Longhorn Foundation: Your Overall Thoughts/Ideas?

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MikeUT00

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So this is similar to the Texas Exes thread. With the stadiums (DKR & the Disch) expansions, parking re-configurations, etc., seems like there are a few things that can be discussed ...

Curious as to y'alls overall generall thoughts and/or ideas regarding the Longhorn Foundation. What do you like and/or dislike? What changes do you wish would be made? What do y'all think are the advantages/disadvantages of membership? In what ways do you use your Longhorn Foundation membership, if at all? Does your town have an established Longhorn Club (aka local Longhorn Foundation events), and if so, do you attend? If not, why and what would it take for you to get involved? In what ways would you improve the organization as a whole ... as well as improve your local club?

Some thoughts ...

True, membership to the Longhorn Foundation is a way to support The University's athletic department, and thus The University itself. Good enough reason. However, there is a large number of members who only joined because of the priority it gives when it comes to sports, namely football. If you already have football tickets locked in, do you also get OU tickets? Given that the OU cutoff increases each year (and will continue to do so), if your donation no longer qualifies for OU tickets ... will it change your mind on staying a member?

Football parking will change this year, and will change again next year when DKR-TMS is completed. The most likely change will be parking lot cutoffs will increase. Some people will be "downgraded" in terms of where they are allowed to park. In addition, donors might not be able to park in multiple lots. Example: Currently, small donors can park in a certain lot. Then mid-level donors can park in a better lot, as well as the small donor lots. The higher-donors can park in a better lot, as well as the lesser lots, etc. This will possibly change to where each specific level of donors will only be able to park in their respective corresponding donor lot. In other words, if you donate a mid-level but park in low-level, say, because of tailgating reasons ... you won't be able to continue to do this. Not set yet, but it might happen, and probably not in '07, but rather in '08. If your parking is changed, will it change your mind on staying a member?

Does anyone donate a certain amount to gain access to a specific club? Does the fact that football will, most likely, get another club restructure (getting a third level club to offset the End Zone and Goal Post clubs) affect your status as a member?

Again, this post is just made out of curiousity. Was just sitting here wondering what others thought about the organization as a whole. Post away ...
 
For me, I donate to the Longhorn Foundation for a few reasons. Let me start by saying that I’ve been in the LHF since graduating in 1996. I started out at the minimum level and have slowly increased my donation as the years have gone by. I am in for 4 season tickets. In no particular order, I donate for:

1. The chance for OU tickets. This is the best “perk” for donating. With the increased importance of this game, it’s made it a hot ticket every year. I always try to make sure I donate enough to make the cutoff.
2. Parking for tailgating. In the past 4 seasons, my friends and I have tailgated in Lot 80. It’s a great spot. We use it as a meeting place for our pre and post game festivities. I have maintained a donation level to ensure I have a pass for Lot 80.
3. Bowl game tickets. I managed to get my 4 for both Rose Bowls. That alone makes it worth it. I got shut out for Alamo Bowl tickets, but not by much. I still managed to get there, though.
4. Support the athletic department.


The change in parking rules has me a bit concerned. I hope that they do not raise the levels and price me out of having access to Lot 80. This would really screw up our tailgate plans for quite a few folks.

I have put down a deposit for 2 NEZ chair backs. I intend to keep my existing four and have my two in the NEZ. My new minimum donation will increase dramatically, but I hope that it can also keep me in Lot 80. The new minimum will surely get me OU tickets every year (I hope).

I’m not interested in all the clubs (Goal Post club, End Zone club, etc.). We have our tailgate for all that stuff. I don’t have time for the Longhorn clubs.

My only real complaint with the LHF is that they communicate changes very poorly. If they knew they were going to change donation levels for parking, why not say something before the deadline? Why make the change public after the payment deadline?

They have the donors by the balls. There is no way around that. And the reason they have us by the balls is because they can get away with it. If we don’t like their rules, that’s OK with them. They will take some one else’s money. Once you come to grips with that fact, the LHF doesn’t seem so bad. If they can improve their communication, it might serve them better in the long run.
 
I donate to support UT Athletics. I usually allocate 75% of my donation to specific sports that I like to support.

I do utilize my donation for football tickets. I haven't gotten OU tickets in the past due to my lowere donation level.

