Dave in Green Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 ... Eliminate the frequent miscommunications between the Z-Fund and IMG. In my opinion, that is where all the trouble starts with fans receiving the wrong parking passes.This probably needs a little expansion for the benefit of any UA parties following this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipsoutsider Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 Overnight RV parking would be great if we continue weeknight games. Agree about moving the Zipfest to Lot 9. Also, the Root walk needs to be coordinated with the fans better. As it is, hardly anyone is there.Also, it would be nice if somehow Lot 9 was not filled with Pitt fans this fall when we play them. It was pretty annoying to have to walk through the Marshall fans.The other suggestion would be to get some of the bigger names around town and campus down to lot 9 - President Scarborough, the AD, etc.. They could also do different features each week where you could meet different people. Maybe get the radio station to broadcast from Lot 9 or a local sportscaster to do a segment from there. They could also coordinate it with some of their other initiatives. For military appreciation day, invite the military personnel to a hospitality tent in lot 9, where they would be the VIPs, etc..The other thing that has always puzzled me is having the student section and band so far away from the home side (in the stadium). I think the crowd loses a lot of synergy from the gap. I know, ideally, the home side would be full, but it isn't, at least not regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy5 Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 Okay I've thought about it and the only problem I see.. Is there still a donor requirement for lot 9? Making the "official" tailgate lot at the lot requiring 5k donations or whatever would be dumb. I'm assuming they've lifted that requirement. Or hoping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZachTheZip Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 I think they should take the bands that are hired to play at Zipsfest and move them to Lot 9. Heck, I'm ok with moving the entire Zipsfest down to Lot 9. (Or the concrete pad outside the ticket office) Line the cheerleaders and marching band up on the street in-between the stadium and the track. Have the player's bus pull up Exchange Street and move the Roo Walk. I think a lot more fans would leave the tailgate for a few minutes to enjoy this event. I also think that the bands would add a lot of energy to the tailgate. That makes too much sense for them to actually do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyzip84 Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 This probably needs a little expansion for the benefit of any UA parties following this thread.I suppose I was a little short and perhaps vague with my comment. The basic issue (in the past) has been that the Z-Fund owns responsibility for determining parking priority, while IMG has been responsibility for distributing parking passes (along with game tickets). All too often, the correct parking lot information somehow did not get communicated to IMG and you’d receive incorrect parking passes. And if you asked your IMG agent about it, the response would be something along the lines of “the Z-Fund handles that”. Season ticket holders should not be given the run around like that. Hopefully, the Z-Fund and IMG can work these things out before tickets and passes are distributed this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balsy Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 Aren't all people with season tickets technically donors? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Ball Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 +1Also, if you have been in Lot 9 the last 3 years or so you should be on a priority list. They should be first contacted in February with a march deadline if they are renewing their tickets and Lot 9 passes. This would give the fans plenty of time for their planning and the ticket office/Z-Fund plenty of time to sell the remaining spaces. Stop allowing the media parking in Lot 9, make them park in the parking deck unless they are paying like everyone else. No freebies. Stop selling individual passes to the opponents. And finally, make Lot 9 a gameday gear only lot. Anyone with Buckeye gear or any other University (tent or clothes) not playing in the game that day have there Lot 9 privileges lost. No refunds. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Green Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 ... Stop allowing the media parking in Lot 9, make them park in the parking deck unless they are paying like everyone else. No freebies. ...I can speak from years of experience in this area. Every professionally run sporting event in the world has special media parking that is both convenient and free. Having the media cover your event is a bonus that every event promoter understands and caters to. The number of media covering Zips games is so small as to be inconsequential in terms of parking spaces. Free parking, free passes and free refreshments is a fair exchange for free media coverage. