Updated season ticket numbers - July 28

[theIowaHawk]

If total public/staff/student sales end up around 45,000 or so (that would seem to be the high end at this point), exactly how many games do you think the paid attendance will crack 60,000? Maybe for the first night game (assuming we don't crap the bed against ISU the week before), but that's about it.

You're certainly not going to find a significant amount of people that want to see any of the other games (Illinois State? Purdue? Maryland?) that don't already have season tickets that are going to purchase singles to this awful schedule.

We will find out in three weeks. What I'm seeing is that there were an average of 67,512 last year. It appears that they are ~7,700 behind, as of last week. If you go by just those two numbers, comparatively, today's numbers project ~60,000.

You asked how many will crack 60? I believe all of them will. People don't want to see Illinois State, I agree (In fact, many posters on here want to see Ill. St. win, but they want to do it from home so they can post on here throughout about how giddy they are), but fans want to see Iowa, and this is their first opportunity to do so. 66,800 showed up to see UNI last year, it wasn't all UNI fans. 64,000 showed up to see Ball State. Pittsburgh will sell well because it is a night game.

But, like I said, only a few weeks now. I'll let you know how it looks from the stands.

 

[U.N. Jefferson]

We will find out in three weeks. What I'm seeing is that there were an average of 67,512 last year. It appears that they are ~7,700 behind, as of last week. If you go by just those two numbers, comparatively, today's numbers project ~60,000.

You asked how many will crack 60? I believe all of them will. People don't want to see Illinois State, I agree (In fact, many posters on here want to see Ill. St. win, but they want to do it from home so they can post on here throughout about how giddy they are), but fans want to see Iowa, and this is their first opportunity to do so. 66,800 showed up to see UNI last year, it wasn't all UNI fans. 64,000 showed up to see Ball State. Pittsburgh will sell well because it is a night game.

But, like I said, only a few weeks now. I'll let you know how it looks from the stands.

So the average was 67k and now you need to subtract 7 or 8 large from every game. That puts an average game attendance right around 59,000. That is also assuming that just as many people will be buying single game tickets, which seems fairly dumb considering the huge dropoff that we are seeing in season ticket purchases. That is also not accounting for the fact that last year's schedule included Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa State (the only sellout in the last 2 years combined) and UNI, and this year is straight garbage all the way through.

There are going to be some ugly, UGLY crowd numbers this year.

 

[U.N. Jefferson]

Iowa will have AT MOST one game under 60k. All the negative dipshits will be on their 5th different handle by the end of the season, so they won't be around to admit they're wrong.

So you think that single game ticket sales will exceed last year's numbers, even though season ticket sales are down dramatically and the schedule sucks donkey balls.

You are not smart.

 

[codflyer]

So you think that single game ticket sales will exceed last year's numbers, even though season ticket sales are down dramatically and the schedule sucks donkey balls.

You are not smart.

I think it is possible that they will, since many people cancelled season tickets because the availability of singles is so much cheaper right now. Some of those season ticket losses will show up in singles.

 

[codflyer]

Singles are "cheaper" because you can get them outside of the stadium for 10 bucks. People are not buying cheap singles from the ticket office.

I think there will be both. UI seems to be really making efforts to get butts in the seats, and there are certainly deals on singles and 3-game tickets that didn't exist before, so I think there is a very real possibility, even a probability, that non-season ticket sales will be up this year. Obviously the wild card is how the team plays. If they lose either of the first two, I think it will be a very hard, uphill climb to get people in the seats. However, if they start out 4-0, and look at all exciting (even in spurts) in doing so, then I think ticket sales could surge even if they go on the road and lose to Wisconsin (as long as they don't get absolutely demolished and/or don't suffer any massive injuries at key positions). Make no mistake, we are hurting and I think the administration was way too slow to address it (you could see this coming the last couple of years and they didn't seem to really take it seriously until the problem was completely on top of them)...just getting butts in the seats still represents a major loss from where we have been up until recently, so I don't think anybody should be beating their chests about it.

A surprise season will put a whole different face on the problem, but it will not cure it...it is going to be a hard slog to get back to where we were, and even if Barta and company hit all the right notes, if the team doesn't improve significantly and the program re-establish itself, there is not much to be done and big empty patches in Kinnick could be the new norm for a long time.

 

[nu2u]

These were numbers released back in February.

Take a look at sales in all major college football programs. Season ticket sales are down nationwide. It is not universal but it is widespread. Lower ticket sales are not unique to the University of Iowa. Many contributing factors to this phenomenon.

 

[lenoxhawks]

Take a look at sales in all major college football programs. Season ticket sales are down nationwide. It is not universal but it is widespread. Lower ticket sales are not unique to the University of Iowa. Many contributing factors to this phenomenon.

This is a pathetic cop out. The product on the field and the tailgating fiasco is the only reason sales are down. The numbers would be great had they not cracked down on the tailgating or Ferentz had a decent season in the last 4 years.You can't compare Iowa with the national trend since most of those schools have a lot of competition for their entertainment. Iowa is the only show in town.

 

[iahawkeyes17]

So the average was 67k and now you need to subtract 7 or 8 large from every game. That puts an average game attendance right around 59,000. That is also assuming that just as many people will be buying single game tickets, which seems fairly dumb considering the huge dropoff that we are seeing in season ticket purchases. That is also not accounting for the fact that last year's schedule included Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa State (the only sellout in the last 2 years combined) and UNI, and this year is straight garbage all the way through.

There are going to be some ugly, UGLY crowd numbers this year.

