Cowlishaw Article 8.17.2011

[lwjr]

Looking at it from my point of view, I try to attend a couple of basketball games a year when I am in Dallas. I always buy first to support the programs. I have no problem giving tickets away from time to time, but if it gets to the point someone will not attend unless that person is given a free ticket I don't think you are building much of a fan base.
The Ross Potts/Brad Davis Mustang Mania days are a good example. Yes it was fun attending SMU games in the Cotton Bowl with 40-50K fans, as soon as the freebies ran out people quit coming.

[Stallion]

Yes but Potts/Thomas knew that putting fans in the stands was part of the solution. Always remember Potts put the Fans in the Stands before Dickerson/James and the best Recruiting Class in SMU History ever decided to play at SMU. They very probably would never have considered SMU otherwise. Its not a long term solution these days because of stadium size and SMU couldn't bargain away 40,000 seats for a Corporate Ad campaign like Potts did. But they had a merketing plan and I'd say it was probably the most successful in NCAA History. What is the Plan we have today

[skyscraper]

What is the Plan we have today

That's the biggest issue I have with SO's comments yesterday. He was right in that our alumni are still giving SMU football the cold shoulder. But just sitting and waiting for them to come back isn't right either.

[smuuth]

SMU has so many fine qualities but some of you guys are choosing to compare us against huge state institutions with a need for 80,000 seat stadiums in the big 12 south. Aren't Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State in the big 12? Their stadiums aren't that out of line with beautiful Ford Field. Where would you as a fan like to travel? LAwrence, Ames, Manhatan, Norman, Waco, Lubbock, Stillwater? Or Big D and the surrounding area. WE are a wonderful private university with a small student population and a small alumni base . Surely their is a place for quality in the Big 12! I don't think USC has an on-campus stadium last time I looked.

[lwjr]

Yes but Potts/Thomas knew that putting fans in the stands was part of the solution. Always remember Potts put the Fans in the Stands before Dickerson/James and the best Recruiting Class in SMU History ever decided to play at SMU. They very probably would never have considered SMU otherwise. Its not a long term solution these days because of stadium size and SMU couldn't bargain away 40,000 seats for a Corporate Ad campaign like Potts did. But they had a merketing plan and I'd say it was probably the most successful in NCAA History. What is the Plan we have today

Stallion,
No doubt it was a great if not the greatest marketing plan to ever hit college football and yes I believe it was one of the reasons Dickerson/James went to SMU, but as you mentioned it was and is not a long term solution.
What is the Marketing Plan today? ZILCH, NADA, NOTHING! That is one of the saddest aspects of our current climb back into the national spotlight.
I would like your opinion, Is the lack of any marketing due to no funding, even though I think supporters would step up to help fund and get it started, SMU arrogance, lack of knowledge or some other reason? I'm sure you have commented on this before but I can not recall. Me, I think it is a little of all of the above..

[RednBlue11]

Seems like an honest assessment to me

well, '94's back for real

[SMU89]

Alumni base would seem to be the major argument. An example is when TTech comes we fill up the stadium but mostly with TTech fans. We need the major portion of the stadium to be SMU fans.

Over the past several years I have spent thousands of dollars trying to get people interested in SMU athletics.

Purchasing tickets, buying meals, even covering transportation.

What I have discovered is what I knew from the get-go.

Unless you are a die-hard fan, you could care less about most of our opponents. Also, when you attend a game and the stadium is less than 1/2 filled you start asking yourself, why am I here????

I have no problem getting people to attend the Baylor, OK State, TTech and TCU games. Even if SMU loses, the atmosphere makes up for it, especially on the Blvd. On the other end of the spectrum, I have offered nice dinners (SMU BB games), free snacks at the game, and good tickets for our lesser opponents. Answer is almost always, thanks but no thanks. In fact, I now do not offer tickets to the lesser opponents as I am afraid they will be turned off by SMU altogether.

Sometimes we need to look in the mirror.....

[Eddie P]

Back in some MC meetings, with the much maligned former AD, it was pointed out that SMU has never drawn a giant, consistent crowd. Many of you were around for those days in TX Stadium. You know...Eric Dickerson, Ahole James, etc. No, I'm not talking about Doak Walker Cotton Bowl days. Spare us all and save it for the nostalgia thread.

SMU struggled with the same underlying attendance issues when we were Good. While I'm not quite sure what the answer is, I think it's important to get rid of dusty nostalgia and face the hard facts. We reside in a front running city. We are a pro sports town. We are very blessed that we have 5 wonderful franchises who (usually) compete at the highest levels for championships. Sports-wise, we live in an embarrassment of riches. We werent exactly knocking it out of the park when we WERE in the SWC conference with great teams. Somehow this fact seems to elude people who brag about how selling out against a prime opponent somehows speaks highly of the home team. But we dont deal in facts here do we? Or very rarely...it is the interwebs.

