Anybody going to the reseat discussion Dec. 11?

[CoxMustangFan]

I was there last night and everyone who currently has seats will have the opportunity to buy seats again. Just not necessarily the same ones....you will be given a time block to choose your seats on a 3D interactive map of moody in June. Rankings for the times are first dependent on your up front donation to the mustang club. Then, within that tier of donations they will use your priority points to determine your place.

The prices are not too ridiculous but it is the up front donation that will get people if they want to try and get their same seats....that annoyed me. Lastly, they were unclear last night if your tailgate donation would go towards your BB donation. I am going to call next week and try to clarify that point.

Did they give people handouts at this meeting stating what was going to happen? If so I would like to see because it is sounding more and more like it is a complete departure from what I was promised verbally and in writing by SMU about my rights to renew my seats with the purchase of my season tickets over the last 2 years. I hope I'm wrong but It's starting to feel more and more like litigation between me and SMU is in my future.

It's not the Mavs, it's your school trying to fight for survival. Yeah, let's sue them because I have to sit three rows back. Good news, you'll get to sit wherever you want when we're in conference with Sam Houston State.

[pony09]

One thing is for sure - if the ticket selection process and website do not work flawlessly, they have an even bigger problem on their hands.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

In general, increased donations will increase your priority at just about any school.

Agreed, that's why we get Mustang Club points for our donations.

If they want donations to increase for priority, they should have offered double or triple MC points for donations between now and May 31 or whatever instead of making it a straight "cash gets you to the top" scam.

[SMU Section F]

At the end of the day I think what really bothers me is that SMU seems to have no idea how bad the effects of this sort of action could be down the line.

Alumni from the late 80s until the early 00s are already largely apathetic towards SMU sports. Do we really want to continue that streak? I can't be the only one that notices that a disproportionate percentage of our loyal fan base has grandchildren... if not great-grandchildren.

If they want donations to increase for priority, they should have offered double or triple MC points for donations between now and May 31 or whatever instead of making it a straight "cash gets you to the top" scam.

Yep. Just seems sleazy.

[Pony_Law]

It's not the Mavs, it's your school trying to fight for survival. Yeah, let's sue them because I have to sit three rows back. Good news, you'll get to sit wherever you want when we're in conference with Sam Houston State.

Like I said I hope I don't have to go down that road but If I am promised something when I make a purchase I am entitled to get what I paid for. I love SMU, but just because you love something doesn't give them a right to lie to my face and not deliver what they promised me I was buying.

[CoxMustangFan]

At the end of the day I think what really bothers me is that SMU seems to have no idea how bad the effects of this sort of action could be down the line.

Alumni from the late 80s until the early 00s are already largely apathetic towards SMU sports. Do we really want to continue that streak? I can't be the only one that notices that a disproportionate percentage of our loyal fan base has grandchildren... if not great-grandchildren.

If they want donations to increase for priority, they should have offered double or triple MC points for donations between now and May 31 or whatever instead of making it a straight "cash gets you to the top" scam.

Yep. Just seems sleazy.

If this is true, it's sleazy beyond words. WTF is the point of a priority point system if any Johnny Come Lately can leap over you for a few hundred bucks?

[LA_Mustang]

Did they give people handouts at this meeting stating what was going to happen? If so I would like to see because it is sounding more and more like it is a complete departure from what I was promised verbally and in writing by SMU about my rights to renew my seats with the purchase of my season tickets over the last 2 years. I hope I'm wrong but It's starting to feel more and more like litigation between me and SMU is in my future.

They did not give us handouts. It will be available on the SMU website next week. They will email you when it is up.

[SMU Section F]

Did they give people handouts at this meeting stating what was going to happen? If so I would like to see because it is sounding more and more like it is a complete departure from what I was promised verbally and in writing by SMU about my rights to renew my seats with the purchase of my season tickets over the last 2 years. I hope I'm wrong but It's starting to feel more and more like litigation between me and SMU is in my future.

They did not give us handouts. It will be available on the SMU website next week. They will email you when it is up.

I hate to be paranoid, since I regularly get onto others for it, but does SMU releasing all this info right before the holidays remind anyone else of a business releasing an unfavorable press release at 430p on Friday?

[PonySnob]

As an FYI, they said last night that it the total cost per athlete at SMU is $116,000 per year which is over $45 million for all student athletes. The money certainly doesn't come from that stellar AAC TV contract so the school certainly eats a large portion of the cost and there are 30 or so alums that also foot a large portion of the bill.

