Wonder why this guy has such a sense of entitlement? He should be happy he was allowed to have that many tickets for this long without a donation.

From what I can tell the % of people like the letter writer are very low. Most people understand the situation and understand how it works. You donate, you get tickets. Pretty simple. And some people aren't very happy about it but a lot of people do like I did. I got 8 season tickets for me and my family. To get the best deal I pooled my family together and we all chipped in and donated through me.

(05-30-2013 07:33 AM)workingodu Wrote:  And I think when we expand well still sell out. The flex seats have me worried. Selig is betting utsa or other tx fans won't travel well. I'm not so sure about that.

Ask ECU fans how many fans they had show up from the Texas schools or even USM, Memphis, UAB, or Tulane.

Not many.

Marshall was pretty much the only program that ever brought many fans to Greenville. ODU will have a few more semi-close schools, but I wouldn't expect a ton of fans from other teams for any game other than Marshall or Charlotte (assuming either is having an average or better season).

The sad part is, these guys could have had tickets with pretty minimal individual donations. If they went 6 and 6 and each group of 6 donated $1,000 ($333 each) they could have had seats guranteed. The $1,000 would have qualified them for six seats. A tax deductible donation of $333 per couple is really not too much to give in this day and age.

(05-30-2013 09:31 AM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  The sad part is, these guys could have had tickets with pretty minimal individual donations. If they went 6 and 6 and each group of 6 donated $1,000 ($333 each) they could have had seats guranteed. The $1,000 would have qualified them for six seats. A tax deductible donation of $333 per couple is really not too much to give in this day and age.

One point worth mentioning here is that most FBS level programs have enough seats available so that the general public can buy season tickets without the need for a donation. This guy's excuse is rather shallow, in that he claims ignorance rather than being unable or unwilling to pay a donation, but I can see his point. That is a nice problem for ODU to have, but it is not representative of the majority of FBS programs.

While those of us on this board have no problem donating money to our favored school's athletic department, quite a few people in this world would rather see their money go to other charitable causes such as curing cancer or ending hunger.

"Demand for ODU football tickets has been nothing short of amazing."

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/05/demand-o...rt-amazing

(05-30-2013 08:55 AM)Niner National Wrote:  

(05-30-2013 07:33 AM)workingodu Wrote:  And I think when we expand well still sell out. The flex seats have me worried. Selig is betting utsa or other tx fans won't travel well. I'm not so sure about that.

Ask ECU fans how many fans they had show up from the Texas schools or even USM, Memphis, UAB, or Tulane.

Not many.

Marshall was pretty much the only program that ever brought many fans to Greenville. ODU will have a few more semi-close schools, but I wouldn't expect a ton of fans from other teams for any game other than Marshall or Charlotte (assuming either is having an average or better season).

This is a conference made up of two different traditional geographic conferences joined together for TV share reasons. If anyone from west of the Mississippi shows up at a 49ers game its unexpected bonus.

I don't think at first teams will travel well. But as time goes on and it gets heated I can see more schools traveling. I

(05-29-2013 08:38 PM)Sirloin Burger Wrote:  The point isn't that the person didn't know the rules, he just disagrees with them.

No, after reading, he pissed cause he kept his donation level, but his ticket allotment was reduced from 12 to 2. But, it's not ODU's fault, someone else with more money bought more or other increased their donation levels to get get tickets. Sucks for him, but it's either step up and give more, and keep your seats or don't.

(05-30-2013 09:52 PM)ecumbh1999 Wrote:  

(05-29-2013 08:38 PM)Sirloin Burger Wrote:  The point isn't that the person didn't know the rules, he just disagrees with them.

No, after reading, he pissed cause he kept his donation level, but his ticket allotment was reduced from 12 to 2. But, it's not ODU's fault, someone else with more money bought more or other increased their donation levels to get get tickets. Sucks for him, but it's either step up and give more, and keep your seats or don't.

To purchase two tickets all that needs to be donated is $100. Between twelve people all they could come up with was $100? If they wanted to maintain 12 tickets they could have split into three groups of four giving $300 each group ($75 each.) To this guy and his tightwad friends I say, "don't let the door hit you."

