I was fortunate enough to go to this year’s ACC Tournament in Brooklyn. My son and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. For me, it was a bucket list item. Both he and I got “kitchen passes,” and we went to every game, every session. It is truly a lifetime memory.
A couple of personal observations and opinions: the first day, first session was open seating, but we sat in the Hokie section (my son looked it up online). Only about 10% were Hokies, but then again, we didn’t play that day. We met some great fellow Hokies (a contractor and his son from Staunton, the “Hokie Hobbit” and his wife). We also met some great fans from other schools (FSU, Clemson). It was great to talk basketball with other fans, especially when neither one had a “dog in the hunt.”
Some teams’ fanbases really display a sense of entitlement. I hope we never get that way. Some fans from one school in particular were some of the crudest, foul-mouthed, obnoxious fans I have ever been around (I used to work for the Dept of the Navy, so I know all the words, and don’t need remedial instruction). But, that’s another story.
When VT played in primetime, the number of attendees in the Hokie section had not increased at all, or only incrementally. I previously contacted Sandy Smith at the VTTO, who informed me he had sold all the allotted tickets. Now, the first night I expected low attendance, and after we lost, tickets from the losing team are scoffed up by scalpers—so I didn’t expect to see many Hokies on those nights. However, since it’s been so long since we’d made the Dance, I really expected a larger contingent of Hokies in the Hokie Section. So, I have a few questions:
(1) Did you go the Tourney this year. If not, why not (i.e., was it because it was in Brooklyn)?
(2) Did you buy your tickets through the VTTO, or elsewhere? If elsewhere, from whom?
(3) Did you buy tickets through the VTTO, and sell them to someone else? If so, did you sell to other Hokies?
(4) Have you attended other ACC Tournaments? If so, where was the tourney you attended?
(5) Did the location of the Tourney in Brooklyn factor into you not attending? If so why?
(6) If you did go, how was Brooklyn compared to the usual Greensboro location (other than convenience)?
These are just a few questions I have. FYI, I am not a marketing person, nor am I a ticket broker. I’m just an old, retired Hokie who was a little disappointed in our presence at the Tourney in Brooklyn. I’d previously read articles that in previous years, VT did not sell its allotment, so I initially thought we had done so again. However, as Sandy Smith advised me, we sold our entire allotment. So, my basic question is, if we sold our allotment, where were our fans?
As a disclaimer, if Will, Chris or other board monitor advises me this is an improper/inappropriate post, I will immediately delete it. I will also post my apology to the board. Thanks in advance for any assistance from any posters who respond. I’ll try to monitor the responses, and respond or +1 as appropriate. I will post this on both the MBB board and the Pay side, so I get more answers. I don’t have an ulterior motive other than to satisfy my curiosity.