Tide Pride members beware re: digital ticket sales

crimsonaudio

Administrator
Staff member
Sep 9, 2002
63,414
67,193
462
crimsonaudio.net
I’m not quite to your level of worn-out, probably because our logistics are really easy. But I can see myself getting there soon.
Yeah, add four hours each way and it stacks up.

But then I've not regularly attended gams since I lived on 13th street while in school (early 90s) so it's not like I've got your track record, either.
 
  • Like
Reactions: B1GTide

uafan4life

Hall of Fame
Mar 30, 2001
15,608
7,414
287
43
Florence, AL
From strictly a dollars-and-cents standpoint, and kind of like buying a new car (as opposed to used) or majoring in Art History (which you love, but doesn’t prepare you for a job that pays much), there’s no way to make Tide Pride membership and purchase of season tickets make sense. The numbers simply don’t work.

You do get the big games at face. If you have enough points, you get post-season tickets at face. But you also pay face for the directional schools. Then you have to apportion the TP membership fee over 7-8 games. And that doesn’t count travel expenses. And the post-season venues have definitions of which seats are the best that might not agree with your definition.

So you have to value intangible benefits: The feeling of contributing to the support of the program, the feeling of being in the stadium, getting to know your neighbors over years and watching their kids grow up. Not having to worry about where you’ll get tickets and dealing with brokerage sites. Invitations to the occasional University event. Yes, I know those events are really recruiting for more donors and bigger donations, but they’re still pretty cool.

If none of that resonates with you, there’s no need to howl at the moon about how the Athletic Department is gouging loyal alumni. You’re far better off just buying the tickets you want in the secondary market.
While mostly true, there are combinations of years and seating locations that are exceptions - and this year happens to be one of those.

You have four games this year where premium seats (say, 45-ish yard line, West Uppers, under cover, in the shade) will all demand a premium price: Ole Miss, Texas, LSU, and Tennessee - in that order.

The cheapest of those - when Lane Kiffin comes to town - would likely run somewhere from $200-$250 a seat and the Tennessee tickets could top $500 a seat for a similar location on the secondary market.

So, from my perspective, my Tide Pride seats this year are likely going to cost me less through Tide Pride than those seats - just for three or four games - would have cost me through the secondary market.

And, even though this year is the exception that proves the rule, so to speak, the ancillary benefits are always there. We know where our seats are going to be for each game. We have a parking spot right on the shuttle route. My parents can come to any game with us they wish. I've been able to take my dad, at least, to a number of games that he almost certainly never would have gone to by himself - his first Tennessee game, his first Iron Bowl, his first SEC Championship Game, his first National Championship Game (hopefully one day we'll get to watch us win one of those).

My dad introduced me to a love of Alabama football. Back before every game was on TV, we'd often turn the radio on and throw the football around in the yard while listening to the game. I've been lucky enough to be able to introduce him to experiencing Alabama football in a way that many don't and he never would have imagined being able to do.

Sure, these things theoretically could have been possible through the secondary market. However, I already have to threaten my dad at least once a season that if he mentions once more how much money I can get by selling certain tickets instead of taking him that I might just cancel all my tickets for the next season. I can effectively "hide" the cost of the tickets from him by saying that we get the tickets at face value by being in Tide Pride and we get to be in Tide Pride by donating to the University (which helps because he assumes there's some sort of financial benefit to the donation). If I were trying to buy tickets to singular games, I know I would have missed out on a lot of the memories I've made with my dad.

So, while some may wish to whine and moan about whatever they feel the University might somehow owe them for being a fan or even an alumnus, I'll continue to happily pay for the privilege to be in Tide Pride for as long as I can afford it and be grateful for the opportunities and memories that would have otherwise never come to fruition...
 

4Q Basket Case

FB|BB Moderator
Staff member
Nov 8, 2004
9,569
12,865
237
Tuscaloosa
While mostly true, there are combinations of years and seating locations that are exceptions - and this year happens to be one of those.

