Marketing

[Mike_H]

I think this would be a good place to talk about this even though it got brought up in another thread.

Saturday, September 11th. You are the average football fan with no real allegiance to a team because you are new to the area. Which game do you go to? Dakota Bowl? Cereal Bowl? USD home game?

Your choices include what should be a bad high school game with a great tradition and lot's of entertainment, a team in a new improved facility that is 2-0, and a university that is making the step up to D1 and has some pre-game activities, although they are coming off a 52-0 loss.

Look at this from a marketing standpoint. What are your thoughts? Do I hear any predicitons on attendance at these events? Care to rank the events by the number of people they will draw?

[Jack]

Re: Marketing

1) Dakota Bowl - great tradition and lots of sponsors
2) Cereral Bowl - there will be 5-6 thousand people
3) USD

[Coyote_Jack]

Re: Marketing

If I'm new to the area are not really a big fan I go to the game that is the closest. Overlooking that, I go to the SDSU game if I have kids because they have a clinic before the game.

How many at SDSU game 3,487 is my over under.
The one thing people have forgotten in this whole transformation process is the situatuion of support staff and assistant coaches. We need compliance people, academic advisors, facility people etc.

Look at the UC Davis Web site they have four academic staff members. Our dance instructor helps us in her spare time. In addition, I don't care what anyone says the days of hiring 26 year old assistants at 18,000 needs to be a thing of the past. One person can't do it all in any sport.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Marketing

I am surprised that SDSU is being compared with  SF High Schools here.  I really could care less about the President bowl or Dakota bowl or whatever. Its for those who grew up in Sioux Falls, so really means very little to the rest of the  state.  This is the part of the Sioux Falls attitude that is nauseating. (Iin South Dakota loves Sioux Falls high schools. W is for wrong) ;D

Joe Jackrabbit has hit on a very important part of our move to D1, and that is competitive salaries and adequate staffing. So thats something that will change too in time.

The Cereal bowl will be about 8500, but that more than offsets the NWMSU crowd who follow a D2 NC championship team where ever they go.  If season tickets are up this year over last we should get more  locals at the game that may not have come before.  

Contrary to the USD point of view our loyal alums will be out in full force.  There is getting to be more excitment about D1.  The 0-52 drubbing is just one game and hardly a hardbringer.

[91rabbit]

Re: Marketing

SDSUFAN:

W is for wrong ?????????????????????


Politics? Your liberalism is showing...

[Mike_H]

Re: Marketing

SDSUFAN: That is where marketing comes in. There will be 10,000 spending money on a football game in Sioux Falls Saturday night for the Dakota Bowl. There were 12,000 spending money last Saturday night for the Presidents Bowl. Whether you care about it or not is not the point. How do you get some of those people to go to a game in Brookings instead? If you think those events only draw people from Sioux Falls you are wrong. There are folks from all over East River. More importantly, there are people at those games viewing the only high school game they will go to all year. Why? Marketing. How does SDSU make people take that short little drive up the interstate to take in even one college game during the year? We all agree that is money that SDSU would love to have. How do they get it?

[Mike_H]

Re: Marketing

DATE OPPONENT W/L SCORE ATTEND
------------ ------------------------ --- ----- ------
Sep 06, 2003 NORTHWEST MISSOURI W 20-0 8697
Sep 13, 2003 at Winona State L 23-30 3337
Sep 20, 2003 at Western Oregon W 37-10 1800
*Sep 27, 2003 at North Dakota State L 0-24 14108
*Oct 04, 2003 at Nebraska-Omaha L 17-34 7700
*Oct 11, 2003 NORTH DAKOTA L 24-25 7373
*Oct 18, 2003 MINN. STATE, MANKATO W 38-6 5202
*Oct 25, 2003 at South Dakota W 22-11 8681
*Nov 01, 2003 ST. CLOUD STATE W 27-24 8464
*Nov 08, 2003 AUGUSTANA W 42-22 2183
Nov 15, 2003 HUMBOLDT STATE W 47-6 1363
* denotes conference game

[CatchEmAll_Guy]

Re: Marketing

Mike, great point about marketing. I think sometimes it takes a view from someone who doesn't have a vested interest in SDSU to bring to light the fact that people need to be sold on attending events rather than assuming they will show up. I think this is an area SDSU has lagged behind in, but has gotten better (with tailgating and pregame festivities). Still, to get people to attend games on a regular (or even one time basis) there needs to be more done to sell the event. Granted that takes more marketing dollars, but if you can get more corporate sponsors in place to spend those dollars to help advertising then SDSU will be able to increase their marketing presence.

I think the Rabbit Report is a great start to adding another marketing tool. I think our coaches though need to remember to plug upcoming games, events, even game times during interview. Or we need Mike to plug them throughout the interview (I don't listen to the show so I'm not sure if it's currently done or not). Example, I listen to KFAN in the Twin Cities. When Paul Allen (voice of the Vikings Radio Broadcasts) is interviewing someone he will, about every minute or two, drop the name, organization, and reason the interviewee is there and upcoming games if applicable. For the average listener, as I am one of in this market, it peaks my interest and reminds me that maybe there's something coming up that I should be aware of.

Do Scotty and Brad do this on their morning sports show?

I'm not claiming to be an expert or trying to tell the radio guys how to do their job, rather just pointing out what hooks me as I'm listening.

[91rabbit]

Re: Marketing

I have always believed that football attendance at State is "climate" related. Look at last year's numbers for example. As the weather gets colder, numbers drop off. During the early fall, attendance is better but not what it should be. I contend that September is about the nicest month in the upper Midwest and as such people are out and about participating in outdoor activities. The key here is to entice them to CAS. How is that done? Marketing is the key (and the biggest draw is a good team on the field). Produce wins and the fans will follow.

