Athletic Dept Clearing Out Season Ticket Holders From the Ends of MKA for Men's Basketball

[Rich]

On Monday we received notification that our long held season tickets in the upper deck 'endzone' of Matt Knight Arena would no longer be available for purchase as season tickets.  We are being reassigned seats in Section 211, one of the outside sections on the sides of the court.  It appears that they are clearing out both ends and pushing all those season tickets holders into seats located on the sides.

 

I have not seen any reporting on these changes and was wondering if others in the FishDuck community were impacted or at least were aware that this was going?

 

Here is the text of the email:

 

"We are in the process of launching our 2023-24 Oregon Men's Basketball season ticket renewals tomorrow, and wanted to inform you of a change that is being made to the Upper Reserved 200 level sections, where your season tickets are located.

Starting this year, Upper Reserved sections 201, 205-210, 214-216, and 220-221 will no longer be available on a season basis and will only be made available for select single games. This change allows us to provide a better gameday environment to season ticket holders and create an overall better in-game experience for our student-athletes.

We have worked to relocate your seats to the nearest and newest Upper Reserved sections in either 202, 204, 211, or 213. These sections were Midcourt Terrace last year but have been repriced to Upper Reserved for the upcoming year. You can CLICK HERE to view the seats we have allocated for you, and CLICK HERE to view a map of Matthew Knight Arena.

We know some affected patrons may want to move the seats we have allocated them. Because of this, you will be grouped within our elite tier of patrons during our seat selection process in July. At that time, you will be able to move or upgrade any renewed season ticket locations to any available inventory in Matthew Knight Arena.

Should you have any questions, please reach out to us directly at
541-346-8281 or tickets@uoregon.edu.

Thank you for your support, we look forward to seeing you back in Matthew Knight Arena next season.

 

 

What do you think about these changes? 

 

I was most taken by the statement, "This change allows us to provide a better gameday environment to season ticket holders and create an overall better in-game experience for our student-athletes."

 

Now we had great seats on the aisle in the front row of Sec 208 that has great sight lines down the sideline in front of the students and we can call three pointers going in, as well as, have a bird's eye view into the team huddle with our binocs.  We think they are some of the best seats in the house especially for the money.  Now we will be in seats on the most distant end of Row C of section 211.  These are literally some of the worst reserved seats in the house except perhaps for those sitting behind us or those in the very top of the middle sections.

 

So for us, and perhaps many others who were happy with their seats, we will actually have a much diminished gameday environment.  Not actually sure how this will enhance any fan's experience.

 

But what it will do is make the arena look fuller on the sides.  I guess this is suppose to improve the in game experience of the players.  So was that the real problem with the team this year?  Their performance was diminished by looking at the size of the crowd in the stands?  Who knew?!  I assume this is being done in part to provide the coach with a similar feeling of a full crowd. 

 

One is left to wonder did Coach Altman's diatribe blaming the lack of fans in the stands set in motion these abrupt changes? 

 

As longtime season ticket holders we feel like we are getting screwed over just so MKA will appear to be more full.  It feels like the Athletic Dept just threw up their hands and instead of trying to put more people in the stands they just said let's push them all together and pretend its full. They could have at least just pushed everyone down to the first few rows so the rim looked full.  Or maybe put local kids, vets, teachers, whoever in the seats they aren't selling and try to rebuild the fan base with good will and fun times?  The increased concession sales would probably be worth it.  Or perhaps try doing some actual marketing? 

 

If you notice they arbitrarily reassigned our seats rather than allow us to go through a process of seat selection based on our account points which seems unfair.  But in their infinite benevolence they are going to push us to the top of the regular seat selection process, but since they filled up all the best spots in the new sections with relocated people what seats will be available to move to?  

 

The other option is to pay 60-70% more to get seats in the middle side sections if there are any decent ones available.  Furthermore, we will be required to commit to the new seats we don't want before we will even have a chance to see if there are seats that we do want.  If we don't find new seats and want to get a refund tough luck.  That doesn't seem fair. 

As a two time UO alum from the 1970s and season ticket holders for Football, MBB and WBB we are pretty dedicated Duck fans.  In fact we drive 40 miles in all kinds of weather and on any day of the week to sit in those seats.  But not sure it's worth making that drive to sit in the crappy seats we got assigned to.   Might as well watch on tv.  So good job UO for pushing out your long time supporters. 

 

Beyond the personal impact, this seems like a huge step backward for Men's Basketball.  Especially, in contrast with the Women's program that has opened the upper level to season tickets in recent years. 

 

I can't say definitively why attendance has been declining.  The in game experience, the cheesy games, the low level half time entertainment and the dreadful DJ music (just let the band play!) certainly could be greatly improved, but I am not sure that is driving fans away.  I expect that there has been a much greater impact from a combination of the pandemic and two years of extremely lackluster play on the court.  Once Coach Altman is able to put together a more coachable team and they start playing a better level of basketball the fans would most likely come back. 

 

Did the Athletic Dept bail on our beloved Ducks, not believing that they can return to the roaring crowds of previous years?  Or are they making the right play?  

