The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

We all seem to be on the same page regarding the declining game atmosphere - both among the students and the non-students. Attendance is dropping slowly. It has been a common complaint for several years now.

The administration does not appear to be addressing it, and we all seem to recognize some of the common issues.

-SO-

What can this forum to do create change and turn the situation for the better? This thread is for concrete solutions that THIS GROUP can enact. Not necessarily looking for things we think the admin can/should do, because unless we get some kind of meeting with them set up, we will just be complaining for the sake of complaining (which we are pretty good at).

IDEAS?? THOUGHTS? Share them here and let's make some stuff happen!

I'll start:

We set up a group funded account to purchase a bunch of gift cards to the bookstore...at each game we denote a representative from the forum to judge the student section and give out one gift card per game to the loudest/most energetic/most creative student fan from that game (maybe 30-50$ per game). We would advertise with on campus signage and maybe some signs in the arena. Appointed representative may have to sit in the student section while acting as a judge. I would definitely throw in $ for this. 16 home games at $30 each game is $480....an easily accomplished figure if we get 15 or 20 people to donate...what do you think?

Let's hear your ideas! I will keep track of them in a document and maybe we can put some things to a vote or something.

Move student seating to the upper reaches of sideline, not behind the basket.

Allow them to bring in signs, give the dance-cam winning pizza to them

stivk with the light-up blue glasses and the cell-phone lighting during intros

I like the first idea. But Im a fan of students behind basket closest to opposing bench.

I like the signs idea. Perhaps prizes for the most creative (non-vulgar) signs. I also agree that some of the corporate promotions should be geared towards students. Too bad they dropped the ball on the cell phone thing... bring that back. How about some sort of themes for certain games... dress like a Monarch or something like that. Kids come in crowns, gowns and lion costumes etc. The team could stand to interact with the students more as well. BT used to sing the alma mater with the students afterwards, that was cool. Why not let the students choose some of the playlist of songs at the game? How about halftime contests involving greeks or campus groups. Somehow we need to get the frats involved too. The Ted Heads were great and often made signs for the students back when BT was here and the section was rocking. Maybe that would help. Maybe a DJ or food outside the student entrance before games? The free beer in the blue room was a plus back in the day too.

Also: T SHIRTS! The university I work for has different local businesses sponsor T-shirts for the students at many home games. Its nuts. The kids go crazy for them, want to collect them all. And they're cool shirts too. One of the most popular has emoji looking caricatures of the players on it. They do 5,000 each game... ODU could do 500 and get the same buzz. Do this 6 or 7 times a year. It also helps build student pride. Perhaps a business owner on here would offer to sponsor the shirts with their logo on them somewhere in exchange for a radio ad and game mention or something. It would probably cost $3,000 per game for the shirts. But they have to be cool or the students won't wear them after the game.

Also, whatever happened to the Hoops Club?!?! That was a big deal for a while and seemed to make an impact in community awareness. ODU basketball needs a booster club of some type and not lame ol' ODAF. Something fun, something social, something that actually makes a difference for the team.

Afew guys on here tried to do some cool things before to generate interest in the past, such as a parade to the games with prizes etc.. and it never seemed to take off. I think to some degree the admin has to be involved, as they hold the keys to the student section.

I know the post is asking what WE can do, but something that I'm surprised isn't happening this year is a partnership with a nearby restaurant to give students a discount if they show their ticket (or whatever digital form they use now) during a game in which ODU scores 70 and wins or something along those lines.

There's no energy in the building because we play in a sh!tty conference with teams nobody gives a f#ck about. Same with Football. Historically bad decision. Rant over.

You have to engage Frats and Sororities. Incentivize them to come to the game. I would also engage ODAF.

(01-19-2018 07:51 PM)Old Blue Wrote:  There's no energy in the building because we play in a sh!tty conference with teams nobody gives a f#ck about. Same with Football. Historically bad decision. Rant over.

The CAA games were more fun plays school in the state and one could travel to them agree with who give a sh-- about Texas,Florida ,etc. one you have to get on a plane for

Well we can't solve the conference problem. This is a thread to discuss actionable items that the fanbase can accomplish. Please stay on topic.

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What happened to the guy that went thru the arena giving out t-shirts? People loved him. Was he sponsored by someone? A business? Can we find out and see if someone would be willing to sponsor him again. He was great.

(01-19-2018 09:08 PM)RoanokeMonarch Wrote:  What happened to the guy that went thru the arena giving out t-shirts? People loved him. Was he sponsored by someone? A business? Can we find out and see if someone would be willing to sponsor him again. He was great.

That’s Cameron Hughes. He’s blown up. Not sure we can afford him anymore. He’s all over the place!

http://cameronhughes.tv


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(01-19-2018 09:17 PM)Big Bluezilla Wrote:  

(01-19-2018 09:08 PM)RoanokeMonarch Wrote:  What happened to the guy that went thru the arena giving out t-shirts? People loved him. Was he sponsored by someone? A business? Can we find out and see if someone would be willing to sponsor him again. He was great.

