The Condron Conundrum - (How) Can we make our Very Good ballpark Awesome?

Once in how many times? If it works 99% of the time, which I’ve never had an issue with it, doesn’t sound like much of an issue. 100% of the time would be ideal but most things never are.

 

Great post! I did post on the other thread you mentioned concerning the research potentially going on with the citrus grove in question. I wonder if it is possible to get any information from IFAS as far as a timeline that any research being done would be concluded. I have some contacts I can reach out to and I’ll see what I can find out.

 

I can tell you other times with other people. I’m sure there are reasons but why, at event with under 10,000, would paper tickets be an issue? Seems easy. Ticket office and ticket takers don’t know what to do when there’s a technology issue. Watched it more than once at football and baseball w friends and complete strangers.

 

Agree completely. Transfer shouldn't be a problem. John is in Atlanta and wants to let Joe use his seats, John releases them to the box office with Joe's name and ID info and Joe picks them up at the game and presents them at the gate.

Another miss was only one elevator point. Some fans struggle with distance.

 

Respectfully disagree with this whole post. The atmosphere is awesome. It’s nice to be able to take a family and sit in the berm. It’s also nice to be able to “move up” to fill empty seats (looks awful on TV when the seats behind home plate are empty) — albeit, people should have better etiquette in sitting in seats that are actually taken. Adding usher enforcement will lead to more headaches than it’s worth. If I want to guarantee I sit behind home plate, I purchase a ticket there, otherwise roaming the stadium with my little ones is awesome.

Parking is not an issue, and I went to a game when softball was playing too. The worst I’ve seen it, it took 10 minutes to get out onto 34th… that’s not bad at all. I do have my secret parking spot though . Do you really want a parking garage in the orange grove? I’m sure some researchers across the street won’t be very happy if you force them to have to drive out of town to do their research. Plus, have you ever been in a parking garage after a game? Talk about a nightmare trying to get out, might as well add 30 minutes to get out of the area. If you park further away, hop on one of the many carts running around and leave a little tip.

Just my 2 cents. Don’t need to change a thing.

 

Ticket transfer is easy as pie. Put in a phone number and name, click transfer, boom, tickets transferred. A whole lot easier than having to meet someone and hand them a paper ticket, or having to wait in line at a ticket window when you get to the stadium.

Folks, even movie theaters have done away with paper tickets. Digital tickets are the way it’s going to be from now on. The only time I’ve ever had an issue is trying to scan a barcode in direct sunlight. If I download the ticket to my wallet, like I was told to do when I received the ticket, I just have to wave my phone close to the reader at the stadium, and I have not had any issues since I started doing it. I can’t remember an event I went to in the last couple years that I received paper tickets for.

Times, they are a changin’. Adapt or die.

 

Agree as I have never had an issue……yet however, as Shane brought up, when something goes wrong it seems the staff most times do not have a clue what to do.

 

Most of the issues are with trying to scan the barcode. People didn’t download the tickets, have bad service, can’t get the tickets to load, etc. I haven’t seen anyone have an issue with the proximity scanner that’s used when you add the ticket to your wallet. The ticket scanner people at any venue are not necessarily the brightest of the bright. I’ve seen the same folks have issues scanning paper tickets too.

Either way, we aren’t going back to paper tickets, so continuing to complain about it is just a waste of time.

 

Yes sir, that’s another great point if I want to give my tickets away I shouldn’t have to do some transfer over the Internet… Should be something they can print up in the box office and then my family or friends shows up at the box office and picks up the hardcopy/physical tickets. Several times before when family, friends, or I have tried to transfer tickets we have run into issues… Eventually they get through but it takes 24 to 48 hours sometimes if we are lucky. I could tell or give examples of transfer “tries”. To be great should have several “ways” to get in the gave.
40% of our gator, brothers, and sisters I can guarantee you would be just fine or even want paper or hardcopy tickets.

 

I think that’s even the bigger issue what you just brought up and what I talked about earlier. Staff doesn’t know what to do and seems a bit indifferent. My wife and I are big gator fans and have two kids that have went to the University of Florida. We are also donors several different ways. I can tell you we have left games or walked into games I should say several times, and been very frustrated by the lack of customer service. This would be alleviated with paper tickets.

 

Respectfully disagree. Been around several as I’ve mentioned that can tell stories about technology issues. A couple of these individuals have IQ’s that are pretty high and do very well. Trust me we’ve adapted just fine. We have become way too dependent on technology. This is a whole different story for another day. That post would be too long.

 

you said:

“Most of the issues are with trying to scan the barcode. People didn’t download the tickets, have bad service, can’t get the tickets to load, etc”.

Thanks for these examples. They are real problems. bad service around the stadium and not getting tickets to load- big ones and account for 15-20% trying to enter. With Technology and advancements we should never have 2/3 of these issues.

your examples are good ones, thanks!
And, the etc because there are other issues.

 

I put this idea in BHG reno thread but I think it could be great for the Con. They expand the food offering with local favs from the past and present by working with local restaurants much like the food trucks now. Imagine a food court that includes the Purple Porpoise Bar and Grill, CJs Wings, Mac's Burgers, Krispy Kreme, and Joe's Deli.
Then we get Kevin Costner to do a commercial where Costner turns and asks "Is this heaven" and Sully answers "No it's the Condron."

 

That's a good idea, but I'm not sure who at UF would have meaningful info, UAA? IFAS? campus facility development staff? parking staff? Maybe several of those and others. I don't know who in particular, but someone knows.

 

Sadly, some of those places are long gone. Calico Jacks closing was very sad for me, but the change in local ownership there was a disaster. Dockside has decent wings and others, too, I'm sure, but CJ's was by far best. I'd be happy if local providers built new reputations with great food spot at the Con. A roll in, propane fueled flat grill is all it takes to cook hotdogs, brats and sausages, peppers and onions and such. It would be incredibly easy to set up a stand for Krispy Kreme and beer. MMMMM! Add a plug in drink cooler or even just a washtub of ice and a booth is ready to go. The existing beer stands are a good example of the basic business model. I assume, the food trucks pay some sort of fee and other independent vendors along the concourse could do the same. Competion might somewhat cut into the profits of the existing concession stands but a better concessions system would mean a better game experience for both every-game fans and infrequent fans. Overall, it helps increase attendance, which means more potential profits for everyone.

BTW, paper tickets ARE available for a mere $50 per seat to have season tix printed. I don't think the print single game tix, any more.

 

I always thought it would be great to have menus items on some new restaurants for old faves. A Skeeters Lil Asher, a Joe’s Gator Tail, …

 

All of those problems are eliminated by downloading the tickets and adding them to your wallet before heading to the gate.

 

I have a couple people with upper level IFAS connections…..I’ll text them tomorrow.

 

STOP IT!!! You’ve gone too far