Bozeman and the football program

[bobcatbob]

Have we reached a tipping point where the cost of living or staying in Bozeman will have a negative effect on the football program? Players family and fans from out out of town, are they being priced out of being able to stay in the Bozeman area on game weekends? Will we experience decreased attendance? I see hotel rates $350- $450 a night. Very few hotels if any under $200 a night. Housing costs for Coaches are out of sight. It will be tough attracting new assistant coaches moving forward.

What do you think?

[mslacatfan]

I think yer spot on. Its really sad what is happening to bozeman and all of western Montana.

[Hi-Line Bobcat]

Have we reached a tipping point where the cost of living or staying in Bozeman will have a negative effect on the football program? Players family and fans from out out of town, are they being priced out of being able to stay in the Bozeman area on game weekends? Will we experience decreased attendance? I see hotel rates $350- $450 a night. Very few hotels if any under $200 a night. Housing costs for Coaches are out of sight. It will be tough attracting new assistant coaches moving forward.

What do you think?

100% it’s at a tipping point. I was arguing this very point the other night. I think coaches will be hit the hardest, because assistants don’t make much and living in Bozeman only makes that a bigger issue. The hotel thing is a joke, just like most of the transplants living in Bozeman. It’s a damn shame what Bozeman is turning into.

[bobcatbob]

As an example, the State HS Basketball tournament was in Bozeman this year. Lots of complaints because people could not afford to come to Bozeman to watch their local team. I don’t think you will see Bozeman get any more State tournaments. Not a good thing for sure for local small businesses. The small businesses also cannot find or keep employees as they are being priced out of housing. Not a pretty picture!

[Bobcat4Ever]

For people who live in a self-owned unit, it’s the city of Bozeman that’s taxing them out of their homes. The tax increases, the last two years we owned our modest Bozeman home, were astounding. I find it ironic (crazy?) that they have a tax-funded affordable housing program. According to one of the local online magazines, the director of the program moved to Livingston for more affordable housing.

[Camo_Cat]

As an example, the State HS Basketball tournament was in Bozeman this year. Lots of complaints because people could not afford to come to Bozeman to watch their local team. I don’t think you will see Bozeman get any more State tournaments. Not a good thing for sure for local small businesses. The small businesses also cannot find or keep employees as they are being priced out of housing. Not a pretty picture!

I have heard rumors that the MHSA is looking at not allowing Bozeman to host high school tournaments because families can't afford to stay in town because of hotel prices.

As for Bobcat football, I have mentioned this before. I am an out-of-towner who has held season tickets for many years. This upcoming season may be one of my last, as I am being priced out of attending. Between tickets, gas, meals, and lodging, I am at my max right now.

[FTG247365]

Have we reached a tipping point where the cost of living or staying in Bozeman will have a negative effect on the football program? Players family and fans from out out of town, are they being priced out of being able to stay in the Bozeman area on game weekends? Will we experience decreased attendance? I see hotel rates $350- $450 a night. Very few hotels if any under $200 a night. Housing costs for Coaches are out of sight. It will be tough attracting new assistant coaches moving forward.

What do you think?

Looking the Bozeman/Area on AIRBNB yesterday, I see people are renting out converted sheds for $285 a night. I truly feel bad for the life long time fans who no longer can afford to come to games in Bozeman. Might have to rent out pasture for people to park their campers.

[gtapp]

What about professors? I asked the Dean of Students a couple weeks ago about that. He said MSU's goal was to get salaries of professors to 80% of the national average meaning they are around 70% to 75% of the national average. In a town that is probably in the top 5% for cost of living.

[spring creek cat]

It’s not just the football program that will get hurt. We as a family have changed summer plans too not include Bozeman in anyway.
Also, My sons wanted to attend basketball camp at MSU this summer, the camps are day camps. In the past I have gotten a hotel room and stayed in Bozeman with them. We can’t afford that now, so two less boys going to basketball camp also. It’s a really sad situation

[CodyCat]

This is a very interesting topic in regards to attendance. Motels were pricey last season (at least I thought so) and we still sold out seven home games. I have found Bozeman motels pricey for quite sometime. We live in Cody now, which is a really easy day trip (minus night games). But when we lived in southern WY and it was eight hours we would always get back to Billings and sometimes Sheridan to avoid high motel prices. That has always bummed me out. Id really like to hang out in Bozeman with my football family a bit more.

[MSU01]

I have a solution, require a $100,000 donation towards MSU's indoor practice facility for any wealthy out-of-stater who wants to move to Bozeman.

Add our family to the list of those who used to spend a full weekend in Bozeman for football games and now have been forced to turn them into day trips due to hotel prices. It really sucks during basketball season, when the choices for out-of-town fans are to pay $300 for a hotel or drive home after the game and not get home until after midnight. ESPN+ is great but I'd rather be in the Brick cheering in person more often than I'm able to be now!

[St George]

Have we reached a tipping point where the cost of living or staying in Bozeman will have a negative effect on the football program? Players family and fans from out out of town, are they being priced out of being able to stay in the Bozeman area on game weekends? Will we experience decreased attendance? I see hotel rates $350- $450 a night. Very few hotels if any under $200 a night. Housing costs for Coaches are out of sight. It will be tough attracting new assistant coaches moving forward.

What do you think?

Looking the Bozeman/Area on AIRBNB yesterday, I see people are renting out converted sheds for $285 a night. I truly feel bad for the life long time fans who no longer can afford to come to games in Bozeman. Might have to rent out pasture for people to park their campers.

