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seamac77
Joined: 22 Mar 2008
Posts: 2694
Location: Morganton, NC
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 Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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| PsychoCat wrote: | These threads always seem to end up focusing on student attendance. I thought it was ... alright last night, and if D Block could be encouraged to start up again, the overall student crowd would pack in their lower "SC30" sections just fine.
As 2008 points out above, filling those seats is only a part of the "empty arena" issue. The school needs to figure out how to increase the demand.
I like all of Cobb's suggestions (though I don't know anything about the lights, band or cheerleading), but the school isn't going to threaten long standing ticket holders with relocation unless the demand is there to offset possible losses. I love the idea, but it just doesn't seem like it would happen. I thought someone had said that at least the dept is tracking ticket usage.
I don't have any answers about marketing, but money needs to be spent to reach the north meck/south iredell crowd and convince them to come. Someone has already mentioned the local school students. Any other ticket deals? Strides have been made in concessions, but there is still room for improvement. BBQ would be a great option.
I'm also bummed by graveline's stories about some of our previous supporters being turned off by the perception that the dept was a no-fun-brigade. Was that just due to their attempts at signage making fun of UNC or support for Speedo Guy? |
Huuuuge. and growing huuuger market right under our nose. .. a couple of I 77 billboards with a running light board announcing date and time for the next upcoming game. |
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citycat
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 8708
Location: charlotte, nc
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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We played W&L earlier this year. According to collegeresults.org, W&L is the 2nd most similar college to Davidson. Did the students turn out for that game?
The only D1 school among Davidson's most similar schools is Colgate. We could play Colgate in every sport. Hockey would be ugly. |
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stevelee
Joined: 04 Mar 2010
Posts: 10005
Location: Davidson
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | a couple of I 77 billboards |
Offer rebates on tolls.
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Μεγάλη ἡμÎÏα εἶναι ΛÏγξ |
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85Wildcatsky
Joined: 14 Jan 2015
Posts: 1064
Location: Charlotte
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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| seamac77 wrote: | | PsychoCat wrote: | These threads always seem to end up focusing on student attendance. I thought it was ... alright last night, and if D Block could be encouraged to start up again, the overall student crowd would pack in their lower "SC30" sections just fine.
As 2008 points out above, filling those seats is only a part of the "empty arena" issue. The school needs to figure out how to increase the demand.
I like all of Cobb's suggestions (though I don't know anything about the lights, band or cheerleading), but the school isn't going to threaten long standing ticket holders with relocation unless the demand is there to offset possible losses. I love the idea, but it just doesn't seem like it would happen. I thought someone had said that at least the dept is tracking ticket usage.
I don't have any answers about marketing, but money needs to be spent to reach the north meck/south iredell crowd and convince them to come. Someone has already mentioned the local school students. Any other ticket deals? Strides have been made in concessions, but there is still room for improvement. BBQ would be a great option.
I'm also bummed by graveline's stories about some of our previous supporters being turned off by the perception that the dept was a no-fun-brigade. Was that just due to their attempts at signage making fun of UNC or support for Speedo Guy? |
Huuuuge. and growing huuuger market right under our nose. .. a couple of I 77 billboards with a running light board announcing date and time for the next upcoming game. |
I think this is a no brainer. There are plenty of I 77 patrons that could be converted to fans. I believe most of Davidson's marketing is directed to the alums. They need to go after that North Meck crowd. I would think many of the northern transplants would love to take in a couple of the games against A10 teams from back home. However, they need to know about the games. With little media attention I think many casual fans do not even know when the games take place.
It might be a good idea to play some P 5 type schools in the arener too. I assume UNC & Duke will only play us if we schedule in Charlotte but why couldn't we get a Pitt, Boston College, or some other bigger schools to play us in Belk?
Finally.....schedule teams that draw fans. Sounds weird but there are opponents who bring a lot of fans. I remember back in the 70's Marshal lwould pack Johnston Gym with an Army of green Hurd fans. I assume a home game against App would do the same.
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"They were energized by this move to the A-10. How could you not be?" McKillop said. "The tree is filled with a lot of presents." |
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stan
Joined: 19 Nov 2006
Posts: 14222
Location: Knoxville
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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No need to re-invent the wheel. We have a number of examples of people in the past who have built loyal followings for college programs. One example would be to use some of the techniques used by hall of fame coach Jody Conradt for the U of Texas lady Longhorns. She built huge attendance with a retail approach (one business leader or influence leader at a time) as well as wholesale marketing.
