The Fan's Role

[Tom Hagen]

Greetings again and all respect to you Zips fans,I'm traveling on business for my client, so I apologize for the delay in this second posting. I see several strong ideas in response to my introductory post and we do appreciate the thoughts as do the Zips.Ultimately, we feel the advancement of the program requires an effective and energetic partnership between the Fans, the Team and the Athletic Department Administration. Each of these entities must embrace different roles in moving the Zips upstream. The actions of each need to be different, but complementary. We'll deal with the Administration and Team in subsequent posts. Today we come to you in friendship to ask that you consider carefully the following actions you can take to contribute to the Advancement of Zips Basketball.What can you do, the fans of Zips Basketball? What is your responsibility? We believe there are several tangible items that can have an impact in the success and movement of Zips programs. My client would like to ask you, the Zips fans the following favors:#1: Increase your numbers. Fill seats. The average attendance at the JAR this season was 3593. That translates to an average of 1907 empty seats (and unsold tickets) each night. My client and I challenge the ZipsNation to cut the 1907 in half for 2007-08. Bring the average up by 950 fans per game. Close the gap by half. Average 4550.You may be thinking, "Conzipliere, we can do better than that, why not shoot higher?" Well, the program benefits if Zips fans exceed this challenge, so have at it. Live up to the challenge to fill half the empty seats next season. Then fill the rest the following season. Work on getting 2 extra people each at the games next season. Then get them to help get extras the next after you have them hooked. Make the JAR an unfriendly place for the opposition. And their fans. Make them stay at home since seats aren't available. #2: Be magnanimous. Be good fans. Be professional fans. Take the high road. If it's not appropriate for your 3 year old kid, niece or nephew .. then it's not good enough for the JAR or Zips fans. This includes the Rowdies favorite chant regarding the Zips rival to the East. Come up with something better. Be creative and original. It will get noticed. Don't stoop down to levels unworthy of the Zips. #3: Never forget the injustice done to the Zips on 11 APR 07. And don't let anyone else forget it. Educate them. Learn from Sabres fans. Ever watch a Bills game and see a sign in the stands that says "No Goal" or "Foot in the Crease" ? The Sabres got jobbed, I believe in 1999 .. jobbed at a level we can't comprehend. So their fans mobilized. Nearly everywhere or anytime there was a camera on a Buffalo fan, there was a sign.Last fall, the weekend of the Zips home FB opener, ESPN's College Gameday was in Columbus, with Corso & Co. sitting at an outdoor desk. One of the most visible flags behind the talking heads was a Zips item. It was clear as day and on for an extended time. Our respect goes to the Franklin County Zips fan who represented that day. Almost every stop Gameday makes, there's a guy holding a Washington State flag way up high. WSU of all teams. It's ALWAYS there. And so should the new Roo and signs related to 11 APR 07. They should be seen.Signs at Browns games, Tribe games .. signs everywhere and anywhere you can get them on air. Gameday .. Zips Football .. educate people. And make the signs good signs .. make people go looking for more. Get people to learn about the Zips.They should get to know us soon .. because we're not going anywhere.#4: Be Zips fans first and foremost. Ditch your conference gear. All of it. This means you Hilltopper and Zip Watcher. You've been picking up the freebie conference tournament t-shirt for several years now & what do you have? Some diapers and car rags if you're a Zips fan. The conference doesn't support the Zips .. so why advertise and promote the conference. We'll delve more into this issue in our requests of the Administration. Advertise the Zips above all else.#5: Be welcoming of all Zips fans, new and established, young and old. A goal of all of us here should be to build lasting support for the Zips. An increase of fan traffic in good times is nice, but the real impact will come with the growth of the numbers of true Zips fans. Growth in the numbers of folks like you who go to the JAR when things aren't so great. A component of enabling this growth is to be welcoming. Make them feel at home among Zips fans.We are aware that the following request will be controversial and difficult for some members of the Nation. Regardless, it needs to be made:Be welcoming with a blind eye to what the new fans wear. Concern yourselves first with #1 above. Get the fans there and the TEAM will get them coming back. The right way to make a Zips fan is get them exposed to the great team & product. A good way to drive them away is to berate or call them out on what sweatshirt they have on, no matter WHAT it is. A new exposee to Zips hoops isn't going to be in a Zips jersey yet. Get them hooked & coming back .. and they'll get Zips gear in their time. DON'T work to provide a negative impression of existing Zips fans that isn't accurate.Let's thank new fans for joining us and ask them back next time. Regardless of what gear they have on. If they're supporting the Zips .. they're supporting the Zips. The apparel problem will fix itself.It appears that my requests have gotten long winded, and I ask you excuse my length in these matters. Again, my client hopes you will give serious consideration to investing in your role as a Zips fan, a Zips supporter, and an ambassador for the creation of more of your kind. My client will not forget this friendship paid to the Zips. Nor will the Zips. They all know how to repay a favor.Ciao and Go Zips!T. Hagen, Esq.

