The most recent figure was a $200k deficit, but that included no money for media right (which are sold as a package). Baseball is basically breaking even.

They could easily turn $200k if they added $5-6/seat for season ticket holders or sell more ad space or boost concession volume (rather than yield).

quote:

---

quote:

---

quote:

---

Is it just me or does anyone else think the lawn berms were a horrible idea? Would it have just been to egregious to A&M's way of doing things to let people have chair backed seats without paying out the ass?

---

So, we should build the grandstand large enough that we have an over supply of seats for most games? That's not good economics. We built a park the size that we could reasonably expect to sell as season tickets, then provided 1000 GA seats, and the berm for overflow.

We used to have cheap bleacher seating--it went unused most of the time. If you've watched any MSU games, you can see how having an abundance of bleacher seats makes it looks like fan interest is low (and provides some pretty crappy viewing experience, as I can attest from personal knowledge). It also suppressed our season ticket sales--folks didn't see the need to buy season tickets if they could buy tickets to the individual games that they really wanted to attend.

---

Not good economics? You don't build a stadium to meet average demand. You build capacity to meet maximum expected demand. How many times is the average MLB park sold out? And what made the Blue Bell project a head scratcher, since you brought up economics, is spending $20+ million on a facility where you shrink the capacity of seats by 3,000 and replace it with a grass hill. Word circulating is the university is already looking to expand the ball park and are proposing to put permanent seating on the 3rd base berm..

---

Oh, well how about that. I guess I was right.

quote:

---

Oh, well how about that. I guess I was right.

---

Right about what? I like Hop, but his opinion isn't fact. He's just as much of a blowhard as you or me on many topics.

Last night the #3 team in the country was playing a conference rival in Alabama on what couldn't have been a more pleasant spring evening. Weather was unreal.

Ags had "announced" attendance of 5950 but it was lower than that, and reserved seats were being sold on flash seats for under face value.

quote:

---

My issues are the season ticket holders thst never use their seats. But that's another thread

---

It wouldn't be hard to organize these seats and make them available to other Aggies to meet existing/future demand, if only there existed a desire in the AD to do so.

Somehow this fits 11k without a berm




We could steal at least 4 of those sections down the 1st base line and/or steal the left field bleachers (or even build up the left field bleachers)

"R1" at Alex Box is about even with 101/201 and the groundscrew entrance.

quote:

---

How many times is the average MLB park sold out?

---

With l the new stadiums and renovations in MLB over the past 25 years, how many increased seating capacity? MLB has gone toward smaller, family friendly parks for the most part. The few that have increased seating like Fenway don't come close to meeting demand for seats.

quote:

---

quote:

---

My issues are the season ticket holders thst never use their seats. But that's another thread

---

It wouldn't be hard to organize these seats and make them available to other Aggies to meet existing/future demand, if only there existed a desire in the AD to do so. The

---

The AD should have nothing to do with the seats of season ticket holders.
They own them. No one else has a right to a seat that is paid for.

quote:

---

quote:

---

How many times is the average MLB park sold out?

---

With l the new stadiums and renovations in MLB over the past 25 years, how many increased seating capacity? MLB has gone toward smaller, family friendly parks for the most part. The few that have increased seating like Fenway don't come close to meeting demand for seats.

---

Busch is close or damned near close a lot.

St. Louis is a great baseball town and yet when the new Busch was built they lessened capacity by about 4,000 seats.

quote:

---

And yet baseball still loses a ton of money- in the $5-700+K range

---

When the entire AD budget is well over $100M that's not a ton of money.

quote:

---

quote:

---

quote:

---

My issues are the season ticket holders thst never use their seats. But that's another thread

---

It wouldn't be hard to organize these seats and make them available to other Aggies to meet existing/future demand, if only there existed a desire in the AD to do so. The

---

The AD should have nothing to do with the seats of season ticket holders.
They own them. No one else has a right to a seat that is paid for.

---

On a game by game basis yes you're right, but if those seats are not used for the majority of the season they should be taken away and sold to someone that uses them IMO

That's just silly. They aren't taking season tickets away from people who pay for them. For what it's worth, I haven't sold a single ticket on flash seats this year because I've been inundated with requests from folks that I know.

