AD Patter$son Facing Heat

IvanDiabloHorn said:
Patterson could get some of the heat off of him if he admitted some of the policies were wrong and changed them.
" I have heard the alumni and fans loud and clear and are making the following changes ...."
"We will refund parking pass charges and distribute free parking passes to LHF members purchasing season tickets as before."
" We are eliminating the policy of no resale of tickets."
"We understand that a lot of longtime fans are not happy and have not renewed and we are willing to grandfather them back into the same or comparable seats with the same donation level if they choose to renew by July 30, 2015".

Probably would go a long way, but I am sure arrogance will win the day. Sad.
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I suspect you are right about the arrogance. I don't think Patterson is the kind of guy to admit he made any kind of mistake, misjudged anything or take corrective action on a decision he made.
 
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IVD
Those are great ideas
Even if stevie p would just say he has heard alumni and fans loud and clear and realize he could have handled the changes better, then maybe refund the parking pass charges OR just walked back the no resale policy that would go a long way. I don't think he would do both and I don't think he can go back to the 10,000 and grandfather them back in.
The old saying "you only get one chance to make a first impression" really applies here. I think his ship of arrogance and blindness to his customers sailed with an Titanic sized hole and will sink no matter what now.
 
These last replies illustrate the worst aspect to what SP did this past year. It wasn't just ONE harsh new change that season ticket holders were forced to absorb. It was three very controversial ones at once, and after the worst season since 2010, and only the second losing season in the last 17 years.

He could've added these three changes in phases and the backlash wouldn't have been so vicious. Charged for parking this year, raised ticket prices for 2016 AFTER a proven winning season, and then enforced "no resale" for 2017 after an even better season.

I still think charged parking and "no resale" is bull****, but it may have been tolerated in pieces. Still not sure the "no resale" would be accepted by some at anytime. And raising prices AFTER we showed a winning season would've be fine with most. But none of that happened...he just forcefed the whole damn rotten enchilada.

If he'd have done all of that gradually and when we had more legitimacy (on-field results), people would've bitched some but likely not enough to consider bailing. But to lose 7 games and then shove ALL three of these asshat policies at once...only a careless ****sucker would do that and think it's acceptable treatment to loyal, devoted fans/customers. F*** Patterson.

Sorry for all the language. SP has a way of bringing that out in some of us.
 
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Brad,

You may have spread a little more light in this post.

"loyal, devoted fans/customers" - At no point in Patterson's "career" has he ever had anyone either "loyal" or "devoted", with the possible exception of people at KornFairy, whom, like some others, are just trying to use him for their own benefit. Maybe overpaying for worthless services can actually buy "friends" or "loyalty".

The people who will defend his actions have obviously never met or read anything from the folks in Portland and/or Tempe. He didn't change from Portland to Arizona, and seems to have gotten even worse with the authority he was given by Bill Powers. He is answering to no one at the present. Until he does, expect more of the same.
 
The one thing about Patterson, he is looking to the future.....looking at which teams are coming to play Texas, raise the best seats at the maximum level, get the donations up, charge for parking, and not let you scalp in a public website setting.......not for the dollars this year but with ND coming in, USC, Michigan...........he is doing it this year in a down year so that it won't be talked about next year and they will be able to use their sales skills to sell to corporations instead of Alumni or fans of the University of Texas.
 
I sold my Ohio State tickets for an absurd amount of money and paid an absurd amount of money for my family to come see ND play at Texas in 1996.

I forgot all about the tailgate spots.....all in advance of a bunch of great OOC games.
 
MWA
I keep hearing that steviep has alienated many if not most of the Big Buck donors( look at the donors wanting to donate 1 mil for tennis as an example). We know he has alienated the masses who do give but not huge amounts. The masses add up, factor in the Big Buck donors . He will be hard pressed to get more in donations.
A weak football season won't help people's attitudes toward what steviep has done.
 
It's a simple equation.

