Season tickets & other summer things...

[tornado]

-Season Tickets:
Sales for season tickets were increased a bit in Coach Wardle's first season (ending a trend of four consecutive down years) - and ought to go up more this season.
Renewal applications have been mailed out as early as the first week of May in past years - so we ought to be hearing something soon.

Here's last year's release that came out in May 2015 - LINK

-Open practices - there were a few events like this for fans last year...

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=25645

-other summer/fall events for fans - no details yet...but again, I hope we hear things early enough to promote and plan so the turnouts are big.
The Itoo Hall supper was restored last fall for the first time since it was cancelled in 2010. I hope we also have other events - scrimmages, tailgates, and there's always the chance to see the team (like last year) at the West Peoria 4th of July Parade!

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=25493

btw- does anyone remember this idea? - trying to get the season ticket holders who dropped their tickets to come back by putting their names on milk cartons? ... it didn't work, and alienated some people.

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24525

[Da Coach]

There were a lot of long-time season ticket buyers in those first 3 rows opposite the benches who had their ticket prices raised an enormous amount after several of the worst seasons in Bradley history. Depending on which row, ticket prices rose from a around $600-$700 per year (per seat, including the maintenance fee) to as much as $2500 per year. That caused some of them to have to drop their season tickets.
The milk cartons were a cute idea, but a woman I know, who had maintained her seats with her husband (now deceased and a Bradley Hall of Famer) since the Fieldhouse opened in 1949, was forced to drop them because she couldn't afford the massive increase in price. She got one of those milk cartons and was very upset since it suggested she was somehow negligent for not renewing.

[tornado]

... ticket prices rose from a around $600-$700 per year (per seat, including the maintenance fee) to as much as $2500..

you forgot to mention that in addition to the ticket price increase- maintenance quadrupled for those first three rows...
it didn't matter to a few of them, since some were already giving at a high level or were in the BSS - but it was rather insulting to many long time front row fans who then just dropped their seats and moved to a different section...or did not renew at all. Note in the final 2 years of the Glasser Cross reign, the BSS plummeted from the 50's members to just 30 or so.


BTW - just heard that some open practices or "semi-open" (invitation only - possibly boosters) practices will be set up after the players all get on campus in June.

[Vent]

Hopefully the university and athletic department learn from past mistakes and don't raise ticket prices or maintenance fees after the 27 loss season of a year ago. In addition, with thousands of layoffs and forced retirements at CAT, this would be a terrible time to increase ticket prices if you're trying to build attendance and interest in the program.

[Chico]

Hopefully the university and athletic department learn from past mistakes and don't raise ticket prices or maintenance fees after the 27 loss season of a year ago. In addition, with thousands of layoffs and forced retirements at CAT, this would be a terrible time to increase ticket prices if you're trying to build attendance and interest in the program.

Maybe Doug will buy season tickets for the ones who were laid off or retired, if he can afford it.

[tornado]

...still hoping to hear early news regarding some summer & early fall events...

-open practices
-soccer tailgate
-date for the ITOO Supper, the Auction...
-the TRADITION Banquet last June was an ENORMOUS success - again??
-early Red-White scrimmages but NOT down on the riverfront in the cold, in the rain, in the dark with scarce parking..
-any fan-appreciation breakfasts or community events...
-reports/releases on scheduling as it progresses..
-coverage of the Always a Brave team as they work out on campus - hopefully some of their workouts/scrimmages will be open - An ALUMNI exhibition game?
-possibly some of the current Braves could play for their National teams? (Luuk, DLO, Callum, Jayden?)
-the dates for the other events - Smoker, etc..
-the fall signing period (November 9-16, 2016) - will we sign anyone for 2017?
-then hopefully some summer reports from our local media - isn't it their job to get up on campus and cover the players working out over the summer - all the players will be there by June - so let's get some reports!


Other ideas from before.... Wizard, you got more ideas??

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=22573

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=25615

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=25756

[tornado]

...still hoping to hear early news regarding some summer & early fall events.......

...
-coverage of the Always a Brave team as they work out on campus - hopefully some of their workouts/scrimmages will be open - An ALUMNI exhibition game?...

Yesssss.....

Always a Brave alumni game and Hilltop Hoopin??™ Summer Slam - cookout, meet the staff & players...
"..fan festival will begin outdoors at 5 p.m. on the Bradley alumni quad.
Included will be a barbecue with music, a wide range of family entertainment, including Kaboom!??™s Korner,
and the opportunity to interact with Bradley athletics personnel."
thanks.....

http://www.bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=26306

[tornado]

Bradley has a release about summer events

http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3400&ATCLID=210967396

Bradley Athletics Summer Social Schedule
June 10 - Golf Classic at WeaverRidge - for further info CLICK HERE
June 27 - Chicagoland Golf Outing - for further info CLICK HERE
July 4 - the Bradley basketball team will be featured in the West Peoria 4th of July Parade - HERE is a report from last year's parade
July 11 - the "Hilltop Hoopin' Summer Slam" including the alumni game at 7pm - LINK
July 16-17 - the Bradley "Always a Brave" alumni team competes in Chicago at the 2016 The Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional

[tornado]

Two more summer events announced...