[ZachTheZip]

If it wasn't so late, I'd probably have more to say in response to this. Maybe tomorrow.For now let me just say that, personally, I'm up for the challenge. The real question is: Will the community step up it's support on it's own, or will we have to promo the hell out of our sports programs and hope the whole "If you build it they will come" thing proves to be true?

[timmyboy]

I agree with what you say.I think everyone in the Zipsnation should challenge themselves to bring someone new with them to an athletic event, and make sure that they have a good time so that way they will want to come back. Create signs that support the Zips and let people around the world know who the Akron Zips are.

[zippyrifle32]

Greetings again and all respect to you Zips fans,I'm traveling on business for my client, so I apologize for the delay in this second posting. I see several strong ideas in response to my introductory post and we do appreciate the thoughts as do the Zips.Ultimately, we feel the advancement of the program requires an effective and energetic partnership between the Fans, the Team and the Athletic Department Administration. Each of these entities must embrace different roles in moving the Zips upstream. The actions of each need to be different, but complementary. We'll deal with the Administration and Team in subsequent posts. Today we come to you in friendship to ask that you consider carefully the following actions you can take to contribute to the Advancement of Zips Basketball.What can you do, the fans of Zips Basketball? What is your responsibility? We believe there are several tangible items that can have an impact in the success and movement of Zips programs. My client would like to ask you, the Zips fans the following favors:#1: Increase your numbers. Fill seats. The average attendance at the JAR this season was 3593. That translates to an average of 1907 empty seats (and unsold tickets) each night. My client and I challenge the ZipsNation to cut the 1907 in half for 2007-08. Bring the average up by 950 fans per game. Close the gap by half. Average 4550.You may be thinking, "Conzipliere, we can do better than that, why not shoot higher?" Well, the program benefits if Zips fans exceed this challenge, so have at it. Live up to the challenge to fill half the empty seats next season. Then fill the rest the following season. Work on getting 2 extra people each at the games next season. Then get them to help get extras the next after you have them hooked. Make the JAR an unfriendly place for the opposition. And their fans. Make them stay at home since seats aren't available. #2: Be magnanimous. Be good fans. Be professional fans. Take the high road. If it's not appropriate for your 3 year old kid, niece or nephew .. then it's not good enough for the JAR or Zips fans. This includes the Rowdies favorite chant regarding the Zips rival to the East. Come up with something better. Be creative and original. It will get noticed. Don't stoop down to levels unworthy of the Zips. #3: Never forget the injustice done to the Zips on 11 APR 07. And don't let anyone else forget it. Educate them. Learn from Sabres fans. Ever watch a Bills game and see a sign in the stands that says "No Goal" or "Foot in the Crease" ? The Sabres got jobbed, I believe in 1999 .. jobbed at a level we can't comprehend. So their fans mobilized. Nearly everywhere or anytime there was a camera on a Buffalo fan, there was a sign.Last fall, the weekend of the Zips home FB opener, ESPN's College Gameday was in Columbus, with Corso & Co. sitting at an outdoor desk. One of the most visible flags behind the talking heads was a Zips item. It was clear as day and on for an extended time. Our respect goes to the Franklin County Zips fan who represented that day. Almost every stop Gameday makes, there's a guy holding a Washington State flag way up high. WSU of all teams. It's ALWAYS there. And so should the new Roo and signs related to 11 APR 07. They should be seen.Signs at Browns games, Tribe games .. signs everywhere and anywhere you can get them on air. Gameday .. Zips Football .. educate people. And make the signs good signs .. make people go looking for more. Get people to learn about the Zips.They should get to know us soon .. because we're not going anywhere.#4: Be Zips fans first and foremost. Ditch your conference gear. All of it. This means you Hilltopper and Zip Watcher. You've been picking up the freebie conference tournament t-shirt for several years now & what do you have? Some diapers and car rags if you're a Zips fan. The conference doesn't support the Zips .. so why advertise and promote the conference. We'll delve more into this issue in our requests of the Administration. Advertise the Zips above all else.#5: Be welcoming of all Zips fans, new and established, young and old. A goal of all of us here should be to build lasting support for the Zips. An increase of fan traffic in good times is nice, but the real impact will come with the growth of the numbers of true Zips fans. Growth in the numbers of folks like you who go to the JAR when things aren't so great. A component of enabling this growth is to be welcoming. Make them feel at home among Zips fans.We are aware that the following request will be controversial and difficult for some members of the Nation. Regardless, it needs to be made:Be welcoming with a blind eye to what the new fans wear. Concern yourselves first with #1 above. Get the fans there and the TEAM will get them coming back. The right way to make a Zips fan is get them exposed to the great team & product. A good way to drive them away is to berate or call them out on what sweatshirt they have on, no matter WHAT it is. A new exposee to Zips hoops isn't going to be in a Zips jersey yet. Get them hooked & coming back .. and they'll get Zips gear in their time. DON'T work to provide a negative impression of existing Zips fans that isn't accurate.Let's thank new fans for joining us and ask them back next time. Regardless of what gear they have on. If they're supporting the Zips .. they're supporting the Zips. The apparel problem will fix itself.It appears that my requests have gotten long winded, and I ask you excuse my length in these matters. Again, my client hopes you will give serious consideration to investing in your role as a Zips fan, a Zips supporter, and an ambassador for the creation of more of your kind. My client will not forget this friendship paid to the Zips. Nor will the Zips. They all know how to repay a favor.Ciao and Go Zips!T. Hagen, Esq.

