For The Clowns That Were Going To Renew Their Season Tix

[unionandsixth]

It will be fun to watch the athletic department squirm when the season-ticket-renewal numbers start firming up. They'll be covering this up and cherry-picking statistics the way the Obama administration did with the Obamacare enrollment numbers. They'll add parking passes to the season-tickets number, etc. Just watch.

 

[KevinCaneFace]

I completely understand not wanting to spend a dime on a team that isn't making progress. I personally do not plan to make any trips to Miami for a game this year. I'm ticked off no changes were made. (Not even one assistant!) However, it's stupid to rip fans for going to games. Staying at home does not make you more of a fan. You have every right to keep your money until you get the product you want to see. However, some people have been going to games forever and just want to go have a good time supporting the home team. Message board Cane fans can be elitist ********.

 

[Canes305]

Letter sent to Mr. James by my wife.


To Mr. Blake James,

Let me start by saying , that I am not one of your major donors and I am not a person that can talk sports policy or provide you with detail facts on how The UM system spends their funds. I don’t even fully understand the actual plays in football at times. I do however listen to the actual fans. You do remember the fans correct? The ones that show up to the games day in and day out in 100 degree weather, win or lose because I am one of those fans. The ones that even though I may not be able to afford to sit in the Club Level or even lower seats because it is out of a price range for a family of four, they do their best to get tickets every year so we can continue a Family tradition.

I am the person that has been attending UM football games for well over 10 years. A person who made The U part of her family, who has been taking her kids to games since they could walk. My family looks forward to Canes football season. It has become a part of our daily life not only during the season but during the off season as well. My family is loyal to the U. We have attended away games to Ohio State, Oklahoma, Chicago and multiple times to Tallahassee just to name a few. It's not because we have the spare cash laying around because in this economy, middle class families do not have that. It’s because we feel part of the U family and try our best to support that and enjoy showing our support in other parts of the country. After receiving the e-mail “Sun Life Stadium Renovations for 2015” it has made me rethink the thought of renewing my 4 tickets.

We are an overall group of 12 season ticket holders. It might not sound surprising to you, given the current state of the Athletic Department specifically the Football program, but 8 of them have decided not to renew this year. I understand that eight season tickets might not seem like a lot but it just goes to show you that the decisions that are being made by the Administration by accepting mediocrity and not doing anything to change that mentality will affect the long term success of this school. After the rest of my family and friends decided not to renew their tickets because of the way the season ended and again because of the lack of change to try and fix it and show a commitment to getting better, my husband and I had decide that going to the games was so much more to us than the coaching , or the stadium, it was a tradition that we had already started with our two girls . We love our seats. We love the people who sit around us that after so many years of being together through the sometimes good but mostly bad times, we ourselves have become family because we share and celebrate events away from football. It seems since moving to Sun Life Stadium, my loyalty to the University of Miami has been tested time and time again. We have stood by the choices that the board of trustees have made and blindly renewed our tickets without hesitation but asking me to donate more now so that I can have a better chance to get the same seats that I have already had since the move to Sun Life stadium just proves to me that even though the slogan has been for years that “It’s all about The U” the bottom line is “Its all about the Money”

Sun Life stadium is paying for their own remodeling,. The U is simple a tenant renting space. Truth be told true fans couldn’t care less about all the extra things that stadium will be providing other than maybe closer seats . I rather be watching the game from the run down Orange Bowl than in the “NEW” remodeled Sun Life with a team that is not being supported by the administration as it should be. In perfect world the U would have their own stadium, a place where they can truly call home. I will even take it further and say if the University of Miami would start a fundraising campaign that will specifically be to build an on campus stadium, the support would be fantastic but realistically that will never happen.

I can ignore the fact that they don’t want to invest in the coaching staff and they accept the current state of the Football program. I cannot, however ignore that you asking for the families to give more money to be able to renew their tickets to seats they don’t even want changed. We didn’t ask for Sun life to be renewed. We are asking however for the current state of the team and the coaching staff to be renewed because that is where the focus should be.

I understand that I am on the bottom of the totem pole in terms of Hurricane club status and that this email might be disregarded like so many others that have been sent to you , but I could not help but share my feeling on how disappointed I am right now because we are not suppose to be fans or donors, we are suppose to be called the same thing we have been called for many years and that is “ FAMILY”.

Please when you reply back don’t give me the BS on how me giving the school more money is going to change the program , because it has been too many years of hearing change program spiel and nothing has changed or even better. I am sadden to feel like this about the U and even sadder to have to explain to my 12 and 8 years old girls that have been attending the games since they were pretty much born that we have to resign from being part of this U family .

