SMU Needs to Recruit the "Lost Generation"

[smupony94]

So does a&m

[03Mustang]

As a young alum (December 2003) I was sorely disappointed in the demographics at the bowl game. I didn't see very many people my age and was hoping to run into old friends. Sadly, I called many and if I was lucky they were going to watch the game on TV and those are people that live in Dallas. One of the depressing aspects of my fanaticism for SMU athletics is that aside from this board I really don't have very many friends I can share it with. Most of my classmates are very apathetic. Sitting in section 221 on thursday I was lucky to have a young alum next to me and we were the only ones cheering. I attribute this to the older crowd. Between the two of us we started chants and that helped spread the passion a little more throughout the section. When he left to go to the concessions I was unable to start any chants as no one followed my lead. I think that aside from the Mustang Club, maybe we as members of ponyfans could organize get-togethers. I realize that many of you may know each other but the only poster I know here is prof x/xtc/his newest handle, and that's because he was my chem lab ta. My past experience in attending some of the watching parties in Houston is that the people that show up can be pretty lame and disengaged from the actual game. I know that my game day experience would be much better if I was sitting with more hard core fans. I also think that it would be easier to spread our fanaticism if people saw us in large numbers. After all isn't the slogan stronger as one!!!

PS I know Kevin Knox from the business school tries to do his part in spreading the word, but I think we as alums need to unite so that it comes from us and spreads more easily.

I agree with all of this - I graduated 2003 as well and the attitude of most alums from that time is just sickening.

[NickSMU17]

Win and they will come...thats the secret...

Please do not spew that we have been winning....

We have 1 winning season, MC donations double...I would expect another increase this year...but to get the dallas fan, you need to get into TCU's realm...

[b_caesar]

Also, I like the point system idea. The mavs do something similar to encourage attendance among season ticketholders.

That would help attendance at our other sporting events, too. Definitely like the idea.

[smupony94]

PS I know Kevin Knox from the business school tries to do his part in spreading the word, but I think we as alums need to unite so that it comes from us and spreads more easily.

Wish we had more KK's

[Longtime]

Great thread that has a lot of angles to it:

- There is indeed a lost generation. And Stallion's right, it's not just the alums who graduated post-DP, it's those of us who were there in the good times of the 1980s. A lot of my 1980s peers just can't get into C-USA football because they see it as a big step below when we were in the SWC. Many of their friends and associates went to schools that made the cut for the Big 12 and it's hard to brag about a big win over Tulsa when your buddies are beating UT and A&M. Phil Bennett was right- getting left out of the Big 12 was a second DP.

- TCU also lost a generation of fans in the 1960s, 70s and much of the 80s. I bet a lot of them are back on the bandwagon. Their fan base was blue hairs and hard-cores until they started winning and going to bowl games in the late 90s. For some people, winning is the only thing that will bring them back. It's just human nature to want to associate with winners. Otherwise, it's not worth rushing from your kids' soccer games to get to Ford Stadium.

- There may not be many people on The Boulevard during games, but that doesn't mean we aren't missing people in the stands who were on the 'Vard. I'm sure a lot of students go straight from the 'Vard to other parties and activities, and probably a few other people, too. Every time I party on the 'Vard, there are always people in my group who don't have tickets. If they can find freebies, they'll go to the game. If not, they go home.

- I'm not sure a point system is much of a solution. You'll simply be rewarding the hardcores who've already bought into the program. Earning points toward some prize isn't going to get the casual fan to make the commitment to attending a football or basketball game, especially against one of our many unappealing opponents.

- The point about the Mustang Club (and SMU athletics in general) reaching out beyond The Bubble is an excellent one, and one that's been made many times before. To accomplish this, it would take a savvy, professional marketing plan. Since that's not going to happen anytime soon, it would be nice to see the SMU logo a little more around town. There is a larger SMU presence in the Dallas area than you'd know by counting bumper stickers and house flags. The yard signs this year were a great grass-roots effort, but there needs to be more of that stuff. When is the last time you got a free SMU sticker? Or a poster? There may never be another Mustang Mania campaign of that scale again, but the lesson of Mustang Mania is that inexpensive giveaway items (many of which can be sponsored) can go a long way toward keeping SMU's name in the public consciousness.

