.

Your comment went over my head.

Apologies - in reference to the city buying brand new busses but yet refuse to expand service and hours of operation. Change out City for WSU and change busses to shuttles. Why have shiny toys if you're not using them?

[NCAABound]

Kinda seemed like Boatright isn’t going to do anything, because he feels that there are answers in place already for most of the complaints.

Yeah I got the same impression.

[pogo]

just checked stubhub for the vcu match and there are plenty available.. some at $27.. so i looked for two.. $27 x 2 = $54.. but the checkout is $82 after their mafia fees. surely the athletic department could buy a license for ticketing software and cut this in half. mrs sharif wont pay a 50% surcharge to a ticket broker.

How much would it coast for some of the dozens of interns to answer a phone and take the order for tickets over the phone, Abdulla Shariff mentioned buying a ticketing program to do the sales ourselves but surely they should have some engineering students that could write one. Why does there even have to be a middle person(stub hub) to do the same thing an intern or TICKET OFFICE person to handle. Sure charge a per transaction handling fee but the athletic office would be offering a SERVICE for the consumer/FAN. Charge a $5 dollar handling fee per ticket and if you sell 1,000 of them thats $5,000 a game just in fees and the FAN wouldn't feel he/she got ripped off. The only time the ticket office should be busy as all get out is when tickets are initially purchased for the year after that I would imagine its really quiet.

[ShockerFever]

Kinda seemed like Boatright isn’t going to do anything, because he feels that there are answers in place already for most of the complaints.

He appears to be a great leader, ready to adapt to change.

[WSUfan1998]

Where can a person go buy tickets from someone that isn’t using theirs? Like what 1972Shocker mentioned.