And the rich keep getting richer....

transfer2BGSU · Post by **transfer2BGSU** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 3:18 pm

No kidding: Kansas wants infants to buy ticket
Associated Press

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- When Kansas football fans Owen and Lisa Foust headed to the Jayhawks' season opener last Saturday, they bundled up 3-month-old daughter Kate to go along.

But when they presented their tickets at the gate, they were told they would need an additional $35 ticket for Kate.

"I just thought it was pretty tacky," Owen Foust said. "It's just a grab for money."

Kansas actually began enforcing the babies-pay policy three or four years ago, said Kansas associate athletic director Jim Marchiony.

"Everybody needs a ticket regardless of age," Marchiony said. "The very small children come with backpacks and bottles and toys. ... We've received numerous complaints over the years from people who are sitting next to those people -- enough for us to know that even those sized children need the space."

And, Marchiony said, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has recommended that organizations require tickets for everyone at large events as a way to keep track of numbers.

The Fousts, both University of Kansas graduates, said they didn't mind paying something for Kate to get into the game, but they didn't think it should be a full-priced ticket.

"This is supposed to be a family-friendly environment," Owen Foust said. "I don't think that policy promotes that [environment] much."

Kate -- and any child under 3 -- would be able to get in free for a Kansas City Chiefs game.

"It's a question of the actual seat," said Chiefs spokesman Bob Moore. "If there's no one sitting in the seat, then there's no reason to sell the seat."

Moore said he believed most professional football teams have the same policy.

Fans under 2 also can get in free to see the Missouri Tigers or Kansas State Wildcats play, and those under 1 don't pay for tickets at Iowa State.

"We just felt like a 1-year-old doesn't take up that much room," said Matt Johnson, director of ticket operations at Iowa State. "We get calls all the time saying: 'Thanks for not making our 2-month-old pay."'

But Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas all charge for babies who are brought to games.

"Our stadium is sold out on a season-ticket basis with a long waiting list," said Keith Mann, spokesman at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "Everyone has to have a ticket."

Making exceptions for babies "leads to too much decision-making at the gate," said Kenny Mossman, athletic department spokesman at Oklahoma.

Texas women's athletic director Christine Plonsky argues that safety is an issue.

"The ruler here of stadium and game management is our fire marshal," she said.

The Fousts say the policy won't dampen their Kansas spirit.

"Kate will probably go to some games," Owen Foust said. "And we certainly want Kate to be a KU graduate someday."

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2577728

98_BG_GRAD · Post by **98_BG_GRAD** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 3:36 pm

I just found out the same is true at Ohio State. My wife and I have two tickets to the BG game at Ohio Stadium and wanted to bring our 2-year-old, but not for 59 bucks. The OSU ticket office said everyone, regardless of age, who enters the stadium must have a ticket. I think agree with this couple from Kansas that if they want to charge something, that is fine, but how about a reduced fee for anyone under 3?

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 3:58 pm

Not to sound cold, since I don't have any kids, but why would Ohio State or any other program with a long waiting list for tickets need to cater to fans by offering reduced ticket prices for infants? It accomplishes nothing but shrink the bottom line. If they piss off 100 people with infants, there will be 100 more people in line for those tickets.

A program like BG, that is begging people to come see games, needs to coddle fans. Schools with waiting lists for 60$ tickets most definitely do not. Universities, and more importantly college football teams, are businesses.

UK Peregrine · Post by **UK Peregrine** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:37 pm

It's the courteous thing to do for fans and alumni, which I wouldn't expect some of the bigger schools to know anything about anyways. This just sounds like a pro-sports mentality, which makes sense considering the way college sports have gone and are run anymore. Really though, what is a 3-month old that sits on mom's or dad' lap the entire game going to remember about the game anyway. Why should they need a ticket? They don't require their own seat. But come to think of it, an OSU game isn't exactly a family-friendly atmosphere. So maybe the policy has been put in place to discourage families from attended such games.

As for Kansas, they have to come up with a way to pay for big Mark Mangino new overinflated salary somehow.

98_BG_GRAD · Post by **98_BG_GRAD** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:38 pm

Jacobs4Heisman wrote:Not to sound cold, since I don't have any kids, but why would Ohio State or any other program with a long waiting list for tickets need to cater to fans by offering reduced ticket prices for infants? It accomplishes nothing but shrink the bottom line. If they piss off 100 people with infants, there will be 100 more people in line for those tickets.

A program like BG, that is begging people to come see games, needs to coddle fans. Schools with waiting lists for 60$ tickets most definitely do not. Universities, and more importantly college football teams, are businesses.

J4H...I will take part of my original comment back and agree that there is probably no reason for a school like OSU to allow younger fans in at a reduced price. It really doesn't make any sense for them to do that. BUT, I do think they should allow kids 2 or 3 and under in for free. What does that hurt? If someone can verify that it is a post-9/11 security issue, then that is one thing, but my guess it is a way to get make an extra buck, when in reality they are not losing anything by allowing young kids in for free. They are not taking a ticket away from someone else.

As for a school like BG, they should probably let any kid under 10 in for free just to try and boost attendance. I realize it is not expensive to take your kids to a BG game, but for some fans, if they don't have to dish out $8 or whatever for their kids, especially if they have 2 or 3, it might convince them to go to a game.

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 11:43 pm

It doesn't hurt anything, and I think they *should* do it, but there's that whole should vs. will problem. These football factories are about $$$$$ now -- not about a family atmosphere. Not that Kansas is a football factory, but somebody has to pay for Mangino's grinders.

Strouse · Post by **Strouse** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 12:20 am

OSU is most likely just about the money, but Kansas is probably doing it just so they can make the minimum attendance requirements...

1987alum · Post by **1987alum** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:28 am

Why the heck would you want to take a 3-month-old to a football game?

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:42 am

1987alum wrote:Why the heck would you want to take a 3-month-old to a football game?

The same reason you take them to a nice restaurant or a movie theater -- because you're a sadist.

Falconfreak90 · Post by **Falconfreak90** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:14 pm

1987alum wrote:Why the heck would you want to take a 3-month-old to a football game?

That's my question...

PGY Tiercel · Post by **PGY Tiercel** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:25 am

Falconfreak90 wrote:
1987alum wrote:Why the heck would you want to take a 3-month-old to a football game?
That's my question...

Because you aren't allowed to leave them in a car anymore. Seriously, I would wager that it is just as cheap to take three kids to a BG game as it is to pay some teenage to babysit.

bgsufn · Post by **bgsufn** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:37 am

1987alum wrote:Why the heck would you want to take a 3-month-old to a football game?

I took my one-month old to the Buffalo game on Saturday. He would have been fine if not for the two rain delays.

He's already been to a minor league baseball game too.

He just sleeps through it and it allows our entire family to be together!