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King for a Day. How Would You Change OSU's Game Day Experience?

+2 HS
JTFor President2016's picture
July 23, 2018 at 9:43am
78 Comments

There have been threads in the past on this site about changes you'd like to see to the Shoe, and changes with scheduling/pricing, but I haven't seen anything (at least recently), about how you would change the entirety of a game day at the shoe?

When I was younger, and less experienced, I thought there was nothing better than going to a Buckeye game. To me, everything about it was top notch. The tailgating, the cheers, the band, etc... Now don't get me wrong, Ohio State still has a top notch game day experience, but as I have traveled to new stadiums, I have realized areas in which OSU could improve. It's a pretty common comment on this site, "I'd rather watch the game from my couch". In the recent "Confessions" thread, there were countless people who said they aren't really into going to games anymore. 

In preparation for this thread, I checked out Ticketmaster. Face Value side-by-side tickets are still available for the Oregon State, Rutgers, Tulane, and Minnesota games. If you have attended past games like I have, then you know this is uncommon territory. 5 years ago, there would be tickets to maybe 1 or 2 nonconference games, and the rest would be sold out. As a recent thread mentioned, a lot of this has to do with flex pricing and the lack of big home games, but there are more reasons that lifetime buckeye fans are turning into couch watchers. You are now the King of the world, and can change whatever you'd like within reason (let's actually make it somewhat plausible). Would you make a few minor adjustments? Or would you do a complete overhaul?

Note: All of these games will sellout, that is not a concern. But it is obvious that people are having to think twice before they buy nowadays. 

Here is my plan:

  1. Get the "gray haired" lots away from the stadium - Without a doubt this is one of the biggest buzzkills at OSU. The surrounding lots are filled with rich snobs (just a generalization). The true "tailgating" lots are a good walk from the stadium. To me, the best tailgating should be right outside the stadium. I understand OSU loves those 25K donations though.
  2. 2015 esque mini ticket plans - In 2015, OSU was having trouble selling tickets to the Northern Illinois and Western Michigan games. OSU went out of the box and offered a two game ticket plan, that saved buyers money. It was a great idea, although I offer my deepest condolences to whomever attended that NIU game. I'd be all for a $150 ticket plan for Oregon State and Tulane, that would save $25 from the $99 and $67 face values. 
  3. Full stadium seatbacks - My Grandpa absolutely loves going to games. The one thing that makes him think twice? The bleachers. I don't know from experience, but I can only imagine how uncomfortable those things are for people with back problems. We purchased tickets off a season-ticket holder who had seatbacks for the BGSU game in 2017. Life changing. It didn't feel like a job to sit for 4+ hours. It also ensures that you aren't as crammed. 
  4. Face Value should vary throughout the stadium - As it currently stands, all tickets in Ohio stadium (exceptions to limited view seating and B-box), share the same price. Which is why all remaining ticketmaster tickets are located in the endzone in the C-deck (greatly underrated seats, but that's a convo for a different time). Rich people are going to buy A-Deck season tickets no matter what the cost is. It's a given. Raise those tickets by 10 bucks a game, and lower the 14C-17C tickets by 10 bucks a game. More people will flock to those tickets. 
  5. Show a live game on the big screen during pre-game. I remember being at the PSU game in 2015, which was a 8pm kickoff. We got into the stadium at about 6:30pm, as we like to take in the moment get some food. Around 7, everyone in the stadium let out an audible laughter. Why? They just saw what happened on their phones. (It was the UM/MSU punt game). Could you imagine how sweet it would have been for that game to be playing live on the big screen? Ads may make this hard, but PSU did it when I was there in 2016. 
  6. Less Timeout challenges/recognitions, more highlights - This goes along with #5, but OSU offers far too less insight to other games. I believe they show highlights of games 2 or 3 times a game. Most timeouts see OSU either having a competition between two people, or recognizing a donor/former player/sports team. Take some of those away, and add more highlights. It's difficult to follow the rest of the CFB world when you are in the 'Shoe, especially when...
  7. Better Wifi - Pretty self-explanatory. It sucks.
  8. If your OH-IO chant goes on for more than 3 cycles, you should be banned from the state of Ohio. Nothing in life is more cringeworthy than hearing that 4th O.H.
  9. College Gameday - When we get College Gameday, it needs to come back to the Stadium. I remember one time it was right in front of the arch, and it felt right. The oval is too far away. I understand it gives people a ton of room to stand, but it lacks that feel.
  10. Let people relocate - During blowouts, half the stadium is empty by mid-3rd quarter. Let people move to great seats! I would be so much more inclined to go to the Tulane game, if I knew I may have 50 yard line A-deck tickets in the 3rd quarter. It'd be so great for the people who can't afford those seats to get a chance. This could definitely create some havoc, and you'd have to implement some sort of system. My plan would be... When you go to leave the game, tell the usher your seat numbers. He'd write them down, and then he could tell people which seats are available. 

Again, OSU has no problem selling out games, and people will flock to see the Bucks no matter what (which may be part of the problem), but that still doesn't mean there is no room for improvement. Can't wait to hear some of your guys' ideas. Fire Away. 

 

 

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