Regular Season Home Attendance

[Patriot8]

That video of Florida pregame is amazing, and to have the fans join in is great. that will NEVER happen at Mason. Why??? cause everyone with a gold or green room pass is doesnt get to their seat until 3 minutes into the game. Frustrates me beyond belief. When the team comes out 40% of the fans are still sipping their beverage and eating their meal instead of welcoming the team to the court.

Give them something they want to see!

(I know beer is tough competition)

 

[GMUgemini]

Give them something they want to see!

(I know beer is tough competition)

"Free" beer at that.


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[GMUSig03]

That video of Florida pregame is amazing, and to have the fans join in is great. that will NEVER happen at Mason. Why??? cause everyone with a gold or green room pass is doesnt get to their seat until 3 minutes into the game. Frustrates me beyond belief. When the team comes out 40% of the fans are still sipping their beverage and eating their meal instead of welcoming the team to the court.

I've been in both rooms this year (thanks to the generosity of others) - no where close to 40% of the attendance and I don't think it would make a noticeable impact. Don't we only have like 1200 patriot club donors, a majority of which do not have hospitality passes? Probably no more than a few hundred combined in both rooms, for our busiest games.

I absolutely agree that the lights should be dimmed for intro's. I keep hearing something about the bulbs... yet another thing everyone else can figure out but we can't.

To me it all comes down to effort and care - both of which have always, and continue to be severely lacking.

 

[MasonFanatic]

It takes me 40-45 minutes to get to Mason from my office for a weeknight game (9 miles)

It takes me 30 minutes to get to Mason from my house for a Saturday game (25 miles)

To me, that is the core problem with our weeknight attendance. I'd like to see a study on starting weeknight games at 7:30 pm instead of 7 pm. Would we gain more people than we lose?

 

[sleeperpick]

It takes me 40-45 minutes to get to Mason from my office for a weeknight game (9 miles)

It takes me 30 minutes to get to Mason from my house for a Saturday game (25 miles)

To me, that is the core problem with our weeknight attendance. I'd like to see a study on starting weeknight games at 7:30 pm instead of 7 pm. Would we gain more people than we lose?

AMEN! 7pm games and 6pm gold room for dinner and adult beverages are hard to get to. Although I would ask how 9 miles takes 45 mins? It takes me 45 mins for like 18-20 miles

 

[MasonFanatic]

I also think Mason should have dropped ticket prices 2 years ago. If they had, they could probably raise them for next season and no one would really complain ... but in the mean time we might have brought in some more casual fans (and more concession money). I don't know what goes into their price point decisions, but I do like that we are seeing increasing number of special discount deals, flash sales, themed group nights, etc. If you do enough of that, you can capture the people who say it's "too expensive" without raising the base price.

For example, they had a deal at least twice this season for 4 tickets and 4 chickfila vouchers for $39.

 

[MasonFanatic]

AMEN! 7pm games and 6pm gold room for dinner and adult beverages are hard to get to. Although I would ask how 9 miles takes 45 mins? It takes me 45 mins for like 18-20 miles

I'm coming from Falls Church on Rt 50.

 

[GSII]

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/02/gra...tball-best-student-section-havocs-dan-majerle

 

[MasonFanatic]

When I was a student, the #1 factor in student attendance seemed to be winning. The students would turn out in good numbers (and at least while school was in session) until the first home loss of the season. Then, we started to lose them. Losing early in the season to schools like Cornell or Towson is a killer.

Free food and other giveaways also mattered, as did the quality of the opponent.

 

[GSII]

Have a student only pizza stand on concourse. Have a beer and pizza/food garden that students can pay for with their food account money before the game. Never seen college kids not react to beer and food. Not that hard.

 

[GMUSig03]

AMEN! 7pm games and 6pm gold room for dinner and adult beverages are hard to get to. Although I would ask how 9 miles takes 45 mins? It takes me 45 mins for like 18-20 miles

I would agree with a slightly later start time in theory, but for TV purposes I think the 7pm start time is locked in so they can have a 9pm game after. Though we seemed to have a lot less TV games this year. Maybe those time windows will become more flexible as streaming becomes more popular.

 

[sleeperpick]

I'm coming from Falls Church on Rt 50.

take the backroads through vienna to 29 and up by arties thru city of fairfax and I promise it cuts 10 mins off

 

[GMUgemini]

I do also think some of our better games, the ones that would be better attended, were at bad times of the year (vcu in the middle of break anyone?) like mid-week or during winter break.


