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Jacks ponder future city events
Marketing, atmosphere crucial to stir Sioux Falls interest
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
Article Published: 10/13/05
Division I-AA college football made its debut at Howard Wood Field last Saturday. And despite a lower-than-expected turnout, South Dakota State athletic director Fred Oien said the Jackrabbits' 16-14 victory over Cal Davis was a successful foray into Sioux Falls.
"Obviously, we ended up with great weather, and the outcome of the game and the way the game was played was exciting for the fans," Oien said. "It was good for us to have a lot of new people at the game."
The Jackrabbits had 7,239 fans at Howard Wood Field, which was their second-lowest total this year for a home game. Oien's staff had hope for between 8,000 and 10,000 to fill the stands.
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One longtime SDSU supporter who attended the event didn't feel it had the same atmosphere as games played at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium in Brookings.
Karla Carpenter, who drove from her home in Brookings to the game, also didn't think the university did enough to promote its visit to Sioux Falls.
SDSU placed an insert advertisement in the Argus Leader on Oct. 1, a week before the game. It also advertised on a local sports radio station. However, there were no billboard or TV advertisements for the game, nor were there any news conferences or special events in the week leading up to the game in Sioux Falls.
"I think they need more advertising, so people in Sioux Falls are aware," said Carpenter, who had previously gone to Jackrabbit road games with the "Back of the Bus" group. "The season ticket-holders were aware, the students were aware, the people who go to Coughlin-Alumni Stadium were aware. But I'm not sure people not already involved with games at Coughlin were."
Oien said the SDSU marketing and promotions staff will examine the results after football season, leading up to the school's men's basketball game with Manhattan on Dec. 20 at Sioux Falls Arena.
"The staff will sit down and look at what we did for marketing, both in the Sioux Falls market as well as trying to get fans to drive into Sioux Falls to support us," he said. "We'll try to make minor changes to improve upon the process, but in no way do we feel we failed at all in what happened at that game."
Carpenter, who said she enjoys games at Coughlin more than Howard Wood, added that the lack of students at the game was noticeable.
"They bring an extra fire and spark, running around with their chests painted and trying to get the crowd to do the wave," she said.
Junior linebacker Marty Kranz said a three-day weekend for SDSU students because of Native American Day likely caused the low student turnout. Still, he enjoyed his Howard Wood experience.
"It was a nice place to play," Kranz said, "but nothing beats Coughlin."
Coach John Stiegelmeier also said he had hoped for more fans. One thing he would have changed is the starting time of the game, from 1 p.m. to a 2 p.m. kickoff like the Hobo Day game against Missouri-Rolla on Oct. 22 at Coughlin-Alumni.
The SDSU coach also said he would have preferred having a second practice at Howard Wood Field. The Jacks held one practice in August on the field before the season began.
Stiegelmeier said he was happy with the job done by the Howard Wood staff, led by Mark Meile, to take care of both SDSU and Cal-Davis programs. However, Stiegelmeier hopes the next time the Jackrabbits head to Sioux Falls that they don't take a Great West Conference game there.
"That is always something that is in the mindset of our (coaching) staff," he said. "Obviously, we want to win every game, but winning our conference or tying for the conference title, that's a huge accomplishment. And Coughlin is a big part of that."
SDSU hopes to hold more games in Sioux Falls, depending on the field's availability amid games for high schools and other colleges. Oien and Stiegelmeier both said the Jacks' number of home football games is a major factor, as well as how it fits with SDSU's class schedule.
"If we have a good number of games at home - seven, six minimum, surely eight - we're going to try and match up a date," Stiegelmeier said.
Carpenter, who traveled to SDSU's baseball game against Minnesota in April at Sioux Falls Stadium, said she is still in favor of the school holding events in the state's largest city.
"The plan is to get some Sioux Falls alumni interested in SDSU, to get them hooked," she said. "I hope they can."
Reach Chris Solari at 977-3923.
