Giving Away Tickets Now Prohibited at Ford

[MrMustang1965]

SMU Police Department Patrol Lieutenant Enrique Jemmott told me I was not permitted to give away tickets on campus property.

I had several 'extra tickets' that were mailed to me by another season ticket holder near Houston who was unable to attend the Rice game. Lt. Jemmott said other than at the Ford Stadium ticket office that school rules 'prohibit the sale or distribution of tickets on campus property'.

Another person was offering to sell tickets at less than face value and Lt. Jemmott also told him that was not permitted because - quote - 'it interferes with the sale of tickets at the ticket office'. The tickets had already been bought and were being sold at 'less than face value'!

Let's see...we're trying to get people into Ford. We're trying to GIVE AWAY tickets that have already been bought at SEASON TICKET prices or we're trying to re-sell them at 'less than face value' (taking a loss). And some campus cop is telling us we can't do this because it's too close to the ticket office at Ford.

WTF?

[PlanoStang]

Hopefully it's just a case of Barney Fyffe's nephew being alive, well, and
working as security at SMU.

Read in the DMN Sat. morning that we had 10,000 season tickets sold
when Ford opened in 2000, and that it had dwindled to about 4600 this
year. Will dwindle to less than the 2200 we had in 99 at the Rotten Bowl
if this type of 'fan relations' keeps up.

Sounds like Copeland's fan relations SNAFU #113.

[Caballo]

This has always been the rule at games on campus. A year or two after we came back a friend of mine was in front of Ownby trying to sell two extra season tickets he had. A UPPD person came up and told him he could not sell tickets in front of the stadium. My friend then saw someone wanting to buy tickets, so he gave the tickets to a man and his son. The ever watchful UPPD person came over and made the man give the tickets back because you can't give away tickets in front of the stadium. The UPPD person then told my friend he would have to go into the stadium. My friend stood there a minute or two more waiting on my wife and I to join him and the UPPD person arrested him and booked him at the local jail for "criminal trespass."

I thought the UPPD people had stopped this ignorant behavior at the games. I guess it is still alive and well.

By the way, my friends six season tickets were not renewed and he has been to probably three games since. Now that's marketing.

[tmustangp]

Who can we call and email constantly to get this stupid rule changed. Honestly, I remember a year or two ago the people at the gates would not allow some season ticket holders to leave the stadium at halftime and go back to their tents... Now this crap about not being able to give tickets away..
Sorry absolutely sorry. I for refuse to pay more than the $9 dollars I paid this weekend for a ticket to watch SMU play and I love smu football more than most.

Whoever makes these decisions, I want them to write an apology letter to us the fans on this website w/ their reasons for these incidents.

If yall agree then I will post this as a new topic and do my best to make sure the right people here this... I really believe that some of the decision makers really don't care about the fans.

[tmustangp]

Mr. Mustang1965...

May I suggest you call or email Shawn Heilbron, Associate A.D./ Sales and Marketing 214-768-2885 .. He is a great guy and is Assistant AD and is in charge of season ticket sales.. He is at every game and is present to the fans and knows everyone by name. I tell you that b/c I know alot of people who really like him and since I don't know if he is making the decisions, I don't want him blamed for this.

But he will do his best to give you and honest answer.

[smudad]

I don't think this is unusual. At tcu several years ago, we were attempting to give some tickets away as well. A FW cop suggested to us it was not the best thing for us to be doing. He was courteous, but firm. I think they consider that you cost them 'sales' and represent competition to the box office - especially if you are doing it in close proximity to the box office.

I'm not necessarily defending the policy. However, I think you'll get the same response at most any stadium. I think if they are honest they'll tell you to hawk 'em somewhere away from the ticket office and you won't be bothered.

[MustangFan]

Mr. Mustang1965...

May I suggest you call or email Shawn Heilbron, Associate A.D./ Sales and Marketing 214-768-2885 .. He is a great guy and is Assistant AD and is in charge of season ticket sales.. He is at every game and is present to the fans and knows everyone by name. I tell you that b/c I know alot of people who really like him and since I don't know if he is making the decisions, I don't want him blamed for this.

But he will do his best to give you and honest answer.

