BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

[defkit]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

Yeah, the associated costs too. But those are manageable for tightwads like me. I never pay to park - I just bang a left at T-Anthony's and go as far down Babcock (or whatever it's called on the Brookline side) as I need to in order to park on the street. And then eat at a reasonably priced place - T Anthony's, UBurger, Qdoba (why did it close? not enough business?) beforehand. So all I pay for is maybe one ice cream for the kid.

And I drive almost an hour to get there. I don't mind that part, even though with the price of gas, it adds up.

 

[Agganis]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

If you don't get a ticket before friday, can you still get a student ticket free with sportspass the day of the game (assuming the student tickets are not all spoken for)?

Yes, students on either side of me did just that at the box office prior to the Friday game.

I think one base of fans that have truly been priced out are the recent grads. I went to a ton of games my first few years after graduating, and I wonder how many I would have gone too at $35 per game plus a few $8.03 beers. I think at that point games were $11 or $12 and the beer was in that closet in WBA at a pretty reasonable price. Kids that just graduated in the past few years generally don't have a lot of disposable cash and wont do to many $75 nights out.

As a recent grad the young alum season tickets are a great deal (under $17 per game, which works out to a little over $5 off the STH rate) assuming you can go to almost every game, but then it is almost impossible to convince a friend who doesn't already have season tickets to go to a single game and pay $30 or $35. If they also gave young alums who didn't have season tickets $5 off the price of admission a $25 bill seems much more palatable even if it is still higher than most arenas.

 

[Rover]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

I think the arena is starting to price itself out. Tickets shouldn't cost more than 20 bucks and beers 5-6 bucks. I doubt it costs that much more to run Agganis since its been built so ease off on the TD Garden-esque prices. Also not sure if they do this but they ought to offer 1/2 season tickets for young alums at the start of the year, not in January when they see the place half empty and decide they need to do something to fill seats.

Lastly, the team's recent troubles aren't helping. Off ice problems + lack of talent + .500 record isn't exactly screaming at people to come check out the team. Start kicking butt in the league and maybe a few more fans make the trip and deal with the parking and ticket prices to come to games.

 

[SomedayCameSuddenly]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

So I emailed BU about the ticket thing and you can in fact pick up tickets the day of the game... It would be nice if they made that clear on the website.

 

[Tater]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

So I emailed BU about the ticket thing and you can in fact pick up tickets the day of the game... It would be nice if they made that clear on the website.

Wow. It doesn't say much about the marketing that is being done when a current student who cares enough about hockey to be on this website and create an account doesn't realize that he/she can pick up free tickets the day of the game.

 

[mookie1995]

Wow. It doesn't say much about the marketing that is being done when a current student who cares enough about hockey to be on this website and create an account doesn't realize that he/she can pick up free tickets the day of the game.

and this surprises you?!?! bu has been run by the smartest dumb people since mookie landed on plymouth rock

 

[brassbonanza]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

As a recent grad the young alum season tickets are a great deal (under $17 per game, which works out to a little over $5 off the STH rate) assuming you can go to almost every game, but then it is almost impossible to convince a friend who doesn't already have season tickets to go to a single game and pay $30 or $35. If they also gave young alums who didn't have season tickets $5 off the price of admission a $25 bill seems much more palatable even if it is still higher than most arenas.

Yes, the young alum season ticket deal is a solid one, but it only accounts for those young alums who want and can go to all home games - and they've now extended the "young alum" period to 10 years post-graduation. The problem is, for those young alums who can't make all games and want to go to a few sporadically when they can, they have to pay the **** full price plus building fee plus ticketmaster fee (unless they drive to HAA and buy it in advance or at gametime - even then, still paying building fee) so they're looking at roughly $30 a ticket before parking, food, beer, etc. They also do a bad job of pricing every seat in the arena the same. If they put the upper corner seats at something like $15 a game for every non-BC game or something like that, I think it'd draw in a lot more people. For some reason, they've not grasped onto this marketing trick that many other teams seem to understand. Watching these games on TV, the attendance was embarrassing, and you have to wonder how many of those in the stands were Whioux fans. Lower the **** prices, get rid of Ticketmaster, get people in the seats. No one is going to walk up and pay $30 a seat for a 116 row N ticket to a Bentley game.

 

[Friend_of_BU_Hockey]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

As a recent grad the young alum season tickets are a great deal (under $17 per game, which works out to a little over $5 off the STH rate) assuming you can go to almost every game, but then it is almost impossible to convince a friend who doesn't already have season tickets to go to a single game and pay $30 or $35. If they also gave young alums who didn't have season tickets $5 off the price of admission a $25 bill seems much more palatable even if it is still higher than most arenas.

