Facilities and Arena discussion

[Old Man]

No but there will be a beer garden and social space there for what it’s worth. So still space to socialize it sounds like

I'm sorry but the Green Room's sloppy seconds really sucks. I've been to the Green Room a couple of times and it just feels like hotel ballroom accommodations, AND if you're late to the game, you have to stand in a tunnel of people for who knows how long waiting for a whistle to go to your seats, which may be a ways away from that single entrance.

 

[tblack33]

It’ll be about 4k to keep my seat location and retain hospitality access for two tickets.

Overall I’m still supportive of a price increase and think it will fix a lot about what was broken in the gold room, but will need to do some thinking if I’ll keep my seats for the coming season. Tough sell to spend 4 grand to watch us play D3 and glorified D3 teams during the OOC, and a decent, but not excellent conference home draw. I’m 50/50 at the moment.

 

[daveshac]

This just feels like a big cavernous space with minimal energy, right next to the basket where the visiting team shoots free throws in the first half. I'm contrasting that with what used to be cheerleaders, Masonettes, a DJ stand, and several rows of cheering fans. I understand the revenue stream but I fail to see how this makes EBA a harder place for visitors to win.

 

[mkaufman1]

I'm sorry but the Green Room's sloppy seconds really sucks. I've been to the Green Room a couple of times and it just feels like hotel ballroom accommodations, AND if you're late to the game, you have to stand in a tunnel of people for who knows how long waiting for a whistle to go to your seats, which may be a ways away from that single entrance.

Not sure I follow- the area what was the gold room is going to be a redone social space for everyone. Hospitality will just be either be behind the basket or the green room.

 

[ProfessorCFK]

Not sure I follow- the area what was the gold room is going to be a redone social space for everyone. Hospitality will just be either be behind the basket or the green room.

Or hospitality is now non-existent for long-time donors that are priced out and unable to commit $12,500 for 5 years. The athletic department's/Patriot Club's header of ""NOVA's Home Court. Designed for Every Fan" is a massive miscue.

 

[Patriotsince81]

What $1,000 used to get me:
My seat
Gold Room pregame lunch or dinner
Drinks
Snacks
Pregame insights from coaches
Halftime access to meet with friends to go over stat sheets
More drinks and snacks

What $1,000 will get me this year:
My seat

Don't piss on me and tell me it's raining gold.

 

[GMUgemini]

What $1,000 used to get me:
My seat
Gold Room pregame lunch or dinner
Drinks
Snacks
Pregame insights from coaches
Halftime access to meet with friends to go over stat sheets
More drinks and snacks

What $1,000 will get me this year:
My seat

Don't piss on me and tell me it's raining gold.

Well, we have to now spend $8-10 million on our players that we didn’t before.

Also, $20 used to get you 20 bands at the HFestival. Good luck going to a festival for under $300 now.

 

[jessej]

If i read/understand this correctly
student section will be 104 to 108
Green Machine in Section 109
students will lose access to some lower bowl seats - loss of lower bowl seats in 123 and 124?

for most of the last 10 years I have tried to sit in Section 104 as the seats are cheap and usually less crowded so there is a high probability of no one sitting next to me - unless they came with me

I guess I will be moving to 113 or 119

the lower bowl portion of 123 and 124 will become the new hospitality areas?
the upper bowl section of 123 and 124 becomes the cheap GA seats?

 

[Old Man]

Not sure I follow- the area what was the gold room is going to be a redone social space for everyone. Hospitality will just be either be behind the basket or the green room.

I am a Gold Room member just so I DIDN'T have to hang out in the social spaces, otherwise known as the concourse of the PatDome. (Ironic, I know, the GR was on the concourse, but it was closed off to the riff raff.) And the picture used to show what the new Patriot Lounge looks like is not exactly inspiring to me, a donor of somewhere around 30 years (of both money to the Patriot Club AND to two kids getting a total of 5 degrees at Mason), as a place I want to hang out. No windows, closed in, and uncomfortable. The 'elevated' food experience ... yeah, didn't we hear those words last year about the Gold Room food? It was OK, but I would hardly term it elevated. And I don't require much. I was happy with chili dogs from Vienna Inn and pizza from Ledo's. But ok, my tastes are not so developed as the average donor, and adult for that matter, so I was willing to pay the freight and maybe eat about half the time (1/6th really since I have/had 3 GR passes but mostly only used one pass as I went to the games by myself and have 3 tickets) because didn't want/like what was served. My choice. But to move our experience into the basement, charge more, and provide less is not exactly where I hoped to be putting my money at this point.

