We are averaging 22,545 fans this year so far

[Charleston Pony]

I like this idea of kids under 13 getting in free. I've been saying for years that SMU has to target families in the Dallas area, much like the Cowboys did when they 1st arrived at the Cottom Bowl as an expansion NFL doormat. I'm sure the old timers remember how it came to be that the 'Boys wore white at home...it was because most football fans in Dalas identified with the Redskins, Giants, Eagles, etc,,, in THEIR colors, so that's the way Tex brought them into town. The Cowboys offered a deal to help fill the end zones in those years. My Dad would buy one $5 ticket and that allowed him to bring 5 kids free. Every home Sunday, we loaded up the family station wagon and treked off to the Cotton Bowl. Been a Cowboys fan ever since.

We need to fill the end zone at Ford with future Mustang fans and until we have enough demand to ask $$ for those seats, let 'em in free if Dad or Mom buys a reduced price ticket...probably $5 (remember, once those kids are inside, they will want concessions) I've sent this suggestion in every year. We need to work on dates like this where we are at risk of having only 10,000 fans. Need to ALWAYS have at least 20,000 in Ford

[MrMustang1965]

Besides promotions on the athletic department web site, was there any other publicity about this promotion around the Metroplex?

[Hoofbeat83]

down she goes.

[SoCal_Pony]

It has only been up over the past few years due to TTech, OSU, TCU and Baylor....that is why me and many others on this board are very concerned about scheduling SHS and Ark St

[SWC2010]

Besides promotions on the athletic department web site, was there any other publicity about this promotion around the Metroplex?

--
Yes- by word of mouth at the local Methodist churches.

Seriously, if today was Scout Day where were the Scouts? Were theythere wearing FCA t-shirts?

No intention to blame the Scouts- just pointing out the dismal results of Mustang FB Marketing.

A beautiful day in DFW... SMU FB returns to Ford after one of the most exciting upsets in recent history... and nobody is there? Virtually no Alum, no students, Greeks, etc.

Could someone from "Cox" give a '101' Marketing Class to the Athletic program?

[Charleston Pony]

We have proven that the only way to draw a respectable crowd to Ford Stadium is to invite TTech, OSU or someone that will bring the crowd...because very few care about SMU football (or basketball for that matter). Almost everyone on this board is well aware of this.

Long live the 1500

[Ponymon]

No one likes to see a loser, even the faculty that created this mess that we have been in for the last 16+ years. Under our model they continue to have total control and appear to be very content with the way things are. Anyone have an idea how many faculty members attend a game each year? I would bet not many. The only positive that could come from a decline in the program would be a decline in school attendance, which would lead to a decline in their compensation!

[Charleston Pony]

that decline in enrollment would also put their jobs at risk. THAT might get their attention, ya think?

[MrMustang1965]

From the DMN: only 11,715 attended Saturday's game. It was the third-smallest crowd in the six years of Ford Stadium's existence.

[BrianTinBigD]

What might also help is a later start as well. This time of the year every parent and their kids have some sort of sport going on during the day. Don't know what assistant AD is responsible for ticket sales but they are asleep at the switch like the rest of the program. There are usually 4 games a year that need to be really sold. This was one of them. High school games get better attendance. Suggestions that just might get kids to show up:

- Pee Wee Football Day - Every kid gets in free with his uniform. Coaches that bring in 10 kids get a free Rusty Burns Pee Wee Playbook(this is actually no more advanced than most coaches are running but it will work at least once)
- Band Day - Why don't we invite every HS band in the metroplex to the game. Send them music to Peruna and see if we can get 4000 kids with instruments to show up. Might be a great way to grow the size of the band.
- Have a concert after the game.
- Run a Guys Night out with The Ticket that has an SMU them.
- Sell Beer!
- Close every damn cafeteria on campus and make the students eat at the Mustang BBQ buffet.
- Offer a free car for a year to a student for every home game. Limit it to students that show up. Pick a students name every game but you have to be present to win. Get a dealership to sponsor this promo for every home game. Think that after 2 or 3 lazy students miss out on a free BMW for a year then they just might show up.
- Students get in free and I mean any student. Show a student ID and you are in. HS, Middle School or Elementary. It just does not matter. In fact we could let in any under 18 as well. It just doesn't matter. Get someone to show up.
- Autograph sessions every game. Bring in a Cowboy, Maverick, a Star, and an SMU great or 2 at every game.
- Give away SMU mini footballs. I used to love those things.
- Have give aways like T-Shirt Day, Dollar Dog Day, and Jim Copeland AD Magic Eight Balls. You can ask questions like " Will I kill my most succesful athletic program? "It looks promising"

Here are a few thoughts and I am sure that there are others that would work as well but we at least have to try. THE AD needs to be canned and maybe we can start over!