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Question: Alabama Spring Game

Back home - I wanted to take the time to thank everyone who provided advice and information about the campus, hotels, restaurants and activities. I am sorry to hear that everyone didn't have a good weekend, but ours really could not have gone better and that is because of the time that you guys took to inform us of our options.

We spent 2 full days in the area and I will definitely be back. I love OSU, but the Alabama campus is amazing - simply beautiful. The pictures on the internet do not come close to doing it justice.

Thanks again, and Roll Tide!
 
crimsonaudio said:
That suit is rough...
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The jacket and tie were awesome. Sorry folks, but some of y'all have NO sense of style - probably think you are "stepping out" when you go with the light blue shirt (vs. White) with your Navy suit! LOL!!!

I laugh, but that's how I was 10+ years ago. No style at all. My Brother once told me I dressed like a dead banker, and he was right! LOL!!!
 
danb said:
I’m glad BIGTide’s A-Day experience went/is going good!

Ours didn’t go so well. My girlfriend has never been to a Bama game and I thought today I would finally get to take her to at least A-Day when I saw that they had an upgrade to reserve seating in the shaded area of the stadium. She has sensitivity to the sun, so sitting out in the direct sunlight for several hours ruled out midday games for me and her to attend.

We got inside stadium a little over an hour before kickoff and went to the section instructed in my upgrade instructions only to see that there were no ushers checking credentials and anyone and everyone had completely filled all the seats (save for one seat here or there scattered throughout). There were several other people in the same situation. We searched to try and find 2 seats together until kickoff.

I emailed the Bama game day experience support, and it was an absolute joke. I felt like I was dealing with Verizon or the cable company customer service reps. I explained that there were no stadium staff restricting anyone from accessing the seating area that we paid for a seat in, and in turn, anyone and everyone had filled the area and there were no seats over an hour before kickoff. I got this response 3 different times, after 3 times of thoroughly going into detail what the issue was... “so sir, do you mean that the stadium staff is not giving you access to the area? We are dispatching additional staff to your area to help current staff address your problem”. We finally saw 2 different ushers come up later at two of the entrances that were only there to tell people the section was filled up. I told them what was going on and they just shrugged their shoulders like “sorry”.

I finally sent a 4th email saying “no, I don’t have access because the seating is full in the area I paid to have 2 seats in, and now the game is already started, so we are leaving”. They never replied back.

I am so glad I didn’t decide to pay $40 to put a message on the Jumbotron to my girlfriend on her first time at BDS like I was so close to doing. I’d be out gas, parking, and seat upgrade fees, plus the $40 for a message she never got to see. It’s gonna take a lot of persuading to get her to go back after this I’m afraid. The folks we encountered were also being uncharacteristically rude today as well by running into us many many times and bullying their way around in the crowds. I’ve personally been to many games in years past and never had the problem like today. All of this was her first impression though.


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We had the same problem with the "reserved" seating in U-1 and U-2, and the same JOKE responses. No ushers, no control, nothing - so basically we were sold "elevator passes". Fortunately, once we realized we had been scammed, and U-1 was completely full, we went right up to U-2 and were able to find seats in the shade. We asked around and NO ONE around us had paid for the so-called "reserved" seating. :mad2:

Needless to say, my wife sent some "Choice" words to the CON-MEN at Tide Pride and we will be following up today. But I don't have high expectations.

I LOVED my time as a student at UA, and I'm proud that 3 of my kids chose UA for their education. We have a wonderful academic University and wonderful sports programs - but the people running the University, and ESPECIALLY those running the Athletic Department these days, are fundamentally and Completely UNCONCERNED with how alums and fans are treated.

(For example, my college no longer hosts alums at "Homecoming." Nope - they've invented a new "alumni weekend" in the spring, in hopes of causing an extra trip to Tuscaloosa so they can apply more pressure to extract more donations! ) :frown:

They view us as DUMB CATTLE, and nothing more than a "Resource" to be "mined" (i.e. screwed) for as much money as they can extract from us. Honestly, I'm surprised they don't have coin slots on the commodes in B-D - its the ONLY thing they don't charge for. They even found a way to charge for RADIO, for cryin' out loud. What's next? Special Glasses you have to buy for an additional $50, or your view of the field will be obscured???
 
