(05-06-2015 05:18 PM)HuskieBowWow Wrote:  It shows up as a Facebook post but it leaves me with an uncomfortable feeling. I sense a tone of desperation. If this doesn't lead to a significant increase in ticket sales and donations, there are no more cards for SF to play. I think he views this as his make or break moment. I hope it works.

I sensed frustration, not desperation, in that letter.

I have had season tickets for a long time...when my kids were young and I could only make 2 or 3 games a year I kept the season tickets because when I did get there I enjoyed seeing the same people in the seats around me.

I think you concentrate marketing within 35 mile radius from Dekalb that includes Rockford, Elgin Aurora, Naperville, St Charles, etc.

(05-06-2015 09:58 PM)Mark26pt2 Wrote:  One thing I would like to add - while I agree we should always be pursuing season ticket holders - however, we also should be looking to increase single game ticket sales. In my case, I have conflicts that do no allow me to buy season tickets but I buy and attend every single game that I can (about 2 to 3 a year) and I donate to HAF as well as the NIU ACCY department. I think there are many people like me and we should be counted as valuable supporters of the program. One way to get more season ticket holders is first to get people to 1 or 2 games a year. Get them addicted to the best team in Illinois and then "up sell" them to season tickets the next year. Even if they never buy season tickets (like me) they can be valuable supporters of NIU athletics.

Amen! I have been in that situation for years. With kids growing up, tight schedules, tight budgets, a commitment to season tickets is difficult. Also factoring in that when I go, I take as many friends as possible with me, I more than make up for not having season tickets. Yet for year after year after year I have felt ignored, even disliked by Athletics. The ******* O'Dell even told me personally at a basketball game in the middle of a cold as heck night in DeKalb, when I asked what we could do to increase attendance (it was dismal that night) he said, "Do you have season tickets? I said no (with three friends with me that I had brought). He said, "well, you can get season tickets. That's what you can do."

He really made me feel like an important part of the Huskie family.

I hope Athletics understands that, while season tickets are important, there are many other fans that are also important. Reach out to all.

(05-07-2015 08:18 AM)chihuskie Wrote:  

(05-06-2015 09:58 PM)Mark26pt2 Wrote:  One thing I would like to add - while I agree we should always be pursuing season ticket holders - however, we also should be looking to increase single game ticket sales. In my case, I have conflicts that do no allow me to buy season tickets but I buy and attend every single game that I can (about 2 to 3 a year) and I donate to HAF as well as the NIU ACCY department. I think there are many people like me and we should be counted as valuable supporters of the program. One way to get more season ticket holders is first to get people to 1 or 2 games a year. Get them addicted to the best team in Illinois and then "up sell" them to season tickets the next year. Even if they never buy season tickets (like me) they can be valuable supporters of NIU athletics.

Amen! I have been in that situation for years. With kids growing up, tight schedules, tight budgets, a commitment to season tickets is difficult. Also factoring in that when I go, I take as many friends as possible with me, I more than make up for not having season tickets. Yet for year after year after year I have felt ignored, even disliked by Athletics. The ******* O'Dell even told me personally at a basketball game in the middle of a cold as heck night in DeKalb, when I asked what we could do to increase attendance (it was dismal that night) he said, "Do you have season tickets? I said no (with three friends with me that I had brought). He said, "well, you can get season tickets. That's what you can do."

He really made me feel like an important part of the Huskie family.

I hope Athletics understands that, while season tickets are important, there are many other fans that are also important. Reach out to all.

I agree with the comments about bringing friends. I live in the Gurnee area but every time we come for a game we recruit other alum from our neighborhood and normally bring 3-4 families (10-16 people). It makes it a fun tailgate and helps fill the stands. There must be someone way to leverage the loyal fans to help drive attendance.

(05-07-2015 08:30 AM)Mark26pt2 Wrote:  I agree with the comments about bringing friends. I live in the Gurnee area but every time we come for a game we recruit other alum from our neighborhood and normally bring 3-4 families (10-16 people). It makes it a fun tailgate and helps fill the stands. There must be someone way to leverage the loyal fans to help drive attendance.

Do you get the group discounted tickets?



As a season ticket holder I would like access to discounted tickets for individual games. I would love to bring more people to the games but now that individual tickets are $42ea that will likely not happen.

$5 - off for a P5 home game and homecoming
$10 - off for a Sept/Oct home game excluding homecoming
1/2 - off for a Nov weeknight home game

(05-07-2015 09:09 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  Do you get the group discounted tickets?



As a season ticket holder I would like access to discounted tickets for individual games. I would love to bring more people to the games but now that individual tickets are $42ea that will likely not happen.

$5 - off for a P5 home game and homecoming
$10 - off for a Sept/Oct home game excluding homecoming
1/2 - off for a Nov weeknight home game

Sometimes I get the group discounted tickets - depends how much in advance we purchase the tickets. Sometimes it is a quick decision and then we just buy the tickets.

They need to cold call everyone who was a season ticket holder, donor and individual ticket purchaser for which they have the info for and ask them to rejoin the family. I know the data only goes back to 2005 but still that is a good place to start.


I always wondered why athletics doesn't advertise on 95.9. My cousin used to work there 5 years ago and back then you could get ten 30sec spots for $70. Even if its $100 for the package now that is still isn't much.

(05-07-2015 09:09 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(05-07-2015 08:30 AM)Mark26pt2 Wrote:  I agree with the comments about bringing friends. I live in the Gurnee area but every time we come for a game we recruit other alum from our neighborhood and normally bring 3-4 families (10-16 people). It makes it a fun tailgate and helps fill the stands. There must be someone way to leverage the loyal fans to help drive attendance.

Do you get the group discounted tickets?



As a season ticket holder I would like access to discounted tickets for individual games. I would love to bring more people to the games but now that individual tickets are $42ea that will likely not happen.

$5 - off for a P5 home game and homecoming
$10 - off for a Sept/Oct home game excluding homecoming
1/2 - off for a Nov weeknight home game

I used to get group discounted tickets, but then they kicked up the definition of group to, I think 20. That made it harder. It would be great to have the group rate apply at about 12. That seems to me to be the way it was some time back.

(05-07-2015 09:59 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  They need to cold call everyone who was a season ticket holder, donor and individual ticket purchaser for which they have the info for and ask them to rejoin the family. I know the data only goes back to 2005 but still that is a good place to start.


I always wondered why athletics doesn't advertise on 95.9. My cousin used to work there 5 years ago and back then you could get ten 30sec spots for $70. Even if its $100 for the package now that is still isn't much.

Several years ago, I purchased tickets to an NIU basketball game at UIC. I bought the tickets through UIC. A short time after the game, I was contacted by UIC Athletics about my experience at the game, and I have been contacted numerous times after that by phone or e-mail to buy season tickets or single game tickets. That is how you do it, folks.

Just to let you know, many of these things everyone is discussing are being done.

We have a sales team in-house now from IMG Learfield Ticket Solutions. They are making hundreds of calls per week to every list the department, Convo, alumni association and any other list they can get their hands on. Anyone who has bought a ticket from us and is not already a season ticket holder is being called as are past season ticket holders, even people who just click on the e-mail. We will have a presence at graduations this weekend. We are well ahead of last year's pace on season tickets.

As for Frazier's e-mail, it did not just go out to the "choir", it went to a list of over 100,000 accounts and we are able to see which accounts clicked or read the e-mail and follow up accordingly. Information is also distributed by the Alumni Association (they did an e-mail yesterday highlighting the Summer Circuit), by the chambers of commerce and on NIU Today.

There are lots of pros working very hard in the NIU athletic department.

(05-07-2015 10:37 AM)Huskie Info Wrote:  Just to let you know, many of these things everyone is discussing are being done.

We have a sales team in-house now from IMG Learfield Ticket Solutions. They are making hundreds of calls per week to every list the department, Convo, alumni association and any other list they can get their hands on. Anyone who has bought a ticket from us and is not already a season ticket holder is being called as are past season ticket holders, even people who just click on the e-mail. We will have a presence at graduations this weekend. We are well ahead of last year's pace on season tickets.

As for Frazier's e-mail, it did not just go out to the "choir", it went to a list of over 100,000 accounts and we are able to see which accounts clicked or read the e-mail and follow up accordingly. Information is also distributed by the Alumni Association (they did an e-mail yesterday highlighting the Summer Circuit), by the chambers of commerce and on NIU Today.

There are lots of pros working very hard in the NIU athletic department.

Fantastic!