It really doesn't matter what he does as long as the $$$$ keep rolling in. Winning makes that happen.

Start losing, money dries up, by by Stevie.
 
What I find laughable is some people are supporting "no resale" because they think a fair number of season ticket holders are buying at a discount just to sell for a profit. When's the last time the market has been a winning exchange for a Texas ticket? It's been quite a while. Stubhub is flooded with excess Horns tickets the last several years. It's been nothing but supply far exceeding demand.

The point is that when a mature adult's unforeseen occurrences happen during football season...like a limiting injury, important family wedding, funeral, etc, etc...holders now have to eat their tickets. And trust me, this stuff happens yearly. Not to mention there are very loyal out of town fans who just can't justify the trip expense for a New Mexico St. blowout when they have several other home game trips booked. The legitimate reasons one can't make a game are endless. I can't see a damn thing wrong with coming on HornFans and selling it for face...or whatever the donation+ticket cost was divided by the ticket numbers. Selling for their own cost basically with no profit involved.

If Patterson's policy would've been "no resale" above face value on the ticket or whatever the holder's sole ticket cost was...most wouldn't have bitched an ounce. The point is he is saying eat it all, no matter what, or your decades of tix are history. Yeah I know it doesn't sound like much to some not heavily invested in our football tickets. But to those who are it's not trivial to absorb hundreds of dollars when the absence can't be reasonably avoided.
 
Brad Austin said:
What I find laughable is some people are supporting "no resale" because they think a fair number of season ticket holders are buying at a discount just to sell for a profit. When's the last time the market has been a winning exchange for a Texas ticket? It's been quite a while. Stubhub is flooded with excess Horns tickets the last several years. It's been nothing but supply far exceeding demand.

The point is that when a mature adult's unforeseen occurrences happen during football season...like a limiting injury, important family wedding, funeral, etc, etc...holders now have to eat their tickets. And trust me, this stuff happens yearly. Not to mention there are very loyal out of town fans who just can't justify the trip expense for a New Mexico St. blowout when they have several other home game trips booked. The legitimate reasons one can't make a game are endless. I can't see a damn thing wrong with coming on HornFans and selling it for face...or whatever the donation+ticket cost was divided by the ticket numbers. Selling for their own cost basically with no profit involved.

If Patterson's policy would've been "no resale" above face value on the ticket or whatever the holder's sole ticket cost was...most wouldn't have bitched an ounce. The point is he is saying eat it all, no matter what, or your decades of tix are history. Yeah I know it doesn't sound like much to some not heavily invested in our football tickets. But to those who are it's not trivial to absorb hundreds of dollars when the absence can't be reasonably avoided.
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I am indifferent to this policy. There are reasons I like it and reasons I don't like it, and I always support a free market. The free market also includes the ability for businesses and organizations to set their own polices.

I am not 100% sure, but I believe I read that you're still able to turn your tickets over to the exes. They'll sell them for you and return the face value to you.
 
Now that you mentioned the Exes, he has ushered in a new era of conflict there also.

Mr. Congeniality.
 
I am going to ruffle some feathers, but I only want to share my opinion.

A lot of people are really overestimating their importance to the athletic department. "I've been donating $300 for twenty-five years to the LHF." Ok, those seats you're sitting in now require a donation of $3,500/each. A person paying current market value for two of these seats will just about trump your lifetime giving in a single year. Not to mention the expected value moving forward.

As a business I owner, I look at this from a different perspective. It is a business, no matter what people think. If there was any attachment/family/loyalty, it's really no different than kids overstaying their welcome. "Dad, I am only twenty-eight and I pay you $120 a month to help out. I can't live here forever?"

I think a lot of this loyalty talk is funny, too. Mack Brown won three BCS bowls, went to two MNCs and won the crystal ball. Look at what he did for the program, but fans didn't show him any loyalty. That's fine, but just admit that you're part of the "what have you done for me lately" crowd. "Well, Mack just didn't get it done anymore." Well, your donation just doesn't get it done anymore. Loyalty does not exist on either side when it comes to sports.

