Improve Mason home game experience discussion

[Stoolguy]

Came here to point this out.

I believe it's an EBA concessions contracting issue.

I’ve learned EBA is still under Soxedo who used to run all of Mason dining but now it’s chartwells. Soxedo doesn’t seem like the greatest partner in helping GMU (or its fans) out.

 

[tblack33]

I took my daughter to tonight's game, and she could not understand why I was unable to buy her a t-shirt.

I’m most confused by this because they have a giant trailer that appears to be for apparel sales right by a door but idk what’s going on there.

 

[GMU_Polevaulter]

I for one welcome the Gold Room changes and appreciate the attempts being made. Gotta go with the hand your dealt and in this case - not like EBA has a dedicated booster space like JMU - we are dealing with a Hallway/ entrance/exit. By opening up the outdoors they have reduced the crowded feel not to mention added more overall tables by putting some outdoors - will anyone be outside in January when it's really cold - TBD. I'm traveling further then most so the 2 games this week - I did not get to the Gold room until 20 minutes after it opened - I was able to get food and find a table both times - that's improvement. Still early but so far, the food has been better than I expected - really liked Game 1 food - plus they brought back cookies. Finally - always good to see Raymond - the Beer Taps flowing, Wine, cider and talking with other fans meeting old friends and making news ones.
Reservation system - I give them credit for them trying and the cost is reasonable.
Keep posting ways to improve maybe some will get implemented.

 

[EXpatriot13]

Here’s everything Maryland did to get students out to their version of Gold Rush vs Georgetown. Don’t know everything that goes into ours, but there are some good ideas here that shouldn’t be budget breaking (and could be done more frequently).

 

[Mason2005]

I thought the DJ and hype guy were great last night, had the students the most engaged I've seen since the KE days.

 

[tblack33]

Here’s everything Maryland did to get students out to their version of Gold Rush vs Georgetown. Don’t know everything that goes into ours, but there are some good ideas here that shouldn’t be budget breaking (and could be done more frequently).

View attachment 2833

Our concession deal is really shitty and I hope they look at going in house when it expires so that we can have more flexibility on what we’re charging for things.

 

[GunstonsGhost]

I thought the DJ and hype guy were great last night, had the students the most engaged I've seen since the KE days.

Kyle on the Mic knows the assignment. He does a good job of hyping the crowd when he gets his opportunity.

Even Simon Says dude commanded the student crowd to rise like a high priest with a wave of his arms and they all rose for a picture.

The Gold Rush buzz seemed to keep them going. Keep giving them swag to wave around during the game, shirts, towels, pom-poms, whatever. It works to make them unconsciously stay engaged. If they have swag in their hand they're less likely to be on their phone. And if everyone else is doing it the group think will take over. And then the Mason Nation can take over the world bwuahahaha...

 

[Patriotsince81]

Attendance last night. 3 minutes to go in a tight game. Need to fill up those empty seats.

 

[Old Man]

I for one welcome the Gold Room changes and appreciate the attempts being made. Gotta go with the hand your dealt and in this case - not like EBA has a dedicated booster space like JMU - we are dealing with a Hallway/ entrance/exit. By opening up the outdoors they have reduced the crowded feel not to mention added more overall tables by putting some outdoors - will anyone be outside in January when it's really cold - TBD. I'm traveling further then most so the 2 games this week - I did not get to the Gold room until 20 minutes after it opened - I was able to get food and find a table both times - that's improvement. Still early but so far, the food has been better than I expected - really liked Game 1 food - plus they brought back cookies. Finally - always good to see Raymond - the Beer Taps flowing, Wine, cider and talking with other fans meeting old friends and making news ones.
Reservation system - I give them credit for them trying and the cost is reasonable.
Keep posting ways to improve maybe some will get implemented.

I'm coming from North Carolina. Where do you hail from?

As for the Gold Room experience, gm 1 I hardly noticed a difference except it felt like less tables, though I know the others were just outside. But I'm not expecting much, so maybe that's why I don't notice much difference. I'm there to support the team, and drink 'free' beer, and talk with my basketball friends. Check, check, and check. I have a great time.

 

[Verdad]

Mason is always going to Mason - until proven otherwise.

I credit the attempts to improve the goldroom, and they did have the Brave and Bold IPA on tap by the end of game 2. But….

Absolutely insane that:
*They have a gold rush game but there is literally no way to buy a child's gold Mason shirt online. Doesn’t exist unless you make it yourself. Though my search did reveal that the exact same gear that is available through bookstore website is available for significantly cheaper through fanatics.com. Thanks to Mrs. TSG my son does have a gold Will Thomas jersey.

