2024 season ticket renewals going out now

[THEONLYTENISEE]

I’ll be looking for 2 for Bowling Green either Sat 3/2 or Sun 3/3. Try to go while it’s still cold and affordable lol

Are you trying to go for the whole BG series or just 1 game?

 

[TheBigOne10]

Are you trying to go for the whole BG series or just 1 game?

1 game, preferably Saturday 3/2….but no biggie. I try to do at least one Non Conf game and a couple conf games each year. I’m lucky that my wife actually loves going

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

1 game, preferably Saturday 3/2….but no biggie. I try to do at least one Non Conf game and a couple conf games each year. I’m lucky that my wife actually loves going

I normally offer the entire series for games, it’s easier on my end.

 

[Tzettler87]

So I inquired today about my spot on the waitlist and found out that tickets will be assigned based on donor rank within the waitlist.

 

[fryeguy93]

I am still waiting for a call from UTAD about season tickets from my deposit in 2022.

They promised a call in January. Few days left.

Maybe the weather slowed them down as much as it likely did the construction?

Home season starts in 4 weeks

 

[Tzettler87]

I am still waiting for a call from UTAD about season tickets from my deposit in 2022.

They promised a call in January. Few days left.

Maybe the weather slowed them down as much as it likely did the construction?

Home season starts in 4 weeks

When I talked to them they said they wouldn't be emailing everyone on the list that wasn't getting tickets cause it was just way to many people to email. They encouraged me to reach out. I wonder if the weather is gonna foul up construction to the point that they won't have as many seats as they planned for this season anyway.

 

[fryeguy93]

When I talked to them they said they wouldn't be emailing everyone on the list that wasn't getting tickets cause it was just way to many people to email. They encouraged me to reach out. I wonder if the weather is gonna foul up construction to the point that they won't have as many seats as they planned for this season anyway.

That's what I'm worried about:

The email I got back on Dec. 20 said:

Thanks for reaching out! We will begin new season ticket sales for baseball in January.

I can confirm that you made a deposit for 4 season tickets, so you will receive more information about the on-sale date and process in the coming weeks. Your deposit is for non-premium seats, but I can add your name to an interest
list for the new Rocky Top Club that will be completed in 2025.

Please let me know if you have any other questions!

I have sent an email last week but no response.

 

[preacherman20]

Most non-essential offices were closed last week

 

[fryeguy93]

That's what I'm worried about:

The email I got back on Dec. 20 said:

Thanks for reaching out! We will begin new season ticket sales for baseball in January.

I can confirm that you made a deposit for 4 season tickets, so you will receive more information about the on-sale date and process in the coming weeks. Your deposit is for non-premium seats, but I can add your name to an interest
list for the new Rocky Top Club that will be completed in 2025.

Please let me know if you have any other questions!

I have sent an email last week but no response.

Update:

Thanks for reaching out! You are still on our list based on the deposit you made. We are still in the process of selling new season tickets. Due to the limited availability and high
demand, we are offering new season tickets on a one-by-one basis in donor rank order.

Single game tickets will go on sale in February. We will provide more information about the exact date and time of the sale in the coming weeks.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Doesn't sound like my "deposit" was much of a deposit?

Maybe if they had intimated on the "deposit" request that a donation would be helpful then more would have been given.

So much for being a regular attendee since 1992.

 

[fryeguy93]

Update:

Thanks for reaching out! You are still on our list based on the deposit you made. We are still in the process of selling new season tickets. Due to the limited availability and high
demand, we are offering new season tickets on a one-by-one basis in donor rank order.

Single game tickets will go on sale in February. We will provide more information about the exact date and time of the sale in the coming weeks.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Doesn't sound like my "deposit" was much of a deposit?

Maybe if they had intimated on the "deposit" request that a donation would be helpful then more would have been given.

So much for being a regular attendee since 1992.

I am not having a good morning to say the least!!!!
My 2019 divorce and COVID in 2020 and 2021 are the gift that keeps giving!

part of my response this morning:

I have a few questions:

1. Would my deposit of four seats exclude me from getting two if available?
2. Will those who paid for the "so-called" deposit get an advantage or even a discount for purchase of single-game tickets or will it be every man for themselves like it always is?
3. Were the donors- who are getting first choice for new seats, required to place a deposit in 2022?
4. What should I have been told in that 2022 email packet, that would have given me an actual chance for tickets even with the payment of this deposit-in-name-only?
5. Did your office greatly oversell these deposits, knowing there was zero chance most of these people could not get in

I cannot turn back time. I can't provide a long history of donations because "my sport" did not require donations in the past so I do not have a long track record of donations.

