Something disturbing

[lance99]

You have a Big East team come to your stadium and the and according to ohio.com "the announced crowd of 15,969." Most teams will have fans show up with 20-25k for the game (including ticket giveaways).

Everybody says that winning will change this. I honestly think that thare is something more deep than that. I Rember when the Zips Played Marshall at the Bowl years ago for an ESPN game. Was it packed? Yes it was, but at the end of the game, there was doesens and dosens there looking for some t.v. time.

There are issues here and it starts at the very top of the food chain. I here in Phoenix and looking at the pictures it seems like there is something very wrong.

Am I off base, or dead on?

[GP1]

You have a Big East team come to your stadium and the and according to ohio.com "the announced crowd of 15,969."

For those who think the Zips are a future Big East team, this number is a disaster. Syracuse has to be pissed off to no end today about the small number. There is no way on God's green Earth that any respectable conference will allow us in.

[Zipmeister]

You have a Big East team come to your stadium and the and according to ohio.com "the announced crowd of 15,969." Most teams will have fans show up with 20-25k for the game (including ticket giveaways).

Everybody says that winning will change this. I honestly think that thare is something more deep than that. I Rember when the Zips Played Marshall at the Bowl years ago for an ESPN game. Was it packed? Yes it was, but at the end of the game, there was doesens and dosens there looking for some t.v. time.

There are issues here and it starts at the very top of the food chain. I here in Phoenix and looking at the pictures it seems like there is something very wrong.

Am I off base, or dead on?

You are dead on my friend. Well said.

[zip81]

What was the deal with the long wait to buy tickets at the gate?

If the U can't handle a walk up for a total ground of 16K, how long will the lines be for a decent crowd (if that ever happens)?

I waited in line to buy a ticket for my son until I got closer and noticed there was a window for "general admission cash only." Could they not have had a kid or someone letting the people at the back of the line know this?

I get so pissed off at my school sometimes I could spit. When will the athletic department start acting like a Div I school?

[GP1]

What was the deal with the long wait to buy tickets at the gate?

If the U can't handle a walk up for a total ground of 16K, how long will the lines be for a decent crowd (if that ever happens)?

I waited in line to buy a ticket for my son until I got closer and noticed there was a window for "general admission cash only." Could they not have had a kid or someone letting the people at the back of the line know this?

I get so pissed off at my school sometimes I could spit. When will the athletic department start acting like a Div I school?

It's 2010....Go to ticketmaster before you leave your house, buy tickets so and then you won't have to stand in line. There is no line on the internet.

[zip81]

What was the deal with the long wait to buy tickets at the gate?

If the U can't handle a walk up for a total ground of 16K, how long will the lines be for a decent crowd (if that ever happens)?

I waited in line to buy a ticket for my son until I got closer and noticed there was a window for "general admission cash only." Could they not have had a kid or someone letting the people at the back of the line know this?

I get so pissed off at my school sometimes I could spit. When will the athletic department start acting like a Div I school?

It's 2010....Go to ticketmaster before you leave your house, buy tickets so and then you won't have to stand in line. There is no line on the internet.

You completely missed the point.

This is not the way a professional organization should operate. How about a little customer service.

Besides, not that it should make a difference, but my son didn't decide to go until that day.

[GoZips]

What was the deal with the long wait to buy tickets at the gate?

If the U can't handle a walk up for a total ground of 16K, how long will the lines be for a decent crowd (if that ever happens)?

I waited in line to buy a ticket for my son until I got closer and noticed there was a window for "general admission cash only." Could they not have had a kid or someone letting the people at the back of the line know this?

I get so pissed off at my school sometimes I could spit. When will the athletic department start acting like a Div I school?

When they hire a real athletic director.

[GP1]

What was the deal with the long wait to buy tickets at the gate?

If the U can't handle a walk up for a total ground of 16K, how long will the lines be for a decent crowd (if that ever happens)?

I waited in line to buy a ticket for my son until I got closer and noticed there was a window for "general admission cash only." Could they not have had a kid or someone letting the people at the back of the line know this?

I get so pissed off at my school sometimes I could spit. When will the athletic department start acting like a Div I school?

It's 2010....Go to ticketmaster before you leave your house, buy tickets so and then you won't have to stand in line. There is no line on the internet.

You completely missed the point.

This is not the way a professional organization should operate. How about a little customer service.

Besides, not that it should make a difference, but my son didn't decide to go until that day.

Ticketmaster runs 24/7. You could have spent five minutes on it before leaving for the game. It's 2010.....those who had to stand in line have nobody to blame but themselves.

[GP1]

What was the deal with the long wait to buy tickets at the gate?

