The State of College Football

[TheBeast]

I've been attending University of Michigan Football games for over 20 years. The history of moments I've experienced in that time have been priceless. Joyful moments such as Charles Woodsons punt return for a TD against OSU in 97' to seal the Big Ten Championship and catipult the team to the Rose Bowl and National Championship. Desmond Howards back of the endzone catches and "Heisman" poses. Hayes last second TD catch to beat Virginia in 95'. The players, coaches, fans, more memories than one could list. Hurt breakers like Kordell Stuarts last second hail mary pass to Micheal Westbrook to beat M under the lights. MSU tripping Desmond in the endzone in 1990...to steal another game yet again by cheating. I've seen history...have been a part of it and have charished every moment. Yet I sit here today mad, confused, and questioning whether it's worth it anymore.

While I'm not fully aware of what goes on at other top programs in the country...I do know what the University of Michigan is doing. While I've dealt with rising ticket prices nearly every year for the last decade. Current tickets costing $53-$58 depending on the game. Prices that now exceed NFL prices in alot of cases. U of M is now planning to charge season ticket holders a $500 per ticket surcharge next season for us to retain our tickets. Essentially costing me $125 per game per seat. WTF!!! That's an extra $4000 for my block of tickets and probably somewhere in the ball park of $5 million extra for UofM football across the board. Now incase you're unfamiliar with this football program...let me fill you in on an interesting, yet very accurate number. Michigan Football is a $2 BILLION a year business. This is not a professional franchise...this is not the NFL, the most successful sporting league in our country. This is an educational institution generating more gross income than any professional team out there. They want more money?!?!? Outta my ass....WTF!!! This is bull**** like I've never seen. The reasoning for this is of yet unclear. Rumor has it is related to the 10,000 plus people on a 20 year waiting list for tickets. What? Drive out current tickets holders that have been loyal for years? While many on the waiting list would probably pay anything to get in...are they really expecting to fork out that sort of lute? And if the get away with this nonsense...they'll do it every year...it's pure greed.

The on going debate about college players getting paid changes a bit with this information. I'm sorry a free $50,000 education isn't **** when these kids generate this kind of money for a school. Their getting .0000625% of that gross income over 4 years. Yeah...so maybe the athletes and the fans have something in common after all. We are both getting screwed.

I mention above about memories, moments and history. Chills run down my spine when I think of Michigan football. I even referred to the past 20 plus years as "priceless". Today I think of Michigan Football and I'm sick to my stomach. "Priceless"? No...there's definently a price...but is it worth it anymore?


Rant over. :angry:

 

[Horse]

 

[stogieman]

I thought you were talking about the State of Florida when I fist saw the thread. We defintely have a State of Football down here with the Gators, Seminoles, Hurricanes, Golden Knights and a bunch of others I haven't even thought about. I would hate to think about the ticket prices myself and haven't even thought about it yet. If our prices are in the same ball park, I'll be watchin' em' on TV...... :thumbs:

 

[fllbrent]

Current tickets costing $53-$58 depending on the game. Prices that now exceed NFL prices in alot of cases. U of M is now planning to charge season ticket holders a $500 per ticket surcharge next season for us to retain our tickets. Essentially costing me $125 per game per seat.

The problem is there's more than one dumb ass who will pay the price

Greed, pure and simple :angry:

 

[AVB]

Penn State is about the same for ticket prices $46-51. I try to get to Happy Valley at least once a season.

 

[txmatt]

I've been attending University of Michigan Football games for over 20 years.

Well herein lies the great flaw. That house might be big but its stench is bigger. It is amazing you have endured the smell for 20 years! Head on down to the 'shoe instead; things would look much better, even in "bad" seasons.

The on going debate about college players getting paid changes a bit with this information.  I'm sorry a free $50,000 education isn't **** when these kids generate this kind of money for a school.  Their getting .0000625% of that gross income over 4 years.  Yeah...so maybe the athletes and the fans have something in common after all.  We are both getting screwed.

