Category: Football

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The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come- How Greed Killed College Football

Have you heard the good news?

The Michigan Wolverine Football Program made $61.6 MILLION in 2011-12.

For most organizations it would be cause for celebration. In Ann Arbor it was time to raise prices.

Yes, despite record profits the Michigan Athletic Department announced that is raising taxes on football season ticket holders…err increasing the amount of preferred seat donations for those who wish to keep their season tickets.

psd_ad
The AD can’t even type Seat Donation with a straight face

The move will help pad the bottom line of the Athletic Department and help to fuel another wave of buildings on the athletic campus.

But the move intensifies the debate of how  skyrocketing ticket prices impact the sustainability of the athletic department profit model.

The ranks of basketball and hockey season ticket holders have been thinned by years of price increases and student season ticket holder numbers have likewise fluctuated.

With huge pockets of empty seats in the student section in Michigan Stadium this past season, it appears that even football isn’t immune to the impact of high ticket prices. Many season ticket holders began attending games as students, transitioning to public season ticket holders after graduation. The Athletic Department risks losing these fans as they graduate.

Many current football season tickets holders are selling a portion of their season tickets to help subsidize their costs. This latest increase have caused some to question the true value of their season tickets. With a waiting list for football season ticket holders, the athletic department seems to be immune to people not renewing their season tickets.

If the athletic department could weather the RichRod era with its losing record and NCAA scandal, a few lost season ticket holders doesn’t seem like a big deal. But with every long time fan who gives up their football, hockey, or basketball season tickets the athletic department gets in return a customer with little or no loyalty to Michigan Athletics.

As the Big Ten expands to include such powerhouses as Maryland and Rutgers, season ticket holders are questioning what kind of games they’ll be seeing in the Big House in future seasons. While the future impact of expansion and tickets prices are unknown, the people making the current decisions won’t be around to face the long term ramifications of these recent developments.

I’m sure we haven’t seen the end of the money grab. Big Ten expansion will only drive revenues so far. Online viewing will start to erode the stranglehold of cable television and then the Big Ten Network will need to some other source cash. That’s why within the next 5 years we’ll see major event games follow the pay-per-view model. It’s the next logical step in the evolution of greed.

The conference will win, the schools will win, and college football will be headed down the road to being about as relevant as boxing.

It’s a bleak future when the people running your athletic program care more about dollars than fans. But more and more it seems that the short sighted greed of a few will lead to the death of college football as we know it.

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Preferred Seat Donation Letter from David Brandon (First Draft)

After a few glasses of Cristal (compliments of adidas), Michigan Athletic David Brandon put down his thoughts on the preferred seat donation program…

Dear Bryan,

Hey buddy!  How are things in your neck of the woods?  Well, I have to say things are pretty swell here!  I mean, apart from that 8-4 football season (who would have known that all those away games would have been so darn difficult) and the hockey team taking a dive.  But hey, have you SEEN that basketball team?  WOW!

psd_adYou and all of your other fellow pals in the end zones are great people.  Really you are!  You’re loud, wild, crazy, and you throw some really cool tailgate parties.  I know they’re not as fancy as the ones in the Crisler parking lot, but a hot dog is a hot dog, and you guys know how to cook them just how I like them.  The problem is that I’ve made a lot of promises lately. Crazy promises. We’ve got about 600 or something other sports programs (I forget them all – I can’t remember everything), and face it, this one and basketball are the only ones that are paying the university’s bills right now.  I know in 2004 that the message was sent that you wouldn’t have to pay anything for a seat donation where you sit.  Sure, we’ve tripled our revenue from bowl games proceeds and we’re rolling in cash from that Big Ten Network revenue and all of these luxury boxes.  I also know that your ticket stub for the MSU game this year at $95 is a little different then that stub you may have saved from the 1995 MSU game that read $35….but our new tickets are really shiny now!

Basically, we’re strapped.  I’m counting on you pal!  And don’t think you’re alone.  We made sure to stick it to those rich folks that sit everywhere else (yeah, those jerks).  We have to get some money, and fast! We just got a deal that we couldn’t pass up.  We met this guy at a Legitimate Businessmen’s Social Club meeting and he told us that if we build 10 buildings with his company, he’ll throw the 11th and 12th structures in for free!  How can you pass that up?  Plus, with the price of gas so high and my recent addiction to candy cigarettes, $800,000 a year is just not going to cut it as a salary.