If the U can't handle a walk up for a total ground of 16K, how long will the lines be for a decent crowd (if that ever happens)?

I waited in line to buy a ticket for my son until I got closer and noticed there was a window for "general admission cash only." Could they not have had a kid or someone letting the people at the back of the line know this?

I get so pissed off at my school sometimes I could spit. When will the athletic department start acting like a Div I school?

When they hire a real athletic director.

They can hire new ADs until the cows come home. Akron does not have the fan base, alumni base, corporate support, national interest necessary to act like a D1 school. Stop pretending.

There is always a reason to say no. Ticket prices too high. Parking too expensive. Etc.

[bobbyake]

What was the deal with the long wait to buy tickets at the gate?

If the U can't handle a walk up for a total ground of 16K, how long will the lines be for a decent crowd (if that ever happens)?

I waited in line to buy a ticket for my son until I got closer and noticed there was a window for "general admission cash only." Could they not have had a kid or someone letting the people at the back of the line know this?

I get so pissed off at my school sometimes I could spit. When will the athletic department start acting like a Div I school?

It's 2010....Go to ticketmaster before you leave your house, buy tickets so and then you won't have to stand in line. There is no line on the internet.

You completely missed the point.

This is not the way a professional organization should operate. How about a little customer service.

Besides, not that it should make a difference, but my son didn't decide to go until that day.

Ticketmaster runs 24/7. You could have spent five minutes on it before leaving for the game. It's 2010.....those who had to stand in line have nobody to blame but themselves.

Please don't listen to this advice. This is 2010 where people don't like to get ripped off. Ticketmaster charges a $5 processing fee per ticket. You did the right thing and saved $10 by not buying tickets from them.

If you know in advance how many tickets you need, you can always buy them in the JAR for gameday prices. It seems like this wasn't the case for you. You have every right to complain about the University not doing something efficiently. When I was walking into the game, I noticed the long lines. It's a good thing this probably wont be a problem again as no one will show up for the games.

This is going to be an ugly year to follow Zips football and you're going to see a lot of arguing on this forums. I don't see why there's a need to blame a person for not using Ticketmaster.

[zip81]

What was the deal with the long wait to buy tickets at the gate?

If the U can't handle a walk up for a total ground of 16K, how long will the lines be for a decent crowd (if that ever happens)?

I waited in line to buy a ticket for my son until I got closer and noticed there was a window for "general admission cash only." Could they not have had a kid or someone letting the people at the back of the line know this?

I get so pissed off at my school sometimes I could spit. When will the athletic department start acting like a Div I school?

It's 2010....Go to ticketmaster before you leave your house, buy tickets so and then you won't have to stand in line. There is no line on the internet.

You completely missed the point.

This is not the way a professional organization should operate. How about a little customer service.

Besides, not that it should make a difference, but my son didn't decide to go until that day.

Ticketmaster runs 24/7. You could have spent five minutes on it before leaving for the game. It's 2010.....those who had to stand in line have nobody to blame but themselves.

So you are making excuses for poor customer service...besides being a jerk.

[MaxZIP]

What was the deal with the long wait to buy tickets at the gate?

If the U can't handle a walk up for a total ground of 16K, how long will the lines be for a decent crowd (if that ever happens)?

I waited in line to buy a ticket for my son until I got closer and noticed there was a window for "general admission cash only." Could they not have had a kid or someone letting the people at the back of the line know this?

I get so pissed off at my school sometimes I could spit. When will the athletic department start acting like a Div I school?

It's 2010....Go to ticketmaster before you leave your house, buy tickets so and then you won't have to stand in line. There is no line on the internet.

You completely missed the point.

This is not the way a professional organization should operate. How about a little customer service.

Besides, not that it should make a difference, but my son didn't decide to go until that day.

Ticketmaster runs 24/7. You could have spent five minutes on it before leaving for the game. It's 2010.....those who had to stand in line have nobody to blame but themselves.

So you are making excuses for poor customer service...besides being a jerk.

I have asked the AD about this a couple of times. The ticket purchase transaction time is about 3-5 min a person. Way too long for only having about 10 windows that are not dedicated to will call. They have the same problem during basketball season. A 5 person line is about 20-30 min waiting. Plus the credit card system seems to go down all the time. Hell they were manually tyoing in credit card info last year. Buy a scanner these type of issues should be handled by the director and assistant director of ticket sales...they pay them good money to sell very few tickets and providing poor customer service. Also, the Ticketmaster fees are crazy.

[Spin]

They can hire new ADs until the cows come home. Akron does not have the fan base, alumni base, corporate support, national interest necessary to act like a D1 school. Stop pretending.