-June 28
St. Louis area reception with President Gary Roberts

http://www.bualum.org/s/1329/SocialIcons.aspx?sid=1329&gid=1&pgid=1958&cid=3690&ecid=3690&crid=0&calpgid=61&calcid=667

-August 5th
Central Illinois Bradley Alumni Chapter

BRATFEST

http://www.bualum.org/s/1329/SocialIcons.aspx?sid=1329&gid=1&pgid=1955&cid=3686&ecid=3686&ciid=16136&crid=0

[tornado]

Yesssss.....

Always a Brave alumni game and Hilltop Hoopin’ Summer Slam - cookout, meet the staff & players...
"..fan festival will begin outdoors at 5 p.m. on the Bradley alumni quad.
Included will be a barbecue with music, a wide range of family entertainment, including Kaboom!’s Korner,
and the opportunity to interact with Bradley athletics personnel."
thanks.....
http://www.bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=26306

This event, Hilltop Hoopin’ Summer Slam on July 11....up on campus, is just a little over 4 weeks away... and people are starting to inquire about the cost or if tickets are required.

If you recall - a couple years ago - one of the preseason scrimmages charged $20 per person - even for kids! - ....and that turned out to be unpopular with fans.

But I am very happy they are having this event on campus, as opposed to the Riverfront or other location....
and I hope they don't start the game late - there was one time the actual men's Red-White scrimmage didn't even start 'til after 9pm and fans with kids were already leaving by then....

[wizard1]

Season Tickets & Other Summer Things

t...Several weeks ago you asked me if I had any suggestions for summer/pre-season events & activities. I held off answering to allow the Ath. Dept. to finish what they were working on and announce everything. That has now been done and clearly, they have done a great job of planning summer and pre-season events that will be greatly appreciated by BU fans. Reynolds & Co, have done a super job and there isn't much I can add except to say that any event which brings fans and players/coaches together is a 100% winner and will serve to build our Mens BB program with greater fan enthusiasm. Congratulations to CR and his people!
Wiz

[tornado]

thanks wiz- but I am still interesting in a few of these other things mentioned

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showpost.php?p=825122306&postcount=6

[tornado]

In case anyone interested...

a couple of summer happenings articles for other MVC teams...

Article on the new Indiana State players - dipping into the juco market

http://www.tribstar.com/sports/local_college_sports/isu_sports/first-taste-for-new-sycamores-as-summer-activity-commences/article_fb657cbd-0a64-5379-ac5b-dc9031ad65d3.html

Aces likewise

http://44news.wevv.com/solomon-hainna-verbally-commits-evansville/

Northern Iowa plays at NORTH CAROLINA on December 21
..going for two wins in a row over the Tarheels...

http://unipanthers.com/news/2016/6/9/mens-basketball-uni-to-play-at-north-carolina-on-dec-21.aspx

and another Chicago kid - basketball player - sadly killed by gun violence -

https://storify.com/joshpcain/elac

[Jim]

"Gift" required to purchase lower bowl season tickets?

Does anyone know if Bradley has dropped the requirement to "gift" $15,000 in addition to the ticket price and maintenance fee for people wanting to purchase lower bowl season tickets?

[tornado]

That is a good question - and I am not the official source on this but here's what's been stated....

..up thru 2014 there were enough people re-upping their lower bowl seats that there weren't enough AVAILABLE LOWER BOWL SEATS...
to provide for prospective new BRAVES SCHOLARSHIP SOCIETY members - that they capped membership in the BSS...
that's when the story basically said you had to have $15K to get lower bowl seats because the only people capable were those who would pay that and MORE* to join the BSS (the minimum to join was a commitment of $15K for 3 years - but that has since gone up to $20K)

Anyway - after the final couple years of the Mike Cross/Geno Ford era...so many people gave up their seats that NOW there are seats in the lower bowl available -

They will not cost you $15,000, but they do come with the requirement to pay the "MAINTENANCE" - which varies from $50 all the way up to $1000 per ticket depending on where you sit. You will probably need to talk with Rick Gaa [LINK)for more specifics.
rgaa@bradley.edu

http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=130245&DB_OEM_ID=3400&DB_OEM_ID=3400

http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209967917&DB_OEM_ID=3400&DB_OEM_ID=3400

http://www.bradleybraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=122847

edit...after you posted your response in the next post..
AMEN - great ideas...and we have 6 or 7 other threads filled with other ideas that need to be considered.. LINK LINK LINK