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Increase the fan/donor base - What would you do?

More promotions would be nice. $30 for a ticket in general admission to a half empty stadium is kind of crazy. I know we can't just give admission for free but lower prices to get more people on campus and in the game to spend more money on overpriced concessions. If more people commit to buying a cheaper ticket it may attract their friends and families to just come down to hang out and possibly wonder into the game and spend some of their money inside the stadium as well. I know I will catch crap for saying any of this though because it has been brought up many times before today. Some believe that everyone should save up to buy a ticket into the game like it is a huge draw but we aren't creating new fans or more people that way. People that will save a few extra to come are already strong supporters of the program and have an interest in coming. We need to find ways of bringing in casual fairweather fans that don't quite understand how fun it can be to come into games and cheer on the Herd. It never made sense to punish and lose some of your strong supporters by raisjng prices to instead of lowering them a bit to keep what you have and possibly attract more to generate more sales after they are in the stadium.
 
"In order for us to step up our approaches to hiring better coaches and AD's, we'll require there be increased fees and prices for next season."
"BULLSHIT!!! I DON'T WANNA PAY MORE THAN I ALREADY AM!!!"

Keep talking of cleaning house but until there's a major step up in funding to not only buy out the contracts of everyone, but money put down to pay someone better to come in, it'll never happen.
 
Too many "special give away packages" discourage folks from buying season tickets.
I get it but doing the same thing over and over isn't helping us raise our attendance. Even when we have a decent record we dont get many more butts in seats. What you are saying about season tickets is that it is guaranteed money before the season which is great but i think season tickets would be bought even with promotions. I think some or most buy season tickets to guarantee they get to pick their seat and keep those all season. By doing promotions and increasing people in the stadium it raises money by having more people buying tickets. Plus, people will worry they might miss out getting their good seats if we have higher attendance and would buy season tickets to ensure they get them. No one worries about it now in our half empty stadium just buy general admission and move where ya want because there are plenty of great seats open. I honestly don't know what it would take but we can't keep doing the same things and milking the people that already want to be there for more money to make up for the ones that don't come. You could price tickets at $50 a game general admission and still get the ones that want to come to buy them sometimes. you could sell them for $10 and still couldn't get some to buy them. All I know is we are losing attendance (and more home games than usual) and we have raised prices and that just doesn't make much sense to me.
 
As we see numerous threads about the low attendance and then see articles about declining state funding and stagnant enrollment. I pose this question to you - in all seriousness.

If you had control - what would you do to increase the fan base, and gain more donors for the BG?


Our President MUST GROW Student population.
Two years ago, I attended our Greater Cincy & Northern Ky Alumni Golf Tournament Fundraising Outing. Those folks do a Hell of a Job for Marshall by raising $$$$$. I think they are funding about 50 each $8,000 scholarships for high school students residing in those areas to attend Marshall. Those same students pay WV instate tuition & fees. The "killler" for college students these day====Room & Board expenses. Students have to borrow $$$$ to provide food & shelter over their heads....along with their tuition fees. Some kids have car payments...you don't need a car to attend Marshall...WALK...it will do most of you GOOD [including me]. We did not have cars when I attended Marshall. Covered wagons did the trick. (BULL SPIT--just kidding).

I support no one should have to attend college 4-5 years to get their degree. Get rid of electives that teach the same "stuff" you learn in high school and FOCUS ON a Major. For example, if you are a Liberal Arts major (ie Journalism)...why take math courses that you had in Middle-High School? Why have to take Art Appreciation or Bible & Religion to gain credit hours......Why take Biology or Chemistry.....if you will never use it in your life time, going forward. GOOGLE will give you answers you might need in these areas!

If this is done....a student could complete their degrees in about two years....and HOPEFULLY become game attending fans too while attending Marshall. A large number of students never attend a HERD game...EVER!

Colleges & Universities are "FAT $$$ COWS" providing incomes for professors/staff/coaches.....many are not needed.

Building student enrollment=====$$$$$ without raising ticket prices to the general public. Hopefully, a greater number student body will place more butts in the stands. I support if you gave tickets away for FREE......you will still have a lot of empty seats. Huntington is like the rest of the state......the stay home and watch WVU....or attend High School football games on Saturday. High School football needs to be played on FRIDAY ONLY.

Marshall MUST generate new "younger" fans.....GOING FORWARD....they will be the lifeline for our sports teams success.

HerdZilla22
 
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Too many "special give away packages" discourage folks from buying season tickets.


Or, we could continue what we're doing and ask the last fan out to turn off the lights. We need fresh ideas on how to engage the casual fans and alumni who don't attend games for whatever reason.
People buy season tix to support the Herd and sit in a desired location. You can discount tix or do other promotions in less desirable sections so you don't alienate your season tix holders. It just takes a little thought and planning - something those in charge don't seem capable of.
 
