Soccer Playoffs

[riflearm2]

I just read that Marshall is charging students for standing room only tickets for the soccer playoff. I understand that their student fees only cover tickets for regular season games, but god damn, how tone-deaf can the athletic department be?

Marshall struggles getting kids to the football games for free, yet they want to charge for standing room only for a soccer game? How about this: When you have the opportunity to build interest and student support, make it as easy as possible for them to attend. When a rowdy student environment could be the difference between continuing to the third round of the national playoffs, how about doing everything possible to make that rowdy crowd a possibility.

If 200 additional students were to come for free, is that potential $600 worth of student ticket sales worth losing a great recruiting visual of the huge crowd, worth taking away more of a home field advantage, worth reducing an ever so slight higher chance of moving to the third round?

Is it some sort of rule that the home team can’t allow the student fees to cover a playoff game? If so, is it hard to ask a soccer booster to pony up $600 to cover 200 free tickets for students to give Marshall all of those benefits?

When you have the opportunity to sell your product to people whom you struggle getting to
come out even when free, why task them with any sort of cost?

 

[i am herdman]

Hey those hot dogs they want to feed the Marshall all time great football players for two quarters are expensive. Who does Chad Pennington think he is?

 

[herdfan429]

Doesn’t ncaa require admission to post season tournaments?

 

[riflearm2]

Doesn’t ncaa require admission to post season tournaments?

They may, which is what I stated. But does that stop schools from finding ways to fund bowl tickets for students for free? Is a bowl game rule different than a tournament? Can an anonymous “booster” (read: the school) not pony up $600 for 200 students tickets?

 

[masterpat7]

Are you really upset students have to pay 3 bucks for a soccer game?! Back in my day we paid ten bucks for the MU wvu game in chuck town every year and I never batted an eye... I don’t think 3 bucks is going to break the college kids bank...

 

[whf2]

I think they could have sold those tickets to someone as an advertisement fee and distributed them as you suggested; would have been a good idea.

 

[riflearm2]

Are you really upset students have to pay 3 bucks for a soccer game?! Back in my day we paid ten bucks for the MU wvu game in chuck town every year and I never batted an eye... I don’t think 3 bucks is going to break the college kids bank...

Upset? No. Amused that Marshall is shooting itself in the foot over a few hundred dollars? Yes.

Nobody ever claimed it would break a student. But what it will do is reduce the number of students there, reduce the level of environment, reduce the recruiting opportunity, reduce the potential to hook more people on going to games, and possibly reduce the opportunity to win.

 

[masterpat7]

I don’t see how they are shooting themselves in the foot! They are standing room only tickets, the tickets will be sold out... the environment will be the same, also any recruits at the game will notice that it’s sold out and that we have a nice facility and a good team... sometimes I think people over think things!

 

[banker6796]

He's not over thinking anything, just taking any possible opportunity to take a shot at the university whether it's a meaningful situation or not.

 

[mu_herd]

Upset? No. Amused that Marshall is shooting itself in the foot over a few hundred dollars? Yes.

Nobody ever claimed it would break a student. But what it will do is reduce the number of students there, reduce the level of environment, reduce the recruiting opportunity, reduce the potential to hook more people on going to games, and possibly reduce the opportunity to win.

I may be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that one of the emails from the Big Green or the Athletic Department stated that a booster had paid for the first 200 students (exactly the number you're suggesting) to receive a free ticket and that they needed to go to the student center or ticket office or someplace else to reserve them. Perhaps they did exactly what you're suggesting they should have done and just required to charge for the rest. Would you give them any credit for doing something right if so???

 

[mu_herd]

I was mistaken. It's only the first 100 Marshall Maniacs that get in free. Referenced here: https://herdzone.com/news/2019/11/18/mens-soccer-ncaa-tournament-ticket-information.aspx

 

[MichiganHerd]

Once again, ITT we see proof that some people simply can't be happy.

We see the unthinkable occurring. Little Marshall University seeded as the overall #11 seed in the country. Imagine that for a few moments. #11.

But yet, some are upset over a $3.00 ticket, likely for a game against instate rival, West Virginia.

 

[herd4life5 (HN)]

Capping free tickets and giving the rest of the tickets a value, even minimal value, ups the interest.

Good move.

 

[herdalicious]

Capacity of the stadium is a little over 1,000. Standing room only can add more, but not a significant amount, and pretty soon you've got people crowding the endlines/touchlines, and you don't want that.

Old man yells at cloud.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

So they drink one less beer this weekend to use the $3 for a ticket. Prolly do them good.

