2017 Season

Get ready for some MACtion
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UMass02
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Re: 2017 Season

Post by UMass02 » Wed Feb 22, 2017 11:47 am

InnervisionsUMASS wrote:I don't think it will decrease attendance, and it's much better than the shitshow plan they put out there once the season started last year. Get it in advance for $5, or pay $10 at the lot when you arrive. No running around, and it's a very small figure to pay.

At most you'll pay $50 to park in Amherst for the season. And if you show up to tailgate with other people, you can still park a bit further away and pay nothing.

Win some games and this will be some extra revenue for the program. Keep losing and attendance would be decreasing anyways.
Very well put, IV!

At the end of the day, paying for parking doesn't affect me as I have season tickets. It doesn't deter me from renewing my season tickets. I'm a bit leery of the potential of sharing a parking lot with student tailgaters. I do like the ability to pick a tailgating/parking area depending on tailgating preferences.

I just want to see larger crowds so that the players are supported by the fans and that the school engages community members. Fees that act as a deterrent to casual fans (aka, potential season ticket holders) can hurt attendance.

I really don't care that other big-boy football schools charge for parking. I guess they can get away with that when their programs have more than ten wins over five seasons. UMass should be pulling out all the stops to get folks in the Pioneer Valley (now called West Mass) through the McGuirk gates - that includes free parking. Wasn't that a "yuge" selling point when UMass moved to Gillette? Why is it not a selling point now?

Speaking of student tailgating, what's up with the location of the "student village?" Is the point of it to get the students closer to McGuirk in the hopes they may actually go into the game? Or is the point of it to decrease student tailgating, decrease the visibility of student tailgating, and improve the control of it by the administration? Or is it both?

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njumass08
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Re: 2017 Season

Post by njumass08 » Wed Feb 22, 2017 12:21 pm

^ I think it's to get the students closer to the stadium so at least when they are leaving the tailgate they might be convinced to at least walk through the stadium entrance gate.

I liked my idea better. Have them tailgate inside the stadium perimeter fence behind the pressbox. This way they already count as attending the game.
Looking forward to the 2022 UMass Football Season (Oh boy, just jinxed that one)

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UMass02
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Re: 2017 Season

Post by UMass02 » Wed Feb 22, 2017 12:45 pm

The more I think about it, maybe charging non STHs to park isn't such a bad idea....

It creates value for a season ticket holder and an incentive to purchase.

If UMass has a decent season and fans begin to come back in 2017, the fee structure is already in place for 2018. Therefore, the optics of UMass doing a money grab at the first sign of popularity aren't quite as visible. Maybe if they act like a big-boy program, people will believe they are a big-boy program?!?

Pandiani and Bamford are paid ALOT of money to come up with these ideas and strategies. Perhaps I should have confidence in them that they are making the correct decisions?

It's a bold move, Cotton. Let's see if it works.

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Re: 2017 Season

Post by Berkman » Wed Feb 22, 2017 1:32 pm

InnervisionsUMASS wrote:I don't think it will decrease attendance, and it's much better than the shitshow plan they put out there once the season started last year. Get it in advance for $5, or pay $10 at the lot when you arrive. No running around, and it's a very small figure to pay.

At most you'll pay $50 to park in Amherst for the season. And if you show up to tailgate with other people, you can still park a bit further away and pay nothing.

Win some games and this will be some extra revenue for the program. Keep losing and attendance would be decreasing anyways.
Hey it cost me $ 20 to park at SC last year and I was out in the boonies. Fortunately they had shuttle service from the lot. So the parking fee if you are not a season ticket holder is not unreasonable.

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Re: 2017 Season

Post by InnervisionsUMASS » Wed Feb 22, 2017 1:48 pm

Berkman wrote:Seeing how I live in NC it would be nice if I could transfer my points to you to move you up a bit on the list.

Please feel free to call the department and request your points go to me :D
Stop waiting for UMass to do something big and help UMass do something big. - Shades

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Re: 2017 Season

Post by minutefanjsf » Wed Feb 22, 2017 5:11 pm

UMass02 wrote:
minutefanjsf wrote:

This is a very good thing. All big time college football programs make people pay for parking. I assume when buying tickets the question of how many and where people want to park will be asked. People get to park for $5. It is a no brainer and well below what other places charge. STH at places like BC have to donate thousands, yes thousands, to get park on sloppy softball fields. We just have to buy STH and get a parking pass right next to the stadium.

How will this increase attendance? Please advise.
I was not talking about attendance, but if you want to know for locals on the edge of buying STH it could push them to buy. Paying face value and parking for 4 games in Amherst is essentially the same price as the STH package including a Fenway seat. What I was commenting on was that this provides order and a process to the shit show that has been parking at McGuirk. I know people who have said they would not go back to McGuirk because of the traffic and parking crap. Being able to purchase and know where you’re parking ahead of time makes sense.

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Re: 2017 Season

Post by minutefanjsf » Wed Feb 22, 2017 5:16 pm

Lot 11 used to be the student tailgating lot years ago. In fact it was the only tailgating “lot”. The purple lots were not cleared out on game days. When tailgating was banned for students, STH parking in lot 11 were still allowed and encouraged to tailgate. Having the students closer to the stadium and adults could be good thing. They might find their way into the stadium and some might realize there are adults and families around them...one can only hope. Also, young alumni can be the buffer.....

