So, we have accomplished about all we can accomplish as a dominant mid-major. Now it's time to make the move to a Power 5 conference. Let's examine.

There are three things we already have going for us. First and foremost, Northern Illinois is perfectly situated logistically to have access to both the Chicago and Milwaukee media markets. The potential revenue streams from two of the top markets in the midwest has to be enticing to conferences who take a look at us.

Second, we have proven success as a football program. An orange bowl appearance, multiple conference championships, and annual bowl appearances show sustainability for the program. All this, too, was accomplished with revolving coaching schemes driving the program.

Third, we have stadium and facility upgrades in the works. No, we will not have a Notre Dame or Michigan type stadium just yet, but we will be at the low end of a what a major conference school offers its fans and opposing teams in seating capacity and amenities.

So what holds us back? It is us, the fans and alumni. There simply are just not enough of us. So enough complaining about it, lets offer some solutions.

* Drop the "Northern Illinois" immediately. Notify all major media outlets that we are going to be rebranded as "NIU" and ask for their compliance in the name change. Directional schools have an onus or a stigma about them, with the sole exception of USC. We need to de-emphasize that hindrance.

* Stop it with the revolving uniforms. NIU needs an identity, and a standard uniform is a way to generate that. Boise State put itself on the national radar with that stupid blue field. Make it gaudy, make it noticeable. How about a monochromatic red uniform with a helmet that is a giant Huskie head with bloody teeth? It doesn't matter what it is, just make it so anyone who tunes into ESPN and catches a Huskie highlight immediately identifies who we are.

* If and when Coach Carey leaves, hire a charismatic coach to replace him. Now, I'm not advocating his dismissal, I'm simply suggesting if he does, it would be beneficial to hire a replacement that is engaging and colorful. Yes, the primary responsibility of the coach is to win games, but we're not Alabama. We need our coach to generate interest in the program as well. We need a coach that every booking agent in the media world has on their speed dial to bring on their programs. We need to boost our profile, and the head coach is the face of any football program so lets find a face that is media friendly.

* Offer free tickets to all Huskie home games. It's not as crazy as it initially sounds. First off, if we can bring in 35,00 to our games instead of 10,000, the increased revenue in concessions, parking, and other ancillary revenue streams will partially offset the loss of gate revenue. If you look at the math, if NIU sells ten thousands tickets at $40.00, we're only talking $400,000 per game. An enterprising marketing salesperson on the NIU staff should easily be able to sell corporate sponsorship for each home game - it's the cost of a TV commercial. Picture Kent State vs. NIU sponsored by First Third Bank. Plaster Huskie stadium with all their swag. It would be worth it for any company to hit 35K people with their top of mind awareness advertising. They would pay. We need butts in seats. The game day experience is critical to building lifelong loyalties in what once may have been casual fans. A packed stadium generates excitement in our student body, with our recruits, with advertisers, and ultimately, with larger conferences we want to look good for.

* Inundate the midwest with marketing. We have already rebranded as NIU, so we are a regional team now - not just a Northern Illinois team. Hit central Illinois, southern Wisconsin, eastern Iowa, western Indiana. Hit every little newspaper, every local radio show, rent billboards on freeways...get that NIU logo out there. The Chicago market is expensive to advertise with - rural markets are not. Reallocate some of your marketing money out of Chicago and into the rural areas. Build a ground swell of interest in the NIU program from the grass roots. It will build and snowball into the bigger markets.

* Get the community more involved in the game day experience. Go to every local business and give them NIU swag to display outside their businesses. Work with the merchants to offer NIU game day specials. Blanket all of freakin' DeKalb in red and black. We are only limited by our own inability to get creative with our community to promote our product. Go to Iowa City sometime and see what it's like on football Saturday there. The entire city shuts down to watch the Hawkeyes. We need to channel that kind of excitement. It won't happen overnight, but it can be built.

These are my initial thoughts. If I ever get a sitdown with SF, I'll work to get him on board. Anyone else have any suggestions?

1. We may be in the Chicago media market but we don't have access to it
2. No one is going to pay $40,000/game to sponsor NIU vs Kent St
3. We can't get people to drive from Naperville but you think people from Iowa will come
4. Comparing NIU to Iowa is a huge stretch

Making things free devalues the brand, you will never get people to buy tickets ever again. A great example of that is how now people scuff at $99 season tickets, reason is Compher used to fire sale them for $5-10/game.

Also people who show up to "free stuff" don't spend money, won't donate to athletics, won't buy concessions, etc... Not the demographic NIU needs.

I agree NIU needs to market better, I would focus on the Western suburbs (st charles, geneva, aurora, naperville)

I imagine internally Frazier rolls his eyes everytime an armchair AD comes up to him with some 'ideas' on how to get NIU to another level.

It's a catch-22. NIU is never going to be P5 drawing 15,000 fans a game. NIU cannot draw more fans unless they are a perceived to be a major team, i.e. P5. It's a perception problem.