He is a great guy. And if he can't give you the answer, he certainly could point you in the direction of whoever can.

[MrMustang1965]

I know Shawn and have sent him an email. I'll let you know what he says.

[PlanoStang]

This has always been the rule at games on campus. A year or two after we came back a friend of mine was in front of Ownby trying to sell two extra season tickets he had. A UPPD person came up and told him he could not sell tickets in front of the stadium. My friend then saw someone wanting to buy tickets, so he gave the tickets to a man and his son. The ever watchful UPPD person came over and made the man give the tickets back because you can't give away tickets in front of the stadium. The UPPD person then told my friend he would have to go into the stadium. My friend stood there a minute or two more waiting on my wife and I to join him and the UPPD person arrested him and booked him at the local jail for "criminal trespass."

I thought the UPPD people had stopped this ignorant behavior at the games. I guess it is still alive and well.

By the way, my friends six season tickets were not renewed and he has been to probably three games since. Now that's marketing.

I gave away a ticket or 2 in the ticket line at least a couple of times last
year. I guess ol Barney wasn't around to nail me.

[RE Tycoon]

I'm glad you guys are trying to get more people to the games, but I don't understand why anyone has a problem with this policy. If the people are in the vicinity of the stadium or IN LINE to buy tickets, chances are they are going to the game anyways. WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU WANT TO TAKE AWAY THAT REVENUE FROM OUR ALREADY POOR ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT? What you should do is take your extra tickets and have the ticket taker tear them with yours. That way attendance numbers are inflated and the athletic department makes a few extra bucks. I criticize our program as much as anybody here, but his is one of policies they got right. Everyone should focus their energy on the bigger problems.

[Bergermeister]

I usually don't give tickets away, but my game buddies have quit going. I gave 4 away on Saturday because I felt bad about somebody paying $9 a pop to get in to see a toothless dog fight. If Barney confronts me I'll tell her that I found the tickets on the ground and I'm looking for the owner.

[originaloverthehilltop1]

one way we'll know we have a respectable program will be the active trafficing of tickets outside the stadium, giving, then selling tickets--at increasing prices. and policies regulating that process will only keep people out of seats. we should spend the effort making the product worth more.

[MrMustang1965]

I'm glad you guys are trying to get more people to the games, but I don't understand why anyone has a problem with this policy. If the people are in the vicinity of the stadium or IN LINE to buy tickets, chances are they are going to the game anyways. WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU WANT TO TAKE AWAY THAT REVENUE FROM OUR ALREADY POOR ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT? What you should do is take your extra tickets and have the ticket taker tear them with yours. That way attendance numbers are inflated and the athletic department makes a few extra bucks. I criticize our program as much as anybody here, but his is one of policies they got right. Everyone should focus their energy on the bigger problems.

I was criticized on this board for doing what you suggest (having a ticket taker tear them instead of giving them away) because it was deceptive to the 'butts in seats' count. There was a game last year when I did just this and was chastised by another poster for 'cheating the gate'. He/she said that's something that SMU seems to have a real good handle on (cheating).

I really don't see giving away tickets as being detrimental to revenue for the school. After all, the tickets have already been bought and paid for, right? How is giving them away any different than me inviting a friend or business colleague to attend the game with me? I've plunked down my $$$ for the tickets. I should be allowed to do whatever I want with them.
(Last Saturday, I wanted to stick those tickets up Lt. Jemmott's a*s!!!)

[MrMustang1965]

I emailed Shawn Heilbron yesterday and he contacted the SMU PD. (Shawn said he had even given away some tickets last Saturday on The Blvd.!) Here's the answer I got from Shawn today:

I received an answer from SMUPD and was told that all tickets must be distributed out of the ticket office unless permission is given to do so otherwise. In regards to giving away tickets, they should be given back to the ticket office and they can be redistributed. I guess we all just need to be a little more discreet.
___________________________________________________________________________________

While I appreciate Shawn's efforts to shed light on this subject for all of us, what really bothers me is the fact that it appears the SMU Police Department is dictating policy for the SMU Athletic Department! WTF?

[SoCal_Pony]

I've plunked down my $$$ for the tickets. I should be allowed to do whatever I want with them.

to me that is the bottom line...well stated MM65.