Moody Morgue

[Longtime]

Went to the Paul Quinn game last night and have to say I am thoroughly disappointed in the game presentation.

This is supposed to be a new era with a more professional marketing push. If anything, we've regressed. Excuse me for whining, but there are so many things wrong with the Moody presentation.

First of all, the new floor is too dark. It makes the whole arena look dark. Where you can see the old floor peeking out underneath, it looks much brighter. There's also a glare on the new floor from the overhead lights. I sure hope that goes away with time, but I doubt it.

The scoreboard is a waste of money. No replays. No video production. Not even messages, like when the next game is. The best thing about it is the updated stats for the players on the floor, but as a video component, we're not maximizing its potential. Just lots of crowd shots of old people and bored little kids.

Well, we did have COMPLIANCE TRIVIA. Are you kidding me? That's something you would put in a Saturday Night Live skit of an SMU game, not in real life. We really have "Compliance Trivia?" I'm flabbergasted.

Why was the band moved to a prime seat location, right in the middle of where potentially a large number of fans would be sitting? It's not just the seats the band occupies, but those around them that are affected by the noise and obstruction. At the east end of Moody is a large, vacant space where the band used to sit on the bleachers. At one time they even had a red-and-blue bandstand, with sheet music holders like a 40's era big band. That's where the band needs to be. They can be as loud as they want and it doesn't get in anyone's way. Love the band, but who wants to have their eardrums blown out?

I'm told the new floor, because it was laid on top of the old one, doesn't permit the bleachers to be pulled out. The bleachers help fill in the look of the arena at floor level. It looks very bare without them.

We've also flipped the team benches. So I guess Doherty doesn't want the band in that end, anyway. Why did he want the team bench on the other end?

I saw someone passing out Pony Up signs. Please, let's cut our losses with this campaign. Let Pony Up die quietly.

Here's a real nitpick, but one that says a lot of about the current state of marketing: the magnetic schedules. I got one with my tickets, and you couldn't make the type any smaller. Is that supposed to remind me to go to a game, when I have to pull out a magnifying glass just to read it? As a whole, the magnetic schedule looks like it was slapped together by someone with no design schools. It's cheap and shows little forethought - like a lot of SMU's failed marketing efforts of the past.

Another nit-pick: The wooden risers where the overflow media sits aren't even painted. Just nailed together, bare wood.

Just the overall feel at Moody was somber. The only people having a good time were the Paul Quinn students. At least we had some cheer and pom squad members there. They should come out on the court during every timeout, not just one or two timeouts a half.

I didn't even check out the concessions, but nothing caught my eye so I'm guessing there's no change from last year. You can get better prices and selections at most high school games.

Obviously, it's only November and it was a small crowd. We could hire a production crew to get the scoreboard up to speed. But things like where to put the band, the overly dark floor, and the inability to pull out the bleachers are big problems that aren't easily solved. Maybe when Moody finally gets overhauled those things can get fixed. Or maybe we can play games in the Crum Center. I bet it will be a lot nicer.

I just don't think you can expect people to pay $20 for a reserved seat at Moody in its current state. This area has a sophisticated sports market. Not only do the Mavericks play in a palace, but a lot of high schools in the area have nice, new arenas that are much more functional and aesthetically pleasing than Moody. Moody used to be a great place to watch a game but now it looks like a mess. Despite the efforts to improve, it was a better game experience with the old floor, the old scoreboard and the band blasting from the east end.

[The XtC]

I agree with almost everything. I dont understand why the scoreboard isnt used for anything other than the ridiculously annoying Cooooaaaaaach Dooooooh (Big Bad Doh) ads, where they stuck his face in the middle of a WW2 japanese flag. A friend said it reminded him of a Kentucky Fried Chicken ad from 25 years ago, so now I guess we also have Kentucky Fried Doh. Colonel SanDoh (I got a million of them). They did alot more with the board last year, and we didnt even get it until January. Now it's nothing, a million dollar, space eating, lump.

I hate the new floor. Too dark, and too busy, we need to get rid of half the lettering on it. The white lettering that says Moody and Dallas TX. is unneccessary and doesnt match well with the red and blue lettering at the borders. And I liked the big pony. I know alot of people didnt, but I liked it.

My guess is that they knew these OOC games wouldnt draw flies, so they didnt put any effort into the presentation. The people who come now are only the diehards, and they dont feel a need to impress us. Hopefully there will be more effort when our conference mates visit.

[KnuckleStang]

I sense some mispaced aggression here. If we were 5-0 and ranked and had enough fans in there to create some kind of hostile atmosphere for opponents, I'm not sure this thread would exist?

I happen to like the new floor about 10 times better than the old floor, but that's just personal taste I guess. And the Mustang Band can sit wherever they want as far as I'm concerned. Most of the time they are the only people making any noise at all.

For some reason I hadn't thought of the irony of the "Compliance Trivia" bit, that's pretty funny. But I'll have you know, at the Southern game, the contestant was Carley Phillips. If they keep letting her participate, she'll sell the place out by the time she graduates.

