How do we get people to Wallace Wade on Saturday?

[HereBeforeCoachK]

The fact that Stray feels this way is both disturbing and sad.

I can attest, Stray travels for games. Had the (all too brief) pleasure of meeting him in South Bend.

This state of affairs is concerning.

The state of affairs is indeed concerning. I have never been able to get the horror of 59-7 out of my system. After we routed Temple and started out pretty good this season, I was trying to convince myself that it was just me....but in the last few weeks, with more perspective, I think something went south right before that day or that day, or as a result of that day...since then the total beat downs have been routine.

[dm9e24]

Have had season tickets since the Red Wilson days. I will probably buy that 6 games for $120 package if they still have it to show some support.

[devildeac]

Have had season tickets since the Red Wilson days. I will probably buy that 6 games for $120 package if they still have it to show some support.

Our GA tix, aka the cheep seats with Bob Green and family, were $77, IIRC, for this season's 6 games, plus $15 processing plus $15 for mailing .

[uh_no]

A small point, but they are not mutually exclusive.

no. but when they roll out the security theatre more draconian than anyone else, they're diminishing the value while benefitting exactly nobody. when they can't bother to oversee the volunteers staffing concessions, they demonstrate they won't put in effort. When they prevent you from leaving and reentering (except for merchandise, of course), they tell you your value is only as much as the money you're willing to spend. When they refused beer sales even after the other universities in the triangle hopped on board, they showed they couldn't be bothered to try to figure out a way to enable it safely at duke.

These kind of things overshadow any small things they might do. At the very least, I'd expect the pasta at the fundraiser to be cooked.

When the product on the field is providing 0 value, and you put up more barriers than moving walkways, nobody is going to show up. Right now the best part of gameday is the parking lot beforehand, unfortunately.

[chrishoke]

no. but when they roll out the security theatre more draconian than anyone else, they're diminishing the value while benefitting exactly nobody. when they can't bother to oversee the volunteers staffing concessions, they demonstrate they won't put in effort. When they prevent you from leaving and reentering (except for merchandise, of course), they tell you your value is only as much as the money you're willing to spend. When they refused beer sales even after the other universities in the triangle hopped on board, they showed they couldn't be bothered to try to figure out a way to enable it safely at duke.

These kind of things overshadow any small things they might do. At the very least, I'd expect the pasta at the fundraiser to be cooked.

When the product on the field is providing 0 value, and you put up more barriers than moving walkways, nobody is going to show up. Right now the best part of gameday is the parking lot beforehand, unfortunately.

I agree with all of that. It's not rocket science and it is unfathomable to me that Duke doesn't address these issues. It does indeed feel like an intentional FU to us fans. I have had season tickets for 55 years.

[Stray Gator]

Our GA tix, aka the cheep seats with Bob Green and family, were $77, IIRC, for this season's 6 games, plus $15 processing plus $15 for mailing .

FWIW, our Duke football season tickets this year cost $333 each, plus $30 for shipping and handling, plus an additional $70 for parking passes -- a total of $766.

As a comparison, our Florida football season tickets this year cost $380 each, plus $15 for shipping and handling -- a total of $775. (We park for free at a friend's house near the stadium.)

Granted, our seats at Wallace Wade are on the 45-yard line (used to be on the 50-yard line before they moved the field), while our seats at the Swamp are only at the 20-yard line. On the other hand, when you compare the security policies, the concession stand operations, and the general game-day experience, it's no contest. The UFAA not only endeavors to enhance that experience for the fans (for example, by providing $1 bottles of water and cooling stations on hot days, upgraded wifi in the stadium, TV monitors in the concourses near the concession stands, etc.), but seems genuinely interested in making the fans feel welcome and appreciated.

[Bob Green]

I really, really dislike the security policies. They are not necessary and do not make anyone safer.

[devildeac]

FWIW, our Duke football season tickets this year cost $333 each, plus $30 for shipping and handling, plus an additional $70 for parking passes -- a total of $766.

As a comparison, our Florida football season tickets this year cost $380 each, plus $15 for shipping and handling -- a total of $775. (We park for free at a friend's house near the stadium.)

Granted, our seats at Wallace Wade are on the 45-yard line (used to be on the 50-yard line before they moved the field), while our seats at the Swamp are only at the 20-yard line. On the other hand, when you compare the security policies, the concession stand operations, and the general game-day experience, it's no contest. The UFAA not only endeavors to enhance that experience for the fans (for example, by providing $1 bottles of water and cooling stations on hot days, upgraded wifi in the stadium, TV monitors in the concourses near the concession stands, etc.), but seems genuinely interested in making the fans feel welcome and appreciated.

That's a great comparison/perspective, Stray. Thanks!

[sagegrouse]

I really, really dislike the security policies. They are not necessary and do not make anyone safer.

