MTSU Staff and Atsmosphere

[yodude]

Points to ponder:

 

First, MTSU does a wonderful job putting on an event such as the girl's and boy's state tournament. While I can't speak for everyone, the vast overall experience of putting on a show of that magnitude has to have alot of people working. You must realize that everyone has an assigned duty. Like it or not, everyone has to do their job. Problems occur when someone, a fan, thinks they are exempt from the rules or all rules apply to everyone else but them. I have seen several fans mouth off at a door person only because they were doing their job and the fans didn't like it. As for the floor personnel, it is simple, if you don't have a pass to be there, you can't go past! That is their job!!

The tournament runs for four days, for about 12 hours a day, each week. That is alot of time and alot of people.

 

Second, everyone is complaining about the money. This may be hard for some to believe, but it takes alot of money to put this show on!! Expenditures to consider are hotel rooms for the teams (Wednesday teams get Tue night and if they lose Wed night and that is all. Win and you get more nights), travel for teams, hotel for referees plus expenses such as game fees and meals, hotel for people working the tournament outside Murfreesboro, paying workers with TSSAA, trophies, and most importantly, the MTSU people.

I believe MTSU hires all of the gate and ticket people, as well as security, parking attendents, stat crews, maintaince and cleanup crews, scorer's table people, and I'm sure alot more! The MTSU bill is a whopper alone. And before people start going off on that, I understand they don't make a profit at all. Everything is figuered down to the hour and /or game.

 

Any school can see a financial report of the state tournaments. After all, if you remember correctly, the TSSAA works for the schools and is governed by the schools. The member schools aprove it every year and have ample opportunity to question it at their meetings.

 

Lastly, personaly, I have never had a negative problem at MTSU. Of course I understand there are rules to follow at an event this big. I have been to the SEC, OVC, NCAA tournaments and their rules are just the same.

 

Sorry this post is a little long, but hopefull this sheds a little light on things. Anytime you have this many people working, you are bound to have a few bad workers however, overall everyone does an outstanding job.

[options86]

Rules are rules, but common sense and courtesy should also be a given. I agree with most of the above post, but that gives these people no right to be rude. I went to show at Gaylord once. I bought the tickets the second they went on sale and got the best available. The person I took to the show could not see very well so price didn't matter. I made it to the show and the seats I hade were at the very back of the bottom section. Very disappointed I went to see the first person who worked there. They sent to where I needed to be and I ended up on the front row, so the person I was with could see and enjoy the show.

 

This shows that even at a big event that the people who are sponsering it can be courteous and work around the rules to accomodate, just like the security with the elderly man and the trainer who had a pass.

 

MTSU hires these people, maybe they ought to let them know before hand that this is a special moment for a lot of people. That the least they can do is not be rude and try to make it great for everyone.

 

I am sure not everyone was rude. It sounds like some security and the lady taking passes at gate N4. I guess I try it again next year and maybe it will be a different experience for me.

[redbirdfan]

Maybe everyone should smile at each other more

[SingleA]

I have attended as a broadcaster and as a fan. I have to add to the kind words for Mr. Gillespie. Since he has been in charge of the media work, things have been much more pleasant. Previously, you felt as though there was always a suspicious tone to the process. Kind of a power trip for some. It is totally different with Matt. He is pleasant and helpful in every way, in my experience. The other staff members may seem a bit rough, but as a previous poster said, "I wouldn't want their job.......what do you think they are paid......if there was a security lapse everyone would be outraged that they were not more strict........" These were, in my opinion, all great points. I also see the point of a fan that wants to "soak up the moments following a championship." Surely, a happy medium of security and "moment" can be found. I hope so. However, there is no way to satisfy everyone. No black and white on this one. Just my two cents.

Edited March 20, 2004 by SingleA

[MtJBears]

Well first of all let me say that I've been going to the Girls State Tournament since 1965. Guess that tells my age.... LOL I remember those years in the old alumi gym and the years in Jackson. I love having the tournament at MTSU. One thing is convience. Only a 30 min. drive for me.

 

I have over the past 10-15 years been getting more and more aggravated at the TSSAA officials. One thing I remember those years when you could pay for a parking pass and park close to the gym and everything else was first come first serve. NOW they're charging 5 bucks to PARK...... give me a break, this is a RIPOFF. You park almost a mile from the gym and pay for it. Thats the TSSAA digging us for more $$$. I remember in the past when they tried to sell the lower level seats as RESERVED only and that didn't work so then they decided to allow all the lower level as general addmission till the championship games on sat.

 

They announced in the paper that ALL seats were general addmission and then when I sit down behind the team benches this usher comes up and asks me "Where's your pass" I said here's my ticket stub and he runs me off because I don't have a green pass. WELL I don't have a problem IF they're going to have a SECTION RESERVED... MY BEEF is why didn't they have it roped off or in some way so people would know its RESERVED. Save alot of people the trouble of sitting down and then a usher having to run all over the place.

 

The concession prices were TOTALLY RIDICIULUS... MIGHT as well get ready to be robbed if you want something. $2 and $3 for a soft drink... HECK I can go get a 2 Liter Coke at Kroger for 99 cents. I can understand they don't want to give it away BUT at least BE REASONABLE.

