(02-19-2013 08:00 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  If Gompher is serious about extending NIU's profile around the state, his staff should be talking to the Chicago Wolves(2nd highest average attendance in minor league hockey over 300K attended last year) and the Peoria Chiefs (Peoria is on the fringe of northern Illinois) who are a St Louis Cardinal Class A affiliate. Not only did was the Midwest League 3rd among all minor leagues in attendance last year:

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd...ey=pr_milb

With 10% of all minor league attendance (there are 15 leagues including the Mexican league)

There is a huge St Louis Cardinal fanbase in central and southern Illinois. Building a relationship with Peoria could tap into those fans as well. Seems like a direction to take to grow the Huskie fanbase.

Peoria is not really on the fringe of Northern Illinois. Peoria is smack in the heart of Central Illinois...over 2 hours away from DeKalb. I live 10 minutes outside of Peoria's downtown. There is no way Peoria people would invest close to 5 hours on the road round trip for an NIU football game. This area absolutely reeks with orange Illness fans. It's 90 miles to Champaign...a quicker trip for them to go to see the Illness. No way is NIU going to pull from here.
My kids and I and a handful of people in the area are NIU crazy. That's about it and it's not changing anytime IMHO. I wish that were not the case but it is the reality.

(02-19-2013 07:48 PM)UIHuskie Wrote:  

(02-19-2013 03:16 PM)GCD70 Wrote:  given the number of D1 schools within a 200 or 250 mile radius of chicago, I don't think UI ever will be able to make it the first choice of Illinois athletes. Every kid in Ohio wnats to be a Buckeye and every kid in Louisana wats to be a Tiger, that is not the case in Ill. They shouls just try to capture the middle on south of the state

They already have Central Illinois and then south of there. I think the big thing is just staying connected with the massive alumni base in the Chicago area, which they did a terrible job of under Guenther. Guenther basically ignored it, and that infuriated a lot of people.

Boy do they ever.

How about partnering with the Chicago Rush? Somehow tie in our new indoor facility with indoor football. (Okay, it's a stretch, but something like that.) At least it's football, and the Rush games are pretty well attended.

I would also partner with the Rockford IceHogs. Somehow we could tie in the image of the PigDog.

(02-20-2013 11:33 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 11:30 AM)HuskieFootball Addict Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 10:10 AM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 09:00 AM)cawoo22 Wrote:  Yeah, and would have made more sense for us than them, since KC Cougar fans & families are exactly the types of people we should be getting out the NIU football. Only a few miles down the road, family-friendly atmosphere, cheap for division 1 football.
Since the opponents suck, sell the experience. Most people go to Cougars games hardly even knowing (and almost certainly not caring) who they're even playing that day.

You hit the nail on the end when you talk about fans from fewer miles away, family-friendly, and either not knowing nor not caring who the opponent is. That's exactly the fan base Northern Illinois needs to expand.
I'll say one thing for the Cougars, their schedule cards are 100 times easier to find than NIU's -- especially in DeKalb. They blanket the restaurants, gas stations, hotels, etc. like crazy.

Exactly! I've been saying this all along! As it relates to NIU - MOST casual NIU football fans don't know or don't care WHO is playing NIU in Huskie Stadium! All of you keep wanting "big" competitors etc. but the casual fan doesn't care who we play. They just like to see the home team win when they go to a game.

So THAT'S why our basketball games are so poorly attended!

Well that probably and basketball is not football. I have TRIED to get interested in basketball and I just can't. Too boring compared to football!

(02-20-2013 11:44 AM)HuskieFootball Addict Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 11:33 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 11:30 AM)HuskieFootball Addict Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 10:10 AM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 09:00 AM)cawoo22 Wrote:  Yeah, and would have made more sense for us than them, since KC Cougar fans & families are exactly the types of people we should be getting out the NIU football. Only a few miles down the road, family-friendly atmosphere, cheap for division 1 football.
Since the opponents suck, sell the experience. Most people go to Cougars games hardly even knowing (and almost certainly not caring) who they're even playing that day.