You have four games this year where premium seats (say, 45-ish yard line, West Uppers, under cover, in the shade) will all demand a premium price: Ole Miss, Texas, LSU, and Tennessee - in that order.

The cheapest of those - when Lane Kiffin comes to town - would likely run somewhere from $200-$250 a seat and the Tennessee tickets could top $500 a seat for a similar location on the secondary market.

So, from my perspective, my Tide Pride seats this year are likely going to cost me less through Tide Pride than those seats - just for three or four games - would have cost me through the secondary market.

And, even though this year is the exception that proves the rule, so to speak, the ancillary benefits are always there. We know where our seats are going to be for each game. We have a parking spot right on the shuttle route. My parents can come to any game with us they wish. I've been able to take my dad, at least, to a number of games that he almost certainly never would have gone to by himself - his first Tennessee game, his first Iron Bowl, his first SEC Championship Game, his first National Championship Game (hopefully one day we'll get to watch us win one of those).

My dad introduced me to a love of Alabama football. Back before every game was on TV, we'd often turn the radio on and throw the football around in the yard while listening to the game. I've been lucky enough to be able to introduce him to experiencing Alabama football in a way that many don't and he never would have imagined being able to do.

Sure, these things theoretically could have been possible through the secondary market. However, I already have to threaten my dad at least once a season that if he mentions once more how much money I can get by selling certain tickets instead of taking him that I might just cancel all my tickets for the next season. I can effectively "hide" the cost of the tickets from him by saying that we get the tickets at face value by being in Tide Pride and we get to be in Tide Pride by donating to the University (which helps because he assumes there's some sort of financial benefit to the donation). If I were trying to buy tickets to singular games, I know I would have missed out on a lot of the memories I've made with my dad.

So, while some may wish to whine and moan about whatever they feel the University might somehow owe them for being a fan or even an alumnus, I'll continue to happily pay for the privilege to be in Tide Pride for as long as I can afford it and be grateful for the opportunities and memories that would have otherwise never come to fruition...
We’re on the same page.

You’re valuing the intangible benefits of spending time with your dad, and the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have seats and parking.

I’m also guessing that over the years, you‘ve gotten to know your neighbors in the stadium. Every home opener, it’s a sort of reunion, and that’s fun as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: crimsonaudio

Vinny

Hall of Fame
Sep 27, 2001
8,243
213
187
55
Rockaway, NJ
It looks like they want my business for one more year. I have to figure something out so I don’t get on their take me off the list for 2024. We don’t get down for regular season games. Our last home game was in 2014 and 2019.
 

2003TIDE

Hall of Fame
Jul 10, 2007
8,576
4,849
187
ATL
CORRECTION 275% is the correct $
Section N. Decent seats. But my gosh, that’s Highway robbery. BTW my daughter and son-in-law donation (Section M) went up over 320%!!
unbelievable!!🥺☹😖🤬😡
We are in C and got a big increase as well. These sections are the last of the lower bowl "cheap seats." Feels like they are trying to eliminate as many of the old guard as they can and convert these to more "premium" seats in terms of TP tiers.

I think our increase was just shy of $300 per seat.
 

ROCKEE

1st Team
Nov 1, 2010
738
532
117
Trussville
We are in C and got a big increase as well. These sections are the last of the lower bowl "cheap seats." Feels like they are trying to eliminate as many of the old guard as they can and convert these to more "premium" seats in terms of TP tiers.
It sure looks that way. We put my wife through school and the two kids (at the same time🤑)
Spent a lot money there. And get no real thanks whatsoever. 🥴
 

uafan4life

Hall of Fame
Mar 30, 2001
15,608
7,414
287
43
Florence, AL
It sure looks that way. We put my wife through school and the two kids (at the same time🤑)
Spent a lot money there. And get no real thanks whatsoever. 🥴
It sounds to me like the root of the problem is that you didn't spend a lot of money on tickets.

Sure, you spent a lot on tuition and such but that has nothing to do with Tide Pride, so...

You actually got a TON of thanks by being allowed to avoid the price increases and enjoy the absurd privilege of paying far less than market price for years over years for your tickets.

