The last time we bought season tickets it was $14, Block I—when it was a real thing—was on the 40 yard line East Main, when East was the home side. Kids and their activities, plus being 800 miles away, and on internet made it hard to even follow Illinois sports.
Retired now we ordered season tickets for 2020 and we know how that turned out. But we’re in West Balcony for what I consider great seats now, plus we give to I Fund. We put about 1700 miles on our car for every home game (except the two consecutive weekend home games where we take a one week weekend in between). We plan to take in two football games, a volleyball match, two women’s and I hope two men’s basketball games during one trip to the Old Country.
We have more Illini clothes and other stuff than I’m willing to admit. And lucky me, I was smart enough to marry my college sweetheart who just had her nails done in Orange for the Hail to the Orange Out game.
All that said, car dealers don’t lower prices on cars. They give rebates, spiffs, extras, whatever, to induce people buy cars. With a little bit of imagination, DIA can do that as well. Give aways for the first 20,000 people through the gate, for example. A pint beer glass printed costs $5(?) wholesale. Find a sponsor, Block I on one side, sponsor’s logo on the other. Don’t lower the price. Increase the value.