FOOTBALL FWIW, New Bag Policy
- Thread starter SpaceRaider
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MT can not afford to have a take it or leave it attitude. There is absolutely no sense that the customer is king. Customer service is DMV/IRS/government bureaucracy level. This is a lot of people's experience with the university, from top to bottom. There is no apparent desire to make the customer experience better so that people want to come back and the experience of people who do come to games leads them to believe they are not appreciated and leaves the impression that MT does not want to do better. Fans who do want better for and from the university are not left with any hope that it's going to get better.
When I talk 'customers' this includes students as well as alumni and fans. University can not be hostile on the administration side to student needs and organizations, like greeks, treat them like garbage, and then expect them to feel a loyalty in any way to this institution. I felt angry when the BoT gave McPhee a five year contract. Good grief. Our problems start at the top.
When I talk 'customers' this includes students as well as alumni and fans. University can not be hostile on the administration side to student needs and organizations, like greeks, treat them like garbage, and then expect them to feel a loyalty in any way to this institution. I felt angry when the BoT gave McPhee a five year contract. Good grief. Our problems start at the top.
We have plenty of MT grads with deep pockets. We just need them to donate. Don’t worry I am working on it. Lottery has not worked out yet though.
It's not about just one season. It's the cumulative failures of the last 15 or so years. Enough is enough with this group. It's time to move on at all levels.
Those seats and chairbacks suck. Once again, I have to conform to them. There is no way that this is a smart or necessary policy. Sounds like it will be successful for them. LOL. It's a stupid a$$ policy no matter how you slice it.
I gotta call BS on that one. If they are out there, they aren't exactly lining up to donate and they won't. What's their incentive? I'm telling you, I've been with this program since the 80's. It's gone pretty downhill and until the top leadership is gone, it ain't changing. We'll see if they get more than 10k next season. I'm betting no.
I could not have said it better my friend. That is the heart of it all right there.
What sucks about those seats? They're between the 35s and plenty are available whether you want to sit high or low. They're on the home side, so you get shade. Is it that you just don't want to give to the BRAA to get them? The seats that suck are the open air boxes in the end-zone and the corner. But they're always full of people socializing. If you want to see football, the view from the chairbacks is as good as it gets.
Here you go, JT. Email just popped.....
Spring Finale Set for April 13 at 1pm!
Middle Tennessee football will conclude spring drills on April 13 with the Blue-White Spring Finale presented by Kroger. Practice will get underway at 1 PM inside Floyd Stadium while the Blue Raider baseball team hosts conference foe UAB later that day at 4 PM.
The Finale will have a similar format as the previous three years with different position drills, field goals and a limited amount of 11-on-11 work. The drills will consist of pass scale, 1-on-1, receiver's vs defensive backs, and inside drill.
At the conclusion of the Spring Finale, Coach Rick Stockstill will present the Spring Awards and recognize the returning past lettermen.
Along with the game, there will be numerous activities available for the Blue Raider faithful. Tailgating will be encouraged at both Walnut Grove and the Greenland Drive parking lot the entire day, and the ticket office will be setup to take season ticket renewals as well as new season tickets.
Fans will also be able to pick up a free spring football poster.
Beginning fall 2019, Middle Tennessee State University is implementing a clear bag policy that will limit the size and types of bags that may be brought in by fans. **The first 300 fans that attend the Blue-White Spring Finale will receive a MT clear bag courtesy of Middle Tennessee Athletics and Lightning's Locker Room.
Lightning's Locker Room will also be open for the game. Located at Gate 2-A, doors will open at NOON and close upon the completion of the game. There will be a large selection of new gear, as well as a large clearance selection that will be available. All BRAA discounts will be available.
To become a new 2019 Blue Raider football season ticket holder, or to renew your seats, click on the button below!
Spring Finale Set for April 13 at 1pm!
Middle Tennessee football will conclude spring drills on April 13 with the Blue-White Spring Finale presented by Kroger. Practice will get underway at 1 PM inside Floyd Stadium while the Blue Raider baseball team hosts conference foe UAB later that day at 4 PM.
The Finale will have a similar format as the previous three years with different position drills, field goals and a limited amount of 11-on-11 work. The drills will consist of pass scale, 1-on-1, receiver's vs defensive backs, and inside drill.
At the conclusion of the Spring Finale, Coach Rick Stockstill will present the Spring Awards and recognize the returning past lettermen.
Along with the game, there will be numerous activities available for the Blue Raider faithful. Tailgating will be encouraged at both Walnut Grove and the Greenland Drive parking lot the entire day, and the ticket office will be setup to take season ticket renewals as well as new season tickets.
Fans will also be able to pick up a free spring football poster.
