DMN's Cowlishaw hits nail on the head re: SMU

[feelthehorsepower]

Put a good an consistent product on the field/court and the fans will come. We have done neither forever.

THIS

Only way to win over the Dallas area sports fans...

[stc9]

Think about the 40k local alumni number for just a moment. 50% of that is probably women. Women, generally- not always, don't buy season tickets. That leaves 20k local alumni. Anyone under the age of 45, except for very recents grads, are part of the lost generation. Sports were so de-emphasized during this time that they were an after thought of the college experience. So let's assume that is 33% of the remaing 20k. So that leaves just over 13k local alumni where SMU athletics were relevant to their campus life. That is not a big population to farm for local support.

Let's look at the out of town alumni. In the 18 years since I graduated.

I have never heard from the athletic department or the Mustang Club asking for a donation. I get 2 phone calls from the University asking for money and maybe one or two written requests. Other than that I only get the magazine however often they send it.

Compare this to the University I went to for Grad School.
They call me quarterly asking for funds. They send two different magazines per month. Every time I update my address with them, the first e-mail I receive in the new town is from the local alumni club telling me about events going on in the area. When they played in the NCAA basketball tournament in Jacksonville, everyone in the State of Florida got an e-mail inviting them to the game and the school parties going on in the area. The school sold out their tickets in 2 hours (they hadn't been to the tournament in decades). I get a monthly e-mail from the Dean of the College that hosted my program telling me what is going on within the school.

My point is that the other school makes it a point to be part of my life. SMU doesn't. SMU knows where I live, they have my phone number...etc. Have I gotten an e-mail or anything telling me that SMU BB will be in Orlando on 1/18? No. (Though I already have my tickets). How can a person who hasn't invested themselves in the football program, like people here, have even a remote connection to either the school or the program. So the take away is really simple. SMU needs to create a bigger fan base. They have to create a message for the local alumni and the city at large. They need to farm the non local alumni (like myself) to pay for it.

Sorry for being so long winded...

[RyanSMU98]

So, Stc9, you're basically saying that the Athletics Dept. "recruits" the alumni and fan bases in much the same way JJ recruits his players. No wonder neither one has been wildly successful in reaching its goals. I think you actually hit on an area for those "what is the administration doing wrong?" types to ponder. I know my experience is very similar to yours. Outreach as a university in general has been weak on its good days from the moment I graduated.

[mrydel]

I get SMU mail, magazines, and/or money request at least weekly from different areas of the University.

I get Mustang Club updates on every game.

[stc9]

So, Stc9, you're basically saying that the Athletics Dept. "recruits" the alumni and fan bases in much the same way JJ recruits his players. No wonder neither one has been wildly successful in reaching its goals. I think you actually hit on an area for those "what is the administration doing wrong?" types to ponder. I know my experience is very similar to yours. Outreach as a university in general has been weak on its good days from the moment I graduated.

To put it bluntly... Yes, I am.
This is an overall university shortcoming. Let me put some numbers to this so others can see where I am going. Let's say there are 100k alumni not living in the Metroplex (don't know how many living alumni SMU has). To start a branding campaign for the football team we need to convert 5% of them into donors. That is 5,000 new donors.

$ donation amount-cost = total rev increase.
$5 = $25k
$10= $50k
$15=$75k
$20=$100k
$25=$125k

$75k can buy billboards all over the city for the month of August (or pick your marketing plan). All of this drives interest in the program to generate new fans in and around Dallas. The financing came from an under utilized resource and/or people you cannot sell season tickets to. This isn't rocket science and it isn't asking for a lot of cash to make a difference. I just don't know why they don't do it.

[stc9]

I get SMU mail, magazines, and/or money request at least weekly from different areas of the University.

I get Mustang Club updates on every game.

Hasn't been my experience. Since August 30th I would say I got one magazine and one unbridled letter that I haven't opened yet.

[Stallion]

Geez I get bombarded with e-mail, telephone calls, mail, magazines-all seemingly weekly or at least monthly especially in the last year during football and Basketball season and Moody build-up

[SMU 86]

I get SMU mail, magazines, and/or money request at least weekly from different areas of the University.

I get Mustang Club updates on every game.

Hasn't been my experience. Since August 30th I would say I got one magazine and one unbridled letter that I haven't opened yet.

Are you a member of the Mustang club? And if so do they have your email address?

[mrydel]

Go to the Cox tent on the Blvd and sign in with your name and address. They will move into your house and wake you with a pledge card slapped across your face.

[gostangs]

i have NEVER heard anyone say they don't get email or mail from SMU. THis is a first for me. I think we do an exceptional job in this area. If SMU has somehow missed you let them know - you will probably be sorry. There is a huge initiative to increase our giving percentage, which has moved us up form the bottom of the pack to a very respectable 25% annual giving rate - which is i believe the highest in the state.

that said, i agree it would be worth more effort to build an audience wit Dallas fans - and we should commit to an extended 3 yr plan here vs the one and done philosophy of the past.

[ender3]

Geez I get bombarded with e-mail, telephone calls, mail, magazines-all seemingly weekly or at least monthly especially in the last year during football and Basketball season and Moody build-up

Be careful what you ask for, folks.

The above is my experience. Multiple calls per week, all asking for money. Weekend mornings, during dinner, doesn't matter.

It doesn't leave a positive impression.

[PonyKai]

Geez I get bombarded with e-mail, telephone calls, mail, magazines-all seemingly weekly or at least monthly especially in the last year during football and Basketball season and Moody build-up

Be careful what you ask for, folks.

The above is my experience. Multiple calls per week, all asking for money. Weekend mornings, during dinner, doesn't matter.

It doesn't leave a positive impression.

I was dismayed this year to get a request for a donation in the week leading up to the TCU game in which the pitch was (paraphrasing): we really suck on the field, but we're sooooo much better than them OFF the field. So donate today! From an alum. Thanks, guys. Bang up job.

[AusTxPony]

It's the alumni and the students than reduce our attendance. I doubt any other university has so little interest as ours. Poor Baylor was the doormat of the Big 12 and still pulled a lot of fans, so quit blaming Dallas and pick up the mirror to see who's at fault SMU/Dallas alums. Winning of course would help with the casual Dallas fans.

[mustangxc]

I get SMU mail, magazines, and/or money request at least weekly from different areas of the University.

I get Mustang Club updates on every game.

I get hit up for money and get magazines and everything. My brother did not make any effort to stay in touch after graduation and hears nothing. It all comes down to whether or not the alum wants to be contacted or not. If SMU badgered me for money I would never give them a cent. The police call my house every day and I am so tired of them that everyone in my house is under threat NEVER to give them a penny EVER again because of their incessant phone calls.

[stc9]

i have NEVER heard anyone say they don't get email or mail from SMU. THis is a first for me. I think we do an exceptional job in this area. If SMU has somehow missed you let them know - you will probably be sorry. There is a huge initiative to increase our giving percentage, which has moved us up form the bottom of the pack to a very respectable 25% annual giving rate - which is i believe the highest in the state.

that said, i agree it would be worth more effort to build an audience wit Dallas fans - and we should commit to an extended 3 yr plan here vs the one and done philosophy of the past.

I do give... Not in the Sewell or Ford stratosphere, but every year I stroke a check to the annual fund. Some years it is a good bit of money, others not so much, but I still stroke an annual check.