Herald Editorial - UND Football Ticket Prices

[UND92,96]

If a household income is around $20,000, then it is an average income in the USA.  That is my definition of a common(Average income) person.  Upper income in the USA starts at around $45,000 per household.

I used the word common in reference to this message:

[NewGuy]

If people are making around $20000 a year with a family of four, perhaps they should find a different job or get themselves fixed rather than going to a football game.

Or they could just go do the exact same job anywhere else in the country besides Grand Forks and get paid a better salary.

The young people are leaving, the numbers don't lie. Pretty soon the wealthy will no longer have young people to serve them at restaurants, check them out at the store, or even care for them when they are old and in the nursing home. This is the true danger of the anti-youth sentiment in this community.

[BisonMav]

UND92,96 Posted on Sep 28 2003, 06:08 PM

My only point is that in my opinion, with some inevitable exceptions, the people who will be at the game on Oct. 18 are pretty much the same people who go year after year,

I guess we writing about different definitions of "Common Person". Yours is above. I was trying to reflect on what the Herald article said people would not go to the game because of what the ticket prices meant to the average family. As I said before I do know people not going to the game because of the prices. They are some of the people included in your definition of "Common People"(Yearly Fans), and my definition of "Common People"(Average Income). Which by the way my statement of $20,000 per household was incorrect, your link had the actual figures.

NewGuy: Good Point

ScottM Posted on Sep 28 2003, 06:08 PM

  ......or get themselves fixed rather than going to a football game.

Typical

[UND92,96]

I'm not qualified to come up with any all-inclusive definition of a "common person." I just think that most people who will be at the game probably fall into whatever that definition is.

I'm sure there are some people who aren't going because of the ticket prices. There are many others who don't go because they can watch it on TV. And you know what? All that means is that somebody else will go. I would feel bad if there were empty seats and people who really want to go but can't afford it. But when the seats are full, then I don't see that this is all that big of an issue. In the unlikely event that it doesn't sell out, then I guess the price was too high. If it does sell-out, then I guess the demand supported the price.

As for what the Herald has to say about it, who cares. Neither Dennis nor Jacobs knows anything about sports, anyway. If it's not about the Sioux name, it's generally outside of their scope of interest.

This is apparently an issue where you're on one side of the fence or the other. You're obviously not going to change your mind, and nor am I, so we may as well agree to disagree.

[The Sicatoka]

But Sunday's Fargo Forum reports that the game is sold out.

You know what that tells me about $27.50 per seat?

They could have gotten more.

[teamsioux]

Exactly Sikatoka. It has been basically sold out for a while. I know of many people who are without tickets who would gladly pay 27.50 for a ticket. The market has proven that this price is acceptable for a game like this. Everyone should quit complaining and just watch the game on tv then. Cripes, I would pay 27.50 not to listen to John Bernstrom and his sideline reporting.

[ScottM]

Sounds like something a snobby rich person would say.

No, just somebody with a different ordering of priorities. Nice try anyway.

[BisonMav]

(ScottM @ Sep 28 2003, 06:08 PM)

If people are making around $20000 a year with a family of four, perhaps they should find a different job or get themselves fixed rather than going to a football game.

Reads like Eugenics?

I hope that is not what you are implying?

[ScottM]

Reads like Eugenics?

I hope that is not what you are implying?

A family of four making $20000 annually probably has other needs, e.g., food, shelter, clothing, etc. than worrying if they have to pay $100+ to attend a college football game. Accordingly, people in that position should not be bitching about the price of FB tickets, and rather reexamine their own life choices such as occupation, spending and whether they should be dropping any more kids they probably can't afford. Other animals tend to restrict their reproduction in lean times, but humans keeping plopping out kids regardless and generally look to the rest of society to cover their lazy asses.

[NewGuy]

Okay, Rush.

Unfortunately, a $20,000 a year job equates to roughly $10 an hour. Those are the only jobs that GF has (Simplot, UND, Amazon, any retail). So I guess that means that you have to be a doctor if you want to have more than two kids in Grand Forks?

[The Sicatoka]

I see a lot of new houses going in around Grand Forks that would take a great deal more than $20k per year to live in. (The annual mortgage payments would be more than $20k!)

If those are the only jobs in GF, who's buying those houses?

[NewGuy]

I wish I knew the answer to that one. I assume that some of those people have been fortunate when it comes to inheritance (or money gifted by living family). However, there has got to be some massive debt floating out there(not just the debt that goes along with the mortgage). I can't imagine that many of those Escalades or Trailblazers are paid for in full but I could be wrong.

Capitalism, it ain't perfect but it is the best.

[UND92,96]

I'll be cheering on the Fighting Sioux from my living room this Saturday while the suits and ties at the game are too busy schmoozing with the in-crowd to pay attention to the action on the field.

I mean no offense to you personally, but that's a pretty outlandish statement. If everybody who chooses to go to this game is an alleged rich person because they are paying anywhere from $10.50 (senior citizen price) to $27.50 for a ticket, what does that make someone who goes to an NFL, NBA or NHL game, or a big-name concert? Those ticket prices are generally more than $27.50. I understand the frustration with rising ticket prices, but I don't think there's any reason to attack or generalize those of us who do go to the games.

[ScottM]

We can even afford to have our kids in the youth hockey program, but we're not going to spend over $100 on three hours of entertainment. Hell no!!! We can go to a Twins game for less than that. I'll be cheering on the Fighting Sioux from my living room this Saturday while the suits and ties at the game are too busy schmoozing with the in-crowd to pay attention to the action on the field.