[couch 'em]

I still don't get the point. Big money donors will have tons of priority points. Increased costs will cause people to reduce, downgrade, or drop tickets, opening up more seats for big donors. What is the necessity of 'reseating'? Just to PO everyone?

[SMU Section F]

As an FYI, they said last night that it the total cost per athlete at SMU is $116,000 per year which is over $45 million for all student athletes. The money certainly doesn't come from that stellar AAC TV contract so the school certainly eats a large portion of the cost and there are 30 or so alums that also foot a large portion of the bill.

I get what you're saying. I want the school to be successful and I greatly appreciate the alumni who give more than I'll ever be able to. That said, this is part of the reason I think this "cash grab" is less greed and more desperation. There's a reason that SMU feels the need to raise money like a successful P5 school when in reality we're a low-end G5 school. The urgency just makes it seem even worse. Call it bad luck, poor planning, mismanagement, or whatever, but obviously the school's dollars have not been well spent and we're getting ready to pay the price.

[CoxMustangFan]

As an FYI, they said last night that it the total cost per athlete at SMU is $116,000 per year which is over $45 million for all student athletes. The money certainly doesn't come from that stellar AAC TV contract so the school certainly eats a large portion of the cost and there are 30 or so alums that also foot a large portion of the bill.

I get what you're saying. I want the school to be successful and I greatly appreciate the alumni who give more than I'll ever be able to. That said, this is part of the reason I think this "cash grab" is less greed and more desperation. There's a reason that SMU feels the need to raise money like a successful P5 school when in reality we're a low-end G5 school. The urgency just makes it seem even worse. Call it bad luck, poor planning, mismanagement, or whatever, but obviously the school's dollars have not been well spent and we're getting ready to pay the price.

I'm not sure it's "mismanagment". The difference between P5 and G5 $ is eye-popping. Stallion has said it a 100 times and he's right, we'll get the program we pay for a support with our attendence. I want SMU to be P5 and I'm willing to fund my 1/5000th share. Fortunately, we have a few donors that are funding the 3000/5000th share.

[Blunt Pony]

Yep, CMF. I'll do the same thing.
And actually it might be a sign of my sanity returning after all these years.
I can go on Stubhub and buy tickets to the best 2-3 games of the season for a fraction of the cost of a seat donation + season ticket price.

Football? Without being in a P5 there will always be cheap tickets available for ANY game.

I've always bought tickets to support the university because God knows it has needed every one of us over the years.

If I get the letter that says you are moving seats, your money is no good and STFU. Then maybe that is the sign I need to go do something else.

That is exactly what the smart money is going to do. Now I don't have to subsidize the crappy non conference games and can just cherry pick the good ones off Stub Hub and still come out ahead. This is what happened at Jerry World and why each "Home" game feels like a road game.

Don't worry though, in a few years you can jump back in a reasonable prices. Remember, this is SMU we are talking about.

[ponydawg]

Oddly, this will hurt Football season tickets worse than BB. Us normal folk will buy less FB tickets in order to make their budget work to keep the basketball seats.

Here is the worst part, there is practically not a bad seat in moody.....if the atmosphere is good! But they are going to hurt the atmosphere with this plan.

They will end up making more money this way, but it will come with a price. Some will switch to buying on stub hub and won't feel the need to attend every game, and the richies of the SMU world won't see the need to sell their OOC UIC tickets because they don't need the money therefore empty seats down low. The atmosphere will change and LB will be upset, outsiders will continue to wonder what is wrong with SMU athletics.

I was going to buy 4 tickets in football and basketball next year and bring guests in hopes to pick up more t-shirt fans, but I don't see that happening now if I am being charged for football and BY SEAT in basketball for my donations.

[SMU Section F]

I'm not sure it's "mismanagment". The difference between P5 and G5 $ is eye-popping. Stallion has said it a 100 times and he's right, we'll get the program we pay for a support with our attendence. I want SMU to be P5 and I'm willing to fund my 1/5000th share. Fortunately, we have a few donors that are funding the 3000/5000th share.

You're not wrong. The difference is night and day between P5 and G5 schools. That doesn't change that asking people to pay for a product they haven't received (and may never receive) seems inappropriate and is not a good way to build a fan base.

Edit: Also, I didn't intend to accuse SMU of mismanagement. There are a number of things that have led here and I'm not in a position to know the specifics.