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This was posted on Friday about the marketing department:I found this article about the ever expanding marketing department. The last part talks about spending more time on ticket sales but I guess they are taking basketball season off. Hummmmmm........... I am going to have to dig deeper on all this new personnel...... more to come later......A tougher gridiron game By JOHN BOOTH2:10 pm, August 30, 2006The Can't State Golden flushes and the University of Akron Zips might be Mid-American Conference gridiron rivals, but each faces tough contests on their home fields: getting fans to come and see them play.Under an NCAA rule taking effect last season, Division I-A schools must average 15,000 “in either actual or paid attendance for all home football games once during a rolling two-year period.” Akron and Can't State are among 12 Division I-A schools that didn’t meet that mark last year, with the Zips averaging 10,983 in the 31,000-seat Rubber Bowl, while the Golden flushes saw an average of 6,658 at 30,520-seat Dix Stadium.Can't opens its football season Thursday night against visiting Minnesota. Akron won’t kick off its home schedule until a Sept. 23 game with North Texas. Can't State athletic director Laing Kennedy blames last year’s disappointing turnout in large part on a tough season — the team started off 1-3, with losses to Michigan State, Miami (Oh.), and Ohio University — and bad weather late in the campaign. The team finished the season with a 1-10 record.“When the product on the field is not where it needs to be, (and) if it’s kind of cold, windy or rainy, you’re not going to go” to a game, he said. “We just had a brutal early schedule. It would be huge if we had three home games in September against comparable opponents.” Leaning on the GophersThis fall, Mr. Kennedy says the school has poured “in excess of $150,000” — a figure that includes money from corporate sponsorships — into this season’s football marketing budget. The school also has leaned heavily Thursday’s game against the Golden Gophers, which will mark the first visit by a Big Ten team to Dix Stadium. Can't also has used the Minnesota game to fuel sales for other home dates, selling package deals that include additional tickets to some or all of the Golden flushes’ games against archrival Akron (Sept. 30), Toledo (Oct. 14), Ohio (Oct. 28) and Eastern Michigan (Nov. 17).Mr. Kennedy expects a crowd of 25,000 for the Minnesota game and another 20,000 for Akron, which would go a long way toward helping reach the Division I-A bar. Pre-sales of tickets have already almost doubled last year’s total home attendance of 33,290, he noted.“We need to sell 75,000 tickets (for the season),” Mr. Kennedy said. “Right now, we are looking at very close to 66,000 sold.” Football cushionWhile Akron isn’t trying to dig itself out of as deep an attendance hole, it will have neither the boost of a marquee visitor to the Rubber Bowl nor the privilege of hosting this year’s Can't-Akron clash, a traditionally big draw for both schools.On the other hand, Akron senior associate athletic director Hunter Yurachek notes, the school’s athletic programs do have a newly-expanded marketing department, with $150,000 invested in new personnel, and a three-week football cushion provided by the Zips’ season-opening road trips to Penn State, North Carolina State, and Central Michigan.During the transition period following Akron’s hiring of new athletic director Mack Rhoades in January, Mr. Yurachek said, “there was very little done from a football sales standpoint.”“It definitely is later in the year than we would like to start (pushing ticket sales),” said Mr. Yurachek, who was hired in June. “We were fortunate that our season doesn’t open up at home until Sept. 23.” Akron also hopes that winning last year’s Mid-American Conference title and making its first-ever Division I-A bowl appearance will spark ticket sales this year. Decent showings in early-season games at Penn State and North Carolina State wouldn’t hurt, either.Besides making a traditional advertising push, Akron has also partnered outside its offices, hiring InfoCision to help solicit its 63,000-person database of “donors and friends of the university” for season ticket sales, and contracting International Sports Properties to handle advertising sales. Those moves free up the university’s own marketing staff to focus solely on boosting ticket sales, Mr. Yurachek said. Ticket sales upDespite the late push, season-ticket sales already are around the 1,300 mark, up slightly from the 1,250 sold last year. The bulk of Akron’s crowd figures comes through single-game purchases and student attendance.Shooting for the same 75,000 mark as Can't State, Akron is taking particular aim at its first three home games: Sept. 23 against North Texas, Oct. 21 against Miami (Oh.), and Nov. 4 against Bowling Green.“All three of those games are on Saturdays, and two of them are at night, and we traditionally draw better at night,” Mr. Yurachek said. “We would like to draw somewhere between 18,000 and 20,000 for each of those three games.”Such turnouts would take some of the pressure off the Zips’ last two home games, which are a Thursday nighter against Buffalo and a day-after-Thanksgiving game against Western Michigan. Neither, Mr. Yurachek said, are likely to draw many families or senior citizens, which are Akron’s biggest markets.Division I-A schools that don’t meet the 15,000 mark at least every other season will be put on a 10-year watch, during which they must meet the minimum or be placed in restricted membership and lose postseason bowl eligibility. If that happens, according to the NCAA, they’d have to meet the requirement the following year or else lose their Division I-A status. Football cushionWhile Akron isn’t trying to dig itself out of as deep an attendance hole, it will have neither the boost of a marquee visitor to the Rubber Bowl nor the privilege of hosting this year’s Can't-Akron clash, a traditionally big draw for both schools.On the other hand, Akron senior associate athletic director Hunter Yurachek notes, the school’s athletic programs do have a newly-expanded marketing department, with $150,000 invested in new personnel, and a three-week football cushion provided by the Zips’ season-opening road trips to Penn State, North Carolina State, and Central Michigan.During the transition period following Akron’s hiring of new athletic director Mack Rhoades in January, Mr. Yurachek said, “there was very little done from a football sales standpoint.”“It definitely is later in the year than we would like to start (pushing ticket sales),” said Mr. Yurachek, who was hired in June. “We were fortunate that our season doesn’t open up at home until Sept. 23.” Akron also hopes that winning last year’s Mid-American Conference title and making its first-ever Division I-A bowl appearance will spark ticket sales this year. Decent showings in early-season games at Penn State and North Carolina State wouldn’t hurt, either.Besides making a traditional advertising push, Akron has also partnered outside its offices, hiring InfoCision to help solicit its 63,000-person database of “donors and friends of the university” for season ticket sales, and contracting International Sports Properties to handle advertising sales. Those moves free up the university’s own marketing staff to focus solely on boosting ticket sales, Mr. Yurachek said.

