How do we get word to the casual fan

[GoSU96]

The syracuse.com stories help, but SU should also be doing short videos about players/coaches and linking them from Facebook, Twitter, etc. If they connected with people like Niko to get these on-air and online through CNY Central, it reaches non-sports folks as well. As many of you can attest, when you talk to the players and staff and see their excitement, it is contagious. It also helps when people can connect with them. We have plenty to showcase, and be proud of with this team, but you can't expect to just us the traditional routes to inform people.

Not to keep harping on the uniform thing, but if we changed to create a buzz, where's the promotion? Nothing on the posters, no ads/billboards around town. Was SU showing them off at Taste of Syracuse/Balloonfest? I mean this weekend is going to be beautiful around here, so SU should send marketing folks/interns to Onondaga Lake and Oneida Shores and Green Lakes to show them off, hand out posters, etc.

They could have hired Dave Rahme to provide content management on their website. Rutgers hired Tom Lucci to do that when he left the Star Ledger.

 

[Full_Rebar]

Great idea with Rahme providing content. You could even turn to the grad programs at Newhouse to get some talented and eager folks who could contribute in a meaningful way.

Question to the "win and people will show up crowd"- what happens if SU comes out of September at 2-2, do we just give up on getting people out to the Dome? Both Marrone and Shafer have said that the Dome atmosphere is crucial for recruiting and getting top-end talent so I find it somewhat confusing that SUAD isn't going all-out with all the positive momentum entering this season.

I think what Dan is trying to do with engaging people here is a great start, but as fans/supporters we should want more. We should want the kids for 2016 to turn on a Syracuse game and see a place that they want to be- that's what we have in hoops and you can't argue with the recruiting results there.

 

[DPCuse]

We need a strong vocal student section to infuse more energy in to the dome. I will never forget the Wake Forest game a couple years ago when they handed out free tickets to the freshmen. The student spilled over to the upper deck. And although they didn't stick around for the 4th quarter comeback, it gave me chills when I walked in to the dome and saw the number of kids cheering their heads off 45 minutes before kickoff. It created such an awesome atmosphere that would no doubt captivate the casual fan.

If you have ever heard anyone talk about going to a Cornell hockey game you would know that the first thing anyone says about the experience is that the student section is awesome. It's electric and draws people in. And they pack the arena every game. Colgate is in the same league but doesn't have the same student fan base and as a result, you don't get the people traveling over to Hamilton like you do to Ithaca. It all has to do with the student section and fan experience in my opinion.

 

[Scooch]

Just an FYI - Scooch didn't even have to Google anything to know the year Color Me Badd had that album.

Hell no.

I CELEBRATE THEIR ENTIRE CATALOG.

 

[Scooch]

Who would?

It's like knowing Back to the Future came out in 1985. You don't know why you know. You just know.

Great scott!

 

[Scooch]

Let's see, there was the George Michael looking guy, the Kenny G looking guy, the Milli Vanilli looking guy, and the other guy, right?

Or as Beavis and Butt-head astutely noted... it's the super suck group with Kenny G and Snow.

 

[Scooch]

Great idea with Rahme providing content. You could even turn to the grad programs at Newhouse to get some talented and eager folks who could contribute in a meaningful way.

Question to the "win and people will show up crowd"- what happens if SU comes out of September at 2-2, do we just give up on getting people out to the Dome? Both Marrone and Shafer have said that the Dome atmosphere is crucial for recruiting and getting top-end talent so I find it somewhat confusing that SUAD isn't going all-out with all the positive momentum entering this season.

I think what Dan is trying to do with engaging people here is a great start, but as fans/supporters we should want more. We should want the kids for 2016 to turn on a Syracuse game and see a place that they want to be- that's what we have in hoops and you can't argue with the recruiting results there.

You don't give up, but you recalibrate your expectations.

People need to be realistic, this is not a fan base or market that will fill the Dome for a .500 team.

It's just not.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

I would rather just remember their music.

 

[JoeSU]

I think one issue is that that student attendance is way down. And it just isn't SU - student attendance is on the decline at almost every major program like Penn State, Michigan, Arizona, Alabama. ESPN did a story on this a couple of months ago. And SU has the added disadvantage that our student population isn't that large to begin with.I don't know how you change the current culture.

