OWH: Sellout Streak Perspective

[Bowfin]

The Nebraska Game and Parks went through this same impending "crisis" of not enough people showing up to buy with fishing and hunting permits. They had started raising prices, then charging people just to apply for permits, adding more requirements such as the purchase of "habitat stamps", " state duck stamp", etc. etc.. All the time, they were not worrying about competition, because in their view they had no competition for hunting and fishing licenses...sort of a "Where else ya gonna go?!" attitude. And they were right on that point. However, they had plenty of competition for people's "fun money".

So the answer to the Game and Parks' "Where else ya gonna go!?" was, "Anywhere but hunting!" When faced the fears (and realization) of declining participation, the NGPC remade itself into a more "customer friendly" entity. I can get two deer permits for $11 if I don't want a deer with antlers...TWO DEER PERMITS FOR $11.00! That is one of activities in Nebraska that are competing with Cornhusker football for discretionary income. I can't buy gas to and from Lincoln for $11, so deer hunting is a couple of cheap weekends for me. Oh, and they have made seasons a lot longer, which I realize Nebraska can't do, but there are things that they can do that won't cost money as well.

Nebraska will (should) see the light before the sellout comes to an end because the deep pocket guys will no longer bail them out. It's not that the Athletic Department can't solve this, it's just that they never had to do so for a long, long time.

 

[Mavric]

Their endzone doesn't go very high. It goes to probably close to the equivalent of our row 68. While we've got some kids in East stadium that have a better vantage point on the side of the field, the overall point is that within what they have to work with in their own stadium, their students are given a good, fair part of the stadium. Our students are given row 98.

Like I said, some of theirs are better than ours but I would say that some of ours are better than theirs. If you'd like to focus only on the seats of ours that are worse, that's your prerogative but I don't think that's really taking an honest look at it.

 

[Landlord]

Their endzone doesn't go very high. It goes to probably close to the equivalent of our row 68. While we've got some kids in East stadium that have a better vantage point on the side of the field, the overall point is that within what they have to work with in their own stadium, their students are given a good, fair part of the stadium. Our students are given row 98.

Like I said, some of theirs are better than ours but I would say that some of ours are better than theirs. If you'd like to focus only on the seats of ours that are worse, that's your prerogative but I don't think that's really taking an honest look at it.

I'm focusing more on the posture of our athletic department not treating our students as well as I think they should compared to other schools, moreso than I'm looking at specific rows/seat numbers.

 

[Hunter94]

The Nebraska Game and Parks went through this same impending "crisis" of not enough people showing up to buy with fishing and hunting permits. They had started raising prices, then charging people just to apply for permits, adding more requirements such as the purchase of "habitat stamps", " state duck stamp", etc. etc.. All the time, they were not worrying about competition, because in their view they had no competition for hunting and fishing licenses...sort of a "Where else ya gonna go?!" attitude. And they were right on that point. However, they had plenty of competition for people's "fun money".

So the answer to the Game and Parks' "Where else ya gonna go!?" was, "Anywhere but hunting!" When faced the fears (and realization) of declining participation, the NGPC remade itself into a more "customer friendly" entity. I can get two deer permits for $11 if I don't want a deer with antlers...TWO DEER PERMITS FOR $11.00! That is one of activities in Nebraska that are competing with Cornhusker football for discretionary income. I can't buy gas to and from Lincoln for $11, so deer hunting is a couple of cheap weekends for me. Oh, and they have made seasons a lot longer, which I realize Nebraska can't do, but there are things that they can do that won't cost money as well.

Nebraska will (should) see the light before the sellout comes to an end because the deep pocket guys will no longer bail them out. It's not that the Athletic Department can't solve this, it's just that they never had to do so for a long, long time.

good points, NGPC have just about killed hunting in the state, they piss away their dollars and don't invest in habitat.

