Will the Athletic Department Fail Again?

[ricohill]

We have the biggest 3 game home stretch in a long time at Redbird Arena and as of now our athletic department has done nothing to get fans to these games. They have failed for many years (see Lyons, Larry) and it looks like they are missing another chance to get fans in Redbird Arena and grow their fan base. These games should be about getting as many fans in Redbird Arena and creating a great atmosphere so they come back.

I just went out online to see where they are at for ticket sales and as of now looks like we've sold about 3,500 tickets for BYU (They have large portions of the Arena where they aren't even selling tickets so people buy seats in the middle sections of the upper bowl).

Why are we not doing dynamic pricing like all major sports teams to get fans at these games? Tickets should be dropped down to $5 in the upper bowl like they did for Lindenwood. Don't care if some donor gets upset that someone paid less than them to get into the game. If you care about that you are not an ISU fan.

Larry Lyons should be on the radio and out in public all week promoting these games. They should be giving away free tickets at local businesses all week.

Dan and the coaching staff be on campus, going to the frats and sororities to get students excited. Also, students should not have to pay to go to these games. Get them in the Arena.

I highly doubt any of these happens and there will be a crowd of 4,500, but please ISU athletic department do something to get people at Redbird Arena!!

 

[bb fan]

We have several special ticket packages right now. More than we ever have. I would hardly call that nothing, Rico.

We have one of the most attractive home skeds in many years. Seems like the athletics did what needed to be done on that front as well.

So, it will be up to the market. We shall see starting Wednesday.

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

they need to give away tickets

 

[bb fan]

I was thinking that, too, Jsn. $5? heck how about 25 cents? Or just give the the tix away. We have ticket packages. We have good teams coming in. The fans will either come, or not. I think we are doing pretty much everything we can.

I really don't think adding on a $5 upper bowl ticket would make any difference.

 

[ricohill]

We have several special ticket packages right now. More than we ever have. I would hardly call that nothing, Rico.

We have one of the most attractive home skeds in many years. Seems like the athletics did what needed to be done on that front as well.

So, it will be up to the market. We shall see starting Wednesday.

Up to the market would be what ISU would say instead of trying.

The market value is about $5 dollar for tickets (probably less). I would guarantee no one has any idea of what promotions are out there. The promotions they have sold about 20 tickets. You can’t do things on Black Friday and get anyone’s attention.

This needs to be a 3 game all out ticket giveaway to get excitement.

 

[bb fan]

It's always up the the market, Rico. Always.

It's always first about having something some part of the market wants to consume in the first place..

I think we are trying. I am sure if YOU don't think the numbers come out the way (sounds like you are already there) YOU don't think they should, YOU will quickly blame the admins. One thing I learned during my 35 year marketing and advertising career is that you have to be very careful of is devaluing your product. It very often directly affects future revenues from those who are already investing at a higher rate. It is a tricky balance.

And IMHO, we may not make all the right calls. But whatever the outcome, it won't be any less because of a lack of effort. I know I refer to all things Illinois State University as "we", but to make clear as I have before, I do not work for the university.

 

[Birdfriend72]

We have the biggest 3 game home stretch in a long time at Redbird Arena and as of now our athletic department has done nothing to get fans to these games. They have failed for many years (see Lyons, Larry) and it looks like they are missing another chance to get fans in Redbird Arena and grow their fan base. These games should be about getting as many fans in Redbird Arena and creating a great atmosphere so they come back.

I just went out online to see where they are at for ticket sales and as of now looks like we've sold about 3,500 tickets for BYU (They have large portions of the Arena where they aren't even selling tickets so people buy seats in the middle sections of the upper bowl).

Why are we not doing dynamic pricing like all major sports teams to get fans at these games? Tickets should be dropped down to $5 in the upper bowl like they did for Lindenwood. Don't care if some donor gets upset that someone paid less than them to get into the game. If you care about that you are not an ISU fan.

Larry Lyons should be on the radio and out in public all week promoting these games. They should be giving away free tickets at local businesses all week.

Dan and the coaching staff be on campus, going to the frats and sororities to get students excited. Also, students should not have to pay to go to these games. Get them in the Arena.

I highly doubt any of these happens and there will be a crowd of 4,500, but please ISU athletic department do something to get people at Redbird Arena!!

This had been my biggest beef. I don't care that someone gets a better deal than me. I get season tickets to make sure I have a seat. It pains me to see the place empty.

 

[Joe_Y]

I think they're advertising on Groupon.

 

[Tpguy]

This has been going on for years, quite a while back a few of us bought 100 student tickets for a few games and still couldn't get rid of them all. It's not the team or the coach, it's just the way the world is now.

 

[crazzymark]

Maybe blackout the game on ESPN3 or + to make people head to the game and have a snack package with a ticket sale as well.

 

[bb fan]

What will happen then, Crazy, is that the debbie downer will start b1tching that our admins stink because there is no tv coverage. Remember the grousing when a freaking exhibition game was not on TV? Some folks are always looking for something.

Good 'ol Redbirdfan. Gotta love the debby downers here. The title of the discussion pretty much says it all.

