Very good! Indeed, Anderson Alley made the Fox 6 Sports segment. Showed the tents and the students out there weathering it. Also interviewed one of our very own (Blzer4Life). Rick Karle made reference to similar events at Duke and North Carolina and said it could be the start of a major tradition where "someday, hundreds (maybe thousands) could be camped out for Anderson Alley."
Just in... Anderson Alley also made it onto the ABC3340 Sports segment! Great publicity!
Blaze was also on hand. ;-)
Great PR. Awesome job to those who organized and participated.
efhutton Wrote:Great PR. Awesome job to those who organized and participated.
So, approximately how many campers were there?
Not sure if anyone has posted this ,but I saw the sheets advertising the game on campus today.
It's hard to tell... at the time the video was shot, it looked like about 10 people or so, but other people may have arrived late or been outside the camera shot. Probably about 20 people. Blzer4Life was interviewed on Fox and was saying he's hoping for about 20, then 30, then 50, and so on. That's all you can hope for is just to continue with it and slowly grow it.
I mentioned it under the other thread, but it looks like Anderson Alley is starting to get corporate sponsorship (allbeit in a small way). Burger King and Buffalo Rock will be giving out free Whoppers and Grapico to those that are at Anderson Alley. It's a step...and hopefully it will grow from there.
Two pretty significant "firsts" in this Anderson Alley:
1) TV coverage on Fox 6 and ABC 33/40
2) Corporate sponsorship/partnership (Burger King and Buffalo Rock).
It's the start of something big I think... people just have to be determined and persistent
Why wasn't AA done for the OKST. game? It would have been great timing,plus the weather was cold, but not rainy like tonight.
StunnerJR Wrote:Why wasn't AA done for the OKST. game? It would have been great timing,plus the weather was cold, but not rainy like tonight.
Not enough time to organize once things were realized, plus it was during the week. Even though it was during the Christmas break, people are hesitant to hold it any other time but the weekend.
I do have a recommendation, however, that I want to discuss with Blzer4Life, Schard, and possibly others on here. I think there should be a committee formed that will be in charge of planning and organizing Anderson Alley events and working hand-in-hand with Gang Green and other spirit groups to make it all come together. There needs to be a committee of people planning these things so that it's a bit more organized than just a "grass roots" type of effort. Not that there's anything wrong with that... that's how many things start. But to really grow this, there's going to have to be a committee formed. And I dont know if it would be wise to add that to Gang Green's plate. I think it'd be wise to include them and work with them, but I think Anderson Alley needs an independent group/committee to work on the logistics, lining up corporate partners/sponsorship, publicity, etc.
I agree. If BK and BR came out and gave burgers and sodas and were only informed in such a small time, then what would happen if there was a group whose main job was to get sponsors,etc. I think that the committee is a great idea.
I got out there to give some moral support just after the cameras left the scene... it's a small but rowdy bunch.
The weather is miserable, but everyone seemed to be in good spirits. We were able to give Houston a few jeers as they left Bartow after a late practice.
Saw the FOX6 segment this morning.
B4L, at large and in charge!
I think it's great that the tradition is getting started, but I think the media coverage might backfire. My neighbors were over for a late dinner. We were watching NBC and Daniel somebody was being interviewed. He said this year we have 10 people, next time we'll have 20, then maybe 50 ... something like that. My neighbor (who has no connection to UAB) said, "If UAB has 10 students out of 20,000 lining up for tickets, they may as well do away with the basketball program."
We obviously then got into a big argument, but he said it made UAB fans and students look disinterested and stupid. For all the success we've had, it doesn't appear that anybody really cares.
I told him we were starting traditions that shoulod have been started 25 years ago. He just shrugged and said, "Too little too late. Anderson should make the students take his name off the Alley because he'll be gone to a place that gives a **** about basketball in a year or two."
Thought I'd share.
Steph
It was also aired on ABC 33/40. But I guess we already knew that would happen.
