[jcmanson]

Should we require students to claim tickets prior to each home football game? For example, let’s say we have 7,000 “open” seats on the student side (which wouldn’t include the band allotment). We would require students to obtain a ticket (free of course) in order to get into the game. These tickets should have assigned seats so the earlier you claim your tickets the better seats you get, and the more likely you can get a big group to sit together. Once those 7,000 tickets are sold, then students would have to buy a ticket in order to get in. Of course, once we expand the student side this 7,000 number could increase to 12,000.

I don’t know why we wouldn’t do this. I think it would create excitement around each and every game leading up to it, and could provoke additional students to get a ticket before they sell out. Also, it would likely create a better tailgate environment from students so they don’t have to rush into the stadium an hour early to get good seats.

This would also give us the ability to track how many students are attending the game in comparison to season ticket holders and the greater Lynchburg community.

[jbock13]

If its free, why should anyone have to get a ticket?

I mean I understand your reasoning, I just don't agree with it.

If anything, we should charge the students $10 a game so that way we won't have 80% of them leaving at halftime.

[jcmanson]

Are you trying to drop our attendance?

[flamesfan30]

no. if dorms cant sit together then people wont go to the games. tickets would prevent large groups (dorms) from sitting together.
if we have to pay we wont come to the games.

either idea would absolutely KILL student attendance.
we had tickets for the st. francis game, and not all of them were even claimed, and there we were only given like 3 or 4,000.

[jbock13]

Well, would you rather have 2,000 students who truly care about the team?

Or would you rather have 10,000 who sit like bumps on a log and talk like a pirate during a key third down?

The answer comes down to your interpretation of this dilemna.

I know we talk about getting to 20,000 for a game. Id love to see that. But does it really matter if half leave at halftime?

[TDDance234]

Right now, there is no reason to change the current setup. The students are showing up and staying through the game--the issues we had 4-5 years ago are gone, IMO.

[Sly Fox]

They left in mass at halftime at Homecoming last year. So I'm not sure those problems have been solved. Tickets could be GA so there wouldn't be any impact on seating arrangements. It is definitely an idea worth considering. There is an intrinsic value in holding a ducat in your hand that is not there with a card swipe. Then again, the two are becoming interchangeable these days.

[flamesfan30]

it would do nothing but be an inconvenience for students, an inconvenience that would prevent some from going. call me lazy but i don't want to pick up a ticket when i dont have to.

as long as everyone counts for attendance im okay with only 2000 or so really caring about the game. having 8,000 students at the games looks good and helps make our case to C-usa the we belong there, not in the big south. besides, where else is everyone supposed to dance to the cupid shuffle?

i think more will stay to the end this year. thats been stressed with every single mention of football ive heard. the new marketing slogan towards us students is "4 qaurters of fury". The 12th man winner wont be announced until after the game is over. you must stay until the very end in order to win.

[Hold My Own]

It would allow the students to tailgate longer b/c they do not have to worry about getting there in time to reserve a good seat.

-Each dorm could be allotted a certain amount to distribute to solve the "dorms sitting together" question.

-Priority seating for the dorms would be based off who the "celeb judging panel(?)" felt demonstrated the most school spirit for the week.

-For students that were unable to reserve tickets (or lazy and didnt want to make the effort) they can come game day and still get in with their ID but will not have priority seating.

I'm thinking out loud here and dont think there would be much buy in at first by the students....but if we want to increase tailgaters and the game day atmosphere I think this would allow them to stay longer, and as we get better and better seating becomes a priority more would use this system...you dont have to completely buy into the concept and say the entire side will be reserved GA but maybe just the lower half and once the demand is greater than supply increase the amount.

Of course there are costs associated with this from ticket printing, increased work load, etc etc etc as far as ushers go to help with the seating at the games thats where your Student Alumni Association Rep's or Ambassadors and other elected student groups come into play to serve as "seating attendants" of course We do not have elected SAA officials or Ambassadors but at other schools this is one of their main responsibilities...they work every game day...and/or out of season athletic teams. Actually, I'm pretty sure out of season teams worked the sidelines as security one season...

[TH Spangler]

Do online students receive free tickets?

[SuperJon]

There are definitely reasons to consider doing this and reasons why it would work.

1) If you had the option for the bigger fans to pick up tickets on Monday then you would create excitement starting on Monday when the biggest fans start Tweeting and Facebooking, "Got my tickets for this weekend. I'll be on the 45 in the 2nd row." It breeds another type of organic marketing.