And that owner should be doing that.

The AD should have nothing to do with it is all I said. They own the tickets. And until they change the rules that they should make an effort to have them used, no one else should have a say in the seats.

quote:

---

I'm bringing the kids and grandkids to the Alabama game Saturday. Got GA tickets and plan to sit on the lawn. Can anyone tell me if lawn chairs are allowed? Blankets? Any general suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

---

No chairs, umbrellas, or anything that'll obstruct the view of others behind you. Blankets are fine. We ask everyone to stay seated - again, as to not obstruct the view. If you have little ones, please keep them seated with you, and if they get restless, take them for a walk around the concourse. No running. No outside food or drink. Stay leet for foul balls at all times.

Source: I'm an usher at Olsen.

quote:

---

quote:

---

Oh, well how about that. I guess I was right.

---

Right about what? I like Hop, but his opinion isn't fact. He's just as much of a blowhard as you or me on many topics.

Last night the #3 team in the country was playing a conference rival in Alabama on what couldn't have been a more pleasant spring evening. Weather was unreal.

Ags had "announced" attendance of 5950 but it was lower than that, and reserved seats were being sold on flash seats for under face value.

---

Thanks for the info, Bill Byrne.

Let's be sure to not cater to even the slightest bit of fan comfort unless it makes solid economic sense.

quote:

---

And that owner should be doing that.

The AD should have nothing to do with it is all I said. They own the tickets. And until they change the rules that they should make an effort to have them used, no one else should have a say in the seats.

---

That's the point, the rules need to be changed, they aren't using them. There are seats that are never used. It's should be easy to track.

quote:

---

That's just silly. They aren't taking season tickets away from people who pay for them. For what it's worth, I haven't sold a single ticket on flash seats this year because I've been inundated with requests from folks that I know.

---

How is it silly to expect tickets holders to use their seats. If you're giving them away or selling them then they are being used. There are seats that never are used, those are the ones I'm talking about.

No way should any ticket holder have seats taken away during the season.

But if they find that people aren't using their seats then why should they get the privalage of keeping them when there is a waiting list for tickets. I think it's should be a system where they get a warning.

Ticket holders dont "own" anything. They are guests and have purchased time allotments, but if they do not use their allotment the true owners (tamu) should be able to fill those empty seats.

quote:

---

Thanks for the info, Bill Byrne.

Let's be sure to not cater to even the slightest bit of fan comfort unless it makes solid economic sense.

---

Offer up some sort of rational argument other than nonsensical bull**** and personal attacks. To this point it appears you're just a whiner who is upset you can't get chair back seats down the 3rd base line for 200 a season. And even if they did build them and price them that cheap (they wouldn't), you'd be on the board *****ing about something else and not buying them.

I'm fairly certain Bunk is not $Bill.

quote:

---

I'm fairly certain Bunk is not $Bill.

---

Yeah... Not his biggest fan

quote:

---

quote:

---

quote:

---

My issues are the season ticket holders thst never use their seats. But that's another thread

---

It wouldn't be hard to organize these seats and make them available to other Aggies to meet existing/future demand, if only there existed a desire in the AD to do so. The

---

The AD should have nothing to do with the seats of season ticket holders.
They own them. No one else has a right to a seat that is paid for.

---

Implied in my post was some sort of option (organized by the AD, and offered at the time of purchase) for those who "never use their seats" to resell them, hopefully to other Aggies. The mechanism is in place, but the AD is in uniquely positioned to "actively encourage" it's use, which would be a win, win, win! It would help maximize season ticket sales, and help minimize empty seats in prime locations (improving the visual image on TV). Finally, but less important, concession revenue would likewise increase, all by simply making more efficient use of the facilities already in place that are not being utilized.

Sell tickets for seat fillers

What is the percentage of not filled that is acceptable?

There were times we couldn't give away our seats.

quote:

---

quote:

---

I'm fairly certain Bunk is not $Bill.

