Improving GameDay Experience

[Where's the party?]

I waited a while before posting my thoughts on the so called "improvements". There is no beer garden - there is a beer stand (with one worker) and a few tables. There is no kids play area - there are Walmart playground pieces for very young kids (even though the majority of kids there are too old for it). The new Courtside Club seems to be nice, but once all the rich folks go back to their front row seats, there is a dead zone behind the basket. From what I've read here, the new "Patriot Lounge" is sparsely attended - while all the Gold Room Diaspora are left to wait in 40 minute lines to get a beer or a popcorn. (true story as the folks in front of us with three little girls got back to their seats over halfway through the first half of game one).

Here are my thoughts: I'm tired of all the excuses folks are making for the Patriot Club. Just because they are "trying new things" doesn't entitle them to any more of our patience, particularly after decades of watching them provide disorganized and amateurish marketing with no focus on fan retainage. Mason needs to stop thinking hiring folks who have worked at other schools (or just worked as an assistant at Mason) is going to get them a quality marketing experience. They need to hire a GM (and staff) who has run a restaurant, bar, nightclub, hotel, radio station, Chik-fil-A, etc.

They made all these changes in a really shameful manner which reeks of an effort to only take care of high rollers. I'm not aware of one Gold Room person who got a call asking why they weren't signing up for the new room. The raising of ticket prices and the running off of the Gold Room folks, has clearly had an impact on attendance. The attendance shown on the box scores must include tickets sold cuz I'm pretty sure there weren't 3301 fans there Friday or 3290 at the first game. I know, it was UMBC, and 4:00pm, but it was the home opener - if your fans don't show up for that, ouch!

Also, not being able to control the vendor who runs concessions is shameful. Any GMU procurement mgr. who hires a concessionaire and can't control them, should be fired. No venue concessionaire is very good, but come on. To only have two stations open on the first game, with folks working the counters who were clueless (the south station ran out of popcorn before the game started). They did a better job at the second game but there were also fewer attendees, and more students (who don't buy concessions). What happened to the self-serve station they had last season? For God's sakes, please make them do something to help out all the people you have dissed. Self serve takes one staff person - do more of it.

I know we'll never see real transparency regarding the metrics on these changes. Like most organizations, they'll probably call them a big success, all evidence to the contrary. Don't know how they are faring financially, but I can tell you that our small group dropped 6 Gold Room passes and 2 season tickets after 20 years and the Patriot Club apparently couldn't care less. So I'm returning the favor. I'll go the games this season, and I'll continue to support the team, but barring them reopening some version of the Gold Room at a similar price point next season, I'll be joining others who have mentioned watching ESPN+ from the couch. Hell, if the concessions continue to suck, I may be on the couch this season.

Happy to sit back an watch all the usual defenders pick apart the above.

 

[Jack Strop]

I waited a while before posting my thoughts on the so called "improvements". There is no beer garden - there is a beer stand (with one worker) and a few tables. There is no kids play area - there are Walmart playground pieces for very young kids (even though the majority of kids there are too old for it). The new Courtside Club seems to be nice, but once all the rich folks go back to their front row seats, there is a dead zone behind the basket. From what I've read here, the new "Patriot Lounge" is sparsely attended - while all the Gold Room Diaspora are left to wait in 40 minute lines to get a beer or a popcorn. (true story as the folks in front of us with three little girls got back to their seats over halfway through the first half of game one).

Here are my thoughts: I'm tired of all the excuses folks are making for the Patriot Club. Just because they are "trying new things" doesn't entitle them to any more of our patience, particularly after decades of watching them provide disorganized and amateurish marketing with no focus on fan retainage. Mason needs to stop thinking hiring folks who have worked at other schools (or just worked as an assistant at Mason) is going to get them a quality marketing experience. They need to hire a GM (and staff) who has run a restaurant, bar, nightclub, hotel, radio station, Chik-fil-A, etc.

They made all these changes in a really shameful manner which reeks of an effort to only take care of high rollers. I'm not aware of one Gold Room person who got a call asking why they weren't signing up for the new room. The raising of ticket prices and the running off of the Gold Room folks, has clearly had an impact on attendance. The attendance shown on the box scores must include tickets sold cuz I'm pretty sure there weren't 3301 fans there Friday or 3290 at the first game. I know, it was UMBC, and 4:00pm, but it was the home opener - if your fans don't show up for that, ouch!