You hit the nail on the end when you talk about fans from fewer miles away, family-friendly, and either not knowing nor not caring who the opponent is. That's exactly the fan base Northern Illinois needs to expand.
I'll say one thing for the Cougars, their schedule cards are 100 times easier to find than NIU's -- especially in DeKalb. They blanket the restaurants, gas stations, hotels, etc. like crazy.

Exactly! I've been saying this all along! As it relates to NIU - MOST casual NIU football fans don't know or don't care WHO is playing NIU in Huskie Stadium! All of you keep wanting "big" competitors etc. but the casual fan doesn't care who we play. They just like to see the home team win when they go to a game.

So THAT'S why our basketball games are so poorly attended!

Well that probably and basketball is not football. I have TRIED to get interested in basketball and I just can't. Too boring compared to football!

Wow, basketball can be extremely exciting. It is fast-paced and nerve-wracking. Once we play basketball at NIU, you will see.

(02-20-2013 11:46 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 11:44 AM)HuskieFootball Addict Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 11:33 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 11:30 AM)HuskieFootball Addict Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 10:10 AM)uiniu57 Wrote:  You hit the nail on the end when you talk about fans from fewer miles away, family-friendly, and either not knowing nor not caring who the opponent is. That's exactly the fan base Northern Illinois needs to expand.
I'll say one thing for the Cougars, their schedule cards are 100 times easier to find than NIU's -- especially in DeKalb. They blanket the restaurants, gas stations, hotels, etc. like crazy.

Exactly! I've been saying this all along! As it relates to NIU - MOST casual NIU football fans don't know or don't care WHO is playing NIU in Huskie Stadium! All of you keep wanting "big" competitors etc. but the casual fan doesn't care who we play. They just like to see the home team win when they go to a game.

So THAT'S why our basketball games are so poorly attended!

Well that probably and basketball is not football. I have TRIED to get interested in basketball and I just can't. Too boring compared to football!

Wow, basketball can be extremely exciting. It is fast-paced and nerve-wracking. Once we play basketball at NIU, you will see.

Have you forgotten that I am now a cardiac patient & had 2 stents put in last April? I think Huskie football is nervewracking enough for me. I need the off season to recover! LOL

(02-20-2013 11:30 AM)HuskieFootball Addict Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 10:10 AM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 09:00 AM)cawoo22 Wrote:  Yeah, and would have made more sense for us than them, since KC Cougar fans & families are exactly the types of people we should be getting out the NIU football. Only a few miles down the road, family-friendly atmosphere, cheap for division 1 football.
Since the opponents suck, sell the experience. Most people go to Cougars games hardly even knowing (and almost certainly not caring) who they're even playing that day.

You hit the nail on the end when you talk about fans from fewer miles away, family-friendly, and either not knowing nor not caring who the opponent is. That's exactly the fan base Northern Illinois needs to expand.
I'll say one thing for the Cougars, their schedule cards are 100 times easier to find than NIU's -- especially in DeKalb. They blanket the restaurants, gas stations, hotels, etc. like crazy.

Exactly! I've been saying this all along! As it relates to NIU - MOST casual NIU football fans don't know or don't care WHO is playing NIU in Huskie Stadium! All of you keep wanting "big" competitors etc. but the casual fan doesn't care who we play. They just like to see the home team win when they go to a game.

Gotta disagree with that. If this was the case we'd sell out every game, because we've won every game there the last few years. If anything, the casual fan cares more about who we play at Huskie Stadium, they just aren't as vocal about it. The diehards show up no matter what.

(02-20-2013 11:30 AM)HuskieFootball Addict Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 10:10 AM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 09:00 AM)cawoo22 Wrote:  Yeah, and would have made more sense for us than them, since KC Cougar fans & families are exactly the types of people we should be getting out the NIU football. Only a few miles down the road, family-friendly atmosphere, cheap for division 1 football.
Since the opponents suck, sell the experience. Most people go to Cougars games hardly even knowing (and almost certainly not caring) who they're even playing that day.

You hit the nail on the end when you talk about fans from fewer miles away, family-friendly, and either not knowing nor not caring who the opponent is. That's exactly the fan base Northern Illinois needs to expand.
I'll say one thing for the Cougars, their schedule cards are 100 times easier to find than NIU's -- especially in DeKalb. They blanket the restaurants, gas stations, hotels, etc. like crazy.