- The bottom line to all of this is that winning cures everything. There's no magic solution beyond winning, but the worst thing anyone can do is get discouraged and stop doing our part. We've got an opportunity to put a string of winning seasons together in football and this is not the time to be discouraged.

[malachi896]

As a young alum (December 2003) I was sorely disappointed in the demographics at the bowl game. I didn't see very many people my age and was hoping to run into old friends. Sadly, I called many and if I was lucky they were going to watch the game on TV and those are people that live in Dallas. One of the depressing aspects of my fanaticism for SMU athletics is that aside from this board I really don't have very many friends I can share it with. Most of my classmates are very apathetic. Sitting in section 221 on thursday I was lucky to have a young alum next to me and we were the only ones cheering. I attribute this to the older crowd. Between the two of us we started chants and that helped spread the passion a little more throughout the section. When he left to go to the concessions I was unable to start any chants as no one followed my lead. I think that aside from the Mustang Club, maybe we as members of ponyfans could organize get-togethers. I realize that many of you may know each other but the only poster I know here is prof x/xtc/his newest handle, and that's because he was my chem lab ta. My past experience in attending some of the watching parties in Houston is that the people that show up can be pretty lame and disengaged from the actual game. I know that my game day experience would be much better if I was sitting with more hard core fans. I also think that it would be easier to spread our fanaticism if people saw us in large numbers. After all isn't the slogan stronger as one!!!

PS I know Kevin Knox from the business school tries to do his part in spreading the word, but I think we as alums need to unite so that it comes from us and spreads more easily.

I agree with all of this. I have season tickets and every game I have to beg friends who graduated at the same time as me to come with me to the games. I can convince many to come for a game or two, but to get consistent attendance from them will be impossible until we are a consistent winner on the level of TCU/Boise State. I agree with you that it would help if we could get a group of alumni our age together to improve the game day experience.

[westexSMU]

We have good coaches who are already recruiting in the Top 50. The program will continue to improve in all respects, but again we are going to have to produce a lot better effort in reaching out to develope better fan support. We need a marketing team who is confident in rebuilding fan support at SMU and who has financial incentives to do so. We can't just say only that when we win they will come. That is of course true to some extent, but it is going to take effort by marketing beyond what the coaches are doing to get a lot more support from college fans here in Dallas. I like several ideas expressed here, but the effort needed in marketing this program, concerning fan development for the future, is just not getting done right now.

[SMUer]

What about getting a special section of stadium seating reserved just for "Mustang Maniacs" with cheap $72-$100 season tickets bought through the Mustang Club? I think they are/have started something like this for students (who get free tickets/have incentive anyway) but hell, give them to adult fans as well. Season tickets would come with a "Mustang Maniac" T-Shirt or season-themed T-Shirt, a "SMU" soccer style scarf or SMU bandana and a membership card and discount entitling them to a 10% off at http://shop.smumustangs.com/. Put them in 101 or 108/9 directly across the field from the student section and give them first option to a block of the SMU's seating on away games. This could be very powerful. MLS teams and US Soccer in general suffers similar problems to what we are complaining about here...low attendance..."alumni" apathy...minuscule marketing budgets...poor national and regional exposure...but teams/fans have created these membership "Supporter groups" for getting people together who rabidly love their teams. Go to an FC Dallas game and there are always 1 or 2 sections reserved for "Hoops Nation/The Inferno". They all sit behind one goal-net, wave flags, make up their own cheers, throw confetti, stand the entire time and since everyone there feels the same amount of passion for their team, everyone is okay with it. It would be like a 2nd student section and who knows, maybe that "hooliganism" will be infectious and become popular in other sections of the crowd. Houston's FC Dynamo has two Supporter Groups: Texian Army and El Batallon.

Being an active fan can be hard at Ford Stadium because the few of us are sprinkled about with unappreciative blue hairs being in-between. If they could condense us, it'd be great. I've tried to get friends to buy season tickets with me but there is really no incentive because most only go to a few, aren't as into it as I am and know they can always get cheap tickets on game day and sit wherever they want. If joining Mustang Club meant having the opportunity of getting discounted tickets and sitting in a section composed entirely of PonyFans, I would join in a second. I know a lot of you guys sit in 102-104 but those tickets are a little to rich for my young alumni blood.

