Should students pay for Football/Basketball tix?

[GetRealLU]

What if Liberty made the students pay a buck or two for admission to football and mens/womens basketball games?

If they did do you think this would hurt attendance? Or would the student body have a sense of ownership or more of a connection with the athletic program?

I feel it would bring the students closer to the program.

[PAmedic]

yeah- its a good start, though (as was said before) teh free ticket hand outs need to stop as well.

though as a student there I would probably flip if told I had to buy tickets- so I understand that point of view.

economic realities are a bit more clear 500 miles and 15 years away!

[ATrain]

If I had to pay, I wouldn't go as much

[HarrisburgFlame]

If charging students doesn't hurt the student draw it sure won't help it. If the kids get in for free now and don't show up why would we think if we charged them they would show up?

I think you continue to charge an activity fee with tuition with a designated part of the activity fee going to sports. Let the students in for free but I agree with the free handouts to TRBC and local businesses. The only way a local business should get tickets for nothing is if they are giving significant $$$. It's something about not having to pay for a porduct that de-valuses it somewhat.

That said - LU's ticket prices are the lowest in the BSC. Maybe we should raise them to the general public creating the perception of a better product. Students should always get in for free.

[V88]

I don't think Liberty should charge the students yet. There was a $3.00 charge for the first round of the Big South Conference mens tournament and the students didn't show up. If they won't pay the money for the conference tournament, they won't pay for regular season games. Perhaps the school can charge students in a few more years if basketball can generate the kind of excitement they experienced in the mid 90's and football can build on the good attendance they had this season. Also, are admission to the games built into the student fees?

[HarrisburgFlame]

I thought student admission to games were billed in the tuition as part of the "activity fee".

[Sly Fox]

It is already paid for whether the students go or not. Not very many schools charge students. And I know when I was in school how tight my finances were.

[belcherboy]

HarrisburgFlame said:

I thought student admission to games were billed in the tuition as part of the "activity fee".

Yup, the students have already paid for the games. Pretty smart move by Liberty. They wouldn't have nearly as many students at games (or money) if they sold tickets to each game. I know my last few years at Liberty (late 90's) I can't remember going to more than one football game (usually homecoming) and a handful of men's basketball games a season. I was decently consistent with the girls basketball games though (7-8 regular season games). My freshman and sophmore years we went to every game, mostly due to the fact that me and my buddies were on campus with nothing else to do.

Liberty just doesn't have the product/following to charge admission for there games. Even the girls games are not a huge draw (by huge I mean they could bring in no more than a third of the capacity of the Vines). Until we get out of the Big South and start bringing "pro" calibre players into"the furnace" (either on our team or from other big schools), students aren't going to get that excited. At least not excited enough to purchase tickets on their own.

[GetRealLU]

I think they should drop the student activities fee altogether. The students should have the choice to pay for what they want. Some students never go the the new student center but they have to pay for it. The activity fee is now at $175 bucks.

If students had that money in their pockets they wouldn't feel so bad to pay a couple bucks to watch the flames. Besides we pay $5 and drive to roanoke to watch the club hockey team.

So to all the Administration: DROP THE ACTIVITY FEE! and I want my 8 bucks back for my FREE purpose driven life book that we were charged for as well!

[PittLU]

The activity fee should be cut in half and students should be charged admission. The only way to build a fan base is to have skin in the game.

[PAmedic]

THANK YOU LUPITT! You are obviously MUCH smarter than the rest of these guys give you credit for!

[PittLU]

Flattery will get you everywhere. You arent so bad for a Philly guy. The more time I spend in Philly, the more I am starting to like it. I used to hate that town, but I digress....

I stand by what I said. You have to have something on the line to enjoy a game. Most students see "activity fee" as a line item on a huge bill they either have to come up with the funds for or get a 375 year term student loan at .007% interest or something.

All students have some form of disposable income and it is up to the student to decide where to spend the money. Either you go to Movies 10 3 times a week, or once a week when the football team is in town. That will put more skin in the game for proto as well because they will be able to accurately measure turnstile dollars instead of fabricated "butts in the seats" numbers generated by someone who is in a hurry to turn a number into the News and Advance.

This precedent of students not paying to attend the Big South games is true. Of course they arent going to pay - you know why - because they didnt have to pay for any other sporting event. If the behavior is changed by charging for events, you may take an initial hit, but you will build you student base back up again, and then students will pay for the Big South because they are used to paying.

I am in NO WAY saying that you build your athletic financial coffers on the backs of the students - that is what tuition is for. I am saying charge $1.00 or $2.00 for football and basketball. There is no college student who is that strapped. ****Adjusted for inflation, that is the equivalent of $.15 or $.30 for those old hags who post on this board ;D

[PAmedic]

and thanks for the 2005 $ adjustment- I'm not allowed to spend money w/out HER permission anyway- but if I was, now I'd understand what that translates to.