Things have changed. The cloud of arrogance is gone from the program. A feeling of optimism is out there that we have not had in a while. Not necessarily wins/losses, but just the tone of the department. The soccer and volleyball programs are off to good starts. The baseball program is under new, positive managememt. This is a golden opportunity to really promote, promote, PROMOTE, and get anyone who might get to be a Trojan fan to some games. UALR administration, don't miss this opportunity!!
P. T. Barnum, where are you?
(09-22-2014 10:36 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote: [ -> ]Things have changed. The cloud of arrogance is gone from the program. A feeling of optimism is out there that we have not had in a while. Not necessarily wins/losses, but just the tone of the department. The soccer and volleyball programs are off to good starts. The baseball program is under new, positive managememt. This is a golden opportunity to really promote, promote, PROMOTE, and get anyone who might get to be a Trojan fan to some games. UALR administration, don't miss this opportunity!!
P. T. Barnum, where are you?
Couldn't agree more. Volleyball team is outstanding. Soccer may be good enough to "really" compete in the Belt. Don't know who will be better than our girls BB team. Guys have the best talent in years. And a change in attitude is evident in the department. There will be a tailgate before the first conference soccer game next Friday. Would like to be there, but looks like I have an unavoidable conflict.
Wonder if we could have Tailgate before basketball game(s)
(09-24-2014 08:25 AM)Festiva Wrote: [ -> ]Wonder if we could have Tailgate before basketball game(s)
Apparently the plan is to have tailgates for students before games. The Tip-In Club will have, at least, 4 pregame socials inside the arena.
(09-22-2014 10:36 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote: [ -> ]Things have changed. The cloud of arrogance is gone from the program. A feeling of optimism is out there that we have not had in a while. Not necessarily wins/losses, but just the tone of the department. The soccer and volleyball programs are off to good starts. The baseball program is under new, positive managememt. This is a golden opportunity to really promote, promote, PROMOTE, and get anyone who might get to be a Trojan fan to some games. UALR administration, don't miss this opportunity!!
P. T. Barnum, where are you?
I agree. But one problem, based on folks I have talked to, is you still need money to promote. We have the Rivalry Package, but who outside us fans really knows about it. We need to advertise it in the paper, but that costs money. I believe when we used to give away free groceries, during the Newell years, Affiliated Food covered the costs of advertising in the paper, the free groceries, etc. Based on the crowds free groceries used to bring in, maybe it would be worse it to shell out the money. I think those grocery promotions proved your PT Barnum argument, because it was one thing that actually brought folks out to some of our games at Barton.
(09-24-2014 10:47 PM)mjs Wrote: [ -> ]I agree. But one problem, based on folks I have talked to, is you still need money to promote. We have the Rivalry Package, but who outside us fans really knows about it. We need to advertise it in the paper, but that costs money. I believe when we used to give away free groceries, during the Newell years, Affiliated Food covered the costs of advertising in the paper, the free groceries, etc. Based on the crowds free groceries used to bring in, maybe it would be worse it to shell out the money. I think those grocery promotions proved your PT Barnum argument, because it was one thing that actually brought folks out to some of our games at Barton.
I don't suppose that the team was pretty good and played exciting basketball had anything to do with it huh? Had it not been for groceries, I guess we'd played to empty seats. Sort of like we do now huh?
How about the "win a car" promotion where a person had to make a layup, a free throw, and three point shot and a half court shot in thirty seconds, and it went on quite awhile until, believe it or not, a guy actually did it. It was great. I think it was a brand new Chevrolet of some sort.
Maybe groceries were the answer to big crowds. I don't think we could get big crowds with the present coach if we turned the Jack into a whorehouse, and gave free samples. Steve's a very nice man, but there is something he ain't got, that he needs. Charisma maybe?
(09-25-2014 10:08 AM)LRTrojan Wrote: [ -> ] (09-24-2014 10:47 PM)mjs Wrote: [ -> ]I agree. But one problem, based on folks I have talked to, is you still need money to promote. We have the Rivalry Package, but who outside us fans really knows about it. We need to advertise it in the paper, but that costs money. I believe when we used to give away free groceries, during the Newell years, Affiliated Food covered the costs of advertising in the paper, the free groceries, etc. Based on the crowds free groceries used to bring in, maybe it would be worse it to shell out the money. I think those grocery promotions proved your PT Barnum argument, because it was one thing that actually brought folks out to some of our games at Barton.
