I just sent the following email to the UH athletic office, as well as a few people that I know there.
I wanted to share my thoughts about the fan experience overall this season. I’m not going to approach the on field product, as I don’t feel qualified to comment on it. That said, I’ve been a UH baseball fan for over a decade now, and a season ticket hold for most of that time.
I know I send a lot of complaints, so I want to start with the good things. First, the ticket office. Everybody there, Brandon especially, has been most helpful with anything I needed. They quickly fixed any issue they could, and if it was out of their scope, got me in touch with the right person.
Secondly, the in game staff and interns. They’ve always been good, but this year they were phenomenal. Jason and staff were excellent, and went above and beyond for anybody that asked for assistance. They all seemed to genuinely enjoy what they did.
I also want to comment on the concessions. I have some complaints, but I want to point out how much I absolutely love the tacos that were added this season. Not only are they the most delicious food I’ve ever bought in any stadium, $6.50 for three decent sized tacos, it’s the best value. I’d love to see the same deal come football and basketball season.
Also, the staff in all concession stands were nothing but very kind, helpful and friendly. Which is a major improvement from years past where most of them were rude and uncaring, or incompetent.
Now, onto my complaints. Since we’re on the topic of concessions, let’s start there. While the tacos are great, they’re the only reasonably affordable option for a meal in the stadium. Hot dogs are $6.50. While they’re not terrible, they’re also far from a premium hot dog, deserving of such a price. They used to have Friday and Tuesday games had $2 hot dog nights. None of those are available anymore.
Towards the end of the season, there was no Coke Zero available in the stadium, and the Diet Coke didn’t taste right. As a diabetic, my sugar free options are limited to begin with, so this was very disappointing. I would love a variety of sugar free options, like those in the freestyle coke machine. Even a non carbonated option like sugar free lemonade would be fantastic. They also ran out of regular popcorn bags in the last month, and started selling tiny bags, about a handful of popcorn, for $3, which was entirely overpriced.
My biggest complaint, is the parking. I’ve gone back and forth on this problem, and don’t need to reiterate my stance on the issue. That said, I’ve spoken with representatives from both the athletic department and parking department. Both just pointed the finger, and shifted the blame the other department. Which is my biggest concern. I don’t know who’s fault it is, all I know is that I no longer have the same parking options that I’ve had for over a decade. I was told a solution was being worked on, but it doesn’t seem like anything panned out.
Also, whatever happened to the season ticket holder perks? There used to be a discount at the concession stand. It wasn’t huge. If I recall, it was a dollar off a few items. But it was nice to know my business was appreciated.
There was even a giveaway this season of a bucket hat to anybody who bought a GA ticket for a certain game. That’s great! Get more people into the game. But what about those of us supporting the program all season? Some season ticket holder giveaways, or honestly, just some parking privileges would have gone a long way in making us feel appreciated.
I’m not trying to be a thorn in anybody’s side here. I’m a loyal fan of this program. I love Houston Cougar baseball, and have for over a decade. But I want to make sure everybody knows what’s going right here, and what can change to make it a better experience for fans.
Thank you for your time.