Help out the Marketing Dept

[Big Zip]

The marketing department isn't worth a damn.It is funny, but Waddell was the most visible marketing person I've seen at Akron. Prior to him marketing meant giving away tickets. I love the idea of post game concerts. I was going to head out to see the Pittsburgh Pirates play a couple weeks ago because the Zac Brown Band was playing afterward. The concert was sold out. You read that right the Pirates sold out the game. It couldn't have been the Pirates had to be the band. Mack Rhodes was not a reach across the aisle partner kind of guy -- see alumni and development. Anything that gave the perception where he was giving up control was not his thing. Yurachek is worthless....I hope and pray they don't hire him. I look at the things he's been in charge of have done nothing. Finally, yes it is the marketing department's job not mine. I do my part --I buy tickets and I bring people to the games and I have to PAY for that privilege not get paid. I don't care how much they get paid -- I don't care if they are GAs -- that is there decision. How about you actually impress me with something creative. How about you do your freaking job. You know why they don't get paid much because there are 1,000s of people who want that job and I don't have to pay you that much because someone else will take it for that amount of money. Trust me on this one - I worked in professional athletics when I graduated in the mid 90s and I got $22,000. The next person they hired got less. A select few in athletics get paid decent money the rest get screwed. Go do something else if you want to make money and quit whining about your job. Move over and let someone else with will to be there give a shot.

[Zipsrifle]

Should we not hold ourselves to the same standard we hold the marketing department.

Um, No, the marketing department gets paid to market athletics. They should be held at a much higher standard.

Um, yes they do get paid (and some are just grad assistants that get paid very little) and they have a very small budget to work with, so how "out of the box" can a small budgeted group of 10 actually be?My point was, if you as a fan, student, and alumnus aren't promoting the team and the experience then you're no better then the Ohio.com haters. You'll complain about the situation but you won't do anything to help."But it's not our responsibility G-Mann"I'm afraid that it is my friends.

I don't think there is one person who posts regularly on Zipsnation that doesn't try like hell to "promote the team and the experience." Quite frankly I find it insulting that you are implying that we don't. This thread is about the MARKETING DEPARTMENT and what THEY need to be doing to promote the stadium. Word of mouth advertising can only be so effective. The MARKETING DEPARTMENT has to step in and fill the void by coming up with creative ways to get people into the stadium and support the team.

Actually, I intended this thread to be about generating ideas to market the football team and the new stadium, not to critique the marketing dept or Akron fans in general. My observation is that we have been very good at complaining about how things are and haven't been very good at generating ideas. Oh well, you get what you pay for. I LOVE the "Field of Dreams" idea and yes, we DO need to tell the students that the games are free for them. Here is an idea: LCCC is in partnership with UA for some of the programs and I haven't seen ANYTHING on campus for the new stadium. Maybe we need to give those guys a break too and let them into one game for free. With that said, CK has a very valid point that giving away tickets isn't the way we want to go, but I"m thinking if we can hook a dozen or so people into becomming fans, it will be worth it. Actually, I think I may print off a few flyers about the new stadium and post them on campus at LCCC anyway, it can't hurt.

[Dr Z]

Actually, I intended this thread to be about generating ideas to market the football team and the new stadium, not to critique the marketing dept or Akron fans in general.

I think most fans feel like they already do more than the marketing dept, so telling a ZN fan to do something more is naturally going to make them mad that they're the ones trying and not the marketing department. If you can't market this beautiful new stadium, you need to get out of the business. I don't think anybody should post free ideas for Hunter. If he wants to hire one of us, so be it. But I would bet dollars to donuts that somebody that gets interviewed this month has a good marketing plan. Rasor had a telling poll posted.Read Hunter's marketing plan. Anybody impressed?

[Quickzips]

Actually, I intended this thread to be about generating ideas to market the football team and the new stadium, not to critique the marketing dept or Akron fans in general.

I think most fans feel like they already do more than the marketing dept, so telling a ZN fan to do something more is naturally going to make them mad that they're the ones trying and not the marketing department. If you can't market this beautiful new stadium, you need to get out of the business. I don't think anybody should post free ideas for Hunter. If he wants to hire one of us, so be it. But I would bet dollars to donuts that somebody that gets interviewed this month has a good marketing plan. Rasor had a telling poll posted.Read Hunter's marketing plan. Anybody impressed?

Bingo! We have a winner. This isn't my job to market this stadium. I'm going to do what I can do with telling friends, family and co-workers about Akron Athletics the same as I always have. It's the Marketing Department's JOB. Read that JOB! to market the Athletic Department and the new stadium. So far they have been vastly underwhelming.