 

[Purple Fever]

Nothing new! They pulled this same **** at the Orange Bowl in the 90"s. I had 3 season tickets below the press box on the 45 yard line for years. I got a notice that I would "temporarily" have to move while renovations (better seating) took place. When finished and I requested my old seats back I was told sure but you need to donate at least $10000 per year!!!

 

[Purple Fever]

Letter sent to Mr. James by my wife.


To Mr. Blake James,

Let me start by saying , that I am not one of your major donors and I am not a person that can talk sports policy or provide you with detail facts on how The UM system spends their funds. I don’t even fully understand the actual plays in football at times. I do however listen to the actual fans. You do remember the fans correct? The ones that show up to the games day in and day out in 100 degree weather, win or lose because I am one of those fans. The ones that even though I may not be able to afford to sit in the Club Level or even lower seats because it is out of a price range for a family of four, they do their best to get tickets every year so we can continue a Family tradition.

I am the person that has been attending UM football games for well over 10 years. A person who made The U part of her family, who has been taking her kids to games since they could walk. My family looks forward to Canes football season. It has become a part of our daily life not only during the season but during the off season as well. My family is loyal to the U. We have attended away games to Ohio State, Oklahoma, Chicago and multiple times to Tallahassee just to name a few. It's not because we have the spare cash laying around because in this economy, middle class families do not have that. It’s because we feel part of the U family and try our best to support that and enjoy showing our support in other parts of the country. After receiving the e-mail “Sun Life Stadium Renovations for 2015” it has made me rethink the thought of renewing my 4 tickets.

We are an overall group of 12 season ticket holders. It might not sound surprising to you, given the current state of the Athletic Department specifically the Football program, but 8 of them have decided not to renew this year. I understand that eight season tickets might not seem like a lot but it just goes to show you that the decisions that are being made by the Administration by accepting mediocrity and not doing anything to change that mentality will affect the long term success of this school. After the rest of my family and friends decided not to renew their tickets because of the way the season ended and again because of the lack of change to try and fix it and show a commitment to getting better, my husband and I had decide that going to the games was so much more to us than the coaching , or the stadium, it was a tradition that we had already started with our two girls . We love our seats. We love the people who sit around us that after so many years of being together through the sometimes good but mostly bad times, we ourselves have become family because we share and celebrate events away from football. It seems since moving to Sun Life Stadium, my loyalty to the University of Miami has been tested time and time again. We have stood by the choices that the board of trustees have made and blindly renewed our tickets without hesitation but asking me to donate more now so that I can have a better chance to get the same seats that I have already had since the move to Sun Life stadium just proves to me that even though the slogan has been for years that “It’s all about The U” the bottom line is “Its all about the Money”

Sun Life stadium is paying for their own remodeling,. The U is simple a tenant renting space. Truth be told true fans couldn’t care less about all the extra things that stadium will be providing other than maybe closer seats . I rather be watching the game from the run down Orange Bowl than in the “NEW” remodeled Sun Life with a team that is not being supported by the administration as it should be. In perfect world the U would have their own stadium, a place where they can truly call home. I will even take it further and say if the University of Miami would start a fundraising campaign that will specifically be to build an on campus stadium, the support would be fantastic but realistically that will never happen.

I can ignore the fact that they don’t want to invest in the coaching staff and they accept the current state of the Football program. I cannot, however ignore that you asking for the families to give more money to be able to renew their tickets to seats they don’t even want changed. We didn’t ask for Sun life to be renewed. We are asking however for the current state of the team and the coaching staff to be renewed because that is where the focus should be.

I understand that I am on the bottom of the totem pole in terms of Hurricane club status and that this email might be disregarded like so many others that have been sent to you , but I could not help but share my feeling on how disappointed I am right now because we are not suppose to be fans or donors, we are suppose to be called the same thing we have been called for many years and that is “ FAMILY”.

Please when you reply back don’t give me the BS on how me giving the school more money is going to change the program , because it has been too many years of hearing change program spiel and nothing has changed or even better. I am sadden to feel like this about the U and even sadder to have to explain to my 12 and 8 years old girls that have been attending the games since they were pretty much born that we have to resign from being part of this U family .

Nice letter-don't expect anything!

 

[Notsince1985]

Letter sent to Mr. James by my wife.


