2008-2009 Promotions

Author

Comment

Optimist JP

Lead

[-]

Posts: 630

(April 23, 2008 4:04 PM)

RaiderRoundball.com

Tags : None

Next year is the year to add substantial numbers to the fan base. If we can get people out to see the Raiders once, and if this team is as good as we think it will be, people will return to see more.

So RaiderRoundball faithful, what promotions can we suggest to the Athletic Department to increase attendance next year and beyond?

Food promotions are always good. Several years ago, we received food coupons in our season ticket packs. Two for one hot dogs or pop corns would be appreciated.

Several years ago, we also received a number of coupons for free tickets for friends. I suggest some kind of coupon which allows for the purchase of extra single game tickets at a reduced price. I would love to have a couple of buy one/get one coupons that I could use for my parents who are here just through December and then go to Florida for the rest of the winter.

How about all senior citizens get in for half price the night of a game?

What ideas can you offer for promotions for next year?

Opti

keithfromxenia

promos

[-]

Posts: 2651

(April 23, 2008 4:15 PM)

optimist, i have said this before but military folks in uniform should get in free and their families should pay a nominal amount. that is the least we can do for those who are willing to sacrifice their lives for our freedom. our university is sitting right next to wpafb and that should make us want to partner with them. also a special night for recognizing military folks. i sent an email about a year or so ago to mike cusack suggesting this and never heard a word back from him. hopefully the new ad will recognize our troops. GO RAIDERS!!!!!!! one other thought optimist. i hope two years of success add a couple of thousand new fans to raiderroundball fandom. i hope they are wild and crazy raider fans. i hope they celebrate raider victories and mourn raider defeats. i even hope they call the post game radio show and depending on whether that last shot bounced in or rolled out are ecstatic with joy at a raider win or downcast with sadness at a raider loss. really crazy wild raider fans. that is the kind of new fans we need. GO RAIDERS..... again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bballraider

[-]

Posts: 1011

(April 23, 2008 6:27 PM)

RaiderRoundball.com

keithfromxenia wrote:
i hope they are wild and crazy raider fans. i hope they celebrate raider victories and mourn raider defeats. i even hope they call the post game radio show and depending on whether that last shot bounced in or rolled out are ecstatic with joy at a raider win or downcast with sadness at a raider loss. really crazy wild raider fans. that is the kind of new fans we need. GO RAIDERS..... again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keith, isn't one of you enough! I am not sure we could handle any more like you. I'd just be happy if they bought tickets and cheered at the games.

Big D

[-]

Posts: 2573

(April 23, 2008 8:57 PM)

Baseball to Host Military Appreciation Night on April 30
April 23, 2008

DAYTON, Ohio - Wright State University and the Wright State University Alumni Association proudly present the 2nd Annual Military Appreciation Night, Wednesday, April 30th at Nischwitz Stadium. Everyone is invited to the pregame activities and the Wright State baseball game with the University of Dayton.

Tickets are just $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children. All military personnel and their families receive FREE admission with a valid military ID.

The fun begins at 5:00pm in the baseball parking lot behind the Nutter Center. There will be plenty of food and family fun activities! The Army and National Guard will be throwing out free t-shirts during the 7th inning stretch. The Raiders and Flyers will take the field at 6:30pm.

The Army R.O.T.C. will also be accepting donations for our troops overseas. Click here for a list of desired items that have been requested by our deployed troops.

http://wsuraiders.cstv.com/genrel/042308aaa.html

wsugrad90

[-]

Posts: 496

(April 23, 2008 11:13 PM)

RaiderRoundball.com

All you can eat promotions are really popular these days, with the Reds using it and some college basketball teams(Univ. of South Florida). It has to be a deal though. No more than 7 dollars added to the ticket price or else it becomes too expensive. South Florida added 7 dollars to a 13 dollar seat to make it an even $20. It would have to be $22 for us.

WSUTommyGun

Promotions

[-]

Posts: 1423

(April 24, 2008 10:58 AM)

RaiderRoundball.com

Thanks for starting the thread, Opti. I'd like to add that Chris Collins would encourage you to pass along your ideas on this. The staff directory thru wsuraiders will link him ