We are not the other overrated team with some ugly orange uniform who shall remain nameless that buy ads claiming they are NYC's team. We don't choke every year in the NCAA like the other team. MSG is our second home and we are the real beast of the East.
There are several programs with decent-sized fan bases in NYC: UConn, Syracuse and St. John's for basketball, and Notre Dame, Penn State, Rutgers and a smattering of others for football. No one truly owns it in the way that, say, USC and UCLA dominate LA. Let's not be obtuse here: when either Syracuse or UConn play at MSG, it's a hot ticket. The fact that Syracuse is using a marketing plan to highlight that act shouldn't be criticized - UConn really needs to be doing the same to position themselves for the future.
(03-29-2014 10:00 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote: There are several programs with decent-sized fan bases in NYC: UConn, Syracuse and St. John's for basketball, and Notre Dame, Penn State, Rutgers and a smattering of others for football. No one truly owns it in the way that, say, USC and UCLA dominate LA. Let's not be obtuse here: when either Syracuse or UConn play at MSG, it's a hot ticket. The fact that Syracuse is using a marketing plan to highlight that act shouldn't be criticized - UConn really needs to be doing the same to position themselves for the future.
Spoken from a Midwestern echo chamber. Comparing St. John's to SU and UConn is simply hilarious.
Our marketing plan involves winning Sweet 16 games in NYC and having Metro North add entire trains to accommodate our fans.
(03-29-2014 10:00 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote: There are several programs with decent-sized fan bases in NYC: UConn, Syracuse and St. John's for basketball, and Notre Dame, Penn State, Rutgers and a smattering of others for football. No one truly owns it in the way that, say, USC and UCLA dominate LA. Let's not be obtuse here: when either Syracuse or UConn play at MSG, it's a hot ticket. The fact that Syracuse is using a marketing plan to highlight that act shouldn't be criticized - UConn really needs to be doing the same to position themselves for the future.
UCONN has 63K UCONN alums in the NYC media markets. Southern CT full of UCONN alums are literally bedroom community for NYC.
I also noticed you failed to mentioned UCONN has 4th most fans for college football in NYC. Doing it on purpose?
Agreed with other poster that comparing UCONN to SJU is hilarious. It is like when we used to play Boston College in Boston, it is a home game for us.
(This post was last modified: 03-29-2014 10:17 AM by SF Husky.)
The point is that the OP seems to criticize Syracuse's marketing plan specifically (which I've seen several other fan bases do, particularly Rutgers and UConn). I don't agree. It's smart for Syracuse to do that and it would be wise for anyone else that claims the NYC market to do the same. I agree with UConn fans that they have a large fan base in that market - I don't disagree with that at all. I just think their leadership did a poor job of touting that compared to Syracuse and Rutgers and it may have cost them in conference realignment. Instead of making fun of Syracuse's marketing strategy, UConn should be emulating it.
(03-29-2014 10:00 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote: There are several programs with decent-sized fan bases in NYC: UConn, Syracuse and St. John's for basketball, and Notre Dame, Penn State, Rutgers and a smattering of others for football. No one truly owns it in the way that, say, USC and UCLA dominate LA. Let's not be obtuse here: when either Syracuse or UConn play at MSG, it's a hot ticket. The fact that Syracuse is using a marketing plan to highlight that act shouldn't be criticized - UConn really needs to be doing the same to position themselves for the future.
To be honest with you; UConn has as many fans in Chicago as DePaul does.
(03-29-2014 10:04 AM)UConnFB Wrote: Spoken from a Midwestern echo chamber. Comparing St. John's to SU and UConn is simply hilarious.
Our marketing plan involves winning Sweet 16 games in NYC and having Metro North add entire trains to accommodate our fans.
See, this post perfectly encapsulates the issue. You think that it's enough to have people witness the ticket prices at MSG this week (which are impressive) and jump to the conclusion that UConn delivers the NYC market. I might draw that conclusion as someone that watches conference realignment closely, but 99% of the population needs it spelled out much more directly. What I'm saying is that this is a grave mistake. There needs to be an active and direct campaign by UConn to state this. Syracuse and Rutgers consciously did this several years ago, and look where they are now. Marketing strategy matters, especially in a fragmented market like NYC.
