What if the price increase aiming to deter attendance doesn't actually work? What if the love of the sport wins out? What if everyone comes anyway? (Field Of Dreams moment...If you build it they will come...cars for miles) Will my $40 a day and the $30 per session price guarantee me an actual seat or will they just oversell the event like they do every year? Will I have my premium price ticket in hand and be stopped at the door because of overcrowding? I don't see that addressed anywhere in the packet information and that is concerning me.
I believe the hope is that enough fans will be turned off by the price that the crowding issue won't be as bad. I'm not sure that is enough. The ones that won't be able to afford it are the "fans" of the teams who typically are college- or high-school aged. It bothers me that we aren't doing more to encourage that demographic, but the venue simply doesn't give them much choice, unfortunately.
Ideas to improve the event.
1.
Move it somewhere else. Obviously.
Why this won't happen. Contract through 2015?
In exchange for the massive profit that Disney has built into the hotel and hopper passes ("Mouse Tax"), they are more than happy to provide transportation, the venue, and even provide the staging and security. In fairness, these are things that USASF would have to arrange on it's own otherwise. This would be much more work on the part of an already over-worked staff.
compromise: Unsure what the buyout penalty of the contract is. Assuming contract is up - Let all Tier 1 event producers bid (in an open, public, and honest way) for "hosting" the event. That event producer does not get any additional signage or exposure beyond what they normally would, they just get cash in exchange for their services. (It wouldn't be "Worlds presented by JAM Brands" or anything similar.) USASF simply provides judges & scoring and possibly administers the registration system.
2.
Completely eliminate "VIP" seating and use that space for more team-specific fans. They, in theory, could have a more organized system that shuffled groups in for a single performance and then out the door. Standing room only and unless you have coach credentials for the next team as well, EVERYONE in that group must leave to make way for the next group. This way, ALL parents and other athletes from the program would essentially get a guaranteed place to be to see THEIR team. These people would NOT get to see any of the other teams before or after theirs. Priority in the group given to people directly associated with that team.
Why this won't happen: Event Producers feel entitled to the best seats. They represent the majority of the people making the decision.
Compromise: Find another way to provide equal value to those event producers. (give them another perk that they want just as much as those seats.) Put their names in more places. Make each teams' event where the qualified more prominent during the performances. Give them badges that let them get into the "Fan Zone" during the performances of "their" teams. Open to other suggestions.
