Season Tickets

[yoda]

If you don't know by now, you soon will. This year the Bradley ticket office is being run by outsiders and not by Bradley University people.
The policy has also changed, and anyone who had season tickets in 2022-23, is being asked to pay a deposit up front (now) in order to "reserve"
their seats for next year.

They have already sent out emails, but if you don't respond to their email within a couple days, you will receive a phone
call pressuring you to pay the fee ($50/per seat) right now or risk that you could have your seats reserved/taken by someone else or you may face a price
hike later this summer. I found this policy somewhat offensive given that I have faithfully renewed by season tickets and paid my maintenance every
year since the Joe Stowell era. (and yes, I know the maintenance was only added later). So why do they have to
effectively "shake down", harass and badger the most loyal, supportive and generous of their fans?

[Tommy]

I hear ya Yoda. The maintenance fee is no small thing, and to add a deposit on top of that is a bit of a slap in the face in my opinion.

The fee must be something the 3rd party is doing to line their pockets, right?

[yoda]

I was kind of shocked that the caller would imply they needed me to kick up $50 for each of my four seats, as if they needed
some assurance that wouldn't reneg and leave them holding unsold lower bowl seats.
They asked for a Visa payment RIGHT NOW, over the phone - a la those scammers who call to tell you that you owe back taxes and must pay immediately or your home will be foreclosed or your Amazon account is frozen due to suspicious activity.
My family of Bradley alumni have been going to BU games for 50 years, and I have taught at BU, but they apparently don't know, don't care and don't trust that I will pay up when time comes to secure the tickets.

If you Google 'basketball season ticket deposit' - it appears that Bradley is about the only place they're doing it.
Loyola & a few other schools ask for a deposit but ONLY for NEW season ticket purchasers.

[Da Coach]

To be clear, the $50 they are asking current season ticket holders to post, is not an extra fee or donation. It is merely a deposit to insure that fans will secure the same seats they have had. The deposit will go toward the eventual cost of the tickets.
Even people who do not have season tickets can post a $50 deposit and insure that they will be in line and have their pick of seats ahead of those who wait until new season tickets go on sale. Again, it is not an additional charge, nor a hike in prices. Any money put down as a deposit will go toward the cost of the tickets. And there are a lot of schools who do something similar.

[yoda]

there are a lot of schools who do something similar.

But as I said, only on NEW season ticket purchases, not for the long time fans who are renewing.
Here are a couple representative MVC schools,
Evansville's - require deposit only for "new season ticket requests", most other MVC schools like ISU, SIU or UNI have no mention
of a deposit.

[Da Coach]

But as I said, only on NEW season ticket purchases, not for the long time fans who are renewing.
Here are a couple representative MVC schools,
Evansville's - require deposit only for "new season ticket requests", most other MVC schools like ISU, SIU or UNI have no mention
of a deposit.

Yes, but the reason some schools have started this is that every year there are a number of season ticket holders who do not renew their tickets. When the deadline passes for renewal this summer, the school is left with a bit of a dilemma. Do they go ahead and sell those tickets, which are often the easiest to re-sell, or do they reshuffle the other season ticket buyers and move them up to the better locations. Or, do they make an effort to try to get in touch with each of those fans and see if they really meant to let them go, or if they can try to persuade them to renew. Bradley has an older demographic of season ticket holders than most schools, so there are probably more of those season ticket dropouts than at many schools.
It results in a lot of work for an already understaffed ticket office. If some of the fans put up this early renewal deposit, it reduces their work later in the summer (when students, who make up a significant part of their workforce, are gone).

[bradleyfan124]

Yes, but the reason some schools have started this is that every year there are a number of season ticket holders who do not renew their tickets. When the deadline passes for renewal this summer, the school is left with a bit of a dilemma. Do they go ahead and sell those tickets, which are often the easiest to re-sell, or do they reshuffle the other season ticket buyers and move them up to the better locations. Or, do they make an effort to try to get in touch with each of those fans and see if they really meant to let them go, or if they can try to persuade them to renew. Bradley has an older demographic of season ticket holders than most schools, so there are probably more of those season ticket dropouts than at many schools.
It results in a lot of work for an already understaffed ticket office. If some of the fans put up this early renewal deposit, it reduces their work later in the summer (when students, who make up a significant part of their workforce, are gone).