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Re: 2017 Season

Post by mdogt12 » Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:07 pm

Berkman wrote:
InnervisionsUMASS wrote:I don't think it will decrease attendance, and it's much better than the shitshow plan they put out there once the season started last year. Get it in advance for $5, or pay $10 at the lot when you arrive. No running around, and it's a very small figure to pay.

At most you'll pay $50 to park in Amherst for the season. And if you show up to tailgate with other people, you can still park a bit further away and pay nothing.

Win some games and this will be some extra revenue for the program. Keep losing and attendance would be decreasing anyways.
Hey it cost me $ 20 to park at SC last year and I was out in the boonies. Fortunately they had shuttle service from the lot. So the parking fee if you are not a season ticket holder is not unreasonable.
Parked on the side of the road for free at SC.

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Re: 2017 Season

Post by UMass02 » Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:31 pm

minutefanjsf wrote: I was not talking about attendance, but if you want to know for locals on the edge of buying STH it could push them to buy. Paying face value and parking for 4 games in Amherst is essentially the same price as the STH package including a Fenway seat. What I was commenting on was that this provides order and a process to the shit show that has been parking at McGuirk. I know people who have said they would not go back to McGuirk because of the traffic and parking crap. Being able to purchase and know where you’re parking ahead of time makes sense.
It could also push them to NOT buy. Lets face facts - most of our casual fans will come if the team starts winning. Many of them won't do the math that you did and realize that they could save money by buying a season ticket. Trying to make an extra $10/car can potentially lose them $60+ in ticket sales. Why alienate potential STHs by nickel-and-diming them to death?

I agree with you that there have been issues with parking. The more they try to control it, however, the worse it gets. Not every traffic worker is on the same page. I have seen parking attendants directing people to one location when they shouldn't have been directed to that location, thus requiring people to do three-point turns and slowing down the queue. Lines getting in certain lots were extremely long this season where there was no problem before. For this parking plan to improve traffic flow, EVERYBODY needs to be on the same page. Based on UMass' track record, I just don't have much faith that will occur.

If athletics thinks this will work, then give it a try. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't. I'll try to keep an open mind come August. I just don't want them crying about poor attendance when they have nobody to blame but themselves.

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Re: 2017 Season

Post by MassMan06 » Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:56 pm

Agree with the above. What they make on parking is not worth creating a worse experience for an uncommitted fan.

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Re: 2017 Season

Post by Berkman » Wed Feb 22, 2017 7:55 pm

^ ^

When you have never been to the place and you are in a line of traffic you go where they direct you.

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Re: 2017 Season

Post by Jack » Thu Feb 23, 2017 7:44 am

The new plan looks okay to me. I like that RB is trying some changes to improve the Gameday Experience. I'm really looking forward to the season and to supporting the program as it continues to develop. Go UMASS !!!

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Re: 2017 Season

Post by Berkman » Thu Feb 23, 2017 8:53 am

It sounds like they have moved or got rid of the Minuteman Fan zone which was blocking up the entrance road from the north to the yellow parking lot. I probably will never go to a game at McGurk again but if I do and that entrance to the yellow lot is open it will be a lot easier for myself any anyone else coming from the north to access the parking lot. Good move.

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Re: 2017 Season

Post by cox'n » Thu Feb 23, 2017 9:05 am

UMass02 wrote:
minutefanjsf wrote:I agree with you that there have been issues with parking. The more they try to control it, however, the worse it gets. Not every traffic worker is on the same page. I have seen parking attendants directing people to one location when they shouldn't have been directed to that location, thus requiring people to do three-point turns and slowing down the queue. Lines getting in certain lots were extremely long this season where there was no problem before. For this parking plan to improve traffic flow, EVERYBODY needs to be on the same page. Based on UMass' track record, I just don't have much faith that will occur.
Basketball parking at the Mullins Center during the Calipari era was handled quite well. After games, drivers were directed when to leave each lot in rotating intervals so as to keep the flow of traffic moving fairly well. Many nights I was already over the Coolidge Bridge before the post-game radio show ended.

So for me, if paying for parking pays to develop a good plan and to pay and train attendants to properly utilize it, then it's okay by me. If it's just another revenue steam with no impact on the game day experience then I'll be disappointed.

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Re: 2017 Season

Post by minutefanjsf » Thu Feb 23, 2017 9:40 am

cox'n wrote:
UMass02 wrote:
minutefanjsf wrote:I agree with you that there have been issues with parking. The more they try to control it, however, the worse it gets. Not every traffic worker is on the same page. I have seen parking attendants directing people to one location when they shouldn't have been directed to that location, thus requiring people to do three-point turns and slowing down the queue. Lines getting in certain lots were extremely long this season where there was no problem before. For this parking plan to improve traffic flow, EVERYBODY needs to be on the same page. Based on UMass' track record, I just don't have much faith that will occur.
Basketball parking at the Mullins Center during the Calipari era was handled quite well. After games, drivers were directed when to leave each lot in rotating intervals so as to keep the flow of traffic moving fairly well. Many nights I was already over the Coolidge Bridge before the post-game radio show ended.

So for me, if paying for parking pays to develop a good plan and to pay and train attendants to properly utilize it, then it's okay by me. If it's just another revenue steam with no impact on the game day experience then I'll be disappointed.
I can’t imagine the revenue stream will grow to more than a trickle with this. $5 a car will add up to about $10,000 at best IMO. My hope is it is thrown back into the game day experience as well.

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