FB: 2015 Schedule

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I ordered tickets today for our season opener against Tulane. . .figured Duke Football was a great excuse to get back to NOLA, where I haven't been since visiting the Superdome for the last Saints preseason game two days before Katrina. It's going to be swampy on September 2nd, but at least the game doesn't kick off until 8:30p local time.

Anyone else making the trip? Any thoughts/commentary from those who have been to Tulane home games in recent years?

Our fifth title in hoops still has me buzzing, but the anticipation of another promising gridiron slate has me buzzing nearly as much. Never thought I'd see the day.

I plan to be there along with several folks from my tailgate group. Tulane will be playing in their new stadium on campus. The stadium was completed in time for the 2014 season.

BTW The game is Thursday, September 3.

[Bob Green]

BTW The game is Thursday, September 3.

100 days from today.

[OldPhiKap]

I plan to be there along with several folks from my tailgate group. Tulane will be playing in their new stadium on campus. The stadium was completed in time for the 2014 season.

BTW The game is Thursday, September 3.

I will be unable to make that trip but will be cheering from points beyond.

100 days and counting.

LGD!!!

[Tripping William]

100 days and counting.

With a "C." As in "Cutcliffe." 😀 🏈

[Dev11]

I'm probably going, just need to actually book flights and whatnot. Not a bad excuse to take a vacation in New Orleans.

[DU82]

Four of us are going. I'm the only one in the group that's never been to NOLA. Asked them if there was anything interesting to do there besides the game.

[IsInTheDetails]

I plan to be there along with several folks from my tailgate group. Tulane will be playing in their new stadium on campus. The stadium was completed in time for the 2014 season.

BTW The game is Thursday, September 3.

Righto - Thanks, DiBD for correcting my mistake. Details got lost in the anticipation!

Hopefully New Orleans will be a draw for a decent number of Duke fans. From what I saw making my travel arrangements, both flights and hotels can be had for good prices, and there's no shortage of great food and great music to enjoy before/after the game. I look forward to some celebratory beignets after watching Shaq and Jela run through (and Shaun run around) the Green Wave.

[-jk]

Four of us are going. I'm the only one in the group that's never been to NOLA. Asked them if there was anything interesting to do there besides the game.

Alas, the great Pete Fountain has retired. Could've gotten you great seats! (Even if it could've been in Biloxi!)

-jk

[OldPhiKap]

I'm probably going, just need to actually book flights and whatnot. Not a bad excuse to take a vacation in New Orleans.

There are no bad excuses for going to New Orleans.

But I sure as hell have come back with a few.

("Honey, see, it was like this . . . .")


;-)

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I will be unable to make that trip but will be cheering from points beyond.

100 days and counting.

LGD!!!

I'm so sorry to learn this because I had hoped you'd be on hand. You'll be missed!

Preview: I plan to take my good tiara.

[OldPhiKap]

I'm so sorry to learn this because I had hoped you'd be on hand. You'll be missed!

Preview: I plan to take my good tiara.

Alas, kids are back in school and it is hard to get away during the week.

I didn't know they made tiaras in royal blue houndstooth. I am sure you carry it well!

[IsInTheDetails]

I'm sure many of you received the same email from GoDuke today, but I wanted to make sure folks are aware that for only $10/ticket, you can sponsor local military & first responders to attend a game in Wallace Wade. This seems like an easy, inexpensive way to help fill the stands and continue to build Duke Football's brand and fan base.

"Last year, with the support of Duke supporters such as yourselves, our Salute A Soldier program was able to show over three thousand military service members a night to remember in Wallace Wade! This year, we are expanding our program and introducing Heroes Corner, where we will honor our military as well as First Responders in the local community.

We have received tremendous support already from our Duke Family. Donation tickets are only $10, and through next Friday, Duke will be matching every ticket donated. To make a donation please CLICK HERE."

[Reilly]

... for only $10/ticket, you can sponsor local military & first responders to attend a game in Wallace Wade. ...