To Mr. Blake James,

Let me start by saying , that I am not one of your major donors and I am not a person that can talk sports policy or provide you with detail facts on how The UM system spends their funds. I don’t even fully understand the actual plays in football at times. I do however listen to the actual fans. You do remember the fans correct? The ones that show up to the games day in and day out in 100 degree weather, win or lose because I am one of those fans. The ones that even though I may not be able to afford to sit in the Club Level or even lower seats because it is out of a price range for a family of four, they do their best to get tickets every year so we can continue a Family tradition.

I am the person that has been attending UM football games for well over 10 years. A person who made The U part of her family, who has been taking her kids to games since they could walk. My family looks forward to Canes football season. It has become a part of our daily life not only during the season but during the off season as well. My family is loyal to the U. We have attended away games to Ohio State, Oklahoma, Chicago and multiple times to Tallahassee just to name a few. It's not because we have the spare cash laying around because in this economy, middle class families do not have that. It’s because we feel part of the U family and try our best to support that and enjoy showing our support in other parts of the country. After receiving the e-mail “Sun Life Stadium Renovations for 2015” it has made me rethink the thought of renewing my 4 tickets.

We are an overall group of 12 season ticket holders. It might not sound surprising to you, given the current state of the Athletic Department specifically the Football program, but 8 of them have decided not to renew this year. I understand that eight season tickets might not seem like a lot but it just goes to show you that the decisions that are being made by the Administration by accepting mediocrity and not doing anything to change that mentality will affect the long term success of this school. After the rest of my family and friends decided not to renew their tickets because of the way the season ended and again because of the lack of change to try and fix it and show a commitment to getting better, my husband and I had decide that going to the games was so much more to us than the coaching , or the stadium, it was a tradition that we had already started with our two girls . We love our seats. We love the people who sit around us that after so many years of being together through the sometimes good but mostly bad times, we ourselves have become family because we share and celebrate events away from football. It seems since moving to Sun Life Stadium, my loyalty to the University of Miami has been tested time and time again. We have stood by the choices that the board of trustees have made and blindly renewed our tickets without hesitation but asking me to donate more now so that I can have a better chance to get the same seats that I have already had since the move to Sun Life stadium just proves to me that even though the slogan has been for years that “It’s all about The U” the bottom line is “Its all about the Money”

Sun Life stadium is paying for their own remodeling,. The U is simple a tenant renting space. Truth be told true fans couldn’t care less about all the extra things that stadium will be providing other than maybe closer seats . I rather be watching the game from the run down Orange Bowl than in the “NEW” remodeled Sun Life with a team that is not being supported by the administration as it should be. In perfect world the U would have their own stadium, a place where they can truly call home. I will even take it further and say if the University of Miami would start a fundraising campaign that will specifically be to build an on campus stadium, the support would be fantastic but realistically that will never happen.

I can ignore the fact that they don’t want to invest in the coaching staff and they accept the current state of the Football program. I cannot, however ignore that you asking for the families to give more money to be able to renew their tickets to seats they don’t even want changed. We didn’t ask for Sun life to be renewed. We are asking however for the current state of the team and the coaching staff to be renewed because that is where the focus should be.

I understand that I am on the bottom of the totem pole in terms of Hurricane club status and that this email might be disregarded like so many others that have been sent to you , but I could not help but share my feeling on how disappointed I am right now because we are not suppose to be fans or donors, we are suppose to be called the same thing we have been called for many years and that is “ FAMILY”.

Please when you reply back don’t give me the BS on how me giving the school more money is going to change the program , because it has been too many years of hearing change program spiel and nothing has changed or even better. I am sadden to feel like this about the U and even sadder to have to explain to my 12 and 8 years old girls that have been attending the games since they were pretty much born that we have to resign from being part of this U family .

Pics of your wife......

 

[Canes305]

Sure, wait for it.

 

[TreOFive]

Don't tell Jesse Marks that Dan, he's been tweeting out that graphic of what the school has "put into" the program. That $350 mil or whatever it is for the stadium is a joke, as they aren't paying a single dime. Do they really think we are idiots?

Actually yes. Some people believed that bullchit propaganda they spit out. (AN EMAIL TO JESSE AND BLAKE BELOW)

Let's breakdown UM and their "investing" in UFootball and athletics.

$350 Million for Sun Life

UM isn't paying a dime for the renovation. So UM's is investing ZERO. Thanks Stephen Ross for "investing". When your landlord paints your apartment and re-paves the driveway do you as the tenant claim you were investing in the rental? No. The landlord is investing in the property they own, you may receive some minor benefits indirectly. By the way, that stadium is a train-wreck and offers nothing in terms of a home field advantage (but not the point of this email).

