Marketing to the common Dallas sports fan

BRStang · Post by **BRStang** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 5:37 pm

Well, that settles it, then. We actually don't have an attendance problem, or at least one that can be solved by anything other than having a near undefeated season. Less marketing solves all. No need to encourage any slime from the hinterlands like Plano, Coppell or DeSoto to make an SMU game. Here Here, fellow Parkies!

Marshall (6-6), ECU (5-7) and Tulsa (8-4) put butts in the stands solely b/c they almost go undefeated every year. Oh okay. But but but but.....

gostangs · Post by **gostangs** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 5:58 pm

it takes both. Winning and a very focused spend on promotion - covering everything. Radio, billboards, banners, posters,

The visitors tent/tailgate area is a great idea and we can get the alumni association to tackle that one.

ponynut · Post by **ponynut** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 6:12 pm

Two cents worth: 1. Get the students to come out and be involved. See if those who come can
stay to finish.
2. Need a better product. Was there yesterday at a game we should have
at lease covered the spread.

2ndandlong · Post by **2ndandlong** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 6:17 pm

BRStang wrote:Well, that settles it, then. We actually don't have an attendance problem, or at least one that can be solved by anything other than having a near undefeated season. Less marketing solves all. No need to encourage any slime from the hinterlands like Plano, Coppell or DeSoto to make an SMU game. Here Here, fellow Parkies!

Marshall (6-6), ECU (5-7) and Tulsa (8-4) put butts in the stands solely b/c they almost go undefeated every year. Oh okay. But but but but.....

I've stated it over and over. You can continue to focus on my joke posts, but in reality we cut marketing budget, started winning, and attendance has increased.
I've said in several threads, we DONT HAVE THE [deleted] MONEY. [deleted] about it all you want, but until we are out of the deficit, it ain't gonna happen.
I have said over and over how I want us to spend it but understand it can't happen while we are operating in a deficit.
the current marketing focus is to get us to an AQ conference (SMU2BCS), it has been incredibly successful in a very short period of time. in fact, it has been pretty freaking genius. this will hopefully wipe out our deficit, and then, we can complain about what to do with all the excess money.

SMU_Alumni11 · Post by **SMU_Alumni11** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 6:22 pm

2ndandlong wrote:
BRStang wrote:Well, that settles it, then. We actually don't have an attendance problem, or at least one that can be solved by anything other than having a near undefeated season. Less marketing solves all. No need to encourage any slime from the hinterlands like Plano, Coppell or DeSoto to make an SMU game. Here Here, fellow Parkies!

Marshall (6-6), ECU (5-7) and Tulsa (8-4) put butts in the stands solely b/c they almost go undefeated every year. Oh okay. But but but but.....

I've stated it over and over. You can continue to focus on my joke posts, but in reality we cut marketing budget, started winning, and attendance has increased.
I've said in several threads, we DONT HAVE THE [deleted] MONEY. [deleted] about it all you want, but until we are out of the deficit, it ain't gonna happen.
I have said over and over how I want us to spend it but understand it can't happen while we are operating in a deficit.
the current marketing focus is to get us to an AQ conference (SMU2BCS), it has been incredibly successful in a very short period of time. in fact, it has been pretty freaking genius. this will hopefully wipe out our deficit, and then, we can complain about what to do with all the excess money.

Finally I can agree with you on something. I wish we did have the money but BE moolah will be coming in for the admin to experiment on growth. Especially since the BE believes that we have a big market. I also enjoy watching the big SMU2BCS signs and I hope one day that we can hit every GameDay cast and have like 6 or 7 signs per a game!

maize'n'blue · Post by **maize'n'blue** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 6:28 pm

There was a game up in Ann Arbor this fall that drew over 114,000 people and one of the teams featured was a big public U, Michigan. The other team featured is a small, exclusive and extensively snotty school that manages to draw upward of 60,000 for their home football games every week and has their own TV contract with a major network. Oh and national radio coverage on Westwood one. They are called Notre Dame. I'm sure Notre Dame has one or 2 Indiana corn farmers that never attended a class in South Bend cheering for them. And guys that worked in the factory with my Dad up in Michigan and well you get the point. They got there by winning a lot for a long time but they haven't really made much noise in a while. There has to be something that has ND fighting Irish stickers on cars in all 50 states, many of those cars belonging to the great unwashed. Maybe they are all Catholic? Nah, I kind of doubt it.

I guess it was probably all the winning. Just a wild guess.

smusic 00 · Post by **smusic 00** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 6:33 pm

It has a lot to do with the Catholic/Irish connection. Ask mustangsabu why he went to the ND game last week.

don't mean to call you out, Abu! But there is a global ND connection that has everything to do with the church.

