To me the overall Production of the game experience has really declined. Besides the lower attendance - they do not have people or grade school choirs lined up to sing, the player introductions are very elongated and so-so, the PA announcer is garbled, there is a severe lack of replays on the video board, the timeouts are not well done, the Red Line Express or whatever they are called - something is missing, most high school squads are better. Also, no game program or at least a one pager with the rosters of both teams - nothing. Need to step it up - just lacking.
Game Production - has degraded
- Thread starter Birdswin
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SgtHulka
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The intro is definitely too long and the PA guy with his bass'y auctioneer style is not good. Not sure what the lower bowl elitists think..Maybe it sounds better down there but I've heard several in the third world upstairs comment that they can't understand him. Slow down. Fix the mix. Get off my lawn. Spread it.
Redbird222
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Not much better from the lower bowl. Unfortunately a lot of mistakes made as well like wrong number of fouls etc.
Acoustics might be better if it wasn't reverberating off the empty seats in the lower bowl
PurpleRedbird
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I don't care for him either. Way to theatrical for me with no real passion in his voice. Nothing against him, but I still miss Steve.
I was posting about this PA guy since the day he started. After going to games for years and years blessed with Steve Adams, it is a struggle to accept this new guy. He needs to focus on a slow, clear delivery - really annunciate each word he is saying. He says everything so fast and it’s impossible to understand ANYTHING he is saying. It just really takes away from the game experience. He has a professional sound but you can’t make out anything that he’s saying because he goes so fast and doesn’t annunciate anything. Just a jumbled mess is the only thing that comes out.
Against NDSU when Foster got that hook n hold flagrant foul, there was no announcement at the arena and nobody knew what had happened during the timeout because the original call was a foul on NDSU. Next thing you know, NDSU is shooting free throws alone. I made the joke that it didn’t matter whether there was an announcement or not because we wouldn’t have been able to make out the explanation from the PA anyways.
Against NDSU when Foster got that hook n hold flagrant foul, there was no announcement at the arena and nobody knew what had happened during the timeout because the original call was a foul on NDSU. Next thing you know, NDSU is shooting free throws alone. I made the joke that it didn’t matter whether there was an announcement or not because we wouldn’t have been able to make out the explanation from the PA anyways.
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Yes - PA announcing is different than being on the radio or TV. It has to be like reading lessons in Church. You have to be a little deliberate in the delivery. Also - there has to be at least 4 inches in space between the microphone and your mouth for the annunciation to go through the system properly. Have to learn when to pause, when to have a little pizazz and when to be a good steady bass.
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BirdGrad2011
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I have some thoughts and it starts and ends with decisions made by Brennan and his cronies. I’ll leave it at that.
They seem to be quite confused on how to execute things. The balance between house music and the band is way off, and the gameday script (yes, there really is one) has become so formulaic and stuffy that it's just boring. I thought it was bad in 2007 but its gotten much worse since. As for the Redline, they simply are not allowed to do things. Being friends with two recent former coaches, the conversations they had to have with admin over the most ridiculous things was, well, ridiculous. Pick virtually any school/any game on TV and watch their dance teams. THAT is what the Redline should be, and used to be, but here, they're flat out told no. Same with the cheerleaders. Friends with the recent former coach too who was basically supplanted because of clique-y and shady shit with parents and other coaches and it sounded like junior high drama.
The long and short of it is that decision makers don't want anything to be fun or energetic. They want it to be cute and boring. When you take the entertainment and spontaneous energy away, you're basically telling people: don't come to games.
The long and short of it is that decision makers don't want anything to be fun or energetic. They want it to be cute and boring. When you take the entertainment and spontaneous energy away, you're basically telling people: don't come to games.
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ThumbsUp_BloNo
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I haven't made it to a game yet this season (living further away stinks), but this is not a shock to me. One of the biggest errors of the Brennan era was driving away a lot of internal talent. When you're at the mid-major level, there are bound to be up-and-down years with in-game productions. Marketing & event people are constantly shuffling positions, and graduate assistants/students are called on to carry a lot of gameday duties.
I won't say ISU always had the best productions, but there were a lot of talented, veteran, steady hands that exited in recent years. That's understandable to a certain extent with leadership changes, but as the GLT reporting suggested, I think there were other issues.
Then you can add that to a mass-awkening in college athletics operations in recent years. Ever since the advent of social media, these people are overworked and underpaid. Talented people in the industry are fleeing for more realistic and better paying gigs. If you go to other mid-major games, I'm sure you'll see a mixed bag of good to awful productions as schools manage these choppy waters.
Hopefully they can build the talent back up, support the valuable people who stayed, and start delivering strong shows again soon.
I won't say ISU always had the best productions, but there were a lot of talented, veteran, steady hands that exited in recent years. That's understandable to a certain extent with leadership changes, but as the GLT reporting suggested, I think there were other issues.
Then you can add that to a mass-awkening in college athletics operations in recent years. Ever since the advent of social media, these people are overworked and underpaid. Talented people in the industry are fleeing for more realistic and better paying gigs. If you go to other mid-major games, I'm sure you'll see a mixed bag of good to awful productions as schools manage these choppy waters.
Hopefully they can build the talent back up, support the valuable people who stayed, and start delivering strong shows again soon.
SlackBooDom
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We lost a really good Marketing AD in Zach Schroeder. That’s where this all started.
dpdoughbird06
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Circa 2007 reliably featured Cotton Eye Joe every game during the under-4:00 timeout of the second half, so that’s saying something.
I’d say at least they are monetizing the timeouts with all the chain-restaurant tic-tac-toe and such, but I think Learfield keeps most of all of that.
If only Adunk hadn’t whipped that bowl at Red Panda’s head years ago, we might still have quality halftime entertainment…
That is not what happened and I will not stand for this slander.
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BirdGrad2011
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I was there. You tried to kill her!!!
MadBird
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Interesting knowledge - had NO idea about the cheerleaders and Redline Express. What could possibly be any issues with what they do during the game?? Although I have old eyes and sit in the upper bowl - the "talent level" of both squads has depreciated. Bring back the Corphyees!!!!!
Redbird Alum 2004
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Something has to be done. Perhaps they could put out polls on social media to see what fans would like. I agree that our dance team and cheer squads have become basically non-existent. They seem an after thought honestly. Their skill level has fallen as well and I am no expert but it is obvious to me. The intro is bad and the crowd is half standing and half sitting and that is being kind. We have a massive energy in building problem. At this point they should print out a sheet for everyone coming in so they know what to do for the intro and that they want everyone to stand until the other team scores. The other part is on us the fans. We are the ones that make the energy but everyone would rather sit and chat with the others around them or give dirty looks at those standing in front of them blocking their view.
The programs are online. If you go to the schedule page on day game there is a link. I’m sure it saves money. Like everyone wants AD to do.
The stand until the other team scores thing is a flop….how about stand until we score? I know it doesn’t encourage defense but makes more sense to the casual fan.The PA guy should mention the stand until the other team scores thing when it pops up on the jumbotron. He mentions it when the tip is happening. Again, you can’t understand what he’s saying when he does say it
The introduction video is targeted at the kids on the team and recruits. If you watch the team during the video playing, they all have their heads looking up at the board. It plays to the 18/19 year old ego. That doesn’t mean it can’t be a lot shorter. I watched the Bulls game last night, and their intro is notably shorter….