TCU found a way to craft a plan to make TCU relevant, somewhat. It took many years, but its happening. Other examples exist. SMU is "heading" towards that better commitment. It takes time. We may have run out of time with regards to the latest realignment, but these things dont happen overnight. They have been working for many, many years. And the work continues. That's not a glamorous thought, but sometimes life isnt glamorous. It doesnt have to be if its productive.

[SoCal_Pony]

as much as I mention the 13,000 for the Rice game, in fairness, I also remember being at Texas Stadium when we played against TCU and attendance was 50,000 without any sales give-away gimmicks.

We also drew relatively well against Baylor if I recall.

But I specifically remember that TCU game on a Saturday night and thought at the time, maybe TCU and SMU have stumbled across something big here. It was a great crowd. Maybe in 1982?

[ThadFilms]

How is everyone not up in arms right now at the Cowlishaw piece on the front page of DMN SportsDay?!?!?! Cowlishaw re: SMU to Big XII: "Sounds good at the moment, but small stadium, alumni base make it unrealistic." I am e-mailing Cowlishaw immediately, I encourage everyone else to as well!!!!

We MUST get the word out that it IS realistic for SMU to be in the big 12...

E-mail Cowlishaw at [email protected]

Why should we be up in arms? He's right. Dudes, we're on the right track. I haven't read Colishaw's article nor any of the responses herein. Just this post.

Seriously, let's get a grip. We have one of the best coaches (I actually think he's THE best... and that is from well before him coming here or before I became lucky enough to call him a friend) in the country. We have a football program on the rise. Good things are going to happen. But for now, let's let some top notch guys - that we have in charge - run this ship.

Seriously, we are witnessing one of the most amazing things college football fans can hope for... their downtrodden program come back to life! And start winning again!!! Let's enjoy that.

And we have a guy like June Jones who won't take no for an answer at the helm! Look, the fans will have their say, we will have our voice... but not like this. SMU is just beginning to build a new fan base. For all of us old time fans, calm it down.

Step back and see that Colishaw is right, in his own way. But I guarantee you with white hot certainty that this bunch we have here today lead up by June and Orsini (and yes - I know there is a lot of negativity towards SO on this board but I can no longer see any reason why - esp. when coupled with June) - they will lead us to where we want to go. Right now our "obligation", if we want to see it as that - as fans is to bring more fans to the table. Colishaw will never see these emails and never take them to heart.

Look, I had a great conversation with June my last time in Dallas about all of this conference bull roar. Look something is going to happen something is about to happen, but... if I can give one piece of advice to everyone here: chill out.

Great things are afoot for our SMU Mustangs. We have the right folks leading us. There might be a time when the fans are needed to rise up and show themselves, but that time is not now. Because we are still a laughable number.

Just win, baby.

The fans will come... and with more fans?

Well then this point is moot.... and the our fans rising up will be to cheer on a National Championship!!!

People are starting to care about us again. People are starting to want us to do well again. Things are gaining momentum. Wins. And more wins. If any of you are feeling like trying to do your part? Just buy tickets for your office or your friends. SMU has what? 10 games on TV this year? Do your part to fill the stadium. There is no need to stuff Colishaw's email box when he's probably right.


... for now.

[Treadway21]

I think most on the board support SO, but question his reluctance to improve the marketing of the program. We have a great story to tell and it won't tell or sell itself. Plus we should have the resources to push the program to the general public. Winning makes a huge difference now it is time to generate visibility and get people in the stands. I know it is more complicated than that, but I think the effort is worth it.

[Water Pony]

SMU has so many fine qualities but some of you guys are choosing to compare us against huge state institutions with a need for 80,000 seat stadiums in the big 12 south. Aren't Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State in the big 12? Their stadiums aren't that out of line with beautiful Ford Field. Where would you as a fan like to travel? LAwrence, Ames, Manhatan, Norman, Waco, Lubbock, Stillwater? Or Big D and the surrounding area. WE are a wonderful private university with a small student population and a small alumni base . Surely their is a place for quality in the Big 12! I don't think USC has an on-campus stadium last time I looked.

Actually the LA Coliseum in next to USC campus. BTW, a quality, smaller stadium is not inherently bad, but not filling it is. 30+K fans @ Ford Stadium create an great atmosphere and they also enjoy the Boulevard. Expanding to support bigger schools and stronger competition is straight forward and will draw Dallas crowd, plus larger # of fans from stronger programs, especially regionally or national programs, such as service academies, BYU, etc.

[ThadFilms]

...his reluctance to improve the marketing of the program.

They don't have a budget for it. (This is fact.)

[jtstang]

Do we need neon lights in the locker room more than marketing or not? Serious question.

[Comet]

...his reluctance to improve the marketing of the program.

They don't have a budget for it. (This is fact.)

That's a bummer and needs to change. What can be done other fundraising for a marketing budget? The one time I saw the school try (TCU game last year) it brought amazing results. The stadium and boulevard was amazing. While I'll admit that these results are easier to acquire against opponents like TCU, I'd like to see what marketing for a game against UCF, Navy, or others might be able to do.