Two new fan friendly ideas

[tornado]

One is not completely new....

1-
Boise State just recently developed a fan advisory committee - something we have mentioned here before - LINK, LINK
The result....
IT IS HELPING
.."I’ve been pleasantly surprised that it’s been productive and effective..."

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2015/0...#storylink=cpy

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2015/09/17/3992321_fan-committee-helps-boise-state.html?rh=1

One of the fan advisory committee's first recommendation was to create a fan friendly tailgating area - which has caught on tremendously with fans - and upwards of 3,000 people participating
AND their first home game sold 38,836 tickets - the largest home crowd in years!!!

2-
Louisiana Lafayette has developed and is selling at their games...and elsewhere in their community...
THEIR OWN CUSTOM BRAND OF BEER! - Rajun Cajuns Beer!
It is so popular that it is selling out everywhere!

http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/entertainment/food/2015/09/16/ragin-cajun-brews-coming/72313976/

"It's turned into a monster quick"
"All of the first batch was gone in just a few days,” Knott says. “Our distributor has since received a second batch, and we’re working on our third.”

Cajun Field sold out of the new brew halfway through Saturday’s season opener."

Hmmm... I am not much of a beer drinker, but I can see where this would benefit the university! Maybe do it with a soft drink or a candy item as well.

[tornado]

Marquette just announced they are forming a fan advisory committee - reportedly it is a very popular idea

http://today.marquette.edu/2015/09/applications-open-for-new-athletics-fan-advisory-committee/

There is talk at Syracuse of the same thing

http://www.nunesmagician.com/2015/9/18/9352535/should-syracuse-athletics-start-a-fan-committee

[tornado]

Chris Reynolds presented a great new idea at the auction last night..

"He pointed out that his first drive past the Peoria Civic Center yielded no clue that Bradley played men's basketball there.

Reynolds envisions Bradley branding adornments inside and outside the building — on the brick front exterior, along the adjacent sidewalks, in the Great Hall and inside the arena."

Great job Dr. Reynolds - keep building the brand...


Here's a summary of the suggestions for the ideas that were made elsewhere.... FAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, CUSTOM BEER BRAND, OPEN PRACTICES, RED-WHITE SCRIMMAGE, A BRADLEY BASKETBALL TAILGATE AT A SOCCER GAME, ALUMNI GAME, BRINGING BACK THE GREAT PLAYERS FROM THE PAST (HERSEY, ETC.), RED-OUTS, COMMUNITY EVENTS, etc...

[Old Coach]

Chris Reynolds presented a great new idea at the auction last night..

"He pointed out that his first drive past the Peoria Civic Center yielded no clue that Bradley played men's basketball there.

Reynolds envisions Bradley branding adornments inside and outside the building ??” on the brick front exterior, along the adjacent sidewalks, in the Great Hall and inside the arena."

Great job Dr. Reynolds - keep building the brand...

Not only did he have the vision, but in about 15 minutes he raised almost all of the $62,500 needed for the project.

[tornado]

one of our fans had posted this exact idea two years ago in our thread on ideas to get the fans back...

Demand the civic center do a better job of making this our purported home court therein giving us something for so long absent in a home court advantage....

and he's also already done a great job on these or said he's working on them...

-.. set up a part of the Civic Center like a little mini-March Madness Experience - a kid-friendly place with freebies & games and let the kids in there a couple hours before the game time and even offer freebie snacks...

-try like he** to lock in NOW on several Saturday NIGHTS for next season..
the weekend games were unquestionably our bigger draws......

-greet all the fans and make them feel welcome and valued
-Engage the fans - don't alienate them
-bring back the ITOO spaghetti supper & other fan-friendly events - and stop dissing on fans who ask for those events
-stop all this talk of moving games to Ren-Col and FILL Carver!
-stop speaking out publicly and calling fans stupid, uninformed, uneducated, and of no value if they sit in the upper bowl
-treat every single fan like a valued commodity - this has been the single most serious deficiency the past 4-5 years!
-more Saturday games
-work on getting better opponents -...
-Ask for fan input ....

