Season Ticket Screw Job

[bleedingTNorange]

That comment wasn't necessarily aimed at the OP's situation, specifically.

Gotcha

 

[cncchris33]

What sport are you talking? From my understanding basketball one time donation omitted you from needing to make another donation to obtain season tickets, you still had to purchase those tickets though…that hasn’t changed, the cost to purchase those tickets has those.

Basketball, and yes, I'm fine with the ticket prices increasing. My issue is messing with any of the donation requirements for the people who had a promise from the university. So, the gallon of gas vs ticket price analogy really isn't a good one in retrospect.

A better analogy would be having a lifetime "fast pass" to Disneyland. You still have to buy a ticket and the price of tickets can fluctuate, but you'd always be allowed to jump the line with fast pass.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Basketball, and yes, I'm fine with the ticket prices increasing. My issue is messing with any of the donation requirements for the people who had a promise from the university. So, the gallon of gas vs ticket price analogy really isn't a good one in retrospect.

A better analogy would be having a lifetime "fast pass" to Disneyland. You still have to buy a ticket and the price of tickets can fluctuate, but you'd always be allowed to jump the line with fast pass.

That’s my point, they haven’t messed with the donation requirement at all with the changes.

 

[walkenvol]

Again, I have no issue with ticket prices going up, in general. I think it's low-rent of the administration to renege on their original they THEY proposed. Danny White, who is an unintended victim of that deal, himself, in a sense, shouldn't have any authority to dissolve that contract.

All other tickets are fair game, just like all other people buying gas are fair game. Increased prices are to be expected.

Seems like an original donor who made that deal would litigate if indeed it was a concrete agreement? Maybe there was some type of clause that allowed future changes to the contract? I have no clue myself other than we live in a world where folks sue left and right for almost anything. If UT violated a legit contract then why are the other parties to those contracts just complaining on an Internet forum in lieu of taking action to enforce their contract?

 

[cncchris33]

Seems like an original donor who made that deal would litigate if indeed it was a concrete agreement? Maybe there was some type of clause that allowed future changes to the contract? I have no clue myself other than we live in a world where folks sue left and right for almost anything. If UT violated a legit contract then why are the other parties to those contracts just complaining on an Internet forum in lieu of taking action to enforce their contract?

You'd have to ask them. My guess is that most are now in later stages of life and are just content to take their money and go spend it elsewhere. My dad and his group love going to games, but they/he isn't likely to spend another dime more to do it, either in litigation or increased cost. I'd guess he's fine with that. He'll stay home and watch it on tv. Can't say how many others will feel the same.

 

[American_PitVol]

Mark Richt has lost control of our AD…

 

[walkenvol]

You'd have to ask them. My guess is that most are now in later stages of life and are just content to take their money and go spend it elsewhere. My dad and his group love going to games, but they/he isn't likely to spend another dime more to do it, either in litigation or increased cost. I'd guess he's fine with that. He'll stay home and watch it on tv. Can't say how many others will feel the same.

My question was is UT really violating a legal contract with all those original donors. While I understand your point about your dad not wanting to go to battle against UT to force their hand, it’s hard to believe there’s no one of the original donors who aren’t pissed off enough to fight it if indeed there is a valid legal contract.

 

[VolArmy74]

There's a long history of doing this in all sports at UT and probably other places as well.

The owners of two historical Knoxville businesses were promised multi generation family legacy seating by General Neyland himself. They each agreed to buy 50 seats in what would become section U and T in exchange for significant funding towards early stadium construction. By the late 90s/early 2000s they were down to 2 and 5 seats respectively and another major price change in 2002 or 2003 saw one of them give up his final 2 legacy tickets. He was in his late 70s by then and did not like Fulmer at all anyway. They offered to move him from U to XX for the same price.

So those deals always have an expiration and it's basically whenever the school wants more money for the seat.

 

[cncchris33]

My question was is UT really violating a legal contract with all those original donors. While I understand your point about your dad not wanting to go to battle against UT to force their hand, it’s hard to believe there’s no one of the original donors who aren’t pissed off enough to fight it if indeed there is a valid legal contract.

I can only say what my understanding is, and that is that in exchange for upfront donations to help construct TBA, those donors were given a lifetime exemption from additional donations and increases. @Thunder Good-Oil can maybe speak with more authority on the subject.

 

[cncchris33]

There's a long history of doing this in all sports at UT and probably other places as well.

The owners of two historical Knoxville businesses were promised multi generation family legacy seating by General Neyland himself. They each agreed to buy 50 seats in what would become section U and T in exchange for significant funding towards early stadium construction. By the late 90s/early 2000s they were down to 2 and 5 seats respectively and another major price change in 2002 or 2003 saw one of them give up his final 2 legacy tickets. He was in his late 70s by then and did not like Fulmer at all anyway. They offered to move him from U to XX for the same price.

So those deals always have an expiration and it's basically whenever the school wants more money for the seat.

That's pretty shameful, and unfortunately, not unprecedented in this case.

 

[VolArmy74]

That's pretty shameful, and unfortunately, not unprecedented in this case.

Once Neyland passed the whittling away started. I'm not sure if anyone has ever taken a school to court over it. Most I've known don't want to spend the money on a legal fight. It's a long and hard process to win vs someone with nearly unlimited funding.

