"What else could UK do for the "average fan"...for me winning and going to bowl games every year:football::football::cool2:[banana][banana][thumb2]:smiley::smiley::sunglasses:
Once again, UK demonstrates its lack of regard for average fans.
- Thread starter KatFan52
- Start date
Don't care about chairs...in 2k18 seat backs will be throughout the stadium and I have my own cushion. .
Yep. They added even more chair backs this year. Rich fan benefits because they pay for the upgrades.
Looking forward to the Grove...one of my crews BIL's son played golf there and we are going to get a vip tour..
Actually, have commented on other threads, just never started a thread. Thanks.
I am not disgruntled over progress. I am upset that the loyalty of fans who have supported this program through some mighty bad years means nothing. Some of my favorite memories are the Saturdays I spent tailgating with friends and family. Looking forward to seeing the folks in our section that we'd come to know and watch each other's kids grow up. I get that change is necessary. I also get that it is a business and the big buck donors have to be taken care of. But, surely, Loyalty, endurance and flat out live of the cats should count for something.
Sure hope to see that better product. The money from the SEC network in addition to all the money from increased ticket prices, K-Fund donations and parking passes ought to go a long way towards what they say they need. Guess part of the frustration comes from the changes in terms of money, lost seats etc with very little improvement to the product. If we are spending and "playing business" like the big boy programs, I just want to see big boy program success.
But Pizza Pit attendance s a farce thousands of FREE tickets given to UPS ,GE and Ford...uavel fans go to drink beer not watch that ***** schedule.. the expansion is to be bigger than Commonwealth..not too smart..all those empty seats look bad on TV....The Little Brother Complex is alive..:cool2::cool2:
Excuse me, but I didn't say I wanted a better seat. Want the stadium filled? Try fielding a consistently good team. I will still be at every game this year despite what I've seen the last three years. But I am the problem? I said that I felt that UK should at least consider the average fan in at least some manner. I've earned the right to say that after having spent well over 20 years of season tickets, which we use EVERY game, even in that notorious Vandy game in Joker's last year because those young men wore blue and white. Do I begrudge the fat cats their perks? Nope. If I had the money, I'd want them as well. I just believe that both ends of the spectrum deserve more than the lip service UK pays. But I am the problem. OK.......
Didn't say I wanted the same ammenities, don't expect them. I just don't think a total disregard of the loyalty and endurance of the majority of the fan base should be totally disregarded.
Nope. No troll. Just venting. Obviously in the wrong place. Words are twisted, misinterpreted and/or fan loyalty is questioned. Maybe I don't express myself clearly enough, but at any rate, lesson learned. If you question UK decisions, keep it to yourself....just keep paying for your tickets, those mandatory KFund donations, and smile when you open the letters asking for more donations after you've learned your seats have been changed, or your parking pass is gone or that you can't get onto the lot until well into the night because UK wants to make a point. All of these things happened to long time fans, but that's ok. After all, it's not just college football, it's a business...and that makes it alright.
So you are an architect? ...you are so full of bs it is not funny...when the new practice facility is finished in July UK will have as good of facilities as anybody the country and when the time comes that another 8-10k seats are needed they will be built...Otis is adding a bunch of seats with horrible sight lines that will never have butts in them.
Not sure what the "total disregard" is that you're referring to. They're trying to put seat backs on every bleacher in the stadium now. They played a concert at every single home game this past season. What do you recommend for the average fan? You're clearly full of ideas, so please do share.
You get what you pay for, it's that simple. If you've been for so long, you should know what you're getting by now, and you're continuing to pay for it, and good on ya. Fans should certainly put their butts into the seats and support the team, but if you've been paying for something for so long, and you know good and well what you're getting, then doesn't it seem silly to complain? It's almost contradictory. You want more but you're continuously paying for what you get.
For some people, that's enough. For others, like yourself apparently, it isn't. It is what it is.
I don't think he is an architect, but he does have an engineering degree, not too far off, and he got it before UL decided to be an athletic supporter instead of a University.
I get what Mamakat is saying. I know people just like her. They have had season tickets since the 70s near 50 yard line a couple rows up. They have endured many bad seasons but always supported the Cats even the Joker years. With stadium renovations she was forced to give up her seats due to large kfund donation even though she has had them the last 30 years. The true fan. The one who kept revenue up for the basketball team and Matthew Mitchells salary.