Ticket sales from football provides subsidies to other College athletic programs and perhaps (better yet) helps to slow the rising cost of tuition for the student body as a whole.
As for the players getting screwed; consider it an internship for the NFL. Doctors have a long practically unpaid internship required called residency. Going through just one year of "getting screwed" by the university is enoug to land a multi million dollar contract (see Maurice Clarrett).

I mention above about memories, moments and history.  Chills run down my spine when I think of Michigan football.  I even referred to the past 20 plus years as "priceless".  Today I think of Michigan Football and I'm sick to my stomach.  "Priceless"?  No...there's definently a price...but is it worth it anymore?

You know as expensive as the big house was to build, you would think they would have found a way to reduce the smell just a bit while planning for it. Get out of Michigan and your stomach will eventually feel better. It may take a while to heal 20 years of damage done to your lungs and stomach, but a few seasons watching and rooting for the Buckeyes is what the doctor ordered. TBDBITL will certainly help with your ailment as well.


All joking aside I can't stand to watch the NFL. I love college football and personally wouldn't change a thing about it. I just wish I could get more OSU games on TV down here in Texas..

Matt

 

[Lee]

Well, it seems to me that college ball has gotten bigger than the NFL in some ways. Ticket prices are a good example. Unfortunately, they build huge stadiums to pack 'em in and someone has to pay for it I guess. I can't even get tickets to a Va. Tech or UVA game anymore. If you're not rich or in the "in" crowd, you're screwed!

It's become big business and I would just as soon watch the games on TV then pay out the ass to see them.

 

[camaroon4me]

I've been attending University of Michigan Football games for over 20 years.

Well herein lies the great flaw. That house might be big but its stench is bigger. It is amazing you have endured the smell for 20 years! Head on down to the 'shoe instead; things would look much better, even in "bad" seasons.


Matt

Matt, that stench you smell IS the shoe! It's so bad down there that it reaches clear to Ann Arbor! Dont those hicks in Columbus ever change their socks? ???

I hear that we are installing showers at the Michigan border just so we can hose down those buckeyes before they enter our great state!

And about MC? Last I heard, he was eating another whopper with cheese and a large fry while standing in the unemployment line. It's really a shame that he resorted to insurance fraud, and threw away a very lucrative career. He should go back to school!

Update: After a little checking, it seems that the smell is getting to you because Marvelous Maurice is (GULP).... in Texas Latest on Maurice Clarett


:thumbs: G O B L U E ! :thumbs:

 

[vewyphishy]

It's a sword that cuts both ways. As a program gets more popular, more people want to see it... so the prices are adjusted accordingly. But at the same time, you want your team to be good because it generates more revenue for the program. It's happening across the country. Take UT for instance. Back when I was a freshman, the interest for the football program was reserved for those long-time fans of the program. Any student who purchased a Longhorn Sports Package (free ticket to any home game for all sports) was able to get a ticket to any game, even ones like the OU game at the Cotton Bowl. Very rarely was the notion of eBay even thought of.

Now... things have gone crazy. For a game like OU, Sports Package holders have to draw for numbered wristbands about 10 days before the game. Then from there, they select a random number to start issuing out tickets (at $85 a piece now). Every year, less and less tickets are being allotted for the Sports Package holders, which means it really is like winning the lottery. What really sickens me is that most of the people who end up getting lucky enough to buy a ticket never actually go to the game. They put the tickets on eBay and turn a monster profit. Why? Because there are people willing to pay $500 per ticket. The school knows this... and thus starts issuing more tickets as "general sales" and less as student tickets. Nothing like going to the biggest game of the year and half or more of the attending crowd is a group of middle-aged rich guys who think it's absurd to stand up and make some noise during the game.