What's the old saying? I have seen the enemy.. and it is us? Something like that. smh.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

The mens basketball team's Jailbird image takes a toll on attendance too. Too many negative incidents over the past few years. Need the stench of Hawkins, Yarbrough and a few others to fade so that the good character players like Fayne, Evans...etc and the entire ISU hoop's image becomes more likable.

 

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

I'm really not trying to pile on Dan in this specific instance but the fact that we start off slow every damn year takes fans out of it before December. Blo-No and ISU are fair weather bandwagon fanbases.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

I'm really not trying to pile on Dan in this specific instance but the fact that we start off slow every damn year takes fans out of it before December. Blo-No and ISU are fair weather bandwagon fanbases.

You are right in that ISU starting slow hurts attendance no doubt. But that almost applies everywhere and not only to Blo-No and ISU.

 

[ThisIsTheLineup]

Dan has been here long enough that people should be camping out for tickets, like at Duke. Don't we want to be Duke? The AD fails in so many ways. Why even have athletics if no one cares?

 

[ricohill]

It's always up the the market, Rico. Always.

It's always first about having something some part of the market wants to consume in the first place..

I think we are trying. I am sure if YOU don't think the numbers come out the way (sounds like you are already there) YOU don't think they should, YOU will quickly blame the admins. One thing I learned during my 35 year marketing and advertising career is that you have to be very careful of is devaluing your product. It very often directly affects future revenues from those who are already investing at a higher rate. It is a tricky balance.

And IMHO, we may not make all the right calls. But whatever the outcome, it won't be any less because of a lack of effort. I know I refer to all things Illinois State University as "we", but to make clear as I have before, I do not work for the university.

I don't disagree about devaluing your product and I know you have a ton of experience with this, but I think sports consumer buying habits have changed significantly. Plus, the value of ISU basketball right now is at rock bottom. The fan base and enthusiasm is at the lowest point I can ever remember. If ISU got good and sold 7,500 season tickets then you can raise prices.

ISU has pretty much recycled things they have done before and the new things aren't really something fans would buy.

I used to buy 3 or 5 packs to pro sporting events and I hated those. All you end up doing is having extra tickets to games you can't end up going to. I want to buy the cheapest ticket possible for the game I want to go to. It would be one thing to buy a 3 pack if they were doing a bobblehead giveaway and for those games it guaranteed you the bobblehead. They should do the same with season tickets in the future.

ISU has a fan base of older fans that isn't getting younger. They needed to use this 3 game stretch as a springboard for new fans (also need to win). They need people in the Arena. We are 5 years away with people retiring and getting too old to go to games from only selling 1,500 season tickets.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

We have the biggest 3 game home stretch in a long time at Redbird Arena and as of now our athletic department has done nothing to get fans to these games. They have failed for many years (see Lyons, Larry) and it looks like they are missing another chance to get fans in Redbird Arena and grow their fan base. These games should be about getting as many fans in Redbird Arena and creating a great atmosphere so they come back.

I just went out online to see where they are at for ticket sales and as of now looks like we've sold about 3,500 tickets for BYU (They have large portions of the Arena where they aren't even selling tickets so people buy seats in the middle sections of the upper bowl).

Why are we not doing dynamic pricing like all major sports teams to get fans at these games? Tickets should be dropped down to $5 in the upper bowl like they did for Lindenwood. Don't care if some donor gets upset that someone paid less than them to get into the game. If you care about that you are not an ISU fan.

Larry Lyons should be on the radio and out in public all week promoting these games. They should be giving away free tickets at local businesses all week.

Dan and the coaching staff be on campus, going to the frats and sororities to get students excited. Also, students should not have to pay to go to these games. Get them in the Arena.

I highly doubt any of these happens and there will be a crowd of 4,500, but please ISU athletic department do something to get people at Redbird Arena!!

Students already directly or indirectly pay for a majority of ISU athletic's expenses.

 

[DWRedbird]

My 2 cents on this is that I agree with Rico in that we don't do a good job of marketing to the casual basketball fan and we don't do a great job of marketing to the students. For casual fans, in my opinion, we should section off about a 1k or 1500 tickets and give them away to local schools. It gets kids interested in ISU basketball early, and they end up having to bring their parents, which puts more buts in seats.

As far as marketing to students we do virtually none. I walk my dog through campus every day and if I didn't already know when games were, I would have no idea. If we want students to start showing up, we have to market to them. I bet if you polled the students now, less than half could tell you when our next game is.

 

[SgtHulka]

they need to give away tickets

That should certainly encourage those who pay for them year by year to continue paying for the privilege

 

[SoCalRedbird]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqlQ2MtA6rY/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=cdywqvn68y25

Apologies to the big shot WSF donors and any members of RBF's prevailing clique, but you "thick and thin" types will attend games regardless. Attendance has not dropped because of an inability to retain you. We're missing the most important part of college sports--the students' energy! Imagine THAT level of energy marching into RBA for BYU and SD State! We'd win by a million! (Red Alert does a fine job, but if we're only getting, say, 75 to 100 students per game... Ugh!)

I get it though. They're wild, obnoxiously drunk, and they'll draw attention away from the "finish that lyric" promo.

But we need that, and we desperately need them.




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