Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red White Bleeding Blue...

[Drew S.]

Like I said Bob, there's a difference between unsold and sold but empty. Those seats are almost all sold. Visit the ticket website and you see that they are unavailable for purchase. Don't ask me why people shell out that kind of money and then don't bother to attend the game.

Of 960 $50 seats, 694 are sold to season ticket holders - 72%. There are over 800 of the $23 seats available for games (on average) so that's where the focus needs to be. If none of the $50 seats sold you would have a case. They are selling.

Maybe they changed the number of $50 seats? I agree with Bob F I've looked at times and there are tons of $50 seats available. Also, the university probably gives away a fair number of the seats too so they can count them as 'sold.' The whole thing is a joke and needs to be rectified. It's embarrassing to watch a game on tv and see tons of empty seats, especially against another HEA team.

I agree with TerrierFan that they should market more to kids. Also, what are they doing to market to young alumni? Would be interesting to know how many kids who have graduated in the last 10 years have bought season tickets.

 

[Priceless]

Maybe they changed the number of $50 seats? I agree with Bob F I've looked at times and there are tons of $50 seats available. Also, the university probably gives away a fair number of the seats too so they can count them as 'sold.' The whole thing is a joke and needs to be rectified. It's embarrassing to watch a game on tv and see tons of empty seats, especially against another HEA team.

I agree with TerrierFan that they should market more to kids. Also, what are they doing to market to young alumni? Would be interesting to know how many kids who have graduated in the last 10 years have bought season tickets.

There may be a "ton" of seats available but never more than 266 since the rest are sold to season ticket holders. Meanwhile over 800 of the lower priced seats remain available. As for the empty seats and the appearance on TV, I guess the university could make attendance mandatory and watch season ticket sales really plummet.

 

[Drew S.]

There may be a "ton" of seats available but never more than 266 since the rest are sold to season ticket holders. Meanwhile over 800 of the lower priced seats remain available. As for the empty seats and the appearance on TV, I guess the university could make attendance mandatory and watch season ticket sales really plummet.

How do you know the rest were sold to season ticket holders?

 

[TERRIERFANinLA]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red White Bleeding Blue...

Priceless, did you watch games on TV this year? Did you see all of the empty BLUE seats around Red? Season ticket holders who were dressed as empty seats? I did not bite on all the hype of the $50 seats until I went online to buy tickets for the last game of the year vs. PC. A game that should have been in high demand given what was on the line. When I went to the Maine site I saw plenty of seats for sale in the lower bowl and even the seat back seats in the second level at center ice. There had to be 1000 available! And every time I clicked on one it was $50!!!! That is the reality, and this was not some game versus New Brunswick, it was senior night at home. Lots of seats all for $50! It does not work in Orono, Maine, PERIOD!

I could afford to buy the seats once or twice a year, but refuse on principal. Were the place sold out at that was the going rate, so be it. It is not! Thus asking a person, a couple, a family, to shell out $50 per ticket, with wages being what they are in Orono is idiotic! Make all the arguments for it you want. It makes no sense to have that building 1,000 to 2,000 seats under capacity on a night in night out basis. Never introducing people to the sport because they can't afford a ticket has an incalculable impact, when compared to having them attend 2 or 3 games and buying merchandise and being fans for life. Take a long range approach and don't try and count dollars today, this is a business the University and the hockey team will be around longer than all of us. Set things up for success, to introduce the game to more and more fans, not charge an arms and a leg and say sorry this is just for the haves and not have nots! No way to run a business!

agree 100% Bob!

 

[Priceless]

How do you know the rest were sold to season ticket holders?

Maine also had a $50 ticket for fans in the donor sections who were not season-ticket holders. There were approximately 960 seats in those donor sections and 266 were available on a per-game basis for $50.

I suppose Larry could have been making stuff up or Creech could have been lying to him, but then this whole exercise becomes moot.

 

[Priceless]

agree 100% Bob!

You agree 100% with something that was just shown to be demonstrably false...good for you!

 

[Drew S.]

You agree 100% with something that was just shown to be demonstrably false...good for you!

LOL, you didn't prove anything. Larry's comment didn't even reference season ticket sales.

 

[Runsub5]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red White Bleeding Blue...

I know of a few season ticket holders in the $50.00 seat area who are now watching games in the sky boxes. They continue to buy their seats in the lower bowl center ice, because at some point they may wish to resume using them.

Most of those 266 unsold seats must be around the Maine bench. As others have mentioned there is a huge void there. Another issue is the policy of requiring anyone purchasing one of these 266 seats, to make a donation in addition to purchasing the season ticket package. I think the donation is in the $500 - $700.