My complaints are with their communication and with the non-timeliness with information. Although, our deadline was football was at the end of May, we won't know for sure what away game tickets we'll receive until the last minute. Especially for OU. Bowl games tickets need to be allocated quicker as well so that travel plans can be made. There is no reason regular away game tickets couldn't be allocated today. I believe the student ticket deadline has also passed.
The foundation knows how many tickets they get for each game to allocate.

I realize that many members are in the Austin area and in Texas, but some of us need additional time to make travel arrangements.
 
I'm a LHF member purely for the opportunity to purchase season tickets to football games. Though I live far from Austin, I'd still like to get to a few home games each year and since no single game tickets exist, I've found it's possibly cheaper but much more convenient to buy the season ticket package to get the games I want than to go the Ebay or Stubhub route. Plus, I'd rather support UT Athletics with my hard earned money through the donation and ticket price than the pockets of the scalpers. I don't donate nearly enough to get great parking, good road games, or bowl games, but that might change if I move back to the area in the future. The LHF is a great idea to raise money for athletics and increase the size of the stadium and prioritize seating.

Now, here's what I don't like about LHF... Since there is no requirement other than cash to join, I fear that it is ripe for abuse by scalpers. For $150 donation, a scalper that has no relation to the University can qualify to purchase up to 4 season ticket packages that includes 7 games. That comes out to 28 tickets for an extra $5.35 each for the minimum donaiton level. With a sold out stadium (and what percentage of those are scalpers?), this can easily be covered by the increased cost passed on to the fans who buy the tickets, most of which are probably people like me who live out of the area and only come to one game or visiting team fans. With a few marque games on the schedule that scalp for very high prices, that can easily make up for the losses taken by eating the Arkansas State type games. If the scalper gives enough cash to get to the OU and bowl games, then the profit on those games goes way up and helps to cover the increased donation level. What I fear is that these scalpers may force a donation escalation that can price many of the real fans out of the market for the OU game at the top end of the donation price and the casual new fan out of the market for new season tickets (recent graduates who don't make a lot of money and are faced with a stadium sold out of season tickets). However, even putting a requirement that a LHF donating member be a graduate or have some affiliation with the University may no fix this situation since former UT students are not all unwilling to scalp tickets, but it would be nice if us alumni had some step up in the process to ensure the stadium doesn't sell out to people with no affiliation to our University.

Second, I watch a lot of basketball on TV, and I love to see the student body on the floor cheering on the team, not a bunch of fat cats and empty seats. Donation level should be specific to a sport and if you want great seats to multiple sports, you should have to give twice so football fans don't get first priority to a basketball game they aren't necessarily interested in. Move the students to the floor and get the FEC rocking for home games and make it a challenging place for a visiting team to win in.
 
Changing the parking situations does not sit well with me. I'm guessing this is something we won't get details on until we get our tickets.
 
I think parking should be grandfathered just like seats are. I'm going to be VERY pissed if we have to move our tailgate this year.

I also would like to see them require minimum donations for certain seats. (Not sure LF can do this alone) I really dislike that someone can sit in the prime seats with no donation, while I am banished to the upperdeck, just because they graduated a few years before I did.

I am ok with a system that combines a length of seat license feature with donation to meet some minimum for seats to reward people that have been tickets for a REALLY long time, but it's BS that someone gets such better seats than me just because they graduated in '95 and I graduated in '97.
 
I wish the LF would be more open. For example the parking situation this year, why has their been no official announcement that indeed parking is changing? Why didn't they tell us that they were completely redoing parking _before_ donations were due? The fact that they did this in the dead of night is bush league.

And from what I am hearing if you don't donate over $2000, you aren't getting lot 80 spots. I don't know the exact number but I hear even $2000.00 donors aren't getting lot 80. If I wanted lot 80 and didn't donate ~$2500, I would be worried.

I donate just under $2000 and I'm out to either LBJ lots or the parking garage by Scholz. Not sure when we find out either.
 
A few thoughts on the Longhorn Foundation. . .

First off, longevity should be factored in. My brother and I have been season ticket holders since 1991 and bought tickets for multiple games for several years before that. We endured a lot during the Dark Years when there were about as many empty seats as full. We get no credit for that - some one who is a first time donor to the LHF giving $1 more than us gets the priority. The cumulative total only counts when equal size donations are made for any given year.

