Some really crappy news to pass on. I recently called the Maryland ticket office to renew my football season tickets for 2015. I told the guy my customer number and he looks me up, pauses, and says, "Sir, prior to us renewing your tickets you're going to have to give $2,200 to the Terrapin Club based on the giving level of where you're sitting in Section 5."
I said, "Uhhhh, I don't think so. I've been in those seats for 20+ years and was grandfathered in before the giving levels ever started."
The guy on the phone then says, "We understand sir, but we are no longer doing that anymore and to be fair and equitable to
our other full paying customers, we are now requiring each person in that section to go ahead and pay their corresponding dues level."
At that point, I said, "Are you serious? You're going to make a committed fan like me who hasn't missed a game since 1992 pay that amount?" I then said in a heated voice, "I've still got my own kids to put through college and I can assure you
I'm not paying that amount."
The guy on the phone then says to me, "I can have someone from the Terrapin Club Scholarship Fund give you a call and you can talk about it with them."
I responded to him that it'd be a great idea for that to happen.
A few minutes go by and my phone rings. It's some chick from the Terrapin Club. She tries to tell me how it's not fair to those who are paying the $2,200 since I'm only paying my current Silver membership amount. She mentioned as long as I increased my membership level 25% this year and then 50 percent the following year and so on until the maximum was paid I could keep my tickets.
I politely told the girl to pack sand and mentioned about still paying for four more years on my last kid's college tuition (about 85K). I told the girl on the phone that at Maryland you are competing for the sports dollar with the Redskins, Ravens, Nats, O's, Wizards, Caps, and United. I then said, "Are you really going to force me to give up my tickets when your fanbase is
already pretty pathetic?
She understood where I was coming from but did not budge. With that, I've got a HUGE decision to make. I simply cannot and WILL NOT give the University of Maryland $2,200 a year for the right to buy my football tickets each season.
I've missed one game since 1992. The Terps football program is my one and only hobby. I live, eat, breathe, sleep Maryland Football; but I have to tell you I am not a happy camper right now.
Bottom line is YOU DO NOT SCREW WITH YOUR MOST LOYAL FANS. This is the biggest slap in my face ever from the school.
And to think of the amount of time I've invested in that place on my own nickel. Donating paint and supplies for the "M" painting twice, the multiple scrapbooks for players over a 10-year period, the multiple trips up to Maryland when I was on
the MGN Board, going to all the football banquets, all that crap.
It sickens me to think that eventually I will have to give up my tickets. I think I will give a few extra bucks this year and maybe even next, but the year after it looks like I'll be giving everything up and just doing walk up sales. That should put me somewhere in the upper deck around the 5-yard line on game day.
That means my tickets will soon be for some schmuck from a visiting team. Oh freakin' joy.
As they say at Maryland, "HEY...YOU SUCK!!!!!"
This post was edited on 4/19 9:29 PM by SouthernMdTerp
This post was edited on 4/19 9:30 PM by SouthernMdTerp
I said, "Uhhhh, I don't think so. I've been in those seats for 20+ years and was grandfathered in before the giving levels ever started."
The guy on the phone then says, "We understand sir, but we are no longer doing that anymore and to be fair and equitable to
our other full paying customers, we are now requiring each person in that section to go ahead and pay their corresponding dues level."
At that point, I said, "Are you serious? You're going to make a committed fan like me who hasn't missed a game since 1992 pay that amount?" I then said in a heated voice, "I've still got my own kids to put through college and I can assure you
I'm not paying that amount."
The guy on the phone then says to me, "I can have someone from the Terrapin Club Scholarship Fund give you a call and you can talk about it with them."
I responded to him that it'd be a great idea for that to happen.
A few minutes go by and my phone rings. It's some chick from the Terrapin Club. She tries to tell me how it's not fair to those who are paying the $2,200 since I'm only paying my current Silver membership amount. She mentioned as long as I increased my membership level 25% this year and then 50 percent the following year and so on until the maximum was paid I could keep my tickets.
I politely told the girl to pack sand and mentioned about still paying for four more years on my last kid's college tuition (about 85K). I told the girl on the phone that at Maryland you are competing for the sports dollar with the Redskins, Ravens, Nats, O's, Wizards, Caps, and United. I then said, "Are you really going to force me to give up my tickets when your fanbase is
already pretty pathetic?
She understood where I was coming from but did not budge. With that, I've got a HUGE decision to make. I simply cannot and WILL NOT give the University of Maryland $2,200 a year for the right to buy my football tickets each season.
I've missed one game since 1992. The Terps football program is my one and only hobby. I live, eat, breathe, sleep Maryland Football; but I have to tell you I am not a happy camper right now.
Bottom line is YOU DO NOT SCREW WITH YOUR MOST LOYAL FANS. This is the biggest slap in my face ever from the school.
And to think of the amount of time I've invested in that place on my own nickel. Donating paint and supplies for the "M" painting twice, the multiple scrapbooks for players over a 10-year period, the multiple trips up to Maryland when I was on
the MGN Board, going to all the football banquets, all that crap.
It sickens me to think that eventually I will have to give up my tickets. I think I will give a few extra bucks this year and maybe even next, but the year after it looks like I'll be giving everything up and just doing walk up sales. That should put me somewhere in the upper deck around the 5-yard line on game day.
That means my tickets will soon be for some schmuck from a visiting team. Oh freakin' joy.
As they say at Maryland, "HEY...YOU SUCK!!!!!"
This post was edited on 4/19 9:29 PM by SouthernMdTerp
This post was edited on 4/19 9:30 PM by SouthernMdTerp
