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Topic: Seating Ticket Changes
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Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 6/30/2025 4:27 PM
Just saw in the newsletter that the only reserved season tickets in the 200 level are sections 201-205. This means all of us with seats outside that range are converted to GA.

I've had the same front row seats in section 231 forever. Every single game, without fail, I have to kick people out of the seats...so unless I get there quite early (not happening with kids, traffic, etc) I won't be able to obtain them as GA seats.

In the grand scheme of things it isn't a big deal and I understand, but on a personal level I'm gutted. I've literally raised my kids there. That angle from the baseline is my default way of viewing Ohio basketball. Now I'll just be a lost soul roaming the stands looking for a new home.

This could hurt sales for the dept. I've kept all 5 of my seats even though my entire family rarely is all there together. Now I can just do 2 seats and grab other GA seats when I need them for specific games.
Andrew Ruck
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Ryan Carey
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Posted: 6/30/2025 5:04 PM
I'm in the same boat with my first row seats in 207 which I absolutely love. I have yet to hear back from my email asking about my options. Need to call I guess.
Ryan M. Carey
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Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 6/30/2025 5:39 PM
207 is mirror image of 231 just on the home bench side, so we can definitely relate to each other. I'm certain there aren't any front row available in 201-205 which was a huge part of the appeal, more leg room, no one getting in your way, etc. Not sure there is a damn thing they can do to appease us.
Andrew Ruck
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Last Edited: 6/30/2025 5:39:41 PM by Andrew Ruck
Ryan Carey
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Posted: 6/30/2025 5:43 PM

What I don't get is how the seating chart image shows the front row(s?) as being reserved, but I don't have any type of option to select something by that name when trying to renew.  

Ryan M. Carey
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Posted: 6/30/2025 5:47 PM
Also noted the filename for that seating chart includes "2019" in the name...wouldn't be the first time the website is ridiculously out of date.
Ryan M. Carey
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Cats5
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Posted: 6/30/2025 6:04 PM
Had my front row seats in 209 since 2012…. Guess I don’t anymore.
Victory
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Posted: 6/30/2025 10:02 PM
I've had front row seats in 211 for years and years. This is a deal breaker for me. If I can't get second level front row seats them I'm not getting season tickets. I solve the problem in football by only using 5 or 6 or my 7 season tickets in bench seating to make sure we fit. Convo is chair seating so it doesn't work like that so front row is a must. I wouldn't even consider attending a basketball game without front row seats. I've been to hundreds of Ohio basketball games. It kind of comes as a shock to me that I just found out that I am very probably never attending another. :(

We'll there is always attending a few women's games here and there I guess.
Last Edited: 6/30/2025 10:12:15 PM by Victory
OU_Country
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Posted: 7/1/2025 10:48 AM
Ryan Carey wrote:expand_more
I'm in the same boat with my first row seats in 207 which I absolutely love. I have yet to hear back from my email asking about my options. Need to call I guess.
I totally agree on this. I've sat in the same seats in row 1 of 229 since 2010. Since that time, I've convinced a group of friends that we should all sit together in that row, which we have for three years. I'm a little pissed to say the least. Maybe I'm overly salty on this, but to me, this typifies how Ohio runs things, which is frustrating to say the least. On top of that, they're missing out on more money from those seats, which makes no sense at all.

EDIT:

Adding to this, I just feel like this is an athletic department that is so tone deaf on some things its unbelievable. At a school where we supposedly have a top Master's Degree in Sports Administration program, we sure don't seem to have season ticket holder and game day experiences that match that ranking. Yes, I know the two are separate entities, but one would think that making sure both reflect the very best for the benefit of each program would be important to Ohio University.

For a few years I've been debating about changing my weekend/Tuesday night free time habits to do different things besides going to 7-10 home basketball games in Athens. Perhaps Ohio Athletics just made my decision for me.
Last Edited: 7/1/2025 10:56:42 AM by OU_Country
ohiocatfan1
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Posted: 7/1/2025 11:29 AM
Ryan Carey wrote:expand_more
Also noted the filename for that seating chart includes "2019" in the name...wouldn't be the first time the website is ridiculously out of date.
Seems the entire operation from the athletic department to the Bobcat Club is joke. After repeated attempts I couldn't even get a schedule of the 2025 Caravans. Seemed a pretty simple ask I thought.
SBH
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Posted: 7/1/2025 11:48 AM
They're not doing caravans, so there's your answer.