That is one thing I think they could do better is have someone constantly patrolling the restrooms to keep them tidy, but if the drunks would have a little more courtesy and class about themselves it wouldn't be so necessary. Guess that is impossible though..you would think a GAM or GAW would have more self respect and pride to get in that condition and make a fool of themselves
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Thank you, ja (I think [winking]). Yes, that is correct; an engineer with some background in structural design and some experience in light construction. Not that it matters I went back and forth between engineering and architecture before settling on engineering.
Slugger, regarding my observations about the stadium renovations, naturally, it would take a detailed look at the plans to definitively say it could have been done differently, but a casual walk thru eyeball inspection suggests that it could. In fact, in an "improve CWS" thread well before the actual renovation was announced I had suggested a way to add suites with a minimal impact to the existing capacity.
But Barnhart opted for the existing design and it is what it is. However, what is more important to "building a better football program" is the new training facility. It will absolutely be top notch. The "best" decision was the relocation of the football training facilities and locker rooms (i.e., Nutter Center) with the stadium and Nutter Field House. That puts ALL of the football facilities in a central location. A few years ago (Brooks era) I drove down for a spring practice session which was supposed to have been held in Nutter, When I got there (i.e., Nutter) I was told it had been moved outside. I was impressed with the fairly lengthy walk between between Nutter Center and Nutter Field House and wondered why on earth the indoor and outdoor facilities were no co-located.
The only game at CWS I made last year was the UofL game. Due to weather and traffic I was walking to my seat at KO and left immediately after the game and had no chance to really take in the new look. I will find a better opportunity this year.
Peace
I do not agree with the OP but her point of view is one that still has to be taken into consideration by the administration. It is a tricky proposition to accommodate the big money donors and to also keep the average fan happy. Both are important to the program. The big money donor is essential and changes had to be made to cater to those folks. However, many of those changes had to be at the expense of some of the average fans. Anytime you charge more or take away something but the reward stays the same you are going to have a consumer who feels ripped off. UK fans were spoiled during the Brooks era. We were paying some of the lowest prices in the country for tickets and our team was going to 5 straight bowls making most of us very happy with the product on the field and giving us high hopes for the future of UK football.
Then Brooks left and the product got worse each year. Fans were still paying less than fans of other schools for tickets but that didn't matter because they were getting less for their dollar than they were a few years ago. Then came the promise of Stoops, stadium upgrades and once again a winning program. After 4 years, I still think most fans remain on the Stoops train but there is a little uneasiness starting to set in. He really needs to finish with a winning record this year. Sacrifices have been made by the average fan but the winning program is still in the promise stage. That leaves us with the stadium upgrades. The 2 things that happened that most fans were not prepared for were the seat and parking pass redistributions. Many fans got better seats and closer parking than they have ever had. However, for every fan that got an upgrade, another fan got worse seats and worse parking. Those are the fans who are vocal. This year a k-fund donation was tacked on to the parking passes making about half of them twice as expensive as they were last year. This was not well received. The price is fair but I would have waited until we had a winning season to make that change.
Ultimately, I think the right decisions were made. You have to throw a bone to the average fan who has been negatively affected by the changes and I think UK has thrown that bone. Seat backs, ribbon boards, sound system, new jumbo-trons and and pregame concerts are all things that are aimed more at the average fan than they are the guys in suites. Obviously, this isn't enough to satisfy everybody. There are many, many fans who care about one thing and one thing only - winning. These fans could care less about all the upgrades except for the impact they have on recruiting and ultimately winning. Hopefully, the sacrifices and opportunity costs given up by these fans will soon translate into winning seasons, bowl games and even competing for SEC championships. If and when this comes to fruition, all will be happy, seats will be filled and the program can then take the next step in the quest to becoming a perennial football powerhouse.
Then Brooks left and the product got worse each year. Fans were still paying less than fans of other schools for tickets but that didn't matter because they were getting less for their dollar than they were a few years ago. Then came the promise of Stoops, stadium upgrades and once again a winning program. After 4 years, I still think most fans remain on the Stoops train but there is a little uneasiness starting to set in. He really needs to finish with a winning record this year. Sacrifices have been made by the average fan but the winning program is still in the promise stage. That leaves us with the stadium upgrades. The 2 things that happened that most fans were not prepared for were the seat and parking pass redistributions. Many fans got better seats and closer parking than they have ever had. However, for every fan that got an upgrade, another fan got worse seats and worse parking. Those are the fans who are vocal. This year a k-fund donation was tacked on to the parking passes making about half of them twice as expensive as they were last year. This was not well received. The price is fair but I would have waited until we had a winning season to make that change.
