I have come to the hard conclusion that, well things are what they are. No doubt the Tigers had one of the best football seasons ever last year. Besides the one early lost to UCF , they lost to UCF(really had a great chance to win that). Then lost to an Iowa State team (again, had chances at that one) who beat a really good OU team. We finished our season ranked in the top 25 – TOP 25 folks..

Yet, tonight at the U of M football signing party, there were maybe a little over a 100. We are just not quite there yet as a big time football school—that is a fact! It probably takes years of winning to promote our program, but this past year should have produced a larger crowd than was represented tonight– makes me feel sort of sorry for Coach Norvell..

The issue tonight could have been the price, yes $30 was on the high end. I do think possible the location was a hindrance as I sure hated the drive downtown. Couple that with a long distance to walk in the cold. But my general reference to this is that I have to feel that marketing might just have not been there to support a very momentous event. Is our AD department doing all they can to sell our team, I am not an expert so I don’t know.

Having die hard UT friends,(Tennessee that is), they always are complaining about the mailings of UT events and emails. I am a season football ticket holder and the only correspondence I normally get is a question or call as to why I don’t have basketball tickets --do they really have to go there as this should be rather obvious to most who are in touch with reality.

So, of you more educated folks out there, is this a marketing issue from our AD, or is our program just strapped for cash and we just can’t compete on this type of spending with the P5 schools?

Oh by the way, CMN is a dynamic speaker and supported that again tonight.

I have 24 season tickets, went to the bowl games the last four years , went to the American championship game, and I happen to have basketball tickets ..... I never heard a word about a signing party this year

(02-07-2018 09:31 PM)big12tigers Wrote:  I have come to the hard conclusion that, well things are what they are. No doubt the Tigers had one of the best football seasons ever last year. Besides the one early lost to UCF , they lost to UCF(really had a great chance to win that). Then lost to an Iowa State team (again, had chances at that one) who beat a really good OU team. We finished our season ranked in the top 25 – TOP 25 folks..

Yet, tonight at the U of M football signing party, there were maybe a little over a 100. We are just not quite there yet as a big time football school—that is a fact! It probably takes years of winning to promote our program, but this past year should have produced a larger crowd than was represented tonight– makes me feel sort of sorry for Coach Norvell..

The issue tonight could have been the price, yes $30 was on the high end. I do think possible the location was a hindrance as I sure hated the drive downtown. Couple that with a long distance to walk in the cold. But my general reference to this is that I have to feel that marketing might just have not been there to support a very momentous event. Is our AD department doing all they can to sell our team, I am not an expert so I don’t know.

Having die hard UT friends,(Tennessee that is), they always are complaining about the mailings of UT events and emails. I am a season football ticket holder and the only correspondence I normally get is a question or call as to why I don’t have basketball tickets --do they really have to go there as this should be rather obvious to most who are in touch with reality.

So, of you more educated folks out there, is this a marketing issue from our AD, or is our program just strapped for cash and we just can’t compete on this type of spending with the P5 schools?

Oh by the way, CMN is a dynamic speaker and supported that again tonight.

You nailed it

(02-07-2018 10:15 PM)BinghamptonNed Wrote:  I have 24 season tickets, went to the bowl games the last four years , went to the American championship game, and I happen to have basketball tickets ..... I never heard a word about a signing party this year

We've had season tickets for decades. Didn't know either. Talked to people who didn't care to go, either way. Nothing more than a glorified pep rally. NSD for all intents and purposes happened in December.

(02-07-2018 10:19 PM)Unionman76 Wrote:  

(02-07-2018 09:31 PM)big12tigers Wrote:  I have come to the hard conclusion that, well things are what they are. No doubt the Tigers had one of the best football seasons ever last year. Besides the one early lost to UCF , they lost to UCF(really had a great chance to win that). Then lost to an Iowa State team (again, had chances at that one) who beat a really good OU team. We finished our season ranked in the top 25 – TOP 25 folks..

Yet, tonight at the U of M football signing party, there were maybe a little over a 100. We are just not quite there yet as a big time football school—that is a fact! It probably takes years of winning to promote our program, but this past year should have produced a larger crowd than was represented tonight– makes me feel sort of sorry for Coach Norvell..

The issue tonight could have been the price, yes $30 was on the high end. I do think possible the location was a hindrance as I sure hated the drive downtown. Couple that with a long distance to walk in the cold. But my general reference to this is that I have to feel that marketing might just have not been there to support a very momentous event. Is our AD department doing all they can to sell our team, I am not an expert so I don’t know.

Having die hard UT friends,(Tennessee that is), they always are complaining about the mailings of UT events and emails. I am a season football ticket holder and the only correspondence I normally get is a question or call as to why I don’t have basketball tickets --do they really have to go there as this should be rather obvious to most who are in touch with reality.