I hate to whine, but does anyone have ANY freaking idea how many games I have attended at LNS (and Lower Hudson Field) since I was ****ing student?!?!?!
And would anyone like to look back at those 33 years and calculate how many of those seasons actually resulted in winning campaigns?!?!?! Do they even know how many times I watched Todd Raleigh's useless ass in the dugout?!?!?
And has anyone else on this overbooked "deposit" list traveled to more ****ing road games or froze their damn ass off at more home games than me?!?!?

I have one season of basketball season tickets but I do not have football or basketball season tickets because I did not WANT tickets to every football or basketball game. I actually wanted baseball tickets and went to most every home game since 1998 and many home games between 1994-1998 when I actually lived in Chattanooga, Atlanta, and Birmingham.

I would have started donating in 2022 if I was told in 2022 that this needed. I made a deposit because that's what I was told to do!!!!

Now people who don't give a DAMN about UT baseball have tickets and don't actually ****ing use them regularly.

 

[WallyBalls]

I am not having a good morning to say the least!!!!
My 2019 divorce and COVID in 2020 and 2021 are the gift that keeps giving!

part of my response this morning:

I have a few questions:

1. Would my deposit of four seats exclude me from getting two if available?
2. Will those who paid for the "so-called" deposit get an advantage or even a discount for purchase of single-game tickets or will it be every man for themselves like it always is?
3. Were the donors- who are getting first choice for new seats, required to place a deposit in 2022?
4. What should I have been told in that 2022 email packet, that would have given me an actual chance for tickets even with the payment of this deposit-in-name-only?
5. Did your office greatly oversell these deposits, knowing there was zero chance most of these people could not get in

I cannot turn back time. I can't provide a long history of donations because "my sport" did not require donations in the past so I do not have a long track record of donations.

I hate to whine, but does anyone have ANY freaking idea how many games I have attended at LNS (and Lower Hudson Field) since I was ****ing student?!?!?!
And would anyone like to look back at those 33 years and calculate how many of those seasons actually resulted in winning campaigns?!?!?! Do they even know how many times I watched Todd Raleigh's useless ass in the dugout?!?!?
And has anyone else on this overbooked "deposit" list traveled to more ****ing road games or froze their damn ass off at more home games than me?!?!?

I have one season of basketball season tickets but I do not have football or basketball season tickets because I did not WANT tickets to every football or basketball game. I actually wanted baseball tickets and went to most every home game since 1998 and many home games between 1994-1998 when I actually lived in Chattanooga, Atlanta, and Birmingham.

I would have started donating in 2022 if I was told in 2022 that this needed. I made a deposit because that's what I was told to do!!!!

Now people who don't give a DAMN about UT baseball have tickets and don't actually ****ing use them regularly.

I know the feeling man. The new model the UTAD is using is absolutely soulless and cold.

It’s a machine now, and it doesn’t care about anything other than what it can extract.

Danny can send out all his fun graphics crowing about revenue, but it comes at a price. It’s miserable to watch and feel as a donor/ticket holder.

 

[txbo]

I am not having a good morning to say the least!!!!
My 2019 divorce and COVID in 2020 and 2021 are the gift that keeps giving!

part of my response this morning:

I have a few questions:

1. Would my deposit of four seats exclude me from getting two if available?
2. Will those who paid for the "so-called" deposit get an advantage or even a discount for purchase of single-game tickets or will it be every man for themselves like it always is?
3. Were the donors- who are getting first choice for new seats, required to place a deposit in 2022?
4. What should I have been told in that 2022 email packet, that would have given me an actual chance for tickets even with the payment of this deposit-in-name-only?
5. Did your office greatly oversell these deposits, knowing there was zero chance most of these people could not get in

I cannot turn back time. I can't provide a long history of donations because "my sport" did not require donations in the past so I do not have a long track record of donations.

I hate to whine, but does anyone have ANY freaking idea how many games I have attended at LNS (and Lower Hudson Field) since I was ****ing student?!?!?!
And would anyone like to look back at those 33 years and calculate how many of those seasons actually resulted in winning campaigns?!?!?! Do they even know how many times I watched Todd Raleigh's useless ass in the dugout?!?!?
And has anyone else on this overbooked "deposit" list traveled to more ****ing road games or froze their damn ass off at more home games than me?!?!?

