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Need to figure out how to get younger people to attend, my suggestions have been to have certain high school nights or town nights where they give them a whole section or 2 of tickets at reduced prices, lets say 5 to 10 dollars a person for upper bowl seats in section 6 and 7 , you never know when by doing this you end up getting fans for life and the discounts you use for this could come out of our halftime promotions budget,this would be money better spent in my opinion.
I thought BU did that years ago but I could be wrong.....it's worth a try again
Those are some of the soundest, most reasonable statements that I've seen from you in a few years tornado. I think the FALLOUT is beginning to wear off you my friend. I agree with most all that you said and predicted.
#4- Small crowds - seriously we need the fans there - the 7000 or so who are showing up are great fans, but come on everyone!!! What can be done other than winning...
My oversimplified plan to boost attendance:
(Keep in mind I've only been to one home game in Peoria for the past 7 years so I don't know what they've tried):
1. First and foremost, everyone loves a winner. Winning takes away the primary excuse not to attend. The team is about to start winning, some this year, but watch out next year for GF to really put it together.
2. Student Section - Its been belabored on these forums, but I'm sure there is still more that the athletic department can do to improve the student attendance. When I was there from '01 to '05, not enough was done to engage the student body and really generate interest. This era was the end of Coach Mo and the infancy of JL so times were very similar to my junior year. I would propose really engaging the key student leadership groups on campus, primarily IFC, PanHel, and ResLife. Really try to get the buy-in from the exec boards of all three groups and focus group them to see what will work. Throw some incentives together for each game for every registered student group with the best attendance. Get the Red Sea (or whatever the student section is called) to act as ambassadors on campus to recruit fans going door to door and not just showing up to the games. Also continuously remind students (I think this is still true) that tickets are only $1 with your ID through the press entrance even if you don't have season tickets. Remind 21 year old students you can drink at the civic center if you're of age. Most importantly, don't stop trying througout the entire season. Sports marketing always put too much focus on the beginning of the season and it always dropped off before 2nd semester.
Some student-only promotions:
a) Ladies night - ladies in free with student id...this should bring some boys with.
b) Toga party night, 80's party, etc - get rowdy in costume. Prizes for best student costume. Parlays well into off-campus parties (even though they've been cracked down on, shame on the police for ruining the college experience, but I digress)
c) Unique student section attire as a promotional give away - come up with something original to give out to make the student section unique from anyone in the MVC or NCAA--red bow ties, red neck ties, red derby hats, red cowboy hats, red firefighter helmets, red hardhats, gargoyle wings, clock face masks, red afro wigs, red groucho marx glasses/nose/mustache disguise, red/white fake mustache/beard, BU plastic football helmets (for the irony), BU plastic baseball helmets, knockoff ray-ban red sunglasses, red stocking cap with pompom top, red/white hounds tooth shirt (reminded watching 'Bama whoop ND right now), red/white mullet wigs with red wife beaters with red/white flannels with red billy-bob teeth (reminded by Alabama residents), etc
d) Free food coupons - college kids will do anything for a free pizza, free extra value meal, free sub, free bag of chips, free case of pop (or soda for you hillbillies south of I-80).
3. Ticket giveaway or deep discount over winter break games - Basically giveaway tickets to local school high school (as allowable per NCAA), middle school, boys/girls clubs basketball teams to the student section. $2-$4 tickets to local businesses for corporate events, seats in upper bowl behind hoops. Giveaway or $2-$4 J-term ticket vouchers for any of the following: Large pizza deal from a local chain, meal deal at fast food chain, test drive at a local car dealer, radio station call-in, $50 grocery purchase at local chain, christmas tree purchase, etc.
4. Alumni overnight getaway packages with hotel savings at one of the downtown hotels targeting Chicagoland alumni (besides homecoming game), restaurant deal, bar deal, ParADice deal, etc.
Like I said, not sure what's been tried, but if they haven't tried it yet, its not like attendance can get much worse.
Originally posted by understandingthetruthView Post
"#4- Small crowds - seriously we need the fans there - the 7000 or so who are showing up are great fans, but come on everyone!!! What can be done other than winning...":
A.} Teach the band new songs where the crowd is and wants to be involved.
B.} Buy some duct tape for paul herzog.
C.} Leave the cheerleaders in their locker room all game coming out only during
half time when the chance of their smothering the home crowds' adrenalin
is close to nothing.
D.} Get rid of all of the worthless circuses every time out.
E.} Find some one who knows how and will respectfully sing the national
anthem.