 

[walkenvol]

Once Neyland passed the whittling away started. I'm not sure if anyone has ever taken a school to court over it. Most I've known don't want to spend the money on a legal fight. It's a long and hard process to win vs someone with nearly unlimited funding.

Not saying your wrong, but it seems pretty cut and dry if the donors got a contract?

 

[GoVols15]

You think these upgrades pay for themselves? I’m sure someone else will buy them if you don’t. Prices go up, things change. Gallon of gas was .96 when I started driving, it’s 4.19 now. Thank Capitalism, not Danny White.

If you think gas is going up because of “capitalism” and not government control, you will never understand.

 

[tnvolgolfer]

If you think gas is going up because of “capitalism” and not government control, you will never understand.

Know this basketball, but they did change the donation requirement. We've had 2 in North endzone with one time lifetime donation to pay for enclosing it. This year they required a donation to get them.

 

[GoVols15]

Know this basketball, but they did change the donation requirement. We've had 2 in North endzone with one time lifetime donation to pay for enclosing it. This year they required a donation to get them.

Okay I understand but I was referring to gas prices.

 

[TJVol95]

I remember when you could get lady vol tickets at Weigel’s

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

If you think gas is going up because of “capitalism” and not government control, you will never understand.

Why do we need gas if the earth is flat?

 

[Volfan1000]

I had season tickets during the Wade Houston era.

 

[Raebo]

You think these upgrades pay for themselves? I’m sure someone else will buy them if you don’t. Prices go up, things change. Gallon of gas was .96 when I started driving, it’s 4.19 now. Thank Capitalism, not Danny White.

Without capitalism would you have a car to drive??? (Or a TV, or a computer, or airplanes, or all those Covid vaccines available, etc……..).
I am not saying unfettered capitalism is good but you have to have a fine balance of rules to benefit from capitalism.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Without capitalism would you have a car to drive??? (Or a TV, or a computer, or airplanes, or all those Covid vaccines available, etc……..).
I am not saying unfettered capitalism is good but you have to have a fine balance of rules to benefit from capitalism.

Capitalism good. Corporatism bad. Socialism is stupid. Communism is evil.

 

[GRRN7MAXIMS]

Just got an email that my 3 upper deck season tickets are going from $750 to $1500. No thanks Danny White. Had the same seats on row 4 upper deck for years. Sad he's doing this.

Here are some facts that I have learned about my 3 basketball season tickets in 331A row 1. I posted my allvols transaction from last year which was 750 plus 30$ processing. The same seats this year for me to renew are $1520. I was never grandfathered in to these seats as I bought them last year. So, my amount due did truly go up double. I unfortunately will not be renewing this year. To each is own though. I understand all of it and why for the most part but if people are going to pay these new prices and are ok doing it than it is what it is. I’ll continue to renew my football tickets in Z11 as those prices did not jump double. If you were not grandfathered in to Z11 which no one is anymore, you actually pay less than you would have last year.

 

[CAVPUT]

Know it's frustrating, but like any other product, there comes a point where the return on the investment simply isn't worth it anymore. I reached that point in football during the Dooley era. My family had had tickets since the pie in the sky days and I'd moved into the Terrace. Got to the point with travel, lodging, food, etc to go along with the donations that it just wasn't worth it for me anymore. Haven't been back to see a game live since. Nothing like seeing an event in person, but at the end of the day it is a business. Perhaps if attendance drops as a result, they'll reconsider their pricing model. Sad that a fan like the OP who truly loves watching and supporting is being priced out of something he cherishes.

 

[volfaninky]

Know it's frustrating, but like any other product, there comes a point where the return on the investment simply isn't worth it anymore. I reached that point in football during the Dooley era. My family had had tickets since the pie in the sky days and I'd moved into the Terrace. Got to the point with travel, lodging, food, etc to go along with the donations that it just wasn't worth it for me anymore. Haven't been back to see a game live since. Nothing like seeing an event in person, but at the end of the day it is a business. Perhaps if attendance drops as a result, they'll reconsider their pricing model. Sad that a fan like the OP who truly loves watching and supporting is being priced out of something he cherishes.

I understand why you feel that way but you aren’t forced to sit in the Terrace and pay those prices. I love Y6 for this very reason. Fabulous entry, better corridor, fabulous view and doesn’t break the bank like other areas that watch the exact same game we do.

 

[VolGee4]

Know it's frustrating, but like any other product, there comes a point where the return on the investment simply isn't worth it anymore. I reached that point in football during the Dooley era. My family had had tickets since the pie in the sky days and I'd moved into the Terrace. Got to the point with travel, lodging, food, etc to go along with the donations that it just wasn't worth it for me anymore. Haven't been back to see a game live since. Nothing like seeing an event in person, but at the end of the day it is a business. Perhaps if attendance drops as a result, they'll reconsider their pricing model. Sad that a fan like the OP who truly loves watching and supporting is being priced out of something he cherishes.

Doesn’t have to be all or nothing though. I’m 6 hours away and can only go to 1-2 games per year. Demand will be higher this year, but I got 2 tickets last year against South Carolina in section A after the single game tickets went on sale. They were great seats.

Just like everything, entertainment prices have gone up. But for those that can afford it, even going to a couple of games per year will start selling out the stadium.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

There are a few $250 cheap seats available ATM.