Dr. Strangelove, Tulsa (11/3/2008 7:06:23 AM)

"He's a very stubborn man"

Yes, and he's also not that bright. I am thrilled about what OSU football has accomplished this year, but I gave up my season tix. I had them for 15 years. I was fed up with the escalating prices. Then again, if the team continues to be decent the fans will come back. However, I believe they should have raised prices after a few stellar seasons, not before.

colin1497, Shawnee (11/3/2008 7:29:30 AM)

Dear Coach Holder:

Please don't change the policy. Also, please raise ticket prices 3-5% next year so that you don't have to raise them 20% in 5 years and have everyone screaming again. Manageable increases every year instead of large increases that get articles written by morons in the local papers. Be smart and focus the increases on areas with high sales.

Thanks,
A satisfied owner of 7 donor seats.

Revenues are at an all time high and the team is winning. That's terrible, let's complain.

Have that, America (11/3/2008 8:45:24 AM)

this "season tickets only" policy is absurd for bedlam tickets.

I've got my season tickets, and have gone to every game for years now, but this policy is just stupid. when the national spotlight is going to be on stillwater for bedlam come Nov. 29 we are going to look like a bunch of A-holes with a half full stadium for one of the most important games of the season. College game day will more than likely be there, and if that stadium isn't packed, holder and OSU will both look bad...

NNN, Tulsa (11/3/2008 9:13:17 AM)

The less red in the stands the better. OSU doesn't have all the bandwagon fans that OU does...that is a simple reality. It takes money to build a winning program. You don't gain new fans doing what OSU did for years on end. You gain new fans by winning. Winning takes money. If Holders' policies make more money, then I can't fault him for that. We have been a new RECORD ATTENDANCE average this year with the new ticket prices and OSU still has many thousands of loyal fans. 46,000 against the bottom dweller team in the Big XII that is on television after a tough away game the week before would have been a miracle a couple years ago.

I don't see a problem.

sodypoke, (11/3/2008 9:41:43 AM)

As a long time season ticket holder, I can honestly say that I want more tickets to be sold on an individual basis for the Bedlam game; however, what Holder is doing is about a long term vision for OSU, not individual football games and I can appreciate that as well. I sugest we give it one year, see if enough season ticket holders buy as many individual tickets to sell to their friends and family (without profit of course) and get the stadium somewhat filled up. If it turns out to be a bad move, he'll have to change tactics for next year. Hope we don't give up what homefield advantage we have because we don't have enough fans in the stadium. Go Pokes.

snoop, (11/3/2008 10:11:36 AM)

The OSU-OU game will be the lowest attended game of the season. Less that 45,000 will attend

Dr. Strangelove, Tulsa (11/3/2008 10:22:32 AM)

colin- I made my donation this year, but I let Holder keep his seats. I'm still going to the games, but I get tix for pennies on the dollar outside the stadium. In fact I have sat in club level twice so far, which cracks me up.

You make a good point, but I think Holder's timing was way wrong. Let's see, this year aside, we've added more seats, had a questionable coach at the helm, and raised the price of the product. Hmmmm

Thankfully we're winning and if we keep it up he may be the genius you make him out to be, but I still think the prices are too high given our recent history.

KevMidtown, (11/3/2008 10:49:58 AM)

Ummm...I went to homecoming at OSU this year. Talk about bandwagon fans. Team breaks in the top 10, and there are 3 times as many people at HC. I'd say the bandwagon issue is over.

And don't forget, having the bedlam game on Thanksgiving weekend is really awful. Students are home...families are with family and don't want to break up the weekend with a full day for football...no one really wants to travel more after bad Thanksgiving traffic...poeple are still sick from eating too much on Thursday...etc.

Pokes73, Sand Springs (11/3/2008 10:59:59 AM)

I understand Holder's reasoning but an "empty" stadium like we had for Iowa State would not be good for OU. I tried to buy tickets for my son who just arrived home from Iraq because season tickets would not have fit his situation. I am a donor and I have four season tickets. My son told me that the theater at the base where he was located during the Missouri game was full of OSU fans cheering for the Cowboys. If Holder does't want to sell the tickets give them to the vets who just came back from Iraq and their families. Go POKES!

AC Poke Fan, Tulsa (11/3/2008 11:00:52 AM)

Bedlam will be a sell-out, regardless of what Holders policy is everybody has got to realize that is what is going to happen. Any OSU season-ticket holder can sell their tickets through ticket-master online. They can also put them up on Ebay, sell them to a friend. Holders plan is to keep the place full of orange and limit the crimson. I think it was a great idea and hope he continues it to next year. I do think the $85 per game price is too high.

