Infocision Sellout

[akronad]

All student & GA are sold out.Who would have thought?http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_...TCLID=204791249

[zff]

All student & GA are sold out.Who would have thought?http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_...TCLID=204791249

I still have my two GA tickets. My buyer backed out for reserved tickets.IM me if you want them. $40 for the pair.

[g-mann17]

All student & GA are sold out.Who would have thought?

Me :DAnd the Info officially has more sell outs than Dix Stadium. :D

[ZachTheZip]

It's going to be nuts on Saturday. Here's hoping that they ticket buyers actually show up, and it wasn't a bunch of corporate sales given to employees that don't go to the games.My hope is that for everyone still trying to buy GA tickets the ticket office is pushing the Indiana game as an alternative.

[zippy5]

wonder if this means the end zone student seating is sold out also...5500 students is f'in awesome. but 8500 is ridiculously sweet. in a 30,000 seat stadium, that's deafening. can't wait! lets go zips!!!kinda puts things in perspective. last year i was pumped when we had ~1500 students for the last game. multiply that by 3 and add some = our worst case scenario right now

[ZachTheZip]

The question is: will all the students cheer, or will it be the same core group of 50 kids making all the noise and feeling obligated to start chants? How many students are there just to be there but couldn't name a single player on the team past or present? The only way to get them involved and hooked to come back for more is to have some amazing plays, like going big for breakaway runs for large chunks of yards or throwing TD bombs, and completely dismantling Morgan State on defense. It's not enough to win when you're trying to gain fans for life. You have to win in a big way to catch the attention of some of the most apathetic individuals in the nation.

[zippy5]

The question is: will all the students cheer, or will it be the same core group of 50 kids making all the noise and feeling obligated to start chants? How many students are there just to be there but couldn't name a single player on the team past or present? The only way to get them involved and hooked to come back for more is to have some amazing plays, like going big for breakaway runs for large chunks of yards or throwing TD bombs, and completely dismantling Morgan State on defense. It's not enough to win when you're trying to gain fans for life. You have to win in a big way to catch the attention of some of the most apathetic individuals in the nation.

i would argue that most of the fans that come for football games are loud. basketball, not so much.

[Zipmeister]

wonder if this means the end zone student seating is sold out also...5500 students is f'in awesome. but 8500 is ridiculously sweet. in a 30,000 seat stadium, that's deafening. can't wait! lets go zips!!!kinda puts things in perspective. last year i was pumped when we had ~1500 students for the last game. multiply that by 3 and add some = our worst case scenario right now

It should be even better in our 25,000 seat stadium.

[zippy5]

wonder if this means the end zone student seating is sold out also...5500 students is f'in awesome. but 8500 is ridiculously sweet. in a 30,000 seat stadium, that's deafening. can't wait! lets go zips!!!kinda puts things in perspective. last year i was pumped when we had ~1500 students for the last game. multiply that by 3 and add some = our worst case scenario right now

It should be even better in our 25,000 seat stadium.

there will be 30,000 fans there no? do i have to state the exact number in seats? i hear 14 big shots might actually be laying on the couch in their suites too.

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

Now just imagine the cacophony in the stadium if the administration had decided to SELL BEER inside. Holy moley, now THAT would be something to be a part of. GO ZIPS!STZ

[Zip Watcher]