There is always a reason to say no. Ticket prices too high. Parking too expensive. Etc.

You build a fan base. Through winning. And the slightest customer service wouldn't hurt. Would it?

How many people would travel to a school (they never attended) 150 miles away to watch a 3-9 Buckeyes team? That hadn't had a winning record in years?

This is football heaven. Bernie Kosar built a winning Arena team and NEOhio broke all the attendance records. There are more people at some NEOhio high school games than many colleges can draw. There's a D3 school in freakin Alliance that's on TV about every week.

The Akron Aeros broke attendance records, drew better than all but 5 AAA teams. The Cleveland Force drew SRO crowds 20,000+ to see indoor soccer. This market is starving for a winner. Sold out entire seasons at the Jake. Imagine what a college football program could do.

Nobody wants to see this program become respectable and win conference titles and bowl games and make Boise State look like a failure more than I do. To walk through campus and see more Zips garb than tOSU. I know personally what potential this area has...

If you build it, they will come...

[GP1]

What was the deal with the long wait to buy tickets at the gate?

If the U can't handle a walk up for a total ground of 16K, how long will the lines be for a decent crowd (if that ever happens)?

I waited in line to buy a ticket for my son until I got closer and noticed there was a window for "general admission cash only." Could they not have had a kid or someone letting the people at the back of the line know this?

I get so pissed off at my school sometimes I could spit. When will the athletic department start acting like a Div I school?

It's 2010....Go to ticketmaster before you leave your house, buy tickets so and then you won't have to stand in line. There is no line on the internet.

You completely missed the point.

This is not the way a professional organization should operate. How about a little customer service.

Besides, not that it should make a difference, but my son didn't decide to go until that day.

Ticketmaster runs 24/7. You could have spent five minutes on it before leaving for the game. It's 2010.....those who had to stand in line have nobody to blame but themselves.

Please don't listen to this advice. This is 2010 where people don't like to get ripped off. Ticketmaster charges a $5 processing fee per ticket. You did the right thing and saved $10 by not buying tickets from them.

If you know in advance how many tickets you need, you can always buy them in the JAR for gameday prices. It seems like this wasn't the case for you. You have every right to complain about the University not doing something efficiently. When I was walking into the game, I noticed the long lines. It's a good thing this probably wont be a problem again as no one will show up for the games.

This is going to be an ugly year to follow Zips football and you're going to see a lot of arguing on this forums. I don't see why there's a need to blame a person for not using Ticketmaster.

The University does offer efficiency with Ticketmaster. Use the service, pay a little extra and avoid standing in line. If not, enjoy the wait.

The University is not going to hire people to come in to work for one hour so there is better customer service. Who in in the heck could you get to come in for one hour?

[GP1]

What was the deal with the long wait to buy tickets at the gate?

If the U can't handle a walk up for a total ground of 16K, how long will the lines be for a decent crowd (if that ever happens)?

I waited in line to buy a ticket for my son until I got closer and noticed there was a window for "general admission cash only." Could they not have had a kid or someone letting the people at the back of the line know this?

I get so pissed off at my school sometimes I could spit. When will the athletic department start acting like a Div I school?

It's 2010....Go to ticketmaster before you leave your house, buy tickets so and then you won't have to stand in line. There is no line on the internet.

You completely missed the point.

This is not the way a professional organization should operate. How about a little customer service.

Besides, not that it should make a difference, but my son didn't decide to go until that day.

Ticketmaster runs 24/7. You could have spent five minutes on it before leaving for the game. It's 2010.....those who had to stand in line have nobody to blame but themselves.

So you are making excuses for poor customer service...besides being a jerk.

You have options as to where and how to purchase your tickets. You selected the option that would have you wait for a long time in line. That's not me being a jerk, that's you either not knowing the options or being cheap. Don't blame me.

[zen]

They can hire new ADs until the cows come home. Akron does not have the fan base, alumni base, corporate support, national interest necessary to act like a D1 school. Stop pretending.

There is always a reason to say no. Ticket prices too high. Parking too expensive. Etc.

You build a fan base. Through winning. And the slightest customer service wouldn't hurt. Would it?

How many people would travel to a school (they never attended) 150 miles away to watch a 3-9 Buckeyes team? That hadn't had a winning record in years?

This is football heaven. Bernie Kosar built a winning Arena team and NEOhio broke all the attendance records. There are more people at some NEOhio high school games than many colleges can draw. There's a D3 school in freakin Alliance that's on TV about every week.

The Akron Aeros broke attendance records, drew better than all but 5 AAA teams. The Cleveland Force drew SRO crowds 20,000+ to see indoor soccer. This market is starving for a winner. Sold out entire seasons at the Jake. Imagine what a college football program could do.