Wow zilla has the answer. Our President must grow our student population. Geez zilla tell us something we don’t know. For goodness sake Gilbert talks about doing that everywhere he goes. Doing it however now is something else. Marshall has allowed Ohio University, Ohio U. Southern, Morehead, Eastern Kentucky, Pikeville, Charleston, Shawnee State - and others slowly attract students that once upon a tine considered Marshall. Gilbert is aware and working with his recruiters but they the competition for dollars is a real issue as most of the aforementioned institutions offer many of the same traditional undergraduate programs as does Marshall. We need a better sales pitch and get away from the “We Are Marshall” theme that today’s high school students could care less about. With coal severance gone recruiting students from the southern counties in our state is now dwindling. I do not have any students in my classes at Marshall from any of the traditional southern counties because unemployed families simply cannot afford Marshall and all the University Board of Governors ever do is continue to increase tuition at the risk of losing students. So zilla get with it wherever you are and try selling Marshall to high school students in your area. You will find that to be a daunting task at best.
 
Wow zilla has the answer. Our President must grow our student population. Geez zilla tell us something we don’t know. For goodness sake Gilbert talks about doing that everywhere he goes. Doing it however now is something else. Marshall has allowed Ohio University, Ohio U. Southern, Morehead, Eastern Kentucky, Pikeville, Charleston, Shawnee State - and others slowly attract students that once upon a tine considered Marshall. Gilbert is aware and working with his recruiters but they the competition for dollars is a real issue as most of the aforementioned institutions offer many of the same traditional undergraduate programs as does Marshall. We need a better sales pitch and get away from the “We Are Marshall” theme that today’s high school students could care less about. With coal severance gone recruiting students from the southern counties in our state is now dwindling. I do not have any students in my classes at Marshall from any of the traditional southern counties because unemployed families simply cannot afford Marshall and all the University Board of Governors ever do is continue to increase tuition at the risk of losing students. So zilla get with it wherever you are and try selling Marshall to high school students in your area. You will find that to be a daunting task at best.


bbneutralfan.....thanks for the update on Dr. Gilbert's Student increase PUSH.

I do speak about MARSHALL a lot in my Charlotte circles. The main problem, NC has many FINE colleges/universities [PLUS surrounding states of SC, Va, & TN]...it is difficult to suggest a student depart NC and pay higher costs to attend (out of state) Marshall, about 5 1/2 hours from their homes. Marshall is in a difficult situation....the answer is beyond my thoughts.

WHAT WOULD YOU INCORPORATE as a NEW SALES PITCH?


HerdZilla22 in CHARLOTTE

We Are....................................Marshall
 
bbneutralfan.....thanks for the update on Dr. Gilbert's Student increase PUSH.

I do speak about MARSHALL a lot in my Charlotte circles. The main problem, NC has many FINE colleges/universities [PLUS surrounding states of SC, Va, & TN]...it is difficult to suggest a student depart NC and pay higher costs to attend (out of state) Marshall, about 5 1/2 hours from their homes. Marshall is in a difficult situation....the answer is beyond my thoughts.

WHAT WOULD YOU INCORPORATE as a NEW SALES PITCH?


HerdZilla22 in CHARLOTTE

We Are....................................Marshall


That's right, NC's flagship "university" doesn't even require attending classes to get a degree. Why go anywhere else.
 
That's right, NC's flagship "university" doesn't even require attending classes to get a degree. Why go anywhere else.

GreenDuke....Thanks for the updates on classes at State and Dook....always looking up at UNC has to be disheartening.....especially with no reprimands directed to Chapel Hill. Lots of $$$$ spent all for nothing.

HerdZilla22
 
GreenDuke....Thanks for the updates on classes at State and Dook....always looking up at UNC has to be disheartening.....especially with no reprimands directed to Chapel Hill. Lots of $$$$ spent all for nothing.

HerdZilla22


You know what they are, everybody knows.
UNC-OJ
 
bbneutralfan.....thanks for the update on Dr. Gilbert's Student increase PUSH.

I do speak about MARSHALL a lot in my Charlotte circles. The main problem, NC has many FINE colleges/universities [PLUS surrounding states of SC, Va, & TN]...it is difficult to suggest a student depart NC and pay higher costs to attend (out of state) Marshall, about 5 1/2 hours from their homes. Marshall is in a difficult situation....the answer is beyond my thoughts.

WHAT WOULD YOU INCORPORATE as a NEW SALES PITCH?