Ok .. so now that we have a (near) sellout on our hands, we must as Zips fans turn to the hand wringing and worrying about whether the fans are good enough??! Really?This sounds to me like old ladies complaining at church that the younger crowd that's filling a church on Sunday isn't dressed to their standards. The point is .. the people are there. Getting fans in the seats to experience Zips Athletics has been a question and challenge for AD's, Coaches & Fans for years .. and now we have a full venue .. probably for 2 weeks in a row. How about we welcome one and all and hope they have a nice time rather than worrying about whether or not they have the right color shirt on or enough gold paint behind their ears.I'm not a Notre Dame fan .. not by a long shot for lots of reasons .. I'm a Boilermaker among several other things. But I will admit one thing .. when you go to a game @ ND, the locals, fans and staff at the facility and near it are quite welcoming. You go through the gate and the ticket guy looks you in the eye and says "Welcome to Notre Dame .. enjoy the game" .. same for the ushers .. and many fans. It's easy to see how someone can go to a game @ ND as a youngster and like it so much they become lifelong fans. Really easy.My friends and fellow Zips fans .. a tremendous opportunity lies before us over the next few days. One which may never exist again.The events of this weekend are going to be awesome. There's a huge buzz .. people are buying tickets .. lots of them. The tailgating and downtown atmosphere is going to be nutso crazy & all those things you find in places like Ann Arbor, Columbus and other places where lots of people join in revelry prior to a college football game in an urban setting.As committed Zips fans, we have a responsibility to put the best face forward for Zips football so that all the casual fans this weekend and next have a GREAT experience and want to come back again and again. Tom, Hunter, JD and staff can't possibly accomplish this by themselves. The FANS can do much of the heavy lifting. If you ever stopped by CK's spot by the fence at the Rubber Bowl, you know what I'm talking about. Welcoming, happy to see you .. offers you a beverage. Makes you want to come back.I'm issuing a challenge to the Zips Nation right here and now: You've chosen to "Be a Part from the Start' .. now DO YOUR PART .. have a great time, represent the Zips as you like them to represent you, and greet ALL fans with the same regard and congeniality that you greet those whom you know to be true Zips die hards. Saturday, we ARE the de facto University of Akron Convention and Visitor's Bureau. Let's make it our JOB to make sure people want to come back .. regardless of what happens on the field.Ignore it if you think that student isn't participating enough .. Ignore what they're wearing .. all colors are great in a full stadium. On this weekend and next, we should all strive to be color blind to the sports garb of attendees, and make this a place that they WANT to come back to. Eventually, the other things will take care of themselves. You think the flag pole is too short? .. keep it to yourself. Your pizza a little cold? .. great, you LIKE it that way. Line to get through the gate is slow? .. "isn't it great to have such a big crowd." Let's be positive, even if it's not in our nature .. positive for those around us on Saturday. The guy who asks you for directions or help will come back again because you helped make it a fun day. No one expects things to go perfectly .. but how the legions of die-hard fans react and represent will go a long way to a successful day.It starts now .. and continues through the weekends. There will be thousands of new people in our midst at a Zips event. Our actions by themselves might not convince fans to buy season tickets and donate millions. There are other factors (economy, the product on the field) .. I get that. But our actions CAN contribute to driving a casual fan away due to having a bad experience. Let's not be that fan that ruins it for others. As it pertains to growing the fanbase of Zips Athletics .. this weekend and next are probably as important as any time I can recall. It's not just an opportunity for JD & the team to impress .. it's a chance for Zips Fans to demonstrate that the Zips Nation is a great place to be, with teams more representative of the community, more accessible to fans .. and welcoming to families and small children.It's going to be great! GREAT! .. Let's all go have fun and enjoy the new reality that is Akron Zips Football .. Go Zips!! B) B) P.S. I know I'm speaking to the choir .. and it shouldn't need to be done .. but just in case ..

[akronad]

Thanks, ZW. I agree, let us all remember that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We need to make this the best thing to have ever happen here at U of A.

GOZIPS

[freddiecoffey]

we ARE the de facto University of Akron Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

Wait a second here... what if a certain poster happens to be the webmaster for the Greater Cleveland Convention and Visitors Bureau but a UA alumni...Where should my convention and visitors bureau allegiance lie?!?!Seriously though, we have an opportunity to create an experience that's talked about for generations. I can't wait to be in my seat on the 50 (Upper East Side GA... yeah, I'm bum rushing the gate when it opens to get there) when we kickoff a new era of Zips football.

[Dr Z]

Very good point ZW. Welcome all fans, including the visiting ones. Nothing more low class than chanting A##HOL# to somebody wearing the other color.PSU fans were also gracious and hoped you had a good time. You have a classy stadium now you should represent it in a classy way.

[g-mann17]

wonder if this means the end zone student seating is sold out also...5500 students is f'in awesome. but 8500 is ridiculously sweet. in a 30,000 seat stadium, that's deafening. can't wait! lets go zips!!!kinda puts things in perspective. last year i was pumped when we had ~1500 students for the last game. multiply that by 3 and add some = our worst case scenario right now

It should be even better in our 25,000 seat stadium.

You know you keep stating that, but all indications are that there are 27,000 seats and a 3,000 seat grass berm.

