Blue Collar Team, White Collar Business

We're gonna need a bigger hammer.

As a freshman at Boise State in 1999, I used to pick up my free game tickets at the Student Union info desk on the day of the game. A couple of years and a couple of championships later, I was camping out in front of the ticket office the Mondays before games for hours.

By the time I was a senior, the writing was on the wall. I had to become a season ticket holder while the getting was good. Now, after give years as a season-ticket holder, more writing on the wall arrived in my mailbox Thursday. I don't know if I can afford it anymore.

The "Decade of Dominance" fact sheet was what you were supposed to see first. That part was supposed to make us feel better, maybe a twinge of guilt that we might be taking all of this success for granted. Keep reading, turn the page. "We're raising ticket prices almost 20 percent AND you'll be paying BAA membership fees on top of that." Nice.

I always pictured myself being a lifelong season ticket holder. I got in when the getting was good. Now, my kids can attend games with me. Sure, there would be lean years with the pocketbook, but we could always just renew and sell the tickets to someone for the season. That way, we'd keep our tickets for a better day.

But, the thing is—I'm starting to see a trend and I'm just not sure I can keep up. The worst part is, it may affect the lifelong ticket holders and the younger fans alike, the younger fans, incidentally, being the lifelong ticket holders in the future.

Now, the winning that has brought the fans in droves has been great. But will the fans be there to see the winning product if they keep getting priced right out of their seats?

So, I've got till May to figure out what to do. For the short term and for the long term. Do we downgrade our seats? Sell them off for the year in hopes that next year's a better fit? Do we drop them altogether (perish the thought)? Should I sell off a kidney?

I know, Gene, I know, we have to support the team and "keep up with the Joneses," but weren't those shiny new Skysuites supposed to foot the bill for future expansion?

I'd sooner part with a limb than my season tickets, but in the grand scheme of things, tickets aren't life's top priority. I'll continue mulling it over. In the meantime, make room in the South End Zone. We may be coming down!