It seems like the key to all of this isn’t the donation changes as much as it is the inconsistency that we’ve had winning in recent years.
Forced to be reseated in a non-reseating year????
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A couple does mean two, but it could be more. I don't know. I haven't spoken to anyone in athletics in a few weeks. As much as I love VCU, there are other things in my life other than Rams basketball. I know that sounds crazy, but it's true. People donate for all sorts of reasons. I've increased my donation several times over the years because I was asked to do so by the athletic department, and after talking it over with my wife, we did so. I know people who have donated to RAF and don't get season tickets because they live in another state. They give because they are alums and love VCU. So, people give for all sorts of reasons.
As a CC member and former RAF Board member, I fully understand the agreement VCU made. I exercised my right to not care at all that they've tried to find ways around that CC agreement because the world isn't the same as it was in 1999. It is your right to be upset by it. More power to you! Frankly, I don't care.
While I appreciate and chuckle at your sanctimonious attitude, I have provided no strawmen at all. I have provided facts. Yes, donations are down overall, but we've also gotten some new donors, too. More than one thing can be true, which you don't seem to understand. Have we gotten enough new donors or people to increase their donation to offset the losses in donors? Obviously not, but that doesn't mean new donors and people increasing donations isn't happening. Heck, I am one who increased my donation within the last couple of years. I did NOT get any extra seats or better seats for increasing my donation. I increased my donation because I was asked and because I was in a position to do so. I fully understand that others may not be able to do so, and I'm sympathetic to all donors, no matter the level at which they give because I started out giving the bare minimum I could.
As for your other lame criticism of me and my prior post, luckily for me, your opinion has no bearing on my life, so I don't care.
Success can be defined in many ways. You are choosing to measure it in the ways you've mentioned. I understand that completely, and I agree with you to a point. Should we be happy about our failure to advance to the 2nd weekend in the last 12 years? No, but I think we've only been to the 2nd weekend once in history, and that was 2011. Got to keep knocking on that door. That's the next step for the program and reducing money for the program likely won't help in that regard.
Regarding MTEs, more often than not, VCU is playing teams that have as much talent, and in some cases more. Winning is hard. The other team presumably wants to win as much as our kids, and their coaches are paid, too.
We've been one of the most winning programs of this century. What are we, something like 30th in wins over the last 20 years? (Someone check me on this. I don't know the exact number, but I thought I saw it posted on a thread recently.) That's out of 360-ish schools. That's pretty freaking good. We've moved up in conference and have become the dominant program and arguably the face of the league in a decade. Some schools we've surpassed in the A-10 have been in the league longer and spend as much, if not more, than we do on men's basketball. Those are successes to me and to others. That doesn't mean it's perfect.
We've gone out and gotten the coach (Odom) most seem to want. We don't do that without the level of investments we've made. Duquesne got Dambrot, in part because they promised to invest more in their program, and they've done so. Our level of investment to this point helped us get Odom and, hopefully, better recruits. Hopefully, Odom will be the best coach we've ever had at VCU and he makes us a fixture in the Sweet 16. Time will tell.
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Yep!!
I would have to get VCU to provide the information on donors again for after July 2022, to see about donations. The data showed that RAF donors & amounts where down as well as season ticket sales, those are FACTS. "Find ways around the Agreement" does not sound like an ethical thing to do to me. It does not matter if things are different now. Stating it better to see the game in person, has nothing to do with anything I posted about the lost donors and season tickets. The concert example is a Red Herring Fallacy. I reread your posts and I can't seem to find any facts. "A couple does mean two, but it could be more. I don't know.", note "Could" not "Will". You use the word potential donors in one, which does not mean they will. Yes, there may have been new donors, but overall, the total number and amounts are down. I don't see where any of my posts are "sanctimonious" that I am better than others or you, while your posts state the large amounts you donate. Please tell me where these potential large donors are coming from? Recent VCU alumni? People who just moved to Richmond?
The listing of donors was at one time listed in the VCU Ram report.
Question of curiosity, Does the information you received via the FOIA request include the number of donors or did you extrapolate that ouof the total information provided? I believe you “translated” the information sometime back but I just don’t remember. My follow up is does the information provide the donation amount for each donor. Thanks
RowdyPkunk
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Both are the issue actually.
Some people stopped donating, buying season tickets, etc.... because the results on the court were not too their liking. Consistently going out in the Round of 64 since 2014 (only win was 2016).... and then the last 6 years under Rhoades.... Pretty much every year in december-mid january... the talk begins about needing to win the conference tourney to get in. Now, in 2019 & 2021 we got in without winning.... but it wasn't like 2013-17 where we knew we were getting in, it was just a matter of where.
