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Message: [QUOTE="Crusty, post: 1190948, member: 2265"] We all know it is difficult, if not impossible, to sell a poor product. Which is why it is all important to understand the critical role of traditions. Good teams come and go, but great traditions last. In the end, tradition is what you are really selling. College football games are an experience that can generate lasting memories, create new friendships and foster a unique bond with the school/program. They are experiences that parents pass down to their children and become cherished traditions. The SU game experience has improved in recent years with the ribbon boards, the "Express" video, train horns etc. - really good work. But more needs to be done and we need to be far more careful in safeguarding and nurturing our traditions - our orange traditions. [COLOR=#404040]Many of us went to the Clemson game this year, which was a case study in how it is done. Everything works together for a common purpose. [B]Tailgating[/B] Clemson tailgating is tremendous and can't be replicated on The Hill. However, anything that can be done to encourage tailgating would be a big help. [/COLOR] [B][COLOR=rgb(64, 64, 64)]Clemson Tiger Pregame Parade[/COLOR][/B][COLOR=rgb(64, 64, 64)] is a great tradition that gets everyone pumped up. What is more, it is something special for the kids and families in the crowd. Just prior to the game, the [/COLOR] [COLOR=rgb(64, 64, 64)]Marching Band, Cheerleaders, Twirlers, Rally Cats (dancers) and [/COLOR][COLOR=#404040]the [URL='http://features.clemson.edu/creative-services/homepage/2012/clemson-alumni-band-celebrates-30-years-of-shakin-the-southland/'][B]a[/B][/URL][/COLOR][B][URL='http://features.clemson.edu/creative-services/homepage/2012/clemson-alumni-band-celebrates-30-years-of-shakin-the-southland/']lumni band[/URL] [/B]march down the hill and into the stadium in front of fans lining both sides of the street. The alumni band is a great idea. [COLOR=rgb(64, 64, 64)][MEDIA=youtube]lvKyQDteERE[/MEDIA][/COLOR] [B]Howard's Rock[/B] Clemson's [URL='http://collegefootball.about.com/od/traditions/a/Tradition-Clem.htm']Howard's Rock[/URL] is silly compared to our Ernie Davis statue. The difference is that Clemson markets it and has made it a visible college football tradition. We need to make a big deal of the pregame team walk and encourage all fans to touch the ED statue on the way in to the games. [B]Post Game Song[/B] After the game everyone is invited to come down to the field to sing the school fight song with the team. The gates remain open for 30 minutes afterward. It appeared to me that the majority of fans participating were [I][B]students[/B][/I]. [B]Tiger Paw and Color[/B] Clemson has done a great job of branding with their universally recognized ubiquitous tiger paw and everyone wears orange - every game is a virtual orange out. [B]Uniforms[/B] [COLOR=#404040]All of the good ideas get blown right out the water when we do such incredibly stupid things with our image/branding. We have an "Orange Out" with paid billboards on I-81, a City Council proclamation, media coverage and everybody shows up with orange - except the staff and team. We have been the Orange for 124 years and someone decided to let Nike change the uniforms to everything but orange? The media ridicules us and all our friends razz us about the Nike Uglies. How hard is it really to add orange jerseys and pants to the mix? When is someone in the AD's office going to admit they made a HUGE mistake and correct it. Can you imagine Clemson removing orange from their home uniforms and making it an accent color? I can't because they obviously know better. Sadly, for me, Clemson is the real orange team in the ACC and I don't know where that leaves us. Platinum? Lastly, my wife thinks all the time out things that Clemson does (that you will also see at minor league baseball games) such as faux sumo wresting are great family entertainment and should be considered. [/COLOR] [/QUOTE]

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