Marketing Idea #1

[Captain Kangaroo]

You are welcome, UA. Please give me credit when it is used.

[InTheZone]

Like it Captain...

You know I've always felt that the athletic department could save several hundred thousand dollars by firing the marketing department and just leave a couple people in there to implement the ideas come up with on this board... it'd be a helluva lot more effective. We, the fans, know better how fans think than some slapdick with a marketing degree and ZERO sports or Zips knowledge.

[Dr Z]

Like it Captain...

You know I've always felt that the athletic department could save several hundred thousand dollars by firing the marketing department and just leave a couple people in there to implement the ideas come up with on this board... it'd be a helluva lot more effective. We, the fans, know better how fans think than some slapdick with a marketing degree and ZERO sports or Zips knowledge.

There are plenty of good people with marketing degrees, you just need to hire the right one. If there are two people in that department making 6 figures, fire them both, I can get you 1 to do a better job. PM me if your interested TW.

Nice job CK.

[Jalapeño Zippy]

Like it Captain...

You know I've always felt that the athletic department could save several hundred thousand dollars by firing the marketing department and just leave a couple people in there to implement the ideas come up with on this board... it'd be a helluva lot more effective. We, the fans, know better how fans think than some slapdick with a marketing degree and ZERO sports or Zips knowledge.

There are plenty of good people with marketing degrees, you just need to hire the right one. If there are two people in that department making 6 figures, fire them both, I can get you 1 to do a better job. PM me if your interested TW.

Nice job CK.

Facetiously speaking, so you are saying you're not a fan of the giant banner on the back of the fieldhouse that says Roo Town, This is your team?

[Wally B]

I love it! Great idea capn'. Could we get rid of the lame "roo zoo" as well if it hasn't already been done? A group of roo's are refered to as a "mob". The marketing would take care of itself and the U could make a mint off of "official" dark sunglasses!

[zippy5]

You are welcome, UA. Please give me credit when it is used.

fixed it for you

http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/pit/ticketing/buc_night.jsp

[zip37]

Nice to know you think the Pirates can market that cruddy product, but I wouldn't go to a Pirate game if they paid me to, and I was a Pirate fan from 1948 to 1993.

[Captain Kangaroo]

fixed it for you

http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/pit/ticketing/buc_night.jsp

Re-fixed.

Do you really think that, if "Buck-a-Roo" nights appear next season, it's because some UA person took in a Pittsburgh Pirates' game?

No kidding - Everyone does "Dollar Night." YSU does it. The Aeros do it. I'm sure the Milwaukee Bucks do it too. The overall idea is hardly original.

But - How many times has it been done at UA? Zero. How many times has ANYTHING of substance or success, Marketing-wise been done at Akron in the last 5 years? How many 3rd grade baton twirlers did you seen at the JAR this season? Hundreds.

How many team jersey's were on sale at the team shop? Zero.

What was your favorite promotion to fill the JAR this past season? For lack of any other choice, could it have been the "White Out?" How original was that one? How original was "Fear the Roo"? How successful were those two?

People grouse about UA Marketing. But who offers a solution that would get thousands of fans to a game that would otherwise stay home? I did it. And not with a simple link to YSU's promotion. Or simply saying "Dollar Night." I laid it all out. Tied into the "Roo" thing and ready to go. For free in 20 minutes of my lunch time, with my hacker Photoshop skills. The idea costs almost nothing to execute, and can be used annually, easily becoming a tradition that people will place on their calendar.

If 3k @ the JAR, or 5k @ InfoCision is cool with UA, they are free to ignore the idea. Band nights and baton twirlers always get Joe Akron off the couch, right?

[g-mann17]

fixed it for you

http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/pit/ticketing/buc_night.jsp

Re-fixed.

Do you really think that, if "Buck-a-Roo" nights appear next season, it's because some UA person took in a Pittsburgh Pirates' game?

No kidding - Everyone does "Dollar Night." YSU does it. The Aeros do it. I'm sure the Milwaukee Bucks do it too. The overall idea is hardly original.

But - How many times has it been done at UA? Zero. How many times has ANYTHING of substance or success, Marketing-wise been done at Akron in the last 5 years? How many 3rd grade baton twirlers did you seen at the JAR this season? Hundreds.

