NIU Football "Stories from the Sidelines" event set for February 18
Get an Inside Look at the Past, Present & Future of Huskie Football

Northern Illinois University season ticket members are invited to join the NIU football coaching staff, current student-athletes, including consensus All-American Sutton Smith and Academic All-American Max Scharping, and Huskie stars of the past for “NIU Football Stories from the Sidelines” on Sunday, February 18 from 3-5 p.m. in Altgeld Auditorium on the NIU campus.

Tickets for this afternoon celebrating the past, present and future of Huskie football are $75 per-person or $550 for a table of ten which includes 8 guests and two seats reserved for representatives of NIU Athletics. Everyone in attendance will have a chance to meet and interact with the student-athletes, former student-athletes and coaches. There will be a silent auction, a cash bar, and heavy hors d’oeuvres available.

Fans attending the event will get the chance to learn about the latest class of Huskies signed in December and February, get a preview of the 2018 team going into spring football, and mingle with the 2018 NIU coaching staff. Beginning at 4 p.m., the program, moderated by “Voice of the Huskies” Bill Baker, will feature both the former Huskies and current players providing an inside look into their time in a Huskie uniform. Fans in attendance will also have a chance to participate in a question and answer session with the players and coaches.

This exclusive season ticket member event takes the place of the Signing Day Party after the addition of the December signing period in 2017 altered the recruiting calendar.

Altgeld Auditorium is located on the second floor of Altgeld Hall with parking in the nearby campus lots.

Registration closes on Monday, February 12, so reserve your place today.

Very nice. But, why do these people have an aversion to holding events on Saturdays? Not all Huskie fans live in or near DeKalb. They do not or refuse to realize this. I travel over 90 miles each way. Maybe I'm the only fan who lives far from DeKalb.

(01-23-2018 07:18 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Very nice. But, why do these people have an aversion to holding events on Saturdays? Not all Huskie fans live in or near DeKalb. They do not or refuse to realize this. I travel over 90 miles each way. Maybe I'm the only fan who lives far from DeKalb.

Did anyone else hear the assistant AD at the half say we're hopefully 4 of 5 home games next season will be on Saturday!!

(01-23-2018 09:57 PM)Big Redd Wrote:  

(01-23-2018 07:18 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Very nice. But, why do these people have an aversion to holding events on Saturdays? Not all Huskie fans live in or near DeKalb. They do not or refuse to realize this. I travel over 90 miles each way. Maybe I'm the only fan who lives far from DeKalb.

Did anyone else hear the assistant AD at the half say we're hopefully 4 of 5 home games next season will be on Saturday!!

That would be great. If it happens, Utah would be on a Saturday.

(01-23-2018 07:18 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Very nice. But, why do these people have an aversion to holding events on Saturdays? Not all Huskie fans live in or near DeKalb. They do not or refuse to realize this. I travel over 90 miles each way. Maybe I'm the only fan who lives far from DeKalb.

Is Sunday that much worse than a Saturday? You can easily drive the 90 miles each way and be back at a reasonable time.

(01-24-2018 01:13 PM)17Huskies Wrote:  

(01-23-2018 07:18 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Very nice. But, why do these people have an aversion to holding events on Saturdays? Not all Huskie fans live in or near DeKalb. They do not or refuse to realize this. I travel over 90 miles each way. Maybe I'm the only fan who lives far from DeKalb.

Is Sunday that much worse than a Saturday? You can easily drive the 90 miles each way and be back at a reasonable time.

For me, Sunday is worse than Saturday but much better than a weeknight.

Northern Star

(01-24-2018 03:21 PM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote:  Northern Star

If this article is correct, the time has been moved up. Much better. Good job.

I am in. Ticket has been purchased.

Haven't purchased ticket yet, but plan on going.

Just announced:

Ryan Diem

Kenny G

Tommy Lee Lewis

That's a nice line-up!

Summary?

Any news?

Nobody went?

There also was a junior day this weekend. Anybody hear anything. Picture with about 10 or 11 kids. So not a big turnout.

I went. It was informative about the players past present and future.
I expected more. Was assigned a table in the back. The better players and coaches were at other tables.
I would not go again.
If I was in charge of the event I would have the players and coaches stand along a wall for 30 minutes so you could go down the line to meet them.
Nobody said thanks for coming when you entered.
Unless your a big time donor you would have been disappointed.
It goes back to giving every donor a good feeling and that has not happened a lot lately.
I really doubt I will give more money.

