So what do you guys think the turn out will be next Sabado? I predict 23,000. If weather permits perhaps higher.

Big win yesterday! Go Huskies!

I think it will be a pretty good, though not great, turn out. Its a later game and it will be following a BIG win. Hopefully the school markets the game well. It should be good. I bought my tickets early for the first time.

Damn shame if it is not a sellout. It probably won't be but it should be. 20K would be nice, anything less a disappointment.

If the weather holds out there is not a chance we don't get 20K. Early forecast is high of 69 and 0% chance of rain. Perfect.

Without aggressive marketing, do not expect attendance to surge amongst students.

yeah, hopefully the students know that its homecoming

(10-10-2010 10:01 AM)Big_Man Wrote:  So what do you guys think the turn out will be next Sabado? I predict 23,000. If weather permits perhaps higher.

Big win yesterday! Go Huskies!

I would be happy if we got 23K

HC Attendance #'s the past few years:

2009: 17,608
2008: 22,092
2007: 23,057
2006: 27,039
2005: 27,641
2004: 27,385
2003: 28,221
2002: 20,186

(10-10-2010 10:36 AM)sterling1man Wrote:  Without aggressive marketing, do not expect attendance to surge amongst students.

you obviously wern't/arn't a business major...

Marketing isn't just a switch you can flip on and off at a whim. You need a dedicated long term strategy and vision in order to develop a good action plans and packages.

side note: i can believe I'm defending the marketing department.

Bottom line is keep winning. People are willing to show up for a winner.

If you are looking for short term increases in attendance, drop ticket prices. However if you do that you are downgrading much of your long term revenue because you just screwed your season ticket holders.

As someone who did major in business I believe NIU needs to market the game better.

(10-10-2010 11:49 AM)niuguy Wrote:  As someone who did major in business I believe NIU needs to market the game better.

+1
P.S. I did major in business

(10-10-2010 11:13 AM)projectmayhem011 Wrote:  

(10-10-2010 10:36 AM)sterling1man Wrote:  Without aggressive marketing, do not expect attendance to surge amongst students.

you obviously wern't/arn't a business major...

Marketing isn't just a switch you can flip on and off at a whim. You need a dedicated long term strategy and vision in order to develop a good action plans and packages.

side note: i can believe I'm defending the marketing department.

Bottom line is keep winning. People are willing to show up for a winner.

If you are looking for short term increases in attendance, drop ticket prices. However if you do that you are downgrading much of your long term revenue because you just screwed your season ticket holders.

If what you say is true, then the CUBS would have gone out of business many years ago.

It is about having fun, more than winning. Sure the two are related, but sans marketing winning will not create action. The marketing acronym of A.I.D.A. Awareness,Interest,Desire,Action applies.
Marketing is a critical success factor with regards to customer turn out.
Joe Novak knew that and got record crowds.

Why not have dorm competitions regarding game attendance?
Any ideas would be welcome.

I realize there are some people on this board who will defend various NIU departments automatically.

To improve an organization, constructive criticism is necessary.

If we pay an athletics marketing department, I want to see some action.
Seeing HMM, 7 etc in capes, the huskiemobile traveling over campus(NIU should pay them to advertise), ticket booth and television sets(NIU greatest moments) in the commons and dorms,... uniting theists and atheists under NIU football with chalk slogans on the sidewalks?

(10-10-2010 10:38 AM)huskiealum03 Wrote:  yeah, hopefully the students know that its homecoming

Awareness does not automatically translate into action.
Marketing could be used to create/foster interest, desire and finally
action.

(10-10-2010 12:13 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  If we pay an athletics marketing department, I want to see some action.
Seeing HMM, 7 etc in capes, the huskiemobile traveling over campus(NIU should pay them to advertise), ticket booth and television sets(NIU greatest moments) in the commons and dorms,... uniting theists and atheists under NIU football with chalk slogans on the sidewalks?

I asked the athletic department to help me fund a vehicle wrap for the Huskie Sprinter and they told me they could not help fund it. Not sure why, but it would be a driving billboard that thousands of people would see every game I drive to. All this for a grand or two sounds like a cheap price to pay. Oh well, I am going to look for sponsors from businesses around DeKalb.

