Paul Clark on KXNO

**tazclone** · 10-14-2010, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by linkshero

I blame Pollard for a lot of the attendance issues, and I have actually talked to him about many of them. I don't think it is any one thing, but I think you can come up with anywhere from 10-20 reasons why we don't get fans that we should. If each reason represents a loss of 500-1500 people, that takes you from 65K down to what we are seeing.

They should be able to generate tons of demographic and marketing data to see where and why we lag in attendance.

Season Ticket Sales
- corporate
- public
- penetration % of alumni base to season ticket sales
- penetration % of student base to season ticket sales
- season ticket sales by zip code

The same thing can be done for Single Game tickets.

They need to find out why attendance is lagging, and address those reasons. In the past, my impression of Pollards strategy has been to just blame people and question their fan loyalty because they are not willing to spend what he wants them to. They teach us about supply and demand, and opportunity cost in basic Economics, yet ISU does not seem to apply those in their marketing strategy.

This is silly. We have a mediocre at best product on the field. Our attendance is in direct corellation to our success on the field. We rank 55th in attendance. Guess what, our team generally ranks in the 50's in computer polls. Right now we rank 53rd. Our fanbase and its current limit is driectly related to our winning or lack thereof. Consitent winning builds fanbases. We have never, ever been a consistent winner.
Newsflash but people that went to ISU in the 90's rarely cared about football. I went to the game then and the stadium was half full at best. Those people are now 30-45 years old and are a large part of the demographic that would be buying season tickets. They didn't care about ISU football when they were in school so they never got attached.

Ihaev a brother-in-law that fits the mold perfectly. Born a hok. Went to ISU nd cheers for ISU while in school but still cheers for the hoks. Was making the switch but when ISU choked against OU in 2002, he went right back to being a hok fan. Now lives in Ankeny and works for Wells Fargo in Des Moines. He comes up and tailgates with us every weekend and has had season tickets in the past and goes back an forth about getting them. When Wells Fargo started laying off people in his department, the season tickets went bye, bye and now he doesn't really want to spend the money.

A lot of reasons he doesn't get season tickets

We aren't a consistent winner
Potential lay offs
The lay offs to friends has slapped him in the face and he has decided a savings account and paying off debt early is more important than 7 games a year.

Quite honestly, if we were a consistent winner, he would most likely get tickets

**Cyhart** · 10-14-2010, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by tazclone

This is silly. We have a mediocre at best product on the field. Our attendance is in direct corellation to our success on the field. We rank 55th in attendance. Guess what, our team generally ranks in the 50's in computer polls. Right now we rank 53rd. Our fanbase and its current limit is driectly related to our winning or lack thereof. Consitent winning builds fanbases. We have never, ever been a consistent winner.
Newsflash but people that went to ISU in the 90's rarely cared about football. I went to the game then and the stadium was half full at best. Those people are now 30-45 years old and are a large part of the demographic that would be buying season tickets. They didn't care about ISU football when they were in school so they never got attached.

Ihaev a brother-in-law that fits the mold perfectly. Born a hok. Went to ISU nd cheers for ISU while in school but still cheers for the hoks. Was making the switch but when ISU choked against OU in 2002, he went right back to being a hok fan. Now lives in Ankeny and works for Wells Fargo in Des Moines. He comes up and tailgates with us every weekend and has had season tickets in the past and goes back an forth about getting them. When Wells Fargo started laying off people in his department, the season tickets went bye, bye and now he doesn't really want to spend the money.

A lot of reasons he doesn't get season tickets

We aren't a consistent winner
Potential lay offs
The lay offs to friends has slapped him in the face and he has decided a savings account and paying off debt early is more important than 7 games a year.

Quite honestly, if we were a consistent winner, he would most likely get tickets

Thats right! Good post.

**tazclone** · 10-14-2010, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by GeneralHouston

Imo, the best long-term policy involves investing in revenue making sports right now. So in that sense, any donation (investment) to something other than FB or MBB is sub-optimal. People like to point to the Director's Cup. I do too. It indicates the current funding is sufficient.

NCAA Financial Reports Database | IndyStar.com
The Indianapolis Star has a database of fairly detailed revenue/spending for 2004-2005. Interesting ratios between revenue and non-revenue. Of course, these numbers are largely antiquated.

Where would you direct the $$$ that would go to the track? IMO- current needs are being taken care of in the world of MBB and FB with the exception of the south endzone. What project do you suggest those funds go to?

**CTTB78** · 10-14-2010, 11:25 AM

Paul- if you're reading this, I'm still waiting for the rebate on the print magazine I paid you for and never received.

**GeronimusClone** · 10-14-2010, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by cybsball20

Iowa State fans don't have many hardcore fans.
Same as previous point, about 40,000 hardcore fans, rest are bandwagoners. Can't really argue this point.

