AlumniFan Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 If you have extra tickets for a game, here is something you may want to consider. When we have extra tickets, I sometimes go over to the area where gameday tickets are sold. First, I look to see if there are any friends or acquaintances walking up to the ticket window (happens often). If there are, I give them to them. If not, I typically look for a parent with a younger child and give them to them (after asking if they are Billiken fans - don't want the enemies in the lower bowl!). The reason I do this is 1) it fills up the lower bowl which typically makes for a better crowd dynamic, 2) it gives someone who may be coming to their first game or comes infrequently a really good experience which means they are more likely to come back, 3) it's nice to be nice, 4) if I am REALLY lucky, I might find two really hot chicks to give them to (it's usually worth the evil looks from my wife for the next two hours). When there are fewer empty seats in the lower bowl, it seems to me that the crowd gets into the game more. One word of caution, I would not sell my tickets to some of the guys buying tickets because they obviously resell them and you could end up with someone wearing a sweatervest next to you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbofive Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE It's nice to be nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu314 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I actually lost my tickets yesterday and someone was nice enough to give me an extra one. After my wife waited in the season ticket holder line and got ours reprinted, I gave the free one to some young kid. A friend who had not been to a game was amazed anyone would give a ticket away to a stranger for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I actually lost my tickets yesterday and someone was nice enough to give me an extra one. After my wife waited in the season ticket holder line and got ours reprinted, I gave the free one to some young kid. A friend who had not been to a game was amazed anyone would give a ticket away to a stranger for free. Did you tell them you regularly go to a reflection session? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Band Legend Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I often take more than one of my children to the game, and wait in line to buy an extra ticket or two. Out of five times I've waited in line this year I've been given tickets for the kids four times. I always joke to the kids to look forlorn when we're standing in line, but really it has more to do with them being cute and well behaved and wearing their Billiken shirts. Alumnifan, maybe you've hipped us up already this year, and by the way I did graduate in '86. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bk18 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Over 9,000 in attendance last night. I want to see over 10k soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 If you have extra tickets for a game, here is something you may want to consider. When we have extra tickets, I sometimes go over to the area where gameday tickets are sold. First, I look to see if there are any friends or acquaintances walking up to the ticket window (happens often). If there are, I give them to them. If not, I typically look for a parent with a younger child and give them to them (after asking if they are Billiken fans - don't want the enemies in the lower bowl!). The reason I do this is 1) it fills up the lower bowl which typically makes for a better crowd dynamic, 2) it gives someone who may be coming to their first game or comes infrequently a really good experience which means they are more likely to come back, 3) it's nice to be nice, 4) if I am REALLY lucky, I might find two really hot chicks to give them to (it's usually worth the evil looks from my wife for the next two hours). When there are fewer empty seats in the lower bowl, it seems to me that the crowd gets into the game more. One word of caution, I would not sell my tickets to some of the guys buying tickets because they obviously resell them and you could end up with someone wearing a sweatervest next to you... Great stuff, totally agree. I only have a pair so normally my wife goes, and if not, I usually have a replacement before gametime for her seat. My parents use them if we're out of town. So I've only used your method once for a person who just needed one extra last season. I'd like to think I helped contribute to the creation of a new SLU fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonwich Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I always joke to the kids to look forlorn when we're standing in line, but really it has more to do with them being cute and well behaved and wearing their Billiken shirts. Be sure you teach them well once they've reached their seats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Band Legend Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 If I'm teaching them by example they know to scream at the top of their lungs. They are also well versed in the phrase "Put a sock in it, Phillips!" They do not tell people to sit down so they can see, or to be quiet. Actually they're usually just embarrassed by their leather lunged Dad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgstl Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Over 9,000 in attendance last night. I want to see over 10k soon! hopefully for the temple game! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonoma bob Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Nothing was more fun for me when I was a pre-teen kid than raising hell. I cooled it a bit during my early teen years, maybe it was hormones for the opposite sex kicking in. But when I got to SLU and since then I realized that the price of admission to sporting events gave me the right and DUTY to raise hell again if it helped my team. Life is funny, isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 hopefully for the temple game! Did I not hear that the game was close to a sell out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I purchased two tickets to the Temple game that I'll be giving away to two nephews of a St. Louis native who'll be travelling with me to St. Louis from Charleston for Temple game. We lucked out and got seats in a suite. Also, his dad and B-inlaw are going, their first game this year, with some tickets from friends. Let's fill up the Fetz on Wednesday and show Temple what a Billiken home game's all about. Broy, send me a message so we can set the pre game times, or call me on the cell. We're leaving tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonwich Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Did I not hear that the game was close to a sell out? Doesn't look like it. You can currently still get seats in 203 Row F, for example, or 201 Row E. However, I'm guessing that'll still get us north of 9,000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westy03 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Will the students still be on Xmas break for the Temple game? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Yeah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billboy1 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Realize students will still be on break for Temple but the student section needs to be filled with "rowdies" and not kids basketball teams or boy scouts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I am not sure how to look at this whole thread - one hand I see some positives from having somebody in the seat rather than it being empty but on the other hand I wonder to what real advantage it is to have people in the seats who are only there because they got in free. If they really wanted to go to the game and would have bought tix anyway then SLU is losing revenue but if the fan is going only because the tix is free then what is the long term impact on building a fan base. I guess you could argue it both ways - my point simply is I am not sure how I view this whole issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Hopefully the students from the St. Louis area will come out for Temple, even though they're on break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie Bill Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 ... I wonder to what real advantage it is to have people in the seats who are only there because they got in free. If they really wanted to go to the game and would have bought tix anyway then SLU is losing revenue but if the fan is going only because the tix is free then what is the long term impact on building a fan base. ... I am not sure how I view this whole issue.View it positively. I don't like to "waste" tickets to anything. I always try first to give them to someone I know who wouldn't go otherwise, but if I can't, I'll brighten a stranger's day. SLU students have prepaid admission, and SLU resold their empty seats for $10 each to scouts and their parents during the break. Great Idea. Supports the "our town, your team" campaign to get STL locals to visit Chaifetz. Hopefully the students from the St. Louis area will come out for Temple, even though they're on break.Looked like over 75% of the band was present and perhaps a row or two of out-of-uniform local SLUnatics for GW; I too hope for a crowd of screaming students to enforce a home-team advantage over Temple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Pine Jim Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 My suggestion for season ticket holders : show up early Wednesday night. No excuses. This is a big night for us ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_davola Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 My suggestion for season ticket holders : show up early Wednesday night. No excuses. This is a big night for us ! I suggest that the folks at chaifetz hire extra security in west pine jims section. The man is an animal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Pine Jim Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I suggest that the folks at chaifetz hire extra security in west pine jims section. The man is an animal!I'm more rowdy than a Boy Scout, that's for sure. In my experience, scouting and athletics don't really mix. I do try to encourage fellow AARP members to at least pay attention to the game., or they'll get the kibosh. Right, joe ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestCoastBilliken Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 You have an empty stadium. You have little press coverage. What do you think will get butts in seats / long time fans? Giving away free tickets and winning. The seats will be empty any way, so giving away the tickets means they will likely buy beverages and food and we have a chance to capture the hearts of a couple of them and have them come back again for more (this time as paying customers). This is a pretty basic business 101 move. Not sure why any one would have an issue with it. If you do, then you should probably never ever ***** again about how empty the Chaifetz is and how 'sucky the marketing dept is'. Just MHO. I say keep it up until people are begging for a seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 You have an empty stadium. You have little press coverage. What do you think will get butts in seats / long time fans? Giving away free tickets and winning. The seats will be empty any way, so giving away the tickets means they will likely buy beverages and food and we have a chance to capture the hearts of a couple of them and have them come back again for more (this time as paying customers). This is a pretty basic business 101 move. Not sure why any one would have an issue with it. If you do, then you should probably never ever ***** again about how empty the Chaifetz is and how 'sucky the marketing dept is'. Just MHO. I say keep it up until people are begging for a seat. They do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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