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http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/sports ... sZ0HT0k6dA

There have been a couple articles this year about Northwestern and their challenges.

Unfortunately we are lumped together with NTSU in this article.

interesting article

I think the moral of this story is it will take money and a proactive approach to recruiting fans, and it has to be sustained. If the University isn't committed to a 10+ year strategy of building awareness and loyalty, then don't put forth the effort. Every attempt the past few years (when we still attempted) was to throw a bunch of money at the problem for one year, wait a few years, and then take a completely different approach a few years later with a lot of money.

Someone needs to create a strategy that can be sustained. This thing won't be turned over night, but if we have a consistent approach and are in it for the long haul, I can see SMU getting a foothold with a group of loyal people that make a Saturday game at SMU a part of their routine. All of this of course is predicated on the continuation of winning.

I would also point out that SMU seems to be taking our suggestions from the board and putting them in play. The past few games I've seen signs with arrows that would seem to be pointing fans with no affiliation to food, tickets and information. So, kudos SMU. Maybe make the signs bigger and more informative, but good start.

if that's the case, i'd say we're making some progress. as long as you look at it from a long term outlook. we've been adding on average* (i'm not going to go track the numbers down) 1500 or so a year to attendance numbers. if we do that for another 5 years, we'll be around 30k a game.

unless we're playing in the big 12, we're not selling out every game. it is just never going to happen. even then i don't think it would ever week.

it doesn't happen overnight. if it did, it would be a flash in the pan. building something permanent takes time. as long as we continue to hold course, continue to work towards improvement, it will happen.

just waiting on that one breakthrough year for the Mustangs...I honestly thought it would be this year with an experienced o line and QB, not to mention a 5-1 start and some votes in the polls. I really wanted to see the attendance if we were actually ranked in the top 25.

I remember the breakthrough for TCU when they beat USC in a bowl and got some good pub...and they sustained for the most part every year until they finally broke through. Same with Boise St - everyone remembers the game against OU.

The challenge (IMHO) will be sustaining what we build. Let's not be another Hawaii (no offense to the Warrior posters on this board!). Hawaii made that climb to a BCS game. Yeah, they got beaten badly by UGA-- but they still made it and really could have built on that. Instead, JJ left town because they had no commitment to the program.

I think also for SMU to grow we kinda need the pro teams to collapse a couple of years. Thankfully the cowboys arent hot shots, but when they arent the rangers are and same for the stars and the Mavs. I mean we have so much competition in the metro. NTSU just sucks they shouldnt be mention, they are a music school and thats it. The other crappy part is we also have to share with TCU, and fort worth identifies itself with TCU. Theres no pro team that affliates itself with Fort worth strictly unlike Dallas (Mavs, Stars, Cowboys) and Rangers are half and half.

With all that, it will take time, and as Dutch pointed out that we have small but consistent growth. Like a long-term portfolio, thats pretty good. It should only get better so long as we have winning seasons. Then if we can hit the ground running with the BE and have a winning season there, we should be at 90%+ capacity in 2016 (Im guessing). If those predictions are correct, 09-16, I mean 8 years to rebuild a program that was dead at 1-11 record to a reputable large market team... I mean that would blow peoples minds.

Hawaii won 10 games last year

Anybody know the marketing cost for the SMU Cox School of Business advertisements on the Ticket. I think they do a great job of raising the awareness of Cox in Dallas. Obviously SMU thinks its worth the investment to sink substantial amounts into that radio account. Interested to know the feasibility of some kind of penetrating Radio advertising account for SMU Football. I would think some type of advertisement to promote SMU's entry into the BCS would be worth the investment just as Cox's touts their national achievements

I'm dubious that we'll see year over year attendance growth after all six games are tallied up.

RE Tycoon wrote:I'm dubious that we'll see year over year attendance growth after all six games are tallied up.

All depends on the Rice game.

MustangSTATS wrote:

RE Tycoon wrote:I'm dubious that we'll see year over year attendance growth after all six games are tallied up.

All depends on the Rice game.

Gagree