The goal is to do everything possible to create an atmosphere of fun and excitement around every game. Simply announcing the schedule, setting ticket prices, and opening the doors won't cut it in today's world. Everything is part of the experience -- Pre-game, timeouts, halftime, post-game -- plan and work to make it fun the whole time. Concessions, parking, music, every aspect.
1. Fill the seats while retaining the ability to price discriminate. Promotions, youth sports teams, church groups, high school pep band of the week, high school of the week, boys/girls club, big brothers/big sisters. Family night -- four personal pizzas, four cokes, program, 4 scorecards (w/3 on back to wave when DC hits a 3) for a cheap price (cost of food). Pay a crazy, high energy DC student to organize cheers for the youth in the cheap seats. Make it a rocking place to be. Encourage the costumed students to interact with the youth. Give out a geography map quiz on our international players. Whatever Etc., etc.
This is the short term fix to fill the arena.
2. Long term --build personal relationships with people in the area who might want to love Davidson second best. Encourage DC alums/current tix holders to bring friends who are prospective season tix buyers to games. Invite a couple of business leaders every game to experience the family atmosphere of exciting Davidson basketball. Give them a special inside look. The tour of the locker room, a quick handshake with Bob, the pregame briefing of the FBC, seats behind the bench and a special invitation to be a part of it. Retail matters. Do this every game, every year and you will build a stronger, loyal season ticket base.
3. Reach out to the Nascar teams that are based in the area. Does one of them have a sponsor who already has a relationship with Steph? How about a promotion to give away 250 special ticket packages on Nascar day? Two tix, autograph photo of Steph, autograph photo of driver, maybe a red Davidson 30 tee shirt, etc. Whole thing sponsored by Muscle Milk or whoever. Fill out entry form at your nearest 7-11. Look for the poster of Bob, Steph and the Driver with the Muscle Milk logo.
Nascar fans are incredibly loyal. Stir up a buzz with people who aren't likely in Davidson's typical orbit. I know that Thurston, Lovey, Mortimer and Buffy may choke on their caviar to think of rubbing elbows with the great unwashed at a DC game, but the unwashed make more noise. And there simply aren't enough Thurstons and Mortimers with DC pedigrees to fill the arena. Have a nascar day with some cars and drivers out front front for photos and autographs.
4. Starting in September -- somebody in the Ath Dept (Matt? -- it would be great training) needs to go make a motivational speech/sales pitch to every professional, club and civic group meeting that needs a lunch or breakfast speaker. And be ready to sell a few season tix on the spot. Sell the vision of Trust, Commitment, Care. Sell the value of sacrifice and teamwork exemplified by the fine young men who represent Davidson. Root for the kind of people you want for role models for your kids. Real student-athletes. When Pat Williams was hired to accomplish the impossible -- get one of the 3 NBA expansion franchises for Orlando (beating out Minn, Charlotte or Miami), he had no arena and a TV market that wasn't top 30. But he spoke to every kind of group that would have him (perhaps even the Lefthanded Latvian Lesbian chapter) and sold 15,000 season tickets selling a vision. That was the fourth largest total in the NBA, so the league decided four new franchises made a lot of sense. Orlando got a team and an arena.
Take a long term perspective. Even adding only a couple of hundred season tickets net each year will eventually lead to a sold out arena where tickets become a must have.
Lots more later.
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"Then they started making 3s. A lot of 3s. We're talking more 3s than a bad dating site." |
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graveline
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 3368
Location: greensboro
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 7:50 pm Post subject: |
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Not too much
Lefthanded Latvian lesbians allready has my internet slowed down
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If anyone disagrees with anything I say, I am quite prepared not only to retract it, but also to deny under oath that I ever said it |
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GeauxWildcats04
Joined: 04 Feb 2009
Posts: 114
Location: Charlotte, NC
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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| 2008wildcat wrote: | I can say that, counting all of the minutes put together, I attended less than 4 games in my four years at Davidson. There were a multitude of other obligations that occurred in the 7-10 range on week nights.