Beginning fall 2019, Middle Tennessee State University is implementing a clear bag policy that will limit the size and types of bags that may be brought in by fans. **The first 300 fans that attend the Blue-White Spring Finale will receive a MT clear bag courtesy of Middle Tennessee Athletics and Lightning's Locker Room.
Lightning's Locker Room will also be open for the game. Located at Gate 2-A, doors will open at NOON and close upon the completion of the game. There will be a large selection of new gear, as well as a large clearance selection that will be available. All BRAA discounts will be available.
To become a new 2019 Blue Raider football season ticket holder, or to renew your seats, click on the button below!
While I agree with the state of our program, I think the argument on the clear bags is silly. I have been watching this thread over the last few days... Its 2019, security concerns are a "real" thing. I bet it also an insurance issue. This isn't reflective of our administration, its a sign of the times. There are plenty of things to complain about, this isn't one of them.
Call BS on what? To say MTSU does not have wealthy alumni is wrong. To say they are not willing to donate would be more correct. Do we have the alumni wealth of Vanderbilt? No. UT has the Haslams among others. Either way this conversation is going nowhere.
For some on here everything this President and AD do is something ti complain about. Like the Democrats and Trump or the Republicans and Obama.
Name them. Who are they or better yet, where are they? Don't take my word for anything. 20,000 empty seats per game says it better than I ever could. No one is coming and no one will come as long as we have who we have leading this admin. No one is giving money on a major level and no one will continue to give. Like I said, don't believe me bro. The shiny aluminum and huge tarp says it better than I ever could.
I am pretty sure you are not getting it. I never said the alumni with deep pockets are donating. Even if they did it would not mean people eould go to games. We have a donor problem, but I do not think it is because a lack of deep pocketed alumni. I guess it would depend on how deep you were thinking. No Haslam brothers.
They are cramped as hell. I sit in 2HH on the 50 with no one in front of me. Again, I should have the freedom to sit where I want and be in comfort the way I always have been in with my comfy seats. It's all good. I will be in comfort at the house this season flipping between games on the 80" tv.
LOL. You can't name any so what does it matter? The reality is that they are no where to be found. As a matter of fact, the ones we had that were donating are either dying or they are leaving. We had an average of 6k in season tix holders less than 5 years ago. We are under 4200 now. The numbers are decreasing and will be less this year. Like I said, fight it all you want. All I see is 20k empty seats proving the point. Good luck buddy. You're gonna be running uphill from here on out.
Seriously everyone this is dumb. If the policy pisses you off that much just go. Why sit here and dwell in the past? What good does it do? I always say either fix the problem or live with it. Do not just complain and do nothing. If you do not have the power to fix it you have to get the power, live with it, or move on.
Having a sense of reasoning is not dumb. What is dumb is expecting vastly different outcome when all inputs remain the same and no hope of change in the foreseeable future. If one wants a different flavor of cake, one must change ingredients. Same goes with leadership and decision styles. Getting power is a gargantuan effort. However, the effort and expense must be worth it. I respect an individual's decision to spend their money and time to a cause; after all, no one is compelled to be a fan of MT, UT, VU, WKU, Duke, or Princeton. But, those who love MT (like myself) have life long affinity through regional geography, working relationships, graduation and matriculation, family, friends, and sense of community pride to make Murfreesboro a better place to live. I want to see MT succeed, but investments must be soundly made.
Until something really changes in leadership at Cope or Murphy Center, very little will get done towards progressing the cause and mission of Middle Tennessee State University. In 2019, we are at status quo and slipping backward. I am disappointed in our new governing Board of Trustees. Our law school fiasco is “Exhibit A”. Our membership in Conference USA is Exhibit B, and current state of athletic accountability is “Exhibit C” by virtue of rubber stamp mentality. Exhibit D is the fading influence in sports media and intermittent community engagement. At this point, what really separates us from membership in the Ohio Valley Conference? FBS Football. We can brag about 30 wins over four years. But look at our quality wins like UTEP, Charlotte, and ODU?!? Zero outright championships produced (and haven't had one since 1992). One East Division Championship produced. An impressive bowl win over Arkansas State (amounts to a Sun Belt Conference game). In basketball we're were knocked off the championship path and hopefully we will return in 2 years, maybe/maybe not? C-USA isn't getting single digit seeds or multiple teams in Tournament like the first generation of the conference with Memphis or Cincinnati. Our baseball was generally better back in OVC and Sun Belt days. Now the rest of the conference has taken a backward step now that Rice has fallen from their ranked days a few years ago. Everything else appears similar to 2005 or one could argue 1995, although our baseball field looks nicer and we finally caught up in facilities from years of desperate need. But, so has Austin Peay and Murray State made improvements over the last 25 years, so that isn't a grand accomplishment in terms of prestige as we like to think.