Like I said, I am kind of indifferent on the no resale policy, but I don't believe people should be fully grandfathered. You should be locked in for five year increments, and then there should be some increase, even if it's not full market value.
 
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So wanting a new CEO to lead the corporation is not being a loyal customer? A coach, player, etc is a temporary part of the team. And they're to be held to standards just like any other part of a team or organization. When those standards aren't being met, it's our duty to strive for a replacement.

We are loyal to Texas Longhorns football, not a coach, not an AD. The point is Texas Football is suddenly not being very loyal to its longtime customers. This "grandfathered" name says it all. Outsiders look at that now and think "just a bunch of rich folks milking discounts when others have to pay full price". When really the distinction is a right that was earned and sacrificed for.

These are the people who paid for much of the program the last several decades...upgrades, expenses, etc. Without these grandfathered masses, the team wouldn't have near the facilities or funds to draw the best coaching hires. Do we expect loyalty for our loyal, consistent donations and purchases which helped build this program to what it is? ABSOLUTELY! And until now, no AD to ever step foot on campus has treated us like a hindrance. Wishing to swap us out for new customers who will pay full price to up the bottom line.

I don't know about you, but I'd rather have our stadium full of longtime, diehard Longhorns fans, than flavor of the week business execs and newbies to the exploding Austin lure. You can teach them the words to "Texas Fight". :rolleyes1:

We never had money problems until this team started sucking on the reg. The old policies didn't have us scrounging for dollars, we were rolling in it. All this clown had to do was bring Texas Football back to its winning tradition and the money would've been fine. Instead he chose to bleed out his core customers while still feeding them a **** sandwich on Saturdays.

Sorry, but that **** is plain wrong and bad business. Don't worry, my point will be further proven when it's time to renew again next year after a mediocre 7-6 season. If these new policies hold another year after Texas drops 6 games, you'll see what I mean.

The 10,000 who didn't renew are the ones who couldn't stomach another second being treated like dirt after all they've sacrificed. There are 1,000's more sitting on the fence still pissed but in a holding pattern. After stomaching 6 more losing Saturdays and another year of endless national taunting...that line will be crossed.

It's easy to take a stand in the face of slights when you're treated with respect and appreciation. But loyalty takes a big hit when the one you are loyal to desires a full-price newbie in your spot. Nearly all successful CEO's on the planet realize the immense value of customer loyalty and it's importance to secure.

New customers don't guarantee repeat business. If treated with value, loyal customers do. Business 101.
 
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Brad.
You are too right. I am betting it is ten thousand or more who are on the fence.
He and others keep saying they have people waiting for tickets. Count me skeptical.
However I am sure he will manipulate figures to make things look great.

I wonder how much he will charge all the groups we usually honor on the field including the teams who won Big 12 championships.

has there been a written determination that we can take our tickets we can't use to the TexasExes?
 
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These are the people who paid for much of the program the last several decades...upgrades, expenses, etc. Without these grandfathered masses, the team wouldn't have near the facilities or funds to draw the best coaching hires. Do we expect loyalty for our loyal, consistent donations and purchases which helped build this program to what it is? ABSOLUTELY! And until now, no AD to ever step foot on campus has treated us like a hindrance. Wishing to swap us out for new customers who will pay full price to up the bottom line.
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The new loyalty system does a great job of really seeing who has paid their dues. It actually favors longtime donors over Johnny-come-lately. My parents have been season ticket holders since the 70's (they did have about a 7 year lapse, and no, I don't sit with them), lifetime ex members and very meager donors to Longhorn Foundation. They've supported the school and athletics, but I don't overestimate their value to the program.