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

If UA REALLY wants to ensure great treatment of visitors this weekend, they only need hire the can-do, positive winners who regularly post responses on Ohio.com stories. They'll ensure that fans keep on coming back. They'll win them over with kindness!Once you've been greeted warmly by Old Man Grump, Betamax and their crew, you never forget it.GO ZIPS!STZ

[g-mann17]

If UA REALLY wants to ensure great treatment of visitors this weekend, they only need hire the can-do, positive winners who regularly post responses on Ohio.com stories. They'll ensure that fans keep on coming back. They'll win them over with kindness!Once you've been greeted warmly by Old Man Grump, Betamax and their crew, you never forget it.GO ZIPS!STZ

Don't forget MissTia

[scottditzen]

I want to nominate this for one of the best posts ever on ZN.

My friends and fellow Zips fans .. a tremendous opportunity lies before us over the next few days. One which may never exist again.The events of this weekend are going to be awesome. There's a huge buzz .. people are buying tickets .. lots of them. The tailgating and downtown atmosphere is going to be nutso crazy & all those things you find in places like Ann Arbor, Columbus and other places where lots of people join in revelry prior to a college football game in an urban setting.As committed Zips fans, we have a responsibility to put the best face forward for Zips football so that all the casual fans this weekend and next have a GREAT experience and want to come back again and again. Tom, Hunter, JD and staff can't possibly accomplish this by themselves. The FANS can do much of the heavy lifting. If you ever stopped by CK's spot by the fence at the Rubber Bowl, you know what I'm talking about. Welcoming, happy to see you .. offers you a beverage. Makes you want to come back.I'm issuing a challenge to the Zips Nation right here and now: You've chosen to "Be a Part from the Start' .. now DO YOUR PART .. have a great time, represent the Zips as you like them to represent you, and greet ALL fans with the same regard and congeniality that you greet those whom you know to be true Zips die hards. Saturday, we ARE the de facto University of Akron Convention and Visitor's Bureau. Let's make it our JOB to make sure people want to come back .. regardless of what happens on the field.Ignore it if you think that student isn't participating enough .. Ignore what they're wearing .. all colors are great in a full stadium. On this weekend and next, we should all strive to be color blind to the sports garb of attendees, and make this a place that they WANT to come back to. Eventually, the other things will take care of themselves. You think the flag pole is too short? .. keep it to yourself. Your pizza a little cold? .. great, you LIKE it that way. Line to get through the gate is slow? .. "isn't it great to have such a big crowd." Let's be positive, even if it's not in our nature .. positive for those around us on Saturday. The guy who asks you for directions or help will come back again because you helped make it a fun day. No one expects things to go perfectly .. but how the legions of die-hard fans react and represent will go a long way to a successful day.It starts now .. and continues through the weekends. There will be thousands of new people in our midst at a Zips event. Our actions by themselves might not convince fans to buy season tickets and donate millions. There are other factors (economy, the product on the field) .. I get that. But our actions CAN contribute to driving a casual fan away due to having a bad experience. Let's not be that fan that ruins it for others. As it pertains to growing the fanbase of Zips Athletics .. this weekend and next are probably as important as any time I can recall. It's not just an opportunity for JD & the team to impress .. it's a chance for Zips Fans to demonstrate that the Zips Nation is a great place to be, with teams more representative of the community, more accessible to fans .. and welcoming to families and small children.It's going to be great! GREAT! .. Let's all go have fun and enjoy the new reality that is Akron Zips Football .. Go Zips!! P.S. I know I'm speaking to the choir .. and it shouldn't need to be done .. but just in case ..

[ZachTheZip]

OK, OK. I'll give the fans a pass for the next two weeks if they aren't as loud as they could be. I'll even try to tolerate all the yokels who will be wearing OSU gear because it's the only thing college-related that they've ever owned so they think that since they're at a different college they can wear it because college is college.But if the stadium isn't the loudest place in the state of Ohio and being picked up on local seismic monitors for the Wagon Wheel game, I reserve the right to complain.

