[2006alum]

After coming home as one of the few fans who bothered to show up to the WSU - Stanford men's game, I was greeted by this lovely letter telling me I now need to donate money if I want to keep my football seat location.

They claim that there are "unique aspects of Stanford Athletics that create ongoing financial pressures". I thought selling out to the Pac-12 TV deal was supposed relieve these financial pressures?

What I find most off-putting is that the AD essentially pits alumni against each other to out-donate for better seats. This seems to be a coordination problem - if all alumni collectively refused to donate on this basis, what would the AD do? I'm also betting the most die-hard FB fans aren't the ones able to donate the most money, so the better seats are going to people who are less likely to show up. I suppose it's all about the Benjamins these days, but I think the tide will eventually turn against college sports when enough fans like Larry say enough is enough.

[2006alum]

After coming home as one of the few fans who bothered to show up to the WSU - Stanford men's game, I was greeted by this lovely letter telling me I now need to donate money if I want to keep my football seat location.

They claim that there are "unique aspects of Stanford Athletics that create ongoing financial pressures". I thought selling out to the Pac-12 TV deal was supposed relieve these financial pressures?

What I find most off-putting is that the AD essentially pits alumni against each other to out-donate for better seats. This seems to be a coordination problem - if all alumni collectively refused to donate on this basis, what would the AD do? I'm also betting the most die-hard FB fans aren't the ones able to donate the most money, so the better seats are going to people who are less likely to show up. I suppose it's all about the Benjamins these days, but I think the tide will eventually turn against college sports when enough fans like Larry say enough is enough.