I don't suppose that the team was pretty good and played exciting basketball had anything to do with it huh? Had it not been for groceries, I guess we'd played to empty seats. Sort of like we do now huh?
Selective memory is a great thing. Take a look at the top clip from the Mike Newell show on BTH. Take a look at the "great" crowd at Barton Coliseum. I remember a lot more "crowds" like that than the crowd we go for Houston and the games were Affiliated Foods gave away groceries and/or a free truck. I also recall being on some type of committee at UALR and there is nothing that upset Newell more than the lack of fan support. He pushed hard to put up curtains at the ends of Barton Coliseum so we could reduce the capacity to 4000 or so, to help our typical 1500 look a lot better. Yes, we looked pretty good at the Statehouse, the second year we were there, but that place held, at most 1500 to 2000. Some folks only remember the good crowds, and we did have some, but the majority of the time our attendance was pitiful. Again let's not forget that the chancellor threatened to shut down the program due to lack of fan support and revenue.
Yes isn't selective memory wonderful? We all use it to our benefit when it comes in handy don't we? I've never claimed we had sellouts all the time at Barton, but we did have some. That's more than you can say about for the crowds at the Jack. There has never been a sellout. The shame is, we can't even sell out 5600 seats when we host ASU and they bring half of the 5600. I believe that sellouts at Barton were larger than 5600. And many games were full on both sides to about the ends of the court, and then you had the floor seats. Doubt that you could fill up one side of the Jack if you had everyone sit on the same side like they do for volleyball.
Part of the reason could have been that the basketball was more exciting back then. Most folks seem to like winning, high scoring basketball teams, and we had that as opposed to the grinder ball we have been subjected to most of the Shields years. Evidently he has finally gotten the message, and started bringing in some guys who can score, and is letting them shoot. Don't know who's gonna bring them in now that Coach Lee is gone. From what I've heard he's been the recruiter-in-chief of the shooters. Hopefully a change is coming and we won't need an assistant to do most of the recruiting.
(09-25-2014 08:07 PM)LRTrojan Wrote: [ -> ]Yes isn't selective memory wonderful? We all use it to our benefit when it comes in handy don't we? I've never claimed we had sellouts all the time at Barton, but we did have some. That's more than you can say about for the crowds at the Jack. There has never been a sellout. The shame is, we can't even sell out 5600 seats when we host ASU and they bring half of the 5600. I believe that sellouts at Barton were larger than 5600. And many games were full on both sides to about the ends of the court, and then you had the floor seats. Doubt that you could fill up one side of the Jack if you had everyone sit on the same side like they do for volleyball.
Part of the reason could have been that the basketball was more exciting back then. Most folks seem to like winning, high scoring basketball teams, and we had that as opposed to the grinder ball we have been subjected to most of the Shields years. Evidently he has finally gotten the message, and started bringing in some guys who can score, and is letting them shoot. Don't know who's gonna bring them in now that Coach Lee is gone. From what I've heard he's been the recruiter-in-chief of the shooters. Hopefully a change is coming and we won't need an assistant to do most of the recruiting.
Attendance has generally been bad since I moved to Little Rock. The only year we actually had good attendance was when the chancellor blackmailed Little Rock to buy tickets or shut the program. Sold 5200 season tickets at 75 bucks each- so we had some good crowds that next season. But, unlike Dr. J, most folks didn't renew and the next year we were back to about where we started before the threats and blackmail. Mike's "charisma" brought attention to the program, but I doubt our revenue was a quarter of what it is now. Ticket giveaways, 75 dollar season tickets, free groceries, free trucks, etc. did occasionally bring in some crowds, just not enough money to keep the program solvent. However, I am glad we seem to be heading in the direction of trying to do thinks to promote the program.
(09-25-2014 08:43 PM)mjs Wrote: [ -> ]Attendance has generally been bad since I moved to Little Rock. The only year we actually had good attendance was when the chancellor blackmailed Little Rock to buy tickets or shut the program. Sold 5200 season tickets at 75 bucks each- so we had some good crowds that next season. But, unlike Dr. J, most folks didn't renew and the next year we were back to about where we started before the threats and blackmail. Mike's "charisma" brought attention to the program, but I doubt our revenue was a quarter of what it is now. Ticket giveaways, 75 dollar season tickets, free groceries, free trucks, etc. did occasionally bring in some crowds, just not enough money to keep the program solvent. However, I am glad we seem to be heading in the direction of trying to do thinks to promote the program.
