RE: Freedom Hall
I know the game will likely be a sell-out (even if a third of the crowd will be wearing awringe). A sell-out is good (under normal circumstances). But to do it by profiteering on the backs of many of us who've suffered thru the stanton years, the bartow years, the mullins years, etc. is just wrong. W.R.O.N.G.
Some of you are making the "whatever-the-market-will-bear" argument. Well, that's what the robber barons did, that's what the evil comcasts and charters of the world do. I'm not against capitalism, but this isn't that - it's profiteering. Opportunistic profiteering. Do you all agree with room rates being jacked up triple for race weekends?
And let me make it clear, in case there's any doubt - it's not that I can't afford to pay that. I'm sure I could, but my conscience would bother me. It's just that it's no way to endear yourself to fans; fans who you would hope to charm into being regular attendees decades into the future.
I know I'm an idealist, and make no apologies for such. Too many of you younger folks are just used to accepting the way things are without putting up a fight. I can't do that. Many of us have just recently gotten over the earlier-named extortion that was attempted against us in about 1992 or '93. That ended in disaster, although it took the athletic administration several years of *severely* decreased attendance to figure it out. (And yes, I know the product on the floor went downhill, with the coaching change(s), etc., but the decline was due more to general disenchantment with other policies.) They drove loyal, life-long fans away in droves, and this has been brought up on these boards in the past. I'm not a voice in the wilderness saying this. We did *not* go from 10,000 fans to 1500-2000 solely because the teams weren't performing as well one the court (although certainly that played a significant part).
And as etsubuc says.....if we're successful this year, and Forbes leaves, and ticket prices go up *again*, then Freedom Hall will be 25% full. It may take 2-3 years to dwindle, but it will. YOU HAVE TO REWARD LOYALTY, NOT PUNISH IT. Sure - there will be a short-term financial gain, but it will engender a negative attitude among many of us old-timers that will have a lasting effect. This university seems to want to go out of it's way to shoot itself in the foot every time they have a chance to really take the fan base to the next level.
As to "expecting[ing] a big time program with small time thinking".......this practice is just WRONG at any level. It was WRONG for the Eagles to charge the totally outlandish (at that time) price of $65 a ticket for their first reunion tour. *ANY*-sized program that does this is in the wrong. WRONG is WRONG, regardless of the size of the offense.
shampoo says: "If tickets do not sell fast enough, they'll drop the prices. Dynamic pricing to meet demand....."
Let's say they drop the ticket prices to $15/$25 towards game time. How would that make someone feel who paid $35 for a ticket. I'd be boiling mad.
I know some of you will never agree with me, and of course that's your right, but I'm telling you - this has really pissed me off. (Does it show? LOL) And if it's done that to me, I'm sure I'm not alone. It's a sad day when ETSU basketball begins repeating the hard-learned mistakes of the past. We're supposed to be coming *out* of the wilderness into the light; this just severely hampers that journey.
I hope you're reading this Dr. Noland, Dr. Sander, Steve Forbes, and Scott Carter.
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