Also, not being able to control the vendor who runs concessions is shameful. Any GMU procurement mgr. who hires a concessionaire and can't control them, should be fired. No venue concessionaire is very good, but come on. To only have two stations open on the first game, with folks working the counters who were clueless (the south station ran out of popcorn before the game started). They did a better job at the second game but there were also fewer attendees, and more students (who don't buy concessions). What happened to the self-serve station they had last season? For God's sakes, please make them do something to help out all the people you have dissed. Self serve takes one staff person - do more of it.

I know we'll never see real transparency regarding the metrics on these changes. Like most organizations, they'll probably call them a big success, all evidence to the contrary. Don't know how they are faring financially, but I can tell you that our small group dropped 6 Gold Room passes and 2 season tickets after 20 years and the Patriot Club apparently couldn't care less. So I'm returning the favor. I'll go the games this season, and I'll continue to support the team, but barring them reopening some version of the Gold Room at a similar price point next season, I'll be joining others who have mentioned watching ESPN+ from the couch. Hell, if the concessions continue to suck, I may be on the couch this season.

Happy to sit back an watch all the usual defenders pick apart the above.

Who are these defenders? Most of what I have seen agree with your observations. The AD and Patriot Club have completely dissed its most ardent Mason fans. And the worst part is that I still don't know why. I only hope the AD is raking in piles of $$$ from the dark hole they created behind our home basket.

 

[Mason2006Patriot]

How do we get more people to care about GMU basketball? Are we going to be stuck at 3000 average attendance forever? The UMBC game didnt feel like 3200 people.

My son wants to buy a GMU basketball jersey at EBA.

Did they get rid of the Gear Trailer outside of EBA that was there last season? Are they going to bring it back?

Is Mason athletics reading this board?

 

[GMUgemini]

My only guess is they have decided the gold room didn’t have the ROI for it continue in the form it has in the past, but it sounds like the rollout of the new experiences is amateur at best, negligent most likely.

Funny, I was going to suggest they hire someone from hospitality since all these sport management people (probably compliance officers really) have no clue what they’re doing. And if you’re going to hire from hospitality, you’ve got to poach the best: and if there’s one company that knows how to create an experience it’s Disney. Get someone from the Disneyland Resort or the Polynesian or Grand Disney Hotel, etc. I can guarantee it’ll be better than we’ve got now.

 

[Old Man]

How do we get more people to care about GMU basketball? Are we going to be stuck at 3000 average attendance forever? The UMBC game didnt feel like 3200 people.

Well, how to get more people to care about Mason Basketball? Start by not pissing off several hundred or so ticket holders, who have regularly shelled out thousands of dollars for years. In my case, 20+ years.

 

[tblack33]

I waited a while before posting my thoughts on the so called "improvements". There is no beer garden - there is a beer stand (with one worker) and a few tables. There is no kids play area - there are Walmart playground pieces for very young kids (even though the majority of kids there are too old for it). The new Courtside Club seems to be nice, but once all the rich folks go back to their front row seats, there is a dead zone behind the basket. From what I've read here, the new "Patriot Lounge" is sparsely attended - while all the Gold Room Diaspora are left to wait in 40 minute lines to get a beer or a popcorn. (true story as the folks in front of us with three little girls got back to their seats over halfway through the first half of game one).

Here are my thoughts: I'm tired of all the excuses folks are making for the Patriot Club. Just because they are "trying new things" doesn't entitle them to any more of our patience, particularly after decades of watching them provide disorganized and amateurish marketing with no focus on fan retainage. Mason needs to stop thinking hiring folks who have worked at other schools (or just worked as an assistant at Mason) is going to get them a quality marketing experience. They need to hire a GM (and staff) who has run a restaurant, bar, nightclub, hotel, radio station, Chik-fil-A, etc.

They made all these changes in a really shameful manner which reeks of an effort to only take care of high rollers. I'm not aware of one Gold Room person who got a call asking why they weren't signing up for the new room. The raising of ticket prices and the running off of the Gold Room folks, has clearly had an impact on attendance. The attendance shown on the box scores must include tickets sold cuz I'm pretty sure there weren't 3301 fans there Friday or 3290 at the first game. I know, it was UMBC, and 4:00pm, but it was the home opener - if your fans don't show up for that, ouch!