TomFromBama said:
We had the same problem with the "reserved" seating in U-1 and U-2, and the same JOKE responses. No ushers, no control, nothing - so basically we were sold "elevator passes". Fortunately, once we realized we had been scammed, and U-1 was completely full, we went right up to U-2 and were able to find seats in the shade. We asked around and NO ONE around us had paid for the so-called "reserved" seating. :mad2:

Needless to say, my wife sent some "Choice" words to the CON-MEN at Tide Pride and we will be following up today. But I don't have high expectations.

I LOVED my time as a student at UA, and I'm proud that 3 of my kids chose UA for their education. We have a wonderful academic University and wonderful sports programs - but the people running the University, and ESPECIALLY those running the Athletic Department these days, are fundamentally and Completely UNCONCERNED with how alums and fans are treated.

(For example, my college no longer hosts alums at "Homecoming." Nope - they've invented a new "alumni weekend" in the spring, in hopes of causing an extra trip to Tuscaloosa so they can apply more pressure to extract more donations! ) :frown:

They view us as DUMB CATTLE, and nothing more than a "Resource" to be "mined" (i.e. screwed) for as much money as they can extract from us. Honestly, I'm surprised they don't have coin slots on the commodes in B-D - its the ONLY thing they don't charge for. They even found a way to charge for RADIO, for cryin' out loud. What's next? Special Glasses you have to buy for an additional $50, or your view of the field will be obscured???
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We didn’t even enjoy the luxury of the elevators and hiked the ramp what probably equaled two full trips. After emailing the game day experience support, and searching for someone to try and find out what the deal was (and just getting shoulder shrugs from the staff we talked to) the game had already started. I wish I would have never saw that “upgrade” and just went into the stadium right when the gates opened like I normally do on A-Day. I made the false assumption that we’d have a seat (in a so called reserved section that we paid for) by showing up with an hour to go before kickoff.

As I figured, I haven’t heard anything back from them today as of yet. I don’t see a phone number listed I can call either. If nothing more than to express my displeasure at how everything was handled (or wasn’t handled rather). If anyone knows the phone number of the folks over these game day upgrades, I greatly appreciate it if you sent it to me or posted it.

ETA: Lol! After posting this, I checked my email and have an email from them to fill out a 3 question survey of how my “experience” went.
Uh, not too good!

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Jonathan_FKLN said:
Just a few minutes ago I received an email asking for my feedback about my upgrade experience. Those of you who made a purchase should check your email soon.
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I did too. I filled it out accordingly. I received an email back a few minutes later stating they were issuing a refund and it should be reflected in my account in 7-10 days.

All well and good (and it’s all one could expect them to do) but the only example I can give as to how the whole ordeal feels is that it’s like buying a $20 part for your engine that requires you to pull the engine to change it. You install it and put it all back together, only to find out the part is bad. You get a refund for the part, but out everything you went through to access it. Tis life I guess!


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danb said:
All well and good (and it’s all one could expect them to do) but the only example I can give as to how the whole ordeal feels is that it’s like buying a $20 part for your engine that requires you to pull the engine to change it. You install it and put it all back together, only to find out the part is bad. You get a refund for the part, but out everything you went through to access it. Tis life I guess!
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I can understand that. I feel a little ripped-off myself because we paid for seats that other people got for free. At least we did get the seats, though. My wife said that everyone should get a refund, and those like you who didn't get the seat you paid for should receive some sort of additional compensation, like a SUPE Store gift card or something. I didn't disagree, but I told her not to hold her breath on that one.
 
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danb said:
I did too. I filled it out accordingly. I received an email back a few minutes later stating they were issuing a refund and it should be reflected in my account in 7-10 days.

All well and good (and it’s all one could expect them to do) but the only example I can give as to how the whole ordeal feels is that it’s like buying a $20 part for your engine that requires you to pull the engine to change it. You install it and put it all back together, only to find out the part is bad. You get a refund for the part, but out everything you went through to access it. Tis life I guess!


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I got my money back.

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JustNeedMe81 said:
I got my money back.

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I guess that’s better than a poke n the eye!!! So to speak!

That whole deal was practically theft if they didn’t offer back everyone that had paid their money a refund. Theft by deception, because they took money for something they obviously didn’t even try to deliver on. I’m glad the folks on here at least got to see the game, so the refund halfway made it right. I am just fortunate that something swayed my mind from paying to reserve a spot on the Jumbotron to send a message to my girl on her first BDS “game”......because I’d have been out more than I was.......