Nobody wants to see this program become respectable and win conference titles and bowl games and make Boise State look like a failure more than I do. To walk through campus and see more Zips garb than tOSU. I know personally what potential this area has...

If you build it, they will come...

I believe this is 1000% true.

All value judgments aside about people who need (not just a winner, but) a team of perennial stature in order to latch on and become "a fan", because you and I who root for them when they aren't such believe ourselves to be the real fans.... that doesn't change that the above is all true. It doesn't matter what you call them. You build a program that wins and has the perception of future promise, they will indeed come.

[Quickzips]

Personally, the team itself screwed the pooch last year by laying as big of an egg as they did in the midst of all the buzz over the new stadium. It wasn't just that we lost so many games, but we were practically unwatchable for most of the season. We had an absolutely perfect opportunity to invigorate a new fanbase for Zips football on a long term basis when we opened the stadium. All we had to do was put an exciting product on the field and win a few games. Instead we went 3-9 and played a brand of football that would be a pretty good cure for insomnia. The stadium was our one big shot at a quick, easy boost to our attendance. Now, I'm not really sure what we do. I do think it all starts and ends with winning, but I also think it will take more along the way than just winning. You have to have a product that people want to come and see. That includes not just the quality of the team on the field, but the concessions, souvenir shop, ticket sales, game day activities, etc., etc., etc. This isn't something that will be fixed over night at this point. Like I said, we had the opportunity to do that and we blew it in every way. In my uninformed, completely out of thin air opinion it will take a good 5+ years of steady winning (not just 6-6 records and squeaking into bowl games) combined with a major upgrade in marketing and general fan-friendliness (is that even a word?) to start to see a turnaround. Sorry to say it, but outside of maybe the Can't games, we are looking at 15,000-18,000 as a best case scenario in terms of attendance for the foreseeable future.

[phil]

What was the deal with the long wait to buy tickets at the gate?

If the U can't handle a walk up for a total ground of 16K, how long will the lines be for a decent crowd (if that ever happens)?

I waited in line to buy a ticket for my son until I got closer and noticed there was a window for "general admission cash only." Could they not have had a kid or someone letting the people at the back of the line know this?

I get so pissed off at my school sometimes I could spit. When will the athletic department start acting like a Div I school?

It's 2010....Go to ticketmaster before you leave your house, buy tickets so and then you won't have to stand in line. There is no line on the internet.

You completely missed the point.

This is not the way a professional organization should operate. How about a little customer service.

Besides, not that it should make a difference, but my son didn't decide to go until that day.

Ticketmaster runs 24/7. You could have spent five minutes on it before leaving for the game. It's 2010.....those who had to stand in line have nobody to blame but themselves.

So you are making excuses for poor customer service...besides being a jerk.

I have asked the AD about this a couple of times. The ticket purchase transaction time is about 3-5 min a person. Way too long for only having about 10 windows that are not dedicated to will call. They have the same problem during basketball season. A 5 person line is about 20-30 min waiting. Plus the credit card system seems to go down all the time. Hell they were manually tyoing in credit card info last year. Buy a scanner these type of issues should be handled by the director and assistant director of ticket sales...they pay them good money to sell very few tickets and providing poor customer service. Also, the Ticketmaster fees are crazy.

You have to be thick skinned to support U of A athletic teams.

When the team played at the rubber bowl, I would be stuck in traffic for an hour trying to get to the game when the attendance was 15,000.

The reason was that the University would collect the parking fee on the streets tying up traffic for a mile.

The lines at the concession stands were also very long and slow.

Getting out of the parking lot was also a nightmare because nobody was directing traffic in the parking lot.

My experience is that the parking situation has greatly improved at the new stadium.

I also have been stuck in line at the Jar buying tickets. I noticed that the line moves very slowly because there are only 2 windows selling tickets and the clerks must use a computer when selling the tickets even for general admission tickets. A 10 second transaction becomes a 3 minute transaction whenever a computer is involved. The line really slows down when somebody buys lower level seating and can't decide where to sit. On several occassions, it has worked to my benefit because people have given me tickets while I have been waiting in line. It amazes me that the university will spend money to advertise a game but will not monitor the ticket windows in order to eliminate the lines.

The biggest joke is the half time entertainment at the basketball games last year. At the sold out Can't game, I was treated to "Lets Make a Deal" with the prizes coming from the Salvation Army collection. I appreciate the Salvation Army sponsoring the Zips but that was not a great way to bring fans back to the Jar. Whether the Zips win or lose, Akron could certainly do a better job servicing the fans and making a trip to the stadium a more pleasant experience.