contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

[BCDoubleEagle]

Folks,

First time poster and BC fan here. I rarely do this sort of thing, but here is the text of an email I just sent to the NCAA. I encourage you all to express similar sentiments. The email address is pmr@ncaa.org

---------
Hello,

I am writing to express my disappointment at the NCAA’s ongoing policy of raising ticket prices for the NCAA hockey regional games, thus driving away fans. Here are the ticket prices and attendance figures from the last five NCAA regional games I attended in Worcester. Each game was a regional final featuring Boston College.

2001: $20 (11,976)
2005: $30 (8,695)
2006: $36.50 (8,742)
2008: $45.00 (5,911)
2010: $49.50 (6,054)

Not surprisingly, as ticket prices increase, attendance decreases.

Clearly, this problem is not unique to Worcester; there were only 3,204 fans in Fort Wayne and 3,737 in Albany for those regional finals this year. Even Minneapolis -- a hockey-crazed city with an 18,000-seat rink -- only drew a little over 7,000 fans.

In this economy, fans are choosing to stay home rather than spend hundreds of dollars to watch a college hockey game. What is the NCAA doing about this problem? Are there plans to lower ticket prices next year? If not, are there at least plans to introduce tiered pricing based on seat location like every other major sporting event?

 

[GoNU5]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

The NCAA made more money in 2010 with higher prices ($299,673) than in 2001 ($239,520). They figured out less fans wasn't a problem if they made more money int he process. As sad as that is, it means the NCAA is unlikely to lower ticket prices considerably unless they can make more money with lower ticket prices.

 

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

I got glass seats to the West Regional for $30....buy on the street and stop whining about ticket prices, it's not like there's a high demand...

 

[J.D.]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

I got glass seats to the West Regional for $30....buy on the street and stop whining about ticket prices, it's not like there's a high demand...

Sorry, but this certainly isn't worthy of a

I bought my ticket right after BC won Saturday. $47.50 for a one game regional final is ridiculous.

 

[Maine Pudge]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

The NCAA made more money in 2010 with higher prices ($299,673) than in 2001 ($239,520). They figured out less fans wasn't a problem if they made more money int he process. As sad as that is, it means the NCAA is unlikely to lower ticket prices considerably unless they can make more money with lower ticket prices.

Also, in 2001 there were only 2 regionals, with 6 teams at each regional so I'm sure they grossed even more money this year with the 4 regionals. 50 bucks for a college hockey game where the arena is only a 3rd full is kinda crazy though. I'd imagine they'd make a whole lot more money on concessions and such if there were more people at the games as well.

 

[RedFreak]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

They are pricing local families out of the market. That's a group you'd think they'd like to attract.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

The NCAA made more money in 2010 with higher prices ($299,673) than in 2001 ($239,520). They figured out less fans wasn't a problem if they made more money int he process. As sad as that is, it means the NCAA is unlikely to lower ticket prices considerably unless they can make more money with lower ticket prices.

I'm no economist, but $299,673 in 01 dollars may actually be less than $239,520 in today's. It's probably a wash.

 

[RedFreak]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

I'm no economist, but $299,673 in 01 dollars may actually be less than $239,520 in today's. It's probably a wash.

You're right (though I think you got the years mixed up). It only takes an annual inflation rate of 2.5% to turn $239,520 into $299,673 in nine years. So what's remarkable is that their income has been stagnent to falling.

 

[CLS]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

It's not at all clear to me that the NCAA sets the prices.

 

[The Vicar]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

Folks,

First time poster and BC fan here. I rarely do this sort of thing, but here is the text of an email I just sent to the NCAA. I encourage you all to express similar sentiments. The email address is pmr@ncaa.org

---------
Hello,

I am writing to express my disappointment at the NCAA’s ongoing policy of raising ticket prices for the NCAA hockey regional games, thus driving away fans. Here are the ticket prices and attendance figures from the last five NCAA regional games I attended in Worcester. Each game was a regional final featuring Boston College.

2001: $20 (11,976)
2005: $30 (8,695)
2006: $36.50 (8,742)
2008: $45.00 (5,911)
2010: $49.50 (6,054)

Not surprisingly, as ticket prices increase, attendance decreases.