Can't afford AIRBNB or VRBO for a game either because the cleaning fee and admin fees put the price right up with the hotels unless you are going to stay a week or more. I really like the ones with one bedroom and one bath that sleeps 6 or more.

[yellowjacket]

This subject is quite interesting. I thoroughly enjoy the Cats and I am excited about their future. Something no one has touched on yet is the cost for the player to live there. Most of these players are not on a full ride. Even if they were it probably would not cover their living expenses off campus. I fully support them staying for the summer and working out but someone has to bare that cost for them to live there during the summer.

[GrizgradCatFan]

It’s not just the football program that will get hurt. We as a family have changed summer plans too not include Bozeman in anyway.
Also, My sons wanted to attend basketball camp at MSU this summer, the camps are day camps. In the past I have gotten a hotel room and stayed in Bozeman with them. We can’t afford that now, so two less boys going to basketball camp also. It’s a really sad situation

I really hate hearing that as its too bad. I loved the bozeman camp and my daughter is going to attend this year. I have an apartment above my garage that we are turning into a vrbo. If you decided you really still want to bring your boys let me know the dates and I would make you a screaming deal as I would hate to hear kids not being able to attend because of motel pricing getting crazy. Ping me on here under private messages.

[kennethnoisewater]

This is a very interesting topic in regards to attendance. Motels were pricey last season (at least I thought so) and we still sold out seven home games. I have found Bozeman motels pricey for quite sometime. We live in Cody now, which is a really easy day trip (minus night games). But when we lived in southern WY and it was eight hours we would always get back to Billings and sometimes Sheridan to avoid high motel prices. That has always bummed me out. Id really like to hang out in Bozeman with my football family a bit more.

Yeah we sold out games last year, but I don't think it's sustainable. I came to every game but one from Kalispell. I think the first few games most of us just thought there was no way we'd miss for any amount of money. We'd had a full year away and we were starving for it. Then after a few, the Bobcats were on a roll and you didn't want to miss anything. Between regular season, playoffs, trips to Missoula, Cheney, and Frisco, I spent thousands of dollars more than I'd planned on spending last year. It was worth it, but I won't do it again.

I think the hotels in town should just go ahead and pay for the stadium upgrades. Let's take a hotel like the Hilton Garden Inn. 10 years ago I would stay there for about $130-150 a night. Now they're $350-400 a night. What does that place have, 150 rooms? So they're making an EXTRA $200-250 per room, per night. So if they could do that 365 days a year, they'd make almost $14M more than what was already profitable prior to these price hikes. I realize this is an over-simplification. Expenses have gone up, wages have gone up, not every night will be sold out, etc. My point is, somebody is making a lot of money, and I hope they're Bobcat fans!

[coloradocat]

This is a very interesting topic in regards to attendance. Motels were pricey last season (at least I thought so) and we still sold out seven home games. I have found Bozeman motels pricey for quite sometime. We live in Cody now, which is a really easy day trip (minus night games). But when we lived in southern WY and it was eight hours we would always get back to Billings and sometimes Sheridan to avoid high motel prices. That has always bummed me out. Id really like to hang out in Bozeman with my football family a bit more.

Yeah we sold out games last year, but I don't think it's sustainable. I came to every game but one from Kalispell. I think the first few games most of us just thought there was no way we'd miss for any amount of money. We'd had a full year away and we were starving for it. Then after a few, the Bobcats were on a roll and you didn't want to miss anything. Between regular season, playoffs, trips to Missoula, Cheney, and Frisco, I spent thousands of dollars more than I'd planned on spending last year. It was worth it, but I won't do it again.

I think the hotels in town should just go ahead and pay for the stadium upgrades. Let's take a hotel like the Hilton Garden Inn. 10 years ago I would stay there for about $130-150 a night. Now they're $350-400 a night. What does that place have, 150 rooms? So they're making an EXTRA $200-250 per room, per night. So if they could do that 365 days a year, they'd make almost $14M more than what was already profitable prior to these price hikes. I realize this is an over-simplification. Expenses have gone up, wages have gone up, not every night will be sold out, etc. My point is, somebody is making a lot of money, and I hope they're Bobcat fans!

If Montanans can't afford the hotels in town because of the price the city may as well just increase the lodging tax and funnel that to the athletic department for housing allowances (coaches and players).

[coloradocat]

I come up for most of the home games but luckily my parents live in Billings so I stay there and we make every game a day trip. We used to stay over for Gold Rush or Cat/griz but those days are long gone now.

I wonder if more in-state fans that usually stay in Bozeman will start driving to Butte/Helena/Billings the night before if they live further away and then just drive over to Bozeman the day of the game.

[CodyCat]

I come up for most of the home games but luckily my parents live in Billings so I stay there and we make every game a day trip. We used to stay over for Gold Rush or Cat/griz but those days are long gone now.

I wonder if more in-state fans that usually stay in Bozeman will start driving to Butte/Helena/Billings the night before if they live further away and then just drive over to Bozeman the day of the game.

This is absolutely happening. We spend very very little money in Bozeman due to lodging being so ridiculous. Since we dont stay in Bozeman its just easier to grab dinner in Livingston or Billings on our way home.

[CelticCat]

I put this together last month, median housing costs and rents.

[RickRund]

I put this together last month, average housing costs and rents.

WOW...