SID, how many season tickets have been sold?

[78pony]

They aren't

Actually, they are. VAST majority are SMU fans. We are over 11k now, which is a new record.

I don't buy it. Why? What has happened to make anyone halfway knowledgeable think this will be a successful, or break even, year? Burcham? 5'9" receivers all over?

[Grant Carter]

They aren't

Actually, they are. VAST majority are SMU fans. We are over 11k now, which is a new record.

I don't buy it. Why? What has happened to make anyone halfway knowledgeable think this will be a successful, or break even, year? Burcham? 5'9" receivers all over?

Who said the ticket purchasers were halfway knowledgeable?

[Pony81]

This board is a litenany of misery.
While I completely agree that the on field football product
Is below par and we need a new coach, SMU made the right
Move not to pay $5 million to buy out JJ
I see so many positives over the years
BBall game production is first rate
FBall game production is much improved. BLVD is growing and well supported.
Ticket delivery show creativity and imagination
My contact with the ticket office have always been
Professional and well organized.

We have made lots of off field football improvement
And I can see 11,000 season tickets being sold - especially
With the LB halo effect

[B1GPonyFan]

They aren't

Actually, they are. VAST majority are SMU fans. We are over 11k now, which is a new record.

I don't buy it. Why? What has happened to make anyone halfway knowledgeable think this will be a successful, or break even, year? Burcham? 5'9" receivers all over?

I think that would come from your AD who has a vast marketing background with the creativity to devise ways of increasing season ticket holders and other revenue streams for a product that's just average. Just think when SMU football ever reaches the next level.

Now I know mex will probably throw up when I say it looks to me that SMU has a pretty sharp AD who knows what the [deleted] he's doing and is maximizing every dollar opportunity SMU can generate.

Hope we can hang on to Rick Hart for awhile.

[sbsmith]

I don't buy it. Why? What has happened to make anyone halfway knowledgeable think this will be a successful, or break even, year? Burcham? 5'9" receivers all over?

I'd think we'd have sold a hell of a lot more than 11K season tickets (the fact that this is our record is embarrassing) if there were a critical mass of fans that thought we'd be "successful" this season. The real question is how many of those tickets will be used.

[JasonB]

They aren't

Actually, they are. VAST majority are SMU fans. We are over 11k now, which is a new record.

I don't buy it. Why? What has happened to make anyone halfway knowledgeable think this will be a successful, or break even, year? Burcham? 5'9" receivers all over?

1) As I've pointed out before, there are a lot of strategies shared between FC Dallas and SMU. FCD has seen a significant bump in actual butts in seats this year as well as tickets sold and that improved marketing/selling strategy has probably been employed with SMU to increase the numbers.

2) Probable starters: Gaines 6'2, Joseph 6'0, Thompson 5'10, Lancaster 5'9. So you were correct with one of them.

[mrydel]

I would think the basketball exposure has helped somewhat in football sales.

[Cheesesteak]

They aren't

Actually, they are. VAST majority are SMU fans. We are over 11k now, which is a new record.

Nice job attracting new fans. The increase in season tickets sales is very good news. It is sad that some people can't accept positive results from SMU athletics.

[SmooBoy]

I would think the basketball exposure has helped somewhat in football sales.

This ABSOLUTELY has had a bleedover effect. LB has been the greatest hire since Eric Dickerson.

[LA_Mustang]

While I completely agree that the on field football product
Is below par and we need a new coach, SMU made the right
Move not to pay $5 million to buy out JJ

Please explain that logic.

[B1GPonyFan]

Well, I'm glad that people know how to spend other people's money and feel like $5 million or whatever the buyout amount was is pretty much considered like that of monopoly.

[LA_Mustang]

Well, I'm glad that people know how to spend other people's money and feel like $5 million or whatever the buyout amount was is pretty much considered like that of monopoly.

I was asking Pony81 his opinion not yours but I know you can't help it. Pony81 said not buying JJ out was the right thing to do even though we need a new coach. You're right, it's not my money but in the real world of big time college football that's the way it works. A $5 million buyout would not stop any P5 school from making a move that is needed.

[B1GPonyFan]

Was your name ever mentioned in my post? But since you think it was or that I "implied" my response was to you, let's do this.

Aside from going 5-7 and breaking a 4-bowl appearance streak what did June Jones do to warrant getting removed or bought out. The Arizona State business is old news so move on. Now, if there was a movement behind the scenes to buy him out and Rick Hart couldn't get the $$ support fine. I never heard that.

However, coaches who have one losing season after a streak like this -- and this team was about 10-15 points away from going 7-5 (but you are what you are) -- are given that kind of year as a mulligan. If a second year like 2013, occurs, then there's pressure for the third year to perform. Mack Brown had crappy seasons from 2010-2013 and survived because he had a track record of success. June is no different here.

Just remove yourself from the hatred of June when looking at this. Whatever we think was going on with the negotiations back in December and what was rumored out there is probably 1/5 of what was really going on. If SMU collapses this year, then Hart would appear to have more contract leverage to make a decision. If June gets SMU to a bowl game/wins 7 games, he's not going anywhere.

[skurtn]

PS- I had two Lexus and I thought they were junk. Went back to MB and never regretted it.

And I think both Lexus and MB are junk... to each their own right?

I would think the basketball exposure has helped somewhat in football sales.

Hope so.

[StallionsModelT]

I think the real danger in not buying out June last year is that he has an additional year now to further run this thing into the proverbial ditch with lackluster recruiting and uninspired play on the field. That said, we can't keep going back to the program's lifeblood (CoC) and ask them to fork over $5M to buy out June and then spend another $10-$15M to get a new coaching staff in here. The smart FINANCIAL move was to wait it out on this season, see if June can get motivated by a "win or you're gone" type of arrangement, and see where we stand at the end of the season.

It was a can't lose scenario last year with June. The way he was pouting and moping around I honestly thought he might walk away which would have been the best case scenario. But he's not going to leave $2.3M on the table when he wants to coach another 3-5 years.

I think we all have a pretty good feel for this season. After the 1-4 or 1-5 start June and the team will likely pack it in. At that point Rick Hart will have his opportunity to make a signature hire at SMU (something he has yet to do). We're going to need to pay at least $3.5M/year for a coach. Lets hope the deep pockets that have kept this program afloat are willing to dig a little deeper into the coffers.