How many team jersey's were on sale at the team shop? Zero.

What was your favorite promotion to fill the JAR this past season? For lack of any other choice, could it have been the "White Out?" How original was that one? How original was "Fear the Roo"? How successful were those two?

People grouse about UA Marketing. But who offers a solution that would get thousands of fans to a game that would otherwise stay home? I did it. And not with a simple link to YSU's promotion. Or simply saying "Dollar Night." I laid it all out. Tied into the "Roo" thing and ready to go. For free in 20 minutes of my lunch time, with my hacker Photoshop skills. The idea costs almost nothing to execute, and can be used annually, easily becoming a tradition that people will place on their calendar.

If 3k @ the JAR, or 5k @ InfoCision is cool with UA, they are free to ignore the idea. Band nights and baton twirlers always get Joe Akron off the couch, right?

Can't does it, and it works so well for...Oh wait, no football sellouts EVER!

This is called "undervaluing your product". Which means you do this, and we do start winning, we end up not filling the stands when we stop doing it, because people expect $1 entry for their kids. It's why Japanese auto makers stayed away from 0% financing, it's why you won't find a pair of Nike's in Walmart.

The product is reasonably priced, the team needs to win, and we (alumni and hardcore fans) need to get people to the games so they can get the experience. Hell they gave 6000 season ticket holders 3 free passes to the EMU game (3 free passes, not even a dollar) and what was the attendance? If the fans hold up their end of the bargain on that deal, that should have been 24000 people at that game. You tell me who failed.

[MaxZIP]

fixed it for you

http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/pit/ticketing/buc_night.jsp

Re-fixed.

Do you really think that, if "Buck-a-Roo" nights appear next season, it's because some UA person took in a Pittsburgh Pirates' game?

No kidding - Everyone does "Dollar Night." YSU does it. The Aeros do it. I'm sure the Milwaukee Bucks do it too. The overall idea is hardly original.

But - How many times has it been done at UA? Zero. How many times has ANYTHING of substance or success, Marketing-wise been done at Akron in the last 5 years? How many 3rd grade baton twirlers did you seen at the JAR this season? Hundreds.

How many team jersey's were on sale at the team shop? Zero.

What was your favorite promotion to fill the JAR this past season? For lack of any other choice, could it have been the "White Out?" How original was that one? How original was "Fear the Roo"? How successful were those two?

People grouse about UA Marketing. But who offers a solution that would get thousands of fans to a game that would otherwise stay home? I did it. And not with a simple link to YSU's promotion. Or simply saying "Dollar Night." I laid it all out. Tied into the "Roo" thing and ready to go. For free in 20 minutes of my lunch time, with my hacker Photoshop skills. The idea costs almost nothing to execute, and can be used annually, easily becoming a tradition that people will place on their calendar.

If 3k @ the JAR, or 5k @ InfoCision is cool with UA, they are free to ignore the idea. Band nights and baton twirlers always get Joe Akron off the couch, right?

You bring up an interesting point about the 3rd grade twirlers and dancers. Why not use other teams, clubs, and groups already present on the campus for halftime entertainment. They could use the Steel Drum Band or people from other fine arts dance programs (probably the modern types) for increased fan interest and overall improved experience. I am sure there are many organizations affiliated with the University that would love an opportunity to show off their skills and talents at halftime. Hell new clubs could form to do just this type of stuff. The Athletics Department needs to work with the rest of the University more.

[ksu sucks]

Can't does it, and it works so well for...Oh wait, no football sellouts EVER!

This is called "undervaluing your product". Which means you do this, and we do start winning, we end up not filling the stands when we stop doing it, because people expect $1 entry for their kids. It's why Japanese auto makers stayed away from 0% financing, it's why you won't find a pair of Nike's in Walmart.

The product is reasonably priced, the team needs to win, and we (alumni and hardcore fans) need to get people to the games so they can get the experience. Hell they gave 6000 season ticket holders 3 free passes to the EMU game (3 free passes, not even a dollar) and what was the attendance? If the fans hold up their end of the bargain on that deal, that should have been 24000 people at that game. You tell me who failed.

+100000

All the gimmicks in the world can't make up for a crappy team.

