FMR

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From the mouths of babes... selling beer to college age kids will not pay for a stadium. Don't students get in free? Do you realize how much the beer would cost to fund a stadium? After the first game students would quit coming because the beer cost too much. Two things bother me about this statement. First, athletics seems to be stuck on $21 million, which is where the figure was when the AD came to town two years ago. Second, anytime an AD is quoted as "hopeful" instead of optimistic sends up red flags. The key is selling out the stadium. That is the proposal of athletics, that they will sell out the stadium and bring in enough money every year to pay off the bonds and have enough for operating expenses. So, are you prepared to pay the price of what the ticket will be to support this project? And if you are, will you go and recruit 10 other people to join you? If you want this project to be successful, you had better get to work now because athletics is counting on you to make it happen...

Mack is the AD so he should have a lot to do with the stadium. But what is unknown to the masses is what he has done since he arrived for the stadium. My inside sources tell me that he and his crew have not raised a dime for the stadium. All the commitments for the stadium came BEFORE Mack arrived, duing the Mike Thomas era.My contacts at UTEP laugh when I bring up Mack's bio and how he raised the money for their new center. I think my favorite statement was "that was all committed to before he even got here."HMMM I think I see a pattern developing...There has been weird stuff happening in the department since day one of the Mack Rhoades show. I enjoy watching the staff directory on gozips.com to check out the latest departures (Athletics does not announce anyone leaving). Two departures, one was the Field House Manager, Dan Krone going to Cincinnati where he will be well respected for his efforts. A big loss, but at least they promoted within for once and hired Allan Hoon to fill Dan's shoes.The latest departure was Melanie Schneider, from Sports Information, going to Indiana. As far as a nasty relationship between the coaches and administration, well, I will address that at the proper time. I will say there is a lack of respect for the administration and the coaches just hope they stay out of the way and not impede their programs.

No, Can't State just released the start times for their games. UA released start times on July 7. I just checked and they have not updated gozips.com yet with the new time.I will not hold my breath waiting for it to be updated either...

Behind the centerfield fence of the baseball field. The AAA magazine is probably a trade agreement with tickets. It must be the new thing in Marketing. I call it the "if you don't reveal it, they will come" strategy. Brilliant!

At least they market their stupid marketing slogan. By advertising, everyone will see their stupid marketing slogan. By advertising, people will talk about their stupid marketing slogan. By advertising, they will accomplish the objective to get the message out. Like it or not, at least they invest in marketing their program.

It's July. When you look around the collegiate football Universe, everyone else has already had their big push for season ticket sales. Promoting the game in Cleveland (from this point forward) will only pick up some single game tickets. The biggest dent for tickets sales should have already happened. Waiting for the last minute to reach any goal is not productive in any business. GP1 raises a very good point. Has anyone on this board heard of any of our coaches speaking in the community?

Everyone makes a good case argument. What is missing is the maintenance and payments on these new facilities. With about $0 a year going into the Rubber Bowl maintenance, this will change with a new stadium. With the projected ticket revenue (magic with numbers) a percentage will have to go back into maintenance and of course paying down the bonds that will be hanging over the heads of the administration. So what ever numbers you come up with, the money is already spent.So, raising the athletic budget to $25M will require an increase in student fees and raising more $ for athletics. I am sure the students will not like this idea as they are already taxed at a high rate. Any cuts to progams across campus to fund athletics will meet with faculty objections. And I am still waiting to see the Mack Rhoades fund raising that he promised when he was hired. I recall he was going to "get out into the community and knock on every door". Well, we are still waiting... When you break it down, there is a need for more commitment from all concerned. Getting a new stadium is great for the fans, but it can be a nightmare for an administration... unless they cut their losses and leave a huge albatross for the next administration (and fans). Time will tell...

