An unintended, and worrisome, consequence of joining the ACC - Printable Version
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An unintended, and worrisome, consequence of joining the ACC - Embo - 08-30-2024
The SF Chronicle today has an article by Ron Kroichick, a Cal alum, about how Stanford and Cal are entering a strange new world with the ACC. I sympathized with his musings, but I was really surprised when I got to the end of the article. Here's the passage that alarmed me:
"The Bears will add to the weirdness ahead by moving their bench to the west sideline, leaving the student section right behind the visitors' bench on the east side."
The Pac-12 had a specific rule that student sections could not be behind visitors' benches. We saw this in 2008 when Jim Harbaugh opted to eliminate the disadvantage of being in the direct sun during day games by moving the home bench to the shady side. The student section had to be moved to the west side as well. I assume the ACC has no such rule.
I'm of the generation that witnessed, with every Big Game, the fruit being launched by calfan with slingshots formulated from surgical tubing towards the LSJUMB. I learned from the internet that calfan would freeze said fruit, hence increasing the potential for injury. I fear what will happen to the Stanford football team when they are just a short distance from their students. I hope Muir is proactive with regards to security and safely.
SF Chronicle: In ACC, Stanford, Cal enter strange new world
RE: An unintended, and worrisome, consequence of joining the ACC - jacket3ree - 08-30-2024
I quickly looked to see if the ACC has such a rule and found nothing.
Back in my pre-ACC independent and ACC salad days, our student section was definitely right behind the visiting bench on the east side. It was....interesting....at times. Fire hose unleased on Georgia, rats (edit: those are freshman, but rodents would not have been surprising) on Auburn's mascot, fish and whisky bottles on Notre Dame. Run of the mill stuff. Never figured out fried shrimp vs. can't even remember, but we did that too.
Have no fear, though. When Stanford visits Bobby Dodd in 2028 (and I just looked it up working on West Coast tailgating plans with a fraternity brother this afternoon), all the Tech students are behind the end zone, assuming that doesn't change any time soon.
RE: An unintended, and worrisome, consequence of joining the ACC - cardcrimson - 08-30-2024
Man, I long for the afternoons on the sunny side of the stadium, 50 yardline, behind the bench, in the sun, girls in bikini tops and dolfin shorts, guys with coolers of beer (and the occasional keg), watching Elway and co, listening to the Band and Hal Mickelson, etc. etc. etc.
RE: An unintended, and worrisome, consequence of joining the ACC - slide - 08-30-2024
(08-30-2024, 06:31 PM)cardcrimson Wrote: Man, I long for the afternoons on the sunny side of the stadium, 50 yardline, behind the bench, in the sun, girls in bikini tops and dolfin shorts, guys with coolers of beer (and the occasional keg), watching Elway and co, listening to the Band and Hal Mickelson, etc. etc. etc.
amen
RE: An unintended, and worrisome, consequence of joining the ACC - Mick - 08-31-2024
(08-30-2024, 06:31 PM)cardcrimson Wrote: Man, I long for the afternoons on the sunny side of the stadium, 50 yardline, behind the bench, in the sun, girls in bikini tops and dolfin shorts, guys with coolers of beer (and the occasional keg), watching Elway and co, listening to the Band and Hal Mickelson, etc. etc. etc.
Literally my favorite memories from the 1970s to the early 1980s.
RE: An unintended, and worrisome, consequence of joining the ACC - oman - 08-31-2024
Getting a splinter inn your ass....
I remember after those games just staggering home for a nap and the sleep patterns shot for the next few days.
RE: An unintended, and worrisome, consequence of joining the ACC - Vandelay - 08-31-2024
I don't think its worrisome but it does seem awkward. Most teams want to be near their student section.
RE: An unintended, and worrisome, consequence of joining the ACC - fullmetal - 08-31-2024
(08-30-2024, 04:48 PM)Embo Wrote: "The Bears will add to the weirdness ahead by moving their bench to the west sideline, leaving the student section right behind the visitors' bench on the east side."
For a cash-strapped athletics department, kal seems to have forgotten that seats right behind team benches can command fairly high ticket prices. Put the students where you want, but sell tickets and get your debt-laden sinkhole of a department budget some help.
https://www.si.com/college/cal/news/wilner-on-cal-athletic-finances
RE: An unintended, and worrisome, consequence of joining the ACC - Farm93 - 08-31-2024
(08-31-2024, 11:43 AM)fullmetal Wrote:(08-30-2024, 04:48 PM)Embo Wrote: "The Bears will add to the weirdness ahead by moving their bench to the west sideline, leaving the student section right behind the visitors' bench on the east side."
For a cash-strapped athletics department, kal seems to have forgotten that seats right behind team benches can command fairly high ticket prices. Put the students where you want, but sell tickets and get your debt-laden sinkhole of a department budget some help.
https://www.si.com/college/cal/news/wilner-on-cal-athletic-finances
The other part of the equation is the value of placing students where they will most likely be on TV during game action. For example, for Stanford it is a horrible look that the "Sunny" side is often empty, or worse loaded with visitors. There could be a revenue hit compared to sticking them in an endzone, but presumably it would be offset by building a better stadium environment reputation for those watching on TV. The impression of a bad stadium environment hurts recruiting and conference realignment negotations. I would slide the students to 135, 136, 137 and 138 so that they are visible on TV when the team takes the field and would appear in background from many camera positions during game action.
The sunny was never as popular with older fans because of its potential to cook fans during day games, but now that Stanford is in the ACC I would guess Stanford's only day game at home this season will be the Cal Poly SLO game next week. Older fans remember those sunny side experiences, but new students have no idea and probably would have no preference. A similar logic applies for the football team too. I recall the big advantage of the original move was for the Stanford football team to get into the shade, but if all of the ACC games are at night it might be nice to have our team in the background of the TV shots too.