On Convo tickets, we're all aware that the department is (rightly) focused on increasing seat revenue. To do that, they are clearly moving lower-revenue season ticket placements into the more expensive lower bowl. Now, if you need to be guaranteed the front row, that's more on you than on the AD. Just expect to pay a premium for that privilege. Things change...every other school in the league is working through the same challenges. And this is one of the reasons we've outsourced season ticket sales/strategy to Learfield.
Last Edited: 7/1/2025 11:59:14 AM by SBH
Victory
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Posted: 7/1/2025 12:30 PM
SBH wrote:expand_more
They're not doing caravans, so there's your answer.

On Convo tickets, we're all aware that the department is (rightly) focused on increasing seat revenue. To do that, they are clearly moving lower-revenue season ticket placements into the more expensive lower bowl. Now, if you need to be guaranteed the front row, that's more on you than on the AD. Just expect to pay a premium for that privilege. Things change...every other school in the league is working through the same challenges. And this is one of the reasons we've outsourced season ticket sales/strategy to Learfield.
I understand all of that. If front row seats in the upper bowl cost more than the rest of the seats I'd also understand. It isn't worth it to to to try to pay for a seat courtside when I only make it to half the games because I live an hour away. And the rows in the Convo, like most places, are close enough together that if you are in the well over 6' tall you are going to end up sitting in your seat diagonally. So, for me, especially if you can't reserve the seat next to you to turn yourself in that direction..... This just, for me personally, suddenly became way, way, way more difficult than what attending a game is worth. This isn't even something that I have to consider or think about. I know this. If it stays this way then I know that I've gone from a long time season ticket holder to having attended my last basketball game. This doesn't even mean that I am mad at those that made the decision. I understand that I'm not their only customer.

But buying upper bowl front row is what, in my mind, made going to the Convo something that I could do. Now, it isn't something that I would even imagine wanting to do. The department had their reasons form making their decision. I have reasons for making my decision. I'm not attending another game. That decision isn't in anger or in protest it is just how it is. Just like I wouldn't try to ship a 6'6 piece of hardware in a 6 foot long box, I'm not going to try to put my body in a seat in the Convo where it really doesn't belong.
Last Edited: 7/1/2025 12:30:52 PM by Victory
GoCats105
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Posted: 7/1/2025 12:59 PM
Pretty telling that four longtime regular season ticket holders are already feeling the brunt of this change and we don't even know how many others since they're not on this board. Finding ways to generate more revenue is all well and good, but not consulting your current fanbase and/or making changes without taking them into consideration is just asinine.

I'm not trying to be a smartass with this comment, but why not just make the entire Convo GA at this point? Charge extra for the seats up front, obviously, but those Platinum seats are half empty throughout the year unless Miami is in town.
ohiocatfan1
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Posted: 7/1/2025 1:51 PM
SBH wrote:expand_more
They're not doing caravans, so there's your answer.

On Convo tickets, we're all aware that the department is (rightly) focused on increasing seat revenue. To do that, they are clearly moving lower-revenue season ticket placements into the more expensive lower bowl. Now, if you need to be guaranteed the front row, that's more on you than on the AD. Just expect to pay a premium for that privilege. Things change...every other school in the league is working through the same challenges. And this is one of the reasons we've outsourced season ticket sales/strategy to Learfield.
So it shouldn't have been that difficult to get an answer.
ohiocatfan1
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Posted: 7/1/2025 1:58 PM
GoCats105 wrote:expand_more
Pretty telling that four longtime regular season ticket holders are already feeling the brunt of this change and we don't even know how many others since they're not on this board. Finding ways to generate more revenue is all well and good, but not consulting your current fanbase and/or making changes without taking them into consideration is just asinine.

I'm not trying to be a smartass with this comment, but why not just make the entire Convo GA at this point? Charge extra for the seats up front, obviously, but those Platinum seats are half empty throughout the year unless Miami is in town.
Asinine or not obviously no one cares.
Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 7/1/2025 2:19 PM
As Victory said, there is a premium to that front row. There is a reason I have to kick people out of my seats EVERY single game. I am 6'4" and yes my tickets were peak comfort for me and my family (sons 6'2" and 6'1", daughter 5'11"). Easy in / easy out, great view. Great neighbors I got to know in seats around me. I would pay double for what I've been paying for them.