I don't know about you, but I'd rather have our stadium full of longtime, diehard Longhorns fans, than flavor of the week business execs and newbies to the exploding Austin lure. You can teach them the words to "Texas Fight".
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For the moment, it seems that is what Patterson wants as well. He just wants these discounted ticket holders to show up. If they're so loyal, show up to the games. Can't show up? Send your tickets to the Exes (get your face value back), give them to a friend, sell them to someone you know, or give them to a partner charity.

Nearly all successful CEO's on the planet realize the immense value of customer loyalty and it's importance to secure.
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Nearly all successful CEO's fully understand supply and demand. Maybe Patterson isn't correctly accessing his demand or maybe he's banking on positioning himself for future demand. The market always speaks and only time will tell.
 
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Banana,

If your parents are longtime ticket holders, then you should know and include the fact that those who paid for the stadium expansion in 1970/71, have 16 years of "loyalty" NOT included in Patterson's "loyalty program".
 
Brad,

Thank you. That is the single best post in the history of this site. Can't "like" it but once, otherwise the site would be shut down with "likes".

I owe you lunch at El Patio.
 
SabreHorn said:
Banana,

If your parents are longtime ticket holders, then you should know and include the fact that those who paid for the stadium expansion in 1970/71, have 16 years of "loyalty" NOT included in Patterson's "loyalty program".
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I understand when the LHF was created and that you're only getting credited for loyalty from 1987 on. Also, my parents weren't season ticket holders in 70/71. I believe their first year was 1977, but that doesn't include any student tickets they might have had from 1973 - 1976. My parents lifetime giving doesn't come close to one of the businesses or people who make up one of the suites or high-end donors. There are a lot of people with deep pockets who have really built this program.
 
Banana,

That is a great idea. Let's tear down Memorial Stadium and replace the seats with nothing but corporately owned suits. Imagine Patterson selling 10,000 corporate suits for $150,000 each to get him $150 million plus food and alcohol sales. Great original idea. Thank you for suggesting it, except that Colorado toyed with that idea 30-40 years ago and it failed miserably. Now Folsom has that hideous West side that is virtually unusable. Of course, CU doesn't have nearly the following or loyalty that Texas has.
 
SabreHorn said:
Banana,

That is a great idea. Let's tear down Memorial Stadium and replace the seats with nothing but corporately owned suits. Imagine Patterson selling 10,000 corporate suits for $150,000 each to get him $150 million plus food and alcohol sales. Great original idea. Thank you for suggesting it, except that Colorado toyed with that idea 30-40 years ago and it failed miserably. Now Folsom has that hideous West side that is virtually unusable. Of course, CU doesn't have nearly the following or loyalty that Texas has.
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That's hyperbole and you know it. Nobody said a word about tearing down the stadium and creating all suites. There is a place for every level of donor, but we can't overestimate the lower level donors, my parents included. That's all. I don't want to fight with other Longhorns about this -- I was just sharing my opinion.
 
This is what happens when college sports becomes a cold corporate business. The only thing that matters is the bottom line.

It doesn't matter where the money comes from as long as it comes. There are no loyal customers to keep around, there is only customers, no matter their affiliation to the University.

Unfortunately the days of it being just "Texas Longhorn Football" are long gone. It's now Texas Football Inc, you know, the brand and all that.

Remember when Walmart used to make a big deal about having all "American" made products. They were successful and how impressed the general public was. It was the true American dream and success story. They grew and grew.

Then they finally realized, if they were to make even more money, they had to stop that all American product standard. They needed cheaper products made from cheap overseas labor, if they wanted to become not just rich, but mega rich. People may complain at first, but they will get over it and still shop there.

It's the same at Texas, it used to be more about alumni and long time supporters, a sort of family if you will. UT people coming together to support UT football. Then policies started changing and more and more it's about getting as much money as possible, no matter where or how.

I know that's what happens when college sports becomes this big, it's just another corporation. If keeping around some of the old crowd doesn't hurt the bottom line, then that's fine. If we need to drive them out, in order to make even more revenue, we have no qualms in doing that either.