---

Yeah... Not his biggest fan

---

I do not think you would fine too many old time Aggie baseball supporters that cared for Bill.

The most tiresome complaints on this board deal with the berms and season ticket holders, seemingly from folks that want cheap tickets for the games they want to attend. When I had season tickets I basically gave away midweek game tickets and rarely got face value for weekend games for excellent seats right above the first base dugout. I wasn't trying to make a profit , only enough to make keeping my seat cost effective now that I was unable to attend most games. When I can make the trip to Olsen now, I generally have little trouble finding a ticket on Flash Seats at a reasonable price and even the berms are enjoyable when not packed. The berms may not be ideal for those whose focus is the game itself but many do enjoy the atmosphere.

quote:

---

Not true. There was a foul ball hit pretty hard into the net over the visitor's dugout on Tuesday that would've hurt someone pretty bad had the net not been there. 203 started chanting "NETS" really loudly, it was great. So, they've been needed once or twice, still need to go imo

---

Yep, here is an Ag that met her maker a few years back... Dr. Whitehead was outside of the net at our minor league (now defunct team) park. It can and does happen, so especially with children, they need to watch the game and the hitter:

http://www.gosanangelo.com/sports/san-angelo-colts-tragedy-stresses-need-for-safety-first-ep-440660468-357208751.html

quote:

---

Take your self righteousness and shove it.

In the post prior to mine you called me a blow hard, and in this one you called me a whiner.

---

No self righteousness here. I called myself a blowhard as well(and hop). Feel free to lob friendly attacks at me as I have been, I am fine with it. But please actually add to the conversation with something to discuss instead of just whining. I have made my point as to when the expansion was actually agreed to and done, as well as said it will be addressed soon after softball and track, and I also gave numbers from last night where you could have purchased reserved seats for less than face value on a perfect night against a conference foe in late April.

It's not the major issue you seem to think it is imo

Think you could start with 25%, that would be 9 games you'd need to have your seats used. If the season is 36 games like this year.

I really don't think it would even go that far, run the stats and give those not using a warning. I think they'd either use them or give them up. It boggles me that these seats are never used, not sure why you'd keep buying them.

Hell it might not matter all that much, but when you have a huge demand for seats do something to get those seats used.

How does this work if you can't give away your seats?

One should bring a teething baby or a sick toddler to games to make sure they don't lose them?

I am serious when we couldn't give away tickets during the midweek or creampuff weekend series.

If you can't make nine games then why even by them?

Also with flash it's easy to give tickets away now than when you had tickets

The last two seasons I purchased season tickets I made less then nine games season. It certainly wasn't planned but living out of town, a new job which with less flexible hours, and family obligations kept me away from the park. I offered my seats on Flash Seats but they were rarely snatched up quickly and have no certainty that those who bought them actually used them.

quote:

---

If you can't make nine games then why even by them?

Also with flash it's easy to give tickets away now than when you had tickets

---

Because it is so predictable when a baby gets sick?

We bought our seat for our son when he was in utero because a seat showed up next to us.
So, we should have lost that seat because it wasn't filled?

And if flash seats does such a good job, why are so many seats empty midweek?

quote:

---

And if flash seats does such a good job, why are so many seats empty midweek?

---

Dont blame flash seats for CS being a 3hr round-trip from anything in the middle of the week, nor should you blame them for scheduling directional schools...

It's an interesting problem. Capacity is fine as a baseline but does not have any flex capacity for weekend SEC games. Most your flex crowds are people from Houston that want to go to 3-5 games a year and not sit on a berm or pay $65+ on flash seats for reserved tickets.

Byrne (who was a joke) was balancing a much different economic situation than we currently find ourselves in. he had a failed audit, school loan, underperforming football program and big 12 problems. He and the leaders did their best in their limited position/belief in A&M.

We are in a much better position now. Kyle field is now a revenue machine and we have SECW money. I see no issue with adding chair backs down third and some form of party/club seating in the outfield. Sure, it may only benefit 10-15 games a year but getting more people up to campus is a huge benefit.

College sports by definition lack any rational attribute. Look no further than Kyle Field or the plan to spend a ton of money on girls softball.