I just came back from putting my deposit on my seats. It's like you said the $50 comes off the total price of the ticket. I did ask them if they have subcontracted the ticket office out to another company. They said no. The tickets will still be handled by Bradley. He did say some of the promotions will be handled by Learfield

[yoda]

The tickets will still be handled by Bradley

um, ok - hard to know what to believe-

... a couple weeks ago they seemed to be saying the ticket sales staff would be Learfield people- https://bradleybraves.com/news/2023/...d-amplify.aspx

"Bradley Athletics announced today the addition of an on-campus ticket sales and customer service team with long-time multimedia rightsholder LEARFIELD.

Beginning this spring, new LEARFIELD Amplify Director of Ticket Sales Andrew Aldenderfer and an account executive, will work hand-in-hand with Bradley Sports Properties.... The cohesive LEARFIELD staff will be housed in the athletics department at Renaissance Coliseum"
"..said Chris Sanders, LEARFIELD's Executive Vice President, Multimedia Rights. "With the addition of a dedicated ticket sales staff, we will work together to create new ways for fans to engage with Bradley Athletics."

I was told separately by a former member of the Athletic Dept that there wouldn't be any sales except by the Learfield group. If that is not true, then their messaging is really confusing.
Why the need for a "Director of Ticket Sales Andrew Aldenderfer and an account executive" &" LEARFIELD staff housed at Renaissance Coliseum" as well as "the addition of a dedicated ticket sales staff" from Learfield?

[bradleyfan124]

um, ok - hard to know what to believe-

... a couple weeks ago they seemed to be saying the ticket sales staff would be Learfield people- https://bradleybraves.com/news/2023/...d-amplify.aspx

"Bradley Athletics announced today the addition of an on-campus ticket sales and customer service team with long-time multimedia rightsholder LEARFIELD.

Beginning this spring, new LEARFIELD Amplify Director of Ticket Sales Andrew Aldenderfer and an account executive, will work hand-in-hand with Bradley Sports Properties.... The cohesive LEARFIELD staff will be housed in the athletics department at Renaissance Coliseum"
"..said Chris Sanders, LEARFIELD's Executive Vice President, Multimedia Rights. "With the addition of a dedicated ticket sales staff, we will work together to create new ways for fans to engage with Bradley Athletics."

I was told separately by a former member of the Athletic Dept that there wouldn't be any sales except by the Learfield group. If that is not true, then their messaging is really confusing.
Why the need for a "Director of Ticket Sales Andrew Aldenderfer and an account executive" &" LEARFIELD staff housed at Renaissance Coliseum" as well as "the addition of a dedicated ticket sales staff" from Learfield?

I guess we will find out soon enough

[Old Coach]

I just came back from putting my deposit on my seats. It's like you said the $50 comes off the total price of the ticket. I did ask them if they have subcontracted the ticket office out to another company. They said no. The tickets will still be handled by Bradley. He did say some of the promotions will be handled by Learfield

ALL of the sponsorship and promotions have been handled by Learfield (Bradley Sports Properties) for years. Amplify is the ticketing arm of Learfield that Bradley has partnered with. The benefit to Bradley in these partnerships is guaranteed revenues, and the fact that Learfield absorbs all expenses and payroll.

[tomahawk chop]

I got a call wednesday about renewing and they were polite and only asked if I planned on renewing . I see no problem in the way they are doing this because it gives them an idea on how many fans are going to renew their season tickets. This also lets fans discuss to them if they have had problems in the past with the process which I know some of them had in getting their same seats.

[BUBraves2006]

If it makes you guys feel any better, I got asked to renew Blackhawks partial season tickets for next year in March for a team that is actively trying to lose.

And to top it off, they wanted way more than $50 to secure my very average seats.

As irritated as I was with all of that, i feel as if I'd be a lot less annoyed in the Bradley situation. The small deposit to keep your spot but doesn't get lost seems reasonable to me..

Just a slight outsiders perspective that hopefully gives a bit of context.

[Bradley8792]

On the bright side, I’m glad someone is taking a proactive approach to reach out and get fans signed up. As a group we’ve spent the last couple years complaining about how poor attendance is. It’s encouraging to see them trying to capitalize on a good season that ended with a sellout.

[bradleyfan124]

On the bright side, I’m glad someone is taking a proactive approach to reach out and get fans signed up. As a group we’ve spent the last couple years complaining about how poor attendance is. It’s encouraging to see them trying to capitalize on a good season that ended with a sellout.

Yes!!! totally agree

[Bradley3342]

On the bright side, I’m glad someone is taking a proactive approach to reach out and get fans signed up. As a group we’ve spent the last couple years complaining about how poor attendance is. It’s encouraging to see them trying to capitalize on a good season that ended with a sellout.

Well said Bradley8792