UMKC upping fan experience game for 2017-2018 basketball season

Fans of the UMKC Roos will be treated to a new atmosphere at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium for the 2017-18 men’s basketball season.

With the introduction of several new ticket packages and a brand-new court featuring the city skyline at Municipal Auditorium, going to a UMKC men’s basketball game this season will be more of an experience than simply attending a sporting event.

The first aspect of the improvements of the fan experience for the coming season is the brand-new court that the Roos will play on. UMKC assistant athletic director for external operations Brian Morris breaks down the partnerships that led to the court’s installation.

"“The city reached out to us,” Morris explained. “they said basically that the court and the goals that we had been using at Municipal had outlived their operating life so they were happy to purchase a new one. They wanted to know if we had any changes we would like to see made to the floor design.”"

"About two years prior we rolled out the previous updated version that had a skyline on it. It was a little bit different, it was more shadowy, kind of darker one, not as big and as detailed. When the city reached out to us in June, working with our staff and Kareem Richardson, our head [men’s] basketball coach actually had the idea from looking at Xavier’s court, that skyline was a little more detailed. During talks of how do we improve, Populous worked with us based on a few designs of what we wanted to see and that’s what you see on the court with the city. We really feel like it highlights the civic pride that we try to show off in everything we do with the partnership with the city.”"

https://twitter.com/UMKCmbb/status/922941411116253184

It would still be great if that was the sum total of the improvements made to the fan experience, but just like how the Kansas City Royals’ partnership with Populous in a renovation of Kauffman Stadium’s Diamond Club covered many aspects of the fan experience, UMKC has come up with several new ticket packages that include premium amenities.

The 6-Pack entitles fans to six corner reserved tickets and six beverages for $11 per ticket. For fans who want a similar value but a better view, The Craft Pack Draft is a package of a lower level sidelined reserved seat with an included beverage for $20. The All-Inclusive 4-Pack is exactly what the name suggests. Four lower level reserved tickets are complemented by four beverage/food vouchers for under $25 per ticket.

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Fans of road teams, or local fans who just want to get away for a night, can take advantage of the Stay-and-Play Pack. On top of a lower level reserved ticket, purchasers of at least two of these tickets will also get their stay at a hotel within walking distance of Municipal Auditorium included.

No more than four of these tickets, which are $49 each, may be purchased for any single contest. The package must be purchased at least seven days in advance as well.

The most premium experience new for the 2017-18 season is the Courtside Experience Pack. For $69 a ticket, fans will get access to a pre-game meal with complementary soft drinks, then enjoy the best seats in the stadium with in-seat wait service and a discounted cash bar during the game.

Like with the Stay-and-Play Pack, at least two and no more than four such tickets can be purchased for any single contest, and these tickets must be redeemed at least two days prior to the desired game.

For fans looking for flexibility in their attendance, the 10-Ticket Punch Pass affords that dynamic. For $80, 10 tickets to any regular season home game are given to the purchaser, who may use them as he/she wishes.

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Coming off a season in which the program recorded its first-ever postseason victory, the timing for these fan experience improvements couldn’t be any better. With all the included elements, 2017-18 could be a very memorable season for the Roos.

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