Now that you're being asked to pay something more in line with what others in the stadium are having to pay, being spoiled by a decade - at least - of enjoying a massive discount makes this price correction seem like a monumental injustice when it's actually just fair...
 

uafan4life

Hall of Fame
Mar 30, 2001
15,608
7,414
287
43
Florence, AL
For most of those who are complaining about price increases, the solution is simply for you to put your money where your mouth is:

Cancel your membership.



If these prices really are unfair, as you seem to want everyone to believe, then the University will have trouble filling your seats and will invite you back at a discounted/adjusted rate that will be much more fair to you, the customer.

If, on the other hand, there are more than enough people waiting in line to take your seats without blinking at the costs - then the price changes are, indeed, quite fair...
 
  • Thank You
Reactions: 4Q Basket Case

ROCKEE

1st Team
Nov 1, 2010
738
532
117
Trussville
You totally miss my point.
The face value on my tickets are the same as tickets obtained thru the ticket office, so I get no discount. As I’m sure you know, we pay a donation amount per ticket each year. When joined 20 yrs ago that amount was $80 each. The last two years that amount had increased to $110 each. That’s a reasonable increase.
But to almost triple that amount in one year?
That figure is now $300.
If that’s reasonable for you, money must not be a concern.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: uafan4life

ROCKEE

1st Team
Nov 1, 2010
738
532
117
Trussville
For most of those who are complaining about price increases, the solution is simply for you to put your money where your mouth is:

Cancel your membership.



If these prices really are unfair, as you seem to want everyone to believe, then the University will have trouble filling your seats and will invite you back at a discounted/adjusted rate that will be much more fair to you, the customer.

If, on the other hand, there are more than enough people waiting in line to take your seats without blinking at the costs - then the price changes are, indeed, quite fair...
Also, yes I may decide to cancel my membership. But I assure you, the line to join has gotten shorter and shorter the last few years. I know twice as many people that have canceled theirs than ones that want to join.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2003TIDE

4Q Basket Case

FB|BB Moderator
Staff member
Nov 8, 2004
9,569
12,865
237
Tuscaloosa
It sounds to me like the root of the problem is that you didn't spend a lot of money on tickets.

Sure, you spent a lot on tuition and such but that has nothing to do with Tide Pride, so...

You actually got a TON of thanks by being allowed to avoid the price increases and enjoy the absurd privilege of paying far less than market price for years over years for your tickets.

Now that you're being asked to pay something more in line with what others in the stadium are having to pay, being spoiled by a decade - at least - of enjoying a massive discount makes this price correction seem like a monumental injustice when it's actually just fair...
A man after my free-market heart.

This is both the root of economic innovation and why Economics is called the Dismal Science.

It’s both regenerative and heartless — kind of like forest fires.

To be clear, Mrs. Basket Case and I are struggling with this exact issue. Our TP donation went up about $300 and our tickets decreased slightly. Net movement of up roughly $280. Still a total of about $2,700 for seven games.

Orrrr…the big TV with adult beverages at grocery store prices, food done my way, and a clean bathroom within 10 steps.

We’ve opted for the in-person experience for 2023. Whether that will continue, I don’t know.

Collectively, we spent 13 years in school at the University. We’ve been members of Tide Pride since the second year — 1989. IOW, 34 years.

Those facts are convenient red herrings, but are totally irrelevant to the cost of TP and football tickets. Pay or not.…your choice and ours.

I’d add two things:

First, the dollars being bandied about are far less compelling than the percentages….which are in turn a function of the low starting point. Go from $1 to $5 and it’s a 400% increase. But only $4.

Second, I promise Greg Byrne understands and anticipated the hue and cry that comes from this change. He is no dummy, and knows — not suspects….knows — whether he can replace the existing members who opt for the home TV.

It‘s no fun, but this is the world.
 

ROCKEE

1st Team
Nov 1, 2010
738
532
117
Trussville
A man after my free-market heart.

This is both the root of economic innovation and why Economics is called the Dismal Science.

