Illinois expecting a crowd of 45k-50k for Western Michigan - 33k season ticket holders

[Dan]

Illini ticket manager Jason Heggemeyer on WDWS this morning said they're expecting a crowd of 45k-50k for Western Michigan. There are ~33k season ticket holders. (Will post the podcast when available.)

Here's what the attendance numbers looked like last season, when single-game tickets were $50 for most game, $65 for tOSU, Mich, Wisc-

Arkansas St____45,154
S. Dakota St___42,212
Arizona St_____50,669
W. Michigan____43,684
Northwestern___53,243
Ohio St________55,229
Michigan_______60,670 (sellout)
Wisconsin______45,519

2011 averages in attendance-

2011 nonconference average_____45,430
2011 B1G average_______________53,665
2011 average all games_________49,548

In 2012, single game non-conference tickets are $25, single-game B1G games $50.

[NicelyDone]

Any idea how many season tickets were sold last year?

[Groundhogday]

Looks like fans are taking a wait-and-see approach to the new coaching staff.

[illinicb]

Originally Posted by NicelyDone

Any idea how many season tickets were sold last year?

I don't know, but I'd be surprised if it was much different than this year. The economy hasn't changed much and there isn't much incentive to buy season tickets when you can pick and choose which games you are going to.

My son and I were talking this morning that we now may go down for the opener. Looks like his schedule will allow for it, so we'll be heading down early that morning. Looking forward to it.

[U of I 89-05-10]

Originally Posted by illinicb

I don't know, but I'd be surprised if it was much different than this year. The economy hasn't changed much and there isn't much incentive to buy season tickets when you can pick and choose which games you are going to.

My son and I were talking this morning that we now may go down for the opener. Looks like his schedule will allow for it, so we'll be heading down early that morning. Looking forward to it.

I am grateful for people like you and your son, and I hope more people start to get that attitude. I can't make most games being an out-of-stater, so I'm always very appreciative of the people who go to the games and make the TV experience much better when I see a semi-full Memorial Stadium.

If anyone on this board is thinking about going but isn't sure/knows anyone with a similar thought process, I encourage you to go and get your friends to! It really is a new era in UI sports, and our teams need the support. It looks way better for the program for it to look packed on TV, too. I'm trying to make it over to C-U for the PSU game!

[NicelyDone]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

Looks like fans are taking a wait-and-see approach to the new coaching staff.

Seems like they have been working this angle since Chardonnay John headed for Texas..........

[GilThorpe]

its no surprise. the fans arent going to "buy in" until the proof is in the pudding. They didint buy in last year for OSU when we were 6-0. It will take a year of solid football playing before alot of fans believe again. This year is not one to expect sell outs. next year , with the home games then, and if we do well this year, should be one where we maybe sell 45,000-50,000 season tix.

[jackman404]

With the horrible home schedule we have, if we can average 50,000 fans a game this season I would consider that a win for the program.

[DrewD007]

Originally Posted by jackman404

With the horrible home schedule we have, if we can average 50,000 fans a game this season I would consider that a win for the program.

I never really understood this line of thinking. Im going to watch Illinois, could hardly care less who they play.

[illinicb]

Originally Posted by DrewD007

I never really understood this line of thinking. Im going to watch Illinois, could hardly care less who they play.

Most people on this board probably agree with you, but the people on this board are likely the passionate fans that may attend games just to see the Illini. The marginal/incremental fan is much more inclined to buy a ticket for a "good" opponent than not. Like a lot of other issues brought up here, Illinois just hasn't won enough consistently to get the marginal fans in the stadium for games. Even the passionate fan can pick and choose which games to go to because tickets are always available.

If Illinois goes 5-0 this year, a lot of fans will look at it as "so what, I saw this type of thing last year". They may be scheduling games to try and get bowl eligible, but if you can't beat a quality opponent every now and then build on it, the fans see those games for what they are...exhibition games that count.

As I mentioned yesterday, it looks like my son (sophomore in HS football player and huge Illini fan) and I can go to the opener and he's been talking about it ever since I mentioned it. He loves going to games, loves tailgating when we can, loves the band, loves the atmosphere, loves to get a t-shirt, etc and I don't think he has mentioned the opponent yet. If the Illini win against WMU he'll be asking me in the car on the way home if we can get a hotel room for the BT championship game in Indy because the Illini will be playing in the game.

[GilThorpe]

Originally Posted by illinicb

Most people on this board probably agree with you, but the people on this board are likely the passionate fans that may attend games just to see the Illini. The marginal/incremental fan is much more inclined to buy a ticket for a "good" opponent than not. Like a lot of other issues brought up here, Illinois just hasn't won enough consistently to get the marginal fans in the stadium for games. Even the passionate fan can pick and choose which games to go to because tickets are always available.

If Illinois goes 5-0 this year, a lot of fans will look at it as "so what, I saw this type of thing last year". They may be scheduling games to try and get bowl eligible, but if you can't beat a quality opponent every now and then build on it, the fans see those games for what they are...exhibition games that count.

As I mentioned yesterday, it looks like my son (sophomore in HS football player and huge Illini fan) and I can go to the opener and he's been talking about it ever since I mentioned it. He loves going to games, loves tailgating when we can, loves the band, loves the atmosphere, loves to get a t-shirt, etc and I don't think he has mentioned the opponent yet. If the Illini win against WMU he'll be asking me in the car on the way home if we can get a hotel room for the BT championship game in Indy because the Illini will be playing in the game.