I disagree with placing the blame on alumni. Groups like the AK-Rowdies were non-existent as recently as 5 years ago. UA's only real hope at having a strong alumni following is to build more dorms and to be patient. On campus students are more likely to be die-hard fans, especially if UA is winning while they are on campus.

In the mean time...win. UA is going to have to rely on Joe Akron to build this fan base. There will always be around 1,000-2,000 students who will come to games. There will always be 1,000-5,000 hardcore alumni. If we want 20,000 plus on hand there needs to be some reason for Joe Akron to come out. I don't think gimmicks will do that. The best marketing is winning.

If it's the 2013 season and the zips have gone to three straight bowls, Joe Akron will come out to watch.

If it's 2013 and the zips have even come close to sniffing top 25 once or twice then Joe Akron's presence will be even stronger.

If it's 2013 and Akron has had one winning season in the past three years....

[Captain Kangaroo]

Can't does it, and it works so well for...Oh wait, no football sellouts EVER!

This is called "undervaluing your product". Which means you do this, and we do start winning, we end up not filling the stands when we stop doing it, because people expect $1 entry for their kids. It's why Japanese auto makers stayed away from 0% financing, it's why you won't find a pair of Nike's in Walmart.

The product is reasonably priced, the team needs to win, and we (alumni and hardcore fans) need to get people to the games so they can get the experience. Hell they gave 6000 season ticket holders 3 free passes to the EMU game (3 free passes, not even a dollar) and what was the attendance? If the fans hold up their end of the bargain on that deal, that should have been 24000 people at that game. You tell me who failed.

Addressing your points individually -

1.) I never said discounted tickets are a cure-all. Nor did I say they can fill Can't's football stadium. Nothing will save K.e.n.t. football. They have been in the bottom 10 of D-1 for 25 years.

Saying "<Insert Idea Here> didn't work for K.e.n.t. football" is not a valid argument. It is like saying "Lipstick and perfume will not work for a pig." Sure it won't, but it will work wonders for any decent-looking girl. K.e.n.t. football is a hopeless pig.

2.) Important: Our product is NOT reasonably priced. $20 is too much money to get GA seats to watch Akron football. $80.00 for a family of four to watch Zips football is too much.

One could argue "Season tickets for a family are MUCH cheaper than $20 per person." And, one would be stupid to argue that point. The fact is - most people don't buy season tickets. You want to get families to InfoCision. Then you can set the hook for season tix. And educate them on the value of the season tix.

3.) People should expect $1.00 entry for their kids...once or twice per year. Look at the history - Zips football draws flies at season's end. If the team is terrible, even the flies stay home. Giving a 45% discount on GA seats at year's end loses no money, and cheapens no product. Any butts in the seats are butts that would have stayed home otherwise.

4.) You confuse a 45% discount with free tickets. I am not saying "free tickets."

5.) The Aeros don't cheapen their product with BOGO tix...MLB's Pittsburgh Pirates don't cheapen their product with $1.00 kids tix (they've done it since I was a kid)...but the Zips would somehow take a financial bath if they let some families in for 45% off? Not true.

6.) Handing our free tickets at the last minute (EMU game) is NOT Marketing. Handing out schedules in July, highlighting your Fall 2010 "Buck-a-Roo Kids Night" and promoting it at Zips home games and at InfoCision high school games...will pack the stadium. THAT is Marketing.

Summary - Do you want to Market the Zips and try to pack the stadium? Or keep your profit margin, but with a 2/3rd's empty stadium?

The same can be applied to basketball at the JAR. Do you want 3k? Or do you want a couple early-season games, typically against "dog" opponents, to draw 4k...or 5k?

Funny to see people so negative about a damn good idea that's easily within our budget.

[MaxZIP]

Getting local families to the game should be a top priority. There was a family sitting behind me at the Spring Game (2 adults 4 kids). The father was really interested in the game as were the kids. He did not attend college and was obviously not raking in the money. During the course of the game he had some questions about the players and team dynamics. In the course of our conversation he told me that they would love an opportunity to come down and see a game but could not afford to do so. Athletic events are an interesting opportunity for the University to make contact with the general public. It is an opportunity to let them know and see how the U is changing for the better. The Info is a jewel of a stadium and should serve as a symbol for the continued reshaping of the campus and academic prowess offered locally. Getting people in the door has as much to do with community/regional support as it has to do with the bottom line.