Winona may not be the best competition to garner increased interest and last week's blowout didn't help, but I think numbers will be respectable on Saturday but will not really be decent until NDSU. Augie should also be a good draw (but--as above) would have been much better in October.

[jackmd]

Re: Marketing

I can't be objective because of where I am from but the best game will probably be the one in Brookings.  That said, Sioux Falls is a lot bigger city with little else to do so the High School game (which no one north of Baltic, south of Harrisburg, west of Hartford, or east of the state line give 2 shakes about) will be better attended.  My opinion about Sioux Falls residents own sense of importants is obvious here.

I have attended games at the D-dome.  Reasonable environment but no comparison to Coughlin in the early season.  Should see 7500 + at the SDSU game.  

I can't see why anyone would want to go see a horrible Moorehead team play indoors in early September unless they had direct affiliation with USD.  Less than 5000 at the dome.  Its Minnesota Moorehead for crying out loud!!  We have a playoff team visiting Brookings.

Let me say it again, couldn't care less about anything happening in Sioux Falls this weekend and I just don't believe anyone not affiliated with the schools playing really cares either.  There just isn't anything better for the 150,000 people to do.

As for marketing.  We need a televised coaches show.  Something like the Mike Daly show previously on Sunday night on KELO-TV.  I would prefer that it include all sports.  I suspect something similar to this is in the works.  At least Nagy needs his own show.  My only request, no Craig or Mike, you know what they say "his face was made for radio".  Quite applicable here.

[Mike_H]

Re: Marketing

jackmd: What if 2 or 3 thousand of those 150,000 decided that Brookings did offer the best game and paid their money to see the Jacks? How much are tickets? Do the math, and it becomes apparent that suddenly the football team could start paying their own way. You are also wrong about the folks that care about the Dakota Bowl. Catholics hold family reunions and class reunions this weekend. The number of folks at the game will be only a percentage of the people who are in town this weekend because of the Dakota Bowl. Also, as you know, it is time for SDSU, and their fans to start caring about what goes on in Sioux Falls. Why do you think they are moving some games to Sioux Falls? Why do you think there is a radio show on a station in Sioux Falls? Why do you think they held the "Sid Bostic" press conference in Sioux Falls?

Augustana will have a half hour show every week on Midcontinent cable systems, which covers about 80% of the state. It will have coaches, players, and administrators, as well as marketing people that will talk about and promote upcoming events. Bill Gross, the AD, will be the host. It will be filmed on location at the field, inside the lockers, or where ever they feel like filming. It will be a half hour commercial for Augustana athletics. It should be interesting.

[jackmd]

Re: Marketing

jackmd: What if 2 or 3 thousand of those 150,000 decided that Brookings did offer the best game and paid their money to see the Jacks? How much are tickets? Do the math, and it becomes apparent that suddenly the football team could start paying their own way. You are also wrong about the folks that care about the Dakota Bowl. Catholics hold family reunions and class reunions this weekend. The number of folks at the game will be only a percentage of the people who are in town this weekend because of the Dakota Bowl. Also, as you know, it is time for SDSU, and their fans to start caring about what goes on in Sioux Falls. Why do you think they are moving some games to Sioux Falls? Why do you think there is a radio show on a station in Sioux Falls? Why do you think they held the "Sid Bostic" press conference in Sioux Falls?

Excellent points that I can't disagree with.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Marketing

Mike-H is correct on this point. SDSU cannot ignore what other events are competing for people's recreation/entertainment money. If you want to know the power high school sports can have on other athletic ventures, you only need to look at the Twin Cities. Not that long ago the Twins would not schedlule a Friday night game in September because every time they did attendance was WAY down.

The Presidents Bowl and Dakota Bowl have become so successful because they have found ways to get people to PLAN on attending; SDSU must market for the same result.

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: Marketing

One fundamental difference between the President's Bowl or the Dakota Bowl and the jacks game this weekend is that the "bowls" are once a year deals, so people do plan on attending every year. Just like many people plan on attending the beef bowl or hobo days. It's different trying to market for six home games in one year than one event throughout the year. I agree we could do a lot more to market SDSU athletics, however, look at our attendence numbers, they aren't that bad .

Does that mean we should not try to improve upon them, heck no, but we should give the athletic dept. some credit for the numbers they already draw. And comparing us the the other universities in the state is ridiculous as far as attendence goes.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: Marketing

SDSUFAN: That is where marketing comes in. There will be 10,000 spending money on a football game in Sioux Falls Saturday night for the Dakota Bowl. There were 12,000 spending money last Saturday night for the Presidents Bowl. Whether you care about it or not is not the point. How do you get some of those people to go to a game in Brookings instead? If you think those events only draw people from Sioux Falls you are wrong. There are folks from all over East River. More importantly, there are people at those games viewing the only high school game they will go to all year. Why? Marketing. How does SDSU make people take that short little drive up the interstate to take in even one college game during the year? We all agree that is money that SDSU would love to have. How do they get it?

Mike what you have forgetten to mention is this 12000  crowd, and the Argus says approximately, is a double header.  When the Argus SAYS approximately, there is no offical count and no turnstiles were used to count the butts coming through the gates. Mike cited SDSU attendence last year, that for sure is turnstile counted.

So to compare this game with the Cereal bowl, is kind of comparing apples and oranges.   If these games were played as a single game and drew 12,000, then Sioux Falls would have something brag about.  I dont see 6000 or 7000  a game that outstanding but when four schools are represented, than they should draw that many. What Roosvelt or OGorman draw for a regular game? Probably not 14000.