(10-10-2010 10:36 AM)sterling1man Wrote:  Without aggressive marketing, do not expect attendance to surge amongst students.

I'm all for marketing but when it comes to students, advertisements and other marketing ploys aren't going to work.

On campus it's not like students don't realize there's a game.. EVERYONE knows when there's an upcoming home game. But here's the conversation I hear all too often.

Football fan student: Hey big game this weekend you gonna go?
Lame student: Nah I doubt it .... or the always popular.... "yeah maybe" which turns into "It's 3pm and I'm still hungover so I think I'll just sit around in my pajamas all day."

Marketing ploys won't work either. Do you really think a student is going to go to the game because they're handing out two plastic things you can bang together? People like Thundstix, don't get me wrong... but it's not a deal breaker. You're either going to the game or you aren't.. Thunderstix aren't the deciding factor. Same with fireworks. Same with parachuters.

Simply put, you have to make Football games THE thing to do on campus. On Big Ten campuses everyone goes to the games. Why? I dunno.. it's just what you do. That's the mindset. For whatever reason, that is NOT the mindset at NIU. How do you make that happen? Win and win some more.. consistently.

All that being said, Homecoming is always a well-attended game. I think we'll get at least 20k.

(10-10-2010 01:01 PM)NIUtrav09 Wrote:  

(10-10-2010 10:36 AM)sterling1man Wrote:  Without aggressive marketing, do not expect attendance to surge amongst students.

I'm all for marketing but when it comes to students, advertisements and other marketing ploys aren't going to work.

On campus it's not like students don't realize there's a game.. EVERYONE knows when there's an upcoming home game. But here's the conversation I hear all too often.

Football fan student: Hey big game this weekend you gonna go?
Lame student: Nah I doubt it .... or the always popular.... "yeah maybe" which turns into "It's 3pm and I'm still hungover so I think I'll just sit around in my pajamas all day."

Marketing ploys won't work either. Do you really think a student is going to go to the game because they're handing out two plastic things you can bang together? People like Thundstix, don't get me wrong... but it's not a deal breaker. You're either going to the game or you aren't.. Thunderstix aren't the deciding factor. Same with fireworks. Same with parachuters.

Simply put, you have to make Football games THE thing to do on campus. On Big Ten campuses everyone goes to the games. Why? I dunno.. it's just what you do. That's the mindset. For whatever reason, that is NOT the mindset at NIU. How do you make that happen? Win and win some more.. consistently.

All that being said, Homecoming is always a well-attended game. I think we'll get at least 20k.

how do you create the culture? i say pound it into the heads from when students first step foot on campus. all you have to do is to reach a few for it to GRADUALLY spread. but this effort has to happen every year. and its not an overnight thing that will happen. this is a multi-year thing that would have to happen

(10-10-2010 12:59 PM)HuskiemobileMan Wrote:  

(10-10-2010 12:13 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  If we pay an athletics marketing department, I want to see some action.
Seeing HMM, 7 etc in capes, the huskiemobile traveling over campus(NIU should pay them to advertise), ticket booth and television sets(NIU greatest moments) in the commons and dorms,... uniting theists and atheists under NIU football with chalk slogans on the sidewalks?

I asked the athletic department to help me fund a vehicle wrap for the Huskie Sprinter and they told me they could not help fund it. Not sure why, but it would be a driving billboard that thousands of people would see every game I drive to. All this for a grand or two sounds like a cheap price to pay. Oh well, I am going to look for sponsors from businesses around DeKalb.

Prob because the vehicle isn't owned by niu....if your van was niu sponsored and was spotted at strip clubs and gay bars....someone might throw a bottle, hit someone in the head,lawsuits, no same day ticket sales, and removal of victory bell.

(10-10-2010 03:22 PM)NIURedBlack Wrote:  

(10-10-2010 12:59 PM)HuskiemobileMan Wrote:  

(10-10-2010 12:13 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  If we pay an athletics marketing department, I want to see some action.
Seeing HMM, 7 etc in capes, the huskiemobile traveling over campus(NIU should pay them to advertise), ticket booth and television sets(NIU greatest moments) in the commons and dorms,... uniting theists and atheists under NIU football with chalk slogans on the sidewalks?

