Spring Football 2016

[UND1983]

14 hours ago, northernraider said:

My wife and I were having a conversation about the difference in sports marketing between NDSU & UND.  It just seems NDSU i so much better at promotions.  Just heard on the radio about a fan bus to Sioux Falls for the Summit League Tournament.  Yet, there has been no mention of a bus to the Target Center for the NCHC playoffs.  NDSU used to do caravans across the region to promote it's athletic programs. Also Fargo is painted basically painted green and yellow during homecoming, yet in Grand Forks it seems just another day.  

There doesn't need to be a fan bus to Minneapolis when thousands are already heading there on an annual basis.  

Also, its easy to do caravans when you are winning NC's.  Realize the situation as it sits right now.  

[CMSioux]

I really don't think the Marketing Department needs an email from me to figure out that if they want to create excitement about football they could start by doing more with the spring football game. The lack of effort has to be intentional and maybe it's coming from the football department. Maybe their focus during spring football doesn't lend itself to a full-blown public event. Regardless having the game at Memorial Stadium will do nothing to bring in anyone but the hard-core fans - there will be no tailgating atmosphere, funky restrooms, no PA announcer, no booths attempting to generate interest. Heck they could use the time to promote tailgating spots but that is another area where they have demonstrated they really aren't willing to put much effort in - don't get me started there (and yes many have shared many ideas for pumping this up - it's just status quo year-after year). So instead of using Spring Football as a way to jumpstart excitement for next year it will pass unnoticed within the community and there will continue to be comparisons. 

[RapidSioux]

Creating a winning mentality will market itself. Bubba and the gang have us in the right direction. JUST WIN. Playoffs or bust. #leavenodoubt

[nodak651]

1 hour ago, RapidSioux said:

Creating a winning mentality will market itself. Bubba and the gang have us in the right direction. JUST WIN. Playoffs or bust. #leavenodoubt

You must work for UND marketing...

[geaux_sioux]

They could certainly do better. The UND brand as a whole is struggling mightily right now.

[UNDfan2013]

My recollection is that Bubba his first spring ball intentionally was pretty silent on the spring game.  It was his first spring ball and was a late hire so there was some lets wait and see mentality.  Last year, I was at Memorial.  There was a good crowd and the weather was decent.  Yes only limited tailgating going on in the parking lot but I think this spring game will be different.  Football parents are rallying to bring back tailgating and interaction between the football families.  UND powers to be need to do better this spring game to spread the word and create a buzz, offer food & bev inside Memorial, make sure there are bathrooms (porta potties were fine and clean last year so that is fine).  Was great to be able to go down on the field after the game to interact with players, coaches and families.  That is the way it should be!

[UNDColorado]

Good news is that Matt Schill responded on Twitter saying that they are working toward live streaming the spring game at Memorial. This is great improvement over last year. All i ask is that they are actively working to make things better and it appears they are. 

I will never come up to Grand Forks in April to watch the spring game, but I will certainly take 2 hours on a Saturday to watch and see how the team is progressing. #LeaveNoDoubts

[UND-FB-FAN]

5 hours ago, RapidSioux said:

Creating a winning mentality will market itself. Bubba and the gang have us in the right direction. JUST WIN. Playoffs or bust. #leavenodoubt

That isn't entirely true. After the exciting win vs Montana State, how was the crowd the following home game vs. Northern Colorado? It was poorer than the crowd two weeks prior. Winning doesn't solve all problems, unfortunately. The athletic department and the Alerus Center need to still improve the general gameday atmosphere. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

2 hours ago, UNDfan2013 said:

My recollection is that Bubba his first spring ball intentionally was pretty silent on the spring game.  It was his first spring ball and was a late hire so there was some lets wait and see mentality.  Last year, I was at Memorial.  There was a good crowd and the weather was decent.  Yes only limited tailgating going on in the parking lot but I think this spring game will be different.  Football parents are rallying to bring back tailgating and interaction between the football families.  UND powers to be need to do better this spring game to spread the word and create a buzz, offer food & bev inside Memorial, make sure there are bathrooms (porta potties were fine and clean last year so that is fine).  Was great to be able to go down on the field after the game to interact with players, coaches and families.  That is the way it should be!