We have gotten out of the ever escalating bidding war for Blow-U tickets. For many years, we kept increasing the donation and always feared getting the letter that said "Thanks, but try again next year." And had to endure some pretty awful games along the way. We've been priced out of the market. With the price of season tickets going up every year, it's just not worth it. In some cases, getting tickets from a scalper ends up being cheaper. We added extra tickets over the years and saw our minimum increase with it. We considered moving to another location, but hate to think what that might cost us.

I am a member of the Austin Longhorn Club and really enjoy going to the lunches. When I first joined, there was a meeting every week - including away games and bye weeks. That has changed; there are now only meetings for home games and the Blow-U and gomer games. And as expected, the costs of this club has also gone up every year. We have gone to a couple of LHF functions or hospitality tents over the years and found them to be way over priced for what you get. We tailgate on our own and have a blast.

I agree something needs to be done to fill up the FEC for basketball games. Rick Barnes has said in a couple of spring Longhorn Club meetings that if they started over they could fill the house, but the current system makes it impossible. Because some one donates big for football (probably to get Blow-U tix), he gets the priority seats for basketball season tickets. Then probably doesn't go to many games. (We got better seats for the basketball regional a couple of years ago than a friend who donates the minimum just for basketball. While it was good for me personally, that ain't right: he goes to all the basketball games and I don't.) But to make people donate twice goes back to the old system where every sport has its own booster club, sets of rules, etc.

And lastly, the inheritance policy needs to be changed. Our donation and tickets are in my name. If I died tomorrow, my wife would inherit. She has zero interesst, but could continue to donate and buy tickets for my brother and son. But if she later died, there goes everything. The LHF has proposed a change in which my son could inherit (my brother is still left out in the cold), but his minimum would increase to then market value. Thus the minimum could jump from mere hundreds to thousands. It's a good thing I'll never die because I am immoral (er, immortal).

As has been stated previously, it's all about the $$$. Money talks and suckers walk. (Did that ever replace the words carved on the Tower?) UT has us by the short and curlies and they know it.
 
I feel in the same boat with Leo. I feel like I'm getting priced out of the market. I give over $1500 and have football and baseball season tix. But I know I can get a better deal going through the black market and I don't have to worry about keeping up with the Joneses. They are redoing parking like away game tickets. I don't want to have to worry every year whether I am getting the parking I want. And although I get OU tix every year, I guess eventually it might catch up to me.

I am seriously considering making this my last year to donate. I have already told my wife that if I stop donating, she can't complain about how much I drop to go to the home games I want to but on the flip side I won't go to the crap home games like Rice, Arkansas State and even Baylor. I'll watch those on tv and save up for the games I want to go to.
 
I'm wondering if the parking situation for this year may be temporary (I really hope so since I'm about done with LHF). I am the president of an exes chapter and historically, the preisdents have been offered free parking for games at a lot on the other side of the creek from the alumni center.

Well, this weekend I got an email saying due to construction, and the resulting shift of parking spaces has made them have to give up the lot.

So maybe things will go back to normal when the NEZ construction is done. I doubt it, as I believe LHF will find some way to continue to up the required donations, but let's hope.
 
Hellraiser, the parking change for this coming season (2007) is, technically, "temporary". However, it is a temporary move towards the changes that will be made for 2008, which will be permanent changes. Like I mentioned in the original post, donation levels will change for parking. And what will most likely happen in 2008 is donation-specific parking only, see original post for description. There may be a few other changes as well, but not sure of what yet.

As far as Exes leader parking, that is temporarily suspended this year because of the construction. It should, most likely, be back in 2008, in some capacity. May not be the same lost, but should be somewhere.

Have more to write, but have to leave. Will add a few thoughts when I get back ...
 
Puddle, I can see how my wording was a bit fuzzy. What I mean is ... the parking changes that will take place for the upcoming season are steps in the overall final direction of what will happen, and be permanent, for next year (2008). In other words, this year some changes will take place. Then next year, even more changes (possibilities described in original post) will take place. Let me point out that nothing is official yet. However, what has been discussed in this thread, as well as a previous thread, are the most likely scenarios. Final parking info for this year will be released mid-August.