Using an investor mindset, I'm sad to say the current leadership cannot be trusted to run an IGA Supermarket, much less a world class university. I see why people refrain from making investments and monetary contributions and can't blame them. Character wise, our Board of Trustees may be outstanding community pillars, but I’m truly disappointed at the lack of political influence and leadership that has been demonstrated in this new governance arrangement. In the big picture, we casual fans and alumni have limited power and ours resides in the pocketbook in buying tickets, merchandise, contributions, and showing up to games. Our sphere of influence in the media or being verbose don't get much and the fear of getting left behind in the haves/have nots world of major athletics is upon us. That is what we are facing shrinking funding while the rest of the world moves onward. Maybe this 20 year FBS football project has run its course. I hope not. But, we have to confront reality of what's next: maybe it will take us to what UAB did in disbanding; maybe FCS is a better fit given our attendance of less than 10,000; maybe we are proactive and do housecleaning in Murphy Center and Cope. Hopefully investors will make the right call.
Many of us want to see MT a world class public university. I would like for us to be in the same conversation of a University of Cincinnati, Syracuse University, Kansas State University, or UCLA in many disciplines. Instead, too many who are in power have the "little middle" vision because its requires little effort and additional money and the ones on the payroll keep cashing their checks with minimal accountability to get better...why rock the boat when they are enjoying a comfortable life?
Many hands make light work, but we need many hands to make a success. And, we won't get many hands if we keep making shortsighted calls, like this Policy. This Policy does not upset me, but this could have been handled better as with many other things at the University lately.
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Law school "fiasco" was because the people voting have vested interests in Vanderbilit, UT, and Memphis. I guess I would ask what it is more you would want that would make everything okay? A conference championship? That would be fair and I want that too. No one has to donate money or invest time or effort in any athletic program. My confusion is why so many on here do it and all they do is complain. 6 wins not good enough, 8 wins not good enough, we have fallen off the face of the earth in basketball because a coaching change, we lost to Vanderbilt first game of football season and now our season is over, etc. I get mad at the results too. Sometimes that even results in drunken emails to Massaro, but I am not going to only concentrate on what we have not done. We are in the top 1/4th of our conference in football and both men's and women's basketball most years. I think McDevitt takes us to the next level and Stock will retire soon. I appreciate where we are, but at the same time realize we are capable of much more.
Over 20,000 per game have already moved on. LOL.
No. We have never averaged over 20,000 in attendance. One last thing before I am done with this conversation. Every complaint about this policy and everything else was about what you as an individual cannot do. Someone wants to sit in whatever section with their chairback stadium seat with no one in front of them and be comfortable. Apparently a sold out stadium is not on their wishlist. Would hate to have someone in front of me and infringe on my comfort level. I am done. Have fun everyone.
Actually, we did average 20k 10 years ago. Dude, no offense but you have said some moronic stuff. If someone is showing up at every game when very few are, why would you limit them? I brought those seats in when we had 28 - 30k there. It didn't effect anything. I've never infringed on anyones comfort level. Never one complaint. I ain't bringing in a Barco Lounger. Sheesh. It's never been a problem before. It isn't one. They are only doing it to get people to buy their seats and rent their stadium seats. That's why they are doing it. It has nothing to do with space. Hell, there's plenty of that. I've done it that way for over 12 years since I bought those things. I was there when we had 22k, 25k, 29k for Memphis and 30k for Georgia Tech. Never an issue. That's why the policy and many of their policies are so effing stupid. It's not just this one thing. It's a long list of stupid BS. The issues they face are of there own making. Bottom line. I'm glad you are happy with the product. Maybe you can high five yourself next season.
Pictures that I took with digital cameras over 10 years ago seem like a distant memory when talking attendance.
Just be prepared to be told to "Sit Down" if you want to stand up and cheer. Had tickets there for one season, never again.
Then you can't complain about attendance if you don't show up...can you?
That's fair SigmaNuBlue. I had the same issue. Even fight that fight with my wife sometimes, but unless you're in the student section or the endzone by yourself, I think we fight that battle just about every where in the stadium.
The fact that our attendance drop off probably correlates with life expectancy is related to that fight. But that's a symptom of our inability to bring in new fans. This seat/clear bag rule has nothing to do with our inability to grow the fan base. Sure, it stinks for people who like to bring in seats with backs, but there's a reasonably affordable option for them to move into the chairbacks section or (gasp) pay a few bucks to rent a seat. We've got real issues and I get how this feels like the school is poo pooing on fans, but step back for just a second and maybe it isn't the end of your fandom. Not connecting with students who turn into young alumni and have kids that grow up coming to games for the game, instead of for the bounce houses, is the real issue we need to solve. But GET OFF MY LAWN folks are gonna find plenty of reason to complain.