It’s both regenerative and heartless — kind of like forest fires.

To be clear, Mrs. Basket Case and I are struggling with this exact issue. Our TP donation went up about $300 and our tickets decreased slightly. Net movement of up roughly $280. Still a total of about $2,700 for seven games.

Orrrr…the big TV with adult beverages at grocery store prices, food done my way, and a clean bathroom within 10 steps.

We’ve opted for the in-person experience for 2023. Whether that will continue, I don’t know.

Collectively, we spent 13 years in school at the University. We’ve been members of Tide Pride since the second year — 1989. IOW, 34 years.

Those facts are convenient red herrings, but are totally irrelevant to the cost of TP and football tickets. Pay or not.…your choice and ours.

I’d add two things:

First, the dollars being bandied about are far less compelling than the percentages….which are in turn a function of the low starting point. Go from $1 to $5 and it’s a 400% increase. But only $4.

Second, I promise Greg Byrne understands and anticipated the hue and cry that comes from this change. He is no dummy, and knows — not suspects….knows — whether he can replace the existing members who opt for the home TV.

It‘s no fun, but this is the world.
Well I’ll say this about your 400% analogy.
I would expect an increase in relation to the cost of living and bidenflation that we all are affected by. It doesn’t matter your station, we all pay the cost. Just because I’m complaining about this increase does not decrease my love for the UofA. To criticize me and others for complaining is very disconcerting and disrespectful. If it weren’t for people like us Bryant-Denny would still be 65k stadium. The money we spent on education could have went to some other school but it did not.
so yeah, I’d appreciate a thanks or at least a better explanation as to why such a large increase.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RammerJammer14

RammerJammer14

Hall of Fame
Aug 18, 2007
14,567
6,564
187
UA
It sounds to me like the root of the problem is that you didn't spend a lot of money on tickets.

Sure, you spent a lot on tuition and such but that has nothing to do with Tide Pride, so...

You actually got a TON of thanks by being allowed to avoid the price increases and enjoy the absurd privilege of paying far less than market price for years over years for your tickets.

Now that you're being asked to pay something more in line with what others in the stadium are having to pay, being spoiled by a decade - at least - of enjoying a massive discount makes this price correction seem like a monumental injustice when it's actually just fair...
I wouldn’t call the stated price of the ticket a “massive discount”….
 

4Q Basket Case

FB|BB Moderator
Staff member
Nov 8, 2004
9,569
12,865
237
Tuscaloosa
Well I’ll say this about your 400% analogy.
I would expect an increase in relation to the cost of living and bidenflation that we all are affected by. It doesn’t matter your station, we all pay the cost. Just because I’m complaining about this increase does not decrease my love for the UofA. To criticize me and others for complaining is very disconcerting and disrespectful. If it weren’t for people like us Bryant-Denny would still be 65k stadium. The money we spent on education could have went to some other school but it did not.
so yeah, I’d appreciate a thanks or at least a better explanation as to why such a large increase.
A couple of things.

First, I’ve re-read my post several times and can’t find where I criticized anyone.

I did point out logical non sequiturs. Have we reached the point that such actions are personally disrespectful?

Second, recent overall economic inflation vs. the increases in costs to operate an elite collegiate athletic department, are two entirely separate things.

For example, just a couple of years ago, the notion of a DC and OC making $2-3 million a year would have been outlandish. In addition to which, would have represented a huge percentage raise. Today, it’s market.

Pay it or don’t, and reap the rewards of competence…..or the difficulty of growing pains. Or worse, incompetence.

But one way or the other, you will pay.

I don’t like it. I also wish a lot of fictional gift-givers were real. They’re not, so I think we are better off dealing with it.
 
Last edited:

New Posts

Latest threads

TideFans.shop : 2024 Madness!

TideFans.shop - Get YOUR Bama Gear HERE!”></a>
<br />

<!--/ END TideFans.shop & item link \-->
<p style= Purchases made through our TideFans.shop and Amazon.com links may result in a commission being paid to TideFans.