"Elite" Student Section

[BradleyDU4]

Supposedly University sponsored, this group has sprung up on facebook. Basically the gist is that it will be $50 bucks if you want to sit in the front row, something I pay my $15 dollars a year and time waiting outside for in the past. To me the focus should be on more students getting there, not putting a status to some students and giving them preferential treatment. I do like the idea of viewing parties, but again the extra cost isnt something that is necessary IMO.

http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#!/group.php?gid=118847674798288

 

[DeltaBrave03]

Well good idea we can't fill the student section with $1 tickets so lets just charge the people who already go to games and sit front row $50 instead of $15. This is what you do when demand for your product is high not when its low.

 

[Da Coach]

Other schools do something like this. It places the most committed student supporters in the front where they are more visible and can do more to disrupt the other team.

There were games last year when I saw people sitting in the front rows of the student sections (I don't know if they were students) who were passive and didn't even stand for the fight song.

 

[DeltaBrave03]

That's because sadly there's only a few rows of students who care. People in the first few rows generally get there early so they can get the front. It just seems to me like they're attempting to draw money from students who already care enough to get there early to get the good seats because they know they're the students who will pay the money.

 

[BradleyDU4]

That's because sadly there's only a few rows of students who care. People in the first few rows generally get there early so they can get the front. It just seems to me like they're attempting to draw money from students who already care enough to get there early to get the good seats because they know they're the students who will pay the money.

I agree completely. I think all of these new 'perks' should be included with student tickets minus the extra fees, they would be decent draws at the current price. I thought that marketing departments main objective was to get as many students as possible to the games to create a great atmosphere and bolster attendance. IMO, they havent promoted and focused on attendance and this will do nothing to bolster student attendance but merely create a dilemma for some of us that go to every game and are used to those seats that we wait hours for. I just think they are completely missing the objective of the student section with this idea and not focusing on the fact that it doesnt fill but maybe 2 times a year.

 

[BradleyJD]

I will sit in the front row.....maybe BU could offer me that deal!

 

[Da Coach]

That's because sadly there's only a few rows of students who care. People in the first few rows generally get there early so they can get the front. It just seems to me like they're attempting to draw money from students who already care enough to get there early to get the good seats because they know they're the students who will pay the money.

This is the first I have heard about this, but I am pretty sure their main motive is not to profit from this.
They just want a more involved student section. In fact, Bradley has spent a lot of money over the years from the Chief's Club, and now the Brave's Club to promote this student section.
Who do you think pays for the tee-shirts given to the students, and for the free food and snacks. Also, those seats could be sold to the public and it would generate many thousands of dollars, but rather than put the students in the upper bowl where seats are sometimes plentiful, Bradley essentiallly gives them away to draw student fans.

 

[Future Walk-On]

This is stupid. They should be paying kids to show up.

98.9% of the student body that even goes couldn't care less whether Bradley wins or loses.

0.45% of these students could name the teams in our conference.

0.12% of these students will realize who John Wilkins is when he suits up for ISU red in Peoria.

0.01% of these students know that HH is from Chicago and went to Westinghouse.

:biggrin:

 

[Braves4Life]

I like this idea. When you create demand for something you usually create more interest. This idea has worked in advertising and marketing campaigns and I think will work here as well. It's kind of like the idea behind the PSL that pro football teams use.

And, even if it doesn't increase the student attendance it does reward the most loyal and enthusiastic fans..... Kind of like the Braves Club levels.

 

[Beninator]

If true, I think that this is a terrible idea. We should be finding ways to encourage student participation and not try to alienate students. Some of the older posters on here will remember the Fieldhouse days in which there was a true student atmosphere to the game. Ever since the move to the PCC, the atmosphere is more corporate!


also there is an "End of the year party"???? I find this very interesting... (if true)

 

[Future Walk-On]

also there is an "End of the year party"???? I find this very interesting... (if true)

I'll go if there is a premium keg.

 

[Rusty 54]

If seats in the front are reserved, and "non-elite" students get to the games early and want the seats, I would image that would cause problems.