no shit sherlock

[Captain Kangaroo]

no shit sherlock

That may be your best post ever.

[w00t]

Be careful zippyrifle, I've heard that it's not wise to anger Mr. Hagen.

[Big Zip]

I agree with the request by the fans, but at some point we're actually going to need a marketing department to do something at this University. At this point I think you can fire them all and start over or if you are okay with the work they are doing -- fire them and don't replace them. They aren't doing anything anyhow. I know peopl on this board don't like freebies, but let me toss something out there for everyone to think about. A few years ago a marketing professional went to the Chicago White Sox and told them he could help them fill the empty seats. He explained his plan called for a nominal fee for the tickets and the White Sox would benefit from additional concession sales. The idea was people weren't coming to the game anyhow and a reduced price seat was better than an empty one. It worked. This year I have purchased one of these cards for the Cleveland Indians. I received 10 tickets for specific games they know won't sell out (Yankees and Red Sox aren't included) for $37. Additionally, I've purchased a $40 ticket for Glen Eagle golf course that provides me with two rounds of 18 holes (no cart included) and like 10 other rounds by one get one free. The golf has some specific hours attached to it and I've got to by the cart. They bring in money and get people on their courses eating concessions. The Zips have tried similar programs with basketball and football, but never very well. Get creative think up a plan and execute or get the hell out. Finally Tom -- I get it get involved be part of the solution not the problem, but the problem is you're preaching to the choir. Take your message to Mack!

[Captain Kangaroo]

I agree with the request by the fans, but at some point we're actually going to need a marketing department to do something at this University.

TESTIFY!!!!

Finally Tom -- I get it get involved be part of the solution not the problem, but the problem is you're preaching to the choir.

HALLELUIAH, Brother!!!!

[zip81]