So, of you more educated folks out there, is this a marketing issue from our AD, or is our program just strapped for cash and we just can’t compete on this type of spending with the P5 schools?

Oh by the way, CMN is a dynamic speaker and supported that again tonight.

You nailed it

I was at the event and spoken to the HH Leadership about attendance. They all agreed that a very poor job of promoting the event was done.

(02-07-2018 10:23 PM)fishman6581 Wrote:  

(02-07-2018 10:15 PM)BinghamptonNed Wrote:  I have 24 season tickets, went to the bowl games the last four years , went to the American championship game, and I happen to have basketball tickets ..... I never heard a word about a signing party this year

We've had season tickets for decades. Didn't know either. Talked to people who didn't care to go, either way. Nothing more than a glorified pep rally. NSD for all intents and purposes happened in December.

Since we signed almost as many today as we did in December, not sure how you come to that conclusion.

(02-07-2018 10:23 PM)fishman6581 Wrote:  

(02-07-2018 10:15 PM)BinghamptonNed Wrote:  I have 24 season tickets, went to the bowl games the last four years , went to the American championship game, and I happen to have basketball tickets ..... I never heard a word about a signing party this year

We've had season tickets for decades. Didn't know either. Talked to people who didn't care to go, either way. Nothing more than a glorified pep rally. NSD for all intents and purposes happened in December.

I got at least four email ads.
I may have gotten a card ad in the mail.
I knew I could not make it so I didnt pay much attention.

(02-07-2018 09:31 PM)big12tigers Wrote:  I have come to the hard conclusion that, well things are what they are. No doubt the Tigers had one of the best football seasons ever last year. Besides the one early lost to UCF , they lost to UCF(really had a great chance to win that). Then lost to an Iowa State team (again, had chances at that one) who beat a really good OU team. We finished our season ranked in the top 25 – TOP 25 folks..

Yet, tonight at the U of M football signing party, there were maybe a little over a 100. We are just not quite there yet as a big time football school—that is a fact! It probably takes years of winning to promote our program, but this past year should have produced a larger crowd than was represented tonight– makes me feel sort of sorry for Coach Norvell..

The issue tonight could have been the price, yes $30 was on the high end. I do think possible the location was a hindrance as I sure hated the drive downtown. Couple that with a long distance to walk in the cold. But my general reference to this is that I have to feel that marketing might just have not been there to support a very momentous event. Is our AD department doing all they can to sell our team, I am not an expert so I don’t know.

Having die hard UT friends,(Tennessee that is), they always are complaining about the mailings of UT events and emails. I am a season football ticket holder and the only correspondence I normally get is a question or call as to why I don’t have basketball tickets --do they really have to go there as this should be rather obvious to most who are in touch with reality.

So, of you more educated folks out there, is this a marketing issue from our AD, or is our program just strapped for cash and we just can’t compete on this type of spending with the P5 schools?

Oh by the way, CMN is a dynamic speaker and supported that again tonight.

I suggest its a combination of both. TN and all other SEC schools received a $41 million payout from the conference. That does not include what TN made on its own revenues. Not sure of the $ we get from being in the AAC but i suspect is about 10x less. You can do a lot of marketing/promotions/fan engagement with $41 million and change.

I just checked my old emails, I received three emails touting the opening of the new basketball facility but none specifically announcing the signing party.


We may be lacking funds to place ads but emails are virtually free and PR is free.

(02-08-2018 09:05 AM)BinghamptonNed Wrote:  I just checked my old emails, I received three emails touting the opening of the new basketball facility but none specifically announcing the signing party.


We may be lacking funds to place ads but emails are virtually free and PR is free.

BNED... Thanks so much for your unwavering support of Tiger FB and BB. The event would have probably had more support had it been at the U of M Holiday Inn... a very nice commercial establishment. Everything doesn't have to be "downtown" . Weather could have been a factor.

In any event, onward Tiger Football

Thanks again Ned ! ! !

I'm a huge Memphis Tiger football fan with 10 season tickets (never miss a game), matter of fact, I'm a Tiger football first fan, always have been. I knew about the signing day party, had multiple notices promoting the event. I didn't go because I had other things going on. Small attendance at the signing day party is not an indictment of the Tiger fan base, that's reserved for actual attendance at our home football games, that's what's important regarding our football program, not how many show up for the signing day party.

(02-07-2018 11:33 PM)tigernole79 Wrote:  

(02-07-2018 10:23 PM)fishman6581 Wrote:  

(02-07-2018 10:15 PM)BinghamptonNed Wrote:  I have 24 season tickets, went to the bowl games the last four years , went to the American championship game, and I happen to have basketball tickets ..... I never heard a word about a signing party this year

We've had season tickets for decades. Didn't know either. Talked to people who didn't care to go, either way. Nothing more than a glorified pep rally. NSD for all intents and purposes happened in December.

Since we signed almost as many today as we did in December, not sure how you come to that conclusion.