(02-19-2018 03:35 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  I went. It was informative about the players past present and future.
I expected more. Was assigned a table in the back. The better players and coaches were at other tables.
I would not go again.
If I was in charge of the event I would have the players and coaches stand along a wall for 30 minutes so you could go down the line to meet them.
Nobody said thanks for coming when you entered.
Unless your a big time donor you would have been disappointed.
It goes back to giving every donor a good feeling and that has not happened a lot lately.
I really doubt I will give more money.

I had the same feeling at a summer tour event.

Result of higher ups having new, different priorities and lower lower level people not being replaced or replaced with those not know their job.

I started donating $100 5 years ago or and felt like a king. People emailed, called. Had a screw up with ticket department 2 sets of tickets not being together with another donor for OSU game and woman met my friend personally to exchange them. Told me to show up at team hotel in Columbus. They have that post Spring game event, they let $100 (now $300) donors in, guest, said no issue to bring both my senior parents. Now, I call to get tickets, no one even in office. I got voicemail couple times, call days later. I ordered quite a few tickets as donor for friend and ton of family for Nebraska game, total fiasco. So much lack of communication (with my friend too) and no effort it seemed to really address, just a token "sorry, someone else dropped the ball."

It seems if you were in the state they are you would have someone, interns, whatever try to at lest make an attempt to appreciate you being there.

(02-19-2018 03:35 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  I went. It was informative about the players past present and future.
I expected more. Was assigned a table in the back. The better players and coaches were at other tables.
I would not go again.
If I was in charge of the event I would have the players and coaches stand along a wall for 30 minutes so you could go down the line to meet them.
Nobody said thanks for coming when you entered.
Unless your a big time donor you would have been disappointed.
It goes back to giving every donor a good feeling and that has not happened a lot lately.
I really doubt I will give more money.

+1. I also went and felt the same way. But STF didn’t speak to me so he couldn’t butcher my name.

Athletic department is doing a helluva job making the common donor feel out of touch.

I also won’t spend the $ to go to mother event like this again.

Both of you guys hit the nail on the head and are so right. I have experienced the same total ignoring for a few years now. They kiss the arses of the mega donors and forget everyone else. I had been donating in the $5K range annually, plus a lot more for the capital campaigns, and they could not care less about me. But that will change this year.

(02-19-2018 03:35 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  I went. It was informative about the players past present and future.
I expected more. Was assigned a table in the back. The better players and coaches were at other tables.
I would not go again.
If I was in charge of the event I would have the players and coaches stand along a wall for 30 minutes so you could go down the line to meet them.
Nobody said thanks for coming when you entered.
Unless your a big time donor you would have been disappointed.
It goes back to giving every donor a good feeling and that has not happened a lot lately.
I really doubt I will give more money.

I feel for you. It does not take a lot for the big wigs to either greet attendees at the door and thank them for coming, or even go table to table and ask people their names and thank them for coming. It costs very little to make people feel important and like they actually matter. Unfortunately, Athletics fails miserably in this regard.

(02-19-2018 04:56 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(02-19-2018 03:35 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  I went. It was informative about the players past present and future.
I expected more. Was assigned a table in the back. The better players and coaches were at other tables.
I would not go again.
If I was in charge of the event I would have the players and coaches stand along a wall for 30 minutes so you could go down the line to meet them.
Nobody said thanks for coming when you entered.
Unless your a big time donor you would have been disappointed.
It goes back to giving every donor a good feeling and that has not happened a lot lately.
I really doubt I will give more money.

I feel for you. It does not take a lot for the big wigs to either greet attendees at the door and thank them for coming, or even go table to table and ask people their names and thank them for coming. It costs very little to make people feel important and like they actually matter. Unfortunately, Athletics fails miserably in this regard.

I think everyone was approachable and interacted with the donors and fans. Diem, Golladay, and Lewis were talking to many people. Maybe the greeting line would have been an added touch but no one was ignored that tried talking to former players or staff. Coaching staff was actually very friendly and open. You are correct that it wouldn't cost anything to greet everyone but that didn't ruin the event. Forcing the interaction would make things awkward in my opinion. Maybe make an effort to approach the players or staff that you want to talk to and I'm sure you would be pleasantly surprised.