*They stopped doing apparel sales at games - they used to have a booth, then last year or two they had a table - now nothing.

*There was literally no one that could figure out why my son didn’t get his kids club Tshirt, how to get it for him, or willing at all to help. It was mind boggling. I got an email saying your kids club pack has been delivered and has a tshirt inside. It was delivered, but no Tshirt. The same email also says to pick up the shirt at kids club table on concourse. Ok, no problem. Go to table and the one kid there would literally only say “I don’t know” when I asked about the shirt, while pointing to the tshirt in the kids club example box on the table. He pointed to the qr code on the display. I explained I already have the box, and received an email telling me to come to table to get shirt. “I don’t know.” Is there someone you can ask? Just mumbles incomplete sentences. Girls at booth next to him, all sitting looking at phones, doing nothing chime in “he’s new, he doesn’t know anything.” And they suggest I google to find an email address to ask about it. I had already done that and not gotten an answer. I took a deep breath and pleasantly asked the kid at the table if he would be there at halftime and if he could make an effort to figure out how to get the shirt. “I can try”. Great. Come back at halftime - he has not “tried” and again tells me to email somebody. Literally sat there for an hour and did nothing. New Matt Kaufman happens to be standing nearby talking to the girls doing nothing at the booth and offers to help - but seems to be learning about existence of the kids club for the first time. Takes my number and says he’ll figure it out and call me. I don’t even care about the shirt, but the fact more than 4 employees of the athletic department (excluding NMK) being paid to be there, were not willing to do anything to help fix a very simple and small issue to make a little kid who loves Mason basketball happy, was unbelievably frustrating and I’m absolutely going to be a Karen and speak with the manager. Not going to waste my money on the kids club ever again either.

PS - while I’m annoyed and venting - why does the band take up 3/4 of that baseline section with a million empty seats and the dancers take up the other quarter- all on the side the other team is shooting in the 2nd half?

Why did they get rid of the 2 missed ft’s promotion ? Even if ledo’s no longer wanted to sponsor, just make up some bs incentive - coupon for concessions, 10% off ticket, tshirt toss, etc

 

[2011WinOverVillanova]

Has the much ballyhooed DJ been a thing? Any thoughts on that?

 

[MasonFanatic]

Soxedo doesn’t seem like the greatest partner in helping GMU (or its fans) out.

Oh they're definitely not

 

[Stoolguy]

Oh they're definitely not

Once they're gone, whatever partnership we go with I hope can allow some free food. That is the most sure way of getting more students to games. Soxedo won't even let athletics bring their own food in to hand out to students.

 

[MasonFanatic]

Once they're gone, whatever partnership we go with I hope can allow some free food. That is the most sure way of getting more students to games. Soxedo won't even let athletics bring their own food in to hand out to students.

Wow. When did that happen? They always used to allow it...

Yes, the next concessions contract has to include some major changes. The pricing model is atrocious.

 

[tblack33]

Attendance last night. 3 minutes to go in a tight game. Need to fill up those empty seats.

As long as the students fill the lower section they are doing their job (which through two games they are more than doing), anything else I’ll take as gravy at this point. Not sure why we can’t get more fans out at this point. We’re literally giving tickets away for government and military and can’t fill up the seats. We need an arena that’s about half the size of EBA because I don’t see anything changing at this point short of being ranked in the top 25.

 

[jessej]

As long as the students fill the lower section they are doing their job (which through two games they are more than doing), anything else I’ll take as gravy at this point. Not sure why we can’t get more fans out at this point. We’re literally giving tickets away for government and military and can’t fill up the seats. We need an arena that’s about half the size of EBA because I don’t see anything changing at this point short of being ranked in the top 25.

Factors
1) Distance from city
2) no public transit to the game
3) Friday night traffic hassles

 

[tblack33]

Factors
1) Distance from city
2) no public transit to the game
3) Friday night traffic hassles

All things that existed in years past when we could pull in more than 3k, I’m not buying it. Our fanbase was never making the trip our from DC, it’s always been from the burbs.

 

[Mason2006Patriot]

There were times in the 2nd half of the Winthrop game when EBA got pretty loud. We gotta keep this going throughout the season! Let's go Mason! 2-0 baby!

 

[psyclone]

I’ve learned EBA is still under Soxedo who used to run all of Mason dining but now it’s chartwells. Soxedo doesn’t seem like the greatest partner in helping GMU (or its fans) out.

Not taking a stand here but the name of the company is Sodexo.

 

[GMU79]

Back in my day, ,we just walked in. No box office, no nothing. And we could bring in whatever food or drink we wanted. Nobody there to check.