I still can't help but think of UT baseball, I remember when it was the best kept secret in Austin. A very successful program that was still accessible and affordable. It was mainly attended by a smaller group of mostly UT grads and students. Yes, during the bigger series and playoffs, the interest increased. It still generated enough income to break even. This went on for a long time and it was great for those of us that loved UT baseball. You had access that the other two major sports couldn't offer.

Then one day it was discovered that money could be made here, maybe not like the other two sports, but still money is money. That was the end of those wonderful days at the Disch, for many of us. Little by little, UT baseball just became a smaller version of Texas Sports Inc. It's no longer the Disch, it's highest bidder corporate field Disch and silly non money making things like tailgating are gone in favor of using that space for making more money. Texas Baseball looks more like Round Rock than the great college atmosphere it had before. Home field advantage went out the window. I remember well when coming to Disch-Faulk for a game struck real fear into opponents. Now even the smaller teams don't have that fear anymore. It's almost just a neutral site, where we they bat in the top half of innings. All the promotions between each inning drown out the atmosphere that used to make the Disch a formidable place to play.

I know bottom line and all that, but another piece of the great days of UT sports is gone, for that bottom line. You will have to excuse me, but I will never forget those simpler times and I think all that experienced that period will agree with me. So call me old fashioned, I can live with that. I miss what used to make "Texas Baseball" what it was.
 
I am going to ruffle some feathers, but I only want to share my opinion.

A lot of people are really overestimating their importance to the athletic department. "I've been donating $300 for twenty-five years to the LHF." Ok, those seats you're sitting in now require a donation of $3,500/each. A person paying current market value for two of these seats will just about trump your lifetime giving in a single year. Not to mention the expected value moving forward.

As a business I owner, I look at this from a different perspective. It is a business, no matter what people think. If there was any attachment/family/loyalty, it's really no different than kids overstaying their welcome. "Dad, I am only twenty-eight and I pay you $120 a month to help out. I can't live here forever?"

I think a lot of this loyalty talk is funny, too. Mack Brown won three BCS bowls, went to two MNCs and won the crystal ball. Look at what he did for the program, but fans didn't show him any loyalty. That's fine, but just admit that you're part of the "what have you done for me lately" crowd. Loyalty does not exist on either side when it comes to sports.

Like I said, I am kind of indifferent on the no resale policy, but I don't believe people should be fully grandfathered. You should be locked in for five year increments, and then there should be some increase, even if it's not full market value.
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You are correct on one point. Bill Powers, Steve Patterson and many Texas fans showed NO loyalty to Mack Brown. It is and was wrong.

However, the rest is where you are incorrect. The college football product is not the same as the professional sports product. The vast majority of college football fans only care about their school. Most season ticket holders have some tie to UT. There are some diehard ticket holders with no ties to UT, but they are not that many. Those with no UT ties are almost certainly people living in Texas and have lived here for quite some time.

UT is not the professional sports team of Austin. Austin people with no UT ties do not care very much about UT sports. Sure they'll go to one game a year for the spectacle of going to a college football game. Then they get over it and move on to the next thing. They really are not going to care enough to go if UT is bad. How do I know? I am a young professional in Austin that spends time with the many young professional that have moved here.

UT's core ticket buyers are UT alumni, students and those that have been buying tickets forever. When those people go, there are no replacements other than graduating students. Here is the thing, recent grads do not have that kind of money, and most do not want to buy tickets. Why do they not want to buy? Because the event staff in the student section treats students like pieces of garbage. I sat on the west side until I got to UT. I was shocked going from nice event staff on the west side to the student section where every student was treated like garbage. Im not talking about the drunks. Im talking about everyone, including the sober kids trying to sit in their correct seats. If we do not take care of our students now, they will not be interested buyers in the future. Unfortunately of my UT social circle (which was 95% football, basketball baseball attendance in college), less than 5% buy season tickets. Actually, 5% is a generous exaggeration. It's bad.

