Spaghetti Events

[wizard1]

KWs column this morning was 100% correct regarding the need to reach out to the average BU fan with events like the ITOO Spaghetti dinner. This event is looked forward to by hundreds of average fans and should not be dropped. It allows fans to bring their kids and mix it up with other fans, meet the players & coaches, etc.

Its very difficult for most average fans to attend and bring their families to the big $100/Plate auctions and gala kick-offs.

Certainly the big donors are very important to BU and we need them but Mike Cross needs to be careful to not forget the average fan in his catering to the big donors.
We must reach out much more to the ave. fan without whom BU Basketball could not exist.

[Guest]

Agreed

I couldnt agree more with you on this topic...especially this year i think it is needed even more than in the past...and i know it can happen if Dr. Cross can make it happen.

[shaunguth]

KWs column this morning was 100% correct regarding the need to reach out to the average BU fan with events like the ITOO Spaghetti dinner. This event is looked forward to by hundreds of average fans and should not be dropped. It allows fans to bring their kids and mix it up with other fans, meet the players & coaches, etc.

Its very difficult for most average fans to attend and bring their families to the big $100/Plate auctions and gala kick-offs.

Certainly the big donors are very important to BU and we need them but Mike Cross needs to be careful to not forget the average fan in his catering to the big donors.
We must reach out much more to the ave. fan without whom BU Basketball could not exist.

I completely agree! I love going to these events with my son as it's alwaya a very "down-to-earth" atmosphere for average fans to feel close to the program. Then again, I guess the current Bradley students are the ones that will be filling Carver Arena in the future.....and not the people that have actually followed (and will continue to follow) Bradley basketball for years.

[Da Coach]

I agree, though I would have preferred to see some actual information about the team, players, or coaches in the PJ Star, rather than another long, whiney column dedicated entirely to complaining about the Itoo Hall event and what is wrong with the program.
Oh well, c'est la vie. Maybe there just isn't a single thing positive going on right now.

With the new Renaissance Coliseum, surely there are dates available for spaghetti supper-like events right on campus. This should be a yearly event again.

[jrish12]

I completely agree! I love going to these events with my son as it's alwaya a very "down-to-earth" atmosphere for average fans to feel close to the program. Then again, I guess the current Bradley students are the ones that will be filling Carver Arena in the future.....and not the people that have actually followed (and will continue to follow) Bradley basketball for years.

Get off your high horse already. Even if every single flipping student went to games at Carver the Arena would only be half full. Bradley's enrollment is around 6,000. The decision was made, nothing you can do to change it so just get over it already and DEAL WITH IT.

[wizard1]

ITOO Spaghetti event

Coach: I think you are being a little tough on KW. I didn't read anything "whiney" in his column. I thought it was excellent.

We are going to get plenty of stuff on BU Basketball as the season nears.

As for the Spaghetti event---Having it in the R.C. would be OK BUT--- one of the charming things about this event is that the people who put it on/ Cook the food/ Etc. do a great job. The atmosphere is very "homey" and I have a gut feel that the risk of serving food in the RC and the logistical problems might make this a less than 100% event.

In efect, IF IT AIN'T BROKE---DON'T FIX IT" and the itoo hall location, etc ain't broke at all!

[shaunguth]

Get off your high horse already. Even if every single flipping student went to games at Carver the Arena would only be half full. Bradley's enrollment is around 6,000. The decision was made, nothing you can do to change it so just get over it already and DEAL WITH IT.

Excuse me for having an opinion (which obviously doesn't agree with yours). I don't believe I ever said anything about every single current student attending the games. They obviously choose not to support their own team. I'm talking about the number of students that stay in the Peoria area and attend the Bradley games after they graduate. I'm guessing THAT number is a small fraction of the people that attend games at Carver Arena.

My point is that Bradley should be doing more things for the average local fans that have families based in the Peoria area.

For the record, this average local fan doesn't have a "high horse" to get off of.

