The unofficial online home for fans of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(11-07-2014 01:48 PM)moe24 Wrote:  I don't know what the deal is there. WMU has had some really good marketing people on staff in the past, but for whatever reason (my guess is $$ is the reason) they only ever pull the trigger on the bush league ideas.

It's half and half. First half is the community only really gets up for ND and the Big 11 opponents, they have to be spoon fed everyone else. Second half is so many marketing people at WMU have been around FOREVER that they're so set in their ways with little incentive to innovate or work hard, they don't innovate or come up with anything new. Garbage in, garbage out, as they like to say.

I wish I had chart of the WMU athletic department hierarchy with the tenures of the top brass. I'd say many to most have been there at least 10 if not 15+ years.

(11-07-2014 03:48 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  

(11-07-2014 01:48 PM)moe24 Wrote:  I don't know what the deal is there. WMU has had some really good marketing people on staff in the past, but for whatever reason (my guess is $$ is the reason) they only ever pull the trigger on the bush league ideas.

It's half and half. First half is the community only really gets up for ND and the Big 11 opponents, they have to be spoon fed everyone else. Second half is so many marketing people at WMU have been around FOREVER that they're so set in their ways with little incentive to innovate or work hard, they don't innovate or come up with anything new. Garbage in, garbage out, as they like to say.

I wish I had chart of the WMU athletic department hierarchy with the tenures of the top brass. I'd say many to most have been there at least 10 if not 15+ years.

But that the whole point. Becasue it's a new league/new teams, WMU marketing needs to get thier "old" fan base excited about the "NEW" hockey that is in thier back yard. If fans can get up for Notre Dame, how can the not get up for #2 ranked North Dakota comming to town or #7 ranked SCSU??

And in terms of costs, well there is an endless supply of young, inovated, motivated, creative young minds in the Business college who are dieing to get thier hands on a real life portfolio piece/case study, etc... It's FREE labor!!!!!

In terms of media, direct marketing via social media is as cheap as you can get. Again, its a free labor market that is doing all the work.

The actual WMU "paid staff" who is responsible for the marketing, doesn't even have to do much work other than supervise the business department

If they do not sell out (with actual BUTTS in seats') the SCSU, Sioux and Miami game, it will be un-excussable!!!! And mark my words, UMD will be a top 10 team by the end of the year and a marketable sell out game.

(11-07-2014 11:27 AM)moe24 Wrote:  

(11-07-2014 11:14 AM)stdatwmu Wrote:  

(11-07-2014 08:07 AM)brovol Wrote:  Most on this board thought a year and a half ago that the nchc schools would bring great crowds to Lawson because they are so good. I don't think that will necessarily be the case because their names are still not sexy to the casual bronco fan. And in fact dont draw much better, than the regional schools.

Yeah, I'm quite curious to see the attendance numbers next weekend.

Top 10 team in the country should be a great draw. Should be.

It's going to take a few years for fans to realize who the top teams are. A lot of the student crowd are there for the great fan experience as much as they're there for the great hockey.

I remember when we hosted Maine when they were a top 10 team (Jimmy Howard's freshman year IRC). No one showed up because no one knew who they were. This was during the days when Mich and MSU would draw 4500 based purely on name recognition.

This is true.
Lot of students hear this about Lawson: "We make the National Tournament, knock off the Big 10 schools consistently, and win the league tournament. The student section at Lawson is a blast too."

In actuality:
We've made the National Tournament just twice since we've gotten good and haven't gotten out of the first round yet.
Most of the Big 10 schools actually aren't very good.
We've only won the league tournament once since we've gotten good.
The student section at Lawson is declining because people hear it's good and then don't put effort in to making it good.

But it drives me nuts. Notre Dame last season: standing room only. First place NCHC team: not even close.

It bugs me so much. We could be put in a league with the all the other league mates being ranked in the top 10 and UofM/MSU would still draw more, and not with UofM/MSU fans.

But I really shouldn't complaining. It is nice seeing students come out to support the Broncos as much as they have. Lawson is still a blast. It's the community side that has never seemed to get its butt on board with the program's success.

What some might not realize that the cost for a family of four to attend a game is $96 to $120 just for tickets. Then you add the overpriced stale popcorn etc. Not the kind of thing your average family does very often. Especially when there is very little promotion in the community. The program does all of it's promotion to the students, who get in free.

They're #1 this week. And still 10-0-0

awesome for them. I'd much rather see tech in the top than ferris.....