The fact that our attendance drop off probably correlates with life expectancy is related to that fight. But that's a symptom of our inability to bring in new fans. This seat/clear bag rule has nothing to do with our inability to grow the fan base. Sure, it stinks for people who like to bring in seats with backs, but there's a reasonably affordable option for them to move into the chairbacks section or (gasp) pay a few bucks to rent a seat. We've got real issues and I get how this feels like the school is poo pooing on fans, but step back for just a second and maybe it isn't the end of your fandom. Not connecting with students who turn into young alumni and have kids that grow up coming to games for the game, instead of for the bounce houses, is the real issue we need to solve. But GET OFF MY LAWN folks are gonna find plenty of reason to complain.
I wonder if the stadium seats will be part of the clearance items.
Hope all 8 people that go to that have a grand time!
I wonder if they’ll run out of the bags
I've shown up for every game up until now and yes I can complain about dumbass policies, bad gameday experience, ineffective marketing, lack of inclusiveness and basically anything else I feel like. Thanks for your concern.
They can't even play a spring game for the fans. A glorified practice with multiple drills happening at once. A crapshow that is par for the course. I use to go to every spring game until they started doing this crap. They even jacked that up. LOL.
Again, someone explain to me how the seat policy helps fans have a better gameday experience or promotes ticket sales to incentivize folks to come to the games. Why make policies and strategies that don't do that? Every change they make should be centered around inclusion not exclusion. How does excluding anyone help them achieve their goal and why would any fan be tolerant of any sort of exclusion? All I have said is that it won't help them get butts in the seats and the attendance will not improve under this regime. I guess the truth hurts. That's been the point of my posts.
I'm against any policy that excludes fans or places a higher burden on them. Treat the people who do come like gold and build synergy from there. I've been in marketing for 25 years and it all comes down to how you treat your customer base. If you listen to them, include them and value them by engaging them on every level, you grow your customer base. The second when you place your desires or needs above theirs, they are gone and will probably not come back. That's the reality. You have to work on the assumption that no one is loyal and you have to earn that loyalty everyday. When you stop earning, the people stop coming. It ain't hard. They've made it hard.
Maybe they were GOING to play a spring game but they went to Nissan to ask if they'd sponsor it and were told "no, we're going to sponsor Memphis's spring game". Once they heard this they said "screw it".
C'mon folks. See the real message here. For me, It's Not really about a seat policy or clear bag policy. It's about what got us here. It's about where we sit today and where we see ourselves going in the future with this leadership. And I'll say it again, I ain't mad about our wins and losse. Heck, I'll even take our record for now just give me something to hang my hat on...to look forward to. Give me a reason to get pumped about coming out to a stadium of 7K fans on a beautiful Saturday afternoon to watch a 7-5 football team
I've been to every $ec venue, most ACC stadiums, and 3or 4 Big 12 campuses. All have bag policies and you can't bring your chair in. We are no different and it was just a matter of time before MT made the change. I'm really numb about it all at this point. Bottom line this program is dying and the leadership is too dumb or blind to get the jaws of life out and fight for it. Instead they pile on with more crap to turn me off.
I will gladly give up my chair back and bring my ticket in a sandwich Bag in trade for a bit of hope for the future.
This just added fuel to the fire
Agree with a lot of what is being said here about administration being out of touch. I don't feel like there is enough people coming to the games to really worry about clear bags vs. non-clear bags or whatever. MT football games are not exactly a hot ticket....
Security should have plenty of time to search peoples bags if needed, only takes a brief second. With such poor attendence numbers this can't be that difficult.
I don't know anymore. What I do know is this administration is tone deaf. Done really caring because they clearly don't.
I will never accept the fact that our peers put us to shame in regards to facilities. There is no excuse for it. None, and I don't wanna hear others try to make excuses for why schools like Arkansas State and Troy put us to shame in the facilities department. THERE IS NO EXCUSE.
Security should have plenty of time to search peoples bags if needed, only takes a brief second. With such poor attendence numbers this can't be that difficult.
I don't know anymore. What I do know is this administration is tone deaf. Done really caring because they clearly don't.
I will never accept the fact that our peers put us to shame in regards to facilities. There is no excuse for it. None, and I don't wanna hear others try to make excuses for why schools like Arkansas State and Troy put us to shame in the facilities department. THERE IS NO EXCUSE.
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They've done this for a couple of years now. I went to the first one in 2016 or 17 I think. No excitement to it at all. It looked like a cluster with no organization. A bunch of drills being ran at the same time. Who wants to see that? Don't even do one if that's the product they are expecting people to take time out of their weekend for.
This is true. It is the straw for me. However, I went to UK, Bama, UGA, Vandy and UT games all in the last 2 years and walked right in with my large MT chairback seats. No one said a word. In fact, people kept asking me where they could buy them at. Again, why not be different and do things differently? We aren't the SEC and we don't have space concerns. You think people are gonna show up for Duke? Come on.
You make some great points too.
I’m down to about one game a season but this kinda does it for me.
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