North Texas game May have the potential depending how first 3 games go to flirt with 60K but no way the home opener when people are excited for football or night game vs Pitt be under 60k.

Not sure why you just automatically assume 7-8K less a game vs the average attendance last year even if season tix numbers are down that amount doesn't mean they can't be sold in single in mini game packages. Or some season tix still to be sold in last few weeks.

 

[nu2u]

This is a pathetic cop out. The product on the field and the tailgating fiasco is the only reason sales are down. The numbers would be great had they not cracked down on the tailgating or Ferentz had a decent season in the last 4 years.You can't compare Iowa with the national trend since most of those schools have a lot of competition for their entertainment. Iowa is the only show in town.

I stated a verifiable fact. Of course fan discontent is a contributing cause of lower ticket sales. It is not the only cause. You certainly can compare Iowa with the national trend - there is no reason to separate and isolate Iowa from the rest of college football.

 

[theIowaHawk]

North Texas game May have the potential depending how first 3 games go to flirt with 60K but no way the home opener when people are excited for football or night game vs Pitt be under 60k.

Not sure why you just automatically assume 7-8K less a game vs the average attendance last year even if season tix numbers are down that amount doesn't mean they can't be sold in single in mini game packages. Or some season tix still to be sold in last few weeks.

That was largely my point. Look at the table above, all areas of season tickets were down, but avg attendance was actually slightly up. Just because people drop season tickets it doesn't mean they don't want to attend.

I disagree with the scalping notion, the vast majority of people I know want their tickets well ahead, not outside the gate. Plus they don't have to pay the donation, and can choose specific tickets, saving quite a bit of money.

Plus, ticket packages aren't season tickets...and we still have a few weeks to go.

Now let's get past the stench: third straight year season tickets have dropped, that ain't good.

 

[frydaze]

Seeing big discounted corporate offers for single games floating around as well. UICCU offering discounted tix. One of the largest employers in CR. I think this is all through Bravo or whatever it's called.

Not to mention the wrestling/football double header. Cool concept.

They're working real hard and giving up a lot to get butts in the seats. I commend the effort but I think it's too late due to the product. If we see a different mindset from the sidelines, I might consider going. Does the offense look functional? Do we step on the throats of weaker opponents? Meaningful mid to late B1G games will also put butts in the seats.

There's always a major danger in offering big discounts or 3-game ticket packages at a rate even lower than the season ticket package, and that is:

That pisses some off that are paying full price for their season tickets. Others say, well, next year they will likely do the same so I will just take advantage then and won't be so dumb to order season tickets at full rate anymore.

Does this backfire on the athletic dept. to some degree? Yes. It can accelerate the decline in season ticket sales for the future. An "instant" special deal to get more butts in the stadium THIS YEAR usually does not produce "long term" gain.

 

[Clifford C. Clavin]

Just a sidenote about the possibility of individual games being under 60,000 -

Iowa's Orange Bowl season of 2002 - Akron 51,495, Utah State 54,211
2003 - Miami (OH) 54,128, Buffalo 54,471 - the sellout streak that lasted several years then began the next home game against Arizona St. 21-2

 

[theIowaHawk]

Just a sidenote about the possibility of individual games being under 60,000 -

Iowa's Orange Bowl season of 2002 - Akron 51,495, Utah State 54,211
2003 - Miami (OH) 54,128, Buffalo 54,471 - the sellout streak that lasted several years then began the next home game against Arizona St. 21-2

Maybe we are in that same situation, but I don't think so. That season was KF's coming out party, they had been truly disastrous those first two years and I don't think people had gotten over HF yet, nor bought in to the new guy. Plenty have since, even if there is a large section of discontent. Those #s weren't a surprise then, they would be now.

I was a part of the entirety of that streak and will be again.

 

[theIowaHawk]

There's always a major danger in offering big discounts or 3-game ticket packages at a rate even lower than the season ticket package, and that is:

That pisses some off that are paying full price for their season tickets. Others say, well, next year they will likely do the same so I will just take advantage then and won't be so dumb to order season tickets at full rate anymore.

Does this backfire on the athletic dept. to some degree? Yes. It can accelerate the decline in season ticket sales for the future. An "instant" special deal to get more butts in the stadium usually does not produce "long term" gain.

True. Fans could choose that package over season tickets.

 

[JStandefer]

Which agenda is that? That it isn't as dire as many hoped?

That is still true. Hell, LC, known basher of all things Hawkeye even admitted it ain't that bad.

What were the quotes 6 months ago? 50k in the stands? 60?

We shall see soon.

No one that wasn't trolling said "50K". And I don't remember even trolls saying 50K. Season tickets are going to take a hit. But I think student tickets will remain about the same if not a bit more with the offers to 13th grade and the much bigger incoming freshman class.

 

[rillo 62]

That was largely my point. Look at the table above, all areas of season tickets were down, but avg attendance was actually slightly up. Just because people drop season tickets it doesn't mean they don't want to attend.

I disagree with the scalping notion, the vast majority of people I know want their tickets well ahead, not outside the gate. Plus they don't have to pay the donation, and can choose specific tickets, saving quite a bit of money.

Plus, ticket packages aren't season tickets...and we still have a few weeks to go.

Now let's get past the stench: third straight year season tickets have dropped, that ain't good.

There lies the real problem. While a vastly improved home schedule will help in 2016, we still need a good year this season to have a chance to start reversing this trend.

 

[theIowaHawk]

There lies the real problem. While a vastly improved home schedule will help in 2016, we still need a good year this season to have a chance to start reversing this trend.

Agreed, which is exactly what this year's 10-2 record will do, especially after the 7-0 start.