STEP--A day later

So how are the numbers changing after 24 hours?

Not much.  There are 8 fewer total seats available.  There is about a 2% shift from $100 seats to higher levels-- a shift of 257 additional $100 seats are now available thanks to folks upgrading.

SECTION	Seats Available	Donation		Seats Available
	3/28/2011			3/29/2011
WB	341	$400		366
WC	156	$400		98
WD	246	600-2000		179
WE	14	600-2000		14
WF	249	600-2000		180
WG	134	$400		104
WH	313	$400		337
WJ	43	$100		39
NA	46	$100		48
NB	66	$100		74
NC	43	$100		59
ND	55	$100		55
NE	75	$100		85
NF	94	$100		94
NG	41	$100		71
NH	54	$100		74
NJ	55	$100		69
NK	45	$100		51
NL	48	$100		48
EJ	127	$100		126
EH	552	$400		580
EG	235	$400		209
EF	248	600-2000		176
EE	3	600-2000		2
ED	1044	600-2000		929
EC	1099	$400		999
EB	72	$400		103
WBU	28	$100		34
WCU	413	$400		443
WDU	691	$600		691
WEU	353	$600		324
WFU	617	$600		623
WGU	343	$400		349
WHU	61	$100		54
WJU	28	$100		76
NAU	18	100-400		16
NBU	29	$100		39
NCU	44	100-400		51
NDU	26	100-400		41
NEU	54	100-400		60
NFU	34	100-400		46
NGU	22	100-400		16
NHU	15	100-400		17
NJU	23	100-400		33
NKU	3	$100		3
NLU	20	100-400		5
EJU	78	$100		96
EHU	96	$100		116
EGU	750	$400		862
EFU	819	$600		851
EEU	694	$600		712
EDU	1486	$600		1478
ECU	1458	$400		1456
EBU	8	$100		6
SAU	19	$100		21
SBU	31	$100		33
SCU	26	$100		26
SDU	40	$100		56
SEU	32	$100		28
SFU	16	$100		16
SGU	11	$100		11
SHU	15	$100		25
SJU	26	$100		26
SKU	22	$100		30
SLU	28	$100		28
TOTAL	13975	13%		13967	13%
100	1645	12%		1902	14%
400	5866	42%		5906	42%
600+	6464	46%		6159	44%

STEP Central

The new STEP program kicked off for general seating last week.  The event was not without its technical difficulties, and some folks have been delayed in picking.  The process seemed to work well for the people with dislocated seats in January--I should know since I went through it--but apparently someone decided to change things and some new bugs arose.  I think they are worked out, but I am not choosing new seats at this time, so I can't say for sure.

But I did sign in and took a look around.  Here are the seat availabilities by section as of 9PM tonight (3/28/11.)

SECTION	Seats Available	Donation
WB	341	$400
WC	156	$400
WD	246	600-2000
WE	14	600-2000
WF	249	600-2000
WG	134	$400
WH	313	$400
WJ	43	$100
NA	46	$100
NB	66	$100
NC	43	$100
ND	55	$100
NE	75	$100
NF	94	$100
NG	41	$100
NH	54	$100
NJ	55	$100
NK	45	$100
NL	48	$100
EJ	127	$100
EH	552	$400
EG	235	$400
EF	248	600-2000
EE	3	600-2000
ED	1044	600-2000
EC	1099	$400
EB	72	$400
WBU	28	$100
WCU	413	$400
WDU	691	$600
WEU	353	$600
WFU	617	$600
WGU	343	$400
WHU	61	$100
WJU	28	$100
NAU	18	100-400
NBU	29	$100
NCU	44	100-400
NDU	26	100-400
NEU	54	100-400
NFU	34	100-400
NGU	22	100-400
NHU	15	100-400
NJU	23	100-400
NKU	3	$100
NLU	20	100-400
EJU	78	$100
EHU	96	$100
EGU	750	$400
EFU	819	$600
EEU	694	$600
EDU	1486	$600
ECU	1458	$400
EBU	8	$100
SAU	19	$100
SBU	31	$100
SCU	26	$100
SDU	40	$100
SEU	32	$100
SFU	16	$100
SGU	11	$100
SHU	15	$100
SJU	26	$100
SKU	22	$100
SLU	28	$100
TOTAL	13975	13%
100	1645	12%
400	5866	42%
600+	6464	46%

The percentages at the bottom are calculated as follows:

TOTAL -- this is the number of available seats on the site divided by the listed capacity of Beaver Stadium from the Beaver Stadium Pictorial (107,282.)  Basically, of the 107,282 seats in the stadium, 13% are currently unassigned to anybody.  When was the last time you can remember that many available seats in a single season?  The number of non-renewers is at an all-time high methinks.  And it appears that a large proportion of them were in higher end seats.

