ODU Season Tix (Year 2)

[∞∞∞]

Our trusty ODU reporter, Rich Radford, reported today that ODU only had around 5% not renew their tickets!!! That means out of the 14,500+ season tix holders, only 700-800 didn't want to renew. The administration will know final numbers on Monday (not sure when they'll release them though). And as Radford said, there was quite a waiting list last year so hopefully many of those people will decide to buy what wasn't renewed.

Also, ODU is adding 40 loge seats to Foreman Field, so stadium capacity will now be 19,822.

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/05/odu-foo ... ?cid=poblg

I'll keep this thread updated when more concrete numbers turn up.

[dbackjon]

You have them?

[∞∞∞]

You have them?

Have what?

[dbackjon]

You have them?

Have what?

ODU Season tickets!

[∞∞∞]

Have what?

ODU Season tickets!

I'm a student...an upcoming super junior.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

Have what?

ODU Season tickets!

That
was
perfect.

[Willie]

Looks like I need to add another smiley.

Aaannnd done. You're welcome.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

Looks like I need to add another smiley.

Aaannnd done. You're welcome.

TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH


Yep, works perfectly. Nice one Willie.

[Monarch Nation]

Thanks for this thread, guys. I had missed Rowan and Martin.

[BlackFalkin]

14k season ticket holders? Nice. Lets just say ODU reopened a stadium that was 30k instead of 19k. Would there have been more than 15k season ticket holders?

[Monarch Nation]

14k season ticket holders? Nice. Lets just say ODU reopened a stadium that was 30k instead of 19k. Would there have been more than 15k season ticket holders?

Don't know, but I'd like to think so. As the original poster stated there was a waiting list last year. I know things can change in a year (especially with the downsized economy) but I'd like to think that everybody who wanted season tickets last year would buy them if they were available. It's an experiment I'd like to put to the test.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

14k season ticket holders? Nice. Lets just say ODU reopened a stadium that was 30k instead of 19k. Would there have been more than 15k season ticket holders?

Don't know, but I'd like to think so. As the original poster stated there was a waiting list last year. I know things can change in a year (especially with the downsized economy) but I'd like to think that everybody who wanted season tickets last year would buy them if they were available. It's an experiment I'd like to put to the test.

AD's ae pretty good at that mix if they have the opportunity. It is way more important to keep demand up than to maximize the dollars from a few lost seats. You never want it to be easy to get tickets because the revenue will drop dramatically when that happens. You wouldn't want a waiting list of 5-10K people but you do want a waiting list of about 1-2K people as that will insure that your stadium is always full, and that people cherish their tickets and don't want to give them up when they get them.

[BlackFalkin]

Ursus, u bastard, fans like 3 things. Winning, fun tradition, & stadium expansions/renovations.

If EWU tore down the visiting side right TODAY, and rebuilt it in concrete similar to MSU's visitor side. This along with the RED campaign would double EWU's attendance.

ex. if the new Capacity was 15,000... i GUARANTEE THAT FIRST GAME AGAINST UM WOULD SELL OUT.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

Ursus, u bastard, fans like 3 things. Winning, fun tradition, & stadium expansions/renovations.

If EWU tore down the visiting side right TODAY, and rebuilt it in concrete similar to MSU's visitor side. This along with the RED campaign would double EWU's attendance.

ex. if the new Capacity was 15,000... i GUARANTEE THAT FIRST GAME AGAINST UM WOULD SELL OUT.

I don't arugue that. I'm talking about a sustained sell out situation. I was at the games in Joe Albi and those games were very full.

Our points are not mutually exclusive here but you can argue it if you wish. You keep the demand up and you can more easily raise the prices, without adding the extra seats until you need to and then when you do add them they are already selling at a higher price.

It is very, very similar to your statement the other day about nobody wanting to eat in an empty restaurant. If you have too many seats and aren't leaving a list that desires those seats then you are making a mistake.

You played the game BF, I AM A FAN, don't argue with me about things you don't understand.

[bluehenbillk]

I think it's great that ODU and its surrounding community is pumped about FCS football. Question for people in the greater Hampton Roads area that know the program way better than I do....if the football team struggles for the 1st year or two when it reaches CAA play, how will the attendance #'s hold up?

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

I think it's great that ODU and its surrounding community is pumped about FCS football. Question for people in the greater Hampton Roads area that know the program way better than I do....if the football team struggles for the 1st year or two when it reaches CAA play, how will the attendance #'s hold up?

Obviously bilk, I ain't the guy you're askin' but I would doubt that their fans expect a lot of success right away against the top conference in the division. If they do then that's too bad for them. If I were a fan that had been wanting and waiting for a chance to compete against teams like UD and so forth in the CAA then I sure wouldn't miss a game. Each time a big dog comes in you will always be able to say "I was there to see XX the first time they cam to our house after the rebirth". If they are gonna fall off I would imagine it might be in their 5th or 6th yr. if they have a long of failure like Towson.