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

Not to be antagonistic about our role, but in actual fact we are fans but we're still also paying patrons. There are plenty of UA staff, graduate students and concessionaires who are compensated to make the game day experience great. The police, the maintenance crew, the larger UA staff, the coaches and players, they're all being compensated to work this Saturday. As paying patrons we have every right to hope and expect that those who are paid to make game day "function" will do their very best to make that happen.Sorry, but no I don't plan to be happy if the concessions are done poorly, or if there are terrible lines where there shouldn't be. If the game day experience is severely lacking, it won't be the fault of anyone here. It'll be the fault of the university. Damn, I hope this weekend comes off well. I have NO expectations of the actual fans themselves and will be friendly, warm and enthusiastic about the game and the teams. But if UA blows these next two weeks and makes that terrible mistake of a bad first impression, many of those apathetic fans who show for the novelty of the Info will never come back. Worse yet, they'll trash UA, the Zips and the Info for years to come. One shot. This season is UA's chance to make a splash. It starts in a couple days. Damn it, do it to it UA!I'll be in the local area, downtown, at tailgates, at the Info, and my "jobs" this weekend will be to lift 12-ounce curls, eat like a pig and cheer my team. GO ZIPS!STZ

[GP1]

Sorry, but no I don't plan to be happy if the concessions are done poorly, or if there are terrible lines where there shouldn't be. If the game day experience is severely lacking, it won't be the fault of anyone here. It'll be the fault of the university. Damn, I hope this weekend comes off well. I have NO expectations of the actual fans themselves and will be friendly, warm and enthusiastic about the game and the teams. But if UA blows these next two weeks and makes that terrible mistake of a bad first impression, many of those apathetic fans who show for the novelty of the Info will never come back. Worse yet, they'll trash UA, the Zips and the Info for years to come.

I don't think the University will blow this. They have had too much time to get ready for it.I had the same concerns about concessions until I read this article in the ABJ. It looks as if they have moved beyond cold hot dogs and cardboard pizza.There will be some that walk away unhappy. They are those who can never be made happy.

[Dr Z]

Nice find GP1. I think the same people are in charge of UM concessions. Anybody that thinks they might walk away from the stadium not impressed has obviously not been to an open house. Saturday is going to be awesome and a long time coming for us alumni.

[ZachTheZip]

I hope everybody is bringing their cameras to take pics of the full crowd. It should look awesome.

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

Nice find GP1. I think the same people are in charge of UM concessions. Anybody that thinks they might walk away from the stadium not impressed has obviously not been to an open house. Saturday is going to be awesome and a long time coming for us alumni.

Sorry to disagree, spinning-golden-skull-and-bones. We've all been to the Info, some of us several times already, and what I was talking about was not the facility. It's the Bomb, as they say. The game day experience is about far more than the facility. It's how well the traffic chutes work out, it's how many parking attendants are on duty and how well they handle the parking duties, it's how well concessions are done, it's the tailgating, etc. etc. etc. There are thousands of little images, interactions and memories that will be generated for every attending fan this Saturday. On Monday morning, are local NE Ohians going to be all a-twitter about how kick ass the game at the Info was, or are they going to be negative about the overall game day experience? If you think that UA can not screw this up, you're wrong.Come on Zips and staff, DO IT RIGHT! DO IT TO IT. STZ

[Zip Watcher]

Sorry to disagree, spinning-golden-skull-and-bones. We've all been to the Info, some of us several times already, and what I was talking about was not the facility. It's the Bomb, as they say. The game day experience is about far more than the facility. It's how well the traffic chutes work out, it's how many parking attendants are on duty and how well they handle the parking duties, it's how well concessions are done, it's the tailgating, etc. etc. etc. There are thousands of little images, interactions and memories that will be generated for every attending fan this Saturday. On Monday morning, are local NE Ohians going to be all a-twitter about how kick ass the game at the Info was, or are they going to be negative about the overall game day experience? If you think that UA can not screw this up, you're wrong.Come on Zips and staff, DO IT RIGHT! DO IT TO IT. STZ

:wall: After your first post, I elected not to reply .. but seeing how you've completely missed my point, I thought I'd follow up.Your comments are noted. Clearly we can't have big disasters happen at the Info and hope to impress the casual fan. But you keep saying to the Zips Staff to do it right .. my point to you is: As the diehard FANS, we also can help make sure that those conversations on Monday are positive .. and that those little images you mention above are good ones. As you said above .. the experience is about far more than the facility. The surrounding fans can add or detract from the environment and experience.We can choose to be ambassadors for the Zips and try to make a positive impact on the entire situation .. or we can take the approach of asking to be catered to and searching for something to complain about and someone to blame for whatever we think isn't perfect the first time out.A pretty simple choice, IMHO. B) Go Zips!