People take their families to the Aeros game because it is a fun, convenient, and inexpensive family activity. Akron is fertile ground in which to grow a loyal fan base. I moved to Akron from Can't about 4 years ago. I love what the city is and where I believe it is going. Akron has much to be proud of and should embrace the city in addition to alumni. Most college football fans are not college graduates.

[Dr Z]

Getting kids to an Akron football game is a great idea. Benefits for the U include, selling concessions. Kids love to eat..."Dad I need...(fill in the blank)" Kids love to do what Dad does. If Dad loves the Zips and takes his son or daughter (even niece or nephew), chances are, they will love it too. Kids love Zippy, just a proven fact. Great chance to sell apparel (of course you should have it there). Chance to create a Zips fan for life (gawd help them). How many of you remember going to a (fill in the blank) game with your Dad and still do it because of that? Parents are looking to get the kids out of the house and do something. I can't see any drawback to this idea. Any chance you have to get a "family" to the game, you should take it.

[MaxZIP]

The two Jokers running Akron's ISP team. I can't imagine how their career experience listed in the Bio was enough to get an assistant job much less a lead role.

[MaxZIP]

Can't's ISP Staff. How much are they paying these people?

[g-mann17]

Can't does it, and it works so well for...Oh wait, no football sellouts EVER!

This is called "undervaluing your product". Which means you do this, and we do start winning, we end up not filling the stands when we stop doing it, because people expect $1 entry for their kids. It's why Japanese auto makers stayed away from 0% financing, it's why you won't find a pair of Nike's in Walmart.

The product is reasonably priced, the team needs to win, and we (alumni and hardcore fans) need to get people to the games so they can get the experience. Hell they gave 6000 season ticket holders 3 free passes to the EMU game (3 free passes, not even a dollar) and what was the attendance? If the fans hold up their end of the bargain on that deal, that should have been 24000 people at that game. You tell me who failed.

Addressing your points individually -

1.) I never said discounted tickets are a cure-all. Nor did I say they can fill Can't's football stadium. Nothing will save K.e.n.t. football. They have been in the bottom 10 of D-1 for 25 years.

Saying "<Insert Idea Here> didn't work for K.e.n.t. football" is not a valid argument. It is like saying "Lipstick and perfume will not work for a pig." Sure it won't, but it will work wonders for any decent-looking girl. K.e.n.t. football is a hopeless pig.

2.) Important: Our product is NOT reasonably priced. $20 is too much money to get GA seats to watch Akron football. $80.00 for a family of four to watch Zips football is too much.

One could argue "Season tickets for a family are MUCH cheaper than $20 per person." And, one would be stupid to argue that point. The fact is - most people don't buy season tickets. You want to get families to InfoCision. Then you can set the hook for season tix. And educate them on the value of the season tix.

3.) People should expect $1.00 entry for their kids...once or twice per year. Look at the history - Zips football draws flies at season's end. If the team is terrible, even the flies stay home. Giving a 45% discount on GA seats at year's end loses no money, and cheapens no product. Any butts in the seats are butts that would have stayed home otherwise.

4.) You confuse a 45% discount with free tickets. I am not saying "free tickets."

5.) The Aeros don't cheapen their product with BOGO tix...MLB's Pittsburgh Pirates don't cheapen their product with $1.00 kids tix (they've done it since I was a kid)...but the Zips would somehow take a financial bath if they let some families in for 45% off? Not true.

6.) Handing our free tickets at the last minute (EMU game) is NOT Marketing. Handing out schedules in July, highlighting your Fall 2010 "Buck-a-Roo Kids Night" and promoting it at Zips home games and at InfoCision high school games...will pack the stadium. THAT is Marketing.

Summary - Do you want to Market the Zips and try to pack the stadium? Or keep your profit margin, but with a 2/3rd's empty stadium?

The same can be applied to basketball at the JAR. Do you want 3k? Or do you want a couple early-season games, typically against "dog" opponents, to draw 4k...or 5k?

Funny to see people so negative about a damn good idea that's easily within our budget.

1. Why are we so different then Can't right now? Be honest. I hate them, but hell we have two winning seasons in 2004 and 2005. So again tell me why something that doesn't work for them will work for us?