Nothing. My contacts tell me that when he first found out about naming the Field House for the Stiles he was infuriated. His remarks do not come from someone who seems to know the Stiles very well (which he doesn't):Adds Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades, “The Stile Field House is the premier facility of its kind in the region and is being named after two wonderful supporters of the University and athletics department. Their contributions are vital to the success of our student-athletes in the classroom and in competition. We are fortunate to have such loyal, thoughtful and generous friends.”http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_...0&ATCLID=924583Fortunately, the money for football and basketball was set up outside of Mack's control or who knows how the money would have been spent.

No, you will not get an "official" explanation. But you have to look at some history involving the Mack Rhoades regime. The turn over has been high, which you always expect with a new AD. But this was Mack's hire after Donnie Darr left for Oklahoma State for a similiar role. Tom is a first class individual. He had a five year plan and was making the most of it the first year, he won and recruited very well. Tom has always been close to Herb, they are good friends. All I can say today is that Tom made the move that made sense for him. He is a local guy and wants to stay in the area. I am not going out on a limb saying that Mack is not the leader everyone thinks he is. There will be more turn over in the department. Inside the athletic department is pure hell for some individuals. This administration is dirty and you have yet to see how dirty it is going to get. Wait til Basketball season comes around and we will have this discussion again.

I am surprised that UA has anyone on any of the teams. It is difficult to rank your players when they do not have the credentials in front of them. You are all die hard fans and know each player, but when any outside organization does their pre-season rankings, they usually go to the spring media guides.Which brings me to the spring media guide... there was not one this year. They are usually sent to these types of organizations to promote the players and up-coming schedule. Tough to get anything when you do not lobby for it.Call media relations and ask them what they are doing to promote our players. Then list what you find out...

It is a mistake. Crennel will be fired this year after winning only four games. He secured a spot at Notre Dame by moving up to get Weis's QB. These favors do not go un-noticed in the Coaching fraternity. He made Weis look good at ND also...

Before anyone says that "those are big schools with big budgets" let's take a look at what you can do for very little money.To sell your product, you want to put the principles in front of the masses. There are so many Lions, Rotary, Kiwanis (and many other) clubs in town that you simply have to pick up the phone and schedule your coach or AD to speak. They are always looking for speakers and would jump at the chance to have a coach in. This would be the cost of gas to and from. Plus it puts you in front of people.But this would take coordination as you would want to have at least two other people with the coach, marketing and fund raiser, plus someone from Sports Information. You would want to sell season tickets on the spot and/or take season ticket orders. I guess you could call this the "grass roots" campaign that Mack promised when he was hired (which I am still waiting to see implemented).The reason schools do this in the Spring is:Spring football is ongoing.School is still in session (talking about grade, middle and high school, vacation season has not started).If you wait too long, you miss your audience...

Hey Captain, I received a nice phone call once from Gary Bogue. He was very responsive and helpful. Looks like he hit the road. I don't see his name anywhere in athletics. Doing a quick google I did find him in the law school at UA. So now Mack has lost the two fund raisers that Mike Thomas had hired. There is still an opening in athletic development for an Assistant Director under some new guy, Jeremiah Dickey. Word is Dickey is from UTEP, same as Mack.No announcement on the new stadium, new people raising money... HMMM makes me wonder if they are falling behind on raising money for the stadium????

Here is the skinny on the ticket mailing: 1) The same company that did the Men's Basketball season ticket mailing did this one also. The math on some season ticket holders for basketball were wrong also. Athletics did not proof then and again this time. Yet they increased their marketing staff and are paying an additional $150,000 in salaries to these people.UA Athletics puts the piece together and farms it out to this company to produce and mail. Word is the Director of Marketing does all the proofing herself (I guess she does not believe in having others proof her work. Remember the ads in the paper?). 2) Parking - the city collects $3.00/car. They keep the money on game day and UA pays for each stub they collect. They don't care where you park. This will not include parking in Cleveland, unless you give big $$ and only then will you be taken care of (maybe). 3) Athletics hires Acme (or whoever) parking to work the games. The parking service that collects money on game day will not agree to count out UA's cut at the end of the day. So you only pay what the city gets. If you are going to park in the General Parking you would be an idiot to pay $25.00. Unless you want the convience of flying around the traffic that is paying (but they have not figured out how to do that yet either). 4) Ah, GP1, you have forgotten grasshopper, Mack hires Infocision to make those phone calls. We have been hearing about a "grassroots campaign" for over a year now. I'll wager a bunch that if you look at the individual season ticket purchases from last year, it did not increase that much. But if you look at the Companies that purchased group season tickets to help with the attendance issue, that is where the spike came. 5) Two years... Funny, anyone else wondering why there has not been an announcement about the stadium? I am hearing 3-4 years. No wonder it has been so quiet.

