I believe the hospitality tent availability for OBC members is new this year, however from what I read food and drink are not free.  Tailgreat park has always been free to access (not sure about parking) and the BobcatAttack message board has their own little shindig going on for each home game.

Truthfully the main reason to be a part of the OBC is to support OHIO athletics.  After that the main perk is getting first crack at OHIO distributed away game tickets, championship games, bowl games, and ncaa tourney games.  Your seats get better the more you donate and the longer you have been a donor of course, though I have never had a problem getting tickets as long as I have been a member the last 4 years.  There is also a new thing this year where if you don't have season football tickets you can get a free parking pass if you send your request at least 10 days prior to any home game you are planning to attend.  The perks though are pretty plainly listed on the Ohio Bobcat Club brochure you can find on the ohiobobcats.com website.

I’m a little hazy on the changes, too. 

I’m speculating here on the G&W/Bobcat Club tent.   

It seems to me that to be a G&W club member now, an individual has to first belong to the Bobcat Club.  A person can belong to the Bobcat Club without being a G&W club member. 

That would lead to the hypothesis that showing a G&W club membership card will get that individual a wrist band at the tent without additional out of pocket expense.   Bobcat Club members who are not G&W club members would apparently pay out of pocket admission charge to obtain a wrist band. 

Hopefully, we can get this sorted out from a credible source before the home opener.

My next question, coming out of that explanatin/confirmation is a sympathetic one.  How in the name of Zeus does the G&W plan for that?  Too much brew, too few brats, people tripping over each other to get to either - or not.

I always tip my hat to you guys but now my hat is off completely.  Great job and good luck.

This really is remarkable when you think about it:

For $99, you can get season tickets - for four people.

Add on another $50, and you get a parking pass and free drinks.

Add on another $100, and you get free food.

At least $40 of that is tax deductible.

So, for $249, you can have a family all inclusive experience, including parking, food and drink, for six games.  I haven't looked at that many other schools, but that's less than the typical season ticket for one at other D1 schools.

As a past board member, I can truly say that it is an adventure, but overall a fun adventure, to plan and execute the G and W Club tailgates. 

You have to start planning months in advance.  You have to estimate what the attendance will be and negotiate with vendors accordingly.  And you have to get there really early to set everything up. 

 

On the deduction, you may be talking about the 50+100 dollars (150 total) given to the OBC and GWC figuring that you could get $40 back on your taxes (27% reasonable guess). Membership dues are typically not deductible unless they are required for professional reasons. You are receiving services within that GWC tent (food and drink) as part of the membership and that is intrinsic to the mission of the fraternal organization. OBC is different in that its a fundraising club and the perks are incidental to the mission and money donated is no different than giving to a charity, thus 100% deductible. Alternatively, you could purchase 2 Touchdown Club tickets for a combined price of $380 with $150 of that deductible (net cost of $340) and have parking next to Peden, Tailgreat Tent access, and TD Club food inside Peden during the game. 

Hope to see you all at the Green & White/ Bobcat Club tailgate this weekend!