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

I took 7 kids from the Holland area to game Saturday. $200 for tickets for the eight of uw and $10 parking with seats 20 feet from the field. The kids could hear the trash talking and we had 3 touchdowns right in front of us. After the game the kids ran to the back of the tunnel so that they could watch the team run by them. They were amazed at the size of the WMU team. Most of these kids have never seen a WMU game and have grown up a steady media diet of Michigan and, believe it or not, Hope.

On the way home we talked about the number of pros our family has seen over the years at Waldo (Jennings, Babin, A. Brown, Wolf, Scheffler etc) up close and not from 3 miles away. I think they saw two more potential pros in Davis and Braverman.

The kids were still talking about the game on Sunday. I really don't understand how Waldo doesn't average 25K every game. Great football and atmosphere. Not to mention that the high school boys appreciated the dance team (this old man did as well).

A great value for a high quality product. One would think that is what it is all about.

(10-12-2015 05:55 AM)bronco89 Wrote:  I took 7 kids from the Holland area to game Saturday. $200 for tickets for the eight of uw and $10 parking with seats 20 feet from the field. The kids could hear the trash talking and we had 3 touchdowns right in front of us. After the game the kids ran to the back of the tunnel so that they could watch the team run by them. They were amazed at the size of the WMU team. Most of these kids have never seen a WMU game and have grown up a steady media diet of Michigan and, believe it or not, Hope.

On the way home we talked about the number of pros our family has scene over the years at Waldo (Jennings, Babin, A. Brown, Wolf, Scheffler etc) up close and not from 3 miles away. I think they saw two more potential pros in Davis and Braverman.

The kids were still talking about the game on Sunday. I really don't understand how Waldo doesn't average 25K every game. Great football and atmosphere. Not to mention that the high school boys appreciated the dance team (this old man did as well).

A great value for a high quality product. One would think that is what it is all about.

Agree totally, and I've watched kids do the exact same thing as yours did and have a similar response.

The product is not marketed well by WMU or the MAC. Even the Mac commercial comes off as saying we are small and insignificant but were proud.

Most marketing people in the private sector have to produce or they're gone. The marketing people at western are here as long as they want to be or until their pension kicks in. No real incentive bear to think out-of-the-box

Five more years of the corporate bs and I will offer my 35 years marketing experience to WMU for free.

(10-12-2015 05:55 AM)bronco89 Wrote:  I took 7 kids from the Holland area to game Saturday. $200 for tickets for the eight of uw and $10 parking with seats 20 feet from the field. The kids could hear the trash talking and we had 3 touchdowns right in front of us. After the game the kids ran to the back of the tunnel so that they could watch the team run by them. They were amazed at the size of the WMU team. Most of these kids have never seen a WMU game and have grown up a steady media diet of Michigan and, believe it or not, Hope.

On the way home we talked about the number of pros our family has seen over the years at Waldo (Jennings, Babin, A. Brown, Wolf, Scheffler etc) up close and not from 3 miles away. I think they saw two more potential pros in Davis and Braverman.

The kids were still talking about the game on Sunday. I really don't understand how Waldo doesn't average 25K every game. Great football and atmosphere. Not to mention that the high school boys appreciated the dance team (this old man did as well).

A great value for a high quality product. One would think that is what it is all about.

Nice post!

I took a high school freshman who had never been to a college football game. She loved it!

What impressed her most was the marching band. For those of us who have been going to college games for generations, we lose some appreciation for how good and impressive collegiate bands really are. If you have never seen one before, they blow you away.

WMU, and the MAC in general, are the best value in Michigan sports. They offer a TREMENDOUS family environment (provided you keep the kids away from the student tailgate...) are easily accessible and very friendly.

Frankly, taking a grade school, or younger, kid to an MSU or UM game is child abuse. At WMU, CMU or EMU, they can move around safely and even get down on the field after the game.

I agree that the marketing people in the MAC and WMU are dim bulbs. Only 20,000 on Saturday?! Sad. Worse, is CMU which had only 17,000 for its Homecoming!!

Yet WMU & CMU grads fall all over themselves to get overpriced tickets to watch overrated UM and MSU teams in uncomfortable and impersonal, and usually dirty, facilities.

I doubt the MSU-UM game will be any more exciting than what we experienced Saturday. And Waldo is A LOT more comfortable, clean, picturesque and affordable than that hole in Ann Arbor.

In short, we have it good. Maybe it is just as well the Sparty & Wolverine wanna-be babies don't know it. Do we really want such stupid people sitting by us?

(10-12-2015 05:55 AM)bronco89 Wrote:  A great value for a high quality product. One would think that is what it is all about.

There's almost no doubt in my mind that Davis and Braverman are going to make an NFL roster.

