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There is no recession in Happy Valley

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by zagoshe, Nov 18, 2009.

  1. zagoshe

    zagoshe Well-Known Member

    An interesting article about Penn State's football program raising ticket prices next year, in some cases by as much as 500 percent. Of course, it is doing this at a time when it has completely dumbed down its schedule and is no longer the elite program it once was - all of which has some people in that valley in a not-so-happy mood....

    http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/bobsmizik/archive/2009/11/17/penn-state-planning-hugh-ticket-increase.aspx

    Of course, the predictable column saying essentially "don't like it, don't buy them...."

    http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09322/1014269-143.stm
     
  2. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    Actually, that wasn't the cheerleading column I expected when I saw Cook's name on it.
     
  3. Bubbler

    Bubbler Well-Known Member

    Scaling their schedule back? But they're playing mighty Indiana State in '11!
     
  4. BitterYoungMatador2

    BitterYoungMatador2 Well-Known Member

    Give Joe a break. He has 17,819 varsity sports to fund.
     
  5. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    So they're raising the "right to buy" cost a bunch. Don't know if they're also raising the per ticket price. But if you figure they're getting at least $50 per ticket - 50 x 100,000 - that's five mil a game x 8 - $40 mil a season (not including the extra 10-20 mil the "right to buy" nets a year. It's not like JoePa is pocketing the dough. I'm really starting to wonder where the money is going in college athletics, it's not like they have to buy TV advertising, it's not like tuition is going down or academics are getting healthy raises.
     
  6. BitterYoungMatador2

    BitterYoungMatador2 Well-Known Member

    They people will bitch, moan, scream, complain, call talk radio stations....then eliminate a small home improvement project, like buying a new washer and dryer, to keep their seats. Congrats to the PSU administration for knowing their fan base is sheeple.
     
  7. Double J

    Double J Active Member

    Is the PTA in Happy Valley still causing shit for Mrs. Johnston?
     
  8. dooley_womack1

    dooley_womack1 Well-Known Member

    Harper Valley (forget it, he's rolling)
     
  9. Flying Headbutt

    Flying Headbutt Moderator Staff Member

    You can start with video systems that tape practices, games, etc. and then get everything filed in ways we never thought tape and video could be logged once upon a time. To go with it, weight rooms, and improved facilities for all the non-revenue sports. Increasing salaries for all the coaches. Bloated AD and admin salaries too.
     
  10. mjp1542

    mjp1542 Member

    I'm not PSU apologist, however, while this year's schedule was "dumbed down" and awful, over the next five years they have a home-and-home with Alabama and Nebraska, plus series with Virginia and Rutgers (and in the Va. and Rutgers years, there are open slots to fill, which COULD go to more marquee opponents).

    Yes, they should play Pitt and Notre Dame like old days, but it takes two to tango. PSU's biggest problem is not being willing to give up that extra home game and play another road non-con game (and Paterno's stubbornness). Then again, there aren't many other schools willing to do that, either.
     
  11. golfnut8924

    golfnut8924 Guest

    The thing about these ultra-expensive tickets is that most of the time, you're only paying for half a game. Penn State's schedule is a freakin joke. Most of their games are over by halftime not because they are some great program (quite possibly the most overrated that there is) but because the other team on the field is usually the Southwest New Hampshire Women's School for the Blind's JV team.

    Until Penn State ups their schedule, they have little right to up their ticket prices. And anyone who pays those kinds of prices to see a game against Akron or Troy thats 34-0 at halftime is a fool. Maybe they could up the prices for when teams like Ohio State, Iowa, etc. come to town but it should be a sliding scale, kind of like what some baseball teams did this summer (I think the Dodgers and/or Giants did this).
     
  12. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    Two to tango? Spare me. Penn State doesn't play Pitt because Pitt refused to kiss JoePa's ass and the vindictive old bastard killed the series out of spite.
     
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