The only teams NYC cares about:
Knicks
Yankees
Mets
Nets
Islanders
Rangers
Jets
Giants
Bills
Everyone else is fighting over being the tallest midget.
Same thing in Chicago. I went to the gigantic Sports Authority store in Chicago last weekend and asked if they had any University of Chicago-Illinois shirts and the staff (meaning more than one) said "Is that a real school?". The only college gear I could find was a tiny section on the 8th floor, literally in the back corner. All they had was Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan St, IU, Northwestern and oddly enough they had a shirt for both UK and UofL...no DePaul gear. Notre Dame had the biggest section by far and that was still maybe 4 t-shirts and a pair of basketball shorts.
Moral of the story. These cities don't give a fugg about college sports.
(03-29-2014 10:04 AM)UConnFB Wrote: Spoken from a Midwestern echo chamber. Comparing St. John's to SU and UConn is simply hilarious.
Our marketing plan involves winning Sweet 16 games in NYC and having Metro North add entire trains to accommodate our fans.
See, this post perfectly encapsulates the issue. You think that it's enough to have people witness the ticket prices at MSG this week (which are impressive) and jump to the conclusion that UConn delivers the NYC market. I might draw that conclusion as someone that watches conference realignment closely, but 99% of the population needs it spelled out much more directly. What I'm saying is that this is a grave mistake. There needs to be an active and direct campaign by UConn to state this. Syracuse and Rutgers consciously did this several years ago, and look where they are now. Marketing strategy matters, especially in a fragmented market like NYC.
You really think UConn needs a marketing plan to remind MSG and the Yankees that UConn can sell a boatload of tickets in NYC? You think that the ACC and the B1G need a marketing program to tell them that? They already know this. Obviously it wasn't a decisive factor. The ACC in particular was more concerned with short term implications in adding Louisville.
UConnFB - I was convinced that UConn was going to get into the ACC, but was wrong. In looking back, yes, UConn did not do a good job marketing itself compared to its competition. It let Louisville get away with the perception that it was the "football choice" despite the fact that UConn was the one with the most recent BCS bowl berth at the time that the ACC decision was made, and let Syracuse and Rutgers take the "NYC market" mantle. That was a poor PR performance at the worst possible time. UConn should be in a power conference, but my firm belief is that they just expected outsiders to just know all about its academics, location and basketball brand without further selling (as evidenced by UConn's AD being in the Bahamas while Tom Jurich was personally lobbying ACC officials). It might seem stupid, but that subjective and personal touch matters more than people want to admit.
Case in point: when the Big Ten approached Marlyand in 2012, Maryland's president admitted that he honestly had no clue that the Big Ten was making so much more Tv money compared to the ACC... and his previous job was being provost at a Big Ten school!!! This was basic info that we rehashed here hundreds of times and widely reported by allow the major news organizations. A school literally has to break it down in a way that a first grader can understand it. NOTHING can be assumed. If you have worked with CEOs with a lot of responsibility (like university presidents), a lot of them need things broken down in 5 minutes or less in a PowerPoint presentation. You can't expect them to know the details of your school when they barely know what's happening in other major conferences.
(This post was last modified: 03-29-2014 11:21 AM by Frank the Tank.)
(03-29-2014 11:10 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote: UConnFB - I was convinced that UConn was going to get into the ACC, but was wrong. In looking back, yes, UConn did not do a good job marketing itself compared to its competition. It let Louisville get away with the perception that it was the "football choice" despite the fact that UConn was the one with the most recent BCS bowl berth at the time that the ACC decision was made, and let Syracuse and Rutgers take the "NYC market" mantle. That was a poor PR performance at the worst possible time. UConn should be in a power conference, but my firm belief is that they just expected outsiders to just know all about its academics, location and basketball brand without further selling (as evidenced by UConn's AD being in the Bahamas while Tom Jurich was personally lobbying ACC officials). It might seem stupid, but that subjective and personal touch matters more than people want to admit.
