According to various emails I’ve received from fans, Riley personally called them asking to renew season tickets. Then later I heard it was just a voice recording. Can people really not tell the difference between Riley and a recording? Hint: when you ask about Langsdorf’s kidney, he talks about the big showdown with Portland State.
Maybe it’s a mix of the two, and he’s calling select fans?
Either way, I never heard of this happening in the past. This all tells me ticket sales are down. Of course, OSU, in their infinite wisdom, choose a marketing method from 1950 to drum up excitement. If this doesn’t work, look for personalized “hip hip hooray” messages from the OSU Pony Express passenger pigeon division.
If people are not renewing tickets because they are fed up with the program’s direction then I’m sure they would relish a call from the head man himself to tell him why.
But then again I’m sure if Riley is personally calling former ticket holders it’s only the ones in the expensive seats. My phone is safe.
How old are the fans getting the call? I can’t imagine that he’d actually call fans and talk to them. Unless they were long time season ticket holders.
I’ve hardly been alone in predicting a signifcant fall-off in season ticket renewals, but a check of the archives will show that I’ve been consistently predicting isince last November that THIS is the year that the “dam” (no pun intended) would break. In my little micro-universe of fans that I hang out with, tailgate, etc., 3 have cut back, 2 standing pat. Every instinct I have as a fan tells me that BDC’s recent blast about aiming for the Rose Bowl was a symptom of what the ticket office has probably told him. As for the AB vibe I think that truly for the first time, what we’ve collectively called for in this forum has finally arrived: a sense of accountability. The easy contract roll-over hasn’t changed but I honestly do believe that Riley is finally feeling the heat, and that’s a good thing.
Agree. Riley asked, this year for the first time, to do a come-on for season ticket sales, would tell him that it would be very good to do better than 6-6 this year. So I think I expect that he will.
Latest reports of the OL being dinged up and thin sound strangely familiar. Until OSU has a coaching staff that’s capable of recruiting OL and DL it’s going to be the same ‘ole; same ‘ole.
If Dr. Ray gave a rat’s ass about the athletic department he’d fire bobby today.
“If Dr. Ray gave a rat’s ass about the athletic department he’d fire bobby today.”
If I were rich (which I’m not) and had lots of rich OSU alums as friends (which I don’t), I’d get my group together and demand (and get) a meeting with Dr. Ray. At that meeting, I’d make the case that BDC needs to retire — asap.
BDC is a classic example of a guy who is all about the status quo, in a situation where change is badly needed. The longer BDC hangs around, the worse for OSU athletics (and for OSU in general).
Ousting BDC is the single best thing that could happen to OSU Athletics right now. No doubt in my mind about that….
Begs the question: Is every OSU alum poor?
The wealthy ones don’t bother with OSU athletics
Why not?
And there are wealthy ex-athletes, so we know there are wealthy alums who at least like sports.
I received the call/voice mail last week. It was a recording. My first thought was also, ticket sales must be down, but didnt know if this recording isnt the norm since this is the first year I havent renewed early in the last 5 years.
In a related note, I have several Duck fans who arent renewing this season either. Complaints of it being just too big of a time commitment are the most common.(all people driving from the Portland area)
I am surprised at that (Duck fans not renewing). A Heisman candidate returning QB, reasonable chance to be very high in the rankings again….. are they bored with success?
I doubt ticket sales will be down. With the CW being a home game I believe they usually see a bump of about 2k tickets. So I suppose it comes down to what you consider down to be. A similar number to last year should be viewed as a major disappointment. Heck if you get the cheap season ticket package you can almost make all your money back just selling the CW ticket if UofO has a good season.
First sign renewals were struggling was extending the deadline 3 weeks. My guess is there will be less renewals but attendance will end up being about the same. I think having so many 7:00 pm games last year really beat people down. That and the last 2 games (USC and the Udrubbing) left a very bad taste in many peoples mouths (even the blue hairs.)
If the PAC 12 keeps their promise and the schedule comes out with less 7:00 pm start times people will go. I’ll renew because any games I couldn’t make it to I was able to sell the tickets on stubhub over face.
We really need a big push for younger alumni anyway. I wonder if people know that if your under 30 you don’t need to make a donation. Just pay for the tickets.
First step is we really need a great team to root for this year….
I think also having a Thursday game on the schedule doesn’t help. If you want to travel to that game from Portland, you’ll have to leave work early on Thursday, and you might be getting home late enough that you’ll wish you started work late on Friday.
Under 30 also gets a discount on season tickets.
That November schedule is pretty brutal on fans especially if they become night games.
Here’s the most complete piece I’ve read about the scheduling of games.
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/collegesports/2014/04/10/pac-12-football-fewer-night-games-more-regional-broadcasts-and-the-negotiations-with-espn-and-fox-sports-1/
I didn’t buy. May make it to Civil War but that is the only game I am even considering attending and I’d say that has about a 10% chance of actually happening. Done throwing good money towards a terrible product.
I’m going to Hawaii for sure and I’ll usually fly up for a game so maybe Civil War
Just received another voice mail recording reminding me I need to renew still, this time from Michael Doctor.
A Doctor making house calls?
Another 1950’s throwback
Got a 2nd call last night, from a live student this time. Its borderline harrasment at this point
A dead student would have been really creepy.
Sean Mannion called me today. These little voicemails are like digital audio trading cards. Collect them all!