Sorry andy, it's an ODU thread so I had to take the shot.

[∞∞∞]

I think it's great that ODU and its surrounding community is pumped about FCS football. Question for people in the greater Hampton Roads area that know the program way better than I do....if the football team struggles for the 1st year or two when it reaches CAA play, how will the attendance #'s hold up?

As much as we speculate on message boards, I don't think anyone truly knows the answer to this question. When I personally talk to ODU fans who know nothing of the FCS and the CAA, they seem to be very reasonable about expectations. Not many fans expect a post-season scenario for at least a few years, so that seems to be a good sign that people will still support the team even if we have some losing years. I think too many people have been waiting for Monarchs football fo too long to let the support die; this topic has spanned over 20 years at this ODU, so many alum still remember the movements for football that failed.

I think one thing that ODU also has going for it is the historically good fan support it's had in many sports, at least relative to its conference mates. From the CAA schools in Virginia, ODU and JMU easily have the most robust athletic departments, support, and facilities across the board (also Delaware probably from the non-VA schools). Athletics is a very big part of student life at ODU which probably helps a lot when these students graduate in terms of donations. It seems like almost every student regularly attends and supports at least one sport...men's soccer and basketball, as well as football being the largest. With football though, pride is at an all-time high.

One more thing that I believe will keep fans coming is the tailgating and pre-game stuff. ODU did a fantastic job setting up tailgating rules, lots, etc. from the start. It's simply a blast to be on a campus before games...the campus is alive, band is playing, cheerleaders and dancers are performing, free games for kids (and adults), and the smell of grills all over campus. To be honest, pregaming at ODU was more fun than watching some of the games this year. It's a really great way to spend a part of your weekend and I think that alone will keep people coming.

And the last reason I think ODU will be fine is the lack of major sports in Norfolk, especially in the fall.

[DaBigBlue]

Most ODU fans know it will be tough once we get a full CAA schedule, we're hoping after a full cycle (5-years) we'll be able to compete and keep the fan's interest. The great thing about the CAA, is we'll have a few in-state teams (JMU, WM and Richmond) and that should keep things exciting. Hard to tell what we could sell, I know the first game last year there were est. of 80K-90K people on campus and 50K for Homecoming. I'm hoping we can support 25K - 30K in a few years, if things can stay hot. I know a few people didn't renew, but there were some who renew and wanted to add seats. The other problem we have, is the CAA requires 1,000 tixs to be available for visiting teams and right now we only have 500. So we need to come up with those seats by next year.

[ODUalum11]

And the last reason I think ODU will be fine is the lack of major sports in Norfolk, especially in the fall.

Kind of adding on and restating what you said but I also agree to the fact of thinking what contributes is the lack of major sports such as pro sports in the Hampton Roads area where ODU is located. I didn't live in Norfolk until I starting attending ODU as a student in 2007 but I heard on numerous occasions that the Hampton Roads area has been wanting a pro sports team for the longest time. I remember hearing that they actually pushed to get the Nationals (then the Expos) from Montreal but because of infrastructure it wasn't possible so the next best thing was a major college football team and I think that’s what contributes to the success ODU has achieved. Sure there is Norfolk State, Hampton, and a few other colleges in the area but ODU is the only school that has the resources and support to make it a big deal. Also if you're going to start a football program that you might as well do it first class like what ODU has done...there is absolute no reason in an economy like this to do it half-ass.

Lastly, I think the success other ODU sports have had also contributes to the success and popularity that ODU football has achieved so far. ODU has past Olympians, professional athletes from the past and present (Justin Verlander, Anne Donovan, Nancy Lieberman, and so on), as well as several National Championships. I think a lot of people look at the basketball programs primarily and then look at the football team and see that the football team has the potential to have the same amount of success our basketball programs have had. Not to brag or show disrespect for any of the schools in the CAA, but ODU is often viewed as the "Flagship" of the CAA. Also, not only athletically but ODU is doing a lot in terms of improving academic facilities as well...our library is getting a renovation as well as one of the buildings across the street from Foreman Field is getting a massive renovation done to it as well. I think a lot of past alumni look at the changes ODU is making it makes them proud which makes them want to donate more and more...I sure would.

I also think there is a lot of pride for local sports because the Hampton Roads area is where many professional athletes played during high school or college...the Upton Brothers, David Wright, Percy Harvin, Michael Cuddyer, and so on.

[∞∞∞]

Official Numbers:

12,022 season ticket holders renewed out of 14,500 (83%).

Also there are enough current season tix holders that want to increase their ticket counts that 90% of season tickets will be taken for. The last 10% will be sold after the requests of all Big Blue members are taken care of.

[Tribe4SF]

ODU will sell all their season tickets, and every game will be a sellout. Year two is just a little different process.