NCAA tickets -- broken up so they are not all-session tickets.

[Pinnum 796]

If tickets were not sold in all-session packs but people individually purchased sessions.  Would more people be able to attend the NCAAs?  Would people still enjoy going to the city, seeing two or three sessions in person and watching the others from hotels or bars filled with other wrestling fans?  Would this get more people to experience the NCAA tournament and be engaged as college wrestling fans?

Thinking out loud...

[rpbobcat 53]

Personally,I like the other sessions,especially the semis.

But I wouldn't make the trip, if didn't have a ticket for Finals.

 

[Pinnum 796]

3 hours ago, rpbobcat said:

Personally,I like the other sessions,especially the semis.

But I wouldn't make the trip, if didn't have a ticket for Finals.

 

What if you had tickets to only four or five of the sessions but one of those was the finals?  Would you still attend? 

[rpbobcat 53]

15 hours ago, Pinnum said:

What if you had tickets to only four or five of the sessions but one of those was the finals?  Would you still attend? 

I've actually had situations where i could only go to finals.

So the answer is yes.

 

 

[scribe 1,655]

They'll make the finals tickets as much as the full sessions tickets are now if you let them think about it too much. Then it will cost everyone more. 

[Pinnum 796]

57 minutes ago, scribe said:

They'll make the finals tickets as much as the full sessions tickets are now if you let them think about it too much. Then it will cost everyone more. 

But it will increase exposure to wrestling for more people and allow wrestling to take over a city.

Right now, there are only about 15k people that go to the NCAAs.  If 20k people were going because an extra 5k werre able to get tickets to a few sessions and when they don't have tickets, they could go to fan fest events and watch the wrestling in sports bars or at the hotels with other wrestling fans, it expands the number of fans that can enjoy the NCAA experience.  It also will justify additional investments into the event and make it more profitable, which helps wrestling's position in the championship cabinet.

Why is it a problem if the NCAA finals are an expensive ticket?

If someone wants to pay big money for only that session and someone else is only able to attend the previous five sessions and has to watch the finals on TV, then so be it.  I don't think that is a big deal.  Especially since the finals is the only session where there is only one mat being wrestled which makes it the easiest session to watch via a video feed.

Wouldn't it be better to have all session tickets utilized? 

Of course, the big problem is athlete parents.  Right now there are a fair number of parents who buy the all-session tickets when their kids qualify and then they don't show up after their child is eliminated.  Some of those are sold back to scalpers and will end up getting used but there the market isn't efficient.  If there were family tickets sold where the family would get tickets to any session that their child was wrestling in but would not have tickets if their child wasn't wrestling, it would expand the pool of tickets available for fans.  Fans could get four session packages where they miss the first day and have confidence that they have tickets. 

I have been thinking about the inefficiencies in the NCAA ticketing and I believe there are better options.

Edited April 3, 2019 by Pinnum

[The_MO_Godfather 41]

The problem is that if 20k people buy all session passes now, you might have 30k buy tickets to the finals, but you'll only have 5-10k buy tickets to the first round or wrestleback rounds.  Unless you're a family member or friend of a wrestler, or a die hard, most people don't care to watch the first or second rounds, consi's, etc...at least in my opinion.  I have friends that are not wrestling fans, but will watch the semi's or finals because it's like a main event and it's the best of the best.  I have a feeling that a lot of session 1 and 2 tickets would go unsold if they didn't sell them all together.

With that said, I usually can't get off work to go to the earlier sessions, so I usually can only attend the finals and would love it if they split them up.

[Pinnum 796]

6 minutes ago, The_MO_Godfather said:

The problem is that if 20k people buy all session passes now, you might have 30k buy tickets to the finals, but you'll only have 5-10k buy tickets to the first round or wrestleback rounds.  Unless you're a family member or friend of a wrestler, or a die hard, most people don't care to watch the first or second rounds, consi's, etc...at least in my opinion.  I have friends that are not wrestling fans, but will watch the semi's or finals because it's like a main event and it's the best of the best.  I have a feeling that a lot of session 1 and 2 tickets would go unsold if they didn't sell them all together.

With that said, I usually can't get off work to go to the earlier sessions, so I usually can only attend the finals and would love it if they split them up.

That's the thing.  There would be a market for the first sessions.  And I believe many people are in the same boat as you and would love to not have to buy tickets that they are unable to use because they can't take off time to make every session or don't want to spend the extra money for the extra day of hotels and flying in when the fights are expensive.

The tickets to sessions that are in lower demand would be utilized by family members as well as people local to the host city who are a part of the wrestling community who can take a Thursday or Friday off work but can't justify buying a whole event package of tickets.  These are people who have likely never been to an NCAA championship.  They are exactly the people who should be introduced to the event and should come together to mingle with others in the wrestling community.