" ... through next Friday, Duke will be matching every ticket donated ... "

Maybe I'm too cynical. Couldn't Duke donate free tickets to X number of military and first responders without me giving Duke $10 to do so? Wouldn't that be a great thing, and why does Duke need my $10 to do it? I mean, if the seats are sitting there unusued, Duke giving the tickets away:

(a) creates a better atmosophere;
(b) maybe helps the team;
(c) looks better on TV;
(d) ups the receipts at the concession stands; and
(e) rewards folks who have chosen work that is for the benefit of all of us.

Seems Duke could do all of that, for all of those good reasons, without my $10. But of course it is DUKE which beneifts from me giving $10, not the military and first responders. Maybe I'll give $10 to the local First Aid crew, and tell them if they want, use it for food for the kitchen, or supplies, or to go scalp a ticket to Wallace Wade.

[ChillinDuke]

Maybe I'm too cynical. Couldn't Duke donate free tickets to X number of military and first responders without me giving Duke $10 to do so? Wouldn't that be a great thing, and why does Duke need my $10 to do it? I mean, if the seats are sitting there unusued, Duke giving the tickets away:

(a) creates a better atmosophere;
(b) maybe helps the team;
(c) looks better on TV;
(d) ups the receipts at the concession stands; and
(e) rewards folks who have chosen work that is for the benefit of all of us.

Seems Duke could do all of that, for all of those good reasons, without my $10. But of course it is DUKE which beneifts from me giving $10, not the military and first responders. Maybe I'll give $10 to the local First Aid crew, and tell them if they want, use it for food for the kitchen, or supplies, or to go scalp a ticket to Wallace Wade.

While I share your sentiments, $10 seems like a reasonable, non-punitive sum of money for this sort of gesture that I'm hardly about to get worked up over it. (And I'm Italian - so I rather enjoy getting worked up. )

Further to your comment, it always seems a bit ridiculous how money-hungry these universities are for institutions that are supposed to be devoted to a higher cause. Don't they get special tax treatment too? And aren't they non-profit? And don't they charge exorbitantly for their services to begin with (at least in Duke's case for a standard, non-financial-aid student)?

It's ridiculous. But at $10, it's not worth my irritation. I just paid.

Now...those airline bag fees...

- Chillin

[IsInTheDetails]

While I share your sentiments, $10 seems like a reasonable, non-punitive sum of money for this sort of gesture that I'm hardly about to get worked up over it. (And I'm Italian - so I rather enjoy getting worked up. )

Further to your comment, it always seems a bit ridiculous how money-hungry these universities are for institutions that are supposed to be devoted to a higher cause. Don't they get special tax treatment too? And aren't they non-profit? And don't they charge exorbitantly for their services to begin with (at least in Duke's case for a standard, non-financial-aid student)?

It's ridiculous. But at $10, it's not worth my irritation. I just paid.

Now...those airline bag fees...

- Chillin

Yeah, it's hard to get worked up about $10. If they wanted face value (whatever that is), I could imagine being annoyed. I imagine the $10 roughly offsets Duke's cost of actually creating and managing this (worthwhile) program, with the seats basically given away for free. I have no problem with that, and it's a fine way for me to support (a) good people in the community and (b) a football program I care about. Low-hanging fruit.

[Reilly]

It's not the amount of the donation; it's the principle of paying Duke to do something charitable, and (maybe) the principle of Duke using the military/first responder feel-good story to increase ticket sales. Do you think that thought went through Duke's collective head -- that is, this thought: "hey, lets increase ticket revenue by having folks buy $10 tickets for 1000 military members for every game -- that's $10K per game, and $60K for the season." Is that part of the thought process?

If somebody pays me $10, I'll go work for an hour putting together packets for the Special Olympics -- I'll use the money for gas, honest. Is this any different?

Is Duke giving the folks hot dogs and Cokes? If so, that seems better -- Duke will give the seat, and then my $10 goes to pay the cost of a meal as my part of the "thank you."

Again, if Duke simply wants to thank military and first responders, it can do that by giving away excess tickets on its own -- it doesn't need my money to do that.