It is no secret that Mack would prefer to play every game away if he could. The choice to go to Cleveland brought relief to the athletic anals as they only have to go to the Rubber Bowl 4 times next season. Has anyone received their season ticket renewals yet? I heard that the Marketing department screwed up the mailing. It was suppose to go out April 7.

Matt Wallerstedt (JD's linebacker coach 2 years ago) to the Big 12, Kansas State.

Dr Z, thanks for bringing this up again... What is interesting is Mack states This is what he said in his speech when he accepted the job over a year ago, He will be out knocking on doors...At what point in time to you quit talking about it and implement the plan?

Always sad when programs get dropped. Tim Hall is their new Athletic Director, started in February. He left Can't State to take the job...

The Spring game is scheduled for April 15, which is only a week away. I keep checking the website for more details, but this is all I get:The Zips will hold its annual spring game on April 15 (Sunday) at 4 pm in the Athletics Field House. Prior to the game, the Zip baseball team will host Central Michigan at 1 pm. All the events of the day – presented by Sky Bank – will be released as details are solidified.I believe I have reached the breaking point with this Administration. This is only a Spring game and they cannot decide what to do? Solidify what? By the time they do that, who will care? The best way to attract people to an event is to advertise that event. These guys cannot even plan one!The only thing solid coming out of this administration is the crap they leave behind!http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_...0&ATCLID=849733

If you ever get pulled over, you are suppose to tell the trooper that you are related to Bob Huggins. It's the new "Huggins is my cussins" law.It would be tough to prove that your not related in WV!

He owes the University $100,000 for leaving early. I am sure that is part of what WVU will pick up for this sleaze. In typical Huggins fashion he cried all the way from Manhattan (the little apple) to his hick roots home.I heard that they are changing the drinking laws in West Virginia now...

XOS technologies has taken over for CSTV around the country doing athletic websites. I guess you could say they are the "flavor of the month".Since we endured the painful transition from the old website (remember last summer?) it seems that by now they would have figured out how to operate their own site.But my insiders tell me that no one on staff knows how to operate a website. Can you believe that! With the announcement by the AD that he hired on additional Marketing personnel NOT ONE OF THEM knows how to update/operate this site! (And the videoboard at the JAR is run by a student, no one on staff knows how to do that either!).My favorite is the ticket page. To find the pricing for baseball I had to go to the bottom of the page! I guess all they have figured out how to do is cut and paste!AH, the joy I get watching athletic marketing at work!http://www.gozips.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_...=&ATCLID=312137

xu9697 - it has been done before and I have witnessed it (in more than one city). It is a logistical nightmare as I stated. The only missed opportunity is that I did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night!

AND AND EQUALSFootball, Men's soccer, women's soccer, basketball (hey, let's throw tennis in also) and professional soccer... Oh, is this where Wolstein is going to have his team practice or just play? I would think if I made a financial investment I would want to have a say in when my team would get to use the facility (as would JD, Keith, Caleb and Catherine). Oh, are we going to provide locker space for Wolstein? Will he need a team clubhouse? Will their logo go above or below Zippy?It's not negative. Do you want to really share a venue with a professional team? Sounds good in this chat area, but the reality is a big scheduling headache when you do not have full control.Ah, the retail space. Do we split the profits? Why would we do that if we own the land? We build a stadium and lease it out to Wolstein to play his games. At least that would provide some revenue and maybe help keep ticket prices down.