Ultimately, I think the right decisions were made. You have to throw a bone to the average fan who has been negatively affected by the changes and I think UK has thrown that bone. Seat backs, ribbon boards, sound system, new jumbo-trons and and pregame concerts are all things that are aimed more at the average fan than they are the guys in suites. Obviously, this isn't enough to satisfy everybody. There are many, many fans who care about one thing and one thing only - winning. These fans could care less about all the upgrades except for the impact they have on recruiting and ultimately winning. Hopefully, the sacrifices and opportunity costs given up by these fans will soon translate into winning seasons, bowl games and even competing for SEC championships. If and when this comes to fruition, all will be happy, seats will be filled and the program can then take the next step in the quest to becoming a perennial football powerhouse.
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UK missed a BIG opportunity to move on the success of the Brooks era.... This is true.
Don't know the success CRB might have had were he to have gotten what CMS has had laid at his feet but can pretty much guarantee UK would'a gotten off cheaper had they invested back when...
Sure seems to be a pattern... AD gets in trouble... AD throws money at the problem... WBB the latest in that theme... Leading from behind don't get it at any level OMHO....
Don't know the success CRB might have had were he to have gotten what CMS has had laid at his feet but can pretty much guarantee UK would'a gotten off cheaper had they invested back when...
Sure seems to be a pattern... AD gets in trouble... AD throws money at the problem... WBB the latest in that theme... Leading from behind don't get it at any level OMHO....
I agree that things would have been a lot different had Brooks stayed until Stoops came in but that is all I agree with in your post.
Joker was a hotter commodity in the national scene when we hired him than Stoops was when we hired him. We had an inside angle on Joker and it was the smart move at the time. Hindsight proves otherwise but nobody had the benefit of hindsight when the hire was made.
Mitchell? You have to be kidding. He is the most successful coach in the history of the WBB program. He was successful this past year. The defections suck and indicate that there is a problem but give the man a chance to fix the problem.
Did you go in the men's or women's? Obama said you have a choice you know.
Probably should just go in the women's from now on, they probably keep it cleaner.
When I was young I was the night manager of a Holiday Inn, the bar closed at mid-night and I had to check the restrooms, I assure you the women can be just as filthy as any man.
BTW Obama hasn't confused me about my sexuality. Sorry your having issues.
To get back on point. A vast majority of the reasons many fans are opting out are not UK 's fault.
Not being able to schedule games before twelve days out.
The wonderful large screen HDTV experience.
Not being able to show replays of controversial calls when people at home can see them
The inability of UK to schedule day games only in November and away games only in the Deep South in Nov.
The four hour plus game times so more commercials can be sold. Fans sweltering in the heat or freezing in the cold waiting for the guy in the red hat to restart the fame.
The inability of UK to avoid conflicts with Keenland.
To make OP 's point one could reasonably argue that since so many changes that negatively affect the fans in the stands are beyond UK s control they should do better in all areas which they still control.
However I would take the other side and argue that with limited resources in a relatively poor state UK has been pretty darn responsive since the Joker fiasco.
Not being able to schedule games before twelve days out.
The wonderful large screen HDTV experience.
Not being able to show replays of controversial calls when people at home can see them
The inability of UK to schedule day games only in November and away games only in the Deep South in Nov.
The four hour plus game times so more commercials can be sold. Fans sweltering in the heat or freezing in the cold waiting for the guy in the red hat to restart the fame.
The inability of UK to avoid conflicts with Keenland.
To make OP 's point one could reasonably argue that since so many changes that negatively affect the fans in the stands are beyond UK s control they should do better in all areas which they still control.
However I would take the other side and argue that with limited resources in a relatively poor state UK has been pretty darn responsive since the Joker fiasco.
The quality is better. The quantity is worse. When at full capacity, I stand in longer john lines than I ever did before the rework.
Same for food. Galls me that they shut down lines after half time while workers sit in back room doing whatever & the lines thus remain long. I sit in 225.
The Gran & Hinshaw hires stopped me from giving up my seats.
This average fan is very happy with the changes and has no patience for whining about improvements.
You are probably trying to use the bathrooms in the center of the stadium which are totally inadequate. It is much much faster to walk to the bathrooms at the end of the stadium and back. Why they even bothered with the tinny tiny ones is beyond me. I guess the incorrectly figured most people in that area would be going into the stadium club. Not so . Architectural mistake . And a bad one
I agree with the "leading from behind" comment.
Reminds me of a joke I like: "There they go, I must follow them, for I am their leader".
It was a joke, lighten up francis.
And thanks for the enlightenment, I don't have any experience at all in the women's room.
Quit complaining Alice. You take a shot, you get one in return. Oh and you're welcome.