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YOUR BALANCE
Can we stay "little old Clemson" ....
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Can we stay "little old Clemson" ....


Jun 20, 2019, 2:02 PM

I am a transplant, military brought me to South Carolina 30 years ago, my sons wife's family brought me to Clemson 10 years ago...

I fell in love with the place from day one, season ticket holder now and have enjoyed every minute, been to almost every home game for the last 8 years, been to every bowl game, and almost every playoff game... love what Dabo has done to get this program on top, the right way. "Little old Clemson" quote rings true.

The last 8 months with the policy changes on parking, tickets, the influx of money and demand I am starting to see the "little people" pushed out... the die hard fans, the families, those without alot of money that came every week, the friends in the tailgate lot, friends being the operative word... that make Clemson what Clemson is... family and friends... I am starting to see that erode... just when the program is peaking the cultural shift to "its all about the Benjamins" money talks your 20 years of loyalty don't... our tailgate spot is moving this coming year, we are not a the a high enough "giving level" ... been there 20 years, we know everyone around us, know their families, friends, we trust them, we keep our TV going during the game for those that come for the tailgate and just want to watch the game... when we asked IPTAY what it would take to keep the spot, they did not have an answer, minimum is to up the giving level to the next one up, a $1500 increase... then we will let you know... no guarantees... this is rippling thru the fanbase... I know of at least 3 others who are in the same boat from other levels and lots...

Lets be realistic, almost every game can be bought online for less than face value, we don't have any marquee games this year... GT is the opener and Texas A&M is an afternoon game (so much for national champions having some clout)... if there was game that should be at night on Clemsons schedule thats it.... not much else on the Homefront after A&M .... night games in the valley are special. A&M should be a night game not a mid afternoon game in the brutal heat...

I think after this year the impact of all this will settle in and there will be an exodus of long time donors who simply don't want to pay anymore.... we are giving it one year and see where we end up but none of the options were close to what we had... will still travel up for games but the family all going will likely be over.

I'm certain the die hards will say they will give their kidneys for Clemson... anyone else have a opinion? Don't want or need any smart ### comments, if you disagree let me know what you think... if you agree but think there is more to this let me know that as well...

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Re: Can we stay "little old Clemson" .... Not new


Jun 20, 2019, 2:09 PM

been headed this way for a while. I remember having IPTAY kids club for my grand kids. It was great for a while. Then they outsourced it and it turned into a train wreck so I finally dropped it in disgust. Its just the way things evolve and deteriorate it seems. bigger isnt always better. it isnt right but when you call them on it you're the bad guy

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Nice things in life cost money.


Jun 20, 2019, 2:14 PM

That is not meant to be snarky. That is just true.

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The best things in life can't be bought.***


Jun 20, 2019, 9:25 PM



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Re: Can we stay "little old Clemson" ....


Jun 20, 2019, 2:16 PM

It is already amazing to me the number of people able and willing to invest $5k to $20K on what is essentially entertainment every single year. Are they not saving for retirement and kids college or they simply rich?

I love college football but am unwilling to pay that amount to attend a game when every game is beamed in to my living room. We usually go to one away game and the ACCCG but that amounts to a few hundred dollars per year

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Re: Can we stay "little old Clemson" ....


Jun 20, 2019, 2:27 PM

It's a never ending spiral. Everyone (almost everyone) wants to keep the good coaches which takes big salaries. We want to recruit the best which takes cutting edge facilities, recruiting the best takes big expenses, the IT dept to work the social media, etc.

Bottom line, it takes big $$ to reach and stay on the top of the mountain.

I am more concerned with the growth of the school and the Clemson campus losing its small school atmosphere, a lot of which is already gone.

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Give it a little time. Dabo will be gone and the economy


Jun 20, 2019, 2:48 PM

will likely take a nose dive. One or both of these things will occur within the next 10 years.

A few 9-3 seasons and a recession will take care of your worries. I'm not trying to be funny, but that's reality. It happened at Bama, Ohio St, etc. It's all a cycle. Just gotta enjoy the moment.

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Re: Can we stay "little old Clemson" ....


Jun 20, 2019, 2:50 PM

Well, here is the issue... and I take this from both the transportation/housing fields: I actually think that "trying" to keep the little people in caused half of the mess. Rent-control causes artificial housing shortages & and free parking causes parking shortages. Underpricing is often much of a problem as being over-priced. Worse, you can drive up housing cost in near-controlled but uncontrolled areas.

When you try to preserve "traditional" users, you actually drive up cost. When those cost go up because of the "preservation efforts" and reasonable person sees the market adjustment and you now have a new market rate that those "selling" want to cash in on. We are now in that era (or had been).

The push to preserve 'Graddaddy Clemson' parking spot he had since nineteen dickety-two reduces the number spaces in an area. While it is all good and great that we are preserving that tradition, the side effects is that the spot next to it increases in price (supply is going down, but demand is stable or up). However, Graddaddy Clemson isn't the graddaddy so more spaces are preserved and then more spaces are demanded and then prices go up and up. Suddenly the transplants want to keep it the way it was when they relocated, not realizing that change occures ;) but of course you have to accommodate them too.