Net Investment Towards Athletics $0.00

$120 Million for UHealth

Congrats on the investing here. It's a shame that this has ZERO to do with ATHLETICS. From the UM website… "The University of Miami Health System has announced plans for a 200,000-square-foot ambulatory center on the University’s Coral Gables campus that will provide students, faculty, staff, and surrounding communities easy access to UHealth’s leading physicians." (See below Source #1)

On your own website, the following words are not mentioned "football" or “athletic” or “sport”. The UHealth ambulatory center is not a direct investment in sports. This is a joke and a flat out lie to claim this is an investment in athletics.

Net Investment Towards Athletics $0.00

$56 Million for the Student Activities Center

Two quick points about the SAC:

First, the total investment seems to be off. According to two different sources, the correct number is closer to $45-46.5 Million. (See below Source #2). Not that it matters.

Second, this investment is not for “athletics” or "sports" or "football" it is for “student life”. From your own website… “the SAC is an important addition to student life on the University of Miami Campus. The Center includes a 24-hour study space, student organization offices and lounge spaces, a Grand Ballroom, a Senate Room, multi-use meeting and activities rooms, and a media suite. Also housed in the Center are the offices for Student Life departments including: Student Activities and Student Organizations, the Butler Center for Volunteer Service and Leadership Development, Orientation and Commuter Student Involvement, and Reservations for the Student Center Complex. The Center is also the site of Starbucks, Jamba Juice, M2O, and the Rathskeller, which includes roller gliders and an outdoor bar with views of Lake Osceola.”

This again is not an example of directly investing in athletics. Another lie.

Net Investment Towards Athletics $0.00

In summation, UM’s three biggest claims towards investing in athletics are all misleading. You claim $557 Million but the real number is about $520 Million less.

Not only does UM pretend to have standards for our coaches we also lie to our alumni and fan base about investing in athletics.


Source #1: http://www.miami.edu/index.php/news/releases/uhealth_at_coral_gables_announced/

Source #2: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/college/acc/university-of-miami/article1954324.html andhttp://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2013/08/22/um-student-activities-and-schwartz.html?page=all

Rational, reality, accountability, integrity...all terms not allowed at the university of miami.

This ******* university is working my last nerve. I actually may not watch any games next year. 30+ year fan....OMFG!!!

I am glad I do not live in S. Fla anymore. I actually may catch a stupid charge for snapping on campus.

 

[Ispyin]

For anyone who went from having season tickets at the OB to sun life, how did they accommodate you if you had your seats for years prior? Kinda find it insulting that they are saying "your seats don't exist" bc its a new stadium. Couldn't same argument be made when we first left the OB to SLS originally? just curious.

I was on the 50 at the ob. Less seats and rows in lower bowl moved me ultimately to about the 35-40. Now I would most likely get pushed to the 25 with the new club seats in the 50.....

but im not renewing

That entire club section in the lower bowl is always 25% full anyways. It only fills up when we play FSU.

Thats not what I am talking about. look at this picture closely on the right side where the 50yard line or section 142 was. they are changing entirely what was section 142 and seemingly parts of 141 and 143. It appears to be a new special club/premium section only likely to be open to golden canes. many people in green and orange donation levels had seats there.... not any more. Again, i wasnt renewing anyway, but if I had planned on it, being force further out or across would have changed my mind. I think they are way increasing seat costs too in those areas.

 

[canesbaby]

For anyone who went from having season tickets at the OB to sun life, how did they accommodate you if you had your seats for years prior? Kinda find it insulting that they are saying "your seats don't exist" bc its a new stadium. Couldn't same argument be made when we first left the OB to SLS originally? just curious.

I was on the 50 at the ob. Less seats and rows in lower bowl moved me ultimately to about the 35-40. Now I would most likely get pushed to the 25 with the new club seats in the 50.....

but im not renewing

That entire club section in the lower bowl is always 25% full anyways. It only fills up when we play FSU.

Thats not what I am talking about. look at this picture closely on the right side where the 50yard line or section 142 was. they are changing entirely what was section 142 and seemingly parts of 141 and 143. It appears to be a new special club/premium section only likely to be open to golden canes. many people in green and orange donation levels had seats there.... not any more. Again, i wasnt renewing anyway, but if I had planned on it, being force further out or across would have changed my mind. I think they are way increasing seat costs too in those areas.

View attachment 29192

I'm in 143 now and I'm certainly not a Golden Cane donor. It will be interesting to see where my select a seat spot is. Haven't decided whether I'm renewing or not for next year but I am at least interested in seeing where I can choose from. I was hoping to be closer to the 50 yard line but this certainly does not make that appear likely, especially at my former donor level.