It also doesn't help that students who were around during the "dark days" of the football program didn't develop the sort of positive connection to the team that makes them want to come back to see games as alumni.

 

[Ottoble]

Strong word of mouth starting here on the board is a good way to go. I've started the "They will be a fun team to watch" campaign in my office and neighborhood talking about how SU is switching to an exciting up tempo offense like Oregon this year, already has an aggressive sack happy defense, how we have a couple of 6'-5" wide receivers coming in and we return our quarterback and 4 of 5 offensive linemen and one is slated to be a NFL draft pick.

Give them talking points and reinforce it every time you talk to someone.

Plant the seeds for people to go to games and then mention how you have a ticket contact up at the box office that makes it easy to find seats and send them Dan's way. If you can get a few people to buy tickets before the season even starts they will each tell people they are going to a game. Also even if they don't get tickets right away when someone talks about the football team with them they will reiterate the talking points you have told them about the team.

If you live within the 3 hr radius of Syracuse implement this strategy.

 

[javadoc]

That it's time to get back on the wagon. We are gonna be good THIS year.(KUDOS by the way to the Post Standard and syracuse.com for awesome off-season coverage).

The casual fan won't believe it until it is demonstrated on the field, and then lay one egg when the big crowd shows up and it's all over for that season.

 

[OrangeTown]

Or as Beavis and Butt-head astutely noted... it's the super suck group with Kenny G and Snow.

A licky boom boom down!

 

[JeremyCuse]

As most have already said winning is really the only thing that is going to draw the casual fan. Syracuse's problems over the year with attendance have been two fold.

1. Whenever we would manage to finally draw in some of those fans on the fence and get some excitement going ie BC and Ucant in 2010, Clemson last year, we would usually end up laying an absolute egg offensively or end up getting rocked and as javadoc pointed out once that happens you have lost most of the casual fans for that year or at minimum the next couple home games.

2. Good decisions made by the university arent followed up with good decisions. Syracuse has a game with USC scheduled for the Dome with a team that finally looks at least respectable with a Sr qb and others at the helm. Instead we move the game to Metlife the attendance is mediocore and we get rocked.

For another example take the Nova opener this year. We finally get our pal Frazier to schedule a very very winnable game to open the season and the school comes out with a great offer for buy 1 get 1 tickets even for those with season tickets. Of course we then for pretty much no reason move the game from sat afternoon or Sat night ( Syracuse almost never plays a Sat night game anymore) to 7:30 on Friday of Labor Day Weekend. Who schedules a Div 1 college football game on Fri night of Labor Day weekend? If we have 35K it will be a miracle.

 

[Scooch]

As most have already said winning is really the only thing that is going to draw the casual fan. Syracuse's problems over the year with attendance have been two fold.

1. Whenever we would manage to finally draw in some of those fans on the fence and get some excitement going ie BC and Ucant in 2010, Clemson last year, we would usually end up laying an absolute egg offensively or end up getting rocked and as javadoc pointed out once that happens you have lost most of the casual fans for that year or at minimum the next couple home games.

2. Good decisions made by the university arent followed up with good decisions. Syracuse has a game with USC scheduled for the Dome with a team that finally looks at least respectable with a Sr qb and others at the helm. Instead we move the game to Metlife the attendance is mediocore and we get rocked.

For another example take the Nova opener this year. We finally get our pal Frazier to schedule a very very winnable game to open the season and the school comes out with a great offer for buy 1 get 1 tickets even for those with season tickets. Of course we then for pretty much no reason move the game from sat afternoon or Sat night ( Syracuse almost never plays a Sat night game anymore) to 7:30 on Friday of Labor Day Weekend. Who schedules a Div 1 college football game on Fri night of Labor Day weekend? If we have 35K it will be a miracle.