StephABlaze Wrote:I think it's great that the tradition is getting started, but I think the media coverage might backfire. My neighbors were over for a late dinner. We were watching NBC and Daniel somebody was being interviewed. He said this year we have 10 people, next time we'll have 20, then maybe 50 ... something like that. My neighbor (who has no connection to UAB) said, "If UAB has 10 students out of 20,000 lining up for tickets, they may as well do away with the basketball program."
We obviously then got into a big argument, but he said it made UAB fans and students look disinterested and stupid. For all the success we've had, it doesn't appear that anybody really cares.
I told him we were starting traditions that shoulod have been started 25 years ago. He just shrugged and said, "Too little too late. Anderson should make the students take his name off the Alley because he'll be gone to a place that gives a darn about basketball in a year or two."
Thought I'd share.
Steph
Just an indicator of how much work there is to be done. If were talking about the two 600lb gorillas with their hundred year head start, they need to remember that Rome wasn't built in a day.
I see amazing potential in UAB athletics, which is why our football team tanking was so damned frustrating.
People outside the state know who we are, and didn't Jesus say, "A prophet is not without honor exept in his own country."?
UAB upsets the status quo, and will therefore be viewed by some "flat-earthers" with hostility. As soon as Beard-Eaves and Coleman sell out on a regular basis, or they man up and play us, I'm just not very interested in what their fans have to say.
StephABlaze Wrote:I think it's great that the tradition is getting started, but I think the media coverage might backfire. My neighbors were over for a late dinner. We were watching NBC and Daniel somebody was being interviewed. He said this year we have 10 people, next time we'll have 20, then maybe 50 ... something like that. My neighbor (who has no connection to UAB) said, "If UAB has 10 students out of 20,000 lining up for tickets, they may as well do away with the basketball program."
We obviously then got into a big argument, but he said it made UAB fans and students look disinterested and stupid. For all the success we've had, it doesn't appear that anybody really cares.
I told him we were starting traditions that shoulod have been started 25 years ago. He just shrugged and said, "Too little too late. Anderson should make the students take his name off the Alley because he'll be gone to a place that gives a darn about basketball in a year or two."
Thought I'd share.
Steph
ALL IT TAKES IS ONE PERSON THAT BELIEVES TO START SOMETHING BIG!!!
This morning on NBC13's Today in Alabama they mentioned the camp out and really talked up the game.
Way to go students! Keep it up!
Go Blazers!
I could care less if people think it's funny or whatever that only 10-20 students were out there camping out. When's the last time people camped out for an Alabama or Auburn game? Have they EVER done anything like this? I've certainly never heard of them doing anything like it. With better organization, publicity, and corporate sponsorship, Anderson Alley could become a huge thing. It's got to start somewhere, and as I pointed out... this might not be a crowd as big as ones from Anderson Alley last year, but this Houston game is not as big as some of those games...but it's the best we've got to deal with. I'll take it though.
I mean, it's not the numbers that should impress people... it's that ANY number of people would be willing to camp out in fairly miserable conditions to support the Blazers. I still consider it a success.
Blazer85 Wrote:I could care less if people think it's funny or whatever that only 10-20 students were out there camping out. When's the last time people camped out for an Alabama or Auburn game? Have they EVER done anything like this? I've certainly never heard of them doing anything like it. With better organization, publicity, and corporate sponsorship, Anderson Alley could become a huge thing. It's got to start somewhere, and as I pointed out... this might not be a crowd as big as ones from Anderson Alley last year, but this Houston game is not as big as some of those games...but it's the best we've got to deal with. I'll take it though.
I mean, it's not the numbers that should impress people... it's that ANY number of people would be willing to camp out in fairly miserable conditions to support the Blazers. I still consider it a success.
Very good post. And 100 percent correct. The fact that any people are fired up enough about basketball to go camp out in the rain is a huge positive thing.
