OK...where's the "leadership" when the tickets in question are HOCKEY
tickets, and the buyer ends up getting squeakball tickets in the bundle.
Nero's response was heavily weighted with an explanation of capacity and
demand for the hockey tickets, and that seemed reasonable, but not the
explanation of why hockey tickets were bundled.  The questioner didn't ask
about hockey ticket distribution -- she asked why she got BASKETBALL tickets
 in the package.

My beef is not with our University's right to exploit ticket demand for
certain hockey contests, it is with the bundling of those tickets with
extraneous sporting contests.

If I were the Maine women's hockey coach I would be very, very upset that
the AD slapped my program in the face by not offering at least one women's
hockey game in the "rivals" bundle.  One should think that if you are
desirous of watching hockey, you'd be favorably inclined to watch....more
hockey ?

And for those that say it was announced as an opportunity to watch "rivals",
why not offer tickets to see other UMaine winter sports: swimming and
diving, perhaps ?  I mean, if the University surmises you want to watch your
alma matter in athletic competitions against the fearsome New Hampshire
squad, wouldn't you want to see Maine have a chance to beat them
elsewhere...in the pool, perhaps.  Hey, wait a minute...isn't ice water that
is frozen ?

In a serious moment: to hockey fans stuck with what they think are useless
squeakball tickets...please do not trash them.  Instead, consider donating
them to your local school or to a community organization helping the needy
or handicapped. They certainly will have value to clients in those
organizations and should result in a person in the seat, rather than a
putting up a no-show.






On Thu, 30 Oct 2003 02:05 EST, Wayne T. Smith wrote:

>
>   I think it's another example of Patrick Nero providing great
>   leadership and then taking the time to explain his team's decisions
>   in a most understandable fashion.

snip