Just an observation. The new much tighter security procedures occurred not long after NBA Commish Adam Silver became a Duke Trustee. Our procedures seem very similar to the NBA's.

Hmmm....

[budwom]

no. but when they roll out the security theatre more draconian than anyone else, they're diminishing the value while benefitting exactly nobody. when they can't bother to oversee the volunteers staffing concessions, they demonstrate they won't put in effort. When they prevent you from leaving and reentering (except for merchandise, of course), they tell you your value is only as much as the money you're willing to spend. When they refused beer sales even after the other universities in the triangle hopped on board, they showed they couldn't be bothered to try to figure out a way to enable it safely at duke.

These kind of things overshadow any small things they might do. At the very least, I'd expect the pasta at the fundraiser to be cooked.

When the product on the field is providing 0 value, and you put up more barriers than moving walkways, nobody is going to show up. Right now the best part of gameday is the parking lot beforehand, unfortunately.

You are on a solid roll, Mr (or Ms) Uh No. We've had season tickets since 1985, and the general attitude towards fans has never really changed (except the security, as you say, is over the top now)...they send out periodic questionnaires to ask us our opinions, then routinely disregard them.
A couple of years ago I was so appalled at the concessions horror show (hot day, big Va TEch contingent on the East side), and the five or six folks (volunteers, I know) bumbled around barely serving anyone...to the point where I called out the manager, pointed out the huge line which wasn't moving, and asked him to start getting people water. It was a HUGE embarrassment. The next day I contacted a young Corrigan in the athletic department...he noted what I had to say, there was miniscule improvement the following weeks, then back to the usual pitiful service.
No one in the dept seems to understand the insanity (and uniqueness) of the tiny bag security policy...for a lot of women who like to carry some necessities, the size of the bag limit is simply ludicrous.
I consider myself totally addicted to the football experience and will continue to come long distances no matter what, but I have absolutely no problem understanding why our crowds are smaller then they should be, fully taking account the inherent disadvantages we have (smallish private school surrounded by state school fans).
When you start losing fans like Stray Gator, you have to think you're not doing things well at all...

[OldPhiKap]

When you start losing fans like Stray Gator, you have to think you're not doing things well at all...

This, exactly.

[throatybeard]

Just curious, but how many St. Louis Cardinal games do you attend each year? If I remember correctly, you are a fan of the Cards as am I. GoDuke and GoRedbirds!

Like two or three. Typically, opening day and the last RS game, and UMSL Day, which is a Friday on one side or the other of 11 September. This year, I missed opening day because I had to teach, so I saw only UMSL Day, the last RS game, and NLDS Game 3.

(I had tickets to NLCS Game 6, which never took place because the Cardinals turned in possibly the worst performance in the fifty-year history of the League Championship Series).

In 2017, I bought the $30/month standing room pass. Eighty games, all you can eat. (Opening day blacked out). I made it to two, one of which was Yadi bobblehead day.

Attending sports live is for people with a lot of time on their hands. I have more than some in the summer months, which is exactly when I don't want to be at Busch. April, May, and October are good.

With 2020 Yadi's probably swan song, I have to do better next season. Throaty's last baseball stand.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

You are on a solid roll, Mr (or Ms) Uh No. We've had season tickets since 1985, and the general attitude towards fans has never really changed (except the security, as you say, is over the top now)...they send out periodic questionnaires to ask us our opinions, then routinely disregard them.
A couple of years ago I was so appalled at the concessions horror show (hot day, big Va TEch contingent on the East side), and the five or six folks (volunteers, I know) bumbled around barely serving anyone...to the point where I called out the manager, pointed out the huge line which wasn't moving, and asked him to start getting people water. It was a HUGE embarrassment. The next day I contacted a young Corrigan in the athletic department...he noted what I had to say, there was miniscule improvement the following weeks, then back to the usual pitiful service.
No one in the dept seems to understand the insanity (and uniqueness) of the tiny bag security policy...for a lot of women who like to carry some necessities, the size of the bag limit is simply ludicrous.
I consider myself totally addicted to the football experience and will continue to come long distances no matter what, but I have absolutely no problem understanding why our crowds are smaller then they should be, fully taking account the inherent disadvantages we have (smallish private school surrounded by state school fans).
When you start losing fans like Stray Gator, you have to think you're not doing things well at all...

I concur on the security foolishness. I enter the stadium through a line designated medical. Nevertheless, overzealous security employees have tried to demonstrate how my little bag doesn't fit in their little wooden model. Only recently has a sign been posted with Medical Line on it. The current employee acts more suitably, but who knows what obstacles will be there next year.

Regarding the size of bag allowed, why not go with the NFL standard like everyone else has??

[budwom]

Maybe we could use TSA pre-check or Global Entry, anything with at least a tad of logic surrounding it.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Maybe we could use TSA pre-check or Global Entry, anything with at least a tad of logic surrounding it.

