Marketing & Promotions

[Balsy]

36 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

 

If you count ticket sales and contributions (according to those numbers), it equals $3.36M or roughly only 10% of the total athletic budget. Most of that 30% is made up from sponsorship, naming rights, media contracts, NCAA Tourney credits, apparel, CFP pool, and other non booster/STH revenue streams.

 

So even worse than I expected.

[zippy5]

I think the reason we are where we are is because there wasn't much student engagement the last 20 years or so, and thus not many new fans. UA needs to figure out how to get students to games and enjoy them. I can't for the life of me figure out why someone wouldn't want to go watch us play Adrian or Radford

[ZachTheZip]

They can start by treating the students like they're welcome at the games.

[morris buttermaker]

Speaking of the subsidy.... with declining enrollment... and increasing costs for everything, the  student fees should be  increasing , and or ticket prices, and or the deficit which the Athletic Dept operates each yr.....at a University already under the gun financially.

 

The problem is not unique to Akron (although they are one of the most heavily subsidized athletic departments in the nation). There is not really a market for  non P5 athletics. Akron essentially gives away tickets -- students are free and the public can go for almost nothing.... the sports have very little value to either group .... not just at Akron but at most non P5 schools--- there are niche programs which may turn a small profit at some schools, but by and large not whole programs--  college athletics are just a money pit --some more than others. Akron is trying to be something they (and most universities) honestly can't be. I wonder how long it can be sustained at Akron and other schools. 

[Balsy]

6 hours ago, morris buttermaker said:

-- students are free and the public can go for almost nothing....

 

Students aren't free.  They pay $400 a semester for the privilege to attend for "free", compete with each other for free stuff.  Remember how a lot of them last year came for the free winter hat and left?  That was essentially a $400 hat they stood in line for.

[Balsy]

On 11/30/2016 at 2:09 PM, Sportsjunkie330 said:

You already said that you don't go to games anymore. You're like the rest of the students, they don't care either. The people that do support Zips athletics now and will until they're gone are the people that would love to see the 1986 team honored. 

 

When did I say I didn't attend games anymore?  I do.  I went to every football game except one this year.  I haven't been to a basketball game yet this year...but why bother?  Same-old same-old.  I probably won't attend one in person until Marshall.  And that's just being honest.  I did say however I was starting to attend games less and less.

 

I don't care?  Bulls***.  Why do you think I waste time on this forum, watching/following the Zips and buy season tickets.  I do care, and that's why I'm critical about everything.  But it's the mentality you're exhibiting in that post that's annoying.  Those people are few and inbetween, what is being done to expand the fanbase and to encourage younger people to BECOME that?  (hint: it's nothing).

 

Games aren't fun.  If you win against these early teams (most teams on the schedule) who cares?  You should have won.  If you lose, it's a miserable embarrassment.  I don't find the fans particularly friendly, or fun either.  It's not a fun environment in the slightest for us younger fans, and I'm just being 100% honest.  Like it or hate it, it's honest and y'all need to think about it.  Listen to it or don't.  Make an effort to change the culture or don't.  But don't complain when young people are pointing out problems with the program's culture.  And don't go crying about why we won't get involved.  Listen to us, and take our opinions seriously, or we won't care.

 

 

[K92]

Younger fans have never been a priority.  It's nothing new.  All us old farts were once young.  How did we become fans?

[kreed5120]

25 minutes ago, K92 said:

Younger fans have never been a priority.  It's nothing new.  All us old farts were once young.  How did we become fans?

You old farts also didn't grow up in the day and age of having 20 sport channels at your disposal on 55"+ HD large screens. 

 

Accept it or not us young people have more things competing for our attention than what kids 20-30 years ago had.

[K92]

13 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

You old farts also didn't grow up in the day and age of having 20 sport channels at your disposal on 55"+ HD large screens. 

 

Accept it or not us young people have more things competing for our attention than what kids 20-30 years ago had.

Age has nothing to do with it for the sake of this argument.  We oldies live in the same modern world you do and have the same amount of things competing for our attention.

 

I think it still boils down to either you want to come to the game or not.  The problem is the game itself is not as great of a pull as it once was because you can see every game at home.  I don't think giveaways and trinkets are the answer to get people to come to games, though.  It's the social aspect that keeps a lot of people coming.  How the U can promote the social aspect is not easy.  You have to make those connections yourself, I think.

 

I have tried to reach out to the zn.o community for years to stop by and introduce yourself at a tailgate.  Very, very few have ever done that.

[Balsy]

6 minutes ago, K92 said:

It's the social aspect that keeps a lot of people coming.  How the U can promote the social aspect is not easy.  You have to make those connections yourself, I think.