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[GMUSig03]

Have a student only pizza stand on concourse. Have a beer and pizza/food garden that students can pay for with their food account money before the game. Never seen college kids not react to beer and food. Not that hard.

I think some sort of free food "garden" is an excellent idea - condition them to become future Patriot Club gold room members. I would happily donate every year towards the pizza. I'm all for the beer garden for students too, but unfortunately our puritan societal pressure will most likely keep that from ever happening. And liability insurance policies.

I also think the hospitality rooms should be marketed by giving out passes to 1) graduating seniors and 2) season ticket holders (perhaps repeat season ticket holders who have not taken the next step in donations). Give out a pair of passes for free, that are valid for any weekday game (too crowded on weekends sometimes), to give people a taste of what is behind the curtain. Absolutely zero cost to give them out and would almost certainly lead to increased donations. Also maybe make a mid season offer for current season ticket holders to make a reduced donation to get passes for rest of the year.

 

[GMUSig03]

take the backroads through vienna to 29 and up by arties thru city of fairfax and I promise it cuts 10 mins off

I live in Fairfax City and work in Tysons and recently figured out (after trying a variety of routes) to take back roads that take me through Fairfax Circle - I can confirm you are correct. Saves 10 minutes each way (better in the evening than the morning).

 

[GMUgemini]

I think some sort of free food "garden" is an excellent idea - condition them to become future Patriot Club gold room members. I would happily donate every year towards the pizza. I'm all for the beer garden for students too, but unfortunately our puritan societal pressure will most likely keep that from ever happening. And liability insurance policies.

I also think the hospitality rooms should be marketed by giving out passes to 1) graduating seniors and 2) season ticket holders (perhaps repeat season ticket holders who have not taken the next step in donations). Give out a pair of passes for free, that are valid for any weekday game (too crowded on weekends sometimes), to give people a taste of what is behind the curtain. Absolutely zero cost to give them out and would almost certainly lead to increased donations. Also maybe make a mid season offer for current season ticket holders to make a reduced donation to get passes for rest of the year.

Good suggestions. Question: why are we doing so much of the work the AD should be?

 

[GMUSig03]

Good suggestions. Question: why are we doing so much of the work the AD should be?

If we knew the answer, you probably wouldn't have to ask that question

 

[mkaufman1]

I live in Fairfax City and work in Tysons and recently figured out (after trying a variety of routes) to take back roads that take me through Fairfax Circle - I can confirm you are correct. Saves 10 minutes each way (better in the evening than the morning).

I can confirm back roads also work, 50 to Annadale to 236 east to roberts, hour flat from Arlington

I think some sort of free food "garden" is an excellent idea - condition them to become future Patriot Club gold room members. I would happily donate every year towards the pizza. I'm all for the beer garden for students too, but unfortunately our puritan societal pressure will most likely keep that from ever happening. And liability insurance policies.

I also think the hospitality rooms should be marketed by giving out passes to 1) graduating seniors and 2) season ticket holders (perhaps repeat season ticket holders who have not taken the next step in donations). Give out a pair of passes for free, that are valid for any weekday game (too crowded on weekends sometimes), to give people a taste of what is behind the curtain. Absolutely zero cost to give them out and would almost certainly lead to increased donations. Also maybe make a mid season offer for current season ticket holders to make a reduced donation to get passes for rest of the year.

I suggested to Max 4 years ago that they do a half season plan for gold room, something like that, and he said there wasn't enough space to offer something like that. Like $250 get 7 games or something.

 

[GMUSig03]

I can confirm back roads also work, 50 to Annadale to 236 east to roberts, hour flat from Arlington



I suggested to Max 4 years ago that they do a half season plan for gold room, something like that, and he said there wasn't enough space to offer something like that. Like $250 get 7 games or something.

So what happens if that many more people want to buy full season gold room passes? They are turned away because there is not enough room on the entire concourse?!!!!

 

[mkaufman1]

So what happens if that many more people want to buy full season gold room passes? They are turned away because there is not enough room on the entire concourse?!!!!

Lol beats me- I know I would do like half season mostly because it's hard for me to always guarantee 6pm arrival on weeknights but yeah...