When I finally made it to Cameron Indoor a few yrs back I was struck by how similar it was to Moody in design, and also in that it is an old dump. Only difference is Cameron is filled w/ CRAZIES who don't care about the floor color/jumbotron and Moody is not. I think if we find a way to win some games, and fill Moody with MANIACS, nobody will care what color the floor is, and nobody will even be looking at the jumbotron.

[RGV Pony]

When I finally made it to Cameron Indoor a few yrs back I was struck by how similar it was to Moody in design, and also in that it is an old dump. Only difference is Cameron is filled w/ CRAZIES who don't care about the floor color/jumbotron and Moody is not. I think if we find a way to win some games, and fill Moody with MANIACS, nobody will care what color the floor is, and nobody will even be looking at the jumbotron.

You are 100% correct. What's more, it's more doable than most realize. Know how many student tickets they give out at Cameron? 1200. That's it. All we need are 1200 students. Hell, we can't put students behind the visiting bench, so all we need are 800 students at the game.

800 students + the 1500 + 1700 more = not a bad crowd.

[Longtime]

I wish that were true, Knucklestang, but comparing Duke basketball to SMU basketball is like apples to a wadded-up McDonald's bag left in a Wal-Mart parking lot. It's not even apples to oranges.

SMU has used the philosophy of, "Just wait til we win, then no will notice" for about 20 years now. We're still waiting.

Smart programs get ahead of the game. They make their product enjoyable regardless of how good the team is. Remember all the changes Cuban made when he first bought the Mavericks? You know, when they were the worst team in the NBA? You make the game presentation first-class, then when the team wins and the curious drop in, they're blown away and come back for more.

Yes, Moody and Cameroon Indoor are very similar. Except that at Cameron everyone is close to the court. At Moody, they don't even pull the bleachers out so you can sit close.

As I said before, the recent improvements have only made the game-watching experience worse. It would have been better to go totally retro and bill it as a Fenway-Wrigley type experience than the mismatched patchwork that is now Moody Coliseum.

[jtstang]

I wish that were true, Knucklestang, but comparing Duke basketball to SMU basketball is like apples to a wadded-up McDonald's bag left in a Wal-Mart parking lot.

A. That made me laugh.

[KnuckleStang]

Yes, Moody and Cameroon Indoor are very similar. Except that at Cameron everyone is close to the court. At Moody, they don't even pull the bleachers out so you can sit close.

I agree with you on this. The bleachers need to be pulled out, I want Bobby Knight to get mad again! Oh wait they moved the students...never mind.

[abezontar]

Remember all the changes Cuban made when he first bought the Mavericks? You know, when they were the worst team in the NBA?

Does Dennis Rodman have any eligibility left?

[Peruna2001]

Went to the Paul Quinn game last night and have to say I am thoroughly disappointed in the game presentation.

This is supposed to be a new era with a more professional marketing push. If anything, we've regressed. Excuse me for whining, but there are so many things wrong with the Moody presentation.

All you ever do is complain! Just pointing it out. I don't care if that's all you do, but just an observation.

First of all, the new floor is too dark. It makes the whole arena look dark. Where you can see the old floor peeking out underneath, it looks much brighter. There's also a glare on the new floor from the overhead lights. I sure hope that goes away with time, but I doubt it.

I hate the new floor. Too dark, and too busy, we need to get rid of half the lettering on it. The white lettering that says Moody and Dallas TX. is unneccessary and doesnt match well with the red and blue lettering at the borders. And I liked the big pony. I know alot of people didnt, but I liked it.

Personally, I like the new floor. When the old floor was voted one of the ugliest bball courts, I agreed. Once the rest of the arena is upgraded, I think it will look much better. The lettering on the court is meant to help us out on tv. If it doesn't look good on tv or when the rest of the arena is done, I might change my opinion.

The scoreboard is a waste of money. No replays. No video production. Not even messages, like when the next game is. The best thing about it is the updated stats for the players on the floor, but as a video component, we're not maximizing its potential. Just lots of crowd shots of old people and bored little kids.

I somewhat agree with you on this. At the moment, there is nothing up there. They seem to be introducing new things little by little. There was the pig races, the Mavs commercial they keep showing with no sound, and a couple of other things. Even though it was a little creepy, I somewhat liked the eyes showing during free throws or when there was a player spotlighted. Why we don't have the same production level that we did last season, I have no idea.

Well, we did have COMPLIANCE TRIVIA. Are you kidding me?

Agreed!

Why was the band moved to a prime seat location, right in the middle of where potentially a large number of fans would be sitting?
...
We've also flipped the team benches. So I guess Doherty doesn't want the band in that end, anyway. Why did he want the team bench on the other end?

The point is to make the free throw shooting harder in the second half for the visiting team. That section of seats is additional student seating. Right now, we don't have enough students showing up! I also think that area is generally where most school's bands sit. Obviously it would be better to have the visiting team's bench have students making lots of noise on both sides. That's the reason the bench was moved too.