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TomFromBama said:
My wife got an email too. The message was - in a nice way - go “blank” yourself, no refund.

I’m taking this up a level.


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In my eyes this was theft by deception and the fact you were lucky enough to compensate should not matter. Everyone that paid should be issued a refund at least....they made no efforts to provide the service that many people paid for.


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danb said:
In my eyes this was theft by deception and the fact you were lucky enough to compensate should not matter. Everyone that paid should be issued a refund at least....they made no efforts to provide the service that many people paid for.


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Theft? Really? That requires intent. You believe it was intentional?
 
B1GTide said:
Theft? Really? That requires intent. You believe it was intentional?
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I can’t really say if it was. I doubt they would refund me if I didn’t hold them to it, and at least one other I know didn’t get a refund.....but offering a service, taking money, and not even trying to provide said service (they made no effort to try from what I saw and all others have said) constitutes theft by deception.....I know that’s a weak draw to everyone that it didn’t happen to, but to some their non approach to providing a service they promised cost way more than the service they offered. After many emails they finally today offered me my initial money back which clears their liability....I only stated the TBD if others didn’t get at least their initial purchase refunded....


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I agree that you deserve a refund and that you should be upset, but I also believe that this is just poor management, not theft or deception. But you are free to characterize it as you wish.
 
B1GTide said:
Theft? Really? That requires intent. You believe it was intentional?
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I do.

That solicitation wasn’t sent out by accident. It took conscious effort to set up the web page to make the sale and well as to design and distribute the solicitation to induce fans to buy.

After the sale we received an electronic “receipt” designed to look like an entry credential; yet another element that required advance planning and some expense to create.

And yet, zero effort was made “on the ground” to deliver the “product” advertised and sold via email and the web.

They knew they were receiving money, so unless someone can convince me that “Gameday barner Experience” had a bona fide “good faith belief” that magic ferries were going to appear out of thin air and act as ushers to control access to the supposed “reserved seating” areas, then they sold a product with the advance knowledge that the said “product” was wholly ILLUSORY.

(FWIW we asked several uniformed “event staff” people at the game and None of them had any idea what we were talking about).

At a minimum I’d call that fraud, and IMO its more accurate to call it theft by deception.

Just my opinion.


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I'm not sure what all the fuss is about reserving shaded sections.

I came in the east side which was going to be sunny. Ten minutes before kickoff, I figured out I would probably roast over there, and headed over to the west side. I hoofed it up the spiral ramps to the upper deck, walked past the reserved section, and found my own delightfully shady spot for free. There were lots of shady seats available. The upper decks in the west side were not even close to full. Maybe there are some amenities you should be getting when you pay for reserved seating, but shade was completely free and not in short supply.
 
B1GTide said:
I agree that you deserve a refund and that you should be upset, but I also believe that this is just poor management, not theft or deception. But you are free to characterize it as you wish.
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True it probably boils down to pis poor management, but I’m not characterizing any other way than what the law does when any business provides a service and takes someone’s money then makes no attempt to provide services. It is as I said, although I doubt there was true malicious intent, there Damn sure was negligence involved all the way around, and that normally leads the accused guilty of the original accusation or said charge....but what’s done is done, and now I’m done with the debacle of Saturday.....


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cbi1972 said:
I'm not sure what all the fuss is about reserving shaded sections.

I came in the east side which was going to be sunny. Ten minutes before kickoff, I figured out I would probably roast over there, and headed over to the west side. I hoofed it up the spiral ramps to the upper deck, walked past the reserved section, and found my own delightfully shady spot for free. There were lots of shady seats available. The upper decks in the west side were not even close to full. Maybe there are some amenities you should be getting when you pay for reserved seating, but shade was completely free and not in short supply.
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Wasn’t a big deal for me, but my wife gets migraines and is laid up sick after being in the direct sun for a prolonged period of time (she was skeptical of going because of that, and I surprised her with the assurance she’d be accommodated ) The only reason we traveled down was because of the reserved shaded seating.....I guess if she was in a wheelchair and paid for one of those areas and others took the places we should just sit on the ramp and hear the game? Because hell the damn game could be heard everywhere?


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