Clearly, this problem is not unique to Worcester; there were only 3,204 fans in Fort Wayne and 3,737 in Albany for those regional finals this year. Even Minneapolis -- a hockey-crazed city with an 18,000-seat rink -- only drew a little over 7,000 fans.

In this economy, fans are choosing to stay home rather than spend hundreds of dollars to watch a college hockey game. What is the NCAA doing about this problem? Are there plans to lower ticket prices next year? If not, are there at least plans to introduce tiered pricing based on seat location like every other major sporting event?

Welcome to the board Double Eagle. great post and i will be sending them an e-mail as well. I was at St. Paul both days and I was there with 7,000 of my closest friends. Horrible!

 

[Priceless]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

It's not at all clear to me that the NCAA sets the prices.

The NCAA sets a price range, with a Minimum price. The exact rule was quoted in one of the other threads devoted to this topic.

 

[jmh]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

Sorry, but this certainly isn't worthy of a

I bought my ticket right after BC won Saturday. $47.50 for a one game regional final is ridiculous.

But you bought it anyway. Vote with your feet if you think the prices are too high; writing a letter isn't going to accomplish anything.

 

[J.D.]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

But you bought it anyway. Vote with your feet if you think the prices are too high; writing a letter isn't going to accomplish anything.

What does me buying the ticket have to do with the price being ridiculous? That's one person. Diehards will pay, but I'm sure there are plenty of people who chose not to.

The bottom line is it's just unfortunate that there aren't better crowds for the regionals.

 

[Eaglefan06]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

But you bought it anyway. Vote with your feet if you think the prices are too high; writing a letter isn't going to accomplish anything.

I agree writing a letter will do absolutely nothing....however people shouldn't have to stay at home and not be able to support their teams to get the NCAA to lower prices and fill arenas. Its ridiculous.

 

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

Sorry, but this certainly isn't worthy of a

I bought my ticket right after BC won Saturday. $47.50 for a one game regional final is ridiculous.

Why? Because I was apparently smarter then you and let the scalper take the hit in ticket price? I paid $15 a game for great seats...

I just think it's stupid to complain about ticket price when you didn't have to pay that much...

 

[J.D.]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

Why? Because I was apparently smarter then you and let the scalper take the hit in ticket price? I paid $15 a game for great seats...

I just think it's stupid to complain about ticket price when you didn't have to pay that much...

LOL

ya, we're not as smart as you. my group wanted three seats together and the ability to choose where they were. by going to the box office after the BC-Alaska game, we were able to do this. there's no guarantee that a scalper would offer that. i'm not complaining for myself. i don't care about paying $47.50. i'm talking about drawing better crowds to the regionals in general.

 

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

LOL

ya, we're not as smart as you. my group wanted three seats together and the ability to choose where they were. by going to the box office after the BC-Alaska game, we were able to do this. there's no guarantee that a scalper would offer that. i'm not complaining for myself. i don't care about paying $47.50. i'm talking about drawing better crowds to the regionals in general.

Fair enough. Though the guy I bought from had several tickets he would only sell as groups...and tickets pretty much everywhere in the arena.

The biggest factor of drawing crowds to the arena is who is there. I was pretty surprised at the lack of Wisconsin fans at the X last weekend.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

Fair enough. Though the guy I bought from had several tickets he would only sell as groups...and tickets pretty much everywhere in the arena.

The biggest factor of drawing crowds to the arena is who is there. I was pretty surprised at the lack of Wisconsin fans at the X last weekend.

As much fun as St Paul is and as wonderful as the X is, I can understand why Badger fans didn't want to drive back to St. Paul to see their team play in the same venue after coming for the Final Five the week before. This is why I still think the "bye week" should be between the conference tournament and the regionals, not between the regionals and the frozen four.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

Had ticket prices been reasonable, I very well may have drove to St. Paul to watch UW play Saturday night with my sons. But I can't drop $150.00 on 1 event for 3 of us. No way.

 

[SCSU Euro]

Re: contact NCAA re: high ticket prices / low attendance at regionals

The biggest factor of drawing crowds to the arena is who is there. I was pretty surprised at the lack of Wisconsin fans at the X last weekend.

No kidding... the turnout by both UW and SCSU was kinda sad in comparison to the infestation of green and black the weekend before.