International Students

[cyclone13]

I'm curious to see how much effort has been directed towards international students at Iowa State to support our teams. What have been done and what else can be done ?

A lot of international students ended up being huge fans of basketball and football teams. For football, some of them didn't, just because they didn't understand the rules and they had no one to explain the rules. For basketball, this is easier as there are no problems understanding the rules like football, but I believe there could be a stronger push for this segment.

First: some of them don't go home during the holidays. They can go to Hilton to watch basketball
Second: Most of them want to have different experience (from the cultural standpoint) when going to school in the US. Why can't they have great experience watching Football, basketball, etc ?
Third: Who knows they can be donors in the future ?

[IcSyU]

It gets expensive FAST to watch break games. Trust me.

Additionally, they don't do anything to market to the college students besides orientation. Why would they make a push for the international students, many of which leave the country when they graduate anyways? Additionally, in the short term, college students aren't where they make money. Even in the long term they really aren't where you make money. The people who want to donate will, and the people who don't care won't.

[cyclone13]

It gets expensive FAST to watch break games. Trust me.

Additionally, they don't do anything to market to the college students besides orientation. Why would they make a push for the international students, many of which leave the country when they graduate anyways? Additionally, in the short term, college students aren't where they make money. Even in the long term they really aren't where you make money. The people who want to donate will, and the people who don't care won't.

Why can't they do anything - if it doesn't work for a long-term, at least "push" them to attend games when they're here. I don't know how many international students are at ISU right now but when I was there, there were probably at least 4-5000 international students.

And most of them have a lot of money because they (or their families) are really rich in their own countries.

We won't have to have an extravagant effort but at least do something through their student organizations during orientation or in the beginning of the semester

[CycloneErik]

I know a Korean couple that makes several MBB games during the season

And some Indonesian alumni who reside in Ames that attend as well.

[Haverhill]

It'd be perfect if Cyclone Alley could be given 3-4 rows on the west side during break games. I usually see that many CA members at every break game, and being a loud college student is frowned upon in the balcony.

[Frak]

It gets expensive FAST to watch break games. Trust me.

Additionally, they don't do anything to market to the college students besides orientation. Why would they make a push for the international students, many of which leave the country when they graduate anyways? Additionally, in the short term, college students aren't where they make money. Even in the long term they really aren't where you make money. The people who want to donate will, and the people who don't care won't.

I disagree that they don't do anything to market to college students besides orientation. Every year, we see videos of coaches stopping by the dorms on move-in day and handing out treats. The FB program usually has a pep rally on campus prior to the first game. And I'm pretty sure coaches routinely speak at different frats and dorm floors to drum up support.

On a side note, I've noticed a LOT more ISU gear being worn by students the last few years. I don't know whether it is just new and different shirt designs they are offering or what (I know back in the 90's, they had all of 2-3 designs and all were pretty plain), but I believe that the AD gets a lot more and better student support than they did just 10 years ago. I know for sure that the bookstore has been filled with students on their orientation visits these past few weeks. I'm betting that they somehow worked a MU visit into their itineraries.

[IcSyU]

We won't have to have an extravagant effort but at least do something through their student organizations during orientation or in the beginning of the semester

So now you want to force the student organizations to do something that they get nothing out of? As an officer of the basketball club, if someone from Iowa State tried to get me to sell tickets or promote ISU athletics because I'm involved with the basketball club, I'd tell them to go screw themselves. Just from being involved with the basketball club, I can tell you we had exactly no international teams last year, and it wasn't because of a lack of marketing it. The interest just wasn't there, so we won't spend time/money to market to them this year.

In the end, they all have to go through orientation, and all the students get the same paperwork that 90% don't read about where you can get involved in stuff. From the international students I know and have interacted with, 90% don't care at all about sports. They're here for an education. Go to Lied at night, you'll see one court, max two of international students.

[IcSyU]

I disagree that they don't do anything to market to college students besides orientation. Every year, we see videos of coaches stopping by the dorms on move-in day and handing out treats. The FB program usually has a pep rally on campus prior to the first game. And I'm pretty sure coaches routinely speak at different frats and dorm floors to drum up support.

On a side note, I've noticed a LOT more ISU gear being worn by students the last few years. I don't know whether it is just new and different shirt designs they are offering or what (I know back in the 90's, they had all of 2-3 designs and all were pretty plain), but I believe that the AD gets a lot more and better student support than they did just 10 years ago. I know for sure that the bookstore has been filled with students on their orientation visits these past few weeks. I'm betting that they somehow worked a MU visit into their itineraries.

The coaches stopping on one floor move in day amounts to very little, especially when the people who are interested know who they are, and the people who don't know who they are generally don't care (this is from being on move-in crew multiple years).

The football program has a pep rally before the first game? Hm. Didn't know that.

Coaches may speak to a frat, but I don't think I've heard of a coach speaking on a dorm floor. I don't see a coach speaking to a frat of 50 guys as much of a marketing ploy either. 50 people out of 30,000 students is nothing.

