Trich Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 I received the new Billiken Club Priority Point System today. I was not aware a new system was being considered or formulated and I am curious if anybody was aware a new system was being considered. I am also curious why a new system is needed. I have not reviewed it in detail so I am not sure if it is more equitable or not but my initial reaction is that I don't think it is more equitable to me. I am interested in the reaction of others as to what they think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeSmetBilliken Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 I got that new points system thing today as well. I only have 3 points total, which is good for a ranking of 1843 of 2500, so I doubt that I was affected by a change in the system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 i cant wait to see this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 If I am understanding the mailing correctly, I went from being ranked 1,268 under the "old" system, to being ranked 1,908 under the "new" system. If this is correct, then @#$#@% SLU, @$$#@ Ms. Levick, and @#$#$ the new arena project. Both my wife and I are alumni (twice in my case), we have bought season tickets for four straight seasons (plus an additional seven seasons as a student), and I am a member of the Billiken Club. What the @#$#$ are we doing wrong? I apologize in advance for my anger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 I just realized that I am now ranked lower than DeSmetBilliken, who is still in college! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 As I understand it the new system equalizes donations and particapation in all billiken athletics. I doubt if this really affects me. Last year my point total was 131, this year it is 144. So I guess I moved up, who knows. As long as I don't get shafted on seating again they can have whatever system they want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basketbill Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 is that you get points for each season ticket you purchase. Therefore David you need to be a little more productive, sure your new little one does not need a seat, but hey for 3 extra point..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 Ouch thats rough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 The first thing I plan on doing is cancelling my Billiken Club membership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeSmetBilliken Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 David, I had a hard time believing that 657 people were actually behind me, and now I really have a hard time understanding it, especially considering that I'm not completely sure what I did to accumulate 3 points. My printout sheet is almost completely covered in zeros. I have only been a Billiken Club member for 2 years and have donated a combined $100 in those two years. Since I'm not a season ticket holder, I didn't even get the second sheet. Is there any chance that you misread the printout and the 1900 figure is actually your point total? I would definitely check up on that with the Billiken Club because something definitely appears to be very wrong. My Dad also got that today and apparently he is ranked in the 100s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 Nark, I wouldn't do that if I were you, because the rules say that Billiken Club members get priority over non-members. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 That doesn't sound right - I am an alumnus (non-Billiken Club) with two season tickets (last season was my first season as a season ticketholder), and I'm ranked ahead of you. I'd call them for clarification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tseugnekillib Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 Your friend ArchBishop Burke asked the new AD if he could provide input on the new Priority Points plan. The new AD, only being in town two days, said "that's cool, what do you suggest". Bottom line, any club member with one set of Polish grandparents gets penalized 300 points. Any member with two sets of Polish grandparents gets penalized an additional 350 points. Because of my grandfather, Andreja Skrzyszowska, I went down the 300 points. However, on the flip side, all points deducted from Polish club members were awarded to minorities, particularly Hispanics. In the end, I broke about even. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 david, i heard that deb peterson was involved in the process and they have already promised your seats to gebhardt relatives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonwich Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 Backwards one, I think the real reason you got docked is that your grandfather has a feminine name. We know how the reverend Mr. Burke feels about gay marriage. And here we thought Massachusetts and California were the pioneers, and it turns out it was the motherland (or, in your case, the two grandmothersland). I believe we will need all of Nark's legal and business skills to decipher the whole "new points" document. Once again, however, the U.'s communications and marketing skills are in grand form: As illustrated by this board, even BILLIKEN CLUB members, who are supposedly the centerpiece of our fan base, are taken by surprise by the announcement and content of this "new plan." (In our case, we're going to get screwed regardless, because even though we've had season tickets since 1967, the last "new plan" ignored the fact that those few faculty members who actually went to the games bought their tickets through a special faculty plan that somehow didn't seem to make it into the season-ticket records. What's really going to be interesting is the reaction we get when I go in and ask them whether the fact that the seats are now shared, like Nark's, by two alumni gets my point total bumped up.) BTW, I'd give Ms. Levick a partial pass on this. I doubt something this complex could have been put together from scratch in the past few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 I may have to join the Billkien Club. It seems like everyone is always getting mailings that I don't get to see. Then again maybe my wife just trashes them before I get home....