Ideas to Improve Spring Game Experience

[CYKID]

I was there Saturday for my fourth spring game in a row. I had a great time. I love the first tailgate of the year. To me the spring game is the point where I transition my focus from Basketball to Football. I love getting that new poster and putting it up in my garage, house and office.
I just think the experience could be a little better for the fans. 10,000 people showed up wanting some ISU Atmosphere and I think the ISU marketing department definitely left some opportunities on the table. These are just a few of my ideas, what do you think?

1 - Have the kids zone set up. Push the Lil Clone Club. There were alot of kids at the spring game.

2 - Have the new tshirts ready to go. I left with money in my pocket because the new merchandise wasn't available yet. The only thing new was the coaches hat.

3 - Have Jon Walters announce. The guy they had doing it butchered a bunch of names.

4 - Use the video board for more than just the upcoming schedule and ticket packages. It doesn't take that long to make a few videos of players/coaches thanking the fans for coming to the Spring game and pumping us up for the forthcoming season. Player profiles could also have been scattered throughout the day.

5 - Hype Veishea and the events that would be going on after the game. If something appealed to me I probably would have stuck around Ames longer.

These were just a few things that I thought could make the Spring Game experience better. If none of these things happen I will still go. Tailgating alone is reason for me to go. Winning football games is definitely the best way to keep growing the spring game but 10000 people should have caught the marketing departments eye a little better.

 

[JP4CY]

I think that they needed to have better poster schedules distribution at more places, have that MU sales trailer open earlier by Jacbosen.

 

[Palmer]

Have the band there.

Heard the band playing at the Alabama spring game.

 

[CrossCyed]

Walters was busy doing the radio broadcast. They'd also have to pay more people to come in and do video replays and whatnot, and our football program has been trying to save money wherever possible lately.

 

[CYdTracked]

3 - Have Jon Walters announce. The guy they had doing it butchered a bunch of names.

He was doing the game on the radio, don't think he could have pulled double duty being the PA and radio play by play at the same time...

 

[Clonefan32]

Do they still do the "tent sale" where the sell off players jerseys and what-not? I remember buying my brother one of Lance Young's practice jerseys and he thought that was pretty cool.

 

[isuno1fan]

Have the roster lists where the posters were. This is two years in a row I've walked in the gates and up to the stadium only to discover I forgot to grab a roster list and have to go all the way back down to get one!

 

[CYKID]

I guess I should have brought a radio. I do during the season and didn't think of it. As far as videos I wasn't asking for replay, just some better premade videos. It wouldn't require any more staff than what was already there.

 

[DaddyMac]

Most of those seem like good ideas. Email them to JP. I'm sure he'd love some positive input right about now.

As stated however, we have limited funds and since there's no admission, any "enhancements" would probably have to be of the "potential profit turning" nature. I don't see much reason why some highlight vids, merchandise and such would be hard to accomodate.

The fun-zone might a little iffy, as they don't have much idea how many will be there and it's definitely contingent on weather.

 

[IcSyU]

1 - Have the kids zone set up. Push the Lil Clone Club. There were alot of kids at the spring game.

Have to pray the weather is good, and frankly, this doesn't make them much, if any money.

3 - Have Jon Walters announce. The guy they had doing it butchered a bunch of names.

He was on the radio, but you're right, that guy was absolutely brutal.

4 - Use the video board for more than just the upcoming schedule and ticket packages.

Slim to no chance in hell. That's where the $$$$$$ is made.

It doesn't take that long to make a few videos of players/coaches thanking the fans for coming to the Spring game and pumping us up for the forthcoming season. Player profiles could also have been scattered throughout the day.

I realize fan support is great and all, but they shouldn't need to thank the fans for showing up to something that was free in my opinion.

Additionally, if coming off an Insight Bowl victory doesn't pump you up, nothing will.

5 - Hype Veishea and the events that would be going on after the game. If something appealed to me I probably would have stuck around Ames longer.

Why? There's not really any benefit to the football program or Athletics Department to do so. They want your money, they aren't going to advertise something that is going to take away your disposable income so you don't spend it on football.

These were just a few things that I thought could make the Spring Game experience better. If none of these things happen I will still go. Tailgating alone is reason for me to go. Winning football games is definitely the best way to keep growing the spring game but 10000 people should have caught the marketing departments eye a little better.

Those ticket sales ads...those are what the marketing department is going after. They want as much money now as they can because that gives a preliminary forecast of what they can expect, and they can budget as such.

 

[MNCyGuy]

Have the band there.

Heard the band playing at the Alabama spring game.

That would have been such a pain in the *** when I was in band. Both logistically and as a band member. They have a hard enough time with grumbling pep band kids to do the VEISHEA parade, much less wrangling the whole marching band (which is what I'm assuming you meant) 3-4 months after their season ended. I wouldn't have minded playing for the spring game, but I have a feeling that wouldn't be the majority.