The sooner we all resign ourselves to this reality, the less angst there will be on this board.

When I was in high school, I did not even know there was a school called "Northern Illinois" until I was a senior and I started looking for colleges. Now, NIU is nationally known. The last thing NIU needs is a name change. So we sometimes get confused for Northern Iowa? OSU could be Ohio State, Oregon State or Oklahoma State. Our former Big West rivals Southwest Louisiana changed their name to Louisiana-Monroe, and remained just as obscure.

I like the classic red/black home and white/black road unis, but the various Huskie uniforms we have seen lately remain fairly uniform. Other MAC schools have done much crazier stuff with their uniforms.

I am fine our "boring" coach. I would rather the Huskies get noticed for winning lots of games than being known as the team with the crazy coach. Long ago, the Huskies had a coach with lots of personality, and he sucked. I do not want to mention his name, but you can find him and his personality on ESPN Gameday, and not on the sideline.

When Howard Schnellenberger took over the U, the first thing he did was get rid of the free tickets promotion. You want a product people will pay for. Free ticket fans are not the same as paying fans. They will go to the game for reasons other than football. Perhaps NIU could offer reduced prices on extra tickets for students and season ticket holders. Maybe buy one, get another for half price. Not free. That will incentivize Huskie fans to spread the word around.

(11-23-2015 10:20 AM)HuskieBowWow Wrote:  It's a catch-22. NIU is never going to be P5 drawing 15,000 fans a game. NIU cannot draw more fans unless they are a perceived to be a major team, i.e. P5. It's a perception problem.

The sooner we all resign ourselves to this reality, the less angst there will be on this board.

agreed. i once thought that there was a legitimate chance to grow NIU into a national powerhouse, and possibly move on up. but despite our winning records, attendance has declined. we are a looooonnnng way from even sniffing a major conference bid. i've personally disagreed with some of the gameday experience changes (tailgate lots, ticket/parking prices, weekday games), that i feel have been short sighted and come at expense of true long term fan growth. I am not surprised that support has grown weaker over the years. But, the Ath. Dept. has their own priorities, so i quit really caring about 'how to get attendance up', when a lot of issues have been self inflicted. The gameday experience has really gone mediocre over the years, and really does not deserve better support, IMO.

(11-23-2015 09:45 AM)huskiealum03 Wrote:  I imagine internally Frazier rolls his eyes everytime an armchair AD comes up to him with some 'ideas' on how to get NIU to another level.

Unless you have better ideas stfu.

I'm all for people bringing their ideas to the table and we should be able to discuss them. If the idea is off base then you can point it out.

(11-23-2015 12:43 PM)huskiealum03 Wrote:  

(11-23-2015 10:20 AM)HuskieBowWow Wrote:  It's a catch-22. NIU is never going to be P5 drawing 15,000 fans a game. NIU cannot draw more fans unless they are a perceived to be a major team, i.e. P5. It's a perception problem.

The sooner we all resign ourselves to this reality, the less angst there will be on this board.

agreed. i once thought that there was a legitimate chance to grow NIU into a national powerhouse, and possibly move on up. but despite our winning records, attendance has declined. we are a looooonnnng way from even sniffing a major conference bid. i've personally disagreed with some of the gameday experience changes (tailgate lots, ticket/parking prices, weekday games), that i feel have been short sighted and come at expense of true long term fan growth. I am not surprised that support has grown weaker over the years. But, the Ath. Dept. has their own priorities, so i quit really caring about 'how to get attendance up', when a lot of issues have been self inflicted. The gameday experience has really gone mediocre over the years, and really does not deserve better support, IMO.

Obviously Frazier disagrees with you because the video he released a couple months ago makes it pretty clear that he will take us there eventually. And if he leaves the next guy better have the same goal and take us there with the same determination and enthusiasm.

(11-23-2015 10:20 AM)HuskieBowWow Wrote:  It's a catch-22. NIU is never going to be P5 drawing 15,000 fans a game. NIU cannot draw more fans unless they are a perceived to be a major team, i.e. P5. It's a perception problem.

The sooner we all resign ourselves to this reality, the less angst there will be on this board.

It is the ultimate dilemma for sure, the combination of opposing fans crammed into the Chicago market and the broad base of NIU fans would guarantee filling Huskie Stadium every day if playing in the Big 12. But you are right its a catch 22. It is important for NIU to remain relatively successful over the next 2 to 3 years because the schedule factor will start to kick in. NIU can average 25k a game when people start to jump on season tickets because they want to see Maryland, BYU, Utah, etc. Just have to keep the ball rolling over the next few years. Next year is huge, all common sense would say WMU should win the MAC, if NIU can break through next year again, I think it would be a nice bridge to keep fan interest going until the big P5's start coming to Huskie Stadium the following years.

Ha, Milwaukee? Chicago doesn't even care about NIU.

(11-23-2015 01:01 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  Ha, Milwaukee? Chicago doesn't even care about NIU.