 

I have tried to reach out to the zn.o community for years to stop by and introduce yourself at a tailgate.  Very, very few have ever done that.

 

The U could outreach to students and include them in the conversation as to how to make it better.  I was on campus for 5 years and involved with a lot of student orgs and worked for several different departments.  I participated in student panels to give opinions on new marketing and labeling, along with discussions with new hires at top positions.  Never once were there opportunities to engage in how to improve athletic attendance by improving the gameday experience.  Because no-one working there cares.

 

I've tried to reach out to the zn.o community as well.  I've suggested that we should have meetups and find a bar to be "our bar" where we go for games.  I got two people to respond, who are both not active here anymore.

[kreed5120]

3 minutes ago, K92 said:

Age has nothing to do with it for the sake of this argument.  We oldies live in the same modern world you do and have the same amount of things competing for our attention.

 

I think it still boils down to either you want to come to the game or not.  The problem is the game itself is not as great of a pull as it once was because you can see every game at home.  I don't think giveaways and trinkets are the answer to get people to come to games, though.  It's the social aspect that keeps a lot of people coming.  How the U can promote the social aspect is not easy.  You have to make those connections yourself, I think.

 

I have tried to reach out to the zn.o community for years to stop by and introduce yourself at a tailgate.  Very, very few have ever done that.

 

It's not just TV. The technology boom has brought so much; facebook, instagram, twitter, netflix, etc. Younger people are quicker to embrass (some are specifically targeted solely for young people) these things. I stay in touch with friends that I haven't in weeks. I don't need to go to a social function like a game to socialize and catch up with them.

 

But your generation grew up going to the sporting events so it makes sense they continued going after TV and the internet got big. My generation never got in the habit of going as other things stole their attention. My grandma has the internet which she could use to get her daily news, but instead she has a daily paper delivered to her house. How many 25-30 year olds get a newspaper delivered?

[kreed5120]

I'd definitely stop by a tailgate or a bar to BS about Zips sports if some meetup was planned.

[MaxZIP]

Coming out of retirement for this one. 

 

I have run into k92 a couple of times at games, on road trips and around Akron. He has always been a good time and ready to invite people to be zips fans. 

 

@balesy, I believe we had season tickets a few years back right next to you. Tressell sat a couple of rows behind us.  You really care to the max about the zips. Always an active and loud fan in a good way. Enjoyed sitting near you two. 

 

I honestly don't see a big difference between zips fans beyond what they write on here about the same topics year in and out.

 

The first college basketball game I attended was with my now deceased grandpa 25 years ago. I was a drunk student at the games a decade ago. I was a less drunk fan sitting in lower bowl for 5 years. Now I take my 3 year old daughter and sometimes my 1 year old son to the game. You can see me doing laps with them throughout the second half of nearly every home game. We chase zippy but don't get too close for fear she may actually get touched by zippy. Scared outta her mind but the thrill of the chase is everything. 

 

Getting to the point. To me part of the fun of the games is how much the same it is from year to year. I have shared years of boring early home wins with my friends, wife, children,  and the same old salt zips fans I give the head nod to in passing. I remember going to the Mac tourney with my girlfriend in college who years later is my wife. I remember taking he bus to Detroit to see the zips in the macc. So many memories from the years. At Mac tourney time we go to Cleveland like it is mecca. We sit down have a bunch of beer and relive the years we have been coming down and what was going on in our lives when x happened. 

 

So in closing. I get what I need from the zips. I am not advocating for keeping the status quo or anything. But to me the experience of being a zips fan is in the memories. It will change some day but a new marketing scheme, jersey color, or whatever will have no impact on me or most of you. I go to games because in a world of travel, tv, kids, and so on...sometimes taking the time sit at a game is worth a sore ass and geriatric park like atmosphere. Also I sneak in popcorn and water so Aramark be damned. 

 

We bring 20 to 30 people in a year for our alumni tailgate and Conference basketball games. People ask why we are zips fans and all I can answer is that we just are. 

 

And after all of these years. Kent sucks worse than ever. 

 

 

[AyYo]

20 hours ago, Balsy said:

 

The U could outreach to students and include them in the conversation as to how to make it better.  I was on campus for 5 years and involved with a lot of student orgs and worked for several different departments.  I participated in student panels to give opinions on new marketing and labeling, along with discussions with new hires at top positions.  Never once were there opportunities to engage in how to improve athletic attendance by improving the gameday experience.  Because no-one working there cares.

 

I've tried to reach out to the zn.o community as well.  I've suggested that we should have meetups and find a bar to be "our bar" where we go for games.  I got two people to respond, who are both not active here anymore.