I'm not with Victory on my next move, however. Truth is I would attend Ohio basketball games sitting on a log a mile up. But I am unsure what I want my next move to be. I don't really like any solution.
Andrew Ruck
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Ryan Carey
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Posted: 7/1/2025 4:03 PM
After a call to the ticket office, I was able to move my seats to the front row of Section 115. As anticipated, finding six seats together in the very front row, or even the first row directly above the tunnel cut-outs, was a challenge; only a single seat was open there. The search for six front-row seats in other lower sections also came up empty, outside of 115.

When I asked about the decision to make most of the upper level General Admission, I was told it was a response to higher demand for GA seating in recent years and a shortage of ushers to manage reserved sections – a recurring problem they'd noted.

It appears their plan was effective, given that I'm now paying almost five times more for these new seats.
Ryan M. Carey
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OU_Country
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Posted: 7/1/2025 4:19 PM
SBH wrote:expand_more
They're not doing caravans, so there's your answer.

On Convo tickets, we're all aware that the department is (rightly) focused on increasing seat revenue. To do that, they are clearly moving lower-revenue season ticket placements into the more expensive lower bowl. Now, if you need to be guaranteed the front row, that's more on you than on the AD. Just expect to pay a premium for that privilege. Things change...every other school in the league is working through the same challenges. And this is one of the reasons we've outsourced season ticket sales/strategy to Learfield.
So charge 20% more for these seats? Require a Bobcat club donation for those seats? Consult those people before sending a bulk email that is likely to piss people off? There are certainly other options that are more fanbase friendly.

The lack of concern I feel, and the lack of competency I perceive might lead me to just start driving shorter distances to do other things on Saturdays this winter.
Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 7/1/2025 8:27 PM
Ryan Carey wrote:expand_more
When I asked about the decision to make most of the upper level General Admission, I was told it was a response to higher demand for GA seating in recent years and a shortage of ushers to manage reserved sections – a recurring problem they'd noted.

It appears their plan was effective, given that I'm now paying almost five times more for these new seats.
Thats really funny. No usher has ever once enforced reserved seating at the 200 level. Thats a ridiculous excuse. However, I believe the other. When folks go up in the 200 section they just sit wherever and act like it should just be GA. Well, everyone except those of us with front row seats.

I fumbled around with the decision and ultimately decided with my shrinking family (eldest graduated this year) and how infrequently I use all 5, I decided to splurge with 2 platinum seats. 5th row behind bobcats bench in section 4. Anyone else near there?

So with both Ryan & I, they squeezed more money out of us from this. Touche.
Andrew Ruck
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M.D.W.S.T
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Posted: 7/2/2025 9:22 AM
GoCats105 wrote:expand_more
Pretty telling that four longtime regular season ticket holders are already feeling the brunt of this change and we don't even know how many others since they're not on this board. Finding ways to generate more revenue is all well and good, but not consulting your current fanbase and/or making changes without taking them into consideration is just asinine.

I'm not trying to be a smartass with this comment, but why not just make the entire Convo GA at this point? Charge extra for the seats up front, obviously, but those Platinum seats are half empty throughout the year unless Miami is in town.
I've been saying this since I was in school.

90% of that arena should be GA. If you want to pay for front rows and special side sections, great. But for most games it's just a smattering of people spread out - allow everyone to move down as close as they can get to fill the cavernous convo. I know everyone is protective of their friends and family seats, but the truth of the matter is most of that section behind the benches is left empty throughout much of the season. It's a bad look on TV. (Flip the sides, folks)

I remember the first time I took my wife to a game and she goes "Is Buffalo good? It never looks like this on TV." We have double the attendance than most teams on any given night and the atmosphere is non-existent. It's because we have 6K people spread out everywhere. 3K at Akron looks like Duke is in town.