Duke infamously charged $115 for a pre-game football tailgate @Miami last year I think it was. That was to recoup cost, apparently. Color me suspicious.

Maybe money's money -- I could give money to the Iron Dukes to help run the sports program, and Duke in its wisdom could give some tix away as a feel-good gesture ... or I could give a little less money to the Iron Duke to help run the sports program, and then give $10 more via this donation to help float this endeavor. Just different revenue streams, I guess, all going to one enterprise -- Duke (which does do a lot of good in this world, even if the hot dog costs $84 and the Coke $33).

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Duke isn't just asking fans to pay for the tickets for military or first responders. Duke reduced the purchase price of each ticket and will match each ticket purchased in this campaign with another ticket. If this doesn't appeal to you, don't do it. I view it as a gesture to involve fans in some sort of project related to the football program.

[AustinDevil]

It's not the amount of the donation; it's the principle of paying Duke to do something charitable, and (maybe) the principle of Duke using the military/first responder feel-good story to increase ticket sales. Do you think that thought went through Duke's collective head -- that is, this thought: "hey, lets increase ticket revenue by having folks buy $10 tickets for 1000 military members for every game -- that's $10K per game, and $60K for the season." Is that part of the thought process?

If somebody pays me $10, I'll go work for an hour putting together packets for the Special Olympics -- I'll use the money for gas, honest. Is this any different?

Is Duke giving the folks hot dogs and Cokes? If so, that seems better -- Duke will give the seat, and then my $10 goes to pay the cost of a meal as my part of the "thank you."

Again, if Duke simply wants to thank military and first responders, it can do that by giving away excess tickets on its own -- it doesn't need my money to do that.

Duke infamously charged $115 for a pre-game football tailgate @Miami last year I think it was. That was to recoup cost, apparently. Color me suspicious.

Maybe money's money -- I could give money to the Iron Dukes to help run the sports program, and Duke in its wisdom could give some tix away as a feel-good gesture ... or I could give a little less money to the Iron Duke to help run the sports program, and then give $10 more via this donation to help float this endeavor. Just different revenue streams, I guess, all going to one enterprise -- Duke (which does do a lot of good in this world, even if the hot dog costs $84 and the Coke $33).

This is a lot of analysis for a minor promotion in which you do not plan to participate. The major point of agreement I would have is that money is indeed fungible, so no need for the "maybe."

On the merits of the promotion, bear in mind that attendance stats do not include tickets that are given away, so perhaps, in addition to having fans enjoy the sentiment of bringing new potential fans to the game, one specific benefit of the promotion is that these become tickets that count for attendance.

[Reilly]

This is a lot of analysis for a minor promotion in which you do not plan to participate. The major point of agreement I would have is that money is indeed fungible, so no need for the "maybe."

On the merits of the promotion, bear in mind that attendance stats do not include tickets that are given away, so perhaps, in addition to having fans enjoy the sentiment of bringing new potential fans to the game, one specific benefit of the promotion is that these become tickets that count for attendance.

Is the quantity of my analysis a problem for you? I care about the Duke football program and have given way more analysis to other aspects of the program over the years. I also care about Duke, noting the false notes it sometimes strikes in certain areas (not saying it has done so here -- was legitimately questioning if maybe it somehow was).

[sagegrouse]

Is the quantity of my analysis a problem for you? I care about the Duke football program and have given way more analysis to other aspects of the program over the years. I also care about Duke, noting the false notes it sometimes strikes in certain areas (not saying it has done so here -- was legitimately questioning if maybe it somehow was).

I dunno, Reilly. Duke has a big-time sports program, ranking around 25-30 in total revenue. So, as either cause or effect, it creates a marketing program to build the reputation of Duke athletics (it's sometimes called a brand). The marketing folks have ideas and take actions -- some are good and some are bad. This promotion strikes me as kinda uninspired.

But, to me, it's not a big deal ...And, of course, some of the marketing budget is wasted -- just like in every other entity that has one.

Kindly,
Sage