And then because the shady side commands a higher donation premium, the AD could then have access to the current student seats. And those are seats that alums value more...at least based on the current donation requirements for equivalent sunny vs shady seats.
RE: An unintended, and worrisome, consequence of joining the ACC - 82lsju - 08-31-2024
(08-31-2024, 04:08 PM)Farm93 Wrote:(08-31-2024, 11:43 AM)fullmetal Wrote:(08-30-2024, 04:48 PM)Embo Wrote: "The Bears will add to the weirdness ahead by moving their bench to the west sideline, leaving the student section right behind the visitors' bench on the east side."
For a cash-strapped athletics department, kal seems to have forgotten that seats right behind team benches can command fairly high ticket prices. Put the students where you want, but sell tickets and get your debt-laden sinkhole of a department budget some help.
https://www.si.com/college/cal/news/wilner-on-cal-athletic-finances
The other part of the equation is the value of placing students where they will most likely be on TV during game action. For example, for Stanford it is a horrible look that the "Sunny" side is often empty, or worse loaded with visitors. There could be a revenue hit compared to sticking them in an endzone, but presumably it would be offset by building a better stadium environment reputation for those watching on TV. The impression of a bad stadium environment hurts recruiting and conference realignment negotations. I would slide the students to 135, 136, 137 and 138 so that they are visible on TV when the team takes the field and would appear in background from many camera positions during game action.
The sunny was never as popular with older fans because of its potential to cook fans during day games, but now that Stanford is in the ACC I would guess Stanford's only day game at home this season will be the Cal Poly SLO game next week. Older fans remember those sunny side experiences, but new students have no idea and probably would have no preference. A similar logic applies for the football team too. I recall the big advantage of the original move was for the Stanford football team to get into the shade, but if all of the ACC games are at night it might be nice to have our team in the background of the TV shots too.
And then because the shady side commands a higher donation premium, the AD could then have access to the current student seats. And those are seats that alums value more...at least based on the current donation requirements for equivalent sunny vs shady seats.
looking at gostanford for single game tickets for a couple of games (VT and SMU) and using that as a proxy for availability of season tickets it appears there are more seats available on the shady side in the lower bowl for the five section centered at the 50 compared to the sunny side, which I found surprising, of course only 133 on the sunny side lower bowl has a required donation so it appears some have decided that the extra cost of the shary side is not worth it. We're sunny siders (134) and far from "young" alumni (youngest person in our group is 60)
RE: An unintended, and worrisome, consequence of joining the ACC - Farm93 - 08-31-2024
(08-31-2024, 04:47 PM)82lsju Wrote:(08-31-2024, 04:08 PM)Farm93 Wrote:(08-31-2024, 11:43 AM)fullmetal Wrote:(08-30-2024, 04:48 PM)Embo Wrote: "The Bears will add to the weirdness ahead by moving their bench to the west sideline, leaving the student section right behind the visitors' bench on the east side."
For a cash-strapped athletics department, kal seems to have forgotten that seats right behind team benches can command fairly high ticket prices. Put the students where you want, but sell tickets and get your debt-laden sinkhole of a department budget some help.
https://www.si.com/college/cal/news/wilner-on-cal-athletic-finances
The other part of the equation is the value of placing students where they will most likely be on TV during game action. For example, for Stanford it is a horrible look that the "Sunny" side is often empty, or worse loaded with visitors. There could be a revenue hit compared to sticking them in an endzone, but presumably it would be offset by building a better stadium environment reputation for those watching on TV. The impression of a bad stadium environment hurts recruiting and conference realignment negotations. I would slide the students to 135, 136, 137 and 138 so that they are visible on TV when the team takes the field and would appear in background from many camera positions during game action.
The sunny was never as popular with older fans because of its potential to cook fans during day games, but now that Stanford is in the ACC I would guess Stanford's only day game at home this season will be the Cal Poly SLO game next week. Older fans remember those sunny side experiences, but new students have no idea and probably would have no preference. A similar logic applies for the football team too. I recall the big advantage of the original move was for the Stanford football team to get into the shade, but if all of the ACC games are at night it might be nice to have our team in the background of the TV shots too.
And then because the shady side commands a higher donation premium, the AD could then have access to the current student seats. And those are seats that alums value more...at least based on the current donation requirements for equivalent sunny vs shady seats.
looking at gostanford for single game tickets for a couple of games (VT and SMU) and using that as a proxy for availability of season tickets it appears there are more seats available on the shady side in the lower bowl for the five section centered at the 50 compared to the sunny side, which I found surprising, of course only 133 on the sunny side lower bowl has a required donation so it appears some have decided that the extra cost of the shary side is not worth it. We're sunny siders (134) and far from "young" alumni (youngest person in our group is 60)
Not at all worried about availability of seats since that would only be relevant if all tickets were at the similar prices. The shady side tickets cost more AND have larger donation requirements. So that implies the AD knows the shady side tickets are more valuable.
Is it possible they have asked for a touch too much? Of course, but if actual purchasing interest is even close to comparable it reveals just how valuable the shady side is for alums and fans. I remember when my wife (not an alum) first discovered the comfort of the shady side. I had to get season tickets on the shady side the very next year.
I always liked sitting near the students and the football team, but the shade won the day. If the football team and the students were on the sunny side I probably would move back over too. And I believe I would move even if the ticket and donation costs were similar, which they most certainly are not. The AD probably should consider moving the football team back because the current TV look is awful and there really is no longer a competitive advantage to shade given the vampire friendly kick times.
And as we know the real game these days is not about ticket revenue it is about creating a made for TV product that can then strengthen the AD's hand for conference and TV contract negotiations.