If demand for the early sessions was low, then they would be inexpensive.  That would entice even more people to decide to go since they can go for a reasonable price.

 

[russling 22]

I am one of those who would have no issue watching a session or two including finals at a nice bar or mini arena (with several great screens) with just wrestling fans.  The "hate looks" I get from the many non alcoholic fans as I constantly and purposely leave my shi...ty center row seat to get another drink is amazing. No problem here having a drink made and delivered at my seat.  

[scribe 1,655]

I’d bet you’d have fewer attend earlier sessions if sessions sold separately. 

[Pinnum 796]

18 minutes ago, scribe said:

I’d bet you’d have fewer attend earlier sessions if sessions sold separately. 

We had people complaining about not being able to get tickets this year.  I believe the demand is there.

And if those seats are simply filled with the families of kids who go 0-2, then it is a win-win.

[Michigan wrestling 22]

For Pittsburgh, didn't have all sessions tickets, I did paid $200 for the first 4 sessions. Didn't feel like paying another $150.00 for the placing and finals. Drove home Saturday morning and watched at home.  It was great, would do it again, if I had to. For Minn, got all season tickets, so all set. 

[fadzaev2 319]

I want all 6 sessions for my 42nd rodeo.

[rpbobcat 53]

I could see breaking up the tickets by sessions creating havoc for getting hotel rooms.

If you have tickets to the earlier sessions,do you book a hotel for the whole finals,with the hope of getting

seats for the semis or finals or just to hang out with other fans for the weekend ?

If you only have seats  for the later sessions,will you be able to book a hotel ?

 

 

 

[Pinnum 796]

1 hour ago, rpbobcat said:

I could see breaking up the tickets by sessions creating havoc for getting hotel rooms.

If you have tickets to the earlier sessions,do you book a hotel for the whole finals,with the hope of getting

seats for the semis or finals or just to hang out with other fans for the weekend ?

If you only have seats  for the later sessions,will you be able to book a hotel ?

Too many wrestling fans going to one city is a great problem to have.  And that would be resolved by ensuring the bidding city has enough hotel rooms to meet the demand.

Sure, that will rule out places like Des Moines from hosting again as they don't have enough hotel rooms.  But did they have enough hotel rooms the last time they hosted?

[simple 196]

I don’t see this as solving any kind of issue. It’s pretty easy to get early round single session tickets for cheap if you want them. This year might’ve been the one exception to that.

[Pinnum 796]

12 minutes ago, simple said:

I don’t see this as solving any kind of issue. It’s pretty easy to get early round single session tickets for cheap if you want them. This year might’ve been the one exception to that.

It is an inefficient market.  Going to the arena and looking for scalpers is a gamble.

The whole ticketing process can be greatly improved.

For instance, in NCAA basketball (and other NCAA sports), parents and fans who get their tickets through the team allotment only have their tickets for the session that the team is participating at one site.  So, for instance, at the San Jose site for the 2019 NCAA men's basketball tournament, when Mississippi State and Liberty parents bought tickets to the first round games, Liberty parents were automatically billed for second round tickets and could pick them up from will-call when Liberty won.  Mississippi State parents did not have to buy tickets to the second.  When they were eliminated they no longer had tickets to the games at that site.  If they would have beat Liberty, they would have had tickets to the second round and Liberty wouldn't have tickets to the next round.

That ticketing system for parents would be good for wrestling.   A family allotment for individual athletes that are automatically purchased for the next session if the child advances.

This would make fewer general admission tickets available in the early round but would make more available in the later rounds.   

[rpbobcat 53]

35 minutes ago, Pinnum said:

It is an inefficient market.  Going to the arena and looking for scalpers is a gamble.

The whole ticketing process can be greatly improved.

For instance, in NCAA basketball (and other NCAA sports), parents and fans who get their tickets through the team allotment only have their tickets for the session that the team is participating at one site.  So, for instance, at the San Jose site for the 2019 NCAA men's basketball tournament, when Mississippi State and Liberty parents bought tickets to the first round games, Liberty parents were automatically billed for second round tickets and could pick them up from will-call when Liberty won.  Mississippi State parents did not have to buy tickets to the second.  When they were eliminated they no longer had tickets to the games at that site.  If they would have beat Liberty, they would have had tickets to the second round and Liberty wouldn't have tickets to the next round.

That ticketing system for parents would be good for wrestling.   A family allotment for individual athletes that are automatically purchased for the next session if the child advances.

This would make fewer general admission tickets available in the early round but would make more available in the later rounds.   

Don't see it working.

In the NCAA basketball tourney you have more then a day between games.