My youngest boy, a Sr at HinsCent, and I may go down for the first game too. I will offer to take another buddy or two of his, and the 3-4 of us will make it a fun day. I feel good about this happening. We have almost always gone to at least one home game since we dropped the season tix about 8-9 years ago when youth football became a conflict. Now, its other conflicts like college visits, visting other son at college, etc. In one year, he will be off at OU or OkSt, so I gotta get this in while we can.

[jackman404]

Originally Posted by DrewD007

I never really understood this line of thinking. Im going to watch Illinois, could hardly care less who they play.

I agree, but most fans do not. Many casual fans only want to go to big games. Also, good opponents typically bring huge fanbases with them too. Whenever we play Ohio State they usually fill at least 10,000 seats with their fans. When we play Charleston Southern, they might fill 1,000. That means we have to convince 9,000 more Illini fans to show up to fill the stadium. Using this line of thinking, if we average about the same number of fans this season, that means there will have actually been MORE Illini fans at each game since our opponents will not be filling our stadium for us.

[NicelyDone]

Schedules do matter. Besides playing some pretty good football in the '80s, the opponents were pretty good themselves. With all the competition for the entertainment dollar, you can only go the "punch drunk" opponent route so often before people decide to rake the leaves.........

[Dan]

Illini ticket manager Jason Heggemeyer on WDWS-

# Crowd for Western Michigan looking like 45k-50k.

# "Two weeks before the seasons starts, that's when the majority of our single-game ticket sales start happening."

# The south Horseshoe ($99 season tickets) is sold out again. The $99 season ticket area (approx 12,000 seats) this season includes East Main section 109 -- which was previously part of the visitors' section. Now, the visitors area is totally contained within the East Balcony.

# Approx 5,000 student season tickets have been sold. They're expecting more sales when the students return to campus next week.

# Total season tickets close to 33,000, "which is just off the pace of last year." Sounds like this number includes students season tickets.

Starts 54:00-
Saturday Sportsline 8-18-12

[Dan]

BARCODE talk at 1:08:50-

# Tickets can now be emailed, and printed at home. (Reduced reliance on Will Call.)

# Down the road, there will be the ability for season ticket holders to easily transfer their tickets to other people via an online system & email.

# Look for a press release about this new technology soon.

[U of I 89-05-10]

If anyone knows friends who are on the fence about going to the home opener, please try to convince them! It could end up making even the smallest difference. Go Illini!

[DrewD007]

Originally Posted by Dan

# Approx 5,000 student season tickets have been sold. They're expecting more sales when the students return to campus next week.
Starts 54:00-
Saturday Sportsline 8-18-12

Wow, that's pathetic. Just... man.

[256ILLINI]

Oh man, that's just terrible. Alabama sold out their student tickets in less than an hour

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by Dan

# Approx 5,000 student season tickets have been sold. They're expecting more sales when the students return to campus next week.

How many students bought season tickets last year?

[Groundhogday]

I guess it could be worse. Purdue is projecting fewer season ticket sales this year than last, which probably gives them ~28k season tickets. I can't find numbers for student season ticket sales, but it doesn't sound good.

There were roughly 14,000 fewer season ticket holders — about 28,914 — during the 2011 season. In 2007, season ticket sales reached 42,880.

Earlier this month during a Purdue board of trustees meeting, Purdue Athletics Director Morgan Burke said a challenge for the upcoming season would be increasing football ticket revenue and student attendance.

The athletic department is projecting a $1.6 million operating deficit for 2012-13.
http://www.jconline.com/article/2012...makers-contest

[Illini125]

Wikipedia says that the north endzone addition (student section) added 5,000 seats. Which would mean the North endzone is sold out? That doesn't sound right.

[Dan]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

How many students bought season tickets last year?

I don't know, but let's guess. The North End Zone contains 5,000 seats. Students are also given East Main 101 & 102. 101 + 102 total is approx 4,000 seats. So I'd guess around 7,000 student season tickets last season.

Jason Heggemeyer stressed that there would be run on student tickets when the students return next week. That, plus Beckman is having this here deal next weekend, and I'd guess they'd be able to sell a few thousand more students tickets before Sept 1st.

[Dan]

About the North End Zone- Since it debuted in 2007 it has always been sold out, but it will never (ever) look completely full. The problem is it is quite unique in college football -- a completely stand-alone (tiny) section filled with students. Students who do not take up their allotted space, but rather on the contrary all jam together and take less than the space of their seat.

So even when the North End Zone is full, the corners will always be empty.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by Dan

I don't know, but let's guess. The North End Zone contains 5,000 seats. Students are also given East Main 101 & 102. 101 + 102 total is approx 4,000 seats. So I'd guess around 7,000 student season tickets last season.

Jason Heggemeyer stressed that there would be run on student tickets when the students return next week. That, plus Beckman is having this here deal next weekend, and I'd guess they'd be able to sell a few thousand more students tickets before Sept 1st.

So we will in all likelihood be well over 35k in season tickets while it would take a real last minute surge for Purdue to crack 30k. No wonder Hope is in trouble.

[mattcoldagelli]

C'mon, do you guys expect students to be on the ball with their football tickets?