I also am shocked at the alumni dropping out. My older brother's fraternity brothers who made all the games in the 90s, all the rose bowls, ohio state, etc are dropping out. Family friends who have gone to home and away games forever are dropping out. My father who has gone for decades (since the 70s!) is considering dropping. I've gone to UT games since I was 4. I had only missed 3 UT home games in my life since I started going (two were for high school football games I had to play in because apparently skipping those was frowned upon by the coaches). I've gone to most OU games. I was there for all the OU blowouts. I was there for Route 66. I was there for the infamous Missouri weather delay game in 1996. I was there for the BYU and TCU blowouts. I was there for 12-7. I was there when Colt got injured against Bama. I was there to see us lose against Iowa State in 2010. I was also there when Phil Dawson beat Virginia, when Ricky set the record, when Mack kicked off his career by taking down Mississippi State in the cotton bowl. I was there for the NC State kickoff classic. I was there for the nebraska wins in Austin, the loss in San Antonio, our shocking blowout win in 2003 and the last victory (Gilbert's best game) in Lincoln in 2010! I was there for all the games against (insert Louisiana sun belt team) and the new mexico teams. I was there for the North Carolina Cole Pittman game. I was there to see Vince Young lead us to victory over Kansas State and Chance Mock bring us back to victory against Texas Tech. I was there for the greatest comeback ever led by Vince against Oklahoma State. I was there for 05 and the destruction of colorado. I'll never forget Texas scoring 52 in one half against Kansas after the fatman ran his mouth off the year before. I was there (sitting in the end zone of the OU section) for the bomar game. I was there to see Vince Young, Mack Brown and the Texas longhorns win the rose bowl twice! I was there for #1 Ohio State and #2 Texas. I was there for the no defense game against Tech in 2007. I was in El Paso in 08 to see the horns play in the sun bowl for the first time in forever. I was there for 52-10 against Arkansas in Austin. I was there for 45-35 against OU and the 08 Missouri game which is the loudest, best environment I have ever seen at DKR. I was in college station to see us win there in 2005, 2009, and I was there in the all aggy middle of the 12th man on the 50 when justin tucker kicked that ball through those uprights. You've never seen 80,000+ screaming aggy get so quiet so fast. I was there for West Virginia which was probably the second loudest I've heard DKR up until Ash fumbled. I was there to see Case knockoff OU in a game "we could not win." I was there to see Ash lead us to victory against Oregon State and bid Mack Brown farewell against Oregon. I was there last year to see us kick the snot out of West Virginia and Charlie Strong get his first big win.

Honestly, I am going this year, but despite how much of my life I have invested into UT sports, I am very ambivalent. I do not know if I will go to all the games this year as I will no longer be living in Austin. We'll see if I buy next year. The fact of the matter is a lot of people I know have dropped out. They are not going to be there to see and I cannot tailgate because I have not paid $2,000 for a spot. How many more will drop out next year if we have a bad season? I am just paying a ridiculous amount of $ to endure I-35 for hours, park in a parking garage, watch us lose in a half empty stadium devoid of energy, endure BS on the speakers which is played louder than the band, then sit in a parking garage awhile again before enduring more I-35. I'd still glady do all the above by myself, but at some point there is a price where it is not worth it for the biggest diehards... especially when they take our tailgating away.

Also I sat in the north end zone club a few times last year. It's the WORST. Most of the people are socializing in the club and not paying any attention to the game. (That's why the seats are always empty if anyone in other parts of the stadium wonders why.) What is the point of paying that kind of money to have a social hour if you are not going to watch the game? Eventually, those people are going to drop too.

Anyway, enough personal BS, here are the facts:
2010 … 84,500
2011 … 81,600
2012 … 78,800
2013 … 76,300
2014 ... 57,230
2015 ... 52,823

There has been a huge drop in season ticket holders so obviously people are not lining up to pay that much for tickets.