I have one season of basketball season tickets but I do not have football or basketball season tickets because I did not WANT tickets to every football or basketball game. I actually wanted baseball tickets and went to most every home game since 1998 and many home games between 1994-1998 when I actually lived in Chattanooga, Atlanta, and Birmingham.

I would have started donating in 2022 if I was told in 2022 that this needed. I made a deposit because that's what I was told to do!!!!

Now people who don't give a DAMN about UT baseball have tickets and don't actually ****ing use them regularly.

There may be other BaseVol fans that have been as loyal as you, but there arfen't very many.

 

[fryeguy93]

I know the feeling man. The new model the UTAD is using is absolutely soulless and cold.

It’s a machine now, and it doesn’t care about anything other than what it can extract.

Danny can send out all his fun graphics crowing about revenue, but it comes at a price. It’s miserable to watch and feel as a donor/ticket holder.

I hope someone at the athletic department reads this post as I have had more time to think about this issue.


In 2022, had that internet interest form stated I need to start donations to get the new seats, I would have started making donations. In fact, the digital brochure intimated a future, single donation would be required to buy each season tickets when available and they only wanted a deposit at that time.

I made the deposit and am now being told I am in line evidently BEHIND the football and basketball ticket holders who didn't give a damn about the sport until 2021 and were only "donors" because football and basketball tickets required them to be so and baseball never had that requirement for me before. So now, out-of-town ticket holders who only show up for a big series and ticket brokers are in front of me in line because they bought football tickets?!?!?

QUIT LUMPING BASEBALL WITH THE OTHER SPORTS!

Or at least consider other sports ticket sales as a secondary or tertiary consideration.

Simply put, lumping all ticket donors into a single donor pool is the proximate cause for empty seats at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Baseball donors should have priority for baseball tickets
Football donors should have priority for football tickets
Basketball donors should have priority for basketball tickets.

Why is this so hard to understand?

One reason that Mid-major football schools "sell" their home games to major Power-5 schools is because their ticket prices are too low. Tennessee was scheduled to play at Wyoming in 2002. Nashville ended up "buying" the game as the Wyoming athletic director explained to his upset fan base that he had ZERO choice?

(1) The Wyoming Athletic Department made far more money in selling that one game in September 2002 than hosting the game.

(2) The season tickets for Wyoming football was less than the price of a single Tennessee home game. Meaning, Tennessee fans (excited about a rare trip to Laramie and the beautiful western
Rockies) would have purchased EVERY season ticket just to use for that single game. This would leave the stadium largely empty for the rest of the home schedule and would have
harmed revenue and the game atmosphere.

The Tennessee athletic department is doing what the WyoAD was trying to avoid to themselves, and is harming baseball in the process. The football season ticket holders only have to pay a little bit more to suck up the relatively few baseball seats and don't feel compelled to go to anything other than the biggest games every few weeks- at most. They are selling season tickets to people who do not really want to use but a few tickets.

And this is unnecessary. The football season ticket holders are not going to be angry and revolt if they can't get baseball tickets. They're still going to buy their football tickets EVERY season. That's where their passion is. This new system is keeping UT baseball fans from buying UT Baseball tickets unless they buy tickets for other sports they don't want or can't really afford.

It's clear, seemingly, the only way I am getting tickets in 2025 is by purchasing the premium seats- even this is not a guarantee. I suspect, if I buy club seats, that I will be looking down at the same dozens or hundred of empty seats below me for nearly every game

Maybe these football donor's will buy these premium seats in 2025? But why would they pay even more for tickets they have no intention of using?

Perhaps a work around would be asking donors how they would like to "earmark" their donations? What sport would they want more of their donation being applied? Those who opt for baseball should be given additional priority for baseball tickets? Whether the department chooses to apply the donations that way would be another issue for later.

This current system is not significantly increasing the overall donor base.
The system is currently giving additional benefits to current donors that marginally cares for Vol Baseball at the expense of potential, future donors- and log time supporters, who care deeply.

 

[fryeguy93]

Maybe my situation is rare.
I gave up season tickets in 2019 - I previously purchased with my wife and with different friends as a group; because I was going through a painful divorce. I should not have done it but I had no idea at the time that this could happen.