Only difference is Cameron is filled w/ CRAZIES who don't care about the floor color/jumbotron and Moody is not. I think if we find a way to win some games, and fill Moody with MANIACS, nobody will care what color the floor is, and nobody will even be looking at the jumbotron.

I agree completely! Things change and there are a lot more changes to come. Maybe once everything is complete, including Doh's rebuilding process, you will stop complaining so much.

[bagice]

I agree with most of your points.

To me the biggest one is the band move and the switch of the benches. That is a TERRIBLE place for the band......Looks really Micky Mouseish....

That dead spot where the band used to be is flat out ugly. If its true they can no longer pull out those bleachers (which is beyond dumb, but another story if really true), they should set up a nice band area there and let them go wild. Two problems solved, the band will have a nice spot to be seen better by everyone, and the dead spot would be filled. Of course you don't want your bench by the band, so flip it back. I know he wanted to do the flipping mainly so the crowd could distract FTs in the second half, but the same could be accomplished by the band throwing tubas in the air. Make that change and that will reallyl help.

I too agree I don't really like the new floor, but it will grow on me I am sure and that is not a major concernt. I actually liked the old floor, big red pony and all.

Fix the band and dead spot and we will get the ball rolling the right way.

[ponyup10]

We've also flipped the team benches. So I guess Doherty doesn't want the band in that end, anyway. Why did he want the team bench on the other end?

The reason the bench was moved is because that is the side that the Crum Center is on, and the team's lockerroom will be there. That will allow the team to just go straight to their bench and not have to go across the entire court.

[MustangStealth]

I agree with the general attitude on the band location. Another thing to keep in mind is that when they were in the wooden bleachers they stood up and made some noise. Now that they have comfy seats, I've noticed a number of them sitting whenever they aren't playing. It has taken away most of the little bit of atmosphere we had in Moody.

Also, has everyone noticed that the Guaranty Bank logos on the floor don't match?

[newshound]

Don't tell us to stop complaining. The product sucks. The arena sucks. The concessions suck. The presentation sucks. The cheerleaders uniforms even suck. Lots of sucking going on.

Remember these rules: 1. The customer is always right. 2. When the customer is wrong, see Rule 1. How about the fact that at least five overhead lights IN THE ARENA were burned out? How about the fact the FOUR of the 14 lights in the front on the building's overhang were burned out? How about the fact that our banners (none since 1993) are hung from the rafters with CLAMPS?

Winning will not solve a thing. Nothing. You have to create a pleasant, fun environment FIRST, especially if your team is getting run by the likes of Alabama State and Centenary. Longtime has good points about Cuban, fixing the cosmetics first, then fixing the team.

As for marketing? They get what they pay for. What was Richard Sweet's deal and how come he was never replaced? What are all those sales people doing all day (they have four of them, right?).

I have been to college basketball games in perhaps 40 or 50 arenas. SMU is at the very bottom. the worst game presentation by far. They should be embarrassed. If I were a student, I wouldn't even think about coming to a game.

Don't hang this on the Moody renovation, either. Crum and the scoreboard aren't even paid for yet.

Just terrible. And, if you work over there and you are tried of the complaints that are now in their 15th-20th year, then do something about it already. Sheesh.

[friarwolf]

At least they got the color adjusted on the jumbo-tron........

The game presentation is bush league - actually, that is an insult to the bush leagues.........Our goal is to be top 25 in all sports, right?????? That includes presentation and ours is about ummmm, how many D-1 schools are there in basketball???? Put us at the bottom..........

[KnuckleStang]

Don't tell us to stop complaining. The product sucks. The arena sucks. The concessions suck. The presentation sucks. The cheerleaders uniforms even suck. Lots of sucking going on.

Remember these rules: 1. The customer is always right. 2. When the customer is wrong, see Rule 1. How about the fact that at least five overhead lights IN THE ARENA were burned out? How about the fact the FOUR of the 14 lights in the front on the building's overhang were burned out? How about the fact that our banners (none since 1993) are hung from the rafters with CLAMPS?

Winning will not solve a thing. Nothing. You have to create a pleasant, fun environment FIRST, especially if your team is getting run by the likes of Alabama State and Centenary. Longtime has good points about Cuban, fixing the cosmetics first, then fixing the team.

As for marketing? They get what they pay for. What was Richard Sweet's deal and how come he was never replaced? What are all those sales people doing all day (they have four of them, right?).

I have been to college basketball games in perhaps 40 or 50 arenas. SMU is at the very bottom. the worst game presentation by far. They should be embarrassed. If I were a student, I wouldn't even think about coming to a game.

Don't hang this on the Moody renovation, either. Crum and the scoreboard aren't even paid for yet.

Just terrible. And, if you work over there and you are tried of the complaints that are now in their 15th-20th year, then do something about it already. Sheesh.

Again, misplaced agression. Our team is terrible, and you blame burnt out lightbulbs. If we were winning, I doubt you would have time to notice the CLAMPS holding up the banners. (???) Or maybe you would, I don't know...Pretty sure if Cuban had only repaired the team and waited to repair the cosmetics later, he'd still be doing well. Nothing is wrong with Moody that a widened concourse and a dominant team won't fix.