Scott Stricklin chat transcript

[Homedawg]

Ok then. I'll direct both of you to our athletic dept and they will inform you that we don't make money on baseball. Evidently y'all went to the Obama school of math. Yes we take in a good bit of money for baseball- relatively speaking. However we spend way more!

[engie]

All of what people? No one sits there except 2 times a damn year.

Why the 17 do you think that is? Because it's a MISERABLE experience. I sat there a handful of times while in college and promised myself NEVER again. I've never forgotten how miserable that experience was. Literally the worst I've ever been involved with at a baseball game. If I was stuck with that, I'd listen on the radio instead of going to the game. Seriously.

And you think I'm the only one? Or one of countless thousands that feel the same way?

Wait and see what is done with it before u bitch about it OR write a check and build us a new stadium.

Nothing he can do with it short of building a "new" stadium is satisfactory. I don't give a damn if he puts in berms that you STILL can't see crap from -- or playgrounds for the kiddies. The grandstand is the problem -- and nothing he can do down those foul lines can "fix" it.

[Homedawg]

So, you are saying that Dudy Noble is basically screwing us.

Your logic is lacking on this. You know it -- I know it.

Please tell me what we did with the revenue from 60k tickets we sold for regionals plus concessions? Please tell me again how we didn't and don't make money on baseball -- because it's foolish -- and IF we don't, it shows how moronic our athletics department has been while they sat idly by and let LSU, Ole Miss, Arkansas, and South Carolina surpass us...

How is it screwing us? We sell more tickets than we have seats! Does that mean i don't want a better dnf? Dman right i do! You are missing the point.... you cant rebut anything else? I sent u responses and this is all I got? ....we sent a check to the NCAA for 400k. We kept 40k! I'll explain how we don't one more time-a lil less than 6k season tix. Plus game tix. Minus game workers. Coaches that cost us over a million dollars, scholarships, travel, recruiting, upgrades that we ate doing each year =loss.

[Homedawg]

Why the 17 do you think that is? Because it's a MISERABLE experience. I sat there a handful of times while in college and promised myself NEVER again. I've never forgotten how miserable that experience was. Literally the worst I've ever been involved with at a baseball game. If I was stuck with that, I'd listen on the radio instead of going to the game. Seriously.

And you think I'm the only one? Or one of countless thousands that feel the same way?


Nothing he can do with it short of building a "new" stadium is satisfactory. I don't give a damn if he puts in berms that you STILL can't see crap from -- or playgrounds for the kiddies. The grandstand is the problem -- and nothing he can do down those foul lines can "fix" it.

I get it that's your stance. That's fine. But it ain't happening. Period. Unless all your people you know willing to cut 7 figure checks get together and do it for him. And that ain't happening so I'm preparing you. If you don't like it, I'm sorry.

[CadaverDawg]

How is it screwing us? We sell more tickets than we have seats! Does that mean i don't want a better dnf? Dman right i do! You are missing the point.... you cant rebut anything else? I sent u responses and this is all I got? ....we sent a check to the NCAA for 400k. We kept 40k! I'll explain how we don't one more time-a lil less than 6k season tix. Plus game tix. Minus game workers. Coaches that cost us over a million dollars, scholarships, travel, recruiting, upgrades that we ate doing each year =loss.

I'm not big on the ins and outs of our baseball program making money, so please dismiss me if this sounds foolish.....but if you say our money comes from 6k season tickets, and me and several thousand others think the bleacher seat sight lines are a major turn off, wouldn't better sight lines therefore additional better seats in general, lead to more season ticket sales? Thus more revenue?

I know I would attend way more games if I didn't have to sit with a crick in my neck in the bleachers. But at the same time...I live too far away to come to a ton of games so season tickets don't make sense for me. However, a cheaper season ticket down the foul lines that didn't involve the crick in my neck to watch, would be something that interests me

[messageboardsuperhero]

All of what people? No one sits there except 2 times a damn year. Wait and see what is done with it before u bitch about it OR write a check and build us a new stadium.

There's a reason people only sit there two times a year... It blows.

Homedawg, you are making a strong run at being in Sandman territory in this thread. Thank God that guy left and took his "nerd" bullshit with him.

[Homedawg]

I'm not big on the ins and outs of our baseball program making money, so please dismiss me if this sounds foolish.....but if you say our money comes from 6k season tickets, and me and several thousand others think the bleacher seat sight lines are a major turn off, wouldn't better sight lines therefore additional better seats in general, lead to more season ticket sales? Thus more revenue?