 

[907CY]

Most of those seem like good ideas. Email them to JP. I'm sure he'd love some positive input right about now.

As stated however, we have limited funds and since there's no admission, any "enhancements" would probably have to be of the "potential profit turning" nature. I don't see much reason why some highlight vids, merchandise and such would be hard to accomodate.

The fun-zone might a little iffy, as they don't have much idea how many will be there and it's definitely contingent on weather.

CHARGE ADMISSION... I wonder how many that attended would have kicked in a $5 bill to help out the football team and to do some of the items mentioned above. I agree that the game should hype Veisha and other Ames events.

 

[chuckd4735]

CHARGE ADMISSION... I wonder how many that attended would have kicked in a $5 bill to help out the football team and to do some of the items mentioned above. I agree that the game should hype Veisha and other Ames events.

I'm willing to bet the crowd would have at least been cut in half if they charged admission...

 

[wxman1]

Any kind of video that they have to make takes a good deal of time, it's not like they spend a half day or even a day making them, you would probably be surprised at the number of days it takes to make videos for the scoreboard, which would take them away from what they normally do during that time.

Overall you HAVE to remember it's a spring game, a scrimmage, the same thing they have been doing the last month, the players enjoy having a crowd but are more excited to get it done with and enjoy a night with friends drinking (don't think they weren't). I'm sorry to be a downer but it's essentially a practice that's open to the public there is no reason for the athletic department to pour money into side show stuff.

 

[geburgess]

Serve beer? I mean, they do hold it during VEISHEA...

 

[Wesley]

Bring on the cheeerleaders.

 

[SeattleClone]

CHARGE ADMISSION... I wonder how many that attended would have kicked in a $5 bill to help out the football team and to do some of the items mentioned above. I agree that the game should hype Veisha and other Ames events.

I'm willing to bet the crowd would have at least been cut in half if they charged admission...

That thought entered my mind as well, but it would be unfortunate to lose out on casual fans/families that didn't want to pay. A lot more people probably would've just stayed tailgating if they had to pay to get in too. This may be a little bush-league, but what about a free-will donation? Don't force anyone to pay, but if someone wants to drop $5 or $10 in a box on their way in that would be better than nothing. I know I would've been willing to do that, anything to provide a little extra support to the FB team. Say chuckd is right and only half the people were willing to pay. Well, that's 5,000 people x $5 = $25,000. That's not going to bowl in the endzone or buy out any contracts, but it's not a bad little bonus to start off the season.

 

[alarson]

That would have been such a pain in the *** when I was in band. Both logistically and as a band member. They have a hard enough time with grumbling pep band kids to do the VEISHEA parade, much less wrangling the whole marching band (which is what I'm assuming you meant) 3-4 months after their season ended. I wouldn't have minded playing for the spring game, but I have a feeling that wouldn't be the majority.

Agreed. Also, when i was in band i took the spring game as my one time all year that I could tailgate.

 

[linkshero]

Most of those seem like good ideas. Email them to JP. I'm sure he'd love some positive input right about now.

As stated however, we have limited funds and since there's no admission, any "enhancements" would probably have to be of the "potential profit turning" nature. I don't see much reason why some highlight vids, merchandise and such would be hard to accomodate.

The fun-zone might a little iffy, as they don't have much idea how many will be there and it's definitely contingent on weather.

It's not our responsibility as fans to do Pollard's job! JP and his staff are dropping the ball big time on this opportunity. Not only do we pay for an Athletic Director to develop and execute some of the ideas mentioned on here, we have an athletics staff that consists of six associate AD's. That number doesn't even include the AD of Communications (7), AD of Development (8), AD of Event Management (9), AD of Marketing (10), and several other non related AD's. Each of those people have an entire staff. In addition, ISU athletics has several other managers, directors, and divisions, including sports properties.

Without more knowledge, I couldn't tell you the best blue print on developing a better spring game format. I don't know if while trying to build it, it's better to budget a cost hoping it will generate more revenue in the fall. I know Nebraska gets insane numbers and dollars for their Spring game. Iowa gets around 25,000 for a practice.

I do know that drawing around 10,000 people on a Veishea Saturday, with almost perfect weather, coming off of a Bowl victory, is a reflection of poor management by the Athletic Program.

Pollard might be a numbers guy, but I question whether he has the creativity to develop any type of strategy required to make the spring game what it should be, or could be. It's not like he could just require you buy a ticket for it in order to get seats for the Iowa, or Nebraska game.....if so, he would have tried it already.

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[Psiclone]

Athletic Apparel Sale & BBQ

Having the previously held athletic dept. apparel sale right before the game would be nice. Also, there was a BBQ vendor who couldn't sell anything until after the game. I doubt many people will stick around after the game to eat whereas they would buy the BBQ before/during the game.