The second set of percentages is NOT based on total seat capactiy, but on total available seats.  So at the $100 level, 1645 is 12% of 13,975.  12% of the available seats are at the $100 level.

A number of people already selected before I could log on.  The total number of seats though is probably about the same, as they would have given up seats to get the new ones, although I suppose you could add seats to your account at this time as well.  I'm not sure about that.  If so, the total number of available seats could have been a little higher.

The results are slightly skewed toward the higher end seats because the majority of open seats were in the relocated student section (EB-ED.)  Most of these are $400-600 seats, and the lone $100 section, EB and EBU only have 80 seats between them left, compared to thousands of $400-600 seats.  In other words, of the available seats from the student section moving, most of the $100 seats are gone.  Most of the higher priced seats remain.

I am not surprised by this.  The vast majority of fans have gravitated to the lower end seats ($100.)  Of course, as the process continues, there will presumably be more lower end seats open up as people upgrade along the way.  I just don't see the numbers shifting that dramatically, though.  There is probably a portion of the people left to pick--probably at the end with lower NLC point totals, who will downgrade if they can. 

I do wonder what the University is going to do with a large chunk of higher end seats that could go untaken at the end of the process.  Anyone who is on a "waiting list" from other years is on that list because they failed to donate enough money to get off that list.  Are they really going to pony up $600-2000 per seat per year to now finally get seats?

We shall see.

I would be interested in seeing some responses from people who have gone through this process, will be going through it, or have chosen not to renew.  Let's hear from you!

Nature Channel

Here's a documentary . . .

Red Vest Cheaty Pants

Could this happen to a nicer program?

Apparently Ol' sweatervest knew things were wrong in Buckeye Land long before anyone else.  But he was afraid to do anything.

According to Patrick Rishe on a Forbes.com blog:

This incident will leave a “black-eye” on the program, lessening the ”Ohio State brand” and perhaps more importantly leaving a sour taste in the mouth’s of parents whose children are being recruited by Coach Tressel’s staff in subsequent years.


On Tuesday evening, Ohio State Athletics Director Gene Smith announced that the Buckeye athletics program have imposed self-sanctions on their football program after it was discovered that Coach Jim Tressel had withheld information received in April 2010.


The self-sanctions include (a) a public reprimand of Coach Tressel, followed by a public apology from Coach Tressel, (b) a 2-game suspension for Coach Tressel during the 2011 season, (c) a $250,000 fine for Coach Tressel, and (d) Coach Tressel must attend a compliance seminar.

During the press conference, the impression I received from the joint comments of both AD Smith and Coach Tressel was that Coach Tressel chose not to share information received in April 2010 because he was protecting his players. He mentioned that he was “scared”, and in light of earlier references in the press conference to past players that had been killed or involved with malfeasance, the implication was that somehow Tressel’s silence was motivated by his intention of protecting the safety of his student-athletes.

Killed?  Getting a free tat????  Are you serious?  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

The latter was uttered by E. Gordon Gee Whiz, president of this fiasco, according to Mark Schlabach of ESPN.

Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee said he never considered firing Tressel.
"No, are you kidding me?" Gee said. "Let me be very clear. I'm just hoping the coach doesn't dismiss me."

Ohio State officials say Tressel broke NCAA rules because he didn't tell athletics director Gene Smith or the school's compliance office about e-mails he received from an attorney in April 2010, which indicated Buckeyes players were receiving improper benefits.


"I don't think less of myself at this moment," Tressel said.
How's that for looking in the mirror?

Please click the links and read all the details.  This is some good stuff. 
Oh, Dick Faust, where for art thou now???
 
Of course, will anything really come of this?  Does any non-Buckeye fan believe for a moment that sweatervest will not get his $250,000 back in some form or other of bonus or equal remuneration?  Are not the first two games against Akron and Toledo?  I think his team will be okay without him on the sideline.  It's as much a joke as the suspensions of the guilty players who will miss only one Big Ten game and still got to play in their bowl game--hey, bowl rings for sale!