Then you had all Bull$#!t the AD was pulling with the $250 fee that turned out to be bull crap..... oh and the reseating DURING A COVID YEAR.... when WE ALL KNEW.... there was gonna be a limited capacity.... if any at all. And the increase in donation requirements when the number of donors & season ticket holders were consistently declining...... which totally goes against the idea of Supply & Demand.
So why are we trying to raise donation requirements... when neither the results on the court show they are necessary..... and neither does the concept of supply & demand where people are giving up their season tickets and stopped donating to the RAF?
Maybe instead of trying to run everyone out of the STU.... maybe they should try & get everyone in the building & start gaining some supporters trust back over the last handful of years that they've lost because of the $#!t they pulled.
Or maybe I'm making too much sense for our current Administration.
We're just talking past each other at this point. Never once did I suggest we haven't lost donors and season ticket holders. You asked where the new donors would come from, and I answered. So, I'm not answering the same questions again. Rather, you may want to go back and read the answers I gave the first time.
I'm done using any more time on this with you. Life's too short.
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One thing that I found out was that the RAF and the Ticketing systems did not interface. The RAF Donor Id and the Ticketing systems Id did not have a cross-reference file to link the two distinct IDs together. VCU provided the information on the number of all donors the amount and number of tickets sold at each level. I believe they had to do some manual worked to get it. On the CCM donors, I had only the amount and numbers., no tickets sold. I did not ask for or want any donor Id information as that is none of my business or anyone else's. I took the raw data they provided and organized it. I sent all the information I got to the RAF department, so they should know that the Demand is not there. I did not calculate the total amount lost, if a $1,000 was lost the 1st years, it was really $5,000 for the five years. When there is a 5-years of lost donations (all levels), and tickets, forcing a donor to move seats to a lower level (per ridiculous seating chart) when there are no donors to purchase those seats is not a good business decision.
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I already gave my $ to a friend that I am going in with. I am paid in full for my donation and tickets. VCU will get my donation but not from me. My old seats are available so hope they can fill them.
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I suspect a few people will be doing that. They picked the wrong fan base to nickel and dime. The good news is the VCU faithful will still get in and have the same or better seats and not be subjected to these re-seating games.
VCU has hit the cieling a few years ago in how much money they are going to raise by playing fast and loose with the seat equity program and trying to squeeze more $$ out of the same donors. They have hit a point of diminshing returns a few years ago. What they need to worry about now is establishing a floor on how many donors are going to continue to drop out due to fatigue over the constant effort to escalate pricing. Best move for the AD is to try to focus on filling the place. Then once it is filled or near capacity, then start gradually turning up the prices. Right now the advantage belongs to the consumer for VCU tickets.
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Yep. I guess they are getting my $ but losing it at the same time. Hopefully someone will fill my seats to make up for it. I just decided if I am going to pay 4 times the amount I might as well be like George Jefferson and move on up.
You never said where the "NEW" donors are coming from, you just said that there are potential donors, not where they would come from. " There are plenty of donors and folks who can and do choose to donate more." " There is always a pool of potential large donors who aren't a part of the RAF" "There are potential new corporate sponsors every year as well." --> It very clear this has not happened the last 5 years. You believe that "Suddenly" there will be these "potential" new high-level donors coming. What corporate sponsor are going donate to the RAF? Local small businesses? Large business that has not had any previous interest? VCU would need to be asked if corporate sponsors are included as part of the RAF donations. The corporations would probably want VCU to provide some publicity that RAF donors do not get. My thinking is that large bus. will donate to the athletic village to get more publicity. What is VCU doing to get more RAF donors, especially the 10K + ones? There is no way that suddenly there will be enough 10K donors to buy all the seat designated for them per the seating chart this year or the next several. Thank you for stop replying the attempted insults do nothing to back up your view. For life being too short, you have a large number of posts.
Thanks for the follow up. I personally don't care what any individual gives but a thought did cross my mind. For the sake of round numbers lets say there are 10 seats for 10k donors. If 5 of those donors start giving 20K or more and 5 stop giving doesn't the athletics department still reach their goal? Does this also allow for "fans" to have the opportunity to get closer to the action as I saw several "complaints" about "corporate suits" getting all the good seats.
As a former season ticket holder, I just started paying more attention to this as a couple of us who are out of town are considering grouping together and buying in again so that we can have tickets in hand when we decide to to come to Richmond. It would be rare that we were all there at the same time but it would allow each of us to attend 3 or 4 home games without looking for tickets on the secondary market