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Ways to increase attendance
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Date Posted: 20:54:01 11/23/04 Tue
Let's face it, the marketing of Fordham sports is non-existent. Alumni mailings are nice, but are only part of the equation. Let's assume the baseline average per home game is 4,000 given the current marketing effort. I feel that given our NY location and what I think is a competitive and exciting level of 1-AA football, we could push that per game average to 6,000 and for certain games get a crowd approaching 10,000. Here's how (Frank, put down that putter in your office for a minute):
1. Media - is there a rule that 1-AA teams can't buy some radio spots on sports talk stations? Heavy spots on WFUV (Bob Ahrens, please help us out here). Take some $$ from the budget and roll it into WFUV promotions targeted specifically to Fordham alums. In addition, limited spots promoting Fordham football next year on WFAN or 1050 ESPN Radio. If that is not feasible, try local tri-state area stations in areas with concentrations of Fordham alums. Selected billboards on Metro North stations. Investigate a deal with a cable channel to cover Fordham football and basketball as part of a package deal--stations are constantly looking to fill airtime. Get contact with Tom Keegan at 1050 ESPN Radio--he went to Marquette and is a huge supporter of Jesuit schools. Make nice with the Westchester Journal News, try and get them to put a writer on previewing each game. Frank, take the guy golfing, that is what your free membership is for.
2. Students - Student attendance needs to be ramped up. Coach Foley and staff and captains should canvass classrooms each Friday to personally extend invitations to the game and let the students know whow much it would mean to the team to have their full support. Enlist a corporate sponsor like Coke or Pepsi to run a barbeque on Eddie's that would appeal to the students before a game.
3. Event Scheduling - this is critical. Fordham has 5-6 Saturdays a year to promote the school through football. Each game should be scheduled with this in mind. 1 home game is Homecoming (Fordham has done a terrific job with this lately). Another home game is Parents Weekend. I don't think football alumni day means anything, so I would do this: target alums who may have played other sports besides football or basketball, and use the game as an opportunity for them to get together, via a reunion brunch, or pre-game cocktails, whatever. Get the track, tennis, swimming alums, etc. Let the coaches of those sports brief the alums on their progress, and throw in a football game ticket. Schedule events like this around 2 other home games. One other event can be a Gridiron Club event for members and their families.
3. Opponent scheduling: another critical piece. Mid-major 1-AA's are not attractive without some other hook. If we must schedule them make it parents weekend. For the other games, Colgate and Lehigh are going to draw well, as will Columbia. Try to get other OOC teams that have cache as well as lots of NY alumni (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Villanova, Army come to mind). Try and put the less attractive games on the schedule early in the year while the weather is good, and make those the event games.
4. Build a rivalry with Holy Cross. Fordham needs a rivalry game. Lots of HC alums in the area. Schedule the HC game for the last game of the year, every year. Coordinate with HC as to alumni gatherings on campus for both schools. Schedule the opening basketball game the same day.
5. Tailgating. Tailgating in the parking lot is lame.If the parking garage gets built use the excess space for a grass alumni gathering space on Saturdays, intramural field otherwise.
6. Open up O'Keefe Commons post-game, cash bar to coaches, families, alums. After the game many want to stick around for a while, and not stand in the dark during October and November.
7. Coffey Field - not exactly an inviting venue. A little landcaping and trying to add a little charm to the place would make it more inviting. I need some ideas here, but our home field needs some updating.
I think that if Fordham does these things, it could build a nice increase from its current fan base. What do you guys think?
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