Ouch from the Daily Campus

by **ponyinNC** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 11:22 am

I'm no marketing expert, but common sense ideas should include:

1.) Make it mandatory or give incentives for greeks to attend games, if we don't already. I never had fb on campus during 95-99...These kids today have it much easier, but their lives still revolve around frat/soro life for their first few years at SMU. Incorporate the two. At a school like SMU, which has such a high % of greeks, this is a must.

2.) Orientation re: SMU football is also a must. I love the idea of showing pony excess, or having JJ or Reinbold speak to incoming freshman. We have to hook them in early, much like fish camp at TAMU (barf, I know). If our own students don't attend games, how can we expect non-smu people to come? Learn the cheers, get pumped to see some quality football.

3.) Have a system to allow re-entry. We lose so many fans to the boulevard already...Please let folks wander in and out, get beer from their spot, watch some other games at halftime if they want, etc. But let them come back in. The boulevard is great, so incorporate it with the game and allow re-entry.

4.) If we have no $ for marketing, leverage what we already do have - have Dedman or Cox students focus on this issue and make it their project for the year to increase attendance, etc. This also gets more students involved in the process.

by **crazy horse** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 11:24 am

In a small defense of the students, if every undergrad, grad, continuing education, smu legacy, smu at Taos, faculty, staff, employee all showed up, we would still need about 20,000 fans to fill Ford. That's not to say that more should not be there, stay the entire game and make a lot of noise. I guess that was one benefit of taking the busses to Texas Stadium - you were stuck until the game ended.

We need those 40,000 DFW area alumni along with 20,000 or so from around Texas and build some bridges to the DFW sports fans, Methodist Churches, youth groups etc to get the stadium filled consistently.

Unless we are going to double the enrollment in the near future, we have to expand our fan base. There are not enough students to do it alone.

by **Samurai Stang** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 11:26 am

Eliminate fraternities. They are competition from within and only serve to divide the student body.

by **Mestengo** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 11:53 am

I already know what I'm going to do to help. I'm canceling my golf clap seats
And I'm going to buy and entire row with the money I save . Then I'm going to invite all my neighbors and friends And tell them they have a place to party right at 33.

by **ericdickerson4life** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 11:54 am

Physical force screw marketing.

by **ponyinNC** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 11:57 am

let's have a "goon squad" on the blvd to push people through the gates and into the stadium. Klemm can coach us how.

by **ericdickerson4life** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:01 pm

ponyinNC wrote:let's have a "goon squad" on the blvd to push people through the gates with the use of cattle prods into the stadium. Klemm can coach us how.

FIFY

by **ponyte** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:04 pm

Mestengo wrote:I already know what I'm going to do to help. I'm canceling my golf clap seats
And I'm going to buy and entire row with the money I save . Then I'm going to invite all my neighbors and friends And tell them they have a place to party right at 33.

I hate proactive people that find solutions through action.

by **smuuth** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:11 pm

Hey Coxmustang...don't you think opposing coaches are ALREADY using the "apathy" in their recruiting. Maybe that is why we recruit so few players from the metroplex! Students and fans need to know they are not just supporting SMU and it's teams, they ARE SMU! And it is so fun and when you win it is even better!

by **mrydel** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:13 pm

Mestengo wrote:I already know what I'm going to do to help. I'm canceling my golf clap seats
And I'm going to buy and entire row with the money I save . Then I'm going to invite all my neighbors and friends And tell them they have a place to party right at 33.

Are you going to buy row 8 in 104? If so thank you in advance if you will give me my tickets.

by **GiddyUp** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:20 pm

I thought I saw a vid clip where June and Doh already talk to incoming freshman about their importance.

by **GiddyUp** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:25 pm

Mestengo wrote:Close the stadium club and move all of those people down in the stands.

that would good for at least one game

by **Lebanese4Life** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:32 pm

Wow, he writes as if the team has been winning for decades and is on the verge of clinching a spot in the National Championship game. Newsflash: This is the first year in a long, long time that our team is actually relevant. This is the beginning and we just need to keep on winning and eventually more and more fans will come. Acting real cocky for a walk on imo..

by **photopony** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:38 pm

Too bad very few students actually read the paper, so few will ever read the call out.

Quickest solution to getting more students inside will be serving alcohol.

by **SMU1523** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:39 pm

Yeah, I am sick and tired of my fellow class mates not showing up to the damn game... We are on our way to being ranked and still have crappy attendance... Whoever said, "if you win, they will come..." is dead wrong... The person that said we need more die hard fans is right. Sure, every student says there an SMU Fan, but SMU is usually #3 or# 4 on their list depending on what geographic location their from... SMU is my number #1 team, it's not conditional on wins and losses... I'm not one of those people that is like, "well my dad went to Cal or OU so they are my number #1 team. No! F#ck that! Be a die hard fan for your school... The article was right... There are no excuses for showing up if your are a full time undergrad at SMU, because the damn game is free!!! The majority of the student body we have now is worthless... You can not make somebody be a fan... Our only hope is getting incoming classes pumped about their school and their team... Take ownership, because SMU Football is all of ours... It's my school, my team, and I am proud to be from SMU...