I know I would attend way more games if I didn't have to sit with a crick in my neck in the bleachers. But at the same time...I live too far away to come to a ton of games so season tickets don't make sense for me. However, a cheaper season ticket down the foul lines that didn't involve the crick in my neck to watch, would be something that interests me

I think that when we renovate there will be a more family friendly elevated seating area that doesn't include bleachers. Therefore no crick as you put it. How it ends up isn't known but it will be better I feel certain. Ultimately that will bring more people I hope. But truly winning is the only thing that will pack TE place and we have done that before every w bad sight lines. Hell people still go to wrigley field and Cameron indoor stadium and those two places have the crappiest seats and-or sight lines in America. And the cubs suck. At least duke is good in hoops!

[Homedawg]

There's a reason people only sit there two times a year... It blows.

Homedawg, you are making a strong run at being in Sandman territory in this thread. Thank God that guy left and took his "nerd" bullshit with him.

Here's what's wrong w you, I present some facts along with some opinions and I'm sandman. Wtf ever. If you don't like debate leave the thread. Because u can't present any facts to dispute one thing I've said. Not one.

[engie]

Ok then. I'll direct both of you to our athletic dept and they will inform you that we don't make money on baseball. Evidently y'all went to the Obama school of math. Yes we take in a good bit of money for baseball- relatively speaking. However we spend way more!

Again, IF we don't make money on baseball, It's DUDY NOBLE AND OUR DUMBASS ADMINISTRATION'S DAMN FAULT. PERIOD.

There is a waiting list at LSU -- so keep in mind, this is FULLY sold out


Tiger Suites - $40k(27 suites)
Champions Club - $2350 each(200 seats)
Tiger Terrace - $3000 each(96 seats)

BEFORE concessions, donations, catering, AND ALCOHOL PURCHASE in the premium levels...

You do the math and tell me what the numbers say, LT -- Because I guarantee they say that it was a GREAT idea to build a brand new $35 million stadium and REPLACE the most storied stadium in college baseball history...

But we're fine throwing a little lipstick on the pig and taking a financial loss every year**

[engie]

How is it screwing us? We sell more tickets than we have seats! Does that mean i don't want a better dnf? Dman right i do! You are missing the point.... you cant rebut anything else? I sent u responses and this is all I got? ....we sent a check to the NCAA for 400k. We kept 40k! I'll explain how we don't one more time-a lil less than 6k season tix. Plus game tix. Minus game workers. Coaches that cost us over a million dollars, scholarships, travel, recruiting, upgrades that we ate doing each year =loss.

Because 1500 BUY SEASON TICKETS THAT HAVE VESTED INTEREST IN THE OUTFIELD. NO ONE BUYS SEASON TICKETS FOR THE DAMN BLEACHERS. PERIOD. You are too dense at this to understand a damn thing we're actually saying.

We sell 6k season tickets in a 12k seat venue. That AIN'T selling more season tickets than we have seats.

So, we made $440k total -- in an event that cost $10/ticket for GENERAL ADMISSION(cheapest possible avenue) -- in which we sold 60k+ overall tickets... and the rest of us are the ones that need to work on our math? You are making yourself seem foolish on this.

[Homedawg]

Again, IF we don't make money on baseball, It's DUDY NOBLE AND OUR DUMBASS ADMINISTRATION'S DAMN FAULT. PERIOD.

There is a waiting list at LSU -- so keep in mind, this is FULLY sold out


Tiger Suites - $40k(27 suites)
Champions Club - $2350 each(200 seats)
Tiger Terrace - $3000 each(96 seats)

BEFORE concessions, donations, catering, AND ALCOHOL PURCHASE in the premium levels...

You do the damn math and tell me what the numbers say, LT -- Because I GUARANDAMNTEE YOU they say that it was a f'n GREAT idea to build a brand new $35 million stadium...

That's all well and good. However, we are getting 30k for the new FOotball suites. So comparing that to here is truly apples to oranges. Therefore the rest of our seats would be progressively lower. Also, I'd love to know how alcohol sales is legal. You also said we ALREADY made money in baseball. I assume u are conceding that point?...this is good info tho tks.

[engie]

I'm not big on the ins and outs of our baseball program making money, so please dismiss me if this sounds foolish.....but if you say our money comes from 6k season tickets, and me and several thousand others think the bleacher seat sight lines are a major turn off, wouldn't better sight lines therefore additional better seats in general, lead to more season ticket sales? Thus more revenue?