7:30 PM Villanova at Syracuse ESPN 3
7:00 PM Brigham Young at Connecticut ESPN
7:30 PM Jacksonville State at Michigan State BTN
8:00 PM Bowling Green at Western Kentucky CBS Sports Network
9:00 PM UTSA at Houston ESPNU
9:00 PM Colorado State vs. Colorado* FOX Sports 1
10:30 PM UNLV at Arizona ESPN

 

[JeremyCuse]

7:30 PM Villanova at Syracuse ESPN 3
7:00 PM Brigham Young at Connecticut ESPN
7:30 PM Jacksonville State at Michigan State BTN
8:00 PM Bowling Green at Western Kentucky CBS Sports Network
9:00 PM UTSA at Houston ESPNU
9:00 PM Colorado State vs. Colorado* FOX Sports 1
10:30 PM UNLV at Arizona ESPN

Outside of Michigan State (that is a baffling opponent and game day/time for them) I think you just made my point.

 

[anomander]

Free booze

 

[bnoro]

Outside of Michigan State (that is a baffling opponent and game day/time for them) I think you just made my point.

Arizona and Colorado as well...

 

[anomander]

As most have already said winning is really the only thing that is going to draw the casual fan. Syracuse's problems over the year with attendance have been two fold.

1. Whenever we would manage to finally draw in some of those fans on the fence and get some excitement going ie BC and Ucant in 2010, Clemson last year, we would usually end up laying an absolute egg offensively or end up getting rocked and as javadoc pointed out once that happens you have lost most of the casual fans for that year or at minimum the next couple home games.

2. Good decisions made by the university arent followed up with good decisions. Syracuse has a game with USC scheduled for the Dome with a team that finally looks at least respectable with a Sr qb and others at the helm. Instead we move the game to Metlife the attendance is mediocore and we get rocked.

For another example take the Nova opener this year. We finally get our pal Frazier to schedule a very very winnable game to open the season and the school comes out with a great offer for buy 1 get 1 tickets even for those with season tickets. Of course we then for pretty much no reason move the game from sat afternoon or Sat night ( Syracuse almost never plays a Sat night game anymore) to 7:30 on Friday of Labor Day Weekend. Who schedules a Div 1 college football game on Fri night of Labor Day weekend? If we have 35K it will be a miracle.

I don't think the 1st game of the season being on a Friday night is a problem at all...especially with the Fair going on.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Arizona and Colorado as well...

Colorado has been horrible for a decade, Arizona is ok I guess.

 

[JeremyCuse]

I don't think the 1st game of the season being on a Friday night is a problem at all...especially with the Fair going on.

I think a Sat night game would have better served Syracuse attendance wise. SU doesn't play many Sat night games gives them a chance to let fans enjoy a Sat night game for a change and gives people all day to either tailgate or come up from the Fair.

 

[Scooch]

I think a Sat night game would have better served Syracuse attendance wise. SU doesn't play many Sat night games gives them a chance to let fans enjoy a Sat night game for a change and gives people all day to either tailgate or come up from the Fair.

To be fair, people will have an excuse either way. I don't think the day makes a huge difference overall. We've had some good Friday night games in terms of attendance, and you can argue that it's better to have it before people go away for the weekend.

 

[JeremyCuse]

To be fair, people will have an excuse either way. I don't think the day makes a huge difference overall. We've had some good Friday night games in terms of attendance, and you can argue that it's better to have it before people go away for the weekend.

Your right about people making execuses either way, that is guaranteed for sure. I guess my only point is that the administration knows Syracuse hasnt played many Sat night games probably a handful at best the last decade, why not throw the fans a bone and play at prime time on Sat night.

 

[Scooch]

Your right about people making execuses either way, that is guaranteed for sure. I guess my only point is that the administration knows Syracuse hasnt played many Sat night games probably a handful at best the last decade, why not throw the fans a bone and play at prime time on Sat night.

I guess I'm just wondering if there's any real difference between Friday and Saturday night that weekend. I don't know if they put any data behind the decision, but perhaps they find that more people would potentially stick around Friday night and then head off to their weekends on Saturday, than would be around on Saturday night?

:noidea:

 

[Full_Rebar]

If the casual fan is going away for Labor Day weekend, are they going to stick around for Villanova? The other Friday night games were Washington and WVU so much bigger names and hard to use as a measuring stick. I don't know if Saturday night is better, but I don't think there is any edge to playing on Friday since moving the game didn't get national tv exposure like Arizona and Colorado. Even worse was SU's response that they moved it to avoid a conflict with Jason Aldean at the Fair...guess DG and his crew are big Aldean fans and wanted to make sure they didn't miss out.

 

[bevosu]

Color me not a fan of that song.

Just win!