As it is, I drive about 4 hours each way to attend games (so in addition to the tickets and Gold Room, add a tank of gas to my attendance costs), and what little I got for my money in the Gold Room I was OK with because it helped the team and Patriot Club, but with these changes, I'm not so sure. I can have better food and equivalent drink for much less at O'Georges or wherever I pregame, and have money left over, instead of being nickel and dimed ever step of the way telling me the 'experience' is better when it won't be. To invoke an old adage, "Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining."

Sorry for the rant, but the more I think about it, the more the whole situation bothers me. I DON'T LIKE CHANGE!

 

[Patriotsince81]

Well, we have to now spend $8-10 million on our players that we didn’t before.

And that's another thing that pisses me off.

 

[Patriotsince81]

This just feels like a big cavernous space with minimal energy, right next to the basket where the visiting team shoots free throws in the first half. I'm contrasting that with what used to be cheerleaders, Masonettes, a DJ stand, and several rows of cheering fans. I understand the revenue stream but I fail to see how this makes EBA a harder place for visitors to win.
View attachment 3111

Agree 100%. And I'm willing to bet that there will be empty seats on many/most nights.

 

[Mason2006Patriot]

Here is what is happening to the former Gold Room:

"This area will now serve in a multi-functional asset including a family zone, activity area for a Pop-A-Shots & other games, a beer garden, and merchandise!"

Hopefully the merch store has green colored Mason Basketball jerseys for sale. I want to buy one for myself and my son to wear for this upcoming season.


Also, no more DJ stand? Last season the DJ was located in the student section.

Will @KyleontheMic still be at the games? He was really good

 

[GMU_Polevaulter]

I am a Gold Room member just so I DIDN'T have to hang out in the social spaces, otherwise known as the concourse of the PatDome. (Ironic, I know, the GR was on the concourse, but it was closed off to the riff raff.) And the picture used to show what the new Patriot Lounge looks like is not exactly inspiring to me, a donor of somewhere around 30 years (of both money to the Patriot Club AND to two kids getting a total of 5 degrees at Mason), as a place I want to hang out. No windows, closed in, and uncomfortable. The 'elevated' food experience ... yeah, didn't we hear those words last year about the Gold Room food? It was OK, but I would hardly term it elevated. And I don't require much. I was happy with chili dogs from Vienna Inn and pizza from Ledo's. But ok, my tastes are not so developed as the average donor, and adult for that matter, so I was willing to pay the freight and maybe eat about half the time (1/6th really since I have/had 3 GR passes but mostly only used one pass as I went to the games by myself and have 3 tickets) because didn't want/like what was served. My choice. But to move our experience into the basement, charge more, and provide less is not exactly where I hoped to be putting my money at this point.

As it is, I drive about 4 hours each way to attend games (so in addition to the tickets and Gold Room, add a tank of gas to my attendance costs), and what little I got for my money in the Gold Room I was OK with because it helped the team and Patriot Club, but with these changes, I'm not so sure. I can have better food and equivalent drink for much less at O'Georges or wherever I pregame, and have money left over, instead of being nickel and dimed ever step of the way telling me the 'experience' is better when it won't be. To invoke an old adage, "Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining."

Sorry for the rant, but the more I think about it, the more the whole situation bothers me. I DON'T LIKE CHANGE!

Like many a long time Gold room member, I never complained about the food - it was a plus they offered it - I enjoyed getting to meet fellow fans and have a few beers, my Gold room tickets were not covered by seat fees just partially and I don't mind change but the price increase is to much - for me to keep everything I had would be a 88% increase in a year and that would only get me 2 hospitality passes not the four I had seems like I'd have to apply for the other 2. I already dropped down from 4 seats to 3 seats, and I won't be applying for hospitality. I guess any additional Pat Club donation goes back to tax write off - now its a question of how bad do I want my parking pass.....

 

[EXpatriot13]

Meh... the beer will probably cost $12–$15 per 12 oz. cup. That's about the cost of most premium-beer six packs. Does anyone really NEED one beer at that price?

I hope the food concessions on the concourse will see improvement. But, for the from-the-masses fans (like me), we'll probably have to eat cake... as usual.