Besides for the cost of tickets, I get the impression there just aren't as many young alums staying in the Boston area after graduation like there used to be. I definitely see a bit of a void of 20-somethings young alums in Agganis.

 

[brassbonanza]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

Besides for the cost of tickets, I get the impression there just aren't as many young alums staying in the Boston area after graduation like there used to be. I definitely see a bit of a void of 20-somethings young alums in Agganis.

There are still quite a few, and I know many of my friends personally who had tickets but just stopped going because it was too expensive, they didn't have the time to commit to a full season ticket package, and/or the team doing so poorly drove them away. Off the top of my head, I can think of at least five friends who still live in the area and fall into at least one of these categories.

 

[mookie1995]

Besides for the cost of tickets, I get the impression there just aren't as many young alums staying in the Boston area after graduation like there used to be. I definitely see a bit of a void of 20-somethings young alums in Agganis.

when did a bunch stay?
i am the only outsider from my class that i knew who is here (and that was after leaving for 3 yrs before returning). the only friends i still have were local to begin with. everyone else went home or went to nyc.

 

[Flatlander14]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

and this surprises you?!?! bu has been run by the smartest dumb people since mookie landed on plymouth rock

While I do not disagree with this sentiment, some clarification is in order. Agganis marketing is making strides to get information out. Everything has to start with the freshmen. Make them believe that going to hockey games is THE thing to do on Friday and Saturday nights. Agganis tried hand out information pamphlets at orientation and freshmen events (these would have had the information about ticket pickup on it), but were denied by BU Administration because of a "Going Green" project rubbish thing. There's certainly work to be done, but Agganis is, albeit slowly, getting on it.

What else? So the way student tickets work is:

1) The Monday before every weekend's games tickets are released. 107-109, 117-119.
2) These tickets can be picked up AT ANY TIME. Not just Monday, not just the day of the game. Any time.
3) If Agganis runs out of student seats, usually standing room only (SRO) tickets will be given out to any student that wants one. (This wasn't the case for the BC game these year because Agganis was actually completely sold out and was in danger of violating fire code if we let more people in.

From my experience, no one knows that tickets are available when they become available. Agganis sends an email out, tweets, posts on Facebook, but still people come to the window and ask "Can I get tickets to the game now or do I have to wait til game day?" or "It's not Monday. Can I still get tickets?" Agganis needs to hire someone to do grunt work. Put posters up in dorms, the GSU, dining halls, on lamp posts, bulletin boards, the BUS. Every week. It needs to become a normal sight to see hockey being promoted. Get the word out. Hell, I'll do it if they want.

There is no alumni discount because if there was, then alumni would not buy season tickets. It's just that simple.

There are staff, student, and military discounts. Children under 2 will be let in without a ticket.

 

[Flatlander14]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

get rid of Ticketmaster

Yeah. That's not happening.

pay $30 a seat for a 116 row N ticket to a Bentley game.

25 dollars a pop for that game. Still unreasonable, but yeah.

 

[brassbonanza]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

Yeah. That's not happening.



25 dollars a pop for that game. Still unreasonable, but yeah.

That 116 Row N ticket for that game with all TM fees comes to $29.50 per ticket. I know they're not going to get rid of Ticketmaster, but at the very least if that back row corner seat for a crappy game was $10-$15 instead of $23, it would go a long way to making the games more accessible to more people. Plus, are these $2 facility fees for every ticket really necessary? It reeks of gouging every dollar out of the fan as possible, and is utterly ruining the environment at the arena. It sounds like a barren wasteland on TV/radio at times other than when the students are making noise.

 

[Harry Cleverly]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

Anybody else notice Oksanen seeming to regress into a Nervous Nelly again like he did last year? Not sure if it is a confidence thing, but he seems to go from being very confident to very nervous, apparently in a matter of a couple games. I hope he can find his way back.
Somerby is a beast. He seems to have Morrow's height but is much more filled out. He coule really develop into a force.
Also, it seems our power play is focused on a move where the point men switch sides while passing back and forth. I don't see the advantage - does anyone else? I know in one game it cost us a SHG (was it the opener against UMass?). Maybe Quinn likes it since it was the play that gave us the NCAA GWG in 2009 (though not on a PP). if it is to get the guys lined up for one-timers, why don't hey just start on the other side? I guess it's easier to stop the puck zinging around the boards when you are on your shooting side. Then once the play is set up, switch to one-timer position?