I'm starting to wonder if Derek Mitchell has a shot too, much like John Potter did being a kick-off specialist. About 2/3 of his kick-off's have been touchbacks. A lot of times, you take that for granted. What a weapon he has been for us. Unsung hero, IMO.

Someone mentioned in another thread that we don't have a football culture at Western. Explaining how it could be that only 20,200 attended a game with our bitter rival.
Kalamazoo always gets the blame for being indifferent toward WMU...
My opinion is this, culture is created through excellence in a specific endeavour.... In this case football......It was 27 years ago when we won the MAC championship (1988)....We haven't done enough on the field over the years to expect a loyal fan base to develop....
I know there are other reasons that are in play here, but, to me, this issue is 75% of the problem.

Tremendous value indeed. I have said it before; I would love to live in the Kalamazoo area, and be able to go to all the games.

I went to Friday's hockey game with my wife, daughter and son, and the the football game with my son, and we had an awesome weekend in kazoo. I love it when we can get multiple games in during our trips there. Always a good value.

WMU athletics is a GREAT value. We moved to the Ann Arbor area back in 1996. At the time I was all about checking out UM athletics and attending games at the Big House. After a couple of years, I realized what a pain in butt it was to navigate around Michigan Stadium -- and you could easily drop $250 - $300 on one afternoon. I stopped going to Michigan games and started attending WMU games again -- I always tried to get back to at least one every year anyhow. Now, on football Saturday's I chuckle as I see all block M flags heading east to Ann Arbor as I head west to Kalamazoo. I wouldn't have it any other way...

(10-12-2015 09:23 PM)BroncoMD Wrote:  WMU athletics is a GREAT value. We moved to the Ann Arbor area back in 1996. At the time I was all about checking out UM athletics and attending games at the Big House. After a couple of years, I realized what a pain in butt it was to navigate around Michigan Stadium -- and you could easily drop $250 - $300 on one afternoon. I stopped going to Michigan games and started attending WMU games again -- I always tried to get back to at least one every year anyhow. Now, on football Saturday's I chuckle as I see all block M flags heading east to Ann Arbor as I head west to Kalamazoo. I wouldn't have it any other way...

You're going to see many more of those flags flying now that they seem to be relevant again. Hopefully Sparty and OSU take them down a notch.

(10-12-2015 06:57 AM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(10-12-2015 05:55 AM)bronco89 Wrote:  I took 7 kids from the Holland area to game Saturday. $200 for tickets for the eight of uw and $10 parking with seats 20 feet from the field. The kids could hear the trash talking and we had 3 touchdowns right in front of us. After the game the kids ran to the back of the tunnel so that they could watch the team run by them. They were amazed at the size of the WMU team. Most of these kids have never seen a WMU game and have grown up a steady media diet of Michigan and, believe it or not, Hope.

On the way home we talked about the number of pros our family has scene over the years at Waldo (Jennings, Babin, A. Brown, Wolf, Scheffler etc) up close and not from 3 miles away. I think they saw two more potential pros in Davis and Braverman.

The kids were still talking about the game on Sunday. I really don't understand how Waldo doesn't average 25K every game. Great football and atmosphere. Not to mention that the high school boys appreciated the dance team (this old man did as well).

A great value for a high quality product. One would think that is what it is all about.

Agree totally, and I've watched kids do the exact same thing as yours did and have a similar response.

The product is not marketed well by WMU or the MAC. Even the Mac commercial comes off as saying we are small and insignificant but were proud.

Most marketing people in the private sector have to produce or they're gone. The marketing people at western are here as long as they want to be or until their pension kicks in. No real incentive bear to think out-of-the-box

FULL OF YOU KNOW WHAT AS USUAL. As someone who actually lives in Kalamazoo I can assure you that there is regular promotion of wmu sports. Bill boards t.v. spots radio spots etc.

Quote:FULL OF YOU KNOW WHAT AS USUAL. As someone who actually lives in Kalamazoo I can assure you that there is regular promotion of wmu sports. Bill boards t.v. spots radio spots etc.

He's saying it needs to be something different. Out of the box. When you're already a big established name, like, say, Nike -- you don't need much. At all.

A mid-major program with a relatively small following would need more than local a few local bill boards and and other ads everyone else does.

I would say the WMU football videos are different/interesting. They don't flood the (internet) air-waves, but they're out there. PJ Fleck's persona does get attention from the media -- which is good. It's riding in that direction that will help get more fans to the games -- PLUS obviously winning.

But other unique stuff would have to be done to help steer the desires & attitudes to bring it a step up. Part of that is affecting the inner culture... getting more students to pack in... getting former students who live in the greater W Michigan area to travel in for a run-of-the-mill game even, too. That kinda thing. It's not easy. Especially with ESPN3 at everyone's fingertips.

