Bring Back Brad Thomas.....

[PonySoprano]

OK, but let's have a succession plan already in place. I don't think it would do any good to get rid of the AD and then have an empty chair while we search around the country for a replacement.

Based on our current state of athletics, I think it would take a hard sell to get a strong person in here as an AD. I think we would best benefit from somebody with experience in running a Divison I-A program, and someone who is familiar with the challenges that a non-BCS, mid-major institution faces.

[BrianTinBigD]

Possible best seller on the BLVD by the end of the season?

[Boston Pony]

Back on subject, the athletic department put out a few bumper stickers ourselves in '78, however after the initial success, a radio station took over the sponsorship. Russ Potts model was one based on what he did at Maryland "Go, Terps, Go" campaign. It built attendance at an suburban college not known for it's crowds. The key difference between '78-'80 and now is the growth of the BCS and the Cotton Bowl. The BCS takes away any true hope of rising to the top of the college scene for the Mustangs which was possible in the '70 - '80s. The size of the Cotton Bowl allowed SMU to discount & give away tickets (as it still had around 30 - 40k coming at full price) that we can't really do now without tremendous control of the ticket distribution. Different times require different strategies and tactics.

[NavyCrimson]

well said boston!!!

"The BCS takes away any true hope of rising to the top of the college scene for the Mustangs which was possible in the '70 - '80s."

u got that nailed on the head big-boy!

its called a cartel!!!

[Dooby]

OK, but let's have a succession plan already in place. I don't think it would do any good to get rid of the AD and then have an empty chair while we search around the country for a replacement.

Based on our current state of athletics, I think it would take a hard sell to get a strong person in here as an AD. I think we would best benefit from somebody with experience in running a Divison I-A program, and someone who is familiar with the challenges that a non-BCS, mid-major institution faces.

And not to put too fine a point on it, but that is where TCU was genius. They hired the perfect guy for the job years ago when they hired Eric Hyman away from Miami-Ohio. We would be well served to hire someone from a school like Miami, which has had success as a non-BCS program; hired good coaches; and from the faculty's perspective, graduated a decent percentage of the student athletes.

[davidsmu94]

[Stallion]

the success of Mustang Mania did not have a thing to do with whether SMU was BCS or not. Potts/Thomas sold out the Cotton Bowl even with a couple of very uncompetitive football teams and they got 60,000+ to go see one of the worst programs in America in Rice(the previous home crowd against Rice was 6,000) and also against private school Baylor. They had big crowds against second rate programs. While I agree they turned the tables by using the size of the Cotton Bowl as an advantage---lets not kid outselves there are plenty of empty seats every year in Ford(please subtract the 20,000 or so Tech fans, the 15,000 OSU fans and the 10,000 TCU which inflated our already poor attendance average and you get an average of about 10,000-12,000 SMU fans. Now imagine a program whnich sold out Ford every week even if ticket sales were subsidized. The same applies to an even greater extent now since SMU controls concessions-20,000 empty seats don't buy Cokes and Hotdogs, pay for parking or buy programs. How many recruits has SMU lost when they attend a football game with 10,000 in the stands?

[jtstang]

How many recruits has SMU lost when they attend a football game with 10,000 in the stands?

That's a great question.

[KnuckleStang]

Lookie here. UTEP's not afraid to think outside the box with "Price's Miner Milk." Question is: Must you go 8-4 before you can pull something like this off?