Thanks Huskie Info. I was wondering why die hards assumed they were the only ones on the distribution? Thanks for popping in. It's cool to hear the efforts first hand. Keep up the good work.

I was late with my renewal and received a couple of emails and a phone call. I never received a followup after I faxed my payroll deduct form thou. I had to call up to make sure my order was processed.

(05-07-2015 10:37 AM)Huskie Info Wrote:  
There are lots of pros working very hard in the NIU athletic department.

Awesome - Keep up the hard work and let's keep growing

(05-07-2015 10:13 AM)chihuskie Wrote:  

(05-07-2015 09:09 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(05-07-2015 08:30 AM)Mark26pt2 Wrote:  I agree with the comments about bringing friends. I live in the Gurnee area but every time we come for a game we recruit other alum from our neighborhood and normally bring 3-4 families (10-16 people). It makes it a fun tailgate and helps fill the stands. There must be someone way to leverage the loyal fans to help drive attendance.

Do you get the group discounted tickets?



As a season ticket holder I would like access to discounted tickets for individual games. I would love to bring more people to the games but now that individual tickets are $42ea that will likely not happen.

$5 - off for a P5 home game and homecoming
$10 - off for a Sept/Oct home game excluding homecoming
1/2 - off for a Nov weeknight home game

I used to get group discounted tickets, but then they kicked up the definition of group to, I think 20. That made it harder. It would be great to have the group rate apply at about 12. That seems to me to be the way it was some time back.

http://www.niuhuskies.com/tickets/group-tickets.html

Group of 15 gets you $25 each. Bigger discounts for Groups of 25 & 50.

(05-07-2015 10:48 AM)shack66 Wrote:  Thanks Huskie Info. I was wondering why die hards assumed they were the only ones on the distribution? Thanks for popping in. It's cool to hear the efforts first hand. Keep up the good work.

I was late with my renewal and received a couple of emails and a phone call. I never received a followup after I faxed my payroll deduct form thou. I had to call up to make sure my order was processed.

I didn't think of it that way at all. I thought of it as the same as the Huskie Stadium survey that was sent out over a year ago. We know that they have a list of 121k people but only 4200 cared enough to take the 2min survey.

With the #SchedulePalooza hype last year and the game changing statement in the latest article hopefully many more will care enough to join us to get us where we need to be.

So, looking at some Youtube flyover, an idea struck me.

If getting a military flyover is too complicated (IF), how about a flyover by the Lima Lima Flight Team. They are right here in Northern Illinois. And they have opening on their schedule for the fall.

http://www.limalima.com/showinfo.htm

(05-07-2015 10:50 AM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  

(05-07-2015 10:13 AM)chihuskie Wrote:  

(05-07-2015 09:09 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(05-07-2015 08:30 AM)Mark26pt2 Wrote:  I agree with the comments about bringing friends. I live in the Gurnee area but every time we come for a game we recruit other alum from our neighborhood and normally bring 3-4 families (10-16 people). It makes it a fun tailgate and helps fill the stands. There must be someone way to leverage the loyal fans to help drive attendance.

Do you get the group discounted tickets?



As a season ticket holder I would like access to discounted tickets for individual games. I would love to bring more people to the games but now that individual tickets are $42ea that will likely not happen.

$5 - off for a P5 home game and homecoming
$10 - off for a Sept/Oct home game excluding homecoming
1/2 - off for a Nov weeknight home game

I used to get group discounted tickets, but then they kicked up the definition of group to, I think 20. That made it harder. It would be great to have the group rate apply at about 12. That seems to me to be the way it was some time back.

http://www.niuhuskies.com/tickets/group-tickets.html

Group of 15 gets you $25 each. Bigger discounts for Groups of 25 & 50.

Good to know. Thanks.

It's going to be very difficult to take the next step in the program, unless we can hook onto more big donors somehow.

In our corner, we have:

1) An energetic AD who appears to have the department doing stuff to try to improve the program and has already improved the OOC scheduling
2) A football team that has done more than could reasonably be expected over the past 5 years, and really for a decade or more.

In the other corner, our opponent:

1) Weeknight games
2) A decade of neglect in OOC scheduling
3) Probably some less than customer-friendly stadium issues and/or processes
4) More games on TV, so people watch from home.
5) Currently small donor base
6) Chicagoland media that only covers us when convenient and only after certain other schools have been mentioned - though some are better than others. Pro football state rather than college football.