I agree with all of this; however, why not host the spring football game at the Alerus Center where all amenities already are present?

[UNDfan2013]

I completely agree that the Alerus would have all the amenities (inside, plenty room to tailgate, food/bev, bathrooms, access to players/coaches) and is the home field for UND football.  I would prefer it was there.  Maybe the cost or small attendance are a factor??

 

[northernraider]

Harlem Globetrotters are at the Alerus on April 16th. 

[jdub27]

1 hour ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

That isn't entirely true. After the exciting win vs Montana State, how was the crowd the following home game vs. Northern Colorado? It was poorer than the crowd two weeks prior. Winning doesn't solve all problems, unfortunately. The athletic department and the Alerus Center need to still improve the general gameday atmosphere. 

Unfortunately it is going to take more than one game (or a couple games) to get the casual fan back. UND can market until they are green in the face, winning games and making the playoffs will be the biggest driver behind increasing attendance. That doesn't mean they have a free pass and shouldn't put forth any effort into doing what they can to help attract the casual fan, but the product on the field is the tool that will be the main driver.

[gundy1124]

26 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

Unfortunately it is going to take more than one game (or a couple games) to get the casual fan back. UND can market until they are green in the face, winning games and making the playoffs will be the biggest driver behind increasing attendance. That doesn't mean they have a free pass and shouldn't put forth any effort into doing what they can to help attract the casual fan, but the product on the field is the tool that will be the main driver.

Inside the locker room the message needs to be who gives a crap about the pre-season 15 ranking while the University, Alerus, and media needs to pound the message of holy crap, we are 15 in the pre-season rankings, come out and see!!!

[UND-FB-FAN]

32 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

Unfortunately it is going to take more than one game (or a couple games) to get the casual fan back. UND can market until they are green in the face, winning games and making the playoffs will be the biggest driver behind increasing attendance. That doesn't mean they have a free pass and shouldn't put forth any effort into doing what they can to help attract the casual fan, but the product on the field is the tool that will be the main driver.

Agree. Winning is the most important factor in producing large crowds.

With that said, UND football marketing and game day presentation can certainly still improve. 

[jdub27]

39 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

Agree. Winning is the most important factor in producing large crowds.

With that said, UND football marketing and game day presentation can certainly still improve. 

Agree across the board. My point all along has been that I know the athletic/marketing department is continuously trying to improve and they know there has been deficiencies. If people have ideas, pass them on. They have been very receptive in the past to ideas from outside sources on what is working or what can be improved since those are the people they are trying to reach. I've done it in the past and will do so in the future. Somehow that equates to being content with the status quo yet complaining on a message board and not offering any input to the people who are responsible for making improvements is supposedly the correct way to go about getting change. It's not the job or responsibility of anyone here, but we all want UND to continue to succeed. Taking a little ownership in helping that out, when many are already doing so monetarily, is really easy to do and can go a long way. 

A great example is @UNDColorado asking if the spring game will be webcast, letting them know there is interest in people outside the region seeing it. All it took was a simple tweet.

[dmksioux]

21 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

Agree across the board. My point all along has been that I know the athletic/marketing department is continuously trying to improve and they know there has been deficiencies. If people have ideas, pass them on. They have been very receptive in the past to ideas from outside sources on what is working or what can be improved since those are the people they are trying to reach. I've done it in the past and will do so in the future. Somehow that equates to being content with the status quo yet complaining on a message board and not offering any input to the people who are responsible for making improvements is supposedly the correct way to go about getting change. It's not the job or responsibility of anyone here, but we all want UND to continue to succeed. Taking a little ownership in helping that out, when many are already doing so monetarily, is really easy to do and can go a long way. 

A great example is @UNDColorado asking if the spring game will be webcast, letting them know there is interest in people outside the region seeing it. All it took was a simple tweet.

Although I agree with this to a point, ideas shouldn't have to come from fans.  Do you think NDSU administrators waited until fans asked to have their spring game televised or did they do it on their own?  UND has people working for them that should know some of this, that's why they are on the payroll.  It shouldn't be a "wait until they ask for it" type of attitude.  They do heck of a job marketing other aspects of the university.  Put a little more emphasis into the athletic programs.  And yes, I know that athletics is a small part of the mission of the University.  But Athletics has a huge potential for recruiting students and raising the profile of a university.  

