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I don't know of anyone on Ponyfans who doesn't want to see our attendance increase, but I have been attending games since way before the death penalty and the only time we drew decent crowds was when we went up against a big SWC school, TCU, or after Russ Potts gave out a bunch of free tickets. Methodist Youth day used to bring in a few hundred people. The Longhorn band took up most of a whole section at the Cotton Bowl. But to come on this board less than a month ago and relentlessly personally attack Steve Orsini after all he has done for this football team is an act of a clueless or dangerously pathological person.

I think the axe to grind against the SID is hilarious. You can't make this stuff up. "The Sutton propaganda machine."

Go ahead ... shoot the messenger. But nobody can appear to make an intelligent counter argument regarding what Steve O & Co. are doing to solve the attendance issues. It's been nearly two years since the Hawaii Bowl win and still -- nothing but silence. What are they waiting for? A Rose Bowl win?

CoxMustangFan wrote:

ericdickerson4life wrote:I have an idea. How about we set up a new forum where everyone can [deleted] about attendance and marketing plans. That way when I come I to the football forum I can actually converse about football.

Well, because there would only be one thread on the football board titled "Life is Good".

Not so fast my friend! I am still pissed about the Texas A&M loss!

My solution to the attendance "problem", make it more exclusive. Maybe only luxury seating, personal wait staff, and masseuses. I'll even have my own clapping boy to cheer and clap for me. Charge ridiculously high prices and turn it into the place where only the richest of the rich are welcome and the games are played exclusively for them.

And if your name is Otter, no amount of money would get you in.

Seriously, can we get a "Why does SMU not have a marketing department?!" forum started. That way Otter can rant over there and not take up space on a football board. We have much more important issues to discuss over here.



- This message was typed by EricDickerson4Life's cheer boy.

Otter wrote:Go ahead ... shoot the messenger. But nobody can appear to make an intelligent counter argument regarding what Steve O & Co. are doing to solve the attendance issues. It's been nearly two years since the Hawaii Bowl win and still -- nothing but silence. What are they waiting for? A Rose Bowl win?

they're not doing anything because they don't have the money for it. What they ARE doing is working on a way to get more money by moving to an AQ conference with a much bigger TV deal paying much more money and a BCS distribution at the end of the season too. Then there may be some money to spend on marketing. don't put the cart before the horse.

what do you suggest they do? please enlighten us oh magical marketing guru.

Better yet otter, let's hear your plan to increase attendance. I'm interested to know what it is you've concocted as a solution but haven't presented to the AD.

Otter wrote:Go ahead ... shoot the messenger. But nobody can appear to make an intelligent counter argument regarding what Steve O & Co. are doing to solve the attendance issues. It's been nearly two years since the Hawaii Bowl win and still -- nothing but silence. What are they waiting for? A Rose Bowl win?

Orsini and co. are fielding a competitive football team that has gotten much better over the last few years. Now he is about to get us into a BCS conference, thus making SMU athletics relevant again to the casual fan. This BCS conference will immensely increase our revenues which should allow him to hire a marketing director as well as bring back the men's track and cross-country programs. None of these events are spontaneous, they require a lot of thought, dedication, and consistent effort so I don't know what you are so angry about. We all want to see SMU winning BCS bowls, National championships, Final Fours, etc. We also would love to see SMU Nike/Adidas apparel all over the place and consistent sellout crowds and a second deck at Ford Stadium and sold-out Moody Coliseum. It is getting better. We were winless in 2003, attendance was around 8,000 and nobody cared. You couldn't find any Nike apparel even at SMU. We were lucky to get a blip on ESPN once a year if it didn't fall under the Bottom 10. We have our on-campus stadium, a national coach of the year in football and basketball and post-season play in both sports. If you are so unhappy with SMU athletics, where have you been all these years? Stallion was consistent with his rants when they were merited and now simply is enjoying the wave. You show up now that things are getting better and are only focusing on the negatives. If you do that your life will be a failure no matter how wealthy you are. If you are new to the SMU community I suggest you transfer out as it appears SMU will never be what you want it to be. Peace out my friend!

mustangxc wrote:

Otter wrote:Go ahead ... shoot the messenger. But nobody can appear to make an intelligent counter argument regarding what Steve O & Co. are doing to solve the attendance issues. It's been nearly two years since the Hawaii Bowl win and still -- nothing but silence. What are they waiting for? A Rose Bowl win?

Orsini and co. are fielding a competitive football team that has gotten much better over the last few years. Now he is about to get us into a BCS conference, thus making SMU athletics relevant again to the casual fan. This BCS conference will immensely increase our revenues which should allow him to hire a marketing director as well as bring back the men's track and cross-country programs. None of these events are spontaneous, they require a lot of thought, dedication, and consistent effort so I don't know what you are so angry about. We all want to see SMU winning BCS bowls, National championships, Final Fours, etc. We also would love to see SMU Nike/Adidas apparel all over the place and consistent sellout crowds and a second deck at Ford Stadium and sold-out Moody Coliseum. It is getting better. We were winless in 2003, attendance was around 8,000 and nobody cared. You couldn't find any Nike apparel even at SMU. We were lucky to get a blip on ESPN once a year if it didn't fall under the Bottom 10. We have our on-campus stadium, a national coach of the year in football and basketball and post-season play in both sports. If you are so unhappy with SMU athletics, where have you been all these years? Stallion was consistent with his rants when they were merited and now simply is enjoying the wave. You show up now that things are getting better and are only focusing on the negatives. If you do that your life will be a failure no matter how wealthy you are. If you are new to the SMU community I suggest you transfer out as it appears SMU will never be what you want it to be. Peace out my friend!

Thank you. good post as you hit exactly how I and most feel!...idiots are out there, I tell you.....

at least we have something/someone to complain about.

Why don't we have a marketing department like Texas? They are everywhere and never have attendance issues. They sell out games against Rice, why can't we?

ericdickerson4life wrote:Why don't we have a marketing department like Texas? They are everywhere and never have attendance issues. They sell out games against Rice, why can't we?

I agree. Just because their annual budget is $130 million more per year doesn't mean we shouldn't have the same staff.

why do you keep worrying about the details?

Like many urban/suburban private colleges, SMU has had a challenge with attendance since pro football introduction in the 60's. Last season, the five highest attendance of private colleges that I could pull down was:
USC 79.9k, Miami 52.6, TCU 42.5, Syracuse 40.1, BC 38.4. It seems that a realistic increase in attendance goal would be to go from 23.5 (2010 avg.) to 28 in 2012 and to 30 to 32k in 2013. How to make the increase? 1. We need a higher percentage of students - i.e. make it the place to be seen. 2. Increase alumni attendance (see point 1). 3. Add greater number of large local competition (A&M, Baylor, Tech home games). Simply adding fans of local competitors will increase attendance to levels we need. The conference opponents will not give us increase attendence (didn't happen in WAC or CUSA) so it must be OOC games against the teams that drew attendance in the old SWC days. We will not be a school that draws 50k+ fans but we can get well over 30k by focusing on the above 3 points (all of which do not require much of a marketing department)...getting the old SWC opponents will be the most difficult of the three tasks but will return the most in terms of attendance increases.

Stallion wrote:I expect a new Season Ticket Package of $38.17

Ha ha