Here are three new verbal from this weekend:Jalil Carter Wide ReceiverDan Ronsman Offensive centerJoe Rash Weakside defensive end

http://www.clevelandbusiness.com/apps/pbcs...830010/1008/GOVI found this article about the ever expanding marketing department. The last part talks about spending more time on ticket sales but I guess they are taking basketball season off. Hummmmmm........... I am going to have to dig deeper on all this new personnel...... more to come later......A tougher gridiron game By JOHN BOOTH2:10 pm, August 30, 2006The Can't State Golden flushes and the University of Akron Zips might be Mid-American Conference gridiron rivals, but each faces tough contests on their home fields: getting fans to come and see them play.Under an NCAA rule taking effect last season, Division I-A schools must average 15,000 “in either actual or paid attendance for all home football games once during a rolling two-year period.” Akron and Can't State are among 12 Division I-A schools that didn’t meet that mark last year, with the Zips averaging 10,983 in the 31,000-seat Rubber Bowl, while the Golden flushes saw an average of 6,658 at 30,520-seat Dix Stadium.Can't opens its football season Thursday night against visiting Minnesota. Akron won’t kick off its home schedule until a Sept. 23 game with North Texas. Can't State athletic director Laing Kennedy blames last year’s disappointing turnout in large part on a tough season — the team started off 1-3, with losses to Michigan State, Miami (Oh.), and Ohio University — and bad weather late in the campaign. The team finished the season with a 1-10 record. “When the product on the field is not where it needs to be, (and) if it’s kind of cold, windy or rainy, you’re not going to go” to a game, he said. “We just had a brutal early schedule. It would be huge if we had three home games in September against comparable opponents.” Leaning on the GophersThis fall, Mr. Kennedy says the school has poured “in excess of $150,000” — a figure that includes money from corporate sponsorships — into this season’s football marketing budget. The school also has leaned heavily Thursday’s game against the Golden Gophers, which will mark the first visit by a Big Ten team to Dix Stadium. Can't also has used the Minnesota game to fuel sales for other home dates, selling package deals that include additional tickets to some or all of the Golden flushes’ games against archrival Akron (Sept. 30), Toledo (Oct. 14), Ohio (Oct. 28) and Eastern Michigan (Nov. 17).Mr. Kennedy expects a crowd of 25,000 for the Minnesota game and another 20,000 for Akron, which would go a long way toward helping reach the Division I-A bar. Pre-sales of tickets have already almost doubled last year’s total home attendance of 33,290, he noted.“We need to sell 75,000 tickets (for the season),” Mr. Kennedy said. “Right now, we are looking at very close to 66,000 sold.” Football cushionWhile Akron isn’t trying to dig itself out of as deep an attendance hole, it will have neither the boost of a marquee visitor to the Rubber Bowl nor the privilege of hosting this year’s Can't-Akron clash, a traditionally big draw for both schools.On the other hand, Akron senior associate athletic director Hunter Yurachek notes, the school’s athletic programs do have a newly-expanded marketing department, with $150,000 invested in new personnel, and a three-week football cushion provided by the Zips’ season-opening road trips to Penn State, North Carolina State, and Central Michigan.During the transition period following Akron’s hiring of new athletic director Mack Rhoades in January, Mr. Yurachek said, “there was very little done from a football sales standpoint.”