This may or may not impact you, but personally, I thought it was just another example of game day experience deterioration.

I received this message from the Bobcat Club about Peden Stadium parking:

“Thank you for your support of the Ohio Bobcats! With the fast approaching 2019 football season we wanted to make you aware of some of the changes that will affect you during this upcoming year. With the 2019 football we will be shifting our Green and Orange gameday donors lots. In the past you have qualified for the Green Lot at the Captain Level ($900 - 1,749). This upcoming season you will be given a new opportunity with a reserved section in our Orange VIP Lot. Right next to our Bobcat Nation Pavilion and across the street from our End Zone Club in the Perry and Sandy Sook Academic Center. This change provides members of the Captain level a guaranteed parking section within the Orange lot.

If you wish to stay in the Green Lot, you will you have to bump up to our All-Conference level ($1,750 - $2,249). Based on last year's numbers you were at a total giving amount of $1,200.00 . To stay in the Green Lot, you need to increase your donation by $550.00 .

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Ohio Bobcat Club at (740) 593-1176 or email us at bobcatclub@ohio.edu .

Thank you for your support!

Go Bobcats!”

Based on this late breaking development, I may just end my club membership and go independent. Personally, enough is enough.

Two possibilities: One, supply and demand is driving this policy change--more demand equals increased rates. Or two, the department is attempting to squeeze you.

Choose wisely.

I don't believe I've ever see the Green Lot full. 80% max. Plenty of room for the 23-year-old Athens cop to stretch out with his assault rifle.

Since I make maybe 2 games a year, it’s hitting tough to hang in when they do stuff like this, particularly since they value the tax benefit of the green lot so high at $400 which I can’t write off. Got to down size donation this year. I’ll just give more to the geology department next year.

Got that letter, too. I'm thinking long and hard about what to do "going forward." The timing of this increase seems really strange to me. If we were coming off a MACC season, or a NYD Bowl game appearance, I could see this move, but after a season with only three home Saturday games, and a lot of fan disenchantment with the "game day experience," you'd think they'd postpone this increase for a few years. The AD's office appears tone deaf. It seems to me that this has been increasingly true over the last few years, but JS was never a good listener and never really appreciated feedback on any subject. As I've mentioned before, he kind of reminds me of one guy I used to know who was affectionately referred to by his friends as a "one-man focus group." In a position like JS has that doesn't really work too well.

The timing on this could not be worse. Football renewals started a month ago with the assumption of business as usual. Not sure how you can change the rules in midstream.

Having armed cops at an athletic event to protect the fans is hardly an indication of a police state. You might think the presence is unnecessary, but what in the world have those police officers done that would resemble what happens in a police state? Did they arrest you because you had an unacceptable political belief, or because you were of the wrong ethnicity? Do you really know what a police state is?

If we station Athens cops with assault rifles at every convo ramp can we reopen those?

The security presence should be opaque to those attending so they need to be in the background more.

Jews in Hitler's Germany would be but one example. That was a police state.

In an attempt to get this thread back on track somewhat, I pushed back on the email and expressed my displeasure. The reply I received is as follows:

"I completely understand your reservations about the current changes to the 2019 football parking. Since 2006 you have supported the Ohio Bobcat Club and our mission to enhance the lives of our student-athletes and for that we cannot thank you enough. Your donation and support mean a lot to our student-athletes and I hope that I can shed a little light on the change in parking.



Ohio Athletics and the university as a whole is going through some budgetary restrictions. In an effort to continue to supply resources to our 400+ student-athletes we had to reevaluate some of our structure. I apologize that this change is affecting you personally but I can assure you that these changes were not made lightly and were made with good intentions. In order for our student-athletes to continue on their journey to success, we need the help of donors like you.



If you decide to stay with Ohio Athletics and continue your support at the current level you will receive an ORANGE VIP parking pass. This pass guarantees you a parking spot with the Orange lot that is located directly across from Gate One (1). Other than Green VIP, no other lot guarantees donors parking. We understand that this is an inconvenience to some donors so we hope that you will take advantage of the new lot and continue to support Ohio Athletics.



Again, I want to sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and want to thank you for your past donations and support of our student-athletes. If there is anything else I can do for you please do not hesitate to reach out. I am always happy to assist."

I would have expected full disclosure on the changes upfront. The changes this drastic should have gone out in a letter and signed by the director, not as an email from an associate. Do not send me glossy reports through the year extolling the virtues of our program, send me an extortion rainbow/unicorn email about an Orange Lot, then provide additional information about budgetary concerns.

I have tailgated in the Green Lot for years along with several other club members. Together we take up about 4 to 6 spaces (depending on the game). A couple of the tailgaters are on the club board. I got the party line about great value and budget issues from them as well.

As it stands now, it appears I will be reducing my club contribution to the threshold level and moving to the new location. Hopefully, I will make additional friends there next season.


Thank you all.

Go Ohio!

Is it bad that the donation amount for a parking spot used five times a year costs more than what my car is worth? (400,000 miles or bust on this Civic!)

Will this trickle down and affect those who have previously parked in the Orange Lot, forcing them into the Blue Lot?