Is UT a for-profit institution? No it is not. It is not taxed as such either. College athletics has become quite perverted where programs are being run like businesses. It's wrong and it's gotten so out of hand we are about to change the rules to pay players. Hell "cost of attendance" is BS. Sorry, but everyone else doing wrong behavior does not justify it at the University of Texas for me. It's something a sooner would say.

If UT is being run like a business, it's a terribly managed business. Look at the contracts we have with our coaches. Any business that makes such ridiculous contracts (6 years at $3 million guaranteed, $5 million for a brand new coach, ridiculous assistant salaries) would be out of business pretty quick. Save me the "business" nonsense.
 
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Htown77 said:
I was there for the greatest comeback ever led by Vince against Oklahoma State
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Htown77, I attended many of those game you did but not nearly all of them. You, sir, are a Horn Football Warrior to have gone to ALL those games.:bow:

Re: 2004 UT vs. Okie Lite. This comeback lead by Vince was the single best / biggest victory I ever saw by UT at DKR. I was yelling at Horn fans leaving at HALFTIME to stay, that they were going to miss the biggest comeback in UT history... my son was a witness to this.

Your post is sad in so many ways but it is a message to the powers that be. The UT washed / great unwashed masses are not happy with the reckless and overpriced sports bread and circuses we are experiencing.
 
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WorsterMan said:
Htown77, I attended many of those game you did but not nearly all of them. You, sir, are a Horn Football Warrior to have gone to ALL those games.:bow:

Re: 2004 UT vs. Okie Lite. This comeback lead by Vince was the single best / biggest victory I ever saw by UT at DKR. I was yelling at Horn fans leaving at HALFTIME to stay, that they were going to miss the biggest comeback in UT history... my son was a witness to this.

Your post is sad in so many ways but it is a message to the powers that be. The UT washed / great unwashed masses are not happy with the reckless and overpriced sports bread and circuses we are experiencing.
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Yes indeed...Steve Patterson = P.T. Barnum!
 
Htown77 nailed it exactly. Along with bringing back so many fond memories of games I vividly remember as well. Damn that Dawson kick was an incredible day. I've never felt like a real winner in a tie game like that in my life. That kick was insane and we had a great view of it hanging in the stiff wind before plummeting to earth just beyond the post.

The part that is so dead-on accurate is how you explain the types of people you know who dropped out. It was the same with my situation. I learned of all these absurd policies through a phone call one morning from another two decades plus, alumni ticket holder. He was speaking of his intent to drop-out and I was shocked. So much so I couldn't process the reality of the whole situation at first.

The guy is a diehard Horn fan and has zero concern of funds. After we talked I still couldn't believe exactly what he said the policies meant as they seemed so far fetched. Then I did my research and became even more confused as to what was being done and why. How the hell could they pull this much ******** on loyal donors anytime, much less after a losing, garbage season where we got royally ***-pounded by BYU, TCU, and Arky?

Then the other calls came that day. More longtime donors and diehard fans wanted to know if I was out too. These are people I couldn't have imagined the day they'd consider leaving. Even if they'd have just jacked tix up 50% and called it a day, they'd have maybe bitched some and renewed without much thought of really bailing. But of the 5 or so groups I talked to that day, 4 did not renew. And at least 3 were those you couldn't keep from a Texas game in the past.

I think lost in all this is people believe many of those not renewing are the less committed or fickle types who ***** everytime the price goes up. It's just not the case, many of the people bailing are lifeblood type of Horns that have been there through all the games you mentioned. It's sickening to see so many have something they love so much ripped from them. And there hasn't been one single season or AD who has brought this type of distain and abandonment until now.

There is absolutely nothing trivial or common about this situation. Just look at how upset the debate makes those replying on this subject. Forcing someone to sacrifice something they love as an only means to fight back is an emotional event. I've used more cusswords on this one thread then maybe all my other posts combined. And on that note again...**** Patterson!
 
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