(10-13-2015 12:51 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  

Quote:FULL OF YOU KNOW WHAT AS USUAL. As someone who actually lives in Kalamazoo I can assure you that there is regular promotion of wmu sports. Bill boards t.v. spots radio spots etc.

He's saying it needs to be something different. Out of the box. When you're already a big established name, like, say, Nike -- you don't need much. At all.

A mid-major program with a relatively small following would need more than local a few local bill boards and and other ads everyone else does.

I would say the WMU football videos are different/interesting. They don't flood the (internet) air-waves, but they're out there. PJ Fleck's persona does get attention from the media -- which is good. It's riding in that direction that will help get more fans to the games -- PLUS obviously winning.

But other unique stuff would have to be done to help steer the desires & attitudes to bring it a step up. Part of that is affecting the inner culture... getting more students to pack in... getting former students who live in the greater W Michigan area to travel in for a run-of-the-mill game even, too. That kinda thing. It's not easy. Especially with ESPN3 at everyone's fingertips.

True, I don't know if anyone younger than our head coach listens to radio or watches commercial TV. Gotta start marketing to them.

Dear Mr. Buttons,

There is a lot more to marketing then just putting out a television commercial a radio spot or a billboard. That stuff is easy. Real marketing involves legwork, putting people out on the street, visiting businesses, government organizations, and doing speaking engagements at various associations and functions.

Go into a school with a couple of players, speak at an assembly, and hand out 2 tickets to every kid. They're unsold end zone seats anyway, they'll buy refreshments, they might bring two other family members, and you might create a new customer.

Marketing includes direct mailing, using your email database, and putting together incentives that will make people want to come for things other than football.

The thing about commercials is that you have to be tuned in to see them. With billboards you have to be distracted to look at them. Advertisers use gross ratings points to determine how many people will actually see and respond to an ad. Fact is its shockingly low.

Our SID should be using Mlive on a daily basis. He can produce narratives promoting the game. It's a free ad.

Your neanderthal approach to marketing is dated and ineffective.

Very interesting from our own experience. We had two sons play at Western for a total of seven years (seemed like a long time, now is just a dot in time!).

We went to every game, home and away, generally brought friends and totally enjoyed our experience there (despite some rocky times). And the tailgates were ALWAYS epic, even in the rain/snow (key is appropriate anti-freeze).

And we have never received a piece of email or direct mail since that said c'mon out and enjoy a game...

Seems like a little bit of a missed marketing opportunity.

Regardless, Go Broncos!

There isn't even marketing to ex-players. All I get in a flyer for the annual golf outing. Ran into Prindle a couple of years ago and he also mentioned the lack of effort to reach out to former players.

I've gotten several promotional pieces in the mail. Well done stuff..Really good 4 color graphics, deals for fans on every flyer...Billboards, etc.
I maintain that winning does cure a lot of the problem..We haven't had back, to back, to back really goods years that builds interest...Dip can have his gimmicks, I'll take wins on the field..

(10-12-2015 09:55 PM)ChuckNorris Wrote:  

(10-12-2015 09:23 PM)BroncoMD Wrote:  WMU athletics is a GREAT value. We moved to the Ann Arbor area back in 1996. At the time I was all about checking out UM athletics and attending games at the Big House. After a couple of years, I realized what a pain in butt it was to navigate around Michigan Stadium -- and you could easily drop $250 - $300 on one afternoon. I stopped going to Michigan games and started attending WMU games again -- I always tried to get back to at least one every year anyhow. Now, on football Saturday's I chuckle as I see all block M flags heading east to Ann Arbor as I head west to Kalamazoo. I wouldn't have it any other way...

You're going to see many more of those flags flying now that they seem to be relevant again. Hopefully Sparty and OSU take them down a notch.

The best part about the Michigan-Michigan State game is one of the dirty bastards has to lose!

(10-13-2015 11:44 AM)GullLake Wrote:  

(10-12-2015 09:55 PM)ChuckNorris Wrote:  

(10-12-2015 09:23 PM)BroncoMD Wrote:  WMU athletics is a GREAT value. We moved to the Ann Arbor area back in 1996. At the time I was all about checking out UM athletics and attending games at the Big House. After a couple of years, I realized what a pain in butt it was to navigate around Michigan Stadium -- and you could easily drop $250 - $300 on one afternoon. I stopped going to Michigan games and started attending WMU games again -- I always tried to get back to at least one every year anyhow. Now, on football Saturday's I chuckle as I see all block M flags heading east to Ann Arbor as I head west to Kalamazoo. I wouldn't have it any other way...

You're going to see many more of those flags flying now that they seem to be relevant again. Hopefully Sparty and OSU take them down a notch.

The best part about the Michigan-Michigan State game is one of the dirty bastards has to lose!

DEAL WITH IT