I think no more than a movie ticket and perhaps free for kids. The biggest complaint for me is that the visitors side of the stadium can get very hot and the sun can make it hard to see. That is an issue for many.
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I hesitate to reply to this thread, lest i say too much. My problem is my son is special needs, uses a walker, and distances over 20 or 30 yards are very difficult for him. The handicapped parking (formerly free) places used to be in the Iron Dukes parking lot, at the bottom of the hill where you go up to cameron and WW. They had golf-cart thingies that would take you from that parking lot up to the loop. Sam had, at best, a 15yard walk to the gates...now, everything is different.
we had to park in the whitford (paid) and come all the way around the entire stadium to ride the elevator down to the field level (scoreboard end) cross the field at the end zone to access the handicap seating, because there's no ramp access to those seats on that side. probably 300 yards total... sheesh...
#2. the sun is blistering on that side. sorry to sound like a whimp, but that's one of the things that keep us from going...the kids hate it..
#3 spotty cell service and slow wifi...
i told y'all i shouldn't have replied.
When I was at Notre Dame for the Duke game three years ago, I paid over $100 and there were 82,000 people there. Using my mindless extrapolation techniques, Notre Dame earned $8.2 million for one game.
I checked season ticket prices. Notre Dame has an "annual membership" for each kind of seat -- shades of Cameron! Combining seat price plus memberships shows a range of $1,150 to $4,200 for the six-game 2019 season. So, $190 to $700 per game. My mindless estimate looks low.
I do not disagree with your base point I was merely pointing out $6 per ticket was low (~ 240% low if my weak math skills are not failing me). Concession Stand profits from increased attendance would easily make up for the price of admission.
Free parking was made available several years ago but it didn't have any noticeable impact on attendance. Personally, I never had an issue paying $10 to park but free is better.
As a multi-year season ticket holder, the special discount tickets that are routinely made available tend to irritate me. Offering $5 general admission tickets to folks who live in Durham zip codes for example. Excuse me...I paid a very reasonable full price times four and drive 3.5 hours from Virginia to attend the game so how about giving me something. What does Duke give to all the year in, year out loyal season ticket holders? Nothing!
But I love watching Duke football in Wallace Wade Stadium so I'll keep coming and watching as long as I am able. I've lots of wonderful memories from years past and I hope to have lots more wonderful experiences in the years to come.
Like you, Bob, I buy four cheap season tickets. My kids are all grown and I don't need to buy but one ticket, but I do it for support. I try to give them away locally in my town. I make it to about about 3-4 games a year.
Free was not my idea. I took it from another poster. But I like it. It's time to think way outside the box. And a consistently filled Wade would interject life into a longtime lifeless program, with sincere apologies to Cut, who is administering CPR at an incredible pace.
Another angle could be, buy a ticket for $1 and get $5 in in stadium food/gear credits.
I can only admire what Cut had done for Duke football. Overcoming the damage done over an extended period of time prior to Cut’s tenure will require a great hook to attract and grow a new local fan base.
As noted in another thread, this also requires taking risks like playing teams like ECU and App State that will draw in fans of other NC teams.
Duke athletics has a decision to make in the short term. What is more important, a full stadium or in stadium revenue (tickets, concessions, etc)? Duke faces the challenge of making football a must attend event that if you are in town, you’d be foolish to miss.
Raffle off an autographed football, and an autographed basketball, at every game. The ticket is free, but you gotta be present to win.
Beer sales.
Upgraded concessions.
Better parking and less hassle to get there.
All of those are neat gimmicks. But a steady diet of 10-2 and 9-3 puts butts in the seats. You gotta make folks want to sit in the sun when they can just sit in their recliners. You have to make the atmosphere such that you feel like you are missing something by not being there.
The raffle idea is brilliant.
Raffle upgraded seats, a box, or even pregame/post game sideline access.
I agree in principle a lot of ideas to generate attendance are gimmicks.
The sun and heat do present a challenge- give away Duke umbrellas or Duke umbrella hats?
If those gimmicks create an enjoyable experience, there is the opportunity to cultivate loyalty.
If Daniel Jones becomes a star, things might change.
wait. there’s no beer????
We’ve had Duke- UNC games jammed packed in the past decade so it can happen.
Our depth to withstand injuries is a key factor for beating teams we usually compete with - UNC, UVA, WF, PITT. MIA and VT are usually only a good target when we’re up and they’re down.
Exactly, you have to build a local base.
I have gone to more bowl games and away games than home games in the last ten years because I am in Georgia. The only games I know that I will make this year are the games against Bama in ATL and then our bowl games. I am comfortable to say that I support our football team more than many — but getting to Durham is tough. LOCAL folks need a reason to go.
I'd avoid 15-501 and Erwin and take Pickett. Get on 751 only briefly before parking in the neighborhoods, ideally on Cranford. Put the parking money saved into some good local beer and then walk in, hoping not to be run over due to the egregious lack of sidewalks. But that's just me.
I would hope that members of the athletic department, with more exact revenue/attendance/concession numbers are doing this kind of analysis regularly. While I don't doubt we might have more creative ideas at times, I'm skeptical that the department would get something as basic as the effect of ticket price on attendance and concessions wrong...but who knows?
This year is interesting with the schedule backloaded with home games...which will hopefully make for some great weather. We could see some good crowds for those last 3 games, and only the A&T game looks like a (hopefully...) snoozer. Ideally we won't lay offensive eggs in the others...regularly going significant portions of home games without scoring is so hard to get up for...half our home games <=14 points last year.
ready for it to get goin'.