 

[HerdFan1971]

The fact that we're having this argument over Men's Soccer at Marshall is amazing to me. What a tremendous job the team has done this season!

I wonder if the new field/facilities have helped attract that much more talent? Not sure if there's a way to actually measure that.

 

[Herdmeister]

Capacity of the stadium is a little over 1,000. Standing room only can add more, but not a significant amount, and pretty soon you've got people crowding the endlines/touchlines, and you don't want that.

Old man yells at cloud.

The standing room only crowd for the UK game was just over 2,000

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

It was a great atmosphere. Sunday should be better, especially if WVU upsets Butler tonight.

 

[riflearm2]

I don’t see how they are shooting themselves in the foot! They are standing room only tickets, the tickets will be sold out... the environment will be the same, also any recruits at the game will notice that it’s sold out and that we have a nice facility and a good team... sometimes I think people over think things!

As of five minutes ago, there are still "plenty of tickets" still available for both the general public standing room and the allotment for student tickets.

wvu plays today. If they win, you can expect a bunch of their fans to scoop up all of those tickets that Marshall still has available. It sure would be nice to have had some foresight and had a donor (read: the school) buy the rest of the tickets now that they are available to the general public and reserve them for students in order to promote going to games, create a more pro-Marshall environment, and capitalize on the opportunity for recruiting and a better chance of moving to the third round.

. . . all for a few hundred dollars. Brilliant.

Capping free tickets and giving the rest of the tickets a value, even minimal value, ups the interest.

Good move.

Not for people with already very little interest (the apathetic student body).

 

[Josh Stowers]

To get caught up in this discussion,

This is an NCAA event. They set the pricing for all tickets. Marshall has nothing to do with it.

With that said, a "donation" will be covering the cost for student tickets so they will be free to students.

 

[masterpat7]

Marshall athletics has always been a game day walk up crowd! I have no doubt the standing room only tickets will be completely sold out! This whole thread has just lost me! Bleacher tickets were sold out the day after they went on sale. Marshall doesn’t need a full on campaign for the standing room tickets only. And I’m not sure about what type of recruiting you are talking about?! Are you talking about recruiting more kids to come to the games?!? Bc the tickets have always been free for regular season games!

 

[riflearm2]

With that said, a "donation" will be covering the cost for student tickets so they will be free to students.

In other words, they are doing exactly what I suggested they should be doing. Isn't that amazing?

Marshall athletics has always been a game day walk up crowd! I have no doubt the standing room only tickets will be completely sold out! This whole thread has just lost me! Bleacher tickets were sold out the day after they went on sale. Marshall doesn’t need a full on campaign for the standing room tickets only. And I’m not sure about what type of recruiting you are talking about?! Are you talking about recruiting more kids to come to the games?!? Bc the tickets have always been free for regular season games!

The point isn't if all of the tickets will be sold. The point is that 1) you're leaving options for wvu fans to buy the tickets since their game is today, there are plenty of tickets still left, and Marshall fans won't have them all 2) by allowing wvu fans to purchase more than their allotment, you lose out on the opportunity to grow Marshall students into becoming regular attendees 3) reducing the number of Marshall fans and increasing the number of potential wvu fans hurts the opportunity to win.

Offer the bare minimum you are obligated to for wvu, then have the "donor" (read: the school) buy all of the other students tickets and hold them until they are picked up by the Marshall students. Do everything possible to ensure it is a Herd fans only (other than the obligated number to provide to wvu) event, give yourself an opportunity to grow their fandom, give your team the best opportunity to win.

For the recruiting aspect, if any recruits are in attendance, it is far more of an impact if 90% of the crowd is Marshall and 10% is the visitor compared with 60% being Marshall and 40% being the opponent.

 

[mubaseballking]

Can I bring a ladder, set it up outside the perimeter fence, and watch the game from that perch? If yes, I'm in!

 

[Josh Stowers]

In other words, they are doing exactly what I suggested they should be doing. Isn't that amazing?

They are, but they were doing that prior to your suggestion.

 

[riflearm2]

They are, but they were doing that prior to your suggestion.

That wasn’t the point. The point is they are doing exactly what I suggested even though the morons in this thread were saying it didn’t make sense/wasn’t worth doing.

On top of that, 15 minutes ago, “plenty of tickets” were still available according to the ticket office. Why aren’t all of those, at least the student allotment, purchased by now to disperse for free to students AND to prevent opponent fans (wvu) from getting them?

 

[herd4life5 (HN)]

I don’t see how they are shooting themselves in the foot! They are standing room only tickets, the tickets will be sold out... the environment will be the same, also any recruits at the game will notice that it’s sold out and that we have a nice facility and a good team... sometimes I think people over think things!