I know I would attend way more games if I didn't have to sit with a crick in my neck in the bleachers. But at the same time...I live too far away to come to a ton of games so season tickets don't make sense for me. However, a cheaper season ticket down the foul lines that didn't involve the crick in my neck to watch, would be something that interests me

Bingo.

You and what I'm guessing is 3-4k other MSU fans...

[Homedawg]

Engie, how does traditional fund translate as far as yearly and is it part of other givin etc. if you know, I'm curious.

[Homedawg]

Bingo.

You and what I'm guessing is 3-4k other MSU fans...

When we were winning ever year it wasn't a problem before. I'm not saying its ideal, that's why it's being chunked too!

[engie]

I think that when we renovate there will be a more family friendly elevated seating area that doesn't include bleachers.

Great -- so we're reducing capacity when we should be increasing. Excellent**

Therefore no crick as you put it.

Do you REALLY think "the bleachers" are the cause of a crick -- or the angle at which they HAVE to sit at in order to fit inside the fence? How do you "fix" that without doing MAJOR changes?

How it ends up isn't known but it will be better I feel certain. Ultimately that will bring more people I hope.

On a wing and a prayer -- sounds like a sound business plan.

But truly winning is the only thing that will pack TE place and we have done that before every w bad sight lines.

And we do it less often now, why? Because we've got a whole generation of people that hate the shit out of those bleachers, that's why. We had a top 10 matchup with LSU last year that no one showed up for. Care to guess why?

Hell people still go to wrigley field and Cameron indoor stadium and those two places have the crappiest seats and-or sight lines in America. And the cubs suck. At least duke is good in hoops!

Yeah, not sure this was the example I would have used...seeing how the Cubs are spending $500 MILLION renovating Wrigley.

[engie]

You also said we ALREADY made money in baseball. I assume u are conceding that point?

The only thing I'm "conceding" is that we have made money in the past on baseball -- and if we aren't right now, with the second largest baseball fanbase in the country without QUESTION, we are HUGE DUMB ASSES -- THAT HAVE EARNED OUR STATUS OF SECOND RATE GOING FORWARD...

[engie]

Engie, how does traditional fund translate as far as yearly and is it part of other givin etc. if you know, I'm curious.

Traditions Fund is the baseball fundraising arm of the Tiger Athletics Foundation which LSU set up to actually pay the majority of their baseball coaching salaries(I believe Bertman set this up as he was on his way out -- and he knew the price for good coaches was about to go up)... That donation amount is a yearly requirement to be eligible for those seats...

Basically, it works exactly like the BulldogClub for football for us...

[engie]

When we were winning ever year it wasn't a problem before. I'm not saying its ideal, that's why it's being chunked too!

Yet, this past year set our season ticket sales record I believe...

It has ALWAYS been a problem. Just one that people endure to be involved in an electric atmosphere.

Much the same way that there was "no problem" with the original Alex Box stadium. It was historic. Intimidating. Didn't stop what I personally consider to be one of our ONLY peers in this sport from scrapping the whole thing and starting over...

[engie]

That's all well and good. However, we are getting 30k for the new FOotball suites.

And we sold them out 1.5 years before completion. WAY.TOO.CHEAP.

So comparing that to here is truly apples to oranges.

How so? Because poor ole MSU is refusing to be a big boy in the one sport where it ACTUALLY is a big boy? Nevermind the corporations moving in nearby in West Point and Columbus that we could/should really capitalize on...

[Homedawg]

Great -- so we're reducing capacity when we should be increasing. Excellent**


How dense can you possibly be on this? Do you REALLY think "the bleachers" are the cause of a crick -- or the angle at which they HAVE to sit at in order to fit inside the fence? How do you "fix" that without doing MAJOR changes? I'll be waiting...


On a wing and a prayer -- sounds like a sound business plan.


And we do it less often now, why? Because we've got a whole generation of people that hate the shit out of those bleachers, that's why. We had a top 10 matchup with LSU last year that no one showed up for. Care to guess why?


Yeah, not sure this was the example I would have used...seeing how the Cubs are spending $500 MILLION renovating Wrigley.

I never said we were reducing capicity. I said we were removing the bleachers And truly we don't need to add to capacity. If you've been to a regional, which i know you have, it's packed. Well since I'm so dense, clearly I need to explain because u don't get it. One would think the "crick" is occurring because the bleachers are facing towards centerfield, therefore, the person is turned sideways watching causing it. Wo them one could, would be sitting facing more towards home plate, thus no crick.....all this I would be there but, just win and they will be there, I've seen it....as for wrigley, well maybe they have some 7 figure donars to improve the sight lines.