In wrestling you have more then one session in the same day.

That would be hard to keep track of and make tickets available.

Plus,what if the parent is wrestling fan and wants to see the whole tourney ?

Shouldn't the system be able to have that option ?

 

[Pinnum 796]

45 minutes ago, rpbobcat said:

Plus,what if the parent is wrestling fan and wants to see the whole tourney ?

Shouldn't the system be able to have that option ?

They can purchase tickets like anyone else. No one is stopping them.

Right now, there are a decent of tickets that parents sell to scalpers because they aren't going to the rest of the sessions.

The whole ticketing model is inefficient. 

47 minutes ago, rpbobcat said:

Don't see it working.

In the NCAA basketball tourney you have more then a day between games.

In wrestling you have more then one session in the same day.

It isn't hard.  Technology makes it just as easy for wrestling as it does with basketball.  Is a competitor in a session?  If yes, issue their tickets.

You could pickup session III tickets from will car while you're leaving session II.  It isn't a big deal. 

[rpbobcat 53]

1 hour ago, Pinnum said:

They can purchase tickets like anyone else. No one is stopping them.

Right now, there are a decent of tickets that parents sell to scalpers because they aren't going to the rest of the sessions.

The whole ticketing model is inefficient. 

It isn't hard.  Technology makes it just as easy for wrestling as it does with basketball.  Is a competitor in a session?  If yes, issue their tickets.

You could pickup session III tickets from will car while you're leaving session II.  It isn't a big deal. 

Its not as easy as basketball.

As I said,in March Madness , there's a day and 1/2 between games.

In wrestling it can be  a couple of hours.

You're presuming there would be people making a trip to the tourney site,without tickets.

Then have a minimal  window to see that tickets are available,get them and get to the venue.

Also,I thought the tourney always sold out.

If that's the case,what's the NCAA's incentive to consider this ?

 

 

[Pinnum 796]

21 minutes ago, rpbobcat said:

You're presuming there would be people making a trip to the tourney site,without tickets.

Then have a minimal  window to see that tickets are available,get them and get to the venue.

No, I am not.  Currently people are making the trip without tickets and then looking to buy the tickets from the parents from of kids who were eliminated in the early sessions.

This would not result in people going to the NCAAs without tickets, it would have tickets allocated based on the needs.  It would create a more efficient system.  It would increase the number of people who would actually watch wrestling in person because people would not be buying all-session tickets and then have sessions in their pack go unused.

[BobDole 967]

Not the best idea because little Willie's parents aren't going to be happy if little Willie gets put out earlier than expected. Now they would need to go find tickets if they want to see his teammates wrestle. On top of that they'll be in the opposite area they were with the rest of the families from the team. 

There aren't thousands of people going trying to scalp tickets, there are maybe a hundred at best.

I am trying to look at it logically and it doesn't quite make sense.

[rpbobcat 53]

9 minutes ago, Pinnum said:

No, I am not.  Currently people are making the trip without tickets and then looking to buy the tickets from the parents from of kids who were eliminated in the early sessions.

This would not result in people going to the NCAAs without tickets, it would have tickets allocated based on the needs.  It would create a more efficient system.  It would increase the number of people who would actually watch wrestling in person because people would not be buying all-session tickets and then have sessions in their pack go unused.

First off,based on my experience,I haven't seen many people looking for tickets to anything but Finals.

Maybe I just haven''t seen them.

But going back to my previous post.

If NCAA sells out the tourney,the way their selling tickets now,what is their incentive to put any other system in place ?

 

[wrestlefan57 8]

There was a time when you could buy single session tickets as it did not always sell out. 

In the early 80's you would see local wrestling clubs in upper deck sections but only for a session or two. Seen that done in both OK City and Chapel Hill.

 

Back in the day you did not have a Fan Fest because vendors were in the arena corridors. Doors opened a couple of hours early and it was a great way to meet wrestling fans. There were some venues where outside vendors served breakfast and sold meals. That was back when the early sessions started at 9AM and the late sessions lasted much later.

[Pinnum 796]

2 hours ago, BobDole said:

Not the best idea because little Willie's parents aren't going to be happy if little Willie gets put out earlier than expected. Now they would need to go find tickets if they want to see his teammates wrestle. On top of that they'll be in the opposite area they were with the rest of the families from the team. 

There aren't thousands of people going trying to scalp tickets, there are maybe a hundred at best.

I am trying to look at it logically and it doesn't quite make sense.

The family aspect is but one component.

The biggest benefit would be the selling of individual sessions rather than an all sessions or nothing.

But if little Willie is eliminated, so be it.  His family had tickets to see him.  And he is done.  They always could have purchased general admission tickets like everyone else.