As of five minutes ago, there are still "plenty of tickets" still available for both the general public standing room and the allotment for student tickets.

wvu plays today. If they win, you can expect a bunch of their fans to scoop up all of those tickets that Marshall still has available. It sure would be nice to have had some foresight and had a donor (read: the school) buy the rest of the tickets now that they are available to the general public and reserve them for students in order to promote going to games, create a more pro-Marshall environment, and capitalize on the opportunity for recruiting and a better chance of moving to the third round.

. . . all for a few hundred dollars. Brilliant.

Capping free tickets and giving the rest of the tickets a value, even minimal value, ups the interest.

Good move.

Not for people with already very little interest (the apathetic student body).

Free tickets aren’t cutting it, it appears. To up interest in anything you have to assign it value. No one is not going because the game would have set them back $3. It would have been fine either way though.

 

[i am herdman]

That wasn’t the point. The point is they are doing exactly what I suggested even though the morons in this thread were saying it didn’t make sense/wasn’t worth doing.

On top of that, 15 minutes ago, “plenty of tickets” were still available according to the ticket office. Why aren’t all of those, at least the student allotment, purchased by now to disperse for free to students AND to prevent opponent fans (wvu) from getting them?

The old double dip would be my guess.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

MU athletics just posted the game Sunday is sold out to the general public. Only a very few student tickets are left.

Play WVU at 2pm. It will be a war. We better kick their ass!

 

[MARSHALL77]

WVU won 5-1 - as TwolfHerd Fan notes WVU @ 2:00 Sunday

GO HERD

 

[muthed]

Ole shotgun. Always changing the marker to achieve a first down.

 

[riflearm2]

MU athletics just posted the game Sunday is sold out to the general public. Only a very few student tickets are left.

Play WVU at 2pm. It will be a war. We better kick their ass!

Of course it is . . after wvu won. Why do you think that is? That’s right - wvu fans gobbled up the tickets. Surprise, surprise.

Ole shotgun. Always changing the marker to achieve a first down.

Nothing has changed at all, moron. I said what Marshall should do. They actually did it to an extent but not all of the way.

 

[johns1124]

I agree $3 a ticket, i'm not sure why someone didn't buy them and
give it to the students. Unless they though they would not go
and waste the seat. Are the students gone on Thanksgiving break Sun?

 

[W-S HerdFan]

I agree $3 a ticket, i'm not sure why someone didn't buy them and
give it to the students. Unless they though they would not go
and waste the seat. Are the students gone on Thanksgiving break Sun?

That would be a no......

 

[MARSHALL77]

2:00 PM ESPN3

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

I may be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that one of the emails from the Big Green or the Athletic Department stated that a booster had paid for the first 200 students (exactly the number you're suggesting) to receive a free ticket and that they needed to go to the student center or ticket office or someplace else to reserve them. Perhaps they did exactly what you're suggesting they should have done and just required to charge for the rest. Would you give them any credit for doing something right if so???

No.

 

[luckytoes99]

It was announced on Monday by Keith Morehouse on the 6pm news that all of the bleacher seats which number close to 1500 were sold. All that was left at that time was SRO tickets. I tried to purchase tickets over the phone shortly after they were put on sale 2pm Monday. I stayed in the queue for 10 minutes before my call was dropped. After my call was dropped for the 3rd time, I went to the ticket office to purchase mine.

Now why was the ticket office announcing yesterday there were still tickets available? That doesn't make sense.

Since the SRO tickets should all be sold, I would love for the athletic department to remove the fence covers behind each goal. We could have more people participate outside the fence and add to the home field advantage.

 

[riflearm2]

Now why was the ticket office announcing yesterday there were still tickets available? That doesn't make sense.

Why would that not make sense? The poster said that they posted yesterday that it was all sold out and only some student tickets remained. How does that dispute what you posted about having a long wait on the phone to buy them four days earlier?

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

SRO tickets went on sale at 5pm on Wednesday. This was in an email from the BG/AD and reported in the local media.
Evidently, they sold out of those by 5pm on Thursday when the tix office closed. At that time only a few student tix remained. Again, this according to a post from the MU AD.

 

[luckytoes99]

SRO tickets went on sale at 5pm on Wednesday. This was in an email from the BG/AD and reported in the local media.
Evidently, they sold out of those by 5pm on Thursday when the tix office closed. At that time only a few student tix remained. Again, this according to a post from the MU AD.

Thank you for the clarification.