THAT pisses me off... and for that, I'd rather watch the game from the comfort of my own home. :angry:

 

[rknicker]

We aren't alone:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/200...ets-cover_x.htm

UofM football is NOT a $2 Billion business for UofM. I don't know where that number comes from, but I can assure you that is NOT the U's cut. That probably includes things like local business revenue, ABC's cut of advertising dollars, etc. While the U makes a lot of money on football, it's not like this is a for-profit here. The football team supports pretty much every other varsity sport. The reasoning for the ticket hikes? I have to guess that they're doing it because they can. It really sucks for some of us, but there are a lot of alumni with a lot of money at UofM, and this is how they get it. I'm also guessing that you're looking at the cost of a new basketball facility somewhere in there.

See ya Saturday, Section 11.

Hail to the \/ictors!

 

[TheBeast]

UofM football is NOT a $2 Billion business for UofM.

UOfM Football generates $2Billion a year. That is an accurate "gross" figure. Of course that doesn't all end up in UofM's pocket...not the point. The point is this is getting ridiculous.


Thanks for the article. I guess it's beats donating $25,000 like at USC. Geeeesh!!!!

 

[rknicker]

I have learned this season that there is such a thing as a "Mandatory Donation". Sounds like extortion to me. The real ball buster is that the only good home game this year is State.

 

[TheBeast]

That tops it off rknicker. The home schedule this year SUCKS. You'd think they'd at least lube us up with a stellar schedule the year before the stick it in our a$$ next year.

The article said btw $125-$500....there's a difference...curious where my block will fall.

I can understand a so-called "price of admission". The college game is HUGE. It may even warrant that kind of money....I don't know. What's happening in my case is this drastic increase is putting my annual fee in a range where I start to think of other things I could be doing for that price. Basically before there was no competition for my dollar....now there is at the future price.

 

[vewyphishy]

That tops it off rknicker. The home schedule this year SUCKS. You'd think they'd at least lube us up with a stellar schedule the year before the stick it in our a$$ next year.

September 4 - North Texas
September 25 - Rice
October 2 - Baylor
October 16 - No. 17 Missouri
November 6 - Oklahoma State
November 26 - Texas A&M

Look at those powerhouses! Be still my Longhorn heart... these are gonna be some EXCITING games this year. ???

Michigan plays Iowa at home... that looks like a decent game.

Well, regardless, good luck to Michigan this year. Next to UT, that was my school of choice. :thumbs:

 

[texasaggie]

We've got
9/11 Wyoming
9/18 Clemson
10/02 Kansas State
10/23 Colorado
11/06 Oklahoma
11/13 Texas Tech

One reason I love going to Aggie games, no matter if it's Wyoming or OU, there'll be 85,000+ in the stands, majority students, when the new endzone is complete, there'll be 105,000+ at the games. We love our football, watch this year for surprising results.

 

[hungsolo]

It's a sword that cuts both ways. As a program gets more popular, more people want to see it... so the prices are adjusted accordingly. But at the same time, you want your team to be good because it generates more revenue for the program. It's happening across the country. Take UT for instance. Back when I was a freshman, the interest for the football program was reserved for those long-time fans of the program. Any student who purchased a Longhorn Sports Package (free ticket to any home game for all sports) was able to get a ticket to any game, even ones like the OU game at the Cotton Bowl. Very rarely was the notion of eBay even thought of.

Now... things have gone crazy. For a game like OU, Sports Package holders have to draw for numbered wristbands about 10 days before the game. Then from there, they select a random number to start issuing out tickets (at $85 a piece now). Every year, less and less tickets are being allotted for the Sports Package holders, which means it really is like winning the lottery. What really sickens me is that most of the people who end up getting lucky enough to buy a ticket never actually go to the game. They put the tickets on eBay and turn a monster profit. Why? Because there are people willing to pay $500 per ticket. The school knows this... and thus starts issuing more tickets as "general sales" and less as student tickets. Nothing like going to the biggest game of the year and half or more of the attending crowd is a group of middle-aged rich guys who think it's absurd to stand up and make some noise during the game.