HerdZilla22 in CHARLOTTE

We Are....................................Marshall

I guess it’s sad the neither of you know that the University hasn’t been using the “We Are Marshall” tagline in Student recruiting for over 2 years.

“Best Decision......Ever”
 
Also, well, economically, convince Huntington and the local businesses, that they need MU.
When I got to MU in 2004, it was a very polarized place...locals despised MU but enjoyed the students. MU often had problems expanding past their alotted area.

That has improved alot with Williams working more with MU as well as just trying to improve the aesthetics of the city. This is evident with some of the city plans involving MU things like a baseball field.

The first city in WV to abandon the WV mentality, will prosper and I hope its Huntington.
This whole, 'Aww yeah boy, you needsa be a coal miner! It keeps the laghts on!!!" Is becoming more and more bullshit.
With the subtleness of a fart in the bathtub, the industry of energy is moving past coal and getting more techy.
Huntington and MU should see this as a major opportunity for the region. Look ahead and anticipate the prospects of professional jobs, then beging implementing programs for those jobs. You can even use MU's research groups to figure this stuff out for you.
Encourage displaced coal miners to come to the city, or nearby, and give them programs they train for, and can walk across the street to work on building solar panels.
I believe this was a big part of the HIP plan Williams won the ABC contest with, but we need more.
Marshall can help by saying its a good idea and get programs to train/engineer products and services to help accelerate this area.
I know a major slumlord who is basically so screwed that the bank owns his house...this is great news since abandonded buildings he owns, are likely gonna get auctioned off and repaired/re-built for something better and well maintained.

Overall, the city and school need to work together and implement a vision for the next 50 years, and move in that direction.
Some of the industries are fonna be opposed heavily by the state, but eventually some will pass through. Possibly even denied their success by the state, even when they are successdul, well, just sell those legislative idiots some baby Unicorns set to be born in 2018.
As I said for MU, the city should look to other cities that were able to economically grow, who fell on hard times that we currently are in. It'll be tough to ignore the bkue hairs who try to remind everyone that "this is WV, we don't need no stinkin' big ideas or industry!" But it won't be hard to ignore moving in another direction where certain industries are thriving.
Overall, from top to bottom, the dumbest thing I have read this week. That includes post from bleeds and fever
 
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Overall, from top to bottom, the dumbest thing I have read this week. That includes post from bleeds and fever

Its easy to just say something is dumb without providing anything of substance to oppose it.
Then again, seeing your posts you are likely trolling people.
 
You’re Liberal drivel spewed through the cracks in the post. Nice try

Ooooh! You're one of THOSE people! I like your kind.
As a registered Republican I can assure you, I'm not a liberal.
But unlike you simple minded fool, I can actually acknowledge when someone who I don't always agree with, does a good job.

Still waiting for a response of substance...
 
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Back to the original question...

The first thing that needs to be figured out is how to grow university enrollment. More applications, more students and more money lead to more infrastructure and more influence... Also, this would help solve the problem of stagnant sports attendance. More students, means more students at games and thus more alumni who are willing to come back and go to games.

The university needs to figure out how to get kids to want to come to Marshall and sell that message better. The old story of "I came to Marshall because I grew up in (blank) WV county and my mom knew about it" is not going to work anymore, especially as the state continues to lose population to growing states like NC, VA, SC, TN, etc.
 
You know what they are, everybody knows.
UNC-OJ

Spent a couple of hours on Duke's campus (11/7/2017)....pretty impressive. My first time in Cameron Indoor......and I was reminded of all the times the HEELS have kicked the Devil's ass on that floor in front of Coach. K.

HerdZilla22 in Charlotte
 
Duke has dominated UNC-OJ for a quarter century. Hell they even gave K a trophy a few years ago at the Nose Dome, I mean K Dome. Considering the unprecedented cheating and plantation mentality in Chappa Heyya I don't even feel comfortable mentioning Duke in the same sentence as the Cheats. o_O
 
Duke has dominated UNC-OJ for a quarter century. Hell they even gave K a trophy a few years ago at the Nose Dome, I mean K Dome. Considering the unprecedented cheating and plantation mentality in Chappa Heyya I don't even feel comfortable mentioning Duke in the same sentence as the Cheats. o_O



JEALOUSY toward Carolina (The Sky Blue One)......abounds out of Durham.

HerdZilla22 in COLD WET Charlotte
 
JEALOUSY toward Carolina (The Sky Blue One)......abounds out of Durham.

HerdZilla22 in COLD WET Charlotte


Keep deflecting Ernest T but the truth is out now and EVERYONE knows what they are- UNC-OJ.
I'll ask my family members who hold Duke degrees if they are jealous of OJ.
 
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