2. You take two games and apply the price of GA to all the games. $15 bucks is a fine ticket price for GA. A movie is $10 and it's an hour and a half of entertainment. Football is 3 hours and a major social event.

3. Why should people expect $1 per kid nights? Have we done it in the past? No. You know why the Pirates do that. Because they never win and they set themselves up as "crap on a stick, please come out". Are we desperate for attendance? Yeah, we are, but why not give everything away for free? Oh, because we are trying to be something other than "minor league".

4. I never said you were saying free tickets. However, comp tickets don't set an expectation like a $1 per kid night does. You also kill revenue generation by having more people there and selling your concessions at a loss. You do one or the other not both. That is why it's a loss leader. "Oh hey we can go to a game for a buck." or "Oh hey, it won't cost me much to feed the kids." One of the two has to stay the same.

5. The Aeros do cheapen their product. They know they are a cheap product. They are an alternative to the Indians, something to do locally for Baseball fans. They U is already taking a financial bath everytime a seat is empty. Where is $1 tickets and food "only a 45% discount"

6. You might not like it but they were thanking loyal fans for dealing with a crappy season (marketing) and trying to sell the stadium to people who yet to go to a game (marketing). They arrived in the mail in plenty of time for people to take advantage and no one did.

Winning fills the stadium, promotions fill a stadium, there is no need to take a double loss like you are suggesting.

And the only reason you think it's a good idea is because it's your own idea. It would disappointing if you didn't think that way.

You know I have no problem with you, I'm just against such a huge loss leader.

[g-mann17]

The two Jokers running Akron's ISP team. I can't imagine how their career experience listed in the Bio was enough to get an assistant job much less a lead role.

Just so you know, ISP is in charge of getting ads on the score board, not marketing the games.

[MaxZIP]

The two Jokers running Akron's ISP team. I can't imagine how their career experience listed in the Bio was enough to get an assistant job much less a lead role.

Just so you know, ISP is in charge of getting ads on the score board, not marketing the games.

The site made it seem like more. I guess their scope is narrower than I had thought. So who is the man/woman at the reins of the Akron marketing campaign?

[Dr Z]

You know why the Pirates do that. Because they never win

I went to Buc night the year after they played in the NLCS. They have been doing it successfully for years.

[cornbread]

The two Jokers running Akron's ISP team. I can't imagine how their career experience listed in the Bio was enough to get an assistant job much less a lead role.

Just so you know, ISP is in charge of getting ads on the score board, not marketing the games.

The site made it seem like more. I guess their scope is narrower than I had thought. So who is the man/woman at the reins of the Akron marketing campaign?

The position is a high-profile role. Often the head of this department wears multiple hats in the university's management of its public image. They have to proactively spearhead advertising campaigns, while working with internal contacts for relevant tie-ins and promotions. Internal contacts can be in the anywhere from the Athletics department to the Zoology department.

Often, it is like setting out on fishing expedition, but undecided on major decisions like the type of fish to catch, what equipment you will be using, and what time period you will be gone.

You can see this outstanding individual below fulfilling one of the marketing departments many gameday roles, traffic direction.

[Jalapeño Zippy]

The two Jokers running Akron's ISP team. I can't imagine how their career experience listed in the Bio was enough to get an assistant job much less a lead role.

Just so you know, ISP is in charge of getting ads on the score board, not marketing the games.

The site made it seem like more. I guess their scope is narrower than I had thought. So who is the man/woman at the reins of the Akron marketing campaign?

Elizabeth Brinkman and Kevin Aha are the ones in charge of marketing for athletics

[Captain Kangaroo]

You know why the Pirates do that. Because they never win

I went to Buc night the year after they played in the NLCS. They have been doing it successfully for years.

You're only saying that because it was their idea, and they've been doing it successfully for years.

[scottditzen]

Who can we speak with about getting scores from other ncaa games on the scoreboard??

The two Jokers running Akron's ISP team. I can't imagine how their career experience listed in the Bio was enough to get an assistant job much less a lead role.

Just so you know, ISP is in charge of getting ads on the score board, not marketing the games.

[K92]

I noticed last year that they flushed up some MAC scores at half time, but only saw it once and I can't remember what game. I totally agree they should show some scores in between "I'm thinking Arby's" and "Kiss Cam" ads. Oh, and don't forget to stop at "Whiskey Dick's" after the game!