Think what would be the ticket prices if we only have 10,000 seats behind the Y, and then you preserved the Granddaddy seats, what would be the cost.

Finally, as a transportation guy... the "user" does not "own" a parking spot... the landholder does and they can charge the rent (or not sell it). If you want a spot, keep opening the check book. If not, take the bus. The bus driver always looks at me funny when I hitch up a smoker but I share the BBQ and they are fine with it.

Now it has been well over 10 years since I earned Clemson degree #1 but even back then they completely out-priced Graduate students. You know what I did? We watched games over in Barre/Hardin Hall and set up anywhere else for the tailgate. Cost of attending a football game was roughly 1/2 of my weekly paycheck from Clemson...

Personally, I just hope the dog does not take my spot on the couch when I am watching my tigers. She bites so when daddy has too much beer, I have to chose "fear the teeth" or pee.

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Re: Can we stay "little old Clemson" ....


Jun 21, 2019, 9:58 AM

I'm talking about the culture of Clemson and Clemson football... your talking about analytics... that logic is exactly why the culture is shifting... we are starting to get more and more fair weather fans.. heck we can't even fill the hill. I think I read a story earlier where we did not actually sell out any games last year...

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Fair-weather fans are an unfortunate byproduct


Jun 21, 2019, 2:29 PM

of winning championships. It happens in all sports, including college football. We can't pick and choose who becomes a Clemson fan.

The culture of Clemson University and Clemson football is fine. The powers that be, including school leaders, our coaching staff, and longtime fans are focused on maintaining the family atmosphere. Some new buildings on campus and new students enrolled in the university won't change that. Neither will some fairweather fans.

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"All those 'Fire Brownell' guys can kiss it." -Joseph Girard III

"Everybody needs to know that Coach Brownell is arguably the best coach to come through Clemson." -PJ Hall


yeah it sucks


Jun 20, 2019, 2:51 PM

I figure a couple games a year at about $1000 a pop for my wife and I is all I am willing to handle. We live too far to go to any more and I have a huge TV set up for football games. I went to 8 to 10 games a year for many years, but its just too much for me these days.

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too late.***


Jun 20, 2019, 3:05 PM



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"Anybody that says Coach Brownell is the best coach to come through Clemson is going to start an argument." -JP Hall


It’s a nice problem to have......


Jun 20, 2019, 3:19 PM

The majority of other schools envy us. What school wouldn’t like to have the demand for tickets and parking that Clemson has? I do without some things that I would like to have or do just to keep my parking spot and lower level seating in the valley. It’s worth it to me. I’ve been a loyal SUPPORTER of Clemson University since the early 60’s and will continue to do so as long as I can make that 300 mile each way trip! Go Tigers. Join IPTAY.

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Re: It’s a nice problem to have......


Jun 20, 2019, 5:24 PM

Already did...

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Yep.***


Jun 20, 2019, 9:25 PM [ in reply to too late.*** ]



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Re: Can we stay "little old Clemson" ....


Jun 20, 2019, 5:19 PM

It will always be "Little Old Clemson"

and it does cost

but we also have National Championships that I would never have thought would happen again in my lifetime

GO TIGERS

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Re: Can we stay "little old Clemson" ....


Jun 23, 2019, 11:11 AM

"National Championships that I would never have thought would happen again in my lifetime"

I did, thats exactly why I jumped on the train, to watch Dabo and Clemson build a program... part of that magic is the fanbase...

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I can emphathise. I only had season tickets for two years,


Jun 21, 2019, 10:23 AM

2008 and 2009. My kids did not seem to really be into it, so I stopped after that. But, in just those two years, I saw the effect that you are seeing now. I got moved from the lawn at Earle Hall, all the way out to the Strom Thurmond proximity lot, even though I had UPPED my level of giving the second year. I was not, and am not, in the greatest of physical shape, so the parking shift and longer walk meant more to me than actual seating change, which was negligible.

But, looking at this realistically, those who are giving enough money to take over, are not doing it out of some sense of philanthropy. They, too, must love Clemson, or at least intend to come to the games, or allow others to come in their stead. Nothing else in the world has stayed the same price over the last 20 or 30 years, so there is no reason to think that tickets to watch one of, if not the best, program in the country play football would remain at older values. I know that doesn't make you, or me feel any better, but it is a fact of life. There always has been, and still is, "Something in these Hills", and a premium number of people want to be a part of it.

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Re: Can we stay "little old Clemson" ....


Jun 21, 2019, 12:02 PM

I understand that facilities and support staff cost money and the ones giving the most deserve to be given benefits, but there should also be concessions given to other parts of the Clemson family. Individuals who have been giving year in and year out will likely still be doing so when many of the bandwagon fans have put their wallets back in their pockets.

I also believe that individuals giving money to academic endeavors at Clemson should be given credit for at least a percentage of the money that is donated to those ends. My ex wife's grandfather was a long time professor at Clemson who started on of the major fraternities. After her grandfather died, her grandmother preferred to give to the department that he had been in. Each year she found herself having to deduct from those funds to keep the tickets that they had gotten in 1959.

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