Of course everyone is different and reasons for donating will vary. However, regarding donating to the Foundation, I think it ultimately boils down to one main point: What is your first and primary reason for donating? If there were no season tickets/parking/OU tkts, etc. benefits, would you still support the Athletic Department by donating to the Longhorn Foundation. If yes, would you honestly still donate at the same level you do now, even though you are not getting benefits?

I think it is safe to say that, for most people, the answer is no, they would not donate. And for those who would still do so, I would imagine that most of those would probably not donate at their same current level. That being said, the question becomes: Why do you donate? For OU tickets? For a specific parking location? Other reason?

Once you identify why you donate what you do ... does your mind change if any of those reasons change? Given that parking is going to change, is it still worth it to donate? OU cutoff is never going to go down. If the OU cutoff passes you by, is it still worth it to donate?

I'm not suggesting it is worth it or it isn't it. I merely think the organization as a whole, both praise and constructive critiicism, deserves descussion. When it comes to new applicants for next year ... they will have to pay a pretty penny to get a decent seat in the north end zone. If they don't, they will be in the nose-bleeds. They have to pay out-the-*** to even sniff the sidelines. Considering that donation, plus the cost of tickets ... one would assume it would cost less to buy tickets through scalp. However, in doing so you are supporting a scalper and not The University. So it goes back to what is more important to you. I don't think there is a wrong answer. Every person deserves to define what is more important to his/herself ... support of The University or keeping things as affordable as possible.

All that being said, is anyone really getting to the point to where it is no longer worth it to donate?
 
Preface: I am a Foundation Member and will continue to be.

I know quite a few people that could afford to give any amt necessary to the Longhorn Foundation to get the best seats but they don't bother. They buy the entire season of home games, OU game and bowl games from ticket brokers and get better seats, versatility on #'s and cancellations, and end up paying much less in the end. I know, they aren't philanthropic and whatever else, but it's the best financial system for them. Sometimes I think they are the ones that figured it out.
 
{quote]What is your first and primary reason for donating? If there were no season tickets/parking/OU tkts, etc. benefits, would you still support the Athletic Department by donating to the Longhorn Foundation.
 
I'm 4th generation longhorn, they don't give a ****. Hell, my family should have a few tiles/bricks, but it is what it is. Im a foundation member but will eventually say **** it and get regular season tickets and scalp for good seats for the big games. you know, all those "big" home games we have.
 
O.K. I understand where mostly everyone is coming from. My thoughts are this:
how much of what we "donate" actually makes a true contribution to the athletic program? I would think individual donors are pretty insignificant compared to the skybox & corporate donors as well as the advertising dollars. So in the grand scheme, you should be avle to see why they foundation really doesn't care about the "little" guy. the parking passes, programs, & beer stands (which you still have to shell out cash for) are really just a way to entice you to think you are getting something for your dollar- besides tickets that is.
i feel like i'm being realistic when i say: i donate simply the minimum to have a priority of getting tickets over the general public & texas exes group. i have no false notions that my money is going to help student athletes or really makes an impact or contirbution on the program in any shape, form, or fashion. I no longer really care about the TX/ou tickets or parking as I have been priced out of those items. My main goal is to see the Horns 6 or 7 times a year.
 
I guess some of us are just lucky. I've been a LF member and season ticket holder for 15 years. I donate only $300/year and have 6 tickets in section 6/front row. I never will have the opportunity to get ou tickets (which is another story) at that donation level but I save enough by NOT paying more dues to have enough money to buy scalper tickets for ou every year. So I guess you could say , I have my cake and get to eat it too.

I personally believe that cumulative points should be the determining factor for ou tickets.
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I don't dontate and scalp tix to every game. I find it MUCH cheaper to go this way than to donate to the foundation EVERY year AND buy season tix. Usually I can get good seats for face or below. Sometimes for free.

I might consider though buying endzone seats in the new north end. You get to look at Adzillatron all game long and if you were up high enough AND could hear the band it would be great.

As far as for other sports....I went to 90% of the home bball games this year didn't sit above the 25th row in the arena level and had NO PROBLEM finding tix before the game. Only paid over face for one game....aTm.
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Legacies are valid when it comes to admissions. They are BS when it comes to athletics.

Because your family had 4 generations go to UT you are somehow more valuable than an Ex who's family couldn't financially afford to attend UT?
 
