Push v Pull Marketing

[DiamondM]

So I did a triathlon in the cold Sunday morning in Rockwall. One of the vendors (Sun & Ski Sports) had a rack with a bunch of bike jerseys from a bunch of different teams. Of course no SMU.

Others have pointed out a lot of other issues in various local stores -- everything from clothing in sporting goods stores to something as seemingly mundane as materials for scrapbooking and crafting, and the response we hear is that those vendors just need to ask and the license will be granted. This marketing strategy seems fundamentally flawed to me.

We should not be waiting for the "pull" from local stores to get stuff on their shelves. We should be "pushing" SMU merchandise to match what is on the shelves for other institutions.

[ponyte]

So I did a triathlon in the cold Sunday morning in Rockwall. One of the vendors (Sun & Ski Sports) had a rack with a bunch of bike jerseys from a bunch of different teams. Of course no SMU.

Others have pointed out a lot of other issues in various local stores -- everything from clothing in sporting goods stores to something as seemingly mundane as materials for scrapbooking and crafting, and the response we hear is that those vendors just need to ask and the license will be granted. This marketing strategy seems fundamentally flawed to me.

We should not be waiting for the "pull" from local stores to get stuff on their shelves. We should be "pushing" SMU merchandise to match what is on the shelves for other institutions.

Unless things have changed, the SMU cycling kits are special order. I have two different versions and wear them as often as I can.

Link for a pic of the orginal and 2nd version.
http://smucycling.blogspot.com/2009/01/ ... cling.html

[RyanSMU98]

I don't disagree with you, but another piece of the puzzle is getting folks to buy it (as noted in the response by SMU SID on the place at Love Field). I stop by the Rally House in Allen from time to time and have seen their SMU section shrink from a fairly decent selection at first to a small section of the wall in a corner by the restroom. When I asked about it, at first I got the "licensing issue" response, but this last time the sales rep was at least honest when she said it doesn't sell well. Bottom line is, if folks don't buy it, retailers won't sell it. We need to display to these places that there is a demand for the product before we can reasonably expect either side to step up and offer it on a broader basis.

[DiamondM]

Unless things have changed, the SMU cycling kits are special order. I have two different versions and wear them as often as I can.

Link for a pic of the orginal and 2nd version.
http://smucycling.blogspot.com/2009/01/ ... cling.html

I have the first cycling kit that was done in house. However, there was jersey with an official licensing logo tag available at Bicycles Plus in Snyder Plaza last year. Bought one for myself and a friend.

The other college jerseys all look like they come from the same company because they all have similar design, just the colors, school logos, and names have been changed.

In any case, my point still remains. We need a "push" mentality, not a "pull" mentality when it comes to marketing. As part of the strategy, I suggest that we tell retailers who are carrying a substantial SMU product line that matches at least TCU's that they will be mentioned in emails to season ticket holders/Mustang Club members to incentivize them.

[DiamondM]

On a related note, we don't even do our own merchandising very well. At the TCU game, there should have been a kiosk every few gates selling SMU ponchos and long sleeve SMU sweatshirts & tees. I was fully prepared to purchase a sweatshirt for my 4 year old daughter who was complaining about being chilly in the 2nd half (she bravely made it through the entire miserable game). There was ZERO merchandising anywhere in our own concourse until I got to the tiny spirit shop on the opposite side of the stadium from Section 103 (in front of which they were handing out free SMU Is Beating TCU shirts, so guess who spent no money). How do you not sell gear on the home, season ticket side of the stadium?

[SMU Cyclist]

The SMU Triathlon team had 3 guys finish in the top 10 of the collegiate division at the US Open Toyota Triathlon this weekend.

The college jerseys that are referenced are made by a subpar producer that uses a standard design for all the schools that they have a license for. The guys on the TCU cycling team were appalled at this company's TCU jersey, more a lavender than a purple. The Texas Tech licensed jersey is the only one that usually looks better than the team's design, except for a killer all red kit the team did a couple of years ago. The SMU cycling club usually does a new order late winter every year. The triathlon club is working up a tri kit right now. Most people start to think about getting a jersey in the middle of the summer, the time to get custom kits is now. The lead time is usually a few months.

Football's Clement Fox (thanks for the plug!), and swimming's Lydon Neumann and Cap O'Keefe are some of the notable former athletes that get the jerseys when they come available. One other item to think about, the cycling and tri teams are looking for sponsorship. If you have a company that you would like represented on the jersey, space is available! Find us at http://www.smu.edu/cycling

[DiamondM]

I don't disagree with you, but another piece of the puzzle is getting folks to buy it (as noted in the response by SMU SID on the place at Love Field). I stop by the Rally House in Allen from time to time and have seen their SMU section shrink from a fairly decent selection at first to a small section of the wall in a corner by the restroom. When I asked about it, at first I got the "licensing issue" response, but this last time the sales rep was at least honest when she said it doesn't sell well. Bottom line is, if folks don't buy it, retailers won't sell it. We need to display to these places that there is a demand for the product before we can reasonably expect either side to step up and offer it on a broader basis.

I still think the "it doesn't sell well" is a cop out. SMU stuff will never sell as well as schools with much larger enrollments, and state schools with lots of T-shirt fans. But I have seen occasions where there are items for schools that must have even fewer alums/t-shirt fans in Dallas than SMU does.

There's the added aspect that if they sell 3 very basic shirts, all with the same design, but just 1 in white, one in red, and one in blue, then it doesn't offer fans inclined to buy stuff much of a choice. If it's the only thing there, they MAY go ahead and buy 1 of the 3 "choices" (or they may not), but they're not going to feel very good about it, and they're certainly not going to buy more than 1 item or come back later to see what is new.

[Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans]

I stop by the Rally House in Allen from time to time and have seen their SMU section shrink from a fairly decent selection at first to a small section of the wall in a corner by the restroom.

I was at Rally House Plano about a week ago, saw literally tons of TCU items and asked "where is the SMU gear?". The young clerk said "good question" and had to get the mgr. The mgr apologized and said they were "rearranging things" and had piled all the SMU stuff back at the back behind a half wall near a storage closet. A browsing customer would never see the SMU stuff. It was pretty sad.

[RGV Pony]

All of this crap is resolved by a sweet 16 and a couple of elite 8 appearances

[SMU_Alumni11]

Our only hope is to a) beat tcu and b) get to a BCS bowl. After that rose bowl and winning it, tcu became a DFW favorite