Due to low ticket sales and poor turnout last year, the Carleton University Students’
Association (CUSA) is cancelling this year’s Ravens Gala, a year-end formal event.
The ticket sales were lower than expected and CUSA took a loss in 2016, according
to Zameer Masjedee, CUSA vice-president (student life). This is after the galas held
from 2013 to 2015 sold out and broke even.
“When we came into this year, we wanted to make sure that we had a successful event, but it wasn’t an event that put us in the hole,” he said of the decision to cancel.
According to CUSA president Fahd Alhattab, about 150 to 200 people attended last year’s gala, while 300 students attended in 2015.
The 2016 gala was held at the Canadian Museum of History, while previous years’
were held at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum, as well as the Westin Hotel
in downtown Ottawa.
Masjedee said ticket prices played a role in the drop in turnout. Tickets were $45 last year, compared to $30 in 2014-15 and $10 in 2013.
According to Masjedee, the increase in price came from moving the gala to a
larger venue—with the hope of growing the event—and ordering different food.
“Automatically, when you’re upgrading from a small ballroom and a hotel to a large
museum to host the event, there’s a lot of financial costs associated with that,” he said. “It’s not only the venue but it’s also the price per plate and all the associated costs that increase as well.”
Masjedee said he thinks the increase from $10 to $45 is a significant amount of
money, especially given all the other formal events happening in the winter semester.
The ticket price increased in 2016 because of mismanagement of funds, according to a former Ravens Gala executive, who spoke over Facebook under condition of anonymity.
They said CUSA booked the venue late and had to change locations, which increased the cost of busing since they had to travel further.
Leaving things to the last minute, they said, allowed the food supplier to charge them more.
The former executive said the loss was approximately $7,000 to $9,000, and added
the break-even price was $56 but CUSA reduced it to $45 because of poor ticket sales.
But Alhattab said the change in venue saved the association money.
“The venue was not booked last-minute, and the change in venue did not cause for any additional costs,” Alhattab said.
The gala was previously held at the Aviation museum, but in 2016 it was held at the Canadian Museum of History, which Alhattab said is cheaper.
According to Alhattab, CUSA subsidizes ticket prices to keep costs down for students. He added the loss is something CUSA budgeted for when planning the gala.
The gala tickets were able to sell out quickly in 2013 and in 2014 with the $20
early-bird tickets, however, the former executive said CUSA struggled last year.
“No marketing could have saved the 2016 year,” they said. “We tried everything but the tickets were too pricey.”
CUSA organized the event for the first time last year, as it was previously held by the Department of University Advancement’s Alumni-Student Awareness program.
The event also underwent a rebrand at that time, Alhattab said.
“The rebrand came from looking at something truly for graduating students, a prom, something that is bigger and that is not just a regular gala but a celebration of the time that you’ve spent here at Carleton,” he said.
Masjedee said selling tickets for the events is difficult when people don’t know what the event is about.
But the former executive said turnout for previous years was around 85 per cent graduating students.
Masjedee said he hopes more marketing, more entertainment options, and the
rebrand will lead to a better turnout. He expects the ticket price to remain around $45.
“If you’re able to tell a student, ‘Yes your ticket is $45,’ however, it includes round trip limousine transportation from the school, it includes a full three-course meal, it includes an open bar,’ then you are adding more and more value to that ticket and the cost becomes justified,” he said.
Masjedee said the rebranded name will be along the lines of “Ravens Prom” to target more graduating students and increase ticket sales.
“I’d like to see a sellout event—an event that really does scream ‘formal,’” Masjedee said.