“It definitely is later in the year than we would like to start (pushing ticket sales),” said Mr. Yurachek, who was hired in June. “We were fortunate that our season doesn’t open up at home until Sept. 23.” Akron also hopes that winning last year’s Mid-American Conference title and making its first-ever Division I-A bowl appearance will spark ticket sales this year. Decent showings in early-season games at Penn State and North Carolina State wouldn’t hurt, either.Besides making a traditional advertising push, Akron has also partnered outside its offices, hiring InfoCision to help solicit its 63,000-person database of “donors and friends of the university” for season ticket sales, and contracting International Sports Properties to handle advertising sales. Those moves free up the university’s own marketing staff to focus solely on boosting ticket sales, Mr. Yurachek said. Ticket sales upDespite the late push, season-ticket sales already are around the 1,300 mark, up slightly from the 1,250 sold last year. The bulk of Akron’s crowd figures comes through single-game purchases and student attendance.Shooting for the same 75,000 mark as Can't State, Akron is taking particular aim at its first three home games: Sept. 23 against North Texas, Oct. 21 against Miami (Oh.), and Nov. 4 against Bowling Green.“All three of those games are on Saturdays, and two of them are at night, and we traditionally draw better at night,” Mr. Yurachek said. “We would like to draw somewhere between 18,000 and 20,000 for each of those three games.”Such turnouts would take some of the pressure off the Zips’ last two home games, which are a Thursday nighter against Buffalo and a day-after-Thanksgiving game against Western Michigan. Neither, Mr. Yurachek said, are likely to draw many families or senior citizens, which are Akron’s biggest markets.Division I-A schools that don’t meet the 15,000 mark at least every other season will be put on a 10-year watch, during which they must meet the minimum or be placed in restricted membership and lose postseason bowl eligibility. If that happens, according to the NCAA, they’d have to meet the requirement the following year or else lose their Division I-A status. Football cushionWhile Akron isn’t trying to dig itself out of as deep an attendance hole, it will have neither the boost of a marquee visitor to the Rubber Bowl nor the privilege of hosting this year’s Can't-Akron clash, a traditionally big draw for both schools.On the other hand, Akron senior associate athletic director Hunter Yurachek notes, the school’s athletic programs do have a newly-expanded marketing department, with $150,000 invested in new personnel, and a three-week football cushion provided by the Zips’ season-opening road trips to Penn State, North Carolina State, and Central Michigan.During the transition period following Akron’s hiring of new athletic director Mack Rhoades in January, Mr. Yurachek said, “there was very little done from a football sales standpoint.”“It definitely is later in the year than we would like to start (pushing ticket sales),” said Mr. Yurachek, who was hired in June. “We were fortunate that our season doesn’t open up at home until Sept. 23.” Akron also hopes that winning last year’s Mid-American Conference title and making its first-ever Division I-A bowl appearance will spark ticket sales this year. Decent showings in early-season games at Penn State and North Carolina State wouldn’t hurt, either.Besides making a traditional advertising push, Akron has also partnered outside its offices, hiring InfoCision to help solicit its 63,000-person database of “donors and friends of the university” for season ticket sales, and contracting International Sports Properties to handle advertising sales. Those moves free up the university’s own marketing staff to focus solely on boosting ticket sales, Mr. Yurachek said.