 

[Stryker]

I think this idea is Bulls***. It will only work if the student section was already being packed full every game, which it is not even close to being. This will not get more students to the game, if anything it could decrease the amount of students, especially when they start telling the freshmen that they can't sit where they wanted to (not like they would have before, but if they knew a senior they may have been able to.) Being in the front row used to be a right that you earned by being at every game and cheering hard. Now they cheapen the tradition by letting people buy themselves into it?

I don't like this.

 

[LG281]

Personally I think that this is a silly idea.

Not sure who thought this'n up...but this idea probably should have found its way to the circular file by now.

 

[amckillip]

I think this idea is Bulls***. It will only work if the student section was already being packed full every game, which it is not even close to being. This will not get more students to the game, if anything it could decrease the amount of students, especially when they start telling the freshmen that they can't sit where they wanted to (not like they would have before, but if they knew a senior they may have been able to.) Being in the front row used to be a right that you earned by being at every game and cheering hard. Now they cheapen the tradition by letting people buy themselves into it?

I don't like this.

Pretty much sums it up. I think a freshman should be able to sit front row though - if they're at every game, get there early, and scream and shout. What is funny is that you look at the people who are organizing this, and most attend at most 5 games a year, never get there early, and then get frustrated when they can't come down to the front and act like they belong.

BTW, I'm not entirely convinced this is official and am going to email Bobby Parker to investigate...

 

[real fan]

How about having frat sections and sorority sections, not front row sections but ones that put them together and come up with some random drawing for gifts .

 

[amckillip]

Pretty much sums it up. I think a freshman should be able to sit front row though - if they're at every game, get there early, and scream and shout. What is funny is that you look at the people who are organizing this, and most attend at most 5 games a year, never get there early, and then get frustrated when they can't come down to the front and act like they belong.

BTW, I'm not entirely convinced this is official and am going to email Bobby Parker to investigate...

Reply:

Andrew,



I just saw that thread on BradleyFans.com and it is the first I have
heard of it. I logged on to the Facebook page and did not recognize any
of the administrator names. I just forwarded the group page to Rob
Bogardus in the ticket office to see if he knew anything about it.



BP



Bobby Parker

Associate AD for Communications

Bradley University

So it doesn't seem credible to me... but maybe Bobby just doesn't know about it. That would really surprise me, because he is usually THE source for BU basketball information.

On a completely separate not Bobby's signature says Associate AD, is this new? As in a change from Information Director? If so it was a much deserved promotion as Bobby does an excellent job especially working with fans.

 

[Beninator]

Reply:




So it doesn't seem credible to me... but maybe Bobby just doesn't know about it. That would really surprise me, because he is usually THE source for BU basketball information.

On a completely separate not Bobby's signature says Associate AD, is this new? As in a change from Information Director? If so it was a much deserved promotion as Bobby does an excellent job especially working with fans.

Thanks Amckillip.... It seemed a little strange to me as well.

 

[Braves4Life]

How about having frat sections and sorority sections, not front row sections but ones that put them together and come up with some random drawing for gifts .

They had this when I went to BU a LONG time ago. I would be surprised if BU still does not do this.

 

[DUBrave5]

Pretty much sums it up. I think a freshman should be able to sit front row though - if they're at every game, get there early, and scream and shout. What is funny is that you look at the people who are organizing this, and most attend at most 5 games a year, never get there early, and then get frustrated when they can't come down to the front and act like they belong.

BTW, I'm not entirely convinced this is official and am going to email Bobby Parker to investigate...

Reply:




So it doesn't seem credible to me... but maybe Bobby just doesn't know about it. That would really surprise me, because he is usually THE source for BU basketball information.

On a completely separate not Bobby's signature says Associate AD, is this new? As in a change from Information Director? If so it was a much deserved promotion as Bobby does an excellent job especially working with fans.

Thanks Amckillip.... It seemed a little strange to me as well.

This is actually happening and it is being done by the marketing department. I was asked to be a part of the founding for this but I was asked to go to the meeting a few hours beforehand and couldn't make it. You can PM me if you want to know who started this, I don't want to put his name out on the board.