So, if you're not a "hardcore fan" you're a bandwagoner?
I'll argue that ridiculous point.

**cycloneworld** · 10-14-2010, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by dswagclone

He's not representing Iowa State any more than you or I are you idiot. Holy crap. He doesn't work for Iowa State. What is your major malfunction. Am I not an ISU fan if I speak the truth and not just say whatever lie makes ISU sound better. What kind of society do you live in? When your kids come home with C's, do you just lie and tell people they got A's so everyone feels better? Is that the type of person you are?

Name calling aside, saying Paul Clark doesn't represent ISU is not accurate. He may not officially represent us, but with his position he surely does. He goes on talk radio just like Chris does to discuss, update, give inside information...some you clearly don't do.

Also, my point still stands that while much of what he said is true doesn't mean he should say it. Like I said should he say "well the basketball team I going to be horrible so don't waste your money on tickets"?

**GeneralHouston** · 10-14-2010, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

Name calling aside, saying Paul Clark doesn't represent ISU is not accurate. He may not officially represent us, but with his position he surely does. He goes on talk radio just like Chris does to discuss, update, give inside information...some you clearly don't do.

Also, my point still stands that while much of what he said is true doesn't mean he should say it. Like I said should he say "well the basketball team I going to be horrible so don't waste your money on tickets"?

Plus, I doubt your kids get C's. That is too average.

**GeronimusClone** · 10-14-2010, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

Name calling aside, saying Paul Clark doesn't represent ISU is not accurate. He may not officially represent us, but with his position he surely does. He goes on talk radio just like Chris does to discuss, update, give inside information...some you clearly don't do.

Also, my point still stands that while much of what he said is true doesn't mean he should say it. Like I said should he say "well the basketball team I going to be horrible so don't waste your money on tickets"?

"or on visiting my site to find out about them."
Advertisers love that stuff.

**rebecacy** · 10-14-2010, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by CTTB78

Paul- if you're reading this, I'm still waiting for the rebate on the print magazine I paid you for and never received.

**Cloned4Life** · 10-14-2010, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by isujeep

I listened to the same segment that you did and I just didn't get the same "feel" you did. I thought Paul did a great job defending and attempting to explain some of the attendance issues and overall represented Iowa State and Iowa State's fanbase interest in a very professional and complimentary manner.

I get the sense that you have your mind made up that you don't like Paul therefore no matter what he said you would find a way to find fault with it. Sorry if I'm wrong but that is the "feel" I get from your post.

Agree.

**Senolcyc** · 10-14-2010, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

Like I said should he say "well the basketball team I going to be horrible so don't waste your money on tickets"?

Seemed pretty positive on basketball to me. Good interview with Hoiberg, too. Not really fair to hold hypotheticals against a guy when he didn't even say it. Reality is he didn't say a lot of what you claim. He didn't say J T S is a piece of junk, that's for damned sure.

**tazclone** · 10-14-2010, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by GeronimusClone

So, if you're not a "hardcore fan" you're a bandwagoner?
I'll argue that ridiculous point.

31-34K season ticket holders- Lets say season ticket holders are hard core fans- Keep in mind some hardocre fans aren't season ticket holders but a lot of season ticket holders(corporate) are not hard core fans
10-12K- Hardcore fans that make it to games once in a while

That gives you our average attendance.

Now what do you call those above an beyond? Causal fans? bandwagoners? what. How do you define them?

**cycloneworld** · 10-14-2010, 12:02 PM

Also, if Hawk homer John Hinton says this on KXNO there would be a **** storm on CF. But Clark says it and it's ok? Well it not ok to me.

My guess is many of his defenders pay for his website. Maybe they feel bad because they can get that info and more for free on CF?

**GeneralHouston** · 10-14-2010, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by tazclone

31-34K season ticket holders- Lets say season ticket holders are hard core fans- Keep in mind some hardocre fans aren't season ticket holders but a lot of season ticket holders(corporate) are not hard core fans
10-12K- Hardcore fans that make it to games once in a while

That gives you our average attendance.

Now what do you call those above an beyond? Causal fans? bandwagoners? what. How do you define them?

I hope target market.
And unfortunately, they are the ones influenced by the bias in the local media.

**Clark** · 10-14-2010, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by tazclone

31-34K season ticket holders- Lets say season ticket holders are hard core fans- Keep in mind some hardocre fans aren't season ticket holders but a lot of season ticket holders(corporate) are not hard core fans
10-12K- Hardcore fans that make it to games once in a while

That gives you our average attendance.

Now what do you call those above an beyond? Causal fans? bandwagoners? what. How do you define them?

This wasn't directed at me but I think there is a difference between casual fans and bandwagon fans. Casual fans are those who might watch a game or two on tv with a group of friends but doesn't invest a lot of time into following the team. Bandwagon fans actually follow the team until the season turns bad then they find another team to follow. Most people are casual fans.