Exactly! I've been saying this all along! As it relates to NIU - MOST casual NIU football fans don't know or don't care WHO is playing NIU in Huskie Stadium! All of you keep wanting "big" competitors etc. but the casual fan doesn't care who we play. They just like to see the home team win when they go to a game.

But you have to get those casual fans to a game in the first place. That's easier to do if it's somebody they've heard of. I think football is a little different than baseball, and football fans are different than baseball fans.

(02-19-2013 08:00 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  If Gompher is serious about extending NIU's profile around the state, his staff should be talking to the Chicago Wolves(2nd highest average attendance in minor league hockey over 300K attended last year) and the Peoria Chiefs (Peoria is on the fringe of northern Illinois) who are a St Louis Cardinal Class A affiliate. Not only did was the Midwest League 3rd among all minor leagues in attendance last year:

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd...ey=pr_milb

With 10% of all minor league attendance (there are 15 leagues including the Mexican league)

There is a huge St Louis Cardinal fanbase in central and southern Illinois. Building a relationship with Peoria could tap into those fans as well. Seems like a direction to take to grow the Huskie fanbase.

You mean Jiff Gomphers?

It always makes me laugh when people talk about the Chicago market....Chicago is a pro sports town. If you can even get your own alums interested in your sports near Chicago, you've done something.

(02-20-2013 12:23 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  It always makes me laugh when people talk about the Chicago market....Chicago is a pro sports town. If you can even get your own alums interested in your sports near Chicago, you've done something.

All we need to do to fill the stadium is to get the DeKalb and Sycamore township markets on top of what we already have.

(02-20-2013 12:37 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 12:23 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  It always makes me laugh when people talk about the Chicago market....Chicago is a pro sports town. If you can even get your own alums interested in your sports near Chicago, you've done something.

All we need to do to fill the stadium is to get the DeKalb and Sycamore township markets on top of what we already have.

Yep, mobilize locals and alums.

(02-20-2013 11:38 AM)HuskieFootball Addict Wrote:  

(02-19-2013 08:00 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  If Gompher is serious about extending NIU's profile around the state, his staff should be talking to the Chicago Wolves(2nd highest average attendance in minor league hockey over 300K attended last year) and the Peoria Chiefs (Peoria is on the fringe of northern Illinois) who are a St Louis Cardinal Class A affiliate. Not only did was the Midwest League 3rd among all minor leagues in attendance last year:

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd...ey=pr_milb

With 10% of all minor league attendance (there are 15 leagues including the Mexican league)

There is a huge St Louis Cardinal fanbase in central and southern Illinois. Building a relationship with Peoria could tap into those fans as well. Seems like a direction to take to grow the Huskie fanbase.

Peoria is not really on the fringe of Northern Illinois. Peoria is smack in the heart of Central Illinois...over 2 hours away from DeKalb. I live 10 minutes outside of Peoria's downtown. There is no way Peoria people would invest close to 5 hours on the road round trip for an NIU football game. This area absolutely reeks with orange Illness fans. It's 90 miles to Champaign...a quicker trip for them to go to see the Illness. No way is NIU going to pull from here.
My kids and I and a handful of people in the area are NIU crazy. That's about it and it's not changing anytime IMHO. I wish that were not the case but it is the reality.

Isn't Peoria also at least 2 hrs from Chambana? If you have to drive about the same distance for FBS football, why not travel to see the OB team rather than the 2 win and not going to a bowl anytime soon team. If you want to increase Huskie attedance then cross promo with minor league teams would help

(02-19-2013 08:20 PM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  

(02-19-2013 07:53 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  What Thomas has done that is a great long term move is partnering with the Kane County Cougars and having U of I athletics cross promoted with Cougars baseball.

With Kane County drawing over 500 K fans a season and their season ending on Labor Day, that's a move that NIU should have made. Even more, the KC Cougars are now a Chicago Cub Class A affiliate. Imagine how a relationship like that could pay off for NIU.

+500K

Notice I said over 500K fans per year.

NIU marketing should also be talking to the Chicago Wolves. Minor league hockey's #2 draw.