To say that no one working there cares is honestly pretty ridiculous.

[LZIp]

5 hours ago, AyYo said:

To say that no one working there cares is honestly pretty ridiculous.

Not to mention there are some new guys in there. Unfair to judge them based on prior administrations. I've said it on here before, but I really came away impressed with Larry Williams when I had the chance to talk to him. I am also liking how active our new President is.

[scottditzen]

On 12/1/2016 at 3:07 PM, Balsy said:

I've tried to reach out to the zn.o community as well.  I've suggested that we should have meetups and find a bar to be "our bar" where we go for games.  I got two people to respond, who are both not active here anymore.

Ouch. It hurts to read this. Guess I'll add that I've never been content with UA's efforts during MAC Madness at the Q. 

 

Anyhow, maybe we can bring in the Black Keys for some Zip fan love. I saw them play a free show at Case. 

[kreed5120]

Noticed the Zips finally posted the full promotional schedule.

 

http://www.gozips.com/tickets/promotions_basketball_2016-17

[K92]

Wow!  Now that's a promo schedule!

[LZIp]

59 minutes ago, K92 said:

Wow!  Now that's a promo schedule!

Agree. Looks to be very well done.

[Captain Kangaroo]

This one comes off as really cheap:

 

Wednesday, March 1 vs. Buffalo - 7 p.m.
• Senior Night
• Fan Appreciation
• AK-Rowdy Appreciation Night
• $1dogs (first 200 people receive vouchers to redeem at halftime)

 

Advertising "$1 Hotdog Night," and them giving them only to the first 200 people, is bizarre. You can get a 8-pack of Sugardale's on sale at Acme for 89 cents, so it's not like UA would go broke giving them away all night? I don't get it.

 

"I'll take 4 hot dogs."

"Ok, that'll be $16.00"

"But it's "Dollar Dog Night?"

"Not for you, Mr. Tardy. You shouldn't have had that last beer at The Score. Now pay up."

 

Seeing a line of 200 people looking for their $1 dog at halftime should be fun.

[Hilltopper]

15 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

This one comes off as really cheap:

 

Wednesday, March 1 vs. Buffalo - 7 p.m.
• Senior Night
• Fan Appreciation
• AK-Rowdy Appreciation Night
• $1dogs (first 200 people receive vouchers to redeem at halftime)

 

Advertising "$1 Hotdog Night," and them giving them only to the first 200 people, is bizarre. You can get a 8-pack of Sugardale's on sale at Acme for 89 cents, so it's not like UA would go broke giving them away all night? I don't get it.

 

"I'll take 4 hot dogs."

"Ok, that'll be $16.00"

"But it's "Dollar Dog Night?"

"Not for you, Mr. Tardy. You shouldn't have had that last beer at The Score. Now pay up."

 

Seeing a line of 200 people looking for their $1 dog at halftime should be fun.

You realize that promo is from the womens schedule.  200 vouchers should cover about everyone in attendance.

[Captain Kangaroo]

5 minutes ago, Hilltopper said:

You realize that promo is from the womens schedule.  200 vouchers should cover about everyone in attendance.

Whoops? 

 

I guess as punishment I'll attend a Zips women's game and eat some hot dogs.

 

[kreed5120]

I just love how ambiguous some of the things are. What exact perks does "UA Alumni Night" entail? What are they giving away for "Student Appreciation Night"? Also, what is "Girls and Women in Sports Day"?

 

There are others as well.

 

Edit: "National Bobblehead Day" - I assume this means they are giving out bobbleheads. It would be nice if they would just say of who.

Edited December 7, 2016 by kreed5120

[Balsy]

2 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

I just love how ambiguous some of the things are. What exact perks does "UA Alumni Night" entail? What are they giving away for "Student Appreciation Night"? Also, what is "Girls and Women in Sports Day"?

 

There are others as well.

 

Edit: "National Bobblehead Day" - I assume this means they are giving out bobbleheads. It would be nice if they would just say of who.

 

"UA Alumni Night" probably means reduced admission price for Alumni and a little "It's Alumni night, let's clap for the alumni..." or some other completely worthless nonsense that wouldn't generate people who are alumni, who aren't already there, to go there.  

 

Looks nice on paper...

 

"Student Appreciation Night" usually is when they give stuff to students, coupons and things, that are in attendance for other things...free slice of pizza, $2 of smoothie...stuff like that.

[morris buttermaker]

3 hours ago, Balsy said:

 

"Student Appreciation Night" usually is when they give stuff to students, coupons and things, that are in attendance for other things...free slice of pizza, $2 of smoothie...stuff like that.

At least for 200 people