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balsy Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 I can speak from years of experience in this area. Every professionally run sporting event in the world has special media parking that is both convenient and free. Having the media cover your event is a bonus that every event promoter understands and caters to. The number of media covering Zips games is so small as to be inconsequential in terms of parking spaces. Free parking, free passes and free refreshments is a fair exchange for free media coverage. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face. I thought the Media spaces were not lot 9, but those marked off spaces in front of the Stadium, between the stadium and the track? What are those use for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Z Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 I thought the Media spaces were not lot 9I have no idea (and don't care) where the media parks, but I have seen Frenchy, GT and EA walk past our tailgating area in Lot 9 many times. I'm assuming they are parking in Lot 9. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Z Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 How many people would stay over night (Friday) in lot 9? I can think of a few off the top of my head.Pertaining to the Senior Bowl Game: As many NFL personnel were leaving Ladd-Peebles Stadium Thursday afternoon a stream of RVs were pulling into the parking lots. When someone inquired as to why, one diver said they're here to tailgate. Reminded it was only Thursday, the man replied: "I was lined up at 6 a.m. outside the stadium." They love their football in Alabama. I went to the Georgia/Florida game, also known as the 'World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party' (it's true), a few years ago. They had a entire lot that was sold to people that were tailgating for THAT WEEK. They stayed ALL WEEK. Both Florida and Georgia fans in the same lot. They couldn't be nicer. Walking through there everybody wanted you to stop and chat/drink/eat. Should be on every college football fans bucket list. I wish we had people at the U that knew how to promote/market Akron football. They need to hire someone from a school that does it right, and show Akron how it's done. We had one of those employees at one time, and weren't smart enough to keep him. Department needs a good flush. People love to tailgate. Make it easy and fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zips Win! Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Lot 9 was already the tailgating spot.When people that don't drink spearhead policies on tailgating, it ends poorly. Exactly!If UA wants a true tailgate lot (Lot 9) with someone to manage the process and gameday tailgaters, they know where to find me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrship35 Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 I still say the best marketing is to ................... JUST WIN BABY !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Z Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 I still say the best marketing is to ................... JUST WIN BABY !!Booooooooo. My 5 year old nephew can come up with that marketing...cough cough..."strategy." It's easy to do nothing and sit back and say "man, it's hard to market because we are losing." Don't you believe we are going to start to have winning seasons? While winning will definitely draw a bigger percentage. Winning AND marketing will draw a BIGGER percentage. Like CK wrote, the Ianello Pigskin Holocaust™ has ruined any momentum that was putting butts in the seats. We need many ways to start the excitement that will be Akron football. I'll start by hiring Zips Win! for Game Day Tailgate Manager. The pay is little, but you have to start somewhere buddy. I'll have an official badge for you in August. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper Posted January 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 There is going to be a much better marketing program for football this year . The planning has already started and there is a new person in charge . That person reads this forum on a regular basis and has taken note of what the members have suggested . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 The planning has already started and there is a new person in charge . That person reads this forum on a regular basis and has taken note of what the members have suggested .I hope that person has the acumen to sift through the mindless know-nothings and pluck out the few gems.The better way to do it would have been to PM those who seem to care most about tailgating. And who know the most about it.Of the Top 10 UA Tailgaters, I don't think half have weighed-in in this thread. And they shouldn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrship35 Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Booooooooo. My 5 year old nephew can come up with that marketing...cough cough..."strategy." It's easy to do nothing and sit back and say "man, it's hard to market because we are losing." Don't you believe we are going to start to have winning seasons? While winning will definitely draw a bigger percentage. Winning AND marketing will draw a BIGGER percentage. Like CK wrote, the Ianello Pigskin Holocaust™ has ruined any momentum that was putting butts in the seats. We need many ways to start the excitement that will be Akron football. I'll start by hiring Zips Win! for Game Day Tailgate Manager. The pay is little, but you have to start somewhere buddy. I'll have an official badge for you in August. Cmon man ............. you really think I meant that there should be no marketing of the ZipsPoint being that you can market all you want and spend as much on