Gee, I *almost* feel bad for dropping $100 for one ticket to last Friday's Michigan game, 5th row, 40 yardline on the Blue side too. But I'm sure I'll get over it.

[CoteauRinkRat]

I'll be cheering on the Fighting Sioux from my living room this Saturday while the suits and ties at the game are too busy schmoozing with the in-crowd to pay attention to the action on the field.

It is your choice not to pay the money and sit and home and watch the game.

Just don't criticize the people for shelling out the money. The last time I checked it was sold out, so I guess the Alerus Center will be filled on saturday with 13,500 people wearing suits and ties who are not watching the game, just schmoozing.

I'm really going for the social aspect and to sit and talk about the stock market and maybe roam around and find some of my friends. Maybe find the Dip 'n' Dots stand or the roasted almonds stand.

Is there some kind of game going on there?

[CoteauRinkRat]

I don't think ScottM ever judged anyone. In fact he said that you don't have to be rich to attend this game. It is a matter of priorities for some people.

[ScottM]

But when you start judging others by how much they earn or how much they're willing to spend, that's where you cross the line and become an elitist snob. Typical corporate America fat-cat mentality.

Your own quotes:

"If I was just a single guy going to the game I could easily fork over the $27.50 for a ticket, but it's a different story to bring a wife and three kids."

" I'm sorry, Madison Avenue, but there isn't enough room in this world for everybody to be big-shot movers and shakers such as yourself. Those of us who are making significantly more than $20K per year probably are so wrapped up in their work they don't have much free time to enjoy the money they're making. Give me a mediocre job with a modest income and more free time to spend with my wife and kids."

"Sounds like something a snobby rich person would say."

Typical, hypocritical whining, I'd say.

[ScottM]

Exactly how is it hypocritical???

"[Y]ou start judging others by how much they earn or how much they're willing to spend, that's where you cross the line and become an elitist snob."-DaveK

Case closed.

[NewGuy]

I don't think ScottM ever judged anyone. In fact he said that you don't have to be rich to attend this game. It is a matter of priorities for some people.

ScottM judging people got this whole thing started with his comment about how a family of four earning $20k should get fixed.

[ScottM]

What case? I'm saying you are wrong to act as if you're better than somebody else based on your income, and that doesn't contradict anything else that I've said. There's no way in hell you can begin to make a case that I'm being hypocritical.

Your "moral" judgments, and your assignments of my posts as "judgemental and condescending, not to mention downright rude, arrogant, and offensive" have little bearing on whether people do in fact have choices in whether they fork over money for a game, let alone plop out kids. Moreover, you call people names for making choices you cannot or will not make with regard to spending their own money.

Enjoy the game from your abode this weekend, and remember to shake your fist at the cruel fates and choices which allow others to attend. Maybe read some Studds Terkel or Eugene Debbs for inspiration at half-time.

I'm done with you.

[tony]

UND is part of state government and is not a business. As such, it is not fitting with their mission that they charge as much as the market will bear for the NDSU game.

Suppose Grand Forks builds a waterpark using tax money, would it be fitting that they charge so much that only people like those who brag about spending $100 on Michigan game tickets can go?

Likewise, UND has to balance their desire to squeeze every possible penny out of visiting fans with their overall mission. I don't think $27.50 is that outrageous but you can't judge this issue on purely economic grounds.

[The Sicatoka]

Yes, UND is a state entity.

They should charge what they can for the game. They have to run the Athletic Department. If the Athletic Department is in the red the State gets the bill.

So rather than $27.50 for a seat should UND not raise prices to the games and pass any red ink along to state taxpayers in the form of higher income taxes? Should grandmas on fixed incomes subsidize football fans? No. You want something you pay for it. Prices must cover the costs of the programs.

Anyone who doesn't think college athletics is a business hasn't been paying attention for the last 20 years.

[BisonMav]

The Sicatoka Posted on Oct 14 2003, 07:49 PM

  Yes, UND is a state entity.

They should charge what they can for the game. They have to run the Athletic Department. If the Athletic Department is in the red the State gets the bill.

So rather than $27.50 for a seat should UND not raise prices to the games and pass any red ink along to state taxpayers in the form of higher income taxes? Should grandmas on fixed incomes subsidize football fans? No. You want something you pay for it. Prices must cover the costs of the programs.

Anyone who doesn't think college athletics is a business hasn't been paying attention for the last 20 years. 

I have heard over and over that the hockey program is making money hand over fist. New facilities are being built. UND athletics are very prosperous. It doesn't sound like the extra $11.00 is going toward keeping UND in the black. I don't mind UND making a few bucks, but I don't think that staying out of the red is the real reason for the price hike. Making a few extra bucks when they can make a few extra might be the real reason.

[The Sicatoka]

They aren't maxed out on all of their scholarships for all their sports.

Consider the $11 a contribution to the future of UND womens hockey.

Let me repeat:

Anyone who doesn't think college athletics is a business hasn't been paying attention for the last 20 years.

[BisonMav]

The Sicatoka Posted on Oct 14 2003, 09:07 PM

  They aren't maxed out on all of their scholarships for all their sports.

Consider the $11 a contribution to the future of UND womens hockey. 

Now that sounds better that saying UND raised the prices so Grandma isn't supporting college athletics. There are actually many Grandma's that support college athletics by donating money and going to games.