Sure got way more for your money with the $75 dollar tickets than with the high prices of today, but the $75 was worth a lot more then than it would be today of course. Remember inflation. Plus we didn't have 15 assistant and associate AD's then, and If I remember hearing correctly someone telling me that Newell was making $60,000 as coach and AD. You'd probably know more about that than I, since I only went to games. Didn't hob nob with the people in the program. Now we just get the business men's money. Back then, Affiliated Foods gave groceries and bologna and hot dogs, and the fans got to enjoy it. Now days the fans don't see anything like that. Yea, I enjoyed my time as a fan much more back then.
(09-25-2014 09:52 PM)LRTrojan Wrote: [ -> ] (09-25-2014 08:43 PM)mjs Wrote: [ -> ]Attendance has generally been bad since I moved to Little Rock. The only year we actually had good attendance was when the chancellor blackmailed Little Rock to buy tickets or shut the program. Sold 5200 season tickets at 75 bucks each- so we had some good crowds that next season. But, unlike Dr. J, most folks didn't renew and the next year we were back to about where we started before the threats and blackmail. Mike's "charisma" brought attention to the program, but I doubt our revenue was a quarter of what it is now. Ticket giveaways, 75 dollar season tickets, free groceries, free trucks, etc. did occasionally bring in some crowds, just not enough money to keep the program solvent. However, I am glad we seem to be heading in the direction of trying to do thinks to promote the program.
Sure got way more for your money with the $75 dollar tickets than with the high prices of today, but the $75 was worth a lot more then than it would be today of course. Remember inflation. Plus we didn't have 15 assistant and associate AD's then, and If I remember hearing correctly someone telling me that Newell was making $60,000 as coach and AD. You'd probably know more about that than I, since I only went to games. Didn't hob nob with the people in the program. Now we just get the business men's money. Back then, Affiliated Foods gave groceries and bologna and hot dogs, and the fans got to enjoy it. Now days the fans don't see anything like that. Yea, I enjoyed my time as a fan much more back then.
I have to agree I really enjoyed the free hot dogs and bologna sandwiches before the games and the camaraderie associated with it. Not sure we can ever get that totally back, but I'm hopeful the Tip-In Club will be given the opportunity to try with a new AD. Don't know what Newell made salary-wise, but if 60K is right, inflation has had much less effect on our coaching salaries than on our ticket prices.
(09-25-2014 10:14 PM)mjs Wrote: [ -> ] (09-25-2014 09:52 PM)LRTrojan Wrote: [ -> ] (09-25-2014 08:43 PM)mjs Wrote: [ -> ]Attendance has generally been bad since I moved to Little Rock. The only year we actually had good attendance was when the chancellor blackmailed Little Rock to buy tickets or shut the program. Sold 5200 season tickets at 75 bucks each- so we had some good crowds that next season. But, unlike Dr. J, most folks didn't renew and the next year we were back to about where we started before the threats and blackmail. Mike's "charisma" brought attention to the program, but I doubt our revenue was a quarter of what it is now. Ticket giveaways, 75 dollar season tickets, free groceries, free trucks, etc. did occasionally bring in some crowds, just not enough money to keep the program solvent. However, I am glad we seem to be heading in the direction of trying to do thinks to promote the program.
Sure got way more for your money with the $75 dollar tickets than with the high prices of today, but the $75 was worth a lot more then than it would be today of course. Remember inflation. Plus we didn't have 15 assistant and associate AD's then, and If I remember hearing correctly someone telling me that Newell was making $60,000 as coach and AD. You'd probably know more about that than I, since I only went to games. Didn't hob nob with the people in the program. Now we just get the business men's money. Back then, Affiliated Foods gave groceries and bologna and hot dogs, and the fans got to enjoy it. Now days the fans don't see anything like that. Yea, I enjoyed my time as a fan much more back then.
I have to agree I really enjoyed the free hot dogs and bologna sandwiches before the games and the camaraderie associated with it. Not sure we can ever get that totally back, but I'm hopeful the Tip-In Club will be given the opportunity to try with a new AD. Don't know what Newell made salary-wise, but if 60K is right, inflation has had much less effect on our coaching salaries than on our ticket prices.
Can we all just pretty much agree that attendance at UALR games has not been what it has been in the past since we moved into the Jack? And that it is not even near what it could or should be with some promotion? I think even MJS and LRTrojan could agree on that.