All of the above will help in making each game a game and not an event.
That goes triple for point D! I know they make money off of these promotions, but it shouldn't be at the expense of the crowd, which could cost the team a couple of wins because of this.
My oversimplified plan to boost attendance:
(Keep in mind I've only been to one home game in Peoria for the past 7 years so I don't know what they've tried):
1. First and foremost, everyone loves a winner. Winning takes away the primary excuse not to attend. The team is about to start winning, some this year, but watch out next year for GF to really put it together.
2. Student Section - Its been belabored on these forums, but I'm sure there is still more that the athletic department can do to improve the student attendance. When I was there from '01 to '05, not enough was done to engage the student body and really generate interest. This era was the end of Coach Mo and the infancy of JL so times were very similar to my junior year. I would propose really engaging the key student leadership groups on campus, primarily IFC, PanHel, and ResLife. Really try to get the buy-in from the exec boards of all three groups and focus group them to see what will work. Throw some incentives together for each game for every registered student group with the best attendance. Get the Red Sea (or whatever the student section is called) to act as ambassadors on campus to recruit fans going door to door and not just showing up to the games. Also continuously remind students (I think this is still true) that tickets are only $1 with your ID through the press entrance even if you don't have season tickets. Remind 21 year old students you can drink at the civic center if you're of age. Most importantly, don't stop trying througout the entire season. Sports marketing always put too much focus on the beginning of the season and it always dropped off before 2nd semester.
Some student-only promotions:
a) Ladies night - ladies in free with student id...this should bring some boys with.
b) Toga party night, 80's party, etc - get rowdy in costume. Prizes for best student costume. Parlays well into off-campus parties (even though they've been cracked down on, shame on the police for ruining the college experience, but I digress)
c) Unique student section attire as a promotional give away - come up with something original to give out to make the student section unique from anyone in the MVC or NCAA--red bow ties, red neck ties, red derby hats, red cowboy hats, red firefighter helmets, red hardhats, gargoyle wings, clock face masks, red afro wigs, red groucho marx glasses/nose/mustache disguise, red/white fake mustache/beard, BU plastic football helmets (for the irony), BU plastic baseball helmets, knockoff ray-ban red sunglasses, red stocking cap with pompom top, red/white hounds tooth shirt (reminded watching 'Bama whoop ND right now), red/white mullet wigs with red wife beaters with red/white flannels with red billy-bob teeth (reminded by Alabama residents), etc
d) Free food coupons - college kids will do anything for a free pizza, free extra value meal, free sub, free bag of chips, free case of pop (or soda for you hillbillies south of I-80).
3. Ticket giveaway or deep discount over winter break games - Basically giveaway tickets to local school high school (as allowable per NCAA), middle school, boys/girls clubs basketball teams to the student section. $2-$4 tickets to local businesses for corporate events, seats in upper bowl behind hoops. Giveaway or $2-$4 J-term ticket vouchers for any of the following: Large pizza deal from a local chain, meal deal at fast food chain, test drive at a local car dealer, radio station call-in, $50 grocery purchase at local chain, christmas tree purchase, etc.
4. Alumni overnight getaway packages with hotel savings at one of the downtown hotels targeting Chicagoland alumni (besides homecoming game), restaurant deal, bar deal, ParADice deal, etc.
Like I said, not sure what's been tried, but if they haven't tried it yet, its not like attendance can get much worse.
Not sure if the crazy outfits would help the team or be more of a distraction. But a white-out or red-out would certainly work, and for the whole crowd, not just the student section.
I definitely like the freebie idea though. Anything free will get people to show up.
That goes triple for point D! I know they make money off of these promotions, but it shouldn't be at the expense of the crowd, which could cost the team a couple of wins because of this.
Finally, someone who believes as I do about the crowd being told to quiet down while a student tries to make enough shots to win his section a pizza, or while 2 kids try to put on a jersey, trunks and shoes and make a layup. Have to disagree with Understandingthetruth when it comes to the singing of the National Athem. The students who sing at Carver are very respectful of the Athem, IMO.
I am happy Bradley is playing better and I am looking forward to seeing our guys battle for one of the top spots in the MVC
There are still several items that are yet unfinished - just wondering what people think:
#1- Will Egolf - I guess no news is good news, and if he were doomed
to being expelled or dismissed from the team, then would we have gotten some hint by now?
Will we hear more before the late January hearing?
If not then is Will going to miss the seven games between now and then?...
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I agree with most all that you said and predicted. 
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