I knew I was coming back. At least I thought I was. Because I did not buy in 2019; I was really locked out in 2021 when attendance was strongly reduced and that kept me from getting in on 2022 and 2023.

 

[Ned Land]

Didn't they break up the donations? That is why I no longer have basketball tickets. I couldn't piggyback on football anymore and buy seats I had to do a separate donation for basketball. I assumed these new seats were going to the Baseball Excellence Fund donors

 

[WallyBalls]

Didn't they break up the donations? That is why I no longer have basketball tickets. I couldn't piggyback on football anymore and buy seats I had to do a separate donation for basketball. I assumed these new seats were going to the Baseball Excellence Fund donors

They did break them up, **BUT** the 'points' you earn toward your donor ranking for making the now separate donations all go into the same pool for your total.

So, for anything they sell based on donor ranking- some guy with 4 terrace seats at Neyland and 2 sidecourt seats in TBA will have the rank over the vast majority on that list, no matter how long he held baseball tickets before or anything else. (Same goes for the serial ticket flippers if they have the points). They'll offer you a chance to make a separate donation to 'buy' more points, but that's the limit to what they'll do.

So now, the front of the list is populated with people who likely have never had baseball season tickets, and likely will let the seats sit empty or flip for big money for all but the good weather Friday/Saturday SEC games.

They are giving him ZERO credit for being there and supporting the program during the darkest of days. Since tickets didn't require a donation back then, he got no points.


(Apologies if I've over explained or got any of this wrong)

 

[cthvolsfan]

They did break them up, **BUT** the 'points' you earn toward your donor ranking for making the now separate donations all go into the same pool for your total.

So, for anything they sell based on donor ranking- some guy with 4 terrace seats at Neyland and 2 sidecourt seats in TBA will have the rank over the vast majority on that list, no matter how long he held baseball tickets before or anything else. (Same goes for the serial ticket flippers if they have the points). They'll offer you a chance to make a separate donation to 'buy' more points, but that's the limit to what they'll do.

So now, the front of the list is populated with people who likely have never had baseball season tickets, and likely will let the seats sit empty or flip for big money for all but the good weather Friday/Saturday SEC games.

They are giving him ZERO credit for being there and supporting the program during the darkest of days. Since tickets didn't require a donation back then, he got no points.


(Apologies if I've over explained or got any of this wrong)

I don't like the fact that big boosters effectively get to "jump ahead in line" of fans who have been attending games through the years and want to attend games going forward. I'm afraid they are slowly pricing out the common fans for corporate or large donors. The scene at LNS will change if that continues and it won't be the hostile environment Vitello, the staff and players really like.

That said, it will be interesting to see how these big donors get treated when their ticket sales/transfers get tracked and they sell too many or the tix don't get used. Bet they don't catch the same heat for it that some others on here have gotten.

 

[WallyBalls]

Sadly, if they are big enough...nothing will happen.

And if the tickets just sit unused, nothing will happen. They mainly don't want someone reselling them all the time.

(Which, is because they'd rather be the ones doing it and getting a bigger cut- and not really any altruistic reasons. But that gets into a way too deep conversation about the evils of Ticketmaster and other secondary markets, and how they operate. Guaranteeing revenue, manipulating prices, exorbitant fees etc.).


And while I'm editing and probably talking way out of my depth... the larger private and corporate donors are exactly what they are chasing. The finances of ADs everywhere are rapidly changing. They see money being siphoned off to NIL, and they are going to do everything to replace it. They've chased those type of donors for years, but its going to be a little more painful on the normals.

 

[Ned Land]

They did break them up, **BUT** the 'points' you earn toward your donor ranking for making the now separate donations all go into the same pool for your total.

So, for anything they sell based on donor ranking- some guy with 4 terrace seats at Neyland and 2 sidecourt seats in TBA will have the rank over the vast majority on that list, no matter how long he held baseball tickets before or anything else. (Same goes for the serial ticket flippers if they have the points). They'll offer you a chance to make a separate donation to 'buy' more points, but that's the limit to what they'll do.

So now, the front of the list is populated with people who likely have never had baseball season tickets, and likely will let the seats sit empty or flip for big money for all but the good weather Friday/Saturday SEC games.

They are giving him ZERO credit for being there and supporting the program during the darkest of days. Since tickets didn't require a donation back then, he got no points.


(Apologies if I've over explained or got any of this wrong)

This is the best explanation I've ever received and that includes from UT.