"Have bought tickets for a lot of years" <> "Support of a good fan"

Look at the lower level of the FEC for any game if you need further proof of that...
 
I think a lot of the frustration with the LHF is that some members feel entitled to their seats and others without good seats feel they will never be able to get good seats. I am in between since I have had 4 seats in Sec 8 low since 1999. These seats are decent and I can keep them for the minimum donation. Therefore, I am able to pay less than market for decent seats so I win from the current status quo. However, now that I can actually afford to increase my donation, the level I would have to give to marginally improve my seats is very high.

It this inefficiency where many of the best seats are held by low donors or non-donors that creates the current problems. The only people with yardline seats that will not renew are new high $ donors who say F-this or ticket holders who die. The only ways I can think of to create some mobility for people who want to upgrade seats is to either require all ticket holders to be donors or charge different prices for better seats or change to priority status to cumulative donation which would reward both longtime donors and high $ donors.
 
Didn't the LHF recently send out a survey to donors (last year sometime, I think) asking questions about a lot of these issues. I specifically remember that there was a legacy question asked. I assume that means the LHF is looking into a new system where you are able to pass down tickets to your children. I know lots of LHF members that have been donating since it was created in the 80s would be interested in doing this. Though I don't know how many of the children would be able to afford the proposed pricing for hanging onto the tix. I believe it was in the $10,000 - $25,000 range as a one-time donation, then maintain at previous donation levels. Does anyone else remember the exact structure?

The parking system is going to really mess up a lot of tailgating. I hope they have taken that into account.

Even though it isn't always the most cost effective way of obtaining tickets season after season, I will continue to donate to LHF because it supports the athletics department and the ability to get OU tickets every year.
 
Regarding the inheritance thing, my understanding is that surviving spouses may inherit LHF status. Children are given a "right of first refusal" of fair market value of their deceased parents' seats.

Frankly, I think that is a fair policy. It serves both honoring the legacy of long-time members as well as opening up possible seats for newer, more generous members.

All in all, I personally think that the LHF does a good job of having straight-forward and fair policies for ticket/parking priority. People are very selfish when it comes to tickets and parking and it seems that everyone thinks that the policy should change in a way that benefits themselves. I have yet to meet the person who thinks that a LHF policy should change in a way that would be detrimental to themselves because they believe that the policy is unfair.

For the record, my family has 14 tickets in a group under various names on the top 2 rows of Section 2, which is west side under the overhang so that we are always in the shade and never get rained on, plus those in the seats on the top row get to lean back against the wall and can stand up without bothering anybody. And, if my parents ever become disabled, the handicapped seating is directly above us (which is how we moved there over 20 years ago when my grandfather was in a wheelchair). I think 4 of the seats are in my Dad's (who is 75) name. My Mom is 70. As far as the LHF is concerned, they will live forever. At worst, my four siblings will pool as much as necessary to put those tickets probably into my name, since I'm the youngest.

We've had these seats since the mid 80s. We've had season tickets since before I was born, which was 1968. I would have to ask Dad when he first got them, but I expect it was when he got back to Texas after law school which would have been the late 1950s.

My Dad is a minimum donation guy and I'm glad the LHF has never faltered in their commitment to him being allowed to buy what are awesome seats. The rest of us give at various levels. I think my husband and I give the most at something over $2k.

You'll have to pry our tickets from our cold dead hands.

Generally speaking, we don't make use of the parking pass because of our tailgate parties. We are baseball season ticket holders and definitely use the parking pass with that. We don't have basketball season tickets because we usually go with my father-in-law who has 4 and is a bigger donor than us.

Speaking of whom, my father-in-law has 4 seats on the 35, West Side, about 2/3 of the way up. Really nice seats than I'm sure "cost" in the five figures for new members. He's 85 and his wife passed away a few years ago. I don't know what choice his children will make regarding keeping those tickets. Robert and I don't make use of the football tickets, so it is really up to them.
 
Longhorn Girlie, I have no problem with the LF redoing parking. It makes sense that eventually min. donations would have to reflect current economics.

HOWEVER, what I don't like is that they didn't even tell us this before donations were due. Instead I heard a rumor last month and lo and behold it is true. Why didn't the LF say "hey, this year we are redoing parking similar to how we do OU tickets".

I would respect that. Instead we were kept in the dark completely and that pisses me off.
 
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