Also, not being able to control the vendor who runs concessions is shameful. Any GMU procurement mgr. who hires a concessionaire and can't control them, should be fired. No venue concessionaire is very good, but come on. To only have two stations open on the first game, with folks working the counters who were clueless (the south station ran out of popcorn before the game started). They did a better job at the second game but there were also fewer attendees, and more students (who don't buy concessions). What happened to the self-serve station they had last season? For God's sakes, please make them do something to help out all the people you have dissed. Self serve takes one staff person - do more of it.

I know we'll never see real transparency regarding the metrics on these changes. Like most organizations, they'll probably call them a big success, all evidence to the contrary. Don't know how they are faring financially, but I can tell you that our small group dropped 6 Gold Room passes and 2 season tickets after 20 years and the Patriot Club apparently couldn't care less. So I'm returning the favor. I'll go the games this season, and I'll continue to support the team, but barring them reopening some version of the Gold Room at a similar price point next season, I'll be joining others who have mentioned watching ESPN+ from the couch. Hell, if the concessions continue to suck, I may be on the couch this season.

Happy to sit back a watch all the usual defenders pick apart the above.

I’m with you, particularly on the excuses about vendors. One of my biggest frustrations is hearing about why the school can’t do something, rather than them figuring out ways get results. These people are paid for this reason, hold them accountable to getting results.

 

[psyclone]

How do we get more people to care about GMU basketball? Are we going to be stuck at 3000 average attendance forever? The UMBC game didnt feel like 3200 people.

My son wants to buy a GMU basketball jersey at EBA.

Did they get rid of the Gear Trailer outside of EBA that was there last season? Are they going to bring it back?

Is Mason athletics reading this board?

The Rally House has a few tables & racks of gear on the concourse across from the Beer Garden taps (where Gold Room used to be). They've been there since the season began, for both the men's and women's games and is open all game long, as best as I can tell.

It has replaced the Gear Trailer, I'm assuming.

 

[Masonman]

I have never been able to understand why they close some kiosks and create 20 minute long lines for concessions. And yes, why have the automatic walkthru place for drinks if you are not going to use it? I know several people at the first game who wanted water/drink but refused to stand in the 20 minute line. This is an easy fix. IMO the more places open, the more revenue you bring in. At least that is what I learned at Mason in my economics class.

 

[Old Man]

I have never been able to understand why they close some kiosks and create 20 minute long lines for concessions. And yes, why have the automatic walkthru place for drinks if you are not going to use it? I know several people at the first game who wanted water/drink but refused to stand in the 20 minute line. This is an easy fix. IMO the more places open, the more revenue you bring in. At least that is what I learned at Mason in my economics class.

I don't think Sodexo knows much about economics except for sucking off the government teat. The government doesn't distinguish between good vs bad service, so they only have to post and the government says "Here's your check!"

 

[Yossarian]

My only guess is they have decided the gold room didn’t have the ROI for it continue in the form it has in the past, but it sounds like the rollout of the new experiences is amateur at best, negligent most likely.

Funny, I was going to suggest they hire someone from hospitality since all these sport management people (probably compliance officers really) have no clue what they’re doing. And if you’re going to hire from hospitality, you’ve got to poach the best: and if there’s one company that knows how to create an experience it’s Disney. Get someone from the Disneyland Resort or the Polynesian or Grand Disney Hotel, etc. I can guarantee it’ll be better than we’ve got now.

They could hire someone recently fired from Spirit Airlines and it would provide a hospitality improvement.

 

[Patriotsince81]

I waited a while before posting my thoughts on the so called "improvements". There is no beer garden - there is a beer stand (with one worker) and a few tables. There is no kids play area - there are Walmart playground pieces for very young kids (even though the majority of kids there are too old for it). The new Courtside Club seems to be nice, but once all the rich folks go back to their front row seats, there is a dead zone behind the basket. From what I've read here, the new "Patriot Lounge" is sparsely attended - while all the Gold Room Diaspora are left to wait in 40 minute lines to get a beer or a popcorn. (true story as the folks in front of us with three little girls got back to their seats over halfway through the first half of game one).