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Please tell me the 2008 in your username is not your graduation year. |
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tennis08tarheels
Joined: 09 Dec 2006
Posts: 3443
Location: Dallas, TX
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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| graveline wrote: | Not too much
Lefthanded Latvian lesbians allready has my internet slowed down |
Ah, Wednesdays. |
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BDF
Joined: 24 Jan 2012
Posts: 4137
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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It might be a good idea to play some P 5 type schools in the arener too. I assume UNC & Duke will only play us if we schedule in Charlotte but why couldn't we get a Pitt, Boston College, or some other bigger schools to play us in Belk? |
No, we can’t. Or we would.
As for the rest of it:
Attendance is not a Davidson problem. A quick google search will find stories about Kentucky’s numbers dropping and waning interest among Duke students. Spend a little more time scouring NCAA.com and you’ll find that average attendance across all D1 basketball is down year over year for the last six years. Culture changes and interest in attending sports is waning.
As for the pep band comment, my HS junior daughter has told me she’d be willing to recruit some of her marching band mates to sit in on some games. Who do I put her in touch with?
Lastly, I don’t think that scheduling teams that will fill the place with their fans is the solution we are looking for.
We may just have to accept that other people may not want to do the same things we want to do. And even those who do often find life is busy. I’ve already missed two games, one for a work obligation and one for an out of town family obligation. I skipped coaching my kids youth b-ball team to go last night and am faced with the decision of if I’ll do it again to go next Tuesday.
Perhaps the bottom line: there are a lot more entertainment options than there were in 1968.
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This is a post by BDF, not BDL. |
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stan
Joined: 19 Nov 2006
Posts: 14222
Location: Knoxville
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 11:10 pm Post subject: |
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| BDF wrote: |
Perhaps the bottom line: there are a lot more entertainment options than there were in 1968. |
Of course. Which is why the focus has to be on: 1) making the experience as entertaining as possible, and 2) reaching out to people who like to attend sporting events but haven't considered a Davidson hoops game. That is a really big number of people. There are still way more than enough people within the Davidson area who are legitimate prospects to buy tickets to fill the arena if we produce a top quality experience and do the marketing and selling to reach them.
One important note about overall college attendance numbers -- I'm not convinced that the demand has dropped all that much (i.e. that the demand curve has shifted). Ticket prices have soared. Revenues are way up. We've just moved along the demand curve to a place where Q demanded is lower as a function of significantly higher P. It appears that the power schools are content to price tickets, parking and donation requirements to maximize total revenue, even if it means some empty seats. I can tell you that an afternoon of UT Vols football for a family of four has gotten ridiculously expensive. Four bad seats in the corner of the upper deck plus parking for an SEC game approaches $500. And the team sucks.
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"Then they started making 3s. A lot of 3s. We're talking more 3s than a bad dating site." |
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DCA06
Joined: 11 Jan 2016
Posts: 461
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Surprised with the population growth in area, we can’t sell more tickets to random families looking for weekend activity |
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MrMac
Joined: 10 Jul 2010
Posts: 8254
Location: Greenwood, SC
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2018 1:22 am Post subject: |
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| citycat wrote: | Classes end 12/5. 11/27 is a little early to begin studying for exams.
I'm still in the dark about AT and RLO. |
BDL is an RA, so RLO = Residential Life Office? |
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bvgerd
Joined: 17 Jul 2012
Posts: 2783
Location: Anchorage
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2018 1:29 am Post subject: |
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| MrMac wrote: | | citycat wrote: | Classes end 12/5. 11/27 is a little early to begin studying for exams.
I'm still in the dark about AT and RLO. |
BDL is an RA, so RLO = Residential Life Office? |
Correct. AT, at least when i was a student a few years ago was used for student assistant teacher in foreign language courses. They usually have hour long sessions meeting once or twice a week at night for additional speaking practice for the language. |
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wildforthecats
Joined: 30 Nov 2005
Posts: 18388
Location: Matthews NC
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PsychoCat
Joined: 01 Mar 2007
Posts: 206
Location: Charlotte, NC
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2018 9:44 am Post subject: |
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[quote="BDF"] | Quote: |
Perhaps the bottom line: there are a lot more entertainment options than there were in 1968. |
I'd be happy for a return to 2012-2015 attendance levels. Maybe once conf games roll around... |
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