  

[spartan2785]

On 5/4/2023 at 9:50 PM, Rich said:

 

 

I can't say definitively why attendance has been declining.  The in game experience, the cheesy games, the low level half time entertainment and the dreadful DJ music (just let the band play!) certainly could be greatly improved, but I am not sure that is driving fans away.  I expect that there has been a much greater impact from a combination of the pandemic and two years of extremely lackluster play on the court.  Once Coach Altman is able to put together a more coachable team and they start playing a better level of basketball the fans would most likely come back. 

 

Did the Athletic Dept bail on our beloved Ducks, not believing that they can return to the roaring crowds of previous years?  Or are they making the right play?  

  

First I would like to say that sucks for you, really sad to hear that they would do this with little input from the actual season ticket holders if this would be something that you would like or accept.  Second, I have very little confidence that whatever the decisions the Athletic department make will actually help the atmosphere, I'm sure they are looking at a lot of studies that will lead to them making the same stupid decisions that they have consistently made when it comes to basketball.  

 

I'm convince that they actually think the stupid music, games, kiss cams, all that crap is what actually attracts families and fans to the games.  I don't know why they think this, but they do.  

[2002duck]

That sucks that happened to you. I hope you email them what you wrote here, and see if they can do you a special favor. That said, it wasn't just Altman complaining. It's embarrassing as a fan to see empty seats at MKA. I don't really have to play devil's advocate here, I think making the stadium appear fuller is a pretty good idea.

 

My guess is that doing so is taken from a page in Arena Management 101. It's possible that the UO made a mistake by ever even offering those seats to season ticket holders until Eugene started selling out the arena on a year-by-year basis. They failed Area Management 101: Chapter 1, in that regard. Handcuffing a company or an organization to early mistakes is not fair.

 

There are other things that the UO needs to do to get more fans. Making promotional deals for single game tickets (buy 1 get 1 half off) would be a start. I never get promo emails from the Basketball team from UO, but I get a ton from the Football program, which is interesting since the basketball team needs more fans! 

 

Marketing shouldn't just advertise promos via email, but through the RegisterGuard.com (and the paper), the Eugene Weekly, and TV spots on KEZI. 

 

Another thing the UO needs to do to make the game look better on TV (which is exceptionally important) is to finally change the court to something, anything, less distracting.

 

Anyway, the Ducks have three 5-star recruits coming next year (two consensus). They also might get Lebron James' son, Bronnie. If that happens the stadium might be sold out.

 

 

[Drake]

I guess if I did not like the assigned seats then I would request different seats.
 

Had Blazer season tickets for years and when they moved into the Rose Garden/Moda Center the comparable seats in the transition from the Memorial Coliseum were laughable. Went from 20 rows off the floor at mid court to the top of the 300 level nose bleed section. 
 

Kept the season tickets, but called my ticket rep and upgraded the seats. Unfortunately, the seats cost much more, and the team got much worse…lol
 

 

[spartan2785]

On 5/4/2023 at 10:30 PM, 2002duck said:

 

 

Another thing the UO needs to do to make the game look better on TV (which is exceptionally important) is to finally change the court to something, anything, less distracting.

 

It really is one of the ugliest courts in the country, even if they just had the forest stuff on the bottom of the court from the perspective of the hard camera for tv it would look better, usually with courts the less you have on there the better.  

 

I get that it was designed by Tinker Hatfield and all, but it's been a while now since the court was first revealed, it's time to change it into something more coherent.

[Annie]

On 5/5/2023 at 12:55 AM, spartan2785 said:

... usually with courts the less you have on there the better.  

 

 

This! Aside from the lines that are needed to make it a basketball court, the beauty of the wood in a wood floor is enough!

 

And it is my imagination (or TV), but does the entire floor have paint on it now? What used to show as wood looks as if it was painted a yellow-ish color recently.

Edited May 5, 2023 by Annie

[Tandaian]

I have aisle seats at Autzen.  It took me quite a few years of waiting and moving seats to get to aisle seats.  Putting me anywhere that aren't aisle seats, is not a comparable move.

 

I'd definitely be on the phone/web when seating changing happens.  However, like you said, there likely isn't going to be much seating left, since they are cramming 12 sections into 9 sections that already had fans sitting in them.  Maybe, see if something in 217 or 219 is similar?  Opposite end of the court, but close to the corners.

 

Also, if the games are as empty as they have been, you could just go sit in your old seats because they will be empty.  Or if you are willing to gamble, buy them as single game tickets and drop you season tickets.

[anyotherduck]

On 5/5/2023 at 12:55 AM, spartan2785 said:

It really is one of the ugliest courts in the country, even if they just had the forest stuff on the bottom of the court from the perspective of the hard camera for tv it would look better, usually with courts the less you have on there the better.  

 

I get that it was designed by Tinker Hatfield and all, but it's been a while now since the court was first revealed, it's time to change it into something more coherent.

The court is a distraction and an eyesore, it really needs an update. As for Hatfield, this isn't the first design failure he's been responsible for, in fact it is just one of many.