 

AND finally my last complaint. I used to park across from the tennis courts at the funeral home on the corner. Its owned by MTSU now and they made a parking lot out of it. WELL, I parked there thur, fri and sat of the girls tournament and didn't once have to pay. Then I went to the BOYS Tournament yesterday (friday) and some guy was blocking the enterance and wanted $5.75 to park there.... What was the deal with this. They didn't charge to park there during the Girls Tournament and did during the boys. Sounds like someone was trying to make a little profit off the top. Well, I told the guy no thanks and went down and parked across from the dorms and walked to the gym.

 

MY BIGGEST PROBLEM IS..... I think its ROPPERY to charge people to park on STATE OWNED PROPERTY. We are tax payers and we should NOT be asked to pay for the priviledge to park on STATE property. I know Mr. Carter is a money hungry man. I think he has too many people hired out on his staff and this is one of the ways he finds to make $$$ to pay them.

 

For once I agree with flemstone on his statements he made about the officials at the Tournament. I know you have to have rules but some of them are so petty and ticky tack..... thats all I've got to say.

 

Guess there's nothing we can do about it. I'll be back next year and after its over be saying the same thing again...

 

Well, the season has come to an end. My team fell short this year and I'm in hopes next year WILL be OUR YEAR.... till then, Peace everyone and have a great summer.

[3pointer]

ptguard, i have an even better story about the lady at gate N4

 

she wouldnt let one coach in this week and he coached a team that actually made the state tourney

 

i tried to tell her that he was telling the truth becuase i had recognized him in the program, but she would have none of it, saying something about a TACA pass or something

 

classic!

[FairInMyFavor]

MtJBears, I have to agree with you, as I had a similar experience with seating. When I purchased my first ticket, I asked about reserved seating. I was told that ALL TICKETS were general admission. Then, just as you did, I saw people being asked to move from where they were sitting because they were in reserved seats. I got up and moved before a confrontation ensued, but something is wrong with that picture.

[CoachT]

MtJBears, I have to agree with you, as I had a similar experience with seating. When I purchased my first ticket, I asked about reserved seating. I was told that ALL TICKETS were general admission. Then, just as you did, I saw people being asked to move from where they were sitting because they were in reserved seats. I got up and moved before a confrontation ensued, but something is wrong with that picture.

They quit issuing reserve seats several years ago EXCEPT for a number of fans who had been buying the same reserve seats for many, many years- some for over 30 years. Those fans have been allowed to keep those seats until they no longer want them.

[just-a-fan]

The tournament has become a joke. T$$AA is worried about the almighty dollar and not the communities that are playing. I have never been treated so rudely at a ball game in my life. All TSSAA was worried about was losing a dollar here or there. I also overheard a coaching staff talking, they were told they had to pay and their team had played earlier. Maybe that was the price for losing in the first round. Of course, if they lost any money the powers of T$$AA and their families could not afford to take their cruises or vacations, and call it a meeting. The schools pay for these every year. However, we can complain all we want to and things are not going to change. Anytime money is involved people become greedy and want more of it. So why should T$$AA and the people that run it be any different.

[WCHS Stat Guy Who Got Ejected]

Unfortunately the world revolves around money. Thats life.

 

And if people are going to keep purchasing these tickets and concessions at these prices, they are obviously going to keep selling them at that price. In fact, expect them to go up relatively soon unless people just stop going to the games because of it.

[wingman10]

I have either work or been associated with Mr Counts, Mr Matt and Mrs Diane for many years. My experiences with them as a former coach, business prof., and fan has always been great. I have known Mr Carter forever. He does take a lot of heat, but I find him to be approachable. I think MTSU is a great place to host the state. Congrats to all of the teams that played in the State Toutnament.

[TheAnswer9]

I experienced the best of both worlds the past two weeks at the 'Boro as I made several trips down to watch the Oliver Springs girls and Grace Baptist boys.

 

Parking (both general and handicap) $5.00 = No Problem

 

$7 or $10 for a ticket (good, fun, clean family entertainment = No Problem

 

Ladies and Gents taking up tickets (telling us which direction to go) = No Problem

 

Consessions (BBQ and Water was ALL this boy eat and drank) = No Problem

 

Ladies at the American with Disabilities Act (pass and team for that matter) gate = Excellent and very helpful to myself, mother, and grandparents--my grandmother has MS!!

 

Help with grannies "lost purse" = Priceless (even though my mother had it in the stands) Security, Campus police, ushers, PA and to everyone else involved, THANKS

 

Meeting CoachT = Awesome Experience

 

Now for the bad

 

Each time I wanted to get from the stands down into the handicap area to help my grandparents (concession, restroom, in and out of arena) I was treated very rudely by the staff (same 3-4 people each time). I heard things like "No, You can't go down there, what are you doing." I had to keep telling them the same story time after time.

 

Oh yea--I forgot to mention the guy who tried to tell my mother and I we were going to have to pay twice. After paying and helping my grandparents into the arena to the handicap section, we were told we had to go back out, up the steps, and through those doors--to pay again!! Fortunately, another attendant heard this ludricous story and let us go on up once this guy walked away!!

 

So...ALL in ALL..with the exceptions of a few---as things are most places--my experience in the 'Boro was a pleasant one my friends!!