 

[Priceless]

LOL, you didn't prove anything. Larry's comment didn't even reference season ticket sales.

Let's try this again...

Maine also had a $50 ticket for fans in the donor sections who were not season-ticket holders. There were approximately 960 seats in those donor sections and 266 were available on a per-game basis for $50.

There were 960 seats originally available.
There were only 266 available for purchase on a game-by-game basis.
That means the other 694 were bought by donors/STH.

As I have said before, the issue is not the $50 seats. The issue is that there are over 800 $23 seats available for each game. You want people in the seats, start there.

As for empty seats around the bench, you aren't going to make attendance mandatory so fill in those seats with students - the opposing teams will LOVE that.

 

[Drew S.]

I know of a few season ticket holders in the $50.00 seat area who are now watching games in the sky boxes. They continue to buy their seats in the lower bowl center ice, because at some point they may wish to resume using them.

Most of those 266 unsold seats must be around the Maine bench. As others have mentioned there is a huge void there. Another issue is the policy of requiring anyone purchasing one of these 266 seats, to make a donation in addition to purchasing the season ticket package. I think the donation is in the $500 - $700.

There's no doubt that some people are buying some of those tickets but I don't buy for a second that 700 plus season tickets last year sold for an average price of $750 or whatever it is. That doesn't even pass the straight face test.

 

[Pucknut]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red White Bleeding Blue...

When it comes to Maine's decision to increase ticket prices by such a huge jump two seasons ago to $50 for "premium" seats, to keep them at that price after this season when most people have shown they aren't willing to pay that price (and the seats more often than not were left empty as a result) makes no sense if even those who can afford the additional cost aren't willing to pay the extra expense. Lowering prices across the board will go a long way to filling up the empty seats.

There are some of those $50 seats in our section that aren't held by season ticket holders but they are often filled every game by "Carpetseaters" who buy lower priced tickets and squat.

 

[blackbearbandie]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red White Bleeding Blue...

Not even the $23 tickets have been selling like they should. I'm glad the athletic department is giving the issue a little press with the recent article in the paper to let us know they're considering options on how to increase attendance. Maybe the $50 issue for tickets only looks worse at face value than it actually is, but even if it looks bad on the face of it that's reason enough for UMaine to think of ways less likely to alienate its fan base and boost attendance at the same time.

 

[Drew S.]

Let's try this again...



There were 960 seats originally available.
There were only 266 available for purchase on a game-by-game basis.
That means the other 694 were bought by donors/STH.

As I have said before, the issue is not the $50 seats. The issue is that there are over 800 $23 seats available for each game. You want people in the seats, start there.

As for empty seats around the bench, you aren't going to make attendance mandatory so fill in those seats with students - the opposing teams will LOVE that.

Again, it doesn't say that 694 tickets were purchased at $750 or whatever it is. That is something you are assuming because apparently they weren't available for single game sales.

 

[Priceless]

Again, it doesn't say that 694 tickets were purchased at $750 or whatever it is. That is something you are assuming because apparently they weren't available for single game sales.

Right. They were withholding them to make the math more difficult.

 

[BlackI]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red White Bleeding Blue...

Right. They were withholding them to make the math more difficult.

Wow, sounds like you are advocating a half empty Alfond.

I have a deal, work out the tickets to make the building full. Then go up from there. There is absolutely no sense in having a half empty building because business sense says we break even and it is ok.

Let's take it to an extreme... Stephen King buys out the arena all season long and is the only one to punch a ticket. Might make business sense, but doesn't make a program.

You need to see the forrest from the trees.

 

[Priceless]

Wow, sounds like you are advocating a half empty Alfond.

I have a deal, work out the tickets to make the building full. Then go up from there. There is absolutely no sense in having a half empty building because business sense says we break even and it is ok.

Let's take it to an extreme... Stephen King buys out the arena all season long and is the only one to punch a ticket. Might make business sense, but doesn't make a program.

You need to see the forrest from the trees.

The bean counters would LOVE that! Are you kidding?

I'm not advocating for anything, I'm telling it like it is. I'm sorry not everyone can afford premium seats. I wish I could afford premium seats at Bruins games, but they're out of my reach. I'm lucky I can afford them for Hockey East. That doesn't mean Jeremy Jacobs is going to decide to lower the price of premium tickets. There are seats in the loge and balcony that are more affordable. In Alfond, there are still 800+ $23 seats available for purchase. Buy those instead. Leave the $50 seats for donors.

Again, the majority of those empty seats you see on TV are sold. What would you like the university to do to make those people attend?

 

[blackbear80]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red White Bleeding Blue...

I'm sorry not everyone can afford premium seats.