Honestly, it looks like we'll have fewer fans at games. Will those who pay higher prices for amenities eclipse the expected revenue loss from, for lack of a better term, "lower-class" fans?

Beer prices aside (not unique to Mason) I’m going to welcome a new area where fans can choose to hang out and socialize pre-game, especially those who don’t go the full hospitality route.

This is an improvement to an otherwise boring, no personality concourse. We have to complain about everything on here, it’s wild.

 

[Jack Strop]

I'm skeptical that the economics of these new plans favor greater attendance and heightened in-game experience. However, they do resolve many of the perceived game-day issues that many here on this forum have been clamoring about for many years (although I have debated against their necessity).

We have the supply now of these "improved" amenities, but Is there really a demand? Are the price points optimal at the level of demand that is sought? Will the fans and revenue that these changes bring in eclipse that of the alienated fans that scale back or leave? If not then the variables will change.

We'll have to wait and see how all this shakes out. Some may be happy, some may be ambivalent, some may suffer, and some may walk away. All I can say is that the AD is trying.

 

[mkaufman1]

I am a Gold Room member just so I DIDN'T have to hang out in the social spaces, otherwise known as the concourse of the PatDome. (Ironic, I know, the GR was on the concourse, but it was closed off to the riff raff.) And the picture used to show what the new Patriot Lounge looks like is not exactly inspiring to me, a donor of somewhere around 30 years (of both money to the Patriot Club AND to two kids getting a total of 5 degrees at Mason), as a place I want to hang out. No windows, closed in, and uncomfortable. The 'elevated' food experience ... yeah, didn't we hear those words last year about the Gold Room food? It was OK, but I would hardly term it elevated. And I don't require much. I was happy with chili dogs from Vienna Inn and pizza from Ledo's. But ok, my tastes are not so developed as the average donor, and adult for that matter, so I was willing to pay the freight and maybe eat about half the time (1/6th really since I have/had 3 GR passes but mostly only used one pass as I went to the games by myself and have 3 tickets) because didn't want/like what was served. My choice. But to move our experience into the basement, charge more, and provide less is not exactly where I hoped to be putting my money at this point.

As it is, I drive about 4 hours each way to attend games (so in addition to the tickets and Gold Room, add a tank of gas to my attendance costs), and what little I got for my money in the Gold Room I was OK with because it helped the team and Patriot Club, but with these changes, I'm not so sure. I can have better food and equivalent drink for much less at O'Georges or wherever I pregame, and have money left over, instead of being nickel and dimed ever step of the way telling me the 'experience' is better when it won't be. To invoke an old adage, "Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining."

Sorry for the rant, but the more I think about it, the more the whole situation bothers me. I DON'T LIKE CHANGE!

I understand- I have absolutely no stake in this remember lol- other than reading and having people text me complaints

 

[mkaufman1]

Or hospitality is now non-existent for long-time donors that are priced out and unable to commit $12,500 for 5 years. The athletic department's/Patriot Club's header of ""NOVA's Home Court. Designed for Every Fan" is a massive miscue.

Unfortunately this is correct.

 

[Where's the party?]

IN 20 Like many a long time Gold room member, I never complained about the food - it was a plus they offered it - I enjoyed getting to meet fellow fans and have a few beers, my Gold room tickets were not covered by seat fees just partially and I don't mind change but the price increase is to much - for me to keep everything I had would be a 88% increase in a year and that would only get me 2 hospitality passes not the four I had seems like I'd have to apply for the other 2. I already dropped down from 4 seats to 3 seats, and I won't be applying for hospitality. I guess any additional Pat Club donation goes back to tax write off - now its a question of how bad do I want my parking pass.....

 

[Where's the party?]

I've never sprung for a parking pass and have never had an issue finding parking outside the south entrance. If you are used to getting there early enough for the Gold Room, you won't have an issue finding parking.

 

[MasonFanatic]

Or hospitality is now non-existent for long-time donors that are priced out and unable to commit $12,500 for 5 years. The athletic department's/Patriot Club's header of ""NOVA's Home Court. Designed for Every Fan" is a massive miscue.

Yeah, I came here to say exactly this. The new spaces look good and solve some major problems, as others have noted.

But I don't see anything on the list of hospitality options that's targeted for me. There's a huge gap in price points from $0 to $2500 and no attempt to capture those funds or cater to long time supporters.

Sad.