Bookstore = packed because of orientation and people getting their books pre-ordered. You'll also notice more ISU shirts just because they give a BUNCH of them away at orientation. Orientation alone I got SAA, Cyclone Alley, UBS, etc. shirts. They hit you at orientation, then e-mail occasionally afterwards.

[cyclone13]

So now you want to force the student organizations to do something that they get nothing out of? As an officer of the basketball club, if someone from Iowa State tried to get me to sell tickets or promote ISU athletics because I'm involved with the basketball club, I'd tell them to go screw themselves. Just from being involved with the basketball club, I can tell you we had exactly no international teams last year, and it wasn't because of a lack of marketing it. The interest just wasn't there, so we won't spend time/money to market to them this year.

No, for international students: it will be through their student organizations (e.g. Taiwanese Student Association, etc). Ask whether they'll be interested in having a coach and/or player coming to their meeting in the beginning of a season. It's not about selling tickets.

Another problem with international students: most of them mingle with fellow internationals. But that's a different situation

[CycloneErik]

[quote=cyclone13;1803020]

So now you want to force the student organizations to do something that they get nothing out of? As an officer of the basketball club, if someone from Iowa State tried to get me to sell tickets or promote ISU athletics because I'm involved with the basketball club, I'd tell them to go screw themselves. Just from being involved with the basketball club, I can tell you we had exactly no international teams last year, and it wasn't because of a lack of marketing it. The interest just wasn't there, so we won't spend time/money to market to them this year.
QUOTE]

No, for international students: it will be through their student organizations (e.g. Taiwanese Student Association, etc). Ask whether they'll be interested in having a coach and/or player coming to their meeting in the beginning of a season. It's not about selling tickets.

Another problem with international students: most of them mingle with fellow internationals. But that's a different situation

And American students mingle with American students.

I've found that international students love to mingle with Americans, but sometimes it helps if the American shows that interest, too.

[cyclone13]

The coaches stopping on one floor move in day amounts to very little, especially when the people who are interested know who they are, and the people who don't know who they are generally don't care (this is from being on move-in crew multiple years).

The football program has a pep rally before the first game? Hm. Didn't know that.

Coaches may speak to a frat, but I don't think I've heard of a coach speaking on a dorm floor. I don't see a coach speaking to a frat of 50 guys as much of a marketing ploy either. 50 people out of 30,000 students is nothing.

+1
It's how to find the new segment. find someone who doesn't know and make him/her interested in what they're doing.

[cyrevkah]

Back to Internationals...I think a lot of it may also depend on the friends they make while here. Most of the current students I know would like to go to a game at least once. If they have someone with them that's willing to explain what they don't understand it's more fun too.

[IcSyU]

No, for international students: it will be through their student organizations (e.g. Taiwanese Student Association, etc). Ask whether they'll be interested in having a coach and/or player coming to their meeting in the beginning of a season. It's not about selling tickets.

Another problem with international students: most of them mingle with fellow internationals. But that's a different situation

Again, why would those organizations want to give up their time? Organizations are a pain as it is to get as many people's schedules to work out as possible, so the time you do have together you really have to focus on getting things done.

And American students mingle with American students.

I've found that international students love to mingle with Americans, but sometimes it helps if the American shows that interest, too.

How would you know about mingling? No one has an interest in you.

Bike rack. Yeah. I know the drill.

Back to Internationals...I think a lot of it may also depend on the friends they make while here. Most of the current students I know would like to go to a game at least once. If they have someone with them that's willing to explain what they don't understand it's more fun too.

And here enlies your problem. Few people go out of their comfort zone. It's rare to see an international student with anything other than international students unless its for group projects or other class related activities. I had a couple international roommates, and I never saw them with anyone that wasn't an international student.

[cyclone1975]

If they have someone with them that's willing to explain what they don't understand it's more fun too.

This would have been difficult last year, there were many times I couldn't understand what Mac was doing with the team either.

[3GenClone]

I'm curious to see how much effort has been directed towards international students at Iowa State to support our teams. What have been done and what else can be done ?

A lot of international students ended up being huge fans of basketball and football teams. For football, some of them didn't, just because they didn't understand the rules and they had no one to explain the rules. For basketball, this is easier as there are no problems understanding the rules like football, but I believe there could be a stronger push for this segment.

First: some of them don't go home during the holidays. They can go to Hilton to watch basketball
Second: Most of them want to have different experience (from the cultural standpoint) when going to school in the US. Why can't they have great experience watching Football, basketball, etc ?
Third: Who knows they can be donors in the future ?

Cyclone Alley should have been doing this once it was formed. It's easy enough to sell tickets and give away "toys" during basketball games because the students that make up CA are the ones who would have bought tickets regardless. That group should be the ambassadors to reach out to the student demographic that does not attend athletic events - international students, select students in the design building and the few AG majors who are Hawk-fans. If CA would use that money to offer free tickets to one game to these groups instead of buying foam cowboy-hats, ISU can improve the atmosphere which could lead to an improved product on the floor.