A new revenue stream. I'm wondering if this change will be extended to BB and other sports.

http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-baskbl/...14aaa.html

Hate to say it, but once again, the few loyal fans are being asked to pony up more $$$ in lieu of an outreach to increase the fanbase.

I'm planning on bringing my daughter to the volleyball match Sunday. Any idea if this policy is in place for other sports currently too? I know it's not for football which seems odd because it doesn't make sense to do it for basketball and not football.

(11-06-2014 07:11 AM)Da.Owl Wrote:  A new revenue stream. I'm wondering if this change will be extended to BB and other sports.

http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-baskbl/...14aaa.html

It will be $5 to park within a stone's throw of Tudor, or free to park a couple of blocks away in the Greenbriar Lot. Seems perfectly reasonable for a Division I college campus, and probably overdue.

(11-06-2014 08:12 AM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(11-06-2014 07:11 AM)Da.Owl Wrote:  A new revenue stream. I'm wondering if this change will be extended to BB and other sports.

http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-baskbl/...14aaa.html

It will be $5 to park within a stone's throw of Tudor, or free to park a couple of blocks away in the Greenbriar Lot. Seems perfectly reasonable for a Division I college campus, and probably overdue.

Based on previous messages about the forced march from Rice Blvd to The Reck, I'm awaiting wails of lament due to the walk from Greenbriar to Tudor.

+1

uote='georgewebb' pid='11338117' dateline='1415279570']

(11-06-2014 07:11 AM)Da.Owl Wrote:  A new revenue stream. I'm wondering if this change will be extended to BB and other sports.

http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-baskbl/...14aaa.html

It will be $5 to park within a stone's throw of Tudor, or free to park a couple of blocks away in the Greenbriar Lot. Seems perfectly reasonable for a Division I college campus, and probably overdue.
[/quote]

I think this makes very little sense for football, unless you consider the value added of a Tailgate Owley in the east lot. (Sarcasm alert!) Also problematic if there are co-current FB and MBB games. I have never been a fan of paid parking. If they feel they need the revenue stream, then build it into the ticket price. It might amount to an extra dollar or two...big deal!

Cash flow due to not paying for parking is not the prime issue for a Rice Athletics. Marketing the product and getting rear ends into seats has been the major issue since the 70's.

The parking revenue goes directly to the university, unlike ticket revenue.

I've observed over the years that the West Lot is open for free parking a lot of the time. It's free to anyone who parks there, not just people attending athletic events or even just people there for a university-related reason. Anyone, including people from the med center, can get a lot of free parking that way. The university is probably tired of it.

Ample free parking will still be available for basketball games. For those with health problems the walk of a few hundred yards will be a hardship. For the rest, you ought to be ashamed of whinging about needing to walk more than a few feet.

I'm ok with the paid parking. But, actually, since it would go directly to athletics, I'd be OK with building parking fees into ticket prices.
We need the revenue.

We use to charge for parking and then it was announced that the fee was built into the ticket price. Somewhere along the line we dropped the "built into the ticket price" statement.

We do need the revenue but I would have liked to have seen those with season tickets (but not obtaining parking through their Owl Club donation) having been allowed to prepay an even steeper discount fee for parking when they applied for their tickets. Anything Rice can do to reward season ticket purchase (beyond the overall price per game discount) is a good thing in my book.

What hasn't been made clear is whether there will be attendants at the gates to take cash or will pay by credit card be the only way to pay. I assume since they are talking about attendants since how will the prepay tickets work.

I recall at the time the parking gates were installed that there was a fee paid from athletics to the university every time they were opened for an athletic event.

...but then I remember a lot of things that didn't happen...

Walking is good for you. I tend to park a good distance away for a variety of reasons. Being cheap can now be added to the list.

We should charge a 'convenience fee' for the privilege of walking to the venue. Charging people to do something for themselves is the fashionable thing to do nowadays if you manage a venue and/or sell tickets.

1. Drive a truck.
2. Drive over pathetic parking barriers.
3. ????
4. Profit.

(11-06-2014 12:16 PM)lou Wrote:  1. Drive a truck.
2. Drive over pathetic parking barriers.
3. ????
4. Profit.

I'm a big fan of #3, although I might pay to see somebody driving a truck over parking barriers, thus giving them a profit.

(11-06-2014 12:35 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(11-06-2014 12:16 PM)lou Wrote:  1. Drive a truck.
2. Drive over pathetic parking barriers.
3. ????
4. Profit.

I'm a big fan of #3, although I might pay to see somebody driving a truck over parking barriers, thus giving them a profit.

B Ball season tickets are less expensive this year (at least for the cheap seats). So it seems more like unbundling than a new fee.

(11-06-2014 12:35 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(11-06-2014 12:16 PM)lou Wrote:  1. Drive a truck.
2. Drive over pathetic parking barriers.
3. ????
4. Profit.

I'm a big fan of #3, although I might pay to see somebody driving a truck over parking barriers, thus giving them a profit.

How much you willing to pay?

(11-06-2014 03:58 PM)lou Wrote:  

(11-06-2014 12:35 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(11-06-2014 12:16 PM)lou Wrote:  1. Drive a truck.
2. Drive over pathetic parking barriers.
3. ????
4. Profit.

I'm a big fan of #3, although I might pay to see somebody driving a truck over parking barriers, thus giving them a profit.

How much you willing to pay?

I could go as high as $8.59.

When the gated parking by the stadium was first installed, I was told that Athletics was charged a fee by Rice administration when the gates were opened for athletic events. I think that is why certain sections (such as West lot 1) are often still closed during football games, to save $$ in the athletic department budget. I am happy that the athletic department decided to publicize the change early (e.g.: be transparent) about the change so less people will be surprised when they come to the game.

If the athletic department actually gets to keep the parking fees and don't get charged too much by the Rice accounting department for the "open gate", the upside potential is approximately the value of 2 1/2 scholarships a year if they start selling out the games. (assuming 2,000 additional cars x 14 games x $5). Current season ticket and attendance base is small (I estimate less than 500 a game), so 200 to 250 cars x 14 games x $5 is between $14,000 and $18,000, or less than 1/2 a scholarship. You may also have to net the cost of money handlers if they use staff to take cash to enter the parking lot before the game.