Canadian Hoops Talk

Orange Rubber · Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Posts: 143

In another topic on this forum I wrote that Carleton lost the
potential for making 10 times the money they made on
exhibition games against US teams this year. Without
doubt similar occurrences transpired at other Canadian
Universities.

My observation when I go to a university basketball game
is that the games are mainly attended by fans that are older.
By this I mean people that attend the games are fans that
have graduated from high school, fans that are in
university, those people that are working for a living and
fans that are retired. In the minority attending the games
are young people that are in grade school and high school.
There should more of the younger basketball enthusiast
attending the games.

I could be wrong but my impression is that no one at the
universities is responsible for promoting the regular season
matches, and in particular there is no real effort made in
trying to have younger fans attend.

There is a way to have younger fans attend university
basketball games and at the same time for all universities to
Make More Money. I will use Carleton as an example
(Carleton has a very good basketball team). Carleton sells
season tickets. My proposal is to have those who are
buying season tickets to be asked whether they would be
willing to buy an extra season ticket that would be then
given away free of charge to any student who wanted to
attend the basketball game.

Similarly those walk-up buyers of tickets could be asked
whether they wanted to buy an extra ticket that would be
given free of charge to a grade school or high school
student.

Is there any chance of any University in taking such an
initiative?

Courtside · Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 387

No.
The minimal cost of tickets is not the reason why games in some Unis are poorly attended.

3pt · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 40

Do not most universities, if not all, provide free access to their students to home games? AUS schools provide free access to their students as well as some OUA schools. What about out West? Making a ticket season holder purchase another ticket for something already offered does not make sense.

bballfan33 · Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Posts: 134

The Victoria Vikes have a Kids' Club where school aged kids can join, get a Vikes' Tshirt, all sorts of promotional stuff, get to have time with the team for autographs or shoot arounds. Their home games are packed with kids, and all those kids bring their parents, who pay to get in.

pistol pete · Joined: 18 Nov 2003 Posts: 1653 Location: ottawa

Carleton's ticket prices per game:

Bleacher-non reserved-seats:

Adults $10.00
Students 5.00
Youth-U12 5.00

Stadium-reserved-seats:

Adults $12.00
Students 8.00
Youth 8.00

Carleton season tickets:

Bleacher:

Adults: $85.00
Students 60.00
Youth 65.00

Stadium:

Adults $123.00
Students 85.00
Youth 99.00

Although students are not allowed in for free, the tickets are substantially less than adults.
Interesting that season tickets actually cost more for "youths" than students.

Ottawa U's per game ticket prices are cheaper for both students and adults.
And Ottawa offers an all sports season pass at $80 for adults and $50 for students.
That includes basketball, football, hockey, volleyball, etc.
That's a pretty good bargain

mulauwt · Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 52

Uvic's games are always full because there is honestly nothing else to do out there in Victoria. If you have young kids you either hire a babysitter so you can go out on the town, or you bring them to a basketball game. There is NOTHING else to do.

Courtside · Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 387

Yeah it's pretty much a boring drag to live in Canada's best weather city on the ocean. Nothing much to do there.

Vic does a great job of marketing the games. TV spots, kids packs etc.

Generally teams do no marketing at all save a poster or two. There is very little legitimate reason why gyms are not full given the BB fan has no alternative. I have always believed that schools should hire full time marketing folks ( not just students) to sell the big three sports.

mulauwt · Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 52

just want to remind courtside that the ball season is from early november to march. victoria doesn't have good weather during those months.

bballfan33 · Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Posts: 134

We might need an umbrella to walk from the parking lot to the gym,but at least we don't have to dig ourselves out of a snowdrift if we want to go to a game. Maybe it's been awhile since you've been out this way.

thomassean · Joined: 15 Jul 2010 Posts: 1

Hi, I know I am too late for my opinion. But I just wanted to share that it also happened in our school. Admin wants us to sell tournament tickets to our relatives and friends so that we can raise funds. The only good thing is that they also requires students to watch games or else they won't get their grades.

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