Marketing, promoting and caring about it

[tsull]

I'm not sure how Midwest, South, East schools promote, market, and give a damn about their program. I'm guessing it's a mixed bag. What I've seen on my travels throughout the West Coast is the caring is pretty much internal. By that I mean the schools that want to win, it comes from the coaches and athletes. WOU has always had this attitude of wanting to win, that's my take. But the want is from the coaches and athletes, sometimes athletic administration, sometimes not; and rarely the president and upper admin. I've rarely seen faculty at games.

WOU football, men's hoops, baseball, and track, has been pretty good for a decent amount of time because they've hired good coaches who care. They are in a strategic recruiting location, too. But mostly they've made good hires. Baseball has won with hardly any scholarship money; they've hired good coaches. Football has won with very limited scholarships, they've hired very well. They've made back-to-back-to-back outstanding men's hoop hires, IMO. Track has now had three straight great hires, guys with vast collegiate coaching experience.

I always wonder, however, what they could do if the school and community just cared a little bit more, just gave a damn. I won't speak for CWU, but it appears they have a little stronger community support than WOU; and definitely more media coverage. I don't know about SFU, does the Vancouver Sun cover them? What is the local turnout like? Does their NCAA membership give them a unique place in Canada?

Most D2 schools don't have marketing people. I often suggest letting sports management and/or senior Marketing majors do their marketing plans and executing these plans. It's better than not doing anything, right? When WOU was No. 1 in the nation in hoops a few years ago one couldn't find a schedule poster or anything about the hoop program in Monmouth or bordering town Independence. Why? Couldn't an art major draw a pretty cool poster? I think they could. Again, it's better than nothing and a lot cheaper than hiring out, right?

Two years ago Northwest Nazarene averaged 1,000 a game in men's hoops. Yeah, the town is closing in on 100,000, but still that's a good average. The interesting thing is they didn't lift a finger to market the program, no radio spots, no newspaper advertisements, no schedule posters ... zip. Like most D2 schools, what could've they done if they actually cared?

* The nice West Coast football thread was getting long, so I thought I'd start a new one.

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

This was my big focus when I was in college. Why I created my Facebook page. It all comes down to getting a strong, loyal fan base, and a hyped up one. Having alumni is a good start, but they need to support of the students and the surrounding community. Give people a reason to go watch CWU instead of EWU or WSU. Have people watch WOU instead of PSU or OSU. Hard to do this at the D2 level because people just don't really think of it if they have no connection to a D2 school.

[Wildcat Khan]

This was my big focus when I was in college. Why I created my Facebook page. It all comes down to getting a strong, loyal fan base, and a hyped up one. Having alumni is a good start, but they need to support of the students and the surrounding community. Give people a reason to go watch CWU instead of EWU or WSU. Have people watch WOU instead of PSU or OSU. Hard to do this at the D2 level because people just don't really think of it if they have no connection to a D2 school.

I don't know if they have it still, but when I went to CWU they closed down part of downtown every fall for a large party for the students coming back to school that the downtown supported. I also know the former mayor even out of office did everything he could to get students out of the downtown area, preferring just the ranchers at the bars for some strange reason. There was also the bookstore that wasn't part of the school, which has since closed down that sold text books too. I also remembering working at Pizza Hut with a manager that wanted as much to do with CWU as possible and made sure paraphernalia was in the restaurant including an autographed Kitna jersey.

Back then, the Yakima Herald also covered CWU athletics a lot and barely covered EWU. Living in the Tri-Cities I don't know if any of that is still there, but back then it sure seemed like there was a lot community support and almost every game was sold out with overflow for the WWU games. You would also see lots of locals in the stands, not just students and alumni.

[IronOre]

I don't know if they have it still, but when I went to CWU they closed down part of downtown every fall for a large party for the students coming back to school that the downtown supported. I also know the former mayor even out of office did everything he could to get students out of the downtown area, preferring just the ranchers at the bars for some strange reason. There was also the bookstore that wasn't part of the school, which has since closed down that sold text books too. I also remembering working at Pizza Hut with a manager that wanted as much to do with CWU as possible and made sure paraphernalia was in the restaurant including an autographed Kitna jersey.

Back then, the Yakima Herald also covered CWU athletics a lot and barely covered EWU. Living in the Tri-Cities I don't know if any of that is still there, but back then it sure seemed like there was a lot community support and almost every game was sold out with overflow for the WWU games. You would also see lots of locals in the stands, not just students and alumni.

Jerrol's is still open. The Yakima Herald covers CWU sports but not EWU so much.

[tsull]

Good replies from the Wildcats. CWU Nation's Facebook page is a great way to generate fan interest. I like that stuff about the downtown blocking off streets for students.

Monmouth has always been very sleepy and not super supportive of the university, which was founded in 1856 before the town was founded. So basically there's no town without WOU. The townspeople are pretty dismissive of the college and in turn the college hasn't done a lot of outreach. The dry town went wet in 2000 or before and that helped a lot, I now see good restaurants and pizza places a block from campus, and they seem to be more supportive of WOU than previous businesses. A lot of townspeople are happy to go to Salem and shop than go to a WOU football game; or go to the Oregon Coast, do something else. WOU's strategic location is nice; it's also a hinderance in building a fan following, though it shouldn't be.

I don't know any PSU fans, none, zip. Never met one. I'm guessing there's a small base in Portland. They drew more when they were D2 under Pokey Allen and have never grabbed the public's attention on anything. My guess is zero local Monmouth-Independence residents are going to PSU games. OSU is a big pull being 20 miles away and there are always Ducks fans.