Anyway, we need to get this done quickly and it costs a lot of money.  We figured an extra $10 million a year in perpetuity should just about cover it.  And the good news is, we aren’t raising ticket prices this year.  Not one cent!!  I know you were expecting it, but I’m just that kind of guy. It’s just like a tax cut!  We accept cash, check or Diner’s Club cards only.  Make sure you get this in quickly, or we’re going to give your tickets to some random Ohio State fan….and we really don’t want that happening.  Could you live with the fact that YOU let that happen?

Anyway, we’ll be expecting your $75 soon.  The heated yellow brick road in front of Crisler has already broken ground and I had to front my 11th Bentley as collateral.  Those builders are relentless!

Maybe I’ll see you some Saturday…..

Dave

P.S. I’ve enclosed a picture showing how dire the situation is here at the Athletic Department. Send help quick!

scrooge-mcduck

Special Thanks to Bryan Smitt for passing this along!

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An SEC Fan’s Impression of the Big House- Nice People but Wearing Red Might Have Been a Bad Choice

We flew into Detroit on Thursday and drove to East Lansing to tour the MSU campus (got to watch the hockey team practice in Munn Arena) before returning to Brighton where we stayed for the long weekend.

We spent Friday in Ann Arbor, mostly on the Michigan campus. Main Street in Ann Arbor is very much like Broad Street in Athens. We were really impressed with the Michigan campus. Of all the campuses we have visited, I would say Cal-Berkeley comes about as close as matching the UM campus as any we have seen.

Had lunch at the University Club, climbed to the top of the Tower, and watched the Michigan intrasquad baseball game before attending the hockey match at Yost Friday night. This was one of the highlights of visit. Yost Ice Arena reminds me so much of the Palestra in Philadelphia and somewhat of Cameron Inddoor Stadium at Duke. The students and pep band were a hoot! Every bit as entertaining as the Wisconsin students at their hockey matches. Several of the students came over to our seats (we were in the area behind the goal nearest the student section) between periods when they saw our UGA coats and were probably the nicest of so many nice people we met during our trip.

On Saturday we parked on the golf course and walked to the practice field to watch the Michigan band rehearse. Might have made one mistake on Saturday. We both wore our UGA coats and sweaters and several Michigan fans mistook the red for OSU – got cursed out a couple of times but most people were very nice and very curious as to why we were so far north of UGA on gameday.

Went back to the car and a number of people asked us to join them in tailgating on the golf course. Lots of good conversation and friendly people.

Went into the stadium early so that we could walk the perimenter. Really impressed with the architectual features of the original structure. Took our seats among friendly UM folks (and a few MSU fans as well). Both bands played the other school’s fight song. That’s pretty unique. Cannot imagine that happening at an SEC game. As a matter of fact, many SEC bands deliberately play right through the Alma Mater of the other school. The atmosphere at this game was so much more friendly than at SEC games. There are places like LSU and Alabama where, if we win, we don’t leave their ball yards for a long time after the game because of the venom spewed. At our ball yard, when the PA announcer gives scores of other games, he never includes Georgia Tech, Auburn or Florida unless they are losing! The opposing team at Sanford Stadium enters the field through a tunnel next to the student section. It’s not a pretty sight for the opposing team. It was hard to realize that there were about 20,000 more people in Michigan Stadium than our sold out Sanford Stadium could hold. Great game with real defense played. I wonder when was the last time Michigan defeated MSU without scoring a tourchdown.

Quite a weekend. No doubt we chose right this year. I would love to return for weekend when the basketball and hockey team are both playing at home. Next year we have decided to go to either the Texas-Oklahoma game in the Cotton Bowl or a home game at Notre Dame. Maybe the Washington-Washington State game in Pullman.

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2012 Wolverine Football Bust: JORDAN KOVACS WINS BO SCHEMBECHLER MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD AND MORE.

The University of Michigan Club of Greater Detroit held its annual football bust for the 92nd time at Livonia’s Laurel Manor Monday evening, and the stunning choice for MVP was Co-Captain Jordan Kovacs, who won the BO SCHEMBECHLER AWARD.  It was not a stunner because Jordan didn’t deserve or earn the distinction. He did deserve it and he did earn it.

A former walk on, he has consistently led the defense to improvement and success from his strong safety position through some of the most trying football times in Michigan history. Additionally Kovacs captured the ROBERT P.  UFER BEQUEST. That award goes to the senior who has demonstrated the most enthusiasm and love for Michigan.

The only real suprise associated with the award was that it was not again captured by Denard Robinson. The persistant injury that knocked him out of the Nebraska game hurt more than his arm. As you know Denard’s remarkable career has set many records and has been astounding, but this year has been an undeserved struggle. When a QB doesn’t throw a single pass in his team’s game of the season, you know there are major injury effects, although this was understandably passed off as just an “owie” earlier. I am sure, at the beginning of the season, no one, but no one, zeroed in on Jordan as the team’s MVP.  Good job Jordan! It looks like he has grown into that honorary Wistert Number 11.

