Why is it empty every weekend rusting away? Who is running this place?

Zero upcoming events. Somewhere someone is getting paid for doing nothing.

I wonder if the rumor was true about the poker games in the private boxes when the Convo was empty?

They just finished with High Schools graduation. They had over a 100,000 people come through there. A huge success which is growing every year. The new scoreboard is making a huge difference. I remember many on this board saying the new video board wouldn’t help get people into the building. Wrong!

(06-15-2019 11:13 PM)dc1 Wrote:  They just finished with High Schools graduation. They had over a 100,000 people come through there. A huge success which is growing every year. The new scoreboard is making a huge difference. I remember many on this board saying the new video board wouldn’t help get people into the building. Wrong!

Very true. Great exposure for local high school students and their families as well. Nice economic impact for the community as well. Larger events are harder to book since there needs to be a guaranteed payment to the artists. Can’t chance a big loss. Jehovah witness gatherings use the convo throughout the summer as well. Not a big name event but steady income and exposure.

Didn't they just have a sports awards ceremony for the entire northern Illinois high school region?

Shaw Media Awards

I think what he means is when will there be an actual big act back at the convo, an act that most people would actually recognize and get students excited? Last year it was supposed to be Trevor Noah, but he ended up postponing until this coming October. The last true big act was Thomas Rhett in Spring of 2017 and before that probably Hoodie Allen in 2015. This pretty much means one "big act" every two years with a couple smaller filler shows like Theresa Caputo or WWE live. It is a stark contrast to what used to be https://www.convocenter.niu.edu/convo/ev...hive.shtml

(06-15-2019 11:13 PM)dc1 Wrote:  They just finished with High Schools graduation. They had over a 100,000 people come through there. A huge success which is growing every year. The new scoreboard is making a huge difference. I remember many on this board saying the new video board wouldn’t help get people into the building. Wrong!

You seem to be kidding yourself if you think the scoreboard is the reason high schools graduate there. They graduate there because schools do not want to limit parent/family tickets in their small gyms. The scoreboard is beautiful and nice, but I don’t think administrators of these schools that have been coming for many years choose a venue on the scoreboard.

Accessibility to 88 and a reasonable drive are probably at the top of the list. Wrigley Field, Guaranteed Rate, United Center all have better scoreboards and I don’t think people are going there to watch their kid walk across the stage on a screen.

Pilot, just shut up! No one said the only reason schools graduate at the convo is the scoreboard. Having high schoolers and their parents at the convo and having a scoreboard that sucks is not good. There is no doubt that the new scoreboard contributed to a more positive experience.

(06-16-2019 07:46 PM)dc1 Wrote:  Pilot, just shut up! No one said the only reason schools graduate at the convo is the scoreboard. Having high schoolers and their parents at the convo and having a scoreboard that sucks is not good. There is no doubt that the new scoreboard contributed to a more positive experience.

dc1 you're the person who claimed "the new scoreboard is making a huge difference" and that graduations at the Convo are "a huge success...growing every year" which is over-stating things. What MilwaukeePilot noted (not limiting parent/family tickets in small gyms, accessibility to 88, reasonable drive) are why graduations are held at the Convo but that exposure probably wouldn't even make a list of 25 reasons a high school kid chooses a university.

No offense to Dtownboys, but the economic impact is slight because only a handful might do something other than attend the graduation and then head home. In addition, the Jehovah Witness folks have all but abandoned the Convo for a few years now.

The thread started by prairiedawg is a fair one, for all its promise, size, and potential, the place is not being used that much.

(06-16-2019 09:06 PM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(06-16-2019 07:46 PM)dc1 Wrote:  Pilot, just shut up! No one said the only reason schools graduate at the convo is the scoreboard. Having high schoolers and their parents at the convo and having a scoreboard that sucks is not good. There is no doubt that the new scoreboard contributed to a more positive experience.

dc1 you're the person who claimed "the new scoreboard is making a huge difference" and that graduations at the Convo are "a huge success...growing every year" which is over-stating things. What MilwaukeePilot noted (not limiting parent/family tickets in small gyms, accessibility to 88, reasonable drive) are why graduations are held at the Convo but that exposure probably wouldn't even make a list of 25 reasons a high school kid chooses a university.

No offense to Dtownboys, but the economic impact is slight because only a handful might do something other than attend the graduation and then head home. In addition, the Jehovah Witness folks have all but abandoned the Convo for a few years now.

The thread started by prairiedawg is a fair one, for all its promise, size, and potential, the place is not being used that much.

I went to NIU almost solely based off of Chick Evans Field House and the scoreboard they had. Was very elaborate for its time in the late 80's.

Just sayin'.

It’s almost unthinkable today, but the Convo hosted Goo Goo Dolls, Dave Matthews Band, 3 Doors Down, Shinedown, Coldplay, Fall Out Boy, Green Day, etc. back in the 2000s.

Pissed I didn’t attend college back then because I would’ve DIED.

(06-16-2019 09:06 PM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(06-16-2019 07:46 PM)dc1 Wrote:  Pilot, just shut up! No one said the only reason schools graduate at the convo is the scoreboard. Having high schoolers and their parents at the convo and having a scoreboard that sucks is not good. There is no doubt that the new scoreboard contributed to a more positive experience.

dc1 you're the person who claimed "the new scoreboard is making a huge difference" and that graduations at the Convo are "a huge success...growing every year" which is over-stating things. What MilwaukeePilot noted (not limiting parent/family tickets in small gyms, accessibility to 88, reasonable drive) are why graduations are held at the Convo but that exposure probably wouldn't even make a list of 25 reasons a high school kid chooses a university.

No offense to Dtownboys, but the economic impact is slight because only a handful might do something other than attend the graduation and then head home. In addition, the Jehovah Witness folks have all but abandoned the Convo for a few years now.