I asked the athletic department to help me fund a vehicle wrap for the Huskie Sprinter and they told me they could not help fund it. Not sure why, but it would be a driving billboard that thousands of people would see every game I drive to. All this for a grand or two sounds like a cheap price to pay. Oh well, I am going to look for sponsors from businesses around DeKalb.

Prob because the vehicle isn't owned by niu....if your van was niu sponsored and was spotted at strip clubs and gay bars....someone might throw a bottle, hit someone in the head,lawsuits, no same day ticket sales, and removal of victory bell.

Not to mention the awful music thats always spewing from it

I kid I kid

(10-10-2010 01:01 PM)NIUtrav09 Wrote:  

(10-10-2010 10:36 AM)sterling1man Wrote:  Without aggressive marketing, do not expect attendance to surge amongst students.

I'm all for marketing but when it comes to students, advertisements and other marketing ploys aren't going to work.

On campus it's not like students don't realize there's a game.. EVERYONE knows when there's an upcoming home game. But here's the conversation I hear all too often.

Football fan student: Hey big game this weekend you gonna go?
Lame student: Nah I doubt it .... or the always popular.... "yeah maybe" which turns into "It's 3pm and I'm still hungover so I think I'll just sit around in my pajamas all day."

Marketing ploys won't work either. Do you really think a student is going to go to the game because they're handing out two plastic things you can bang together? People like Thundstix, don't get me wrong... but it's not a deal breaker. You're either going to the game or you aren't.. Thunderstix aren't the deciding factor. Same with fireworks. Same with parachuters.

Simply put, you have to make Football games THE thing to do on campus. On Big Ten campuses everyone goes to the games. Why? I dunno.. it's just what you do. That's the mindset. For whatever reason, that is NOT the mindset at NIU. How do you make that happen? Win and win some more.. consistently.

All that being said, Homecoming is always a well-attended game. I think we'll get at least 20k.

So you think marketing is to let people know about the existence of a product? Then why would any established product ever need to market? You should tell coke they dont need to run ads.

(10-10-2010 11:13 AM)projectmayhem011 Wrote:  

(10-10-2010 10:36 AM)sterling1man Wrote:  Without aggressive marketing, do not expect attendance to surge amongst students.

you obviously wern't/arn't a business major...

Marketing isn't just a switch you can flip on and off at a whim. You need a dedicated long term strategy and vision in order to develop a good action plans and packages.

side note: i can believe I'm defending the marketing department.

Bottom line is keep winning. People are willing to show up for a winner.

If you are looking for short term increases in attendance, drop ticket prices. However if you do that you are downgrading much of your long term revenue because you just screwed your season ticket holders.

You obviously aren't in Finance, specifically budgeting and forecasting because you'd know lowering ticket prices (for this school this year) would not pass a cost benefit analysis to increase profits.

I don't think student indifference is a problem isolated to mid-majors or NIU. I remember checking out a thread on the Illini Board after our game there...and there was a comment something to the effect of "We've got a good game going here, and what little of the student section we had leaves after halftime. I could have sworn it was an NIU thread.

While students are nice, NIU's biggest marketing should be prioritized as follows:

1.) DeKalb/Sycamore residents. The local population is the lifeblood of any university's attendance. You have to get the townies to buy in. In other college towns - football is the lifesource of the local economy. NIU can improve leaps and bounds in this aspect. NIU must create a better connection with the locals.

2.) Alumni - I think NIU actually has hit this segment pretty hard. Bottom line -you are only going to get so many alums to make the trip in from the suburbs. I live 35 minutes away, but with a young family I simply can't make every game.

3.) Students - students are fickle, and will generally follow the crowd. I could see a push at all incoming freshmen every year. You have to get them right away. Obviously the greeks help too...but like I said above 18-22 year old kids are fickle and they'll sometimes do whatever they damn well please.