Chicago doesn't care about Illinois or NU. The big thing with Chicago though, is that it is a massive media market that would greatly benefit a conference like the Big 12 in # of TV sets with your product available, that's huge. Plus the Chicago market has tons of Big 12 alums that would flood to Huskie Stadium every single week.

Without trying to read Frazier's mind he probably thinks the attendance problem will fix itself once we are in a more high profile conference. It will be a bigger event so there will be more people. The Deep South is crazed by college football. They go to every game as students and return as alumni season ticket holders. I'm jealous they have such passion for attending those games while we seem to have apathy.

(11-23-2015 01:03 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(11-23-2015 01:01 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  Ha, Milwaukee? Chicago doesn't even care about NIU.

Chicago doesn't care about Illinois or NU. The big thing with Chicago though, is that it is a massive media market that would greatly benefit a conference like the Big 12 in # of TV sets with your product available, that's huge. Plus the Chicago market has tons of Big 12 alums that would flood to Huskie Stadium every single week.

That doesn't matter unless the B12 has a network of their own. Right now the only B12 team we would be helping it Texas with the LHN.

(11-23-2015 01:08 PM)badmoonrising13 Wrote:  Without trying to read Frazier's mind he probably thinks the attendance problem will fix itself once we are in a more high profile conference. It will be a bigger event so there will be more people. The Deep South is crazed by college football. They go to every game as students and return as alumni season ticket holders. I'm jealous they have such passion for attending those games while we seem to have apathy.

Competition is everything. TCU sells out nearly every game, but I was able to attend the TCU v Kansas game for 8 bucks, and the stadium was half full.

(11-23-2015 01:17 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(11-23-2015 01:03 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(11-23-2015 01:01 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  Ha, Milwaukee? Chicago doesn't even care about NIU.

Chicago doesn't care about Illinois or NU. The big thing with Chicago though, is that it is a massive media market that would greatly benefit a conference like the Big 12 in # of TV sets with your product available, that's huge. Plus the Chicago market has tons of Big 12 alums that would flood to Huskie Stadium every single week.

That doesn't matter unless the B12 has a network of their own. Right now the only B12 team we would be helping it Texas with the LHN.

I know B12 leadership has mentioned there are no plans for a network, but if they want to remain a viable relevant p5, they are going to have to.

(11-23-2015 12:50 PM)badmoonrising13 Wrote:  

(11-23-2015 09:45 AM)huskiealum03 Wrote:  I imagine internally Frazier rolls his eyes everytime an armchair AD comes up to him with some 'ideas' on how to get NIU to another level.

Unless you have better ideas stfu.

i've given 'ideas' ad nauseum in the past. this is only the millionth thread to discuss NIU's big push to the big time.

(11-23-2015 01:08 PM)badmoonrising13 Wrote:  Without trying to read Frazier's mind he probably thinks the attendance problem will fix itself once we are in a more high profile conference. It will be a bigger event so there will be more people. The Deep South is crazed by college football. They go to every game as students and return as alumni season ticket holders. I'm jealous they have such passion for attending those games while we seem to have apathy.

The state of illinois gives no cruds about college sports. There is no culture of college sports here, unlike in the deep south.

More attendance as a result of bigger conference is the tail wagging the dog, and is not a legitimate plan.

(11-23-2015 01:42 AM)VegasHuskie Wrote:  * Drop the "Northern Illinois" immediately. Notify all major media outlets that we are going to be rebranded as "NIU" and ask for their compliance in the name change. Directional schools have an onus or a stigma about them, with the sole exception of USC. We need to de-emphasize that hindrance.

* Stop it with the revolving uniforms. NIU needs an identity, and a standard uniform is a way to generate that. Boise State put itself on the national radar with that stupid blue field. Make it gaudy, make it noticeable. How about a monochromatic red uniform with a helmet that is a giant Huskie head with bloody teeth? It doesn't matter what it is, just make it so anyone who tunes into ESPN and catches a Huskie highlight immediately identifies who we are.

Couldn't disagree more.

(11-23-2015 01:28 PM)niubrad00 Wrote:  

(11-23-2015 01:42 AM)VegasHuskie Wrote:  * Drop the "Northern Illinois" immediately. Notify all major media outlets that we are going to be rebranded as "NIU" and ask for their compliance in the name change. Directional schools have an onus or a stigma about them, with the sole exception of USC. We need to de-emphasize that hindrance.

* Stop it with the revolving uniforms. NIU needs an identity, and a standard uniform is a way to generate that. Boise State put itself on the national radar with that stupid blue field. Make it gaudy, make it noticeable. How about a monochromatic red uniform with a helmet that is a giant Huskie head with bloody teeth? It doesn't matter what it is, just make it so anyone who tunes into ESPN and catches a Huskie highlight immediately identifies who we are.

Couldn't disagree more.

And I have to disagree that having a loudmouth coach is the link to a brighter future for NIU, I mean VegasHuskie,come on now, you are better than this.