That’s Cameron Hughes. He’s blown up. Not sure we can afford him anymore. He’s all over the place!

http://cameronhughes.tv


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Oh wow, that's him. Good find BB. Do you know him? Wonder how much he costs? So, he has no relationship with ODU? He sure is high energy!

(01-19-2018 09:57 PM)RoanokeMonarch Wrote:  

(01-19-2018 09:17 PM)Big Bluezilla Wrote:  

(01-19-2018 09:08 PM)RoanokeMonarch Wrote:  What happened to the guy that went thru the arena giving out t-shirts? People loved him. Was he sponsored by someone? A business? Can we find out and see if someone would be willing to sponsor him again. He was great.

That’s Cameron Hughes. He’s blown up. Not sure we can afford him anymore. He’s all over the place!

http://cameronhughes.tv


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh wow, that's him. Good find BB. Do you know him? Wonder how much he costs? So, he has no relationship with ODU? He sure is high energy!

Don’t know him, but have followed him a bit since his appearances at the Ted. No clue on cost, but it seems he’s at an NBA or NHL game routinely. I may have assumed he’s outgrown our pocketbook, but I have no true info. Just assuming and we all know how much that’s worth.


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(01-19-2018 08:49 PM)MonarchManiac Wrote:  Well we can't solve the conference problem. This is a thread to discuss actionable items that the fanbase can accomplish. Please stay on topic.

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In order to find the solution, you must first recognize the problem.

(01-20-2018 12:37 AM)Old Blue Wrote:  

(01-19-2018 08:49 PM)MonarchManiac Wrote:  Well we can't solve the conference problem. This is a thread to discuss actionable items that the fanbase can accomplish. Please stay on topic.

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In order to find the solution, you must first recognize the problem.

I don't believe the problem is Conference. The problem is we have a total lack of student pride in the University and lack of student engagement. Here are a few suggestions !
1) Change ODAF back to BigBlue Club immediately. ECU has the PirateClub.
2) The moment a student has accepted to attend ODU, they become a member of the BiigBlueClub. This becomes the student spirit organizing organization. This is how it is done at other Universities.
3) BigBlue club should sponsor events for students along with the Alumni Association. because they are the future donors.
4) Put students on a points system sort of like a loyalty card. The more they attend functions they get discounts for swag, food, school supplies, priority for events, and even points towards their BBC membership
5) Sponsor challenges for various student organizations during sporting events. They earn promotional items like free food from vendors around campus, etc.
6) Our open houses and admitted student events need to be changed immediately. They are boring, lack energy, do not emphasize school pride.
7) During sporting events there should be no other events on campus during those times. No rush or recruitment events, no social meetings, no club meetings, nothing !
8) ODAF, Alumni Association, and the University(Athletic Dept.) must invest $. If not....their future donors and members will fade away. Because the types of students being admitted today feel entitled and lack a sense of connection to anything because they have been isolated by technology.

I have a different take, though it's only a thought right now with no idea how to implement.
When you talk about loyalty and pride, people who have the most of it seem to all have one thing in common.... a sense of shared adversity and comradery that comes with it. I'm not sure you can give students freebies and expect them to develop any sense of pride.
The school needs to make the students feel as though they've earned their perks, it's a reward for some shared hardship.
I think a more robust volunteer system on campus, students helping students, would go more to developing pride. They need far more service opportunities than they have now.
Just my humble opinion.

Oh yeah, why not develop a PR campaign that starts at admissions that stresses how difficult it is to be accepted and how elite students are who make the grade. Navy SEALS are proud of their accomplishments because it's hard as hell, not because it's easy.
Maybe the admins could learn something from studying elite organizations and how they indoctrinate their people.

On 2nd thought ! ODAF should be the Monarch Club ! It was changed to mirror all the other Foundations but that doesn’t mean it can’t change back and be inclusive of those students that support athletics.

Students that usually attended tons of games throughout their college years are those that get to experience ODU basketball during freshman year; and those that live on campus. We need old die-hard student fans(or monarch maniacs; sophomores) to make friends with these freshman students/roommates or floor level freshman students and let them experience college basketball. Don't make them join monarch maniac at the start, but just take them to a game or two. When their interest grows, they will automatically join the maniacs by themselves or will attend tons of games with his or her friends from time to time.

Some good ideas so far. I will summarize the actionable ones on Monday and see of we can make anything happen as we continue the thread. Keep em coming.

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Maybe we need to be more assertive in contacting the admin? We need someone here who is well known in the ODAF or ODU office paired with someone like MonGNARch, who became a cheerleader based on school spirit alone. I think a small team like that would do wonders to get in and give off some good ideas. They can also take the ideas we come up with in here and deliver in person.