So the following email arrived for retirees this week. Instead of free admission to all sports (a perk for years of commitment to the university), retirees will now be given up to four tickets to a single game for one sport this year. I would guess that this will mean that fewer retirees will show up for games of the minor (poorly attended) sports and will result in only a slight increase in revenue.
As a retiree of Valparaiso University, we're excited to offer you the following benefits:
4 Complimentary tickets to a single game of your choice, each academic year for the ticketed sport of your choosing
To redeem your complimentary tickets, please contact the ticket office via the contact information listed below.
Access to the current faculty and staff 25% discount rate throughout the entirety of the athletic season.
This discount can be redeemed by entering the promo code "GOBEACONS" upon checkout on our website HERE.
It sure seems like a petty move and will serve to alienate a group that has dedicated its professional lives to making Valpo a successful university.
This doesn't seem to be a problem of building an arena. They aren't going to use the relative pennies they would gain from only attending 4 games to fund what is likely an 8 figure project. A project rhat is still largely believe to be in the early stages and still may not even happen. I wpuld think the CONHP would be the top priority at the moment. The arena is probably the last item on the wishlist. What likely occurred here is a group brought up statistics about what events retirees went to and determined that retirees only attend certain events a certain amount of times. However, this decision is definitely a head scratcher. It likely costs the university very little to offer free passes. I don't understand why they would minimize access to only 4 events for 1 sport
Faculty and staff have received a notice about changes in obtaining tickets that also appears to make the process needlessly more difficult and could likely lead to lessening attendance. Unlike in the past, no more deciding on walk-in attendance during game day, as I know many have done, myself included. Apparently, one must submit for tickets days in advance for each event through an online request form and download a pdf from an eventual email for admittance.
"Beginning this season, faculty and staff will need to request their complimentary tickets for football, volleyball and men's and women's basketball in advance. Ticket requests must be made no later than 48 hours in advance of the game. Tickets will be distributed via email 24 hours prior to the game."
Seeing as staff were also affected in this change, I am assuming this is a process that was caused by the new online ticketing platform. Likely there needs to be online confirmation of tickets and the ticketing service takes a fee on free tickets.
@rezynezy Whether you are correct or not, reasonings don't matter. "New" does not always mean better. The change in process for retirees, faculty, staff, and families are counterproductive. This is the kind of crap that alienates people.
@valpopal I would rather have an online ticketing service. No one wants physical tickets anymore. The fact that VU hadn't had an online tickets g service for this long just shows how outdated they were in terms of technology and developments. Most achools don't even offer free tickets. Judt a discount.
@valpopal I would rather have an online ticketing service. No one wants physical tickets anymore.
It has nothing to do with online tickets or physical tickets. (Although, I see little difference between a physical ticket and a downloaded pdf received via email.) The process should be as in the past: you merely show an id at the entrance and sit in the upper-level section designated for faculty and staff.
Rather than ho hum about the changes. Might I suggest contacting the athletic department and see what they have to say about why this chage occurred? My assumption was that vivenu has certain requirements for their mobile ticketing service as most ticketing partners require a "head count" and tickets sold metrics, but rather than go back and forth, I'd like to leave this suggestion as without a statement from the athletic department as to why this change occurred, this conversation brings about nothing but tinfoil hats. This situation is not dissimilar to season ticket holders in the NFL being denied a home game when the NFL scheduled games abroad. Does it suck, yes, is it a poor buisness practice, yes, but immediately putting blame directly on the school when there is another likely facor at play doesn't help the situation.
All I'll say is as this topics header was suggesting that the change was being made to pay for an arena, it is extremely unlikely that is the case. The arena and VV was already said tk have been at a lower priority to other projects like the CONHP and the dorms. Any new basketball arena is likely still in the design phase or still only being talked about as the only reported progress was the completion of the feasibility study. I am unaware if that study has even been, or will ever be, released to the public
Attendance at basketball games has already fallen off a cliff. Are we trying to play in an empty building? Valpo should be doing everything to fill the ARC, not setting up bureaucratic processes to obtain tickets.
Agree MJ08. To be objectively fair and reasonable, those grandfathered in retirement before this rule should have access to attend.
I noticed that there was a 5 dollar price hike for general admission as well if you didnt prepurchase tickets . You all have now convinced me. This is a blunder, but I don't know why this would occur. Someone needs to be asking some questions.
https://twitter.com/valpoathletics/status/1834284026036977931
I have to think these changes are from a consultant or Van Wagner Sport & Entertainment or the new ticketing company or someone who has no idea about Valpo.
Because taking the one event (Valpo basketball) that brings the university and community together and making it worse is…insane.
Basketball has brought VU national recognition. A packed ARC is one of the best places to see a college basketball game. The recent changes are moving further away from that.
The administration follows what is being said on this message board. And keeps track of what alumni is saying what. Valpo needs to start explaining recent decisions because this is getting ridiculous.
A four dollar increase after none for a dozen years is so troubling? Try and get a ticket to any college game for less.
A four dollar increase after none for a dozen years is so troubling? Try and get a ticket to any college game for less.
True. Most venues also dont even offer free tickets, for staff and students. Just a discount. I assume this is something to do with Vivenue. Most of these ticket companies charge fees for charity and put emphasis on getting tickets early. Its part of their business model I assume.
As Rez posted, the per-game ticket information for football and volleyball adds $5 to "tickets purchased within 90 minutes of game time, whether online or in person." I'm guessing the same will apply to men and women's basketball.
Imagine a family of four (two parents and two kids about 12 and 14) in Valpo considering on a game day to attend volleyball. Many people in Valparaiso—including myself and other townspeople, faculty, or staff—do not make these decisions days in advance. Instead, it might be a spur of the moment choice on a Saturday. The family of four is now paying $19 each for a ticket, and with snacks or a halftime bite, the total is easily over $100.
Sure, it would be more expensive at some other places, so is everything else, but in Valparaiso this is enough to unnecessarily deter attendance, especially at lower profile and low-attended sports. As I said previously, this just seems counterproductive as a business practice and in the sphere of public relations, plus it appears to be another example of Valparaiso University moving away from its distinctive character.
