WAC basketball attendance

[cowboypony]

Horseradish, my point is simply this: we are NOT getting it done and I CANNOT, WILL NOT and HAVE NOT been convinced that we're going after our target market in an efficient or effective manner. As I said before, winning is the first and most important ingredient. After that, we must change the way we promote and market the program. I'll give you a small example, at the Methodist Church that I attend here in the metroplex (a pretty large one by the way), I asked our youth directors if they had ever received any correspondence from SMU about bringing youth groups to games. Their answer: NO, NEVER. Almost every weekend, our Church youth groups do a planned activity. Methodist youth groups all over the place do the same thing. When I was in high school, SMU actively marketed to the church groups and we went to about 3 SMU events a year. We brought about 60-70 people to each event. This is merely one small example of how we market (and, inexpensively I might add) to a target market. And, please, don't anyone come on here and tell me that they do that with the Methodist churches today. There might be a token effort to get the church groups here but not like it was during Russ Potts years. There ARE things that can be done right now even BEFORE we start winning.

[Charleston Pony]

just saw the ad on smumustangs.com that we are selling a "3 pack" for the Tusa, Rice & La Tech games for only $10. That's a great deal. I hope we are advertising that in the DMN. We should make sure the beat writer knows this and puts it in the pre-game and post-game articles this week.

Hey, winning one of these two road games this week would go a long ways towards creating some interest. With a legitimate chance at winning the WAC title, maybe we can even wake up the student body and get them out to support their classmates?

[MustangBandsman]

While it would be nice to see 6,000 students at every game, we all know that just won't happen. But I will say that I have noticed an improvement in student attendance this year. Those OT games were awesome and I know each and every student was excited as all else at the end of those games. What I want to know is where are the people in the blue seats across from the students. That section has been maybe 1/2 full at best all season. There were easily more students at the last game than people in the lower level blue seats across the court. How awesome would it be as a student to look across the court and see a packed wall of people? Instead they see clusters of people sitting down and golf-clapping (not all of you, but a lot). Sure, I'd like to see more students there, but I think this season is better than last for student attendance. Beating TCU helped a lot, but then losses to unknown teams like Boise St at home kill any momentum. OK, now I am just rambling.

[Charleston Pony]

removing the students from the north side bleachers was one of the worst things that ever happened to the environment at Moody. Of course, if there aren't enough students attending to pack both sides, what's the point? All I know is that when I was at SMU in the early 70's, we packed both sides of the bleachers for all except the Christmas break games. Of course, we were playing in the SWC and had some decent teams and had the great Gene Philips to attract interest in the team and our opponents. It was never anything like Cameron Indoor, but I remember many a game where we stood for a good part of the game and managed to get pretty rowdy.

The question is: if we remodeled Moody and created suites or cushy club seating up in the mezanine or even at the top of Moody and got that "golf clap" group away from courtside, could we generate enough student interest to fill those courtside bleachers?

[MustangBandsman]

My point wasn't that students could fill the whole lower level (wish I was here then), but that people always [deleted] about the students never showing up, when there are just as many empty seats on the season tickets side. I think alumni are often guilted into buying tickets to games they will most likely never attend. So if you have tickets to an SMU game, YOU SHOULD SHOW UP. That's my only gripe. There were quite a few students at the last game vs Hawaii. Heilbron sent out an email about the game being on tv so a lot of students brought signs and were extra rowdy. There were even some students filling up the seats next to us (the band) behind the east basket. One thing I have noticed is that there seems to be more female students showing up than male students. I don't mind this one bit, but I was always curious why this is.

[Eddie P]

Horseradish-

Will all due respect, i will have to disagree with you on the Woody Norris thing. I won't debate the merits of each of the episodes you have laid entirely at his feet (Yeah, like he has that much unilateral power) but I will say this and I think many on this board can agree and understand this idea: Woody Norris is a business man. And he runs things like a business. If he does nothing else, that will be a godsend to this department. We have some great people, but none have the background in running a "service-oriented" business like Woody Norris. And we have desperately needed that for a looong time.

[This message has been edited by Eddie P (edited 02-10-2003).]

[Pony_Fan]

I emailed Shawn from marketing with my thoughts and he was gracious and responded. he was happy to answer my questions and i think was happy to have someone who cares

email him your thoughts, suggestions, and other stuff from smumustangs.com as you have said here.