Jacks ponder future city events
Marketing, atmosphere crucial to stir Sioux Falls interest
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
Article Published: 10/13/05
Division I-AA college football made its debut at Howard Wood Field last Saturday. And despite a lower-than-expected turnout, South Dakota State athletic director Fred Oien said the Jackrabbits' 16-14 victory over Cal Davis was a successful foray into Sioux Falls.
"Obviously, we ended up with great weather, and the outcome of the game and the way the game was played was exciting for the fans," Oien said. "It was good for us to have a lot of new people at the game."
The Jackrabbits had 7,239 fans at Howard Wood Field, which was their second-lowest total this year for a home game. Oien's staff had hope for between 8,000 and 10,000 to fill the stands.
ADVERTISMENT
One longtime SDSU supporter who attended the event didn't feel it had the same atmosphere as games played at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium in Brookings.
Karla Carpenter, who drove from her home in Brookings to the game, also didn't think the university did enough to promote its visit to Sioux Falls.
SDSU placed an insert advertisement in the Argus Leader on Oct. 1, a week before the game. It also advertised on a local sports radio station. However, there were no billboard or TV advertisements for the game, nor were there any news conferences or special events in the week leading up to the game in Sioux Falls.
"I think they need more advertising, so people in Sioux Falls are aware," said Carpenter, who had previously gone to Jackrabbit road games with the "Back of the Bus" group. "The season ticket-holders were aware, the students were aware, the people who go to Coughlin-Alumni Stadium were aware. But I'm not sure people not already involved with games at Coughlin were."
Oien said the SDSU marketing and promotions staff will examine the results after football season, leading up to the school's men's basketball game with Manhattan on Dec. 20 at Sioux Falls Arena.
"The staff will sit down and look at what we did for marketing, both in the Sioux Falls market as well as trying to get fans to drive into Sioux Falls to support us," he said. "We'll try to make minor changes to improve upon the process, but in no way do we feel we failed at all in what happened at that game."
Carpenter, who said she enjoys games at Coughlin more than Howard Wood, added that the lack of students at the game was noticeable.
"They bring an extra fire and spark, running around with their chests painted and trying to get the crowd to do the wave," she said.
Junior linebacker Marty Kranz said a three-day weekend for SDSU students because of Native American Day likely caused the low student turnout. Still, he enjoyed his Howard Wood experience.
"It was a nice place to play," Kranz said, "but nothing beats Coughlin."
Coach John Stiegelmeier also said he had hoped for more fans. One thing he would have changed is the starting time of the game, from 1 p.m. to a 2 p.m. kickoff like the Hobo Day game against Missouri-Rolla on Oct. 22 at Coughlin-Alumni.
The SDSU coach also said he would have preferred having a second practice at Howard Wood Field. The Jacks held one practice in August on the field before the season began.
Stiegelmeier said he was happy with the job done by the Howard Wood staff, led by Mark Meile, to take care of both SDSU and Cal-Davis programs. However, Stiegelmeier hopes the next time the Jackrabbits head to Sioux Falls that they don't take a Great West Conference game there.
"That is always something that is in the mindset of our (coaching) staff," he said. "Obviously, we want to win every game, but winning our conference or tying for the conference title, that's a huge accomplishment. And Coughlin is a big part of that."
SDSU hopes to hold more games in Sioux Falls, depending on the field's availability amid games for high schools and other colleges. Oien and Stiegelmeier both said the Jacks' number of home football games is a major factor, as well as how it fits with SDSU's class schedule.
"If we have a good number of games at home - seven, six minimum, surely eight - we're going to try and match up a date," Stiegelmeier said.
Carpenter, who traveled to SDSU's baseball game against Minnesota in April at Sioux Falls Stadium, said she is still in favor of the school holding events in the state's largest city.
"The plan is to get some Sioux Falls alumni interested in SDSU, to get them hooked," she said. "I hope they can."
Reach Chris Solari at 977-3923.
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