I went over to the scout.com West Vriginia site just to see how their fans a dealing with the whole losing thier coach thing. So I checked out their verbal list.This young man showed up first on the list.....#56 Gino Gradkowski .Ok you might be thinking who the heck is he. He just happens to be the center for the QB that has verballed to the Zips #7 Matt Rodgers .Do you think Matt would like to have his center from high school at Akron?We could just steal another player because of a coaching change.........

If you really want him to come with you should talk to one of the coaches. If you talk enough they might listen.

Franks Edmounds has verballed to Ball State per fox8news.I hope the Zips get another small strong fast back......

I would love to see a 6-5 OLB on the field. If the young man is from Texas tha nhe must be a player. Hopefully he ends up wearing the Blue and Gold. Akron is a raising university.Tell him he can bring his friend along to. We could use a good OL.

Yes they haveStricklands Field @ Swensons Stadium...........Best food in the NCAA

Here is a sotry ffrom Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh TribuneZips Land WPIAL Duo

Scout.com is listing 2 new verbals.Da'von Moore 5-11 205 CBPaul Simkovich 6-5 285 OL Decommit from Michigan StateAnd I found this from the BostonHerald.Wayne Jone 6-3 320 OL/DT I think he will be a DTPlus the two guys from Penn Hills Rash and Williams had a great time in Akron this weekend.So did Jake Anderson (Click for Bio)

I just hope the Zips are watcing the game and get the fever to go back next year.Right now is when you start the push for the championship next year.Central Michigan 28OU 14

Zips verbal Vincent Hill is looking to get a visit to UVA.UVa, led by primary recruiter Mike London and Wide Receivers coach John Garrett, is trying to get Friendly (Fort Washington, MD) wide receiver Vincent Hill in for an official visit. Hill, who just recently tied the state record for career touchdown receptions with 41, is hoping to set something with the ‘Hoos soon

I heard a rumor J.D. was seen at the Airport today. And all meetings were cancelled for today......... :blink:

If J.D. does leave for the Bearcats here is the #! name on the list to replace him:Paul Winters...........

Sorry Z-PThis is just on ESPNU not ESPN360 so there will be no internet link.I will have a beer or two for you at the Tent.

How can he be in school if he has not taken them yet?????

You are going to find out about Tevlin. This boy can straight out play.Look ofr him to make an impact next year. Not to mention he is a good kid.

Why the hell did Ced not have the ball at the end. He is the best ball handelr the Zips have, He could have drove and shot or dished it out for a shot. I think all last year we all said give the ball to CED!!!!! F**K!!!!! Note to Coach D!!!!!Give the Ball To CED at the end of a game!!!!

The Zips got a verbal from little Kasparek.......I mean BIG little Kasparek.At 6-6 300 pounds nothing is little about him.Little Z says YES!!!!

The BJ is reporting 180,000 per year. No mention of bouns but I sure there is some plan in place.

I hope it is not a sign and trade deal.......

Working a tough job can help to change your mind about college..........I wonder if Mr. Brinson had something to do with it......

I am not saying he is going to ride the bench for sure but here is my logic.He was a three star player last year. 3 star players are the max for the Zips. Maybe we get one 4 star player every 5 years. Now at a BCS school 3 star players are about the lowest rated player thye get. So he will be fighting for a job with 4 and 5 star players. My point is there will always be a high rated player for his position coming in year after year.Look at Eric Haw from OSU he saw the writing on the wall. He came out of high school and looked to make an impact for the Suckeyes. He got pasted on the depth chart and was riding the bench. Then OSU gets the kid from Garfield and Haw is like damn If I want to play I need to go some place else. So now he is gone......

He has two choices:He can come to Akron and start or he can go to a BCS school and take the risk of riding the bench......... I guess he would rather ride the bench then play 4 years. That is his mistake. I would much rather have a slighty less rated player that wants to be at Akron than him.

Thanks BuckZip I thought I was just being hard on him.......