There must be some system capability out there that can announce your seats the day of a game so every row fills out the lower bowl. If there isn't - I'm gonna go develop it right now.
Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 7/2/2025 2:15 PM
M.D.W.S.T wrote:expand_more
90% of that arena should be GA. If you want to pay for front rows and special side sections, great. But for most games it's just a smattering of people spread out - allow everyone to move down as close as they can get to fill the cavernous convo. I know everyone is protective of their friends and family seats, but the truth of the matter is most of that section behind the benches is left empty throughout much of the season. It's a bad look on TV. (Flip the sides, folks)

I remember the first time I took my wife to a game and she goes "Is Buffalo good? It never looks like this on TV." We have double the attendance than most teams on any given night and the atmosphere is non-existent. It's because we have 6K people spread out everywhere. 3K at Akron looks like Duke is in town.

There must be some system capability out there that can announce your seats the day of a game so every row fills out the lower bowl. If there isn't - I'm gonna go develop it right now.
If it was GA it would still be scattered. People love to spread out if given the opportunity.
Andrew Ruck
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shabamon
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Posted: 7/2/2025 2:24 PM
How did we do it when we hosted CBI games? Those games always looked like a more densely filled lower bowl even though the overall attendance was never high. Was the lower bowl GA or did we make those seats available for single game purchase at a favorable price?
ChiCat2018
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Posted: 7/2/2025 3:42 PM
The entitlment people have about a few hundred dollars in season ticket spending a year is wild. If you can afford to let half of your season tickets go to waste because you can't be bothered to drive an hour for a game I think you can live with less than your very specific seat the handful of times you actually attend a game.
ohiocatfan1
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Posted: 7/2/2025 3:43 PM
ChiCat2018 wrote:expand_more
The entitlment people have about a few hundred dollars in season ticket spending a year is wild. If you can afford to let half of your season tickets go to waste because you can't be bothered to drive an hour for a game I think you can live with less than your very specific seat the handful of times you actually attend a game.
I think I would agree.
Victory
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Posted: 7/2/2025 6:57 PM
ohiocatfan1 wrote:expand_more
The entitlment people have about a few hundred dollars in season ticket spending a year is wild. If you can afford to let half of your season tickets go to waste because you can't be bothered to drive an hour for a game I think you can live with less than your very specific seat the handful of times you actually attend a game.
I think I would agree.
I hope that you are not speaking to me. I have no sense of entitlement here. I in no way expect the Athletic Department to cater to my needs in anyway. I understand their decision involves thousands of customers of which I am just one. I am not upset. I am not angry or anything of that sort at anyone making this decision. I don't see how you would see this as self entitled. When I was in college I used to go up to the top few rows and sit with my legs over the seatback in front of me and put my feet on that seat. I don't think this is a wise thing to do around age 50. Nor is it considerate for someone to tell someone who is likely very physically different from them how a change like this should affect how that person feels about attending a game or how they should decide to spend their own money or when and when they shouldn't decide to drive an hour.

And I would also say that having to plan or certain things when I attend a game isn't just about me. It is also about the people around me. I am very well aware that having to sit in my seat at an angle isn't a choice that I can just choose to not do. It is just the geometry of it. I am aware that I have no right to encroach on the personal space of someone next to me. So you make a plan on how to deal with that. If there is no certain plan on how to deal with it then I don't attend. That's just how it is. That applies to far more things than Bobcat Basketball. It is a constant thing I consider in many things all of the time. I DON'T do what I think that you are saying and expect others to cater to me or change the way that they operate just for me. I just simply don't go as a personal choice.
Last Edited: 7/2/2025 7:14:54 PM by Victory
RSBobcat
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Posted: 7/2/2025 7:13 PM
To keep my now nearly 3 decades long Platinum first row behind bench seats as well as maintain Rohr Room access my Bobcat Club required level went up $100. Not overly upset about that though would like to see a P5 (or whatever P means top conference team these days) at least once every minimum couple years.

My main gripe and had been for Years is that I have Blue Lot parking pass but unbelievable how many times I heave to park Way out even for low attendance games and often in Red Lot for high attendance games. I complain about it every year, they say they are working on it every year, but nothing changes.....

And besides having to park so far away - those ridiculous barriers that force you to take the Long walk around the Convo are still there - for what reason I cannot fathom. If someone wanted to bomb the Convo there are multiple places on the perimeter a determined car bomber could just drive over the small embankment down a slight hill to under the Convo....
RS Bobcat
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