 

[Mavric]

Their endzone doesn't go very high. It goes to probably close to the equivalent of our row 68. While we've got some kids in East stadium that have a better vantage point on the side of the field, the overall point is that within what they have to work with in their own stadium, their students are given a good, fair part of the stadium. Our students are given row 98.

Like I said, some of theirs are better than ours but I would say that some of ours are better than theirs. If you'd like to focus only on the seats of ours that are worse, that's your prerogative but I don't think that's really taking an honest look at it.

I'm focusing more on the posture of our athletic department not treating our students as well as I think they should compared to other schools, moreso than I'm looking at specific rows/seat numbers.

So if you're not looking at rows and seats - although that was exactly what you were looking at in your previous post - what should we be doing differently? And what other schools are doing that differently?

 

[Swiv3D]

FWIW at scheels they're selling official adidas 350th consecutive sellout shirts

 

[Hoosker]

FWIW at scheels they're selling official adidas 350th consecutive sellout shirts

Depending on the outcome, that could be the last sellout.

I think we'll be fine, but our home slate absolutely blows after Oregon comes to town.

If we get off to another bad start this season and then get pummeled by Oregon, I could see bad things start to happen.

Again, I think we'll be fine, but it's a scary thought that is very possible.

 

[Elf]

Sellout streak milestones

Nebraska is undefeated in milestone games of the sellout streak:

50th: defeated Utah State, 42-6, on Oct. 2, 1971

100th: defeated Penn State, 42-17, on Sept. 29, 1979

150th: defeated Utah State, 56-12, on Sept. 5, 1987

200th: defeated Colorado, 24-7, on Oct. 29, 1994

250th: defeated Utah State, 44-13, on Sept. 7, 2002

300th: defeated Louisiana-Lafayette, 55-0, on Sept. 26, 2009

*The 350th consecutive sellout would fall on the Oregon game Sept. 17.

Hey! We were due for Utah St again!

 

[Mavric]

[No message]

 

[cm husker]

What is the current ticket and associated donation revenue?

I doubt the program "gives it back as a dividend" to fans.

 

[Mavric]

I was wondering what the total was as well. If I have time I'll try to figure it up.

But I'd ballpark it in the $60M annually range. Not counting the luxury boxes.

 

[huKSer]

What is the current ticket and associated donation revenue?

I doubt the program "gives it back as a dividend" to fans.

Don't forget consessions

 

[cm husker]

What is the current ticket and associated donation revenue?

I doubt the program "gives it back as a dividend" to fans.

Don't forget consessions

Theoretically concessions revenue wouldn't be impacted by a ticket decrease, other than maybe some dollars saved on tickets would go for another runza.

Mavric's estimate feels like it would be in the ball park. Let's say they cut ticket/donation prices by 10% - I just don't see an aggregate cut of more than that ... they lose roughly $6 million per year. I wonder whether (a) that would even be enough to "save" the sellout streak, and (b) if more tickets sold (versus losing the streak) would offset that $6,000,000.

I think the sellout streak is quaint, but not really all that meaningful, so I wouldn't bend over backwards/sacrifice revenue to retain it.

But, it is part of the brand, so it's not a clear cut call, I admit.

 

[Mavric]

I don't know where the balance would between reducing them enough to get enough more interest and not losing TOO much revenue. 10% wouldn't draw a lot more interest I don't think.

I wonder what the difference is between what we're getting from the B1G now and what we will get next year when the new TV deal kicks in and we get a full share. Seems like it you could do most of that as a goodwill gesture and basically be revenue neutral.

 

[Mavric]

Looks like the Huskers got $18.7M from the B1G last year. According to the article aboe, just the football TV deals will be worth $31.7M for each school. That doesn't include revenue from BTN, bowl games/playoff and the basketball TV deal.

So the revenue will probably be going up by some $20M per year, maybe more than that. Take a good chunk of that off the donation prices and see what happens.

(Granted, I'm biased in this discussion as I have a dog in the fight....)