2) It gives your more enthusiastic fan groups (like The LUnatics when we were around) or more sports-minded dorms a way to get their tickets earlier in the week and then tailgate until 30 minutes before game time. The most annoying thing for me as a student was having to stop tailgating 90 minutes before the game so that we could go stand in the front row and do nothing. I would've rather have been hanging out in the parking lot. We almost missed the homecoming parade one year because we had to get in the stadium so early for our seats.

Example: You say that only Student Flames Club members can pick up their tickets on Monday. That's lets them get first dibs to the good seats without roping off sections like we did a few years back. It's another advantage to joining the SFC.

On Tuesday, tickets open up to RA's who are able to get tickets for their floor and commuter students. Getting commuters to games is difficult so this is an incentive for them. Residential students can't complain too much unless their RA's don't care and then that's a dorm problem, or you join the SFC.

On Wednesday, after convo, tickets open up to residential students. They're already in The Vines. Now they can just pick up their ticket then or any other time during the week.

On Saturday, if students haven't gotten a ticket then they still get in free but can't get the seats as close to the field as people with tickets.

Yes, it'd be a little harder to keep up with on game day but it'd be worth it. You'd reward your more dedicated students and allow them to tailgate longer which also improves the game day atmosphere. I know it's cool to see a ton of students in the stadium 60 minutes before kick-off, but those students leave early because they've been in the stadium so long.

[thepostman]

the last little statement is the key in all of this. Students get there so early to get good seats that by the time it becomes obvious the game is going to be a blowout students just don't feel like staying. I think its a great idea.

[bigsmooth]

its a good idea manson, and SJ makes excellent points. Im just tired of all the whining the current students are doing over anything that does not suit them or make it easier for them. I cant wait till they get into the real world and experience post-collegiate life.

[BiggAl57]

Saturday night at NCSU the student section started thinning out after halftime. The games was great and the score was close. I was amazed at how many kids left. Must have had to get to the watering holes. They missed a great game.

[Rooster Cogburn]

I am so old I can't remember for sure, but I think when I was a student we had to go to an office in the bottom of one of the hill dorms to get tickets. i think they were free, but you had to actually do something to get them.

Here's an example of how it is done elsewhere http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/genrel/042308aaa.html

[TH Spangler]

Do online students receive free tickets?

Was wondering how much effort goes into getting online student to attend games. I know several from my area and the drive isn't bad. Do they have a student ID to use? I wonder if mailing them a set of season tickets would encourage attendance?

[R i]

What shape would the preferred seating be?

The first 5 rows along the rail , from endzone to endzone. Or...

The first 5 rows from 30-30. and the entire 50 yard line from rail to top.

From a fan that will be sitting on the Baptist side. I would like to see all the bottom rows with the loudest best fans. But If I was sitting over on the student side, I know that I would rather be in the 50 yard line area.Rather than the endzone on the second row.

[Chris Lang]

When I was a student at Va. Tech (mid-90s), we were given a punch card with all of the home football and basketball games on it. Tickets were part of the student fees. But you had to have a ticket to get into the game. I'm trying to remember how it worked in regards to large groups. I think you were able to give your punch card to someone who could go and pick up tickets for 30 at a time, but I can't remember.

Postman's point is key. If you are forced to show up at the stadium 90 minutes early to watch warmups and get a good seat, you're going to be more apt to leave at halftime if the game isn't close (or even sometimes if it is). We're in a low-attention span society now. It's bound to happen. I'd personally rather stay out at the tailgate until 20 minutes before kickoff rather than sit around watching warmups.

[SuperJon]

Postman's point is key. If you are forced to show up at the stadium 90 minutes early to watch warmups and get a good seat, you're going to be more apt to leave at halftime if the game isn't close (or even sometimes if it is). We're in a low-attention span society now. It's bound to happen. I'd personally rather stay out at the tailgate until 20 minutes before kickoff rather than sit around watching warmups.

I know we've all said it, but this is the root of all of our problems with students leaving early. I know we want them to be early, but being 90 minutes early is just too much. That's almost five hours inside the stadium that we're asking.

Last year for homecoming I was able to tailgate up until 30 minutes and then go in the stadium. The atmosphere of coming in then, when everything was about to kick-off, is much more exciting than coming in when there's 3 other people in the stadium. It was also just more fun.

I'd rather have students at the game in the fourth quarter than before the team even comes out for warmups.