Season Tickets Charges

[Duke Blue Blood]

I finally got my season tickets for basketball and I noticed that I was charged
for the Exhibition Games. What is going on with this? Here I am a loyal fan and they try to screw me on exhibition games. It is free to the general public, but our season ticket holders need to pay. Thank Brett!

DBB

[Hoop Fan]

I thought the same thing, but I doubt many other schools would have done it differently. There is a cost of having the exhibition opponents come to town. The only reason SMU waives walk up admission is to get some casual fans in the stands to make the atmosphere somewhat respectable. Heck, i think there were at least 12 family and friends of Q sitting around me at the last exhibition game. I might be wrong, but I doubt they are all there for regular games.

[PX]

I havent looked at my tickets yet, but I have to agree with the original post. Charging season ticket holders for a game that you let everyone into for free? A game where people can sit anywhere, including the seats I apparently paid for? This is screwed up and I have never heard of other schools doing that. It also seriously chapped my hide that we were charged for a series of concerts that are supposed to take place after some of the games, but the bands havent even been scheduled yet. Telling customers they have to pay for something extra, whether they want it or not, or that might not even exist, is not the way to maintain a loyal customer base. I only renewed half the number of season tickets I normally buy, and this was part of the reason why.

[Hoop Fan]

The concerts are a bad idea all around as far as I can tell. Does anybody stay for these things? The handling of the exhibition games is unconventional no doubt, but as a supporter of the program I dont expect exhibition games to be free. Most schools charge regular admission for exhibition i believe. At the same time, I personally dont mind them letting in some people for free, it beats sitting there by myself.

[DiamondM]

1. I don't believe you actually "paid" for the exhibitions if you were a season ticket holder. You paid a package price for the actual games, and (probably to decrease confusion in the printing process) the decision was made (not by Brett) to go ahead and print a price on the exhibition tickets.

2. PX, although of course you would know better than I would, I doubt the few extra dollars for post game concerts was a very large contributor to your decision to buy fewer season tickets. I bet it was more a result of your inability to get others to use your extras even at deep discounts. God love you for buying so many extras in the past. Or maybe we can chalk the decrease up to your increasing pessism. You know I respect your opinions and your dedication to ALL of SMU's atheltic programs, but lately you seem to be a little bit (okay a lot) down on the whole thing. I hope the basketball team surprises you this year so you can cheer up a little.

[PX]

1.) You're right, I talked to Brett at the game Saturday, and that was what they had done.

2.) The other things you mentioned are of course always on my mind, but I made the decision when I saw the increase in ticket prices. It wasnt the only reason, but it was the final one.

[Pony_Fan]

well...at least they didnt do the VIP section thing that was rumored!!