[Cratter]

Another marketing opportunity, continue this series:

 

The Athletic Department already knows these things. They just don't have any money to do them. I don't expect the promotions and marketing to increase anytime soon, especially with budget cuts.

[jdub27]

16 hours ago, dmksioux said:

Although I agree with this to a point, ideas shouldn't have to come from fans.  Do you think NDSU administrators waited until fans asked to have their spring game televised or did they do it on their own?  UND has people working for them that should know some of this, that's why they are on the payroll.  It shouldn't be a "wait until they ask for it" type of attitude.  They do heck of a job marketing other aspects of the university.  Put a little more emphasis into the athletic programs.  And yes, I know that athletics is a small part of the mission of the University.  But Athletics has a huge potential for recruiting students and raising the profile of a university.  

I think we're on the same page, athletics is the proverbial "front-door" to the University, spend time and money on promoting it across the board (there should be a little extra of both with the nickname saga winding down). In no way am I saying that should fans be coming up with the main marketing ideas/themes/etc. My point is more related to feedback on what they are doing or could tweak/improve. Wasn't there quite a few people who e-mailed them a few years ago to bring back yard signs and they've continued to release them ever since? Again, small but simple example and much more effective than complaining on a message board (though we all know that an eye is kept on this board by multiple people within UND and athletics).

As for the NDSU spring game, that's a combination of demand from winning and NBC willing to spend the resources on something they are maybe breaking even on. I do know that there were people contacting both NDSU and NBC wanting it shown. Was it ultimate decider of it getting done? Doubtful, but guessing it didn't hurt.

[gundy1124]

10 hours ago, Cratter said:

Another marketing opportunity, continue this series:

 

The Athletic Department already knows these things. They just don't have any money to do them. I don't expect the promotions and marketing to increase anytime soon, especially with budget cuts.

With the product on the field that year I understand why they didn't continue the series -

It'd be nice to have for a legitimate run at the play-offs in 2016.

[fightingsioux4life]

10 hours ago, Cratter said:

Athletic Department already knows these things. They just don't have any money to do them. I don't expect the promotions and marketing to increase anytime soon, especially with budget cuts.

That is B.S. NDSU is in the same university system as UND and has to deal with the same budget issues, but nothing seems to stop their marketing effort, which is much better than ours (and always has been). Cripes, I see billboards for NDSU from Brainerd, MN to the Twin Cities and all points in between. UND's presence is lacking in the region and I don't want to hear that we can't do anything about it because of "budget cuts". How many state appropriated dollars go to athletics anyway? I know our athletic scholarships are privately funded for the most part.

If the marketing people at UND don't have what they need, then it is high time they start getting it. And that starts with a President who understands the importance of athletics as a marketing tool for the entire campus. I really hope whomever gets the job understands that.

And please, spare the cute little comments about how "If I am willing to write a check, they'll gladly do it". I already give in the form of season tickets and Champions Club membership, as do a lot of people on this forum. It all starts with leadership and for the past 10 years or so, NDSU has been much better than UND in that area.

End Rant.

[Cratter]

Hey man, I'm just towing the company line. What's his name, jayson?, he said the reason for canceling the show was "resources."And that was when cash was growing in the ground...

I think I read they were going to cut a million for the athletic budget.

 

[jdub27]

5 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

End Rant.

Do you feel better now?

[geaux_sioux]

30 minutes ago, gundy1124 said:

With the product on the field that year I understand why they didn't continue the series -

It'd be nice to have for a legitimate run at the play-offs in 2016.

The reason they stopped is they were short on man power to produce it.

[fightingsioux4life]

5 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

Do you feel better now?

Yes. And if my rants bother you so much, just don't read them. Capisce?

[fightingsioux4life]

8 minutes ago, Cratter said:

Hey man, I'm just towing the company line. What's his name, jayson?, he said the reason for canceling the show was "resources."And that was when cash was growing in the ground...

I think I read they were going to cut a million for the athletic budget.

And guess how much NDSU will cut? I am guessing ZERO.