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The concession management situation at Legacy Arena is, uh, not ready for prime time. If you’re coming to one of the games today, I’d recommend eating beforehand.

Oh goody

(03-13-2023 08:05 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 07:50 PM)MAN4UAB Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 05:19 PM)Slushey51 Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 04:16 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  This wouldn't even need to be a thread here if UAB had been allowed to build its own stadium. Point number 632 on why the BJCC stadium was not good enough and Ray Watts should be fired

(03-12-2023 10:08 PM)Slushey51 Wrote:  Corrupt. Corrupt. Corrupt.

It's only gonna get worse with the new amphitheatre.

The new amphitheater will be operated by LiveNation, not the BJCC

LiveNation is just as bad.

I am curious as who you would have run these venues, Bruno Events?

Presumably UAB would've run a UAB-owned stadium (or, a UAB-managed contractor). No guarantee they wouldn't have screwed it up, but it would be a lot easier to hold them accountable rather than the BJCC contracting it out, where the BJCC has zero incentive for good service and every incentive to reduce costs to zero and prices to infinity

UAB does NOT run its own concessions any better. There was one poor girl working one of Bartow's concession stands SOLO last Tuesday.

(03-16-2023 03:20 PM)blazerjay Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 08:05 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 07:50 PM)MAN4UAB Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 05:19 PM)Slushey51 Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 04:16 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  This wouldn't even need to be a thread here if UAB had been allowed to build its own stadium. Point number 632 on why the BJCC stadium was not good enough and Ray Watts should be fired



The new amphitheater will be operated by LiveNation, not the BJCC

LiveNation is just as bad.

I am curious as who you would have run these venues, Bruno Events?

Presumably UAB would've run a UAB-owned stadium (or, a UAB-managed contractor). No guarantee they wouldn't have screwed it up, but it would be a lot easier to hold them accountable rather than the BJCC contracting it out, where the BJCC has zero incentive for good service and every incentive to reduce costs to zero and prices to infinity

UAB does NOT run its own concessions any better. There was one poor girl working one of Bartow's concession stands SOLO last Tuesday.

Our concession problems at Bartow are 100% because they’re understaffed. BJCC’s problems are the combination of the worst payment system in America & being understaffed.

(03-16-2023 03:20 PM)blazerjay Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 08:05 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 07:50 PM)MAN4UAB Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 05:19 PM)Slushey51 Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 04:16 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  This wouldn't even need to be a thread here if UAB had been allowed to build its own stadium. Point number 632 on why the BJCC stadium was not good enough and Ray Watts should be fired



The new amphitheater will be operated by LiveNation, not the BJCC

LiveNation is just as bad.

I am curious as who you would have run these venues, Bruno Events?

Presumably UAB would've run a UAB-owned stadium (or, a UAB-managed contractor). No guarantee they wouldn't have screwed it up, but it would be a lot easier to hold them accountable rather than the BJCC contracting it out, where the BJCC has zero incentive for good service and every incentive to reduce costs to zero and prices to infinity

UAB does NOT run its own concessions any better. There was one poor girl working one of Bartow's concession stands SOLO last Tuesday.

At least with UAB we as fans have some leverage. We can withhold donations, we are (somewhat) listened to when we complain, we can withhold ticket sales

At the BJCC, they are going to get their lease payments regardless. The leadership there is 3 levels removed from the fans, and could care less

It's just sad that we had to settle, and I am never going to forget or let UAB forget that

"Fans disappointed with lack of late night activities ahead of NCAA tournament"
https://www.wvtm13.com/article/ncaa-marc...-autopilot

I agree that Uptown is definitely lacking (especially their short hours), but damn just go a few blocks down to downtown or take an Uber somewhere else.
We're not Tuscaloosa or Auburn, we have a full city to explore rather than a strip near the stadium/BJCC.

(03-17-2023 11:41 AM)blazerblazer Wrote:  "Fans disappointed with lack of late night activities ahead of NCAA tournament"
https://www.wvtm13.com/article/ncaa-marc...-autopilot

I agree that Uptown is definitely lacking (especially their short hours), but damn just go a few blocks down to downtown or take an Uber somewhere else.
We're not Tuscaloosa or Auburn, we have a full city to explore rather than a strip near the stadium/BJCC.

It is a valid complaint. Same issues exist in the fall. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of collaboration between Uptown and the venues and very poor marketing of the area to visitors. Big missed opportunity.

Literally all people have to do is google bars in birmingham, or restaurants in birmingham, and find where to go. If they're expecting to just walk outside the door of the hotel or the BJCC and have all this stuff at their fingertips - They must be 65 or older, thought they were in a different city than Birmingham, Alabama, or are just lazy.

