saabman
Official BDF member
Posts: 12,246
|
Post by saabman on Jul 18, 2024 21:51:29 GMT -5
Can somebody here provide an example of the type of FCS stadium environment they would like to emulate? I'm not talking about the Montanas and ND States of the world; I'm talking about a mid-level FCS program that has more fan engagement on a regular basis than we do. Youngstown State, Eastern Washington, McNeese State, Jacksonville State, Central Arkansas, Penn, Harvard, Yale, East Tennessee, Jackson State, Sam Houston State, Prairie View, Southern, Grambling, Alcorn, Florida A&M even Elon just to name a few that I have experienced personally . But in saying that A&T is ranked in the top 10 of the FCS in game day fan experience. For me this is about the product on the field. If these athletes wants the fans more engaged they need to give the fan something to be engaged about. The fans are there it's just at this moment that the team is not on the same page with the fans in attendance.
|
|
|
Post by Bornthrilla on Jul 18, 2024 21:51:32 GMT -5
Why exclude them? They are FCS...just like JMU, App State, UD, GA Southern were once FCS. It's safe to say those schools game day environment was better than ours. We need to compare ourselves to G5, with 14K students we are larger than Wake, Duke, and some other FBS schools. So you think we should be comparing ourselves to FBS programs who have fully-stocked athletic departments and millions of more dollars in their athletic budgets? We have 14K students ... but we haven't felt the need to replace our marketing director who left 3 years ago. We have 14k students .. but we can't even launch an athletic giving campaign. We need to start comparing apples to apples here.
|
|
|
Post by ohsixrain on Jul 18, 2024 21:55:02 GMT -5
Bring back the cow bells! If you go back and watch some games during the Cohen era you can hear them loud and clear! They stopped letting us bring them in the stadium and mine was stolen because of it…
|
|
|
Post by ohsixrain on Jul 18, 2024 21:56:41 GMT -5
This is mid-level FCS football. We have one of the least fan friendly stadiums in the nation. Outdated concessions, parking and rest rooms. I know y’all want to play in SEC title games every week, but our current level of fan engagement is reflective of our overall product. Ding, ding, ding…hard for some to hear, my brotha.
|
|
|
Post by aggie2039 on Jul 18, 2024 21:59:03 GMT -5
Why exclude them? They are FCS...just like JMU, App State, UD, GA Southern were once FCS. It's safe to say those schools game day environment was better than ours. We need to compare ourselves to G5, with 14K students we are larger than Wake, Duke, and some other FBS schools. So you think we should be comparing ourselves to FBS programs who have fully-stocked athletic departments and millions of more dollars in their athletic budgets? We have 14K students ... but we haven't felt the need to replace our marketing director who left 3 years ago. We have 14k students .. but we can't even launch an athletic giving campaign. We need to start comparing apples to apples here. Yes, we should compare ourselves to FBS programs. Marketing director has no impact on fans get off their butt's and hollering defense on third and 4th down. All these excuses and changing of the subject 😆
|
|
|
Post by Bornthrilla on Jul 18, 2024 22:18:32 GMT -5
If ignorance is bliss you've gotta be one of the happiest mofos walking the earth.
Fun fact: one of the greatest fan events in A&T history was the Hamfest game in 2007.
That entire event happened because I put the idea out there on this message board when a news report surfaced that the Morgan State head basketball coach had a nervous breakdown during a lunch stop with his team. Our marketing director at the time saw the thread, paid for a Pig costume from a local gift shop and found a student member of the Aggie Maniacs (which he personally managed) to wear the costume that night, right next to the Morgan State bench.
That former marketing director used his resources to generate fan excitement and create an incredible home court advantage.
Not everything you see in sporting events in purely organic. When I worked for the Houston Rockets we had an entire marketing staff and dozens of interns who would go around the arena and find ways to get the crowd hype.
Do you honestly think the Cameron Crazies just show up at games and freestyle all their cheers and antics? They have regular meetings on campus where they go over that stuff like a script. And guess what, the marketing folks at Duke help them organize their efforts.
Just because you dont know what goes behind the scenes in sports marketing, doesn't mean those marketing professionals don't have a major impact on fan engagement and the overall game atmosphere.