[Horseradish]

cowboy, I agree with you that we are not efficient, and personally I dont think our marketing department even knows what our target market is. What I was saying is that the department already hired someone they thought would be the big time marketing solution, and they are paying him as if he will be. So, already having one guy being paid $125,000 a year, I seriously doubt we're going to hire someone else in the same capacity. Brett Barnett just got fired a few weeks ago, the marketing department is getting smaller, not bigger.

Eddie, yes, Woodie Norris does have that kind of unilateral power.



[This message has been edited by Horseradish (edited 02-10-2003).]

[Eddie P]

I won't get into a procedural argument with you because it's a waste of both of our time. And you appear to have a working knowledge of the situation so I won't belittle you like some on here who just talk out of their [deleted] all the time.

Two points I was interested in hearing your response to:

1) My comments regarding Norris bringing a "business mentality."

2) What about the Mustang Kroger card? Is that not a great and innovative way to raise funds?? I had everybody in my office switch their Kroger cards over to the Mustang card. That's just free money. What are your thoughts on this?

3) I'll still disagree with the unilateral thing but I'll ask him to clarify that today at lunch with him, just so I have my facts straight as well.

[MrMustang1965]

Is the Kroger card only good in the Metroplex? I live in Houston and we've got Kroger stores here, too. I've got the card on my key ring as well as in my wallet. Just curious.

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"Winning ain't everything...but it's a lot more fun than the alternative!" S.M.U. SPIRIT: IT STARTS NOW!

[Eddie P]

That's the beauty of it! You can use it anywhere. And we'll still profit from it. In addition, I've heard that there will be special deals available to only the SMU community and these deals will be posted online. I like that as well.

[Horseradish]

Thats actually 3 points Ed, but here are my short answers:

1.) if you mean Woodie is trying to market the athletic department as if it it were a professional sport, rather than a college program, then I agree with you. Otherwise I'm not sure what you are saying. If this is truly like a business, then I'd like to see the books and calculate our ROI (Return on Investment.)

2.) the Kroger card seems like a good idea.

3.) I'm not sure why this one is so hard to believe? Woodie is Senior Asssociate Athletic Director, the only one above him is Copeland, and Copeland gives him plenty of discretion to do what he wants. He's convinced Jim that he has a plan and that plan will solve our problems, or at least produce substantial results. So, Jim is letting him run with it. His ideas get implemented, because there isnt anyone to tell him no. Jim trusts Woodies opinions when it comes to marketing, so he his plans get funded and put into action. Its not such an uncommon thing, why is it so difficult to believe?



[This message has been edited by Horseradish (edited 02-11-2003).]

[MrMustang1965]

Thanks, EddieP! Looks like my biz just went from Randall's (Tom Thumb) to Kroger's!!!!

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"Winning ain't everything...but it's a lot more fun than the alternative!" S.M.U. SPIRIT: IT STARTS NOW!

[Eddie P]

Mr Mustang 1965-

Glad to be of assistance. Please spread the word.

Horseguy-

I am aware of Norris's position and responsibilities as well as his position as it relates to Mr. Copeland. I spoke with Copeland not half an hour ago...my knowledge of their positions is adequate.

My point was simply that you would make it appear that a relative newcomer to the department is some type of cowboy who does everything with no consultation/consensus from others around him. That nobody has any input other than him and that everybody has become a mute in Moody whenever Norris has an idea. Like there's some type of tyranny afoot. It's the negative connotation that you attach to this individual that has caused me to respond. (By the way, I like your terse response to the Kroger Card: Good idea)

Here's a proposition: Reasonable people can disagree. I know Woody Norris is a reasonable man. If you are a reasonable man/woman perhaps you would consider e-mailing him at [email protected] or stopping by the Mustang Club office to talk with him. If you care enough about this program to post on this board and you have issues with the way that this one individual, whom you have pointed out for scrutiny from the entire athletic staff, why not converse with him and share your ideas??
Is that not a reasonable solution?

[BTPony]

While those of you in the "know" debate the qualifications of our marketing director, this SMU alumuni is unimpressed. I don't care how qualified Norris might be as a marketer, he has failed to present our product to the larger Dallas community. Thumbs up to the Kroger card, thumbs up to the American Idol spin-off, thumbs up to everything else - it's just a shame nobody knows they exist. If our marketing director was worth his weight in salt we'd have at least the following:
1) Daily coverage in the DMN (not simply updates),
2) Prominent advertisement (ie. billboards on 75 near the university),
3) Ads on a diverse group of local radio stations,
4) Representation at each of the Dallas profesional sports arenas.

The list goes on......