(03-17-2023 02:38 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  Literally all people have to do is google bars in birmingham, or restaurants in birmingham, and find where to go. If they're expecting to just walk outside the door of the hotel or the BJCC and have all this stuff at their fingertips - They must be 65 or older, thought they were in a different city than Birmingham, Alabama, or are just lazy.

Not much marketing by the local restaurants and clubs around the city to promote for the tournament

You have to *effort* to connect with people. They shouldn’t have to work for it. It should be in their face. The business for starters should be OPEN with signage welcoming fans. As soon as the teams were announced, if I owned a business I would have targeted their fan and alumni groups. Hell if I ran an NIL collective I would be hosting a party at uptown promoting my organization to the fans and I would have brought 3 football players with me.

It doesn’t take much to be creative and create meaningful fan events than come back positive for the business. You just have to *try* and make people feel welcome.

Btw, many of those businesses act inconvenienced by UAB football crowds. How about putting up some green and fold and being inviting?

(03-17-2023 03:22 PM)DuelingDragon Wrote:  You have to *effort* to connect with people. They shouldn’t have to work for it. It should be in their face. The business for starters should be OPEN with signage welcoming fans. As soon as the teams were announced, if I owned a business I would have targeted their fan and alumni groups. Hell if I ran an NIL collective I would be hosting a party at uptown promoting my organization to the fans and I would have brought 3 football players with me.

It doesn’t take much to be creative and create meaningful fan events than come back positive for the business. You just have to *try* and make people feel welcome.

Btw, many of those businesses act inconvenienced by UAB football crowds. How about putting up some green and fold and being inviting?

Yep, I always wondered if it was a UAB thing but now I realize it’s just Birmingham being low no effort.

The thing the Star has going for it as a venue is that once you get there you never have to leave until you go home. Hotel, shops, restaurants, bars, Athletic venue. Not advocating playing there just pointing out that you literally can walk outside after an event and go to a bar, eat, or go to sleep in your room.

Uptown needs upgrading and expansion. It also needs some collaboration.

(03-17-2023 02:59 PM)C-Finder Wrote:  

(03-17-2023 02:38 PM)The Answer UAB Wrote:  Literally all people have to do is google bars in birmingham, or restaurants in birmingham, and find where to go. If they're expecting to just walk outside the door of the hotel or the BJCC and have all this stuff at their fingertips - They must be 65 or older, thought they were in a different city than Birmingham, Alabama, or are just lazy.

Not much marketing by the local restaurants and clubs around the city to promote for the tournament

Yeah that's not acceptable, but also totally expected for Birmingham. This is a MAJOR event, how do they not market it or promote it?!?

I agree it should've been promoted and that it's annoying to not have more stuff by the BJCC, but it's also not hard to google good restaurants and bars in birmingham and catch can Uber to go there.

Totally different city obviously, but I went to the NCAA tournament in Pittsburgh last year and it was super fun to walk out of the hotel and be in the middle of a nice downtown in a major city with blocks of entertainment and bars to go into before walking to the game. That was a very fun experience, outside of losing the game.

Birmingham has a certain reputation that might be hindering out of town folk from doing to much exploring too.

Let Resy & Open Table help find restaurants, piece of cake. I’m gone 3 nite weekly in various cities across the country & never have an issue. Google can help find great bars/breweries.

Of course you CAN navigate to plenty of good things but the point is you shouldn’t HAVE to.

I remember a C-USA tournament game at Legacy BJCC the last year we hosted. There was a young man operating concession stand alone. He had to wash hands after each cash transaction, don gloves, dip ice cream into waffle cones, remove gloves, pour drinks take cash and repeat. At the same time there were 100 ushers at each entrance, trying to find a way to stop fans from entering with oversized phones and mini umbrellas during a flood. It was embarrassing to say the least.

(03-17-2023 07:34 PM)DuelingDragon Wrote:  Of course you CAN navigate to plenty of good things but the point is you shouldn’t HAVE to.

Exactly. Des Moines is very similar to Bham, but about half the size. The arena also has bars/restaurants in walking distance...and the arena is still SURROUNDED by beer gardens, food trucks, etc. Its a party atmosphere just outside the arena...and that was with a high of 34 yesterday

You shouldn't have to but I haven't visited any city in the last 20 years and not had to do some sort of research on what there is to do there, where to eat, where to drink, and how to get to said places.

If it were me I'd realize that Birmingham is not some exciting metropolis, and If I were planning a weekend there and didn't know the city, I'd do a little leg work before and after I came. I wouldn't expect there to be all these exciting things to do right outside the door step of a convention center in a city like Birmingham. There are some legit gripes but some of this just seems like lazy helplessness.