THAT pisses me off... and for that, I'd rather watch the game from the comfort of my own home. :angry:

Exactly! And that's why I and my Sooner bretheren are watching the game at my home this year. And after OU wins again , we can go nuts in the privacy of my back yard and pool.

Good times will be had, but going to the game won't be a part of it anymore. ???

 

[ricmac25]

I was just mentioning how the NCAA is losing my interest one stupid decision at a time. I guess its easy graduating from the football powerhouse that is the College of the Holy Cross Crusaders in lovely Worcester, MA, but I digress. I think it is totall BS what they did to Williams over at USC. Not to mention the crap they pulled with the football player/world class skier over at Colorado (forget his name). The NCAA makes ridiculous amounts of money on these kids. Too much hypocrisy for my tastes.

 

[texasaggie]

I disagree ricmac, Williams is the one who made the decision to enter in the draft, players need to learn to take the NCAA a little more seriously, you stay and play or you leave. You take money, you leave, no pay. the question of players being paid to play, they are, FREE COLLEGE. I didn't get that, but my college makes how much money off alumni, so what. I still didn't get paid to go. What would they have if they weren't in college, nothing, college sports isn't to make people have money, what do you tell all the division 2A players, screw you for not playing for a bigger richer school? And what do you tell the girls teams that are there because of Title 9 who make it possible to have baseball and soccer and everything else, sorry, no more sports, we have to pay the football players.

Just my 2 cents .

 

[CoventryCat86]

Well it's pretty easy and inexpensive to get UCONN football tickets

All the UCONN sports types are walking around with big hard-ons now because the basketball program's been such a sucesss, hell we'll win a football national championship in no time right?? :sign:

The basketball season tickets here at UCONN have gone the same way you're talking about with the REAL football schools, mandatory minimum donations, etc.

I disagree with Matt's assessment that big-time college sports keep tuition costs down. The greedy athletic departments keep ALL that money to themselves and do not share it with the universities in general therefore sucess (or failure) of college sports program has no effect on tuition costs for the students.

We had a case here in Conecticut where the DMV was promoting "UCONN" special license plates and the Eastern State's Exposition. The DMV asked UCONN if some of the women's basketball players would appear at the expo to help promote the plates. Proceeds from the special UCONN license plates go directly to a SCHOLARSHIP fund and when the athletic department realized that none of the proceeds would benefit the ATHLETIC department, they backed out of the deal.

They are a bunch of greedy money grubbing pigs and if people are crazy enough to pay the ridiculous tickets prices and the extortion then so be it. I also think it would be nice if the STUDENTS could go to the games. At UCONN, 80% of the fans are the idiots who pay the extortion money to watch the games while the students watch the games on television.

 

[dixieland_conjunction]

I hope I won't get flamed for this.....

My complaint is when the athletes I knew in college complained they should get paid for being so busy with all the practice time and traveling they have to do (not because they generate revenue, etc.). I'm NOT saying I had it harder than they did - just that they don't have it so much worse.

My freshman schedule (this is not BS - if we didn't do all this every week we'd fail classes):

14 hours/week principal instrument practice
7 hours/week piano practice
1 hour/week private lessons
2 hours/week small ensemble
1 hour/week freshman studio
2 hours/week low brass studio
1 hour/week convocation
1 hour/week brass recital
2 hours/week sight singing
2 hours/week piano class
3 hours/week music theory
3 hours/week large ensemble

TOTAL commitment: 39 hours/week
Academic credits: 8 hours

Plus, we were required to attend EVERY large ensemble performance and 10 small ensmble performances each semester.

Oh yeah and, there are those pesky other classes: English, Ethics, and World History :lookup:

I PAID $5,000 per semester to GET to do all this. I think a free ride is PLENTY compensation for atheletes. ???

Cheers,
Dixie