 

[SmokeyRone]

Anyone that renews or buys season tickets should be executed.

We need a list! I'm all for lists. Sticky Thread the scum who renew for 2015!

 

[mirednmediocrity2]

If they gave me free passes I might show up at one game....with a bag over my head and a sign with several indecent words on it for a play or two. Otherwise, **** it. We're being ripped off by this so-called university and given ABSOLUTE CHIT for it in return.

Next year is my "Golden Ibis" year as I received my bachelor's degree in 1965. Once I had looked forward to attending this event. NOW, I wouldn't waste my time.

SEND JERRY'S BOYS HOME!

 

[Awsi Dooger]

For anyone who went from having season tickets at the OB to sun life, how did they accommodate you if you had your seats for years prior? Kinda find it insulting that they are saying "your seats don't exist" bc its a new stadium. Couldn't same argument be made when we first left the OB to SLS originally? just curious.

It was beyond insulting. Disgraceful. My parents had 5 degrees combined from the university including summa *** laude, two masters and a doctorate. They had attended games every season since freshman year in the early '50s, and had season tickets all but a couple of years, when my mom had trouble following childbirth. They were donors, albeit not major ones, and attended road games like every Florida State, Florida and Notre Dame game and all the big bowls including national championship games outside the state. The final 20 years in the Orange Bowl were all in the same location, on roughly the 30 yard line on the home southwest side under the overhang at about the 30 yard line. There were 3 other members of the party, including myself in the final 5 or 6 years. I was still living in Las Vegas but I'd make a few games per year, typically early season and late, especially if we had a home game near Thanksgiving. We had great friends sitting in nearby seats so it was always a pleasure to attend.

Upon the move to Sun Life, we got a letter with the new assigned location. Unbelievable. It was in the lower corner of the end zone with the sun smack in our face. We had already sent correspondence asking for consideration regarding the sun, since some members of the party were into their 70s. We also requested higher, not lower. The one season my parents had low seating in the early '70s they didn't like it at all, although it was the Gator Flop year so I got to hear all of that dialog first hand and will never forget it, the young Florida assistant or equipment manager racing down the sideline with palms downward and yelling, "Get down. Get down."

The athletic department either paid no attention to the request, or intentionally slapped our group with a location penalty, after we'd also sent several letters to Shalala and Dee complaining about the move from the Orange Bowl to Sun Life. There were several heated phone calls between my parents and the athletic department when everybody in our party chose not to renew. The athletic department was seemingly miffed, not understanding why anybody would complain about the wonderful facility 25 miles away, and such opportunity for a tanned face.

We didn't attend for 2 years. When my mother died suddenly after catching MRSA while recovering from a broken ankle in a rehab center, my dad realized his years were probably shorter than he wanted to believe, so we renewed in Sun Life, carefully picking seats in the low upper deck with the sun at our back and a nice breeze. The two previous members of our group agreed to join us. It was a great decision. My father died two years ago. We had some great experiences in those final years, including some road games. Another relative took my father's seat after he died.

One dropped out after last season but the rest of us still planned to renew, until that email of a few days ago. I didn't need this thread to spark my ire. I sent a nasty email replay almost immediately, condemning the tone and the implication that we should behold the miracle of a patched 28 year old stadium in a terrible location.

I imagine our seats won't change appreciably, not in the low upper deck, other than the 400 area apparently shifts to 300 designation. That is laughable in itself, IMO, like Steve Ross doesn't want as much of a perception gap between classes. Hey 300ers, you're not held in as low regard as previously.

We'll await the pricing before making a decision. I don't know which way I'm leaning. I don't give a **** about making a statement to the university or athletic department about Al Golden. At my age in my 50s I enjoy attending events, ones that hold value toward memories of my youth and more recently. I still tap that seat that my dad occupied for a few years. We go to Shorty's after the game, holding onto family tradition. That's often more fun than the game itself. Not everything is simpleton paranoia about how you'll be viewed on forums like this for renewing tickets.

I'll evaluate the schedule, and what StubHub prices are likely to be game to game, compared to season tickets, given our prospects for 2015 with the returning personnel and coaching staff. As always, I like to handicap. Even if we pass on season tickets no doubt we'll attend some games.

Bottom line, nothing good was going to come from the move to this stadium. That was the certainty beginning in 2007, when the decision is made. Everything forward is mostly trivia, for those who were too foolish to recognize the big picture.