The definition of "premium" seems broad. As far as I can see it's *every* chairback between the blue lines and a little beyond, even the ones tucked behind the bench so you cannot see.

I'm lucky I can afford them for Hockey East.

Even HE tournament tickets are cheaper than Maine tickets! Aside from luxury boxes, the most expensive HE playoff tickets (including the club seats) are only $40.
Lets see - we went to games at Alfond, Northeastern, BC, UNH, Providence, UVM, and UML. IIRC other than UMaine, the most we paid was $27.

In Alfond, there are still 800+ $23 seats available for purchase. Buy those instead.

Of the 800+ how many are obstructed view? It seems like there were quite a few "pink" seats in the seating chart.

Leave the $50 seats for donors.

"Donors" I wonder how many people who pay the $50 think of themselves as donors, and not people who overpaid. I wonder how many people resent the $50 price, and how much it hurts the program.

Again, the majority of those empty seats you see on TV are sold. What would you like the university to do to make those people attend?

One idea: provide a ticket exchange (if there isn't one already) and encourage season ticket holders to use it, perhaps by giving higher priority or a discount for next years tickets for those who use their tickets.

 

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red White Bleeding Blue...

I know of a few season ticket holders in the $50.00 seat area who are now watching games in the sky boxes. They continue to buy their seats in the lower bowl center ice, because at some point they may wish to resume using them.

Most of those 266 unsold seats must be around the Maine bench. As others have mentioned there is a huge void there. Another issue is the policy of requiring anyone purchasing one of these 266 seats, to make a donation in addition to purchasing the season ticket package. I think the donation is in the $500 - $700.

I am in one of those Donation Sections,each year I donate $500 and also pay for my season ticket package...other area's in the rink that are Donation seats pay $750 per season plus there season ticket package...that I know as I have had both. IMO,they need to cut the price of single game tickets and cut the season ticket prices to make a incentive to buy ahead...and as I've said a while back the reason they price the Donation seat areas at $50 is that they don't want to lose their season ticket holders in those sections,as paying $50 is for the already season ticket holder of these sections that are paying donation money,while someone comes in and pays $50 only...this is from Joe Roberts in a face to face conversation a few years back...the area to fix is the $23 seating and cut back on the $50 seats to say $25...but who knows what will happen...prices go down and you'll see more game day buyers and if you drop the season ticket prices you will maybe see a few more....they need to win and be in the NCAA's for people to come back and believe that this Program is making a comeback. Money is tight everywhere's not just around the Orono/Bangor area.

 

[FiveHole12]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red White Bleeding Blue...

If what priceless says is true, then there's some big problems up at UMO. Nobody in admin. cares if anyone is in the seats as long as the seats are sold? That's a recipe for disaster. They should have kept Tim Whitehead around so they'd have someone else to blame for their own incompetence.

Long time BC season ticket holder here. Avid fan... travel to most away games as well. Good program, nice arena, winning isn't a problem. Premium seat season tix are $15. for a few games, $20. for most, $30. for BU and Notre Dame (about $330. per ticket/16 games... times 5, in my case). Would I pay $50. per seat at BC? Nope. I wouldn't pay $40. It's not about the money... it's about the value. I'd find a better value for my entertainment dollar.

But maybe the bean counters at BC are smart enough to realize they're getting $40.-$50. out of me anyway, when you throw in the concessions. Some bean counters understand WHY they have a job counting the beans.

 

[blackbear80]

Re: Maine Hockey 2013-2014 - Red White Bleeding Blue...

If what priceless says is true, then there's some big problems up at UMO. Nobody in admin. cares if anyone is in the seats as long as the seats are sold? That's a recipe for disaster. They should have kept Tim Whitehead around so they'd have someone else to blame for their own incompetence.

Long time BC season ticket holder here. Avid fan... travel to most away games as well. Good program, nice arena, winning isn't a problem. Premium seat season tix are $15. for a few games, $20. for most, $30. for BU and Notre Dame (about $330. per ticket/16 games... times 5, in my case). Would I pay $50. per seat at BC? Nope. I wouldn't pay $40. It's not about the money... it's about the value. I'd find a better value for my entertainment dollar.

But maybe the bean counters at BC are smart enough to realize they're getting $40.-$50. out of me anyway, when you throw in the concessions. Some bean counters understand WHY they have a job counting the beans.

I don't think it's so easy up in Orono. From what I see UM is having financial issues all around - I think that's more the norm than the exception for public schools.

Not a lot of money around, certainly fewer big $$ donors out there.

They let the recent malaise stick around too long; as people started to bail they raised the ticket prices to soak the remaining loyal fans to get enough money to run the program. It's a tough spot, and at least they're asking the questions about how to get back. IMO that's a positive sign.