Here are my thoughts: I'm tired of all the excuses folks are making for the Patriot Club. Just because they are "trying new things" doesn't entitle them to any more of our patience, particularly after decades of watching them provide disorganized and amateurish marketing with no focus on fan retainage. Mason needs to stop thinking hiring folks who have worked at other schools (or just worked as an assistant at Mason) is going to get them a quality marketing experience. They need to hire a GM (and staff) who has run a restaurant, bar, nightclub, hotel, radio station, Chik-fil-A, etc.

They made all these changes in a really shameful manner which reeks of an effort to only take care of high rollers. I'm not aware of one Gold Room person who got a call asking why they weren't signing up for the new room. The raising of ticket prices and the running off of the Gold Room folks, has clearly had an impact on attendance. The attendance shown on the box scores must include tickets sold cuz I'm pretty sure there weren't 3301 fans there Friday or 3290 at the first game. I know, it was UMBC, and 4:00pm, but it was the home opener - if your fans don't show up for that, ouch!

Also, not being able to control the vendor who runs concessions is shameful. Any GMU procurement mgr. who hires a concessionaire and can't control them, should be fired. No venue concessionaire is very good, but come on. To only have two stations open on the first game, with folks working the counters who were clueless (the south station ran out of popcorn before the game started). They did a better job at the second game but there were also fewer attendees, and more students (who don't buy concessions). What happened to the self-serve station they had last season? For God's sakes, please make them do something to help out all the people you have dissed. Self serve takes one staff person - do more of it.

I know we'll never see real transparency regarding the metrics on these changes. Like most organizations, they'll probably call them a big success, all evidence to the contrary. Don't know how they are faring financially, but I can tell you that our small group dropped 6 Gold Room passes and 2 season tickets after 20 years and the Patriot Club apparently couldn't care less. So I'm returning the favor. I'll go the games this season, and I'll continue to support the team, but barring them reopening some version of the Gold Room at a similar price point next season, I'll be joining others who have mentioned watching ESPN+ from the couch. Hell, if the concessions continue to suck, I may be on the couch this season.

Happy to sit back an watch all the usual defenders pick apart the above.

Exceptionally well stated. Please consider sending this to President Washington, Marvin Lewis, and Patriot Club staff. You never know, you might actually get a response.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Question for former Gold Room members. If the Gold Room existed as it has in the past, with the same pricing, but they eliminated the food, would you have renewed? I would have. Similar revenue for the university but with greatly reduced costs.

 

[TweederGMU]

Question for former Gold Room members. If the Gold Room existed as it has in the past, with the same pricing, but they eliminated the food, would you have renewed? I would have. Similar revenue for the university but with greatly reduced costs.

Not for the same price.... if they eliminated the food then price should come down. I would pay $250 for Gold Room - just alcohol and sodas included and whatever bullshit chips they may provide.

 

[Pat2028]

I’m with you, particularly on the excuses about vendors. One of my biggest frustrations is hearing about why the school can’t do something, rather than them figuring out ways get results. These people are paid for this reason, hold them accountable to getting results.

I'm a current student, and it's not just the athletics end, but also on the university administration end for stuff to do with event organizing and just general academics. The academics and admin faculty HATE each other, one because the former are trying to maintain their roles as educators and researchers and the latter coming in under pressure for deadlines and how tech companies are pushing the university to just adopt AI for everything (regardless of your position on AI, this as a whole is just nonsense to be faced with this). The theme? Admin faculty are paid very good salaries to offer ideas, but it just feels like they are fine with doing the same for the past 40 years because "it has worked, why change it now?" I am very worried about athletics because it does feel like if any of the "big" moneymaker sports make a huge run in anything, the university will care for one year and then stop. Tired of Mason admin complacency.

 

[Pat2028]

My only guess is they have decided the gold room didn’t have the ROI for it continue in the form it has in the past, but it sounds like the rollout of the new experiences is amateur at best, negligent most likely.

Funny, I was going to suggest they hire someone from hospitality since all these sport management people (probably compliance officers really) have no clue what they’re doing. And if you’re going to hire from hospitality, you’ve got to poach the best: and if there’s one company that knows how to create an experience it’s Disney. Get someone from the Disneyland Resort or the Polynesian or Grand Disney Hotel, etc. I can guarantee it’ll be better than we’ve got now.

The gameday experience is very amateur and even people who would just walk by on the street can easily tell there's basically no care or effort. The university also does basically nothing to get students excited.