"Got Miner Milk?
Price's Creameries has developed an orange cream, low-fat milk product which is scheduled to be launched next week in conjunction with the University of Texas at El Paso under the name of "Price's Miner Milk."
With UTEP football on the fringe of most preseason top 25 polls headed into its second season under head coach Mike Price, the response to the product has already been very solid.
"It's really difficult to get anything new into a supermarket here, especially supermarkets like Wal-Mart and Albertsons," Price's Creameries General Manager Gene Carrejo said. "But this has been the easiest sell. That tells me a lot about what's going on in this town now when it comes to UTEP athletics."
The product will be marketed in an orange and blue paper quart package, complete with the Miners' 2005 football schedule and a season ticket coupon.
"The interest in UTEP athletics from the business community in El Paso is better than it has ever been right now," UTEP Senior Associate Athletic Director Mack Rhoades said. "Price's Creameries has been with us through thick and thin. This is a unique way for us to partner up, reach out to the community and sell tickets."
UTEP sold about 11,000 season tickets for last year's 8-4 season, which saw the Miners in the EV1.net Houston bowl. Rhoades said the school's goal this year is to sell more than 15,000 season.
"We really think in the next couple of years we can sell 20,000 to 25,000 season tickets," Rhoades said. "We're going to need to do that, especially going into Conference USA."
Special supermarket displays will market UTEP season tickets and "Miner Milk," which Price's Creameries Marketing Director Irene Pistella said tastes a lot like "a dreamsicle" and is expected to appeal to children.
"We were looking for an alternative milk for the schools," Pistella explained. "Flavored milk is a good way to go in the schools. It went from 'Got- Orange' to 'Orange Rush' and, finally, 'Price's Miner Milk.' "
A Miner Milk Mustache Contest has also been planned for the product. The winner will meet Price and have his or her picture put on the Price's Creameries billboard alongside UTEP's football coach."

[PK]

Yep, that's what happens when you don't have any pro sports in town...sorta like Austin. It must be nice.

[Boston Pony]

Rather than say we should look to repeat something that happened 25 years ago, how about an idea on building a fan base for the future. The best thing about MustangMania was that it was fresh. Going back to an old idea in a different business model is that you will never see the same success. For the future, one area that would be interesting is adopt a series of schools - offer them trips to SMU with a game tied in. It would address Stallion & others concern about filling seats and also build fans for the future (those that pay). The key would be to get students & alums to 'sponsor' the kids i.e. take them around campus, etc. What other ideas are out there that 'fill the stadium'?

[originaloverthehilltop1]

i don't think potts actually "sold out" all those rice and baylor tickets. pretty much gave most of em away, as i remember, and i think we would do well to do the same now, by promotion, at least until that end zone is never anything but full.

instead of bringing in brad thomas, lets bring in a few more zack thomases. some of those too small too slow guys who turn out to be world beaters. yeah, we need a bunch of them.

[BrianTinBigD]

We need to heavily recruit the high school crowd. I remember going to games back in the 80's all the time and there were several of us that went from little bitty Allen(we've grown some since then).

Maybe we can give away a BMW a game to anyone that buys a student ticket. Perhaps Ford and the Mustang can be a sponsor and we can do the same there as well. Sell the tickets for $5 or give them away at local Ford dealerships. You must be present to win type stuff.

Sell tickets to the local FCA's, FFA's, High School Bands or anyone that is interested in a fund raising scheme. Sell them for a $1 and let them sell 'em for $5. It is amazing what happens when you get a couple 1000 sales people out there.

Put the butts in the seat. Sell out every game. Every person that attends a game is good for about $10 a game in concessions and more importantly you start creating younger mustang fans. This drives school interest and results in higher enrollments and easier athletic recruiting. You definitely have an easier time recruiting a kid that has been to a dozen football games than one who attends one on a recruiting visit.

[PlanoStang]

Sell tickets to the local FCA's, FFA's, High School Bands or anyone that is interested in a fund raising scheme. Sell them for a $1 and let them sell 'em for $5. It is amazing what happens when you get a couple 1000 sales people out there.

This one sounds good. I bet we could take 2 or 3 dollars a ticket, and let them sell them for $5, or whatever they can get for them. Only charge them for the tickets they actually sell. A 1000 sales people with Mom's, Dad's brother's, sisters, and relatives as captive customers might even sell out the almost certain 10000 empty seats for a game with Tulane, or ECU. Give prizes for the person who sold the most for each organization. Like Russ Potts said, an empty seat doesn't buy a coke or hot dog.

[jtstang]

A 1000 sales people with Mom's, Dad's brother's, sisters, and relatives as captive customers might even sell out the almost certain 10000 empty seats for a game with Tulane, or ECU. Give prizes for the person who sold the most for each organization. Like Russ Potts said, an empty seat doesn't buy a coke or hot dog.

The problem with fundraisers is once the funds are raised nobody cares about the outcome. when's the last time you went to the raffle drawing? Moms, dads, sisters and cousins will buy the tix to support the BFHS band booster club, but never come to Ford.