LaffALot, (11/3/2008 12:42:01 PM)

OSU has the “right” to distribute individual game tickets to anyone & anyway they so desire. I’m sure those large corporate “donor’s” will ‘receive several dozens of “extra” OU/OSU game tickets. It’ll be Holder’s way to repay all those high $$$ roller contributor’s who give so abundantly to the program.

Have that, America (11/3/2008 1:30:02 PM)

AC Poke Fan...

I don't think you understand...the ONLY tickets available to bedlam are the 39,000+ season tickets that have been sold, and the 5,000 given to OU. Meaning that there will be 15,000+ empty seats...the most all year. It's not an issue of buying/selling them on ebay or ticketmaster or wherever, because those tickets that are being sold are already factored into that equation. Single game tickets for bedlam aren't being printed...they don't exist. you can buy a ticket online or from a scalper, yes, but that ticket is from someones season ticket bundle, not just a "single game" ticket.

I've got 4 season tickets, and if I sell you one, I now have 3 and you have 1. which is still 4 people going to the game. In essence you bought a "single game" ticket from your perspective, but realistically, you just bought part of one of my season tickets.

I think this is a major mistake. Especially if ESPN College Game Day is there in Stillwater. This will get nothing but bad press on the national level if ESPN shows up and the stadium isn't even 3/4 full. Looking good on a national level will help OSU get more respect, looking like we cant even fill a medium sized stadium against our rival, when its probably going to be the biggest game of the year will only make us look like fools.

If Holder is so concerned about raising money...Sell em for $200 a piece to recent alumni who maybe couldn't afford season tickets or weren't going to be able to make enough of the games to make it economically viable, but would like to go to bedlam.

JohnWayne, tulsa (11/3/2008 4:14:21 PM)

Bundle this years Bedlam game with next year season tickets? Use you momentum for sales, and keep the Crimson Crud away!

Have that, America (11/3/2008 4:26:42 PM)

Thats a good idea JohnWayne...I hadn't thought of that.

NNN, Tulsa (11/3/2008 5:03:39 PM)

Season tickets are still available. It will just get you into one game now. How many people do you think are out there who will pony up for that?

Have that, America (11/3/2008 7:36:47 PM)

NNN...

considering that tickets online are going for anywhere from $200 to $800each, the $295 price tag on season tickets in the family fun zone doesn't sound that bad now...

I shoulda just bought 10 season tickets at the start of the year....coulda made my money back ten fold by now....

MexiMike, tulsa (11/3/2008 8:23:53 PM)

Everyone wants to put blame on Holder but in reality, you need to look at yourself in the mirror if you weren't at the Iowa State game. I had lots of friends buy tickets on Stub Hub (sp) for half the ticket price so please don't tell me that price was an issue.

Also, where were all the regular season ticket holders? The students? The alumni? If you have season tickets and didn't come to the game to support your team (if you had the opportunity to) then you are by far worse than ANY OU bandwagon fan that actually shows up to their games.

Dr. Strangelove, Tulsa (11/3/2008 10:57:39 PM)

Mexi- you reinforce my point. I'm buying cheap (and really great) seats outside the stadium, so there are no doubt plenty of high $ seats still available unsold. I don't see the harm in making those seats available in a lottery or some other way to fill the stadium. In the end, we have not found a proper equilibrium in price, obviously a whole bunch of fans think the prices are too high, me included.

shaw411, (11/4/2008 7:44:41 AM)

I guess being a top ten program this year is not enough to warrant coming to an OSU game......Boomer Sooner!

Have that, America (11/4/2008 10:48:31 AM)

other than the ISU game, we have been setting attendance records almost every week...people ARE showing up more now than ever. And there are plenty of fans that want to come to bedlam, but not everyone can afford $300+ for a ticket.

I really don't understand why the sooners have to bash OSU fans...we don't have as many fans as you do!! the difference is that OSU fans went to school there... if you took the people that didn't go to school at OU out of the stadium in norman it wouldn't even be half full on saturdays!!

Give us some time...sheesh...we are doing better and the stadium will eventually fill up. This year we had a very poor home slate of games with Bedlam being the only real draw. Next year will be different.

Holder is making a huge mistake not offering the remaining bedlam tickets for sale.

roshambo, (11/10/2008 3:33:13 PM)

I think Pokes73 has an awesome idea - fill the empty seats with military personnel.

Steff M, Claremore (11/14/2008 12:46:41 PM)

Waah,Waah,Waah. What part of Shaw411's statement was OSU bashing, Have that? It just looks like a stated fact to me. A sad fact but a fact. The whole "we only have real fans who went to OSU and there aren't as many of us, and most OU fans didn't go there and are just bandwagoners" spiel is getting old. Just shut up and show up. And get your AD to pull his head out while you're at it

Dr. Strangelove, Tulsa (11/21/2008 9:56:48 AM)

Ahhhh- more intelligent commentary from Steff M