This year Kovacs started 12 games, had 65 tackles, with 41 being solos, had 5 TFLs, two sacks, two pass breakups and one interception to cap an outstanding regular season.

Jordan and Denard received the Captain’s Award. Denard is the all-time accumulator of yards at Michigan with 10,669, and has 91-TDs, among other distinctions.

Patrick Omameh was awarded THE DOCTOR ARTHUR E. ROBINSON SCHOLARSHIP AWARD. A four year letterman, the right guard has started 41-games, and been named a three time Academic All Big Ten Conference acheiver.

THE HUGH H. RADER JUNIOR MEMORIAL AWARD was captured by Taylor Lewan who was recognized as the top offensive lineman.

Jake Ryan has carved out a niche as the team’s top linebacker, being recognized by receiving the ROGER ZATKOFF AWARD.  With second team media Big Ten honors Jake is building a reputation for playing tough and effective football. For example, starting 12 games,  his four forced fumbles this year ties a single season UM record.

Craig Roh, Senior Defensive End was granted the RICHARD KATCHER AWARD. This recognizes Craig as the top defensive lineman. This is another player that has suffered coaching changes and position changes and has persevered to the benefit of his team. He is now tied with Jon Jansen for the most career starts with 50, and should break this tie with the New Year’s Day Bowl game.

If you are a fan that has never been to this event it is worth the cost, time and effort to attend. The evening is produced on a grand scale. Its production is first class and for those of you that do not see the players up close all the time, it is a great opportunity to put a face with a name and number, and hear the dedication of the players to their program and school.

 

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Someday THE GAME May Matter Less- But Not While Hoke and Meyer Are Part of It…

There are well informed people who believe that the future of THE GAME is bleak.

The argument goes that since the teams have been placed in opposite divisions, THE GAME, has been forever diminished. Eventually it will dawn on people that since results of the Michigan/Michigan State game has a greater impact on the division standings, and a trip to the Big Ten (+4) conference championships, it will be become the marque match-up of the season.

Perhaps someday in an alternate bizarro universe (one where fans are actually geeked about Rutgers and Maryland joining the conference), where a RichRod-like coach leads the Wolverines (rivalry? let me tell you about Pittsburgh/West Virginia!!)  and a John Cooper-like coach leads ohio (why is calling us ohio an insult?) that may be the case.

But that’s not (thankfully) where we are today.

Brady Hoke grew up steeped in lore of the rivalry. He went to college and played football in Ohio, he was an assistant at Michigan for 8 years prior to leaving to be head coach at Ball State. He grew up a Michigan fan and even though he was a head coach at schools with red as a team color, wore white or black shirts on game days so as not to be reminded of the Buckeyes.

Rivalry countdown clocks at Schembechler Hall

When he became the head coach of the Wolverines he had clocks installed at Schembechler Hall counting down the days until the “rivalry” games and put other reminders up to highlight the importance of THE GAME against “that school in ohio”, while referring to the Buckeyes simply as “ohio“.

Hoke’s reminder to the team when he took over the Wolverines. This sign hung outside the Wolverine practice locker room.

Urban Meyer comes to lead the Buckeyes after a turbulent tenure leading the Florida Gators to 2 National Championships. While leading the Gators over two dozen of his players were arrested and Urban resigned due to health problems. Like Hoke, he also was born in Ohio (in Toledo which is far closer to Ann Arbor than Columbus) and also played college football in the state. He served as an assistant coach for the Buckeyes and appreciates the importance of beating “that school up north” both for recruiting and job security.

On Saturday, after completing his first season undefeated in Columbus, Urban took time to hassle a local reporter for wearing a blue tie to his post-game press conference.

Hoke won THE GAME his first year in the Big House and Meyer won THE GAME his first year in the snake pit.

GAME ON.

The health of this rivalry is strong and the pedigree of these two coaches insures that it will remain so during their tenures.

Hoke and Meyer weren’t able to shake hands after the game.

Hoke denies any intentional snub, declaring to reporters that the lack of a handshake “…is not a big deal…not a story.”

[podcast]http://umgoblue.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/2012-UMohio-hoke-nobigdeal.mp3[/podcast]

It appears that Hoke and Meyer are gearing up for the next 10 Year War.

Tune in next year at the Big House for the next chapter.

You can be sure that Hoke and the Wolverines are already planning their revenge.

Photo from Schembechler Hall