US Soccer - Sam's Army
US Soccer - American Outlaws
FC Dallas - The Inferno
Houston Dynamo - Texian Army

[b_caesar]

Being an active fan can be hard at Ford Stadium because the few of us are sprinkled about with unappreciative blue hairs being in-between. If they could condense us, it'd be great.

Great suggestion SMUer. We all love and appreciate our veteran fans but it would be great if they had a section dedicated to more vocal fans. There were games where I felt like I was trapped in a Gray Poupon commercial.

There was one point during the AFB game that there was a smattering of polite applause on the SMU side of the stadium for a phenomenally good play by SMU. Made me laugh at the absurdity of the mealy response by the crowd that should have been really fired up at that point.

[Samurai Stang]

What about getting a special section of stadium seating reserved just for "Mustang Maniacs" with cheap $72-$100 season tickets bought through the Mustang Club?

Well, I believe 109/209 is already $72 per season ticket. Following SMUer's idea, I think they should convert 109/209 to a "rowdy" section. I would definitely have my seats there...same MC donation though!

A loud section would be beneficial, as it would provide not only greater enthusiasm, but would also aid in demonstrating that there is SMU fanaticism. Apart our voices are weak, but united they are strong!

[SMUer]

You know, TCU winning the Rose Bowl nauseated me extremely and inspired me at the same time. If people really would be into joining a rowdier section a' la MLS supporter groups, I'll organize it. PM me so I can gauge the preliminary interest level. It'd be much easier to do through the Mustang Club since they already have a website, money and AD/ticketing contacts, but if they won't do it, hell I'll be pro-active and make the SMU experience what I want it to be.

Current up front costs (depending on where we sit):
$72/individual for 109, 110-114
$120/individual for 123-125
$120+$37.5(1/4th MC donation) for 100, 101, 107, 108

I'll put where we sit up to a vote, but I think my goal would be to get per ticket membership under $100, if possible. If we get enough individuals, maybe the SMU ticket office would offer a 30-40% to put us in Sec 123-125 but otherwise I think it's 109, 110-114, hopefully with some sort of mega-block discount by the ticket office.

$25/individual T-Shirt
$25/individual Soccer Style Scarf
$25/individual SMU-logo Bandana

I'll get a discount on all of these in large enough blocks but in FY1, we'll have to choose one. I kinda like the SMU-Bandana because it is cheap and can tie-in with a "Pony Express" group name, if we choose that, but the soccer style scarf would be more visable during games. Plus a white bandana might confuse people into thinking we are the KKK. Red, blue or not at all.

I'll print membership cards but can't guarantee any sort of discount. Future items like stickers, license plate covers, vehicle emblems may come, depending on interest and success. Would anyone be seriously interested in joining "NAME TO BE DETERMINED" for 2011? $100 gets you the best we can get seats and a T-shirt/scarf/or bandana. I'd set up a Dues/Beer Night at the Old Monk/Meddlesome Moth/Bavarian Grill or something like that and we can have intermediate meetings to decide themes, cheers, incentives, travel plans, etc. Spring-Fall.

[Stallion]

I think the group should be called the Warriors

[PK]

There was one point during the AFB game that there was a smattering of polite applause on the SMU side of the stadium for a phenomenally good play by SMU. Made me laugh at the absurdity of the mealy response by the crowd that should have been really fired up at that point.

[I'm4Peruna]

I thought I could keep my mouth shut, BUT.... I guess not. As an MATURE PONY (1975) I am saddened that Mustangxc and 03Mustang did not look up at the top of section 221. You would have seen many "Mature Ponies --no blue hair, thanks) standing and cheering through the whole game. I love your ideas of how to improve enthusiasm. I wish you the best of luck in your venture and would support you any way possible. I only wish my two family alumni and myself were young enough to join you. We will do our best cheering over in the MC section. Good luck to all of you, however, please do not dismiss those loyal SMU fans who love our school.