(02-20-2013 03:10 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  Isn't Peoria also at least 2 hrs from Chambana? If you have to drive about the same distance for FBS football, why not travel to see the OB team rather than the 2 win and not going to a bowl anytime soon team. If you want to increase Huskie attedance then cross promo with minor league teams would help

Nope, about 1.5 hours from the center of Peoria area to Chambana. center of the Peoria area to Dekalb is 2 hours 15 minutes. And if you want to travel all interstate from Peoria to Dekalb, you have to detour through BloNo. Rockford should be the city we need to push. Also the smaller cities of Sterling/Dixon and Lasalle/Peru.

(02-20-2013 03:10 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  Isn't Peoria also at least 2 hrs from Chambana? If you have to drive about the same distance for FBS football, why not travel to see the OB team rather than the 2 win and not going to a bowl anytime soon team. If you want to increase Huskie attedance then cross promo with minor league teams would help

Central Illinois doesn't identify itself with the northern part of the state or Chicago and is also basketball-centric, hence the popularity in that part of the state on south of UI. Basketball is king in Peoria and Central Illinois and UI has been a good enough program in that sport to grab the casual fan in that geographic region. I don't think there is much of a chance for NIU to break that up given the way Peoria identifies itself with that part of the state.

(02-20-2013 01:16 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 12:37 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 12:23 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  It always makes me laugh when people talk about the Chicago market....Chicago is a pro sports town. If you can even get your own alums interested in your sports near Chicago, you've done something.

All we need to do to fill the stadium is to get the DeKalb and Sycamore township markets on top of what we already have.

Yep, mobilize locals and alums.

I have always wondered why the town seemed to never fully embrace the school or at least maybe that was just my perception. Sounds like that tune may be changing.

http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2013/02/1...d/auv9mzv/

NIU needs to focus its marketing efforts on the suburbs, Rockford-Freeport, and DeKalb-Sycamore. Let Illiness have central Illinois and let Northwestern be Chicago's team. There are more than enough people in Rockford and western burbs to pack both football and basketball stadiums.

(02-19-2013 02:51 PM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  Lame.

(02-20-2013 03:10 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  

(02-20-2013 11:38 AM)HuskieFootball Addict Wrote:  

(02-19-2013 08:00 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  If Gompher is serious about extending NIU's profile around the state, his staff should be talking to the Chicago Wolves(2nd highest average attendance in minor league hockey over 300K attended last year) and the Peoria Chiefs (Peoria is on the fringe of northern Illinois) who are a St Louis Cardinal Class A affiliate. Not only did was the Midwest League 3rd among all minor leagues in attendance last year:

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd...ey=pr_milb

With 10% of all minor league attendance (there are 15 leagues including the Mexican league)

There is a huge St Louis Cardinal fanbase in central and southern Illinois. Building a relationship with Peoria could tap into those fans as well. Seems like a direction to take to grow the Huskie fanbase.

Peoria is not really on the fringe of Northern Illinois. Peoria is smack in the heart of Central Illinois...over 2 hours away from DeKalb. I live 10 minutes outside of Peoria's downtown. There is no way Peoria people would invest close to 5 hours on the road round trip for an NIU football game. This area absolutely reeks with orange Illness fans. It's 90 miles to Champaign...a quicker trip for them to go to see the Illness. No way is NIU going to pull from here.
My kids and I and a handful of people in the area are NIU crazy. That's about it and it's not changing anytime IMHO. I wish that were not the case but it is the reality.

Isn't Peoria also at least 2 hrs from Chambana? If you have to drive about the same distance for FBS football, why not travel to see the OB team rather than the 2 win and not going to a bowl anytime soon team. If you want to increase Huskie attedance then cross promo with minor league teams would help

Nope. it's less than 90 minutes down to Illness stadium. As for traveling to see the Orange Bowl team...mosyt people here don't even realize NIU crashed the BCS and WENT to the Orange Bowl. Seriously! The Peoria newspaper only printed one very small article the day after we were chosen. And then nothing else AT ALL leading up to the game. Then there was another article about us losing.
Now, If that were Illness that was going...it would have been the headline on the front page and it would have filled the entire sports section every single day. Stupid newspaper.