We're doing good.
Thanks for asking.
We had a three year goal to reach 5000 season ticket buyers with five-year commitments.
Our projections were based on the sales experience at other clubs, college and pro. Based on their experience we expected to sell 50 percent as five-year season packages the first year and we ended with just over 60 percent (3100). Last year we increased our season ticket sales by about 10 percent which was not quite as many as we originally planned. When last year's schedule came out with three straight games in September, following the Bama game, we knew we had to adjust our second year goal. The hurricane's and schedule changes didn't help either.
We have a strong schedule this year -- and its well paced with VT to open, UF to close and Clemson in the middle -- and sales are reflecting it. They are pacing well above last year.
I expect to be at about 75-80 percent sold in 5-year season ticket packages by September with another 10 percent in 3 game packs and to reach our goal of 5000 season packages by 2019 or 2020. We'll always keep a few hundred seats for guest tickets or groups as its smart to let people sample.
Not only will the increased sales help the optics but we have done a few things to "dress the house" so each year the seats should look more occupied.
The first year we were focused only on season tickets whe
re last year we had the time to expand our sales focus to dress the house in two ways: 1. We strategically located 3 game packs and single game tickets in sections where we had the most unsold seats, spacing them out and staggering rows. 2. We sold blocks of seats to companies and groups for group outings (at full price) in the upper five rows of the three sections right outside the Osceola grill where we installed tables between the seats and misting fans overhead. Those seats sold well and the groups tended to stay together in those seats. This will be an on-going feature as it was well received by the people who purchased. The retention rate is extremely high in the Dunlap Champions Club as people are signing five year agreements so it is only a matter of time before we hit the goals and the club looks more full than it does right now. I also think the novelty of being inside is wearing off and more people are finding their seats and spending more time in them.
No. We could go above that but I haven't wanted to yet.
The first year our largest crowd was about 4000 and it felt crowded. Last year we had 4500 in there for the largest games and the building and staff handled it better than the year before. I noticed that more people sat outside once it began to feel crowded inside. This year we'll sell up to 5000 and see how it feels. If people respond the way I expect, and that is sit outside, then we can consider expanding.
Want to crawl, walk, run as we are still learning the building and how our customers want to use it. Need to find and maintain the balance.
I respectfully disagree about this being the only stadium. I probably pay more attention to other clubs than the average bear and I can tell you we are not the only college or pro club section where people leave their seat to go enjoy indoor amenities.
Remember too that we are only about 60-65 percent sold thus far so even if everyone was in their seat there would be 35 percent empty. We'll be 75 percent or better sold for this season so it should only continue to get better.
The capacity of Doak was reduced from 83,000 to about 76,000 with champions club seat sales so a reduction of about 10 percent.
And as sales continue to grow, that number will shrink some more.
We are not the only stadium where people watch from inside. Since this is my job, I notice those things. Don't know if you saw the Patriots game but only about half of their seats were occupied for a close playoff game.
We're two years old (12 games) and about 65 percent sold. In two years, we'll be sold out and it will look much better.
The architectural design of a club section has seating for only about 25 percent of the capacity inside (about 1300-1500). When attendance is 3000, there's a seat or standing room for everyone. But as attendance goes to 4,000, 4500 and to 5000 for some games this year, it will be easier to find your seat outside than find one inside. We are maturing toward that point which will encourage more people to sit outside for longer periods of time.
People, like water, naturally flow in the path of least resistance.
Like I said in previous posts, there's a balance between optics and premium experience and we're growing towards a good balance.
Where all the money goes is to pay the bond issue on repairs and renovations to Doak ($85 million) so we could rebuild foundations, reinforce steel structure, seating decks, painting, etc. and to build the Champions Club. The bond issue on all of that is about $5 million per year and is paid completely by those Champions Club seat sales preserving other funds so we can make about a $21 million a year transfer to the athletics budget from other donations. If we hadn't built the champions club, we would have had to find a way to fund the renovations which would have reduced what we could transfer to athletics budget.
We make no profit. Whatever we raise, or sell, goes directly to athletics in order to fund the program.
We've had the 95 degrees and that doesn't worry me so much.
The 4th level is already pretty much sold out (2700 seats) so that 42,000 sq ft space has already been tested by heat.
The upper level is primarily where our growth is coming and the heat isn't as big a factor as down below as there is always a breeze on the terrace level, plus 10,000 sq ft of AC in Osceola Grill and a lot of shade on the terraces. The misters have also helped on the terraces.
What has worried me some is a day where we get a really nasty, rainy, wind-blowing rain -- the kind that drives everyone out of their bleacher seats and under Doak. A day like that will drive people inside the club spaces and under the terrace roofs and into the elevator tower areas where there are televisions. A prolonged rain will challenge a club more than heat.
We had a couple of threatening days last year to the point I rented a bunch of towels for people and to dry seats after the rain that never came.
Your response is correct but the poster makes a point I'd like to provide feedback.
You are correct, the code requires minimum aisle widths which would effectively eliminate three seats per row per section or about 900 seats in the 28 sections, It was not an oversight. We looked at doing it in design (even looked at a narrower service-only aisle for in-seat servers) and chose not to go those routes for a number of reasons beyond the seat kill which could have been made up with increased club seat prices. There were some other egress issues.
The Miami example is a good example. The design provides more aisles and easier access but the seat kill drives the price of those seats up considerably higher than what we charge and what we felt the market would bear in Tallahassee considering we play only six or seven home games per year and don't have the number of off-season concerts Miami draws.
The Gainesville example is also a good one. They provide very limited food and beverage service as the poster noted. Plus, their Champions Club (endzone) has no view of the field except from the outdoor seat. Most of our club seat holders who have visited the Gainesville club feel ours is far superior in each of those respects. We could dumb our design down or be confident in a superior design that is selling well two years in,
Let me add...
Doak's bleacher sections have as many as 38 seats per row so getting up and out to get concessions or use restrooms is a chore if you are in the middle of the row and a pain if you are on the end of a row and everyone keeps walking buy you.
Its not nearly as challenging in the champions club as the 28 sections are comprised of:
4 sections with 4-10 seats per row (typical section has 13 rows)
3 sections with 10-18 seats per row
9 sections with 18 seats per row
12 sections with 24 seats per row and two of those have four rows with only six seats.
You will also notice some of those sections that have 18-24 seats per row have extra aisles and or mini-tables between the seats to create the effect you suggest and we charge $2000 per seat for those opportunities (which is the same cost per linear foot).
This design was very purposeful given our maket and the number of games we play. While we are very encouraged by sales and customer feedback about experience, we do know the project well enough to adapt design as needed.
Yes, it is what it is... which others call cutting edge!
We've had numerous college and pro visitors, architects and administrators and seat holders, who say this club offers the best views they've seen, an exceptional value on game day, and is one of the very few clubs able to be monetized year round.
In a couple of years, after the product reaches maturity, we may look back and wonder what the fuss was all about or we may make some tweaks that make sense. In the meantime, the code word is sell. We are going to get there one new customer and 2 or more club seat sales at a time.
No comments:
Post a Comment