And by the way, has someone kidnapped Ynocpirt since Peterson resigned in disgrace?
I was not around during the Barton days but from the eye test attendance at the jack before i left little rock is way down from even the Alltel days. I left in 2009 and from the reports on the board it sounds like attendance was real bad last season. At Alltel it looked like we had a lot of games where it was at least 4000 people there. I still remember us setting the sun belt attendance record for the asu ualr game.
(09-26-2014 07:27 AM)LR Alum Wrote: [ -> ]I was not around during the Barton days but from the eye test attendance at the jack before i left little rock is way down from even the Alltel days. I left in 2009 and from the reports on the board it sounds like attendance was real bad last season. At Alltel it looked like we had a lot of games where it was at least 4000 people there. I still remember us setting the sun belt attendance record for the asu ualr game.
The stars were definitely aligned that night. Still haven't figured that one out, but it was a great night. Everyone was shocked when they had to take the upper deck curtains down and put 4000 people up there. Maybe we can get some of those folks back. I sure hope so. Seems to me that the best thing about Alltel was it's central location and the fact it was downtown. I think we lost some north of the river people when we moved to campus and maybe some folks who worked downtown. Still, there is no reason for attendance to be as bad as it has been, although I no longer have delusions of regular full houses either. I think some new ideas, promotions, and improvements in the game day atmosphere will help improve attendance this year.
Attendance was at an all time low last year as far as the Jack goes.
There have been 9 games at the Jack with more than 5,000 reported as attendance. All but 2 involved asu. The Baylor game at Barton was a sellout with more than 9,000. That was a legit number too. The Statehouse seated in the 4,000 range. Extra seats were brought in for the TAAC tourney to push it over 4,000.
4000 actual bodies will feel like a full house in the Jack, because the empty seats will be scattered around, and a percentage of the crowd is always moving around, anyway.
(09-26-2014 09:02 AM)ez272 Wrote: [ -> ]Attendance was at an all time low last year as far as the Jack goes.
There have been 9 games at the Jack with more than 5,000 reported as attendance. All but 2 involved asu. The Baylor game at Barton was a sellout with more than 9,000. That was a legit number too. The Statehouse seated in the 4,000 range. Extra seats were brought in for the TAAC tourney to push it over 4,000.
Newell said the Statehouse seated 5200. There were chairs placed on risers on both sides and later they added some to the end zones. It was very similar to the "extra" court in Hot Springs which they said seated about 1500. We maybe got the Statehouse up to 2500. I clearly remember Ray Rainey, who ran our scoreboard for years, wondering why we announced the attendance at the TAAC Final at about 2500 when the arena appeared full (We had previously announced regular season crowds in the 5000 range). My assumption was the TAAC wanted "real" numbers for revenue purposes and we couldn't just make-up a number for the tournament games.
(09-26-2014 12:04 PM)mjs Wrote: [ -> ] (09-26-2014 09:02 AM)ez272 Wrote: [ -> ]Attendance was at an all time low last year as far as the Jack goes.
There have been 9 games at the Jack with more than 5,000 reported as attendance. All but 2 involved asu. The Baylor game at Barton was a sellout with more than 9,000. That was a legit number too. The Statehouse seated in the 4,000 range. Extra seats were brought in for the TAAC tourney to push it over 4,000.
Newell said the Statehouse seated 5200. There were chairs placed on risers on both sides and later they added some to the end zones. It was very similar to the "extra" court in Hot Springs which they said seated about 1500. We maybe got the Statehouse up to 2500. I clearly remember Ray Rainey, who ran our scoreboard for years, wondering why we announced the attendance at the TAAC Final at about 2500 when the arena appeared full (We had previously announced regular season crowds in the 5000 range). My assumption was the TAAC wanted "real" numbers for revenue purposes and we couldn't just make-up a number for the tournament games.
The box seats (risers) went all the way around the court and seated at least 1,000 . They were used at the Statehouse and barton. That is the reason the Baylor attendance at Barton was larger than any ua game at Barton because with the ualr risers ualr could seat more than ua could. The TAAC championship game with centenary was sold out. Fire Marshall was there and made ualr stop selling tickets. I suspect there were more than 2500 in attendance. If there were 1,000 in the boxes then there were only 1,500 in the bleachers. The ualr field house bleachers seat more than 2,000.