(05-30-2013 09:52 PM)ecumbh1999 Wrote:  

(05-29-2013 08:38 PM)Sirloin Burger Wrote:  The point isn't that the person didn't know the rules, he just disagrees with them.

No, after reading, he pissed cause he kept his donation level, but his ticket allotment was reduced from 12 to 2. But, it's not ODU's fault, someone else with more money bought more or other increased their donation levels to get get tickets. Sucks for him, but it's either step up and give more, and keep your seats or don't.

He calls the donor policy "extortion". That pretty much means he disagrees with it. I think he's bluffing though.

Unfortunately, some ODU fans are quick to dismiss this type of fan, calling him one who rides a bandwagon. But there are a lot of them out there and ODU isn't going to be as dismissive as some of us here.

Selig says he doesn't want to "turn off" anyone who want to support the Monarchs.

“We have to be careful,” he said. “When the day comes that we’ve got 25,000 or 35,000 seats, we’ve got to figure out where the next wave of fans is coming from.

I agree with Sirloin. I have benefitted from my long association with ODU athletics. And with a 20,000 seat stadium, we have been like a crowded restaurant that access is bought with familiarity. That has served us well with a very loyal fanbase for the first 4 years, at the expense of generating non-ODU connected fans in the process. If we are to succeed at a stadium level of 35k and up, ODU will need to market folks like the gentlemen in this letter........there should be room for all, with benefits for those that contribute well, but decent access for those that are classified casual fans.

BTW, this is a great problem to have. Imagine framing this argument for a Georgia State fan.....

Guess what I mean to say is, as now now ODU's stadium hold X number of fans and Y number want tickets. They've set out a priority point system, if someone gives more or other increase and earn more points, what's ODU supposed to say? No you can't get more tickets or get tickets? Even though they may have more points than this guy. I mean there are people who want tickets and can't get them and are on a waiting list.

No you don't want to make anyone mad, but that just isn't going to be possible, someone will always complain. If he wasn't mad, someone else would be, welcome to College football.

great problem to have

When the stadium is expanded I think everyone who didn't get tix or like this guy was mad, will buy tixs. Seriously we are a strong program, we are the only city event that allows tailgating and its a good family event.

Bandwagon fans will be eligible for the expansion tixs but the loyal fans are who should be taken care of. And they can get tixs its just on the secondary market. And I think this year the secondary market will be high price around here.

(05-31-2013 06:32 AM)workingodu Wrote:  When the stadium is expanded I think everyone who didn't get tix or like this guy was mad, will buy tixs. Seriously we are a strong program, we are the only city event that allows tailgating and its a good family event.

Bandwagon fans will be eligible for the expansion tixs but the loyal fans are who should be taken care of. And they can get tixs its just on the secondary market. And I think this year the secondary market will be high price around here.

You would think so, but with the likes of Howard, Rhode Island, and Albany on the home schedule I doubt this will bring out many casual fans looking to buy tickets. Demand should go up noticeably in 2014 when our home schedule is comprised mostly of C*USA teams.

If ODU wants to be a regional team, by all means continue the point system and reserving 90% of your tickets for donors/season tickets.

If ODU wants to be a state or national player, they should consider the people who don't live in Hampton Roads and would never buy season tickets.

Norfolk in general has a major problem with not seeing the forest for the trees, which is the main reason there is no professional sports there.

(05-31-2013 11:51 AM)Jerry Falwell Wrote:  If ODU wants to be a regional team, by all means continue the point system and reserving 90% of your tickets for donors/season tickets.

If ODU wants to be a state or national player, they should consider the people who don't live in Hampton Roads and would never buy season tickets.

Norfolk in general has a major problem with not seeing the forest for the trees, which is the main reason there is no professional sports there.

ODU has to do what it can do to increase revenue right now. With stadium expansions coming and new scholarships to pay for, ODU is doing the right thing.

(05-31-2013 11:51 AM)Jerry Falwell Wrote:  If ODU wants to be a regional team, by all means continue the point system and reserving 90% of your tickets for donors/season tickets.

Every single team in FBS has a point system. It really is a matter of expanding the stadium.

Guy just sounds like a whiner to me. ODU is doing things right and as soon as you get your stadium expanded a lot of these issues will be resolved.