I often make note of how amazed I am that given the incredible amount of intelligence on campus at Duke, there is an amazing dearth of common sense and logic.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I often make note of how amazed I am that given the incredible amount of intelligence on campus at Duke, there is an amazing dearth of common sense and logic.

Little anecdote here...at one point years ago, Duke Medical Center hired the Parking Director for the U of South Carolina to come manage the garages and parking for Duke Med. My company was a vendor at Duke Med for some maintenance responsibilities at the garages and lots. A few months into the job, he said he was astounded how overly bureaucratic and incompetent so many of the basic administration personnel was. I remember him telling me that he was shocked that a "world class university" could be run so poorly in so many areas. He said he was up against more incompetent bureaucracy at Duke than he was at the large public U of South Carolina, and it was the opposite of what he anticipated. After a couple of years he returned to run the City of Columbia parking...so he got a nice bump in the career ladder by being at Duke for a couple of years, but he was very disappointed in the university.

I never forgot that, obviously...and as I read about some of the disasters around the concessions and the security at Duke FB games, it's just SHM over and over again. I am surprised that Coach K and Cut have put up with it. Maybe K can get things done, but I remember some disaster with student seating surrounding a UNC game at Cameron too...so maybe not even K can get the deadwood canned. Another thing, a LOT of people who work at Duke...are not Duke fans. Many are Cheaters fans. Just sayin...

[throatybeard]

Wait....if you don’t eat tailgate food, what do you eat???

Plants-based meals my wife and I cook in our kitchen, or in the kitchens of AirBnBs when traveling.

Vegans aren't particularly welcome at tailgate, and that's not even getting into why I became vegan, which was the blood pressure/sodium issue. I basically don't dine out--occasionally go to restaurants for the express purpose of conversing with the other party, and there find a stupid raw salad so that I have something to do with my hands/be polite. But nearly all prepared food in the United States carries colossal levels of sodium, almost everyone has developed a tolerance to these high levels of sodium (and so claim that extremely salty food isn't salty), and it isn't reasonable to expect servers/kitchen staff to understand this and adjust to it. So I don't ask them to.

Would that Duke Football concessions could reliably deliver water. I like cold water. If I end up at a tailgate, someone probably has iced tea.

[throatybeard]

Little anecdote here...at one point years ago, Duke Medical Center hired the Parking Director for the U of South Carolina to come manage the garages and parking for Duke Med. My company was a vendor at Duke Med for some maintenance responsibilities at the garages and lots. A few months into the job, he said he was astounded how overly bureaucratic and incompetent so many of the basic administration personnel was. I remember him telling me that he was shocked that a "world class university" could be run so poorly in so many areas. He said he was up against more incompetent bureaucracy at Duke than he was at the large public U of South Carolina, and it was the opposite of what he anticipated. After a couple of years he returned to run the City of Columbia parking...so he got a nice bump in the career ladder by being at Duke for a couple of years, but he was very disappointed in the university.

I never forgot that, obviously...and as I read about some of the disasters around the concessions and the security at Duke FB games, it's just SHM over and over again. I am surprised that Coach K and Cut have put up with it. Maybe K can get things done, but I remember some disaster with student seating surrounding a UNC game at Cameron too...so maybe not even K can get the deadwood canned. Another thing, a LOT of people who work at Duke...are not Duke fans. Many are Cheaters fans. Just sayin...

^ This is the part of it that confounds me. These guys don't tolerate Mickey Mouse. And yet Duke sports gameday is an avalanche of halfarse. I guess you're right--we overestimate the amount of influence these guys have, apparently.

[uh_no]

^ This is the part of it that confounds me. These guys don't tolerate Mickey Mouse. And yet Duke sports gameday is an avalanche of halfarse. I guess you're right--we overestimate the amount of influence these guys have, apparently.

i don't think members of the program really care much about gameday experience. If coach K came out very publicly against the security measures in place, i'm sure something would get done.

Cut obviously has more to lose from such measures, and I think would be more willing to entertain the complaints, but also less ability to do anything about it.

[budwom]

Yea, K and Cutcliffe don't have to put up with nonsense, they can change what they want to change...but for the rest of us, we're at the mercy of the athletic department.
Case in point about Cufcliffe changing stuff: when he was first hired, I wrote him a letter noting the insane policy of not opening the parking lot gates for noon games (of which there have been plenty) until 11 a.m, just absolutely stupid for a program that wants to encourage fan support and tailgating. I had tried calling the athletic dept about this particular issue to absolutely no avail, but Cutcliffe fixed it promptly.

Unfortunately, there seems to be no one who is smart, motivated, and authorized to take responsibility for the fan's gameday experience.
Inertia rules.

All sorts of small stuff also amazes me...ever notice when Duke is actually doing well, offense moving down the field (it does happen), there's a timeout, and suddenly the scoreboard is promoting some pea and shell game or some other inanity which only serves as a buzz kill...