[FlyingSpaghettiMonster]

They obviously choose not to support their own team.

I disagree with you here. Not attending games is not the same as choosing not to support the team. I didn't go to a lot of games when I was at BU b/c I had a difficult major and was busy. It didn't mean that I didn't support the team.

[shaunguth]

I disagree with you here. Not attending games is not the same as choosing not to support the team. I didn't go to a lot of games when I was at BU b/c I had a difficult major and was busy. It didn't mean that I didn't support the team.

I stand corrected......"They obviously choose not to attend the games".

[Chico]

Get off your high horse already. Even if every single flipping student went to games at Carver the Arena would only be half full. Bradley's enrollment is around 6,000. The decision was made, nothing you can do to change it so just get over it already and DEAL WITH IT.

Get off your whiney horse, he's facing facts.

[amckillip]

KWs column this morning was 100% correct regarding the need to reach out to the average BU fan with events like the ITOO Spaghetti dinner. This event is looked forward to by hundreds of average fans and should not be dropped. It allows fans to bring their kids and mix it up with other fans, meet the players & coaches, etc.

Its very difficult for most average fans to attend and bring their families to the big $100/Plate auctions and gala kick-offs.

Certainly the big donors are very important to BU and we need them but Mike Cross needs to be careful to not forget the average fan in his catering to the big donors.
We must reach out much more to the ave. fan without whom BU Basketball could not exist.

Average fans can't afford to go to the Pekin Avantis Dome? or Five Points Washington? or head up to Dunlap? BU ADDED events not removed them. I understand you like that event, but BU is trying new things. Let them try. To me, complaing about this is just being afraid of change and never wanting to innovate. I understand the beef with playing games at the RC (though I have no idea why it needs to be brought up in this thread), but BU actually created more events with similar access to the team. Did you try to attend these? I haven't been able to, but to me they seem like a great idea, and altogether not that different from the Itoo supper.

[real fan]

Average fans can't afford to go to the Pekin Avantis Dome? or Five Points Washington? or head up to Dunlap? BU ADDED events not removed them. I understand you like that event, but BU is trying new things. Let them try. To me, complaing about this is just being afraid of change and never wanting to innovate. I understand the beef with playing games at the RC (though I have no idea why it needs to be brought up in this thread), but BU actually created more events with similar access to the team. Did you try to attend these? I haven't been able to, but to me they seem like a great idea, and altogether not that different from the Itoo supper.

Itoo was one of the better events and it kicked off the season, it was also a decent money maker, since so many fans want it there is no reason not to bring it back.

[Future Walk-On]

Anyone get tired of arguing the same points over and over and over and over? JW

[Beninator]

Average fans can't afford to go to the Pekin Avantis Dome? or Five Points Washington? or head up to Dunlap? BU ADDED events not removed them. I understand you like that event, but BU is trying new things. Let them try. To me, complaing about this is just being afraid of change and never wanting to innovate. I understand the beef with playing games at the RC (though I have no idea why it needs to be brought up in this thread), but BU actually created more events with similar access to the team. Did you try to attend these? I haven't been able to, but to me they seem like a great idea, and altogether not that different from the Itoo supper.

I agree with your post and I am also looking forward to going to the Washington event tomorrow night. I would like to see BU add an event similar to the Itoo Hall event but on campus. there are other places in which crappy food can be served while we meet the team.

[Chico]

In the past I attended every event there was to support the team, before the season and after. I know from talking to ex players that one of the biggest thrills they had as a Brave was walking into the ITOO for the first time, not knowing what to expect as they went through the door, and seeing and hearing the packed room break out into applause. IMO, all the events are great but the ITOO event is the one that truly brought all Bradley fans together in a casual manner. I hardly ever sat down while there, roaming around the hall like many others to talk basketball with familiar faces, until the players came in and the food was served. Besides, the parking was adequate. No parking on the streets as you would on campus at the gym.