July 23, 2009

(11:19 a.m.): Earlier this week, I talked about the new plan for a segment of upper-deck basketball season tickets - $150 for 18 games - and how more than 15,000 football season tickets have been sold.

If you need a refresher, click here. If not, let's continue the discussion on why UC has continued to set records selling football season tickets in an economy that isn't exactly blasting skyward.

For one, the Bearcat Lair section in the North end zone continues to sell out every year. Senior associate athletic Mike Waddell explains why.

"We've built relationships and people feel like they're getting a great value," he said. "People had to get a buy-in. In 2007, that was an area that we definitely looked at as having a Dawg Pound-like area or like the Black Hole in Oakland. We looked at that, and to get people to sit there, we have to make it worth their while. It was $10 a game. An absolute no-brainer. That sold out really quick. The next year, it's supply and demand. We're sold out of it, and $10 is not the medium ticket price in the Big East, especially for wonderful seats."

In 2005, that area was populated by 10 season ticket holders. In 2006, that number increased to somewhere in the 80s. The past two seasons and, then, the 2009 campaign have sold out.

While UC increased the season tickets in that area from $60 to $90 last year, the administration made those tickets $160 this season (though, buyers received a $50 bowl credit).

"We have to raise dollars for this program," Waddell said. "That's why tickets go up in practice. We have to continually raise money, because the cost of doing business at a BCS program continues to go up."

While you can buy a ticket for a non-UCATS season ticket for $262 (the UCATS season ticket costs $20 more), the most expensive price point on the Bearcats season ticket menu is the Family Section package, which runs $499.

But let Waddell walk you through the perks you get for putting up that kind of money. Basically, you get four reserved seats, four bowl credits (equaling $200 overall), a membership to UCATS ($50), two Kids Club memberships ($30 a piece) and a hug from Brian Kelly.*

**I will now cease the name-dropping of KatzontheCats sports information favorites.

"You go $499, minus $200 for the bowl credit, minus $50 for the UCATS donation, and that equals $249," Waddell said. "With the Kids Club memberships. it's $189. You divide that by six games, divided by four seats, and that equals $7.88 a ticket."

Waddell is quick to point out that it's a much better price point than what you'd find at Louisville. The Cardinals, for their family plan package (also includes four seats), are charging $912, and for most of their season tickets, patrons have to give a donation (between $100-$700) to the Cardinal Athletic Fund.

But the most important point Waddell wants to impart is that UC wants to defend the season ticket holder. It's why the Bearcats won't lower their prices in this economic climate.

"I have to protect your investment as a season ticket holder," Waddell said. "I have to protect that price point. That was never done here before. They were always doing Skyline Chili 2-for-1 deals or they were doing family packs, busting it down to $5 a game. We busted it down to $10 a game in the Lair, but then we've been building back up the product. We have to make a certain amount of revenue. All the costs involved in a Big East football program are big. Our job is to generate revenue, but it's also to protect the value and the equity of our season ticket holders who are absolutely the lifeblood of our program."