BRStang · Post by **BRStang** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 6:34 pm

Just talked with a friend down here with no ties to SMU, other than he knows the father of a player. He said he watched a little of the game on TV, and remarked how pathetic the crowd looked. Said he'd never seen that few at a Div. 1 game and asked what the deal was...I was like, oh, well, you know, it is Thanksgiving and all, and everyone leaves campus, etc., etc. Pretty embarrassing conversation.

Topper · Post by **Topper** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 7:06 pm

BRStang wrote:Well, that settles it, then. We actually don't have an attendance problem, or at least one that can be solved by anything other than having a near undefeated season. Less marketing solves all. No need to encourage any slime from the hinterlands like Plano, Coppell or DeSoto to make an SMU game. Here Here, fellow Parkies!

Marshall (6-6), ECU (5-7) and Tulsa (8-4) put butts in the stands solely b/c they almost go undefeated every year. Oh okay. But but but but.....

I have attended the games since my parents used to bring me to the Cotton Bowl to see the Hayden Fry bunch. In all of the years since we have only had decent crowds when we played the old SWC foes (excepting U of H and Rice which never drew here) or when we played North Texas. I'm talking about paying customers, not the freebies given away during "Mustang Mania." These teams not only bring fans to Dallas, but they also pique the interest of our alums and students who otherwise have other interests than football. Unfortunately, Jerryworld has special games every year for Tech, Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Arkansas who, other than TCU, are the only possible candidates from the Big 12 that might consider playing at Ford. Jerryworld satisifies their need for recruiting exposure in Dallas. Most of you will not want to hear this, but we need to schedule UNT every year if we want another well attended game at Ford every other year.

smusic 00 · Post by **smusic 00** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 7:11 pm

Done.

maize'n'blue · Post by **maize'n'blue** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 7:16 pm

Okay then, Boston College is private (Catholic even)... Miami aka the (U) is too private, not Catholic.

Boise is the National media darling because of?

A. Smurf Turf

B. The famous potato bowl

C. Marketing

D. Winning their conference and beating the freaking Oklahoma Sooners in the Fiesta Bowl

Your arch enemy is the other media darling because of?

a. Ladanian Tomlinson and Slingin' Sammy Baugh

b. pretty purple uniforms

c. winning consistently including beating Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl

d. marketing

smusic 00 · Post by **smusic 00** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 7:18 pm

All of the above?

Well put.

maize'n'blue · Post by **maize'n'blue** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 7:25 pm

I was leaning towards, D and C but now that I think of it, it has to be a mixture of all however none of it works without winning a lot of Football games.

smusic 00 · Post by **smusic 00** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 7:29 pm

I know it CAN'T be purple uni's.

Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans · Sun Nov 27, 2011 10:08 pm

Great thread topic BRStang.

Hopefully once we get into a better conference we can really throw some money around at being the best in everything game-day while our football team continues to improve. It takes time to become a winner on the field, it takes money and good judgement to become the best at everything else. We already have a great stadium, we already have a great tailgate, we're getting better at the concessions, but we must keep tweaking it and improving the game-day experience. No one thing will do it, but each piece of a complex puzzle helps and each and every one of us can play a part.

We need the best gameday food, best kiddie rides in the endzone, best friendly security and parking people. Offer valet parking service, if they can do valet parking at the Ball Park in Arlington why cant we?

At Lone Star Park they often have FREE kiddie pony rides. It fits right in with horse racing. It would also fit in with the SMU Ponies. Why dont we do this on the Blvd or in the end-zone where the kiddie jump house is? Those companies that rent out and run the little pony rides for kids are not that expensive, we almost did it for our company picnic a few years ago.
http://www.starponyexpress.com/
http://www.ponyparties.us/FESTIVALSANDFAIRS.html

It may sound crazy but we need to make the grassy hill endzone almost like a carnival for kids. Let Dallas vendors at no charge that cater to kids and young adults set up free-give-aways down there. Have different kiddie rides. Until football can pack 'em in we must do whatever we can to make lots of kids say "Mommy/Daddy I had a great time at the SMU game when can we go back?". Could we get away with "Kids Are Free" when we play teams that we know don't travel well and make entire sections of the visiting side for the families that bring the kids free?

Every single Blvd tent should be inviting and friendly to people of all ages that pass by. "Ya'll want a brat or hot dog? Ya'll want a soda or beer? We need to all be diplomats for the program. Roll out the red carpet so people dont get the feel that SMU is elitist. For people able, bring people as guests to as many games as you can, buy their tickets, feed them, buy the kids an SMU t-shirt the kid can wear to school on Moday, walk the entire length of the Blvd with the guest you bring. Make them feel welcome and want to come back. Part of this equation is in our hands. Let June recruit the players, but heck we the faithful can recruit fans one game and one fan at a time.