The thread started by prairiedawg is a fair one, for all its promise, size, and potential, the place is not being used that much.

I know everyone doesn’t stay and eat or whatever, however any influx of cash to the local economy is big over the summer. In speaking with visitors center people, there is some impact which is great. Maybe just gas or coffees but anything helps. Last year might have been better since visitors had to travel through downtown because of the I88 detours. Anyway, it is great exposure that niu can take advantage of. In regards to the original intent of the post, yes it would be great if there were sold out shows. Country shows seem to do the best but the Convo competes with a lot of different venues.

(06-16-2019 09:06 PM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(06-16-2019 07:46 PM)dc1 Wrote:  Pilot, just shut up! No one said the only reason schools graduate at the convo is the scoreboard. Having high schoolers and their parents at the convo and having a scoreboard that sucks is not good. There is no doubt that the new scoreboard contributed to a more positive experience.

dc1 you're the person who claimed "the new scoreboard is making a huge difference" and that graduations at the Convo are "a huge success...growing every year" which is over-stating things. What MilwaukeePilot noted (not limiting parent/family tickets in small gyms, accessibility to 88, reasonable drive) are why graduations are held at the Convo but that exposure probably wouldn't even make a list of 25 reasons a high school kid chooses a university.

No offense to Dtownboys, but the economic impact is slight because only a handful might do something other than attend the graduation and then head home. In addition, the Jehovah Witness folks have all but abandoned the Convo for a few years now.

The thread started by prairiedawg is a fair one, for all its promise, size, and potential, the place is not being used that much.

Where I do think "just shut up" was a little harsh in reaction to my point, I do agree the scoreboard is great. By the way, my son graduated from NIU in May and I DID watch the scoreboard as they were marching in--in hopes to see where he would be sitting. But as he walked the stage, I did focus on the stage.

Also, never in my comments with Grandpa and Grandma, when asking them to come did I say "hey, we got a new scoreboard". They appreciated Tyler walking across the stage the way I did---the old fashioned way of seeing the handoff of diploma cover and handshake.

With that wonderful scoreboard don't you think we'd have a naming partner by now?????

(06-16-2019 10:40 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  It’s almost unthinkable today, but the Convo hosted Goo Goo Dolls, Dave Matthews Band, 3 Doors Down, Shinedown, Coldplay, Fall Out Boy, Green Day, etc. back in the 2000s.

Pissed I didn’t attend college back then because I would’ve DIED.

It would be nice to see the convo get one solid mainstream music act each school year. As a for-instance (officially dating myself) I saw UB40 in concert during my undergrad at NIU in the field house. Fun gearing up for an on-campus concert, should be part of any D1-level college experience, great buzz for future students...

Yes! I should not have said “just shut up” I’m just so tired of trying to say anything positive that’s happening at NIU and being told there is no positives happening. I understand that the graduates and their parents aren’t there because of the scoreboard. If the old board was still up people attending this years graduations would’ve all noticed how terrible it was and would’ve had something negative to say to someone about it. So, In my opinion the scoreboard definitely is a plus!

Here's a good article of NIU concert history from 2003.

https://northernstar.info/campus/witness...412e2.html

"Another event that has grown in hindsight, particularly for those who missed it, took place in October 1991. For $15, students saw the Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers and a special guest. Current CAB members said the band to be announced later was Pearl Jam, which was added to the bill just a few weeks prior to the show."

Where was I for this? No recollection.

(06-16-2019 11:11 AM)dogdangit Wrote:  I think what he means is when will there be an actual big act back at the convo, an act that most people would actually recognize and get students excited? Last year it was supposed to be Trevor Noah, but he ended up postponing until this coming October. The last true big act was Thomas Rhett in Spring of 2017 and before that probably Hoodie Allen in 2015. This pretty much means one "big act" every two years with a couple smaller filler shows like Theresa Caputo or WWE live. It is a stark contrast to what used to be https://www.convocenter.niu.edu/convo/ev...hive.shtml

I would consider WWE Live more than a small filler show and NIU would be lucky to host it every two years. I know it's not RAW or Smackdown, but it's a great event for the convo. Guaranteed to be packed and plenty of money to be made at the concession stands.

Back in the day, Chick Evans hosted Neil Diamond, as well as the Dead.

(06-17-2019 03:38 PM)timxlydon Wrote:  

(06-16-2019 11:11 AM)dogdangit Wrote:  I think what he means is when will there be an actual big act back at the convo, an act that most people would actually recognize and get students excited? Last year it was supposed to be Trevor Noah, but he ended up postponing until this coming October. The last true big act was Thomas Rhett in Spring of 2017 and before that probably Hoodie Allen in 2015. This pretty much means one "big act" every two years with a couple smaller filler shows like Theresa Caputo or WWE live. It is a stark contrast to what used to be https://www.convocenter.niu.edu/convo/ev...hive.shtml

I would consider WWE Live more than a small filler show and NIU would be lucky to host it every two years. I know it's not RAW or Smackdown, but it's a great event for the convo. Guaranteed to be packed and plenty of money to be made at the concession stands.

Thought the same thing about the WWE comment. Always a good draw wherever it is and NIU was lucky to get it. Hopefully it turns into a yearly thing

So many DeKalb shows it seems in the mid-80’s which are mentioned in the article. One great show they missed was The Alarm in 1986 or 1987. BareNaked ladies in their prime before they became basically a novelty act without Steven Paige. Wilco at Ottos a few times played. REM played Dekalb twice my Niu days- once at Egyptian Theatre and the other at Chick Evans with Camper Van Beethoven opening. Naked Raygun..... so many shows and definitely a huge part of my awesome Niu experience. Need to get some of this back for sure.