I just saw an article/promotion on the Pup Club on the NIU Athletics website. Just to explain what the Pup Club is, for $25.00 kids under 13 get a ticket to the Toledo football game and the Akron game as well as free admission to all non-football NIU games and some choice Swag.

Great idea for promotion, the kids get in at low cost/free while the parents pay regular price and spend money for parking, food(Just hope the kids do not want hot dogs) and NIU jerseys/sweatshirts etc.

What I find odd is that one of the games is Homecoming. Is NIU trying to get as many people for Homecoming because they are afraid of low attendence?

We all been through the rituals of NIU Homecoming especially to either keep on drinking from Friday night or to start drinking at 6 AM when the bars open up. Is Homecoming the best game to bring kids that are 13 and under? And the drinking is not necessarily a student ritual. Alot of Alumni are drinking just as hard.

Maybe I am looking at this from an old geezer's view and making a mountain out of a molehill, but I just find it odd to use Homecoming for a child's activity.

(07-18-2022 05:57 PM)Schaefer Beer Wrote:  I just saw an article/promotion on the Pup Club on the NIU Athletics website. Just to explain what the Pup Club is, for $25.00 kids under 13 get a ticket to the Toledo football game and the Akron game as well as free admission to all non-football NIU games and some choice Swag.

Great idea for promotion, the kids get in at low cost/free while the parents pay regular price and spend money for parking, food(Just hope the kids do not want hot dogs) and NIU jerseys/sweatshirts etc.

What I find odd is that one of the games is Homecoming. Is NIU trying to get as many people for Homecoming because they are afraid of low attendence?

We all been through the rituals of NIU Homecoming especially to either keep on drinking from Friday night or to start drinking at 6 AM when the bars open up. Is Homecoming the best game to bring kids that are 13 and under? And the drinking is not necessarily a student ritual. Alot of Alumni are drinking just as hard.

Maybe I am looking at this from an old geezer's view and making a mountain out of a molehill, but I just find it odd to use Homecoming for a child's activity.

Probably some alumni with children that age that will make good use of the Pup Club. There is room at homecoming for family friendly activities.

(07-18-2022 05:57 PM)Schaefer Beer Wrote:  I just saw an article/promotion on the Pup Club on the NIU Athletics website. Just to explain what the Pup Club is, for $25.00 kids under 13 get a ticket to the Toledo football game and the Akron game as well as free admission to all non-football NIU games and some choice Swag.

Great idea for promotion, the kids get in at low cost/free while the parents pay regular price and spend money for parking, food(Just hope the kids do not want hot dogs) and NIU jerseys/sweatshirts etc.

What I find odd is that one of the games is Homecoming. Is NIU trying to get as many people for Homecoming because they are afraid of low attendence?

We all been through the rituals of NIU Homecoming especially to either keep on drinking from Friday night or to start drinking at 6 AM when the bars open up. Is Homecoming the best game to bring kids that are 13 and under? And the drinking is not necessarily a student ritual. Alot of Alumni are drinking just as hard.

Maybe I am looking at this from an old geezer's view and making a mountain out of a molehill, but I just find it odd to use Homecoming for a child's activity.

Homecoming is anybody's activity, and a great time to bring the kids to the Old U.'s big event. The drinking, etc., is going to happen any time, so you throw out the bums who push in on the kids because they can't hold their liquor or whatever.

(07-19-2022 12:26 PM)pvk75 Wrote:  

(07-18-2022 05:57 PM)Schaefer Beer Wrote:  I just saw an article/promotion on the Pup Club on the NIU Athletics website. Just to explain what the Pup Club is, for $25.00 kids under 13 get a ticket to the Toledo football game and the Akron game as well as free admission to all non-football NIU games and some choice Swag.

Great idea for promotion, the kids get in at low cost/free while the parents pay regular price and spend money for parking, food(Just hope the kids do not want hot dogs) and NIU jerseys/sweatshirts etc.

What I find odd is that one of the games is Homecoming. Is NIU trying to get as many people for Homecoming because they are afraid of low attendence?

We all been through the rituals of NIU Homecoming especially to either keep on drinking from Friday night or to start drinking at 6 AM when the bars open up. Is Homecoming the best game to bring kids that are 13 and under? And the drinking is not necessarily a student ritual. Alot of Alumni are drinking just as hard.

Maybe I am looking at this from an old geezer's view and making a mountain out of a molehill, but I just find it odd to use Homecoming for a child's activity.

Homecoming is anybody's activity, and a great time to bring the kids to the Old U.'s big event. The drinking, etc., is going to happen any time, so you throw out the bums who push in on the kids because they can't hold their liquor or whatever.

I am sure I am making a mountain over a molehill, but I just feel of all the home games that you can promote for the Pup Club, ie the Eastern game or Vandy, why would you pick the homecoming game where students and a few Alumni are not at their best selfs.

I know there are going to be public displays of drunkenness at any game, but Homecoming at NIU goes further than tailgating at 11 AM for a 1PM football game.
I just feel a little more thought should have been brought in when deciding which games to pick for young kids.
Again, probably making a mountain over a molehill

(07-19-2022 01:26 PM)Schaefer Beer Wrote:  

(07-19-2022 12:26 PM)pvk75 Wrote:  

(07-18-2022 05:57 PM)Schaefer Beer Wrote:  I just saw an article/promotion on the Pup Club on the NIU Athletics website. Just to explain what the Pup Club is, for $25.00 kids under 13 get a ticket to the Toledo football game and the Akron game as well as free admission to all non-football NIU games and some choice Swag.

Great idea for promotion, the kids get in at low cost/free while the parents pay regular price and spend money for parking, food(Just hope the kids do not want hot dogs) and NIU jerseys/sweatshirts etc.

What I find odd is that one of the games is Homecoming. Is NIU trying to get as many people for Homecoming because they are afraid of low attendence?

We all been through the rituals of NIU Homecoming especially to either keep on drinking from Friday night or to start drinking at 6 AM when the bars open up. Is Homecoming the best game to bring kids that are 13 and under? And the drinking is not necessarily a student ritual. Alot of Alumni are drinking just as hard.

Maybe I am looking at this from an old geezer's view and making a mountain out of a molehill, but I just find it odd to use Homecoming for a child's activity.

Homecoming is anybody's activity, and a great time to bring the kids to the Old U.'s big event. The drinking, etc., is going to happen any time, so you throw out the bums who push in on the kids because they can't hold their liquor or whatever.

I am sure I am making a mountain over a molehill, but I just feel of all the home games that you can promote for the Pup Club, ie the Eastern game or Vandy, why would you pick the homecoming game where students and a few Alumni are not at their best selfs.

I know there are going to be public displays of drunkenness at any game, but Homecoming at NIU goes further than tailgating at 11 AM for a 1PM football game.
I just feel a little more thought should have been brought in when deciding which games to pick for young kids.
Again, probably making a mountain over a molehill

I am sure they would like "young fans" to attend any (every) game.... but why not have them come against Toledo? Boost attendance further at that game.

My view... STF did his best to kill NIU Homecoming when he moved the game from early October to the end of October. We used to have really nice crowds, and they have fallen off a cliff. So, now we have to rebuild that tradition. And towards that end, every little bit helps.

Toledo is the Homecoming game on Oct. 8 this season.