Read Norvell's comments in the CA today and you'll see.

Early signing day has taken a bit of the edge off of NSD. I think they could have marketed the event much better, no doubt about it.

Truthfully, my personal NSD was when we retained CMN. We are in very good hands for the next couple of years, minimum.

I do understand this is not that relevant of a meeting. I just think that opportunities like this are chances for fans to show full support to Coach Norvell and let him know we appreciate him being our coach and staying at Memphis. I mean how often to the common tiger football fans get a chance to mingle in an open environment with the tiger coaching staff the AD and assistant AD's,

I have to way to know this, but I assume if the UT coaching staff were holding a venue hear in Memphis discussing UT football recruits and the program, there will probably be more than a loose 100 people in attendance, but I don't know.

My suggestions is to move this event to a Friday night or Saturday afternoon at more convenient location.

Go Tigers.

(02-08-2018 09:05 AM)BinghamptonNed Wrote:  I just checked my old emails, I received three emails touting the opening of the new basketball facility but none specifically announcing the signing party.


We may be lacking funds to place ads but emails are virtually free and PR is free.

the school is trying to phase out the highland hundred. it has outlived its usefulness

(02-08-2018 10:39 AM)btiger Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 09:05 AM)BinghamptonNed Wrote:  I just checked my old emails, I received three emails touting the opening of the new basketball facility but none specifically announcing the signing party.


We may be lacking funds to place ads but emails are virtually free and PR is free.

the school is trying to phase out the highland hundred. it has outlived its usefulness

Not sure, maybe if a thousand of loyal fans join, that would raise 100k for the program. Then we might could get some leadership in there that would be a positive for the program and for promoting Tiger Football -- I am not sure and not young enough to carry this vision. I am very curious how many HH members are in the 20, 30 range. An infusion of young youth with energy would not hurt, as long as they provide leadership that keeps some responsibility. Anyway, i need to ante in I assume.

(02-08-2018 10:39 AM)btiger Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 09:05 AM)BinghamptonNed Wrote:  I just checked my old emails, I received three emails touting the opening of the new basketball facility but none specifically announcing the signing party.


We may be lacking funds to place ads but emails are virtually free and PR is free.

the school is trying to phase out the highland hundred. it has outlived its usefulness

thats why the coach thanked the highland hundred
and the AD attended the event

Marketing Strategy: If you have an event...have it where the people are located. So, if most of the MEMPHIS football season ticket holders live in East Memphis....hold the party in EAST MEMPHIS. If you want a small crowd, hold the event in a place that is far away from your membership base. I would think that the U of M Athletic Dept knows their hot zip codes (zip codes where season ticket holders live) and should use that information when planning events.

I have a marketing major and have been in marketing all my life. Usually when you hold an event far from where the potential attendees live...you have to give them a lot of reasons to come Free gifts, giveaway of a big prize, free food and drinks, etc. So, having a $30 price tag and having the event (which is on a weekday) far from the member base....may not be a great idea in order to maximize attendance. I don't have all the data but trying to draw a crowd at night on a weekday has its own obstacles and you don't need to throw in more potential glitches (cost and travel time) and expect a big turnout.

As far as promotion....focus on doing the most promotion in that hot zip code where the party will be and where the potential attendees live and give them multiple reasons to attend (you never know what the hot button is until you try several and see which ones work). Hot buttons can be, free item, free photos with coaches, contest prize, group photo with coaches, photos with cheerleaders and Pouncer, free event gift (t-shirt, decal, button, bobblehead, etc).

I have a promotions book that is about 30 pages that I created and used in the radio business and it served me well. If I ever need an idea......just go to the book....it has hundreds of successful proven concepts that work in the radio industry for drawing a crowd and creating a successful event. If we ever did a live remote from a retailers location and did not draw a big crowd....the station was not going to sell a repeat order to that advertiser. We HAD to know how to draw a crowd. We should have the same thing for our AD.

(02-08-2018 09:13 AM)tigertom Wrote:  

(02-08-2018 09:05 AM)BinghamptonNed Wrote:  I just checked my old emails, I received three emails touting the opening of the new basketball facility but none specifically announcing the signing party.


We may be lacking funds to place ads but emails are virtually free and PR is free.

BNED... Thanks so much for your unwavering support of Tiger FB and BB. The event would have probably had more support had it been at the U of M Holiday Inn... a very nice commercial establishment. Everything doesn't have to be "downtown" . Weather could have been a factor.

In any event, onward Tiger Football

Thanks again Ned ! ! !

Yes BNED -- thanks for the support. -- I am thinking about joining the HH, hope you do as you would be a huge asset.

Great idea about the U of M Holiday Inn..

They could've done it right yesterday, no doubt about it. The luster of NSD wore off a little bit with the early period, though. Hopefully they can do something at the HoF or IPF when it is done.