it as you can, but if the team isn't winning, your marketing plan is for nothing .................................... Maybe I can pick up that badge at the Spring game ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Point being that you can market all you want and spend as much on it as you can, but if the team isn't winning, your marketing plan is for nothing .Sports Marketing would not exist as a profession if attendance was dictated solely by a teams win/loss record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrship35 Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Sports Marketing would not exist as a profession if attendance was dictated solely by a teams win/loss record. Of course not .............. But you all are crazy if you think a marketing campaign for a team that is a consistent loser will be of much success. Just not gonna happen When the product improves, the marketing campaign will be more of a success ..... Sports Marketing, Product Marketing ................. Pick any kind of marketing and I will tell you that if the product sucks, the marketing plan will not be much of a successLet's hope that both the product and the marketing campaign are much better this seasonMarketing the Zips without wins doesn't seem to have worked out very well thus far it appears ....................... just sayin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K92 Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Pick any kind of marketing and I will tell you that if the product sucks, the marketing plan will not be much of a successNo offense, but you couldn't be more wrong.Exhibit A: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrship35 Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 OK ................ I concede to the marketing majors I guess.SO if UA spend a crap load of money on marketing ............ THAT will increase and sustain attendance no matter what the teams record is .Seems pretty simple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 SO if UA spend a crap load of money on marketing ............ THAT will increase and sustain attendance no matter what the teams record is .Pay Rob Ianello a crap load of money. Will he be anything but a complete jerkwad loser? Spending money stupidly is easy...that's why casinos make bazillions of dollars.Spend a crap load of money smartly, and see what happens. Unfortunately the people capable of that trait are far more rare than the wallet-emptying dummies.The primary complaint of the people with an actual Marketing acumen on this board is - losing is an excuse to be a lazy marketer.Two years ago, UA's "Think Bigger" was a great Marketing campaign for the basketball team. Unfortunately, the team did a lousy job of backing it up. That's the only "keeper" I've seen in almost a decade.The "Fear the Roo" campaign caught on for two reasons:1.) Because UA football, basketball and soccer were faring well simultaneously. The iron was hot.2.) Because the copycat idea, borrowed from Maryland's "Fear the Turtle" campaign, was marketed balls-to-the-wall!A decade ago, a guy named Mike Waddell came on campus and marketed his ass off. The AK-Rowdies sprang up. New logos. Great alumni/fan events. New team colors. He even got 100 AK-Rowdies to dress up in K.e.n.t. Stark shirts and infiltrate the K.e.n.t. student section at the MACC Center. He got Mike Rasor to blog about the Zips 24/7. There was a fun marketing campaign "Frye for Heisman."The Zips were in your face everywhere possible. And in the big scope of D1-A college athletics, we were only "better than average" on the field/court.The older people on this board have seen great Marketing effort at UA. And seen great ideas. And seen how it can lift UA's image and fan morale. And after seeing that, you get pissed at half-assed, lazy "whaaa whaaa whaaa we aren't winning" Marketing "efforts."I look forward to sharing some beers with you in 2015, Jrship35. I have 3 or 4 other people I'll invite to help us put a hurtin' on a case of Great Lakes Beer and we'll solve all of UA's problems.And as a side note: It is freaking awesome that GP1 is gone, and people can once again bring up Charlie Frye and Mike Waddell without The Grate One ruining the thread. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K92 Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 OK ................ I concede to the marketing majors I guess.SO if UA spend a crap load of money on marketing ............ THAT will increase and sustain attendance no matter what the teams record is .Seems pretty simple Never said that. You said that a product has to be good for a marketing plan to work and that is just simply not true.Exhibit B: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrship35 Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 LOL .................... I stand corrected on my marketing knowledgeI'm excited to see the marketing strategy for this season ................ And more excited to see the product on the field !!!Fear the Roo, Return of the Roo, Rockin Roo, ................. Whatever the slogan for this season is I'm going with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrship35 Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Never said that. You said that a product has to be good for a marketing plan to work and that is just simply not true.Exhibit B:Who said McDonald's isn't a good product ? ................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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