[g-mann17]

Some official numbers...2005 Season Ticket Sales: 1247 Ticket allotment: 7626 Sales Generated: S151,0002009 Season Ticket Sales: 4200 Ticket allotment: 11500 Sales Generated: $1 million plusAkron News NowA lot is being made about how far off they are of the 10,000 season ticket goal, but nearly a three fold ticket increase following 3 sub par seasons is pretty impressive. I see it peaking out around 6,000 for this season. But it is more important than ever before that we start having consistant 7 to 9 win seasons.

[Zipsrifle]

Actually, I intended this thread to be about generating ideas to market the football team and the new stadium, not to critique the marketing dept or Akron fans in general.

I think most fans feel like they already do more than the marketing dept, so telling a ZN fan to do something more is naturally going to make them mad that they're the ones trying and not the marketing department. If you can't market this beautiful new stadium, you need to get out of the business. I don't think anybody should post free ideas for Hunter. If he wants to hire one of us, so be it. But I would bet dollars to donuts that somebody that gets interviewed this month has a good marketing plan. Rasor had a telling poll posted.Read Hunter's marketing plan. Anybody impressed?

Bingo! We have a winner. This isn't my job to market this stadium. I'm going to do what I can do with telling friends, family and co-workers about Akron Athletics the same as I always have. It's the Marketing Department's JOB. Read that JOB! to market the Athletic Department and the new stadium. So far they have been vastly underwhelming.

Wow, I guess I didn't know this was a Union board....

[Class of 82]

The impact of any marketing effort is almost always at the margin of ticket sales, not at the core, as some people here seem to think. The core marketing of Akron football is the product itself, which either draws fans with wins or repels fans with losses. And that is one area totally outside the marketing department's control.What I'm really looking for out of the marketing department this year won't be evident until Sept. 5. It is critical (especially for season ticket sales next year) that they manage an absolutely high-quality gameday experience for fans coming to the Info, especially since it's a new venue and so many people will be attending Akron games for the first time. You only get one chance to make a first impression. You have to make it a good one.

[Jake]

I'll keep my advise to just one. Stop being afraid of using/printing "The University of Akron" in your ads for InfoCision. Even the stadium logo excludes the word "University" Redo the Zip flag and other vehicles of advertising to include the full name of our University of Akron. The implication with "Akron Zips" is not good enough.

[uafan]

UUUHHHHHH.....Win?Seriously, we should have some great crowds the first couple of games, but unless they get a good show, they won't come back. That said, here are a couple of ideas. For students, set up a season-long contest where attendance at games increase their chances of winning. Then, at halftime of the last home game, a name is drawn for something good, like a scholarship for one year, or something smaller like books for the following semester.And food! Give kids free food, and they will tell all their friends. What restaurant wouldn't like that kind of buzz?For non-students, a weekly prize, like season tickets, followed by a season ending big prize, like a car. Many local car dealers would stand in line to be featured at halftime at a packed stadium to get such great advertisement. I know of a dealership that gives away a car at after prom at a high school every year. They have the car sitting in front of the school for a month before prom, and everybody talks about it.Giveaways, giveaways, giveaways. After a year or two, hopefully we will show a good product on the field, which should be enough to make people come back.

[g-mann17]

I'll keep my advise to just one. Stop being afraid of using/printing "The University of Akron" in your ads for InfoCision. Even the stadium logo excludes the word "University" Redo the Zip flag and other vehicles of advertising to include the full name of our University of Akron. The implication with "Akron Zips" is not good enough.

Ugh it's spreading. You should give that advice to Miami, Pittsburth, Cincinnati, Louisville, Syracuse, Memphis, Georgetown..................................................

[scottditzen]

Here's one:For each home game, sponsor an "at the Info" photo contest. Post all of the honorable mention shots online and give a decent and noteworthy prize to the winners. Shots can be judged in different categories like Action, Originality, Artistic, Zippy related, SuperFans, TAILGATING, etc. Practically everyone has a camera or camera phone. Make the prizes cool and word will spread.

[CPAZip]

The athletic department is pretty stingy with season tickets. I know, I have tried to secure them for non-profit raffle prizes.I know of two instances where the winners of basketball season tickets, renewed by their seats the following year ($$$). Of course a winning team helps, but I can assure you they would never have attended a game without those freebies.If the seats are empty, how much do they really cost?Maybe the marketing department could explain to the athletic department the concept of loss leaders.J.D. really needs to get his team to learn how to finish. They seem to be a 3/4 team which ususally translates into 50% wins.There will be big crowds at game one through three, winning those three games will bring them back to the remaining 3 games. Winning the next three games will bring them back next year.They do need to sell their soul to the Cleveland TV stations. Of course, on opening day all 3 or 4 stations will be camped outside the stadiums, touting "our own Akron Zips" and the next day you will only hear about OSU and the Clowns.