Are you aware that UCONN was mum because they last time they said anything related to CR, they were raked over the coals for their insolence? In 2011, after 'Cuse & Pitt were invited to the ACC, UCONN told anyone & everyone that they wanted into the ACC. Everyone, let me repeat that again, EVERYONE scolded UCONN like a 5 year old with his hand in the cookie jar. Yet when Maryland bolts for the Big 10, UCONN is supposed to sell themselves? Even though they were told to stop in 2011? Your ignorance on all things UCONN is staggering.
(03-29-2014 11:20 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote: Case in point: when the Big Ten approached Marlyand in 2012, Maryland's president admitted that he honestly had no clue that the Big Ten was making so much more Tv money compared to the ACC... and his previous job was being provost at a Big Ten school!!! This was basic info that we rehashed here hundreds of times and widely reported by allow the major news organizations. A school literally has to break it down in a way that a first grader can understand it. NOTHING can be assumed. If you have worked with CEOs with a lot of responsibility (like university presidents), a lot of them need things broken down in 5 minutes or less in a PowerPoint presentation. You can't expect them to know the details of your school when they barely know what's happening in other major conferences.
Frank, I read your blog a lot and we share the same Midwest roots--though I was born right on the other side of the Mississippi (Quad Cities-Davenport). I agree with you on most of the realignment ideas. Question for you: Why doesn't UCONN make a push for the Big 12? Geographically ridiciouols? Yes? See West Virginia. Big 12 could always bring in Navy for football only and the conference wouldn't be as odd geographically as it now or would be with UCONN. You are no doubt the insider here so let me ask, has Warde Manuel at least tried to talk with the Big 12? Who knows, maybe the ACC would hear about it and make them an offer at the last second too?
(03-29-2014 11:10 AM)Frank the Tank Wrote: UConnFB - I was convinced that UConn was going to get into the ACC, but was wrong. In looking back, yes, UConn did not do a good job marketing itself compared to its competition. It let Louisville get away with the perception that it was the "football choice" despite the fact that UConn was the one with the most recent BCS bowl berth at the time that the ACC decision was made, and let Syracuse and Rutgers take the "NYC market" mantle. That was a poor PR performance at the worst possible time. UConn should be in a power conference, but my firm belief is that they just expected outsiders to just know all about its academics, location and basketball brand without further selling (as evidenced by UConn's AD being in the Bahamas while Tom Jurich was personally lobbying ACC officials). It might seem stupid, but that subjective and personal touch matters more than people want to admit.
Posts like this are why I am continually amazed at why you are even remotely considered an authority on this topic.
-UConn was skewered the last time it promoted itself.
-No marketing plan created by a Madison Avenue firm could ever change the minds of Clemson and FSU. They were afraid if losing further football relevance after adding Syracuse and Pitt. The fact that you think some sort of marketing program could have influenced these people is Frankly, preposterous.
-We're discussing marketing in NYC. Not marketing to the rednecks in FSU/Clemson land.
-The way you market in NYC is by actually having events in NYC. We are playing Army in Yankees Stadium this fall, and Warde Manuel has just now reached out Barclays and MSG about holding a Men's and Women's BB doubleheader next winter.
The Syracuse campaign to market itself as NYC's "home team" is laughable and makes them look completely ridiculous. No resident of the Big Apple not already affiliated with Syracuse is buying it. This is a PRIVATE school 250 miles away from NYC which proudly wears the name of another city across their uniforms and which has named the university after that city. That's whose home team they are. If they were a state university, wearing the name of the state on their uniforms, this would make sense even if they were 250 miles distant because they would represent everyone in the state.
Notre Dame can turn out a lot of fans for a game in NY. So can Duke. So can Penn State. Kentucky turned out a lot of fans for a game against Providence in Barclays last December. No one is confused about any them being the city's home team.
I'm not saying that Syracuse shouldn't market themselves in NYC. They should. But the particular marketing approach they have chosen is wrong headed and just makes them look silly. New Yorkers have a lot of pride in their city and think of their city as #1. The idea that some private school from an upstate backwater can come into their town and act like they own the place is just scoffed at by real New Yorkers.
(This post was last modified: 03-29-2014 11:59 AM by Melky Cabrera.)
(03-29-2014 12:21 PM)Hank Schrader Wrote: Can we save the conference realignment crap for the offseason? Unlike every team picked over us, Uconn is playing