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 i'm a 15 year member of the billiken club and i have no idea of what they are talking about. i have yet to receive anything in the mail and i was totally unaware a "revision" to the system was forthcoming. without knowing details, let me guess, HUGE points for extra cash donations? i.e. they have set the stage to let newcomers with big dollars leap over longtime faithfuls and get the better seats. i hate to say i told you so, but......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggy Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 You nailed it Roy. Basically, you can buy as many points as you need for $100 a point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 boy that is nasty. and it sounds like it is screaming out they cant raise the funds for the arena is my guess. i think the conflict overall is that the usual bank of donors that father biondi goes to are already being hit up for his other projects. i was at an alumni lucheon yesterday that was in conjunction with my son's first day on campus, and father biondi was quick to point out the shortcomings for not only the arena, but the fact slu is still short on the research center he wants to build, short on the arena, and the overall endowment fund is down nearly 200 million dollars from where it was a few years ago. now instead of being the second most endowed catholic university in the country, we have slipped to 3rd behind both notre dame and boston university. so where do you find the money? they gotta create new sources. thus they appeal to those that havent been billiken faithful in the past but have the money if they can get in line ahead of others. what better way than this. lucky for me i have been slipping extra in the envelope each year besides my billiken club membership. hopefully i wont have lost a lot of ground. with my gradual remittance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willie Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 I agree with Bonwich that there should have been some kind or warning that the system was going to change. That said it appears to me that they are just doing their job. That is to raise more money. The new system encourages people to give more money by upping categories,going to more events,being a soccer ticket holder etc. The one area that I'm not quite sure I understand{and it benefits me greatly} is why they give points to season ticket holders. I would have assumed that being a season ticket holder and being a club member was a given. Maybe it affects a few soccer people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 the real message is being sent to those season tix holders that are not billiken club members and donate nothing besides buying their seats. it is my guess they will be leap frogged tremendously when it comes time to select new seats (if that ever comes). this is a way they can "catch up". i have to ask david, what level of the billiken club have you been a member? have you donated extra funds along the way? if you are in at the minimum level and no extra dollars, that is what happened. i am shocked you fell as far as you did, in fact that seems like a mistake, but you and even more so, the guy that just buys his tickets, would be the exact target of their "campaign". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sluer Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but since the point system was put in place, I thought that anyone has been able to buy points for $100 per point. This applied to both credit for previous gifts and new gifts and included Billiken Club contributions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshoe Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 That was my understanding too. A point for $100 is not new. And quite frankly, somebody that is willing to spend $100,000 for some front row seats probably deserves them. That $100,000 will be doing a lot more for the program than 10 years in the Billiken club at $150 a pop will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sluer Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 I agree that there should have been some warning or communication that the system was under review. Moreover, the timing is bad. If soccer tickets now come into play, why wasn't this out by June 1 or July 1 at the latest. Basketball renewals are also completed. Having said that, it underscores one of the issues with SLU Athletics, and that is the lack of continuity. The point system was only set up after the ticket fiasco when we moved from the old Kiel to the Arena. The system was developed by a blue ribbon committee over a several months and was done with some give and take. Whether you agreed with what they did, at least you had a chance to give your 2 cents worth. Now, here we are, with changes to that system. I'm not saying they are bad or good, just was anyone aware of the pain and suffering that we went though to develop the system to begin with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gister Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 That is correct. Also the new system gives points for Billiken club loyalty past 2003. I'm not sure why they didn't go back further than that. In the examples in the booklet, a person with 52.25 points jumps ahead of a person with 121 points because of Billiken Club membership. In regard to my own ranking, the mailing last summer showed me at 790 last year on June 30th. However, the second sheet in the mailing yesterday says that I was at 691 last June 30th. Now the updated, 2004 ranking shows me at 765. So I don't know if I am worse off or better off. At least I am in the same range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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