[Zipsrifle]

I love the idea of doing whatever it takes to get the students involved. I think that is the key to a steady increase in season ticket holders. I really think we have a great product here, we just need to get people into the stadium to watch them play. I honestly think that even with the team we field today, there are enough people in NE Ohio who would watch week in and week out that we would easily sell out ICS every week. We just haven't been able to connect with those people yet!

[RowdyZip]

I was thinking about this one for a while, and it may be too late to implement at this point, but how about doing a "practice" tailgate the week before the opener? If it was something the Marketing department really pushed (print/radio/tv) it's something that could become a new tradition for the city and school. Local bars could display their specials, and get an extra week of business, and fans could pick out their "spots." Akron traditionally starts the season on the road, maybe they could even put the game on the bigscreen in the stadium for fans that would want to attend? This would be something unique to Akron, and would be one more day to bring a few thousand people downtown. Heck, maybe they could even sell a few hundred season seats at the INFO if fans got a preview. What do you guys think?

[ZachTheZip]

I was thinking about this one for a while, and it may be too late to implement at this point, but how about doing a "practice" tailgate the week before the opener? If it was something the Marketing department really pushed (print/radio/tv) it's something that could become a new tradition for the city and school. Local bars could display their specials, and get an extra week of business, and fans could pick out their "spots." Akron traditionally starts the season on the road, maybe they could even put the game on the bigscreen in the stadium for fans that would want to attend? This would be something unique to Akron, and would be one more day to bring a few thousand people downtown. Heck, maybe they could even sell a few hundred season seats at the INFO if fans got a preview. What do you guys think?

I like that idea. I do think it is a bit too late do do for this season, but I think they could do it next year.

[Zipsrifle]

I was thinking about this one for a while, and it may be too late to implement at this point, but how about doing a "practice" tailgate the week before the opener? If it was something the Marketing department really pushed (print/radio/tv) it's something that could become a new tradition for the city and school. Local bars could display their specials, and get an extra week of business, and fans could pick out their "spots." Akron traditionally starts the season on the road, maybe they could even put the game on the bigscreen in the stadium for fans that would want to attend? This would be something unique to Akron, and would be one more day to bring a few thousand people downtown. Heck, maybe they could even sell a few hundred season seats at the INFO if fans got a preview. What do you guys think?

That is a GREAT idea! I don't think it is too late for this either. The only question is do you restrict the people getting into the stadium to Season Ticket holders or do you let anybody get in? The only drawback I can see is that it will be abou 90degrees and who wants to sit in that and watch TV???

[uafan]

I was thinking about this one for a while, and it may be too late to implement at this point, but how about doing a "practice" tailgate the week before the opener? If it was something the Marketing department really pushed (print/radio/tv) it's something that could become a new tradition for the city and school. Local bars could display their specials, and get an extra week of business, and fans could pick out their "spots." Akron traditionally starts the season on the road, maybe they could even put the game on the bigscreen in the stadium for fans that would want to attend? This would be something unique to Akron, and would be one more day to bring a few thousand people downtown. Heck, maybe they could even sell a few hundred season seats at the INFO if fans got a preview. What do you guys think?

I think this is a great idea! But how about a "practice tailgating" a week before the season starts? And have the team come out and mingle! They would love some good cooking and we could get to know the players better. Maybe wqe could have a BBQ contest and the team captains could be the judges. Getting to know the players. What a concept!

[g-mann17]

I was thinking about this one for a while, and it may be too late to implement at this point, but how about doing a "practice" tailgate the week before the opener? If it was something the Marketing department really pushed (print/radio/tv) it's something that could become a new tradition for the city and school. Local bars could display their specials, and get an extra week of business, and fans could pick out their "spots." Akron traditionally starts the season on the road, maybe they could even put the game on the bigscreen in the stadium for fans that would want to attend? This would be something unique to Akron, and would be one more day to bring a few thousand people downtown. Heck, maybe they could even sell a few hundred season seats at the INFO if fans got a preview. What do you guys think?

I think this is a great idea! But how about a "practice tailgating" a week before the season starts? And have the team come out and mingle! They would love some good cooking and we could get to know the players better. Maybe wqe could have a BBQ contest and the team captains could be the judges. Getting to know the players. What a concept!

Really both of those are excellent. It's kind of a team appreciation/meet and greet. Even if only the regulars show up, at least it gives everyone a script to follow for the real game day experience. Also the the first idea gives us a chance to test the video display and a small scale dry run of the ticket gate (don't charge anyone) and perhaps concessions. They could use the practice.

