Reforming the Blvd

[SMUer]

If you feel lost or disconnected on the Blvd, or you have friends who feel lost or disconnected on the Blvd, just come to the RBA spot in front of the Maguire Building. RBA is an independent collective of passionate Mustang fans, both alumni and non, so you needn't feel like you are crashing a private tent, mooching off a SMU organization or that it will be awkward if you didn't go to SMU. Many of our members are just like you! This is a bigger problem than most of us realize. The Blvd is a party but to most it is a party they don't feel invited to. Public sitting areas! Cash bars! Food Trucks! We'd average 5-7K more fans per game if the Blvd felt more open. Guaranteed.

[whitwiki]

I have a brazillian friend whose wife is getting bet PhD from Meadows. He said the same thing about the Boulevard..."it looks fun if you are part of one of the groups"

[soccermom]

Perhaps Huey Lewis and the News? Or maybe Boy George.

I'd be there every weekend if Huey Lewis was there!

[Paladin]

If you feel lost or disconnected on the Blvd, or you have friends who feel lost or disconnected on the Blvd, just come to the RBA spot in front of the Maguire Building. RBA is an independent collective of passionate Mustang fans, both alumni and non, so you needn't feel like you are crashing a private tent, mooching off a SMU organization or that it will be awkward if you didn't go to SMU. Many of our members are just like you! This is a bigger problem than most of us realize. The Blvd is a party but to most it is a party they don't feel invited to. Public sitting areas! Cash bars! Food Trucks! We'd average 5-7K more fans per game if the Blvd felt more open. Guaranteed.

You are absolutely right on with your comments. I plan to participate with other "commrades" in RBA game-day activities. We are lucky to have someone with your enthusiasm and organizational prowess !

[Bergermeister]

I plan to participate with other "commrades" in RBA game-day activities.

That would be "comrades", comrade.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

Perhaps Huey Lewis and the News? Or maybe Boy George.

I'm guessing you liked "Sports" and the "Crying game," respectively.

[StallionsModelT]

Remember what Patrick Bateman said about Huey Lewis and the News?

[SMUer]

When Sports came out, they really came into their own, artistically and commercially?

[couch 'em]

Getting a legit act to okay the Blvd this year would be great. Some who would bring in the general public.

[smubrooks]

SMUlaxer, are you the tent just north of the B-school with the incredibly loud and annoying DJ who pays crappy music?

[DiamondM]

Public sitting areas! Cash bars! Food Trucks! We'd average 5-7K more fans per game if the Blvd felt more open. Guaranteed.

I'm all for food trucks, but there are catering contracts that must be honored. I'm all for cash bars, but we have TABC and UP preventing that. Where would the public sitting areas be?

Besides, we might average 5-7K more on the Boulevard (do we really want that???), but very few of them would actually go in the game if they could just sit and eat and drink for a few hours. Exhibit A. Pavilion at the Byron Nelson. How many of those people ever watch any golf? At least in that case, they've already purchased a ticket, which would not be the case for us.

[SMULaxer]

SMUlaxer, are you the tent just north of the B-school with the incredibly loud and annoying DJ who pays crappy music?

Yes

[Junior]

Public sitting areas! Cash bars! Food Trucks! We'd average 5-7K more fans per game if the Blvd felt more open. Guaranteed.

I'm all for food trucks, but there are catering contracts that must be honored. I'm all for cash bars, but we have TABC and UP preventing that. Where would the public sitting areas be?

Besides, we might average 5-7K more on the Boulevard (do we really want that???), but very few of them would actually go in the game if they could just sit and eat and drink for a few hours. Exhibit A. Pavilion at the Byron Nelson. How many of those people ever watch any golf? At least in that case, they've already purchased a ticket, which would not be the case for us.

could always just shut all that stuff down at game time.

[couch 'em]

Public sitting areas! Cash bars! Food Trucks! We'd average 5-7K more fans per game if the Blvd felt more open. Guaranteed.

I'm all for food trucks, but there are catering contracts that must be honored. I'm all for cash bars, but we have TABC and UP preventing that. Where would the public sitting areas be?

Besides, we might average 5-7K more on the Boulevard (do we really want that???), but very few of them would actually go in the game if they could just sit and eat and drink for a few hours. Exhibit A. Pavilion at the Byron Nelson. How many of those people ever watch any golf? At least in that case, they've already purchased a ticket, which would not be the case for us.

I don't understand your aversion to this. The club atmosphere isn't helping add fans and generate buzz. A public friendly zone, likely up by the flagpole isn't going to ruin or crowd out your (very welcoming and generous) spot or turn the Blvd into a tent free for all. With such minimal investment what is the downside?

[SMUer]

Catering contracts net SMU maybe $15K, while an environment that promotes an additional 5K visitors could conservatively net SMU $125K, PER GAME, and that's only imagining $25 per person which given the possibilities of beer, ticket, food, merch sales seems very low. That's how this works folks. If you don't have a product already in-demand, you get foot-traffic going and then live-die based on your conversion rate.

SMU apparently has listened and some are tossing around the idea of a Byron Nelson-esque tent area tied into special ticket passes.