Greetings again and all respect to you Zips fans,I'm traveling on business for my client, so I apologize for the delay in this second posting. I see several strong ideas in response to my introductory post and we do appreciate the thoughts as do the Zips.Ultimately, we feel the advancement of the program requires an effective and energetic partnership between the Fans, the Team and the Athletic Department Administration. Each of these entities must embrace different roles in moving the Zips upstream. The actions of each need to be different, but complementary. We'll deal with the Administration and Team in subsequent posts. Today we come to you in friendship to ask that you consider carefully the following actions you can take to contribute to the Advancement of Zips Basketball.What can you do, the fans of Zips Basketball? What is your responsibility? We believe there are several tangible items that can have an impact in the success and movement of Zips programs. My client would like to ask you, the Zips fans the following favors:#1: Increase your numbers. Fill seats. The average attendance at the JAR this season was 3593. That translates to an average of 1907 empty seats (and unsold tickets) each night. My client and I challenge the ZipsNation to cut the 1907 in half for 2007-08. Bring the average up by 950 fans per game. Close the gap by half. Average 4550.You may be thinking, "Conzipliere, we can do better than that, why not shoot higher?" Well, the program benefits if Zips fans exceed this challenge, so have at it. Live up to the challenge to fill half the empty seats next season. Then fill the rest the following season. Work on getting 2 extra people each at the games next season. Then get them to help get extras the next after you have them hooked. Make the JAR an unfriendly place for the opposition. And their fans. Make them stay at home since seats aren't available. #2: Be magnanimous. Be good fans. Be professional fans. Take the high road. If it's not appropriate for your 3 year old kid, niece or nephew .. then it's not good enough for the JAR or Zips fans. This includes the Rowdies favorite chant regarding the Zips rival to the East. Come up with something better. Be creative and original. It will get noticed. Don't stoop down to levels unworthy of the Zips. #3: Never forget the injustice done to the Zips on 11 APR 07. And don't let anyone else forget it. Educate them. Learn from Sabres fans. Ever watch a Bills game and see a sign in the stands that says "No Goal" or "Foot in the Crease" ? The Sabres got jobbed, I believe in 1999 .. jobbed at a level we can't comprehend. So their fans mobilized. Nearly everywhere or anytime there was a camera on a Buffalo fan, there was a sign.Last fall, the weekend of the Zips home FB opener, ESPN's College Gameday was in Columbus, with Corso & Co. sitting at an outdoor desk. One of the most visible flags behind the talking heads was a Zips item. It was clear as day and on for an extended time. Our respect goes to the Franklin County Zips fan who represented that day. Almost every stop Gameday makes, there's a guy holding a Washington State flag way up high. WSU of all teams. It's ALWAYS there. And so should the new Roo and signs related to 11 APR 07. They should be seen.Signs at Browns games, Tribe games .. signs everywhere and anywhere you can get them on air. Gameday .. Zips Football .. educate people. And make the signs good signs .. make people go looking for more. Get people to learn about the Zips.They should get to know us soon .. because we're not going anywhere.#4: Be Zips fans first and foremost. Ditch your conference gear. All of it. This means you Hilltopper and Zip Watcher. You've been picking up the freebie conference tournament t-shirt for several years now & what do you have? Some diapers and car rags if you're a Zips fan. The conference doesn't support the Zips .. so why advertise and promote the conference. We'll delve more into this issue in our requests of the Administration. Advertise the Zips above all else.#5: Be welcoming of all Zips fans, new and established, young and old. A goal of all of us here should be to build lasting support for the Zips. An increase of fan traffic in good times is nice, but the real impact will come with the growth of the numbers of true Zips fans. Growth in the numbers of folks like you who go to the JAR when things aren't so great. A component of enabling this growth is to be welcoming. Make them feel at home among Zips fans.We are aware that the following request will be controversial and difficult for some members of the Nation. Regardless, it needs to be made:Be welcoming with a blind eye to what the new fans wear. Concern yourselves first with #1 above. Get the fans there and the TEAM will get them coming back. The right way to make a Zips fan is get them exposed to the great team & product. A good way to drive them away is to berate or call them out on what sweatshirt they have on, no matter WHAT it is. A new exposee to Zips hoops isn't going to be in a Zips jersey yet. Get them hooked & coming back .. and they'll get Zips gear in their time. DON'T work to provide a negative impression of existing Zips fans that isn't accurate.Let's thank new fans for joining us and ask them back next time. Regardless of what gear they have on. If they're supporting the Zips .. they're supporting the Zips. The apparel problem will fix itself.It appears that my requests have gotten long winded, and I ask you excuse my length in these matters. Again, my client hopes you will give serious consideration to investing in your role as a Zips fan, a Zips supporter, and an ambassador for the creation of more of your kind. My client will not forget this friendship paid to the Zips. Nor will the Zips. They all know how to repay a favor.Ciao and Go Zips!T. Hagen, Esq.

Get a couple of Tessio's boys on it!