Grayed Out Seats That Are ALWAYS Empty

[RC66]

We have had the same season tickets in Section 103 for a dozen years.

We bring friends or family to about half the games. When we try to buy single-game tickets for them, all the seats in our row are always grayed out as unavailable. But at most games, the whole row is, in fact, empty. The four seats next to our two NEVER have anyone in them.

For this coming Saturday (Minn, 1/13), all of 103 is grayed out except for 3 singles. I guarantee you that 35%-40% of those grayed-out seats will, in fact, be empty at the game.

Are all these people really buying season tickets and NEVER coming to a game? Is that possible?

Are potential single-game ticket buyers lost to frustration? (If I'm bringing a couple of my younger grandchildren, I can't risk having them enforced to be spread around the 100 level. The same is true when I invite friends to learn about the fun that is RUWBB.) Do stands look more empty than they should on TV?

Something is wrong with the system.

 

[bcb96]

From my experience, most of those seats are reserved for family and friends of the players. Some additional seats are for faculty like Barchi (who never comes to games) and other high profile people. I think they over-reserve the number of seats they need and that is why the section seems so empty all the time.

 

[ScarletDave]

100s has looked pretty full for conf games

 

[Terry_2426]

Have you talked to your rep to explain the situation? What BCB said is definitely a possibility and there's also a possibility that some of those seats are "ut-oh seats" kept off the system just in case something happens on game-day where people need to be moved/upgraded and those seats are among the stash they use to give out. Your rep might be able to help you out if any of these things are the case to help you get those seats in advance.

 

[mighty_knights]

I've had the exact same experience as the OP many times. The most absurd was when I tried to get 1 ticket in the 100s for the Purdue game, I was told the lower sections were completely sold out. What a joke!! I don't think there was one row sold out! I wasn't going to argue standing out there in the freezing cold.

 

[RC66]

For this coming Saturday (Minn, 1/13), all of 103 is grayed out except for 3 singles. I guarantee you that 35%-40% of those grayed-out seats will, in fact, be empty at the game.

This turned out to be true.

Still can't understand it. Why are all those many seats grayed-out as unavailable for single-game purchase, but there is NEVER anyone in them?

 

[RUClassof67]

This turned out to be true.

Still can't understand it. Why are all those many seats grayed-out as unavailable for single-game purchase, but there is NEVER anyone in them?

I know that when I asked a similar question for both football and basketball, I was told that the seats were owned by long time season ticket holders who just never showed up. We did ultimately get seats next to ours at the Stadium that had been empty for years.

I wouldn't doubt that the situation described by the OP is the same.

 

[kupuna133]

This turned out to be true.

Still can't understand it. Why are all those many seats grayed-out as unavailable for single-game purchase, but there is NEVER anyone in them?

I had the same issue during the football season. I spoke to my rep about adding seats to my group and that I would like the always available seats in front of me. My buddies would just purchase the cheapest single game tickets available and squat in the seats. The rep said those seats are spoken for.

3 games into the season someone finally came to the game and booted my buddies. I asked how long they had the season tickets? They looked at me like I had 6 heads. They told me they purchased at the ticket window on the way in. That's Rutgers ticket office in a nutshell. Keep tickets away from people that want season tickets so they can sell them as walk ups with dynamic pricing.

Ticket rep didn't have answer when I questioned him after that incident.

 

[nj4shore]

For years I had same season tickets in 113 and my row and row 1 down were usually empty because they were sold to faculty who never or hardly ever came to games. I think it's great that they get discounted seats but leaving them unused is just wrong especially when I know there were times when friends purchased 200's seats because 100's seasons were not available.