I hear, you Hub. But cold turkey is the best way sometimes. 1. Nobody really thinks we are buying a championship with this money. If they do, I've got some land in Plaquemines Parish I'd like to sell them. We're buying the infrastructure that will continue to attract the coaches and recruits that will win us championships down the road. 2. When Nick leaves, Emmert and Skip will go out and get the best million-dollar coach available . . . again. Joe Dean is gone, baby! Joe wouldn't know a football coach if one jumped up and bit him on the ass.
Got to disagree with here Red. How many threads have we had on TF alone on how we need money to win championships. I think it is a perception of alot of fans that "if you build it we will win it" the best example to the contrary is Texas, best facilities in the country but have been #2 or 3 in their conference all the while I agree on Emmert he did nice with Saban. My vote is still out on Skip...he hasn't had to do anything in this respect yet. My problem though is it is a crap shoot on what you are actually getting.......look at Bama. Don't hire the right guy first and foremost you could go into a tailspin real quick. Although too early to judge....if Zook doesn't pan out what will it do to them. I guess the biggest thing with this whole thing is Timing........we'll see if it was good or bad.
I'm sorry, but I don't see any big problem with the plan. I think it's embarrassing that LSU is 9th or 10th in the SEC in ticket revenues. After all, Tiger Stadium is the second biggest stadium in the conference. Schools like South Carolina and Ole Miss should not be outgaining LSU. Louisiana's population is almost double the population of Arkansas and they outgain us while playing at two different stadiums in two different towns. Under this new plan, a 50-yardline ticket would cost roughly $93 per game if you factor in the contribution. $93 would get you in the second level at the Superdome for a Saints game. Remember that the Saints have been to the playoffs ONCE in the past ten years and have one of the lowest levels of revenue of all the NFL franchises. $93 would put you in the second level at the New Orleans Arena to see the Hornets. The university has estimated that there are approximately 15,000-20,000 people on campus for each home game that DON'T have tickets. LSU has sold over 60,000 season tickets the past few years and the total gets higher each year. Two of this year's home games are completely sold out (Florida and Auburn). Clearly, the demand is there. Demand for tickets at schools like Florida, Tennessee and Alabama are so high that the ticket holders are paying ABOVE the minimum contributions for their seats. I think the plan is long overdue.
I don't think Tiger fans should view the plan as guaranteeing national championships. There's no way to do that because there are just way too many variables that go into a football season. The important thing to realize is that the absence of it guarantees future mediocrity.
Don't forget that people will be able to pay this in installments over 6 months. That's about $100 a month if you get the $400 seats. Also, as someone who's been attending games since 1996, I would love to be able to move closer to the 50, whether it costs $400 or more per seat extra. Right now I'm on the 20, in the bowl and pay $350 each for my 6 seats , but each year I try to improve my seats I can't because of the 20 year ticket holder on the 50 who's not paying anything extra. Also, to Richdog...some of us did buy tickets as soon as we were able, and we would love to be on the 50, as I said above, what ever the price. There are a lot of us "true fans" who want to be able to get the best we can for our money. Don't rag on us because we are willing and able to pay whatever it costs to get those seats and others aren't or can't. We're not "Bandwagon Fans", we're Tiger Fans!!!
Interesting comments from everybody. I don't have any sympathy for people who can afford to pay but are not willing to pay but I do feel for people on a fixed income who really can't afford to keep their good seats.
How difficult will be to obtain North Endzone tickets in the future? After my student days are done I am thinking I will get a pair of tickets for my dad and myself.
Nobody will lose the ability to attend games It is really not fair to say that old folk on fixed income will not be able to keep going to games b/c they can not afford the exta $400. It is more accurate to say they will not be able to afford the same seats. The plan does have a policy that folks can downgrade their tickets to a lower surcharge or no surcharge seats. EVERYONE would love to have 40 yardline seat! B/c everyone wants them, the laws of supply and demand kick in. These are the tickets that should be priced higher. Folks who have had the prime seats for years without paying a premium should be thankful for the "luxury" of the past not complain because "the times they are a changin". Other SEC schools had had higher prices for years. We are just catching up. We can all return to the past and settle for the 5-6 years when we lose Saban and the other schools pass us by. Money counts in big time football now.
This is one of the best discussions I have seen on Tigerforums. Excellent points have been made for both sides. My view? "If you want to make an omelot you've got to break some eggs."