[tornado]

Here's a fan-friendly idea..
Clemson is making one of their exhibition games completely FREE

http://www.tigernet.com/update/player/Clemson-adds-free-exhibition-basketball-game-Nov-5th-20491

[tornado]

This is a great idea to lure students to the games...(in this case their intrasquad scrimmage)
FREE CrackerBarrel for the first 300 who get there- (Morehead State University)

https://twitter.com/BradSmithMSU/status/651898869396193280

[tornado]

..Penn State is holding numerous open town hall-type meetings so students, faculty, then fans & public can come hear their "strategic planning project"...

It does say they will field questions - but some sources are fearful this means bad news, such as cutting programs, budget issues, etc...might be coming..

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/news/campus/article_b11bf9e6-765e-11e5-a073-f7a29fcce4bd.html

[tornado]

one other aspect of the Fan Appreciation Reception yesterday - at the end, Dr. Reynolds got up in front of the enthusiastic crowd and asked them to give or submit any ideas or suggestions as to how Bradley Basketball can correct existing problems, change for the better, or do anything different to appeal to fans in anyway. (he did receive some ideas and seemed very willing to check into them)

Wow- is this a refreshing change - they want to hear from the fans and even act on those ideas......so that Bradley basketball will not only get better but will attract a broader fans base.

We haven't seen this kind of responsiveness in years - and it seemed like those in charge for the past few years were saying to fans - get out of the way because we know better and we'll run this show the way we want to- and that the "uneducated" fans didn't know what was good for them or were irrelevant.

Thank you Dr. Reynolds & Coach Wardle -

[tornado]

..Penn State is holding numerous open town hall-type meetings ..

the first of the Penn State Town Hall meetings was held last night - here's the coverage...
the article seems somewhat negative...suggesting it was all for show and very little substance with few questions actually answered...and answers vague...

https://onwardstate.com/2015/10/20/barbour-addresses-athletic-facilities-renovations-in-town-hall-meeting/

"In the first of a series of town hall-style meetings with the Penn State community, athletic director Sandy..Barbour’s presentation didn’t say much.."

"..Stadium renovation project at the University of California was jumbled at best, causing the athletic department to accrue serious debt by the end of Barbour’s tenure. A student asked her what she learned from that experience ..
“First of all, don’t cut the trees down,” Barbour said, jokingly referencing the dispute the University had with the California Oak Foundation, causing a 22-month delay in renovations."

"A specific fundraising plan ... hasn’t been established yet"
"She made a very fair point, saying it would be irresponsible to speculate about a specific amount the renovations might cost.."

"When asked about the current plans of how the athletic department plans to raise funds for the renovations, though, Barbour was more vague.."
"“There are no plans at this time”

she was even more vague in reference to a question asked about Joe Paterno and the broad desire to honor him...

[tornado]

Here's a student friendly idea from Minnesota not too unlike ours...

students are encouraged to come 1 and a half hours early and enjoy a PIZZA PARTY/drinks - all free

http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/102315aaa.html

Their Williams Arena - on campus at University of Minnesota, is also known as "The Barn"...
it's a huge old fieldhouse with a lot of character and a raised floor - sound familiar?





They have added on in front and have a nice club room

[ahappiedrabbit]

Just looking at the bottom picture ... ... ...

Can't you all tell basketball is played there? Compare it to the lack thereof from the civic center! I wonder if the fans there have to be told every half to remain standing {how does this make sense?} until the other team scores.

[ahappiedrabbit]

OH! And the raised floor! ... ... ...

Why on Earth would the civic center ever want the home team to have a home court advantage?

[tornado]

I have been to games at Williams Arena and it is a loud environment but not necessarily because of the fans - I think their fan section was rather average

[tornado]

here's an idea that could make some serious $$ for Bradley...if we get in on it...

The US government seems quite generous...and has been paying $$ MILLIONS to sports teams that include the Indiana Hoosiers & Purdue Boilermakers & others... - to put a patriotic, pro-military theme into their game preparation - such as big flags & use of uniformed personnel...and promote patriotism & the military!

For example - the Pentagon paid $400,000 to Indiana & Purdue (thru Learfield Sports) to have National Guard at games and have the soldiers participate in player introductions!
Sounds like the Congress is a little miffed that the military budget is being spent this way...

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2015/11/04/pentagon-paid-sports-teams-millions-patriotic-events/75152564/