Oksanen has been our best player this season. He wasn't in control as much against North Dakota, possibly because he was running on fumes. Oksanen, Noonan and Grzelcyk all got a tremendous amount of ice time, as did the first two lines. MacGregor is what he is, and he has improved every year. Somerby, MacGregor and MacAfee need to be trusted a little more, so the other three don't get burned out. (At least we aren't seeing Ryan or Ronan on defense anymore, thankfully).

I'd much rather have Oksanen on a point on the powerplay, and I'd want him to shoot more often. They are usually low, hard and get through to the net.

Rodriguez was supposed to be one of our top forwards this year. He was last year. It is not like he is playing badly, he just isn't producing anything. One goal in 13 games is an embarrassment for him. And he hasn't made much of anything happen despite all of his time on the power play.

Haven't seen why Kurker and Collier didn't play against Dakota. Anyone know if it is anything other than a coach's decision?

 

[RefereeGrav]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

That 116 Row N ticket for that game with all TM fees comes to $29.50 per ticket. I know they're not going to get rid of Ticketmaster, but at the very least if that back row corner seat for a crappy game was $10-$15 instead of $23, it would go a long way to making the games more accessible to more people. Plus, are these $2 facility fees for every ticket really necessary? It reeks of gouging every dollar out of the fan as possible, and is utterly ruining the environment at the arena. It sounds like a barren wasteland on TV/radio at times other than when the students are making noise.

Some good points, but I think two of the biggest reasons for poor attendance have been...

1) The Bruins getting really good in the last 5 years. If I have a choice now, I'm going to spend $90 to take my kid to the Bruins instead of $60 to see college hockey (regardless of how good the college team is) During the 90's and early 00's when the Bruins stunk, I'd rather the college choice.

2) For me, all the PA announcements during the game have really hurt the experience. Two of the main reasons why I fell in love with college hockey at a young age were because of the student chants and the band. Student chants and the band time are considerably reduced because the PA guy seems to be making an advertisement announcement between whistles.

 

[claver2010]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

There are still quite a few, and I know many of my friends personally who had tickets but just stopped going because it was too expensive, they didn't have the time to commit to a full season ticket package, and/or the team doing so poorly drove them away. Off the top of my head, I can think of at least five friends who still live in the area and fall into at least one of these categories.

As we both qualify for the young alum discount, care to compare what we each pay all in?


I enjoy going to Agganis but I can't imagine paying $55 for a pair of tickets to watch the UMass & UConns of the world.

 

[ericredaxe]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

As we both qualify for the young alum discount, care to compare what we each pay all in?


I enjoy going to Agganis but I can't imagine paying $55 for a pair of tickets to watch the UMass & UConns of the world.

I'd like to see a "family fan cost index" comparing the college hockey schools around here.

What is the cost at each arena for:

4 Tickets
Parking
2 Beers
2 Waters or Sodas (I don't buy my kids soda)
4 Hot Dogs
2 Ice Creams

Without figuring it out, I'd bet Agganis is the highest by far.

 

[Agganis]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

As we both qualify for the young alum discount, care to compare what we each pay all in?

Young alum discount is the price BU does best so I don't think it will have the price disparity you want.
$289 for 17 regular season games no matter the location of the seats (would have been 18 if not for Frozen Fenway)
$6 more if you include the exhibition
$45 if you include 3 HE Qfs
$15.45 per game
$50 for Friends of Hockey membership
$17.73 per game

Not bad at all for center ice tickets with intermission snacks and post game desserts while you are ages 22-32. It's the walk up/family crowd that is being priced out

The Bruins getting really good in the last 5 years. If I have a choice now, I'm going to spend $90 to take my kid to the Bruins instead of $60 to see college hockey (regardless of how good the college team is) During the 90's and early 00's when the Bruins stunk, I'd rather the college choice.

I haven't really been looking but can you actually get Bruins tickets for $45? That seems much lower than I would think but if so BU's price looks even more ridiculous

 

[Rover]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

I'd be curious what attendance looks like at the schools who are now being broadcast on TV a lot more regularly. BU seems to underestimate that instead of blowing $200 bucks for a family of 4 to hit the arena, you can just watch it at home and save yourself both the money and the aggravation. That leaves just students and die hards who really want to be there filling the seats along with the visiting teams fans who want to see the arena one time (North Dakota and Wisconsin had good sized crowds come in). I'm sure you also get the recently graduated & living in Allston/Brighton people too. However, if you're not really dedicated or live right nearby, I think those are the people they're losing despite all the phone calls we get from Quinn.

 

[ericredaxe]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

despite all the phone calls we get from Quinn.

I only got one call from Quinn! You must be higher up the totem pole!