 

[Tzettler87]

Didn't they break up the donations? That is why I no longer have basketball tickets. I couldn't piggyback on football anymore and buy seats I had to do a separate donation for basketball. I assumed these new seats were going to the Baseball Excellence Fund donors

Not sure but they claimed it was based off donor rank. After 10 years of football season tickets that put over 8000 people ahead of me in line.

 

[fryeguy93]

The department would like to sell all the seats for the most money possible. Understandable.
The department would like to see all the seats occupied for every game. Equally understandable.

The current system makes these concepts sometimes mutually exclusive.

Instead of selling tickets to people who want to go to every game. They are marketing baseball tickets to other consumers as a bonus benefit. The UTAD is choosing to use baseball tickets as a a value-added service instead of a stand-alone product.

I do not necessarily believe the ticket/donation price is the biggest issue. I will gladly pay more for tickets.
Right now. I can't even buy the tickets as the department is choosing to give the tickets to other customers.

A department representative is contacting me by phone later this week to discuss my problems and their system further. I appreciate this. I get the feeling the real reason for the call is I expressed interest in premium seats in 2025,

However, am I even going to have the chance to buy these seats next season? Those customers who buy club level seats at Neyland and TBA could just a few more ducats for LNS club seats and because they have the "right kind of history" I will be blocked next season as well.

The athletic department is really marketing baseball season tickets like a cell phone provider who tosses in a television streaming service to customers as a loyalty reward or PBS gives away a book bag with a donation instead of actually selling the book bag.

 

[Tzettler87]

I think it really just comes down to money. They want to get the most money possible and the way they do that is by selling to whoever already has a track record of handing over their money the most. You make lots of donations to the school, you are definitely someone they want to keep around.

 

[WallyBalls]

The department would like to sell all the seats for the most money possible. Understandable.
The department would like to see all the seats occupied for every game. Equally understandable.

The current system makes these concepts sometimes mutually exclusive.

Instead of selling tickets to people who want to go to every game. They are marketing baseball tickets to other consumers as a bonus benefit. The UTAD is choosing to use baseball tickets as a a value-added service instead of a stand-alone product.

I do not necessarily believe the ticket/donation price is the biggest issue. I will gladly pay more for tickets.
Right now. I can't even buy the tickets as the department is choosing to give the tickets to other customers.

A department representative is contacting me by phone later this week to discuss my problems and their system further. I appreciate this. I get the feeling the real reason for the call is I expressed interest in premium seats in 2025,

However, am I even going to have the chance to buy these seats next season? Those customers who buy club level seats at Neyland and TBA could just a few more ducats for LNS club seats and because they have the "right kind of history" I will be blocked next season as well.

The athletic department is really marketing baseball season tickets like a cell phone provider who tosses in a television streaming service to customers as a loyalty reward or PBS gives away a book bag with a donation instead of actually selling the book bag.

Exactly. Well said.

In this case, one would hope someone with a history like yours might have at least some sort of priority or get some sort of credit, simply put because if they look back prior to 2021-to put it bluntly- THERE WEREN'T TOO DAMN MANY PRIOR TO 2021. Its not like you're asking to pay the 2019 price. Or asking for wild upgrades. Just the chance to buy some tickets.

I get making money. I do. But their approach seems so rigid and locked in on highest number possible, its extremely disheartening. I've got an aunt and uncle who are dealing with it for their LV basketball seats. The last two years, they're still getting the runaround any time they ask for the smallest change or help with something...in a sport where one would think they would be doing absolutely anything to help out ticket holders given the decline in attendance.

And hell, I've watched both pro and college organizations do things for their customers to add value (lower concessions, added experiences, discounts, small gifts...). Zero of that going on here...but I won't ramble on that.

There's a disconnect somewhere. One side has lifelong, heartfelt connections. The other side...97% of the time feels like their only mission is to exploit those connections **if** the upper crust leaves any to be had.

 

[taylorvol]

The sad part is when the loyal diehards get pushed out, the “wine and cheese“ corporate crowd will move in and take over creating a very sterile environment. I fear that the loud, “hornets nest” environment will be long gone. Moving the student section next year to Right Field isn’t going to help things.

 

[preacherman20]

I'm guessing the other problem is the ones making decisions are not there at baseball games enough to know the reality. They also only show up for the big games. I'm not sure anyone in UT baseball coaches or admin are making these decisions.