[Zipsrifle]

I was thinking about this one for a while, and it may be too late to implement at this point, but how about doing a "practice" tailgate the week before the opener? If it was something the Marketing department really pushed (print/radio/tv) it's something that could become a new tradition for the city and school. Local bars could display their specials, and get an extra week of business, and fans could pick out their "spots." Akron traditionally starts the season on the road, maybe they could even put the game on the bigscreen in the stadium for fans that would want to attend? This would be something unique to Akron, and would be one more day to bring a few thousand people downtown. Heck, maybe they could even sell a few hundred season seats at the INFO if fans got a preview. What do you guys think?

I think this is a great idea! But how about a "practice tailgating" a week before the season starts? And have the team come out and mingle! They would love some good cooking and we could get to know the players better. Maybe wqe could have a BBQ contest and the team captains could be the judges. Getting to know the players. What a concept!

Really both of those are excellent. It's kind of a team appreciation/meet and greet. Even if only the regulars show up, at least it gives everyone a script to follow for the real game day experience. Also the the first idea gives us a chance to test the video display and a small scale dry run of the ticket gate (don't charge anyone) and perhaps concessions. They could use the practice.

Wow, those are some good ideas, I love the meet and greet idea with the team, and the contest, etc. Maybe we also do it the day of the Penn State game and everyone who shows up to tailgate gets into the Info Tower where they show the PSU game in the Bar area? That has to seat a couple hundred people and are there really that many people who really tailgate? The dry run is also a good Idea as it will let the tailgaters avoid the confusion on the 12th.

[zippy5]

nah the first event there should be a big game.like morgan state, for example. the athletic office knows how to open up the new barn

[ZachTheZip]

nah the first event there should be a big game.like morgan state, for example. the athletic office knows how to open up the new barn

The first major event should be a game. Why not have a small-scale test run the week before with season ticket holders and students only? These people who are already planning on going to the games and who probably have already been in the stadium, so it's not really like it would spoil the moment.

[GP1]

Why not have a small-scale test run the week before with season ticket holders and students only?

What they should do in the near future is do a test run on the stadium. Meaning, have enough people in the stadium to flush all the toilets and run all of the water at the same time to make certain those systems work properly at high volume. Leaking pipes or no water would spell disaster for the first game. In fact, if there is no running water, a building can not open to the public. Have a practice game during two-a-day practices where they can run the clock and make certain all of that works. A meeting the week before the first game with the ushers would be enough. One thing I really would like to see is professional vendors at the new stadium. Volunteers for local little leagues are always too slow and the crowds will be too big for that. Hire a professional company to staff the food counters.Test the lights at night to make certain they shine where they are supposed to shine. At Jacobs Field, each light is computerized and is assigned a certain spot on the field. They test this each year with sensors prior to each season as they change each bulb before the season starts so they have white light in lieu of pink light from old bulbs.And for crying out loud, can we please make certain the refs field mic works properly and has enough volume.

[zippy5]

I think a pep rally would be awesome actually. something during the week so the team can be there to meet and greet/ get the fans pumped. have the band practice their walk through, people will love that. people can also tailgate and everything. then hold the actual rally inside the stadium. and let anyone in that wants in. it'll be a great time, you can practice the whole routine, and sell a bunch of tickets while you're at it.

[Zipsrifle]

Why not have a small-scale test run the week before with season ticket holders and students only?

What they should do in the near future is do a test run on the stadium. Meaning, have enough people in the stadium to flush all the toilets and run all of the water at the same time to make certain those systems work properly at high volume. Leaking pipes or no water would spell disaster for the first game. In fact, if there is no running water, a building can not open to the public. Have a practice game during two-a-day practices where they can run the clock and make certain all of that works. A meeting the week before the first game with the ushers would be enough. One thing I really would like to see is professional vendors at the new stadium. Volunteers for local little leagues are always too slow and the crowds will be too big for that. Hire a professional company to staff the food counters.Test the lights at night to make certain they shine where they are supposed to shine. At Jacobs Field, each light is computerized and is assigned a certain spot on the field. They test this each year with sensors prior to each season as they change each bulb before the season starts so they have white light in lieu of pink light from old bulbs.And for crying out loud, can we please make certain the refs field mic works properly and has enough volume.

All this stuff seems so straight forward, common sense if you will, but I know why you mention it. We all know that many of these things have not worked properly in the past.......

[CPAZip]

It will be hard to test run everything, because it looks like they will still be installing seats right up until the gates open for Morgan State. Maybe they'll use the blue tarps from the Rubber Bowl to close off a few sections.