For these reasons, WOU has to try harder. I wouldn't wait for the Salem newspaper to help, they're not going to do that, took them half a season to figure out WOU was a top 10 basketball program a few years ago, they finally got on board when they were ranked No. 1. Is that what a takes? A ranking that might not happen ever again?

I get it that the average Joe and Jane in Salem isn't coming over for a game unless their kid is playing for WOU. What I don't get is the local community having no interest in the school in their town ... then again, WOU also needs to do their part, hand out tickets to high school and under, put up posters around town, radio and online spots (pretty good online presence).It's about trying and caring.

[Wildcat Khan]

Jerrol's is still open. The Yakima Herald covers CWU sports but not EWU so much.

I thought Jerrol's had closed, but then again I haven't lived there for over 10 years now. I'm glad that so much of what made my college life good is still there.

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

Athletics and campus events also need to do a better job of teaming up to hold pregame events and rallies for the fans and particularly the students. Boost that gameday experience to make it more than just going to watch the game itself. And they need to bring back a beer garden open for everyone and not just boosters. Look at how UW does "The Zone" on their practice field next to Husky Stadium with the beer and food and games. Same thing goes for basketball. For the CWU/WWU and WWU/SPU rivalries there should be events the whole week leading to the game.

[IronOre]

Athletics and campus events also need to do a better job of teaming up to hold pregame events and rallies for the fans and particularly the students. Boost that gameday experience to make it more than just going to watch the game itself. And they need to bring back a beer garden open for everyone and not just boosters. Look at how UW does "The Zone" on their practice field next to Husky Stadium with the beer and food and games. Same thing goes for basketball. For the CWU/WWU and WWU/SPU rivalries there should be events the whole week leading to the game.

Does the band still march through campus before home games? I always enjoyed that when I was going there. I wonder with all the night games now...

[tsull]

Does the band still march through campus before home games? I always enjoyed that when I was going there. I wonder with all the night games now...

CWU has an impressive marching band, way better than Washington State's, in my opinion. Great music dept. Why? I'm guessing many decades ago someone cared, and then someone cared after that. WOU hasn't had a marching band in forever, I think before I got to school. It's those little things that drive me nuts, presidents too lazy to even look into getting a marching band. It also attracts more students. Let's just open the doors and have academic majors and kids will show up, right?

I've been to a zillion sporting events, best national anthem I ever heard was a couple years ago at CWU. That band is unreal.

[IronOre]

CWU has an impressive marching band, way better than Washington State's, in my opinion. Great music dept. Why? I'm guessing many decades ago someone cared, and then someone cared after that. WOU hasn't had a marching band in forever, I think before I got to school. It's those little things that drive me nuts, presidents too lazy to even look into getting a marching band. It also attracts more students. Let's just open the doors and have academic majors and kids will show up, right?

I've been to a zillion sporting events, best national anthem I ever heard was a couple years ago at CWU. That band is unreal.

Yeah, it's the Music Education department. It's a very active department, and I know they pull in (in a normal year) lots of kids from around the state for activities there.

[Wildcat94]

CWU has an impressive marching band, way better than Washington State's, in my opinion. Great music dept. Why? I'm guessing many decades ago someone cared, and then someone cared after that. WOU hasn't had a marching band in forever, I think before I got to school. It's those little things that drive me nuts, presidents too lazy to even look into getting a marching band. It also attracts more students. Let's just open the doors and have academic majors and kids will show up, right?

I've been to a zillion sporting events, best national anthem I ever heard was a couple years ago at CWU. That band is unreal.

Here is the link: https://youtu.be/WSFaa61ptsU

Gives me goose bumps every time I hear it!

[tsull]

Here is the link: https://youtu.be/WSFaa61ptsU

Gives me goose bumps every time I hear it!

Thanks so much for the link. That is easily the best rendition of the national anthem I've ever heard. I love the buildup starting with the trumpet solo then the band coming in, it's just awesome. Not a note out of tune, just a tremendous sound.

[Wildcat Khan]

Does the band still march through campus before home games? I always enjoyed that when I was going there. I wonder with all the night games now...

If some of the traditions such as that are gone, it is sad as the NAIA days there a lot of good ones to get students interested in the sports programs. If they have gone away, it is sad that the social media age has taken the great traditions that man CWU alumn on here enjoyed with both the school and the community as students.

I remember when I was there, we had Danny Glover once come in to give a talk. That wasn't too far after he'd done the first Lethal Weapon films, so there was a lot of interest just from that.

[SW_Mustang]

We ended up outsourcing marketing to a proper company. It's made a huge difference in the quality and CONSISTENCY of the content. I'm not sure what they are doing to get it in front of people, but it's been nice to see some professional content being made instead of the Windows Movie Maker stuff we had been putting out for the most part.

[SW_Mustang]

When your average fan thinks of college sports - what do they think of, at the most basic level? Big stadiums, loud crowds, bright lights, TV production, and fancy uniforms. IMO, the D2 schools that are doing the best marketing have found a way to scale down those elements to fit their position. Does that mean every school needs to build a new stadium or sign an exclusive broadcasting deal with ESPN? Absolutely not. We gave our basketball arena a spit-shine - new floor and courtside video boards, and boy does it look pretty on camera. I'm sure the advertisers like it too.

Then you have the little things - where is your logo up around town? Do the local bars stream games? How are you drawing fans from nearby communities? What promotions and ticket packages are you offering? Do you need a new logo? Where can people buy gear? All of that stuff matters.

We are fortunate to have some friends in the Twin Cities media that cover us on occasion, which helps.

And lastly, for goodness sakes - if you produced an NFL player or two - don't be afraid to hang a plaque or something where people will see it. People really underestimate the power that "this guy played here" can have. I just wouldn't make it the focus.

Just some ideas.