|
|
|
Post by aggie2039 on Jul 18, 2024 22:35:34 GMT -5
If ignorance is bliss you've gotta be one of the happiest mofos walking the earth. Fun fact: one of the greatest fan events in A&T history was the Hamfest game in 2007. That entire event happened because I put the idea out there on this message board when a news report surfaced that the Morgan State head basketball coach had a nervous breakdown during a lunch stop with his team. Our marketing director at the time saw the thread, paid for a Pig costume from a local gift shop and found a student member of the Aggie Maniacs (which he personally managed) to wear the costume that night, right next to the Morgan State bench. That former marketing director used his resources to generate fan excitement and create an incredible home court advantage. Not everything you see in sporting events in purely organic. When I worked for the Houston Rockets we had an entire marketing staff and dozens of interns who would go around the arena and find ways to get the crowd hype. Do you honestly think the Cameron Crazies just show up at games and freestyle all their cheers and antics? They have regular meetings on campus where they go over that stuff like a script. And guess what, the marketing folks at Duke help them organize their efforts. Just because you dont know what goes behind the scenes in sports marketing, doesn't mean those marketing professionals don't have a major impact on fan engagement and the overall game atmosphere. When I attended unc chapel vs Duke @unc there was no one directing the crowd...it was organic. The standing and cheering was part of the culture of being in the Dean Dome for a game. People on this board ate telling you what happens at other FCS schools yet you just can't accept it. Lol You can't be wrong. Sure ham gate was cool, how many years ago was that? Almost 20 years, students are different than they were 20 years ago...society is different. Last year A&T vs NCCU in basketball only drew 4K, a different student we have at A&T...and the game was dry.
|
|
|
Post by Bornthrilla on Jul 18, 2024 22:47:15 GMT -5
Hamfest was just one example of the major impact a good marketing director can have on a game environment. There are countless other examples, but because you are unaware of how things work you discount the marketing director role.
If you want a FBS game atmosphere at Truist Stadium you have to cultivate it.
Having a bad FCS stadium, a bad FCS football team and a bad FCS marketing plan will not just organically result in FBS-level crowd engagement.
|
|
|
Post by Bornthrilla on Jul 18, 2024 22:54:52 GMT -5
Last year A&T vs NCCU in basketball only drew 4K, a different student we have at A&T...and the game was dry. My point exactly. Earl Hilton made the decision to not hire a marketing director to promote the game and it was scheduled on a Tuesday evening right before winter break. Our athletic leadership directly impacted the game atmosphere and lost potential revenue by their own poor decisions.
|
|
|
Post by aggie2039 on Jul 18, 2024 22:56:59 GMT -5
Last year A&T vs NCCU in basketball only drew 4K, a different student we have at A&T...and the game was dry. My point exactly. Earl Hilton made the decision to not hire a marketing director to promote the game and it was scheduled on a Tuesday right before winter break. Our athletic leadership directly impacted the game atmosphere and lost potential revenue by their own poor decisions. That game sells itself, regardless the point is these kids are different than 2007. Why don't yiu apply for the job?
|
|
|
Post by Bornthrilla on Jul 18, 2024 23:04:43 GMT -5
The game sells itself if it takes place during a normal week when the students are on campus.
However, classes for the fall semester ended the week before. Students were taking finals that week and had to be out of their dorms by that Friday.
Plus the game had very little local buzz because, once again, we dont have anybody on staff to promote it.
You do not schedule a game against your biggest rival on a date when campus is half empty if you have any marketing sense whatsoever.
|
|
|
Post by aggie2039 on Jul 18, 2024 23:07:09 GMT -5
The game sells itself if it is takes place during a normal week when the students are on campus. However, classes for the fall semester ended the week before. Students were taking finals that week and had to be out of their dorms by that Friday. Plus the game had very little local buzz because, once again, we dont have anybody on staff to promote it. You do not schedule a game against your biggest rival on a date when campus is half empty if you have any marketing sense whatsoever. Regardless, the game was dry.
|
|
|
Post by Bornthrilla on Jul 18, 2024 23:11:04 GMT -5
"Regardless, the game was dry ..." "I stand by my statement .." lol. Yeah, I see where this is going:
|
|
saabman
Official BDF member
Posts: 12,246
|
Post by saabman on Jul 18, 2024 23:46:25 GMT -5
Look you give the fans something to cheer about and they will become engaged. That starts on the field, basketball court or track not the stands. The fans are there but the stimulation by the product on the field and Court is not.
I remember at one time Colbert was mentioned in the same conversation with Carolina and Duke when it came to Fan enthusiasm at their venues on the national stage. Now we have been passed by Grambling and Alabama State for being the most daunting for visiting teams. Hell I don't think ( could be wrong), I don't think we are even in the Top 50 anymore nationally and definitely not in the top five in the state of North Carolina or the region. This could be because we are not winning or it could be as 39 stated this new generation of fans just don't give a damn.
|
|
|
Post by ohsixrain on Jul 19, 2024 8:02:13 GMT -5
The biggest point you make is our crowd is stimulated be good on the field/court performance. The expectation of our crowd in Corbett to be like Cameron Indoor Stadium and our team is losing by 20 or the football team down by 2 scores and the opponent is inside the 10 yard is just unrealistic when you go and try to put it into practice. It just won't work...at all.
I agree with Thrilla about the Marketing Director and I think you are referencing Looney, I believe who was very good. But, he is only going to be as good as the team that takes the field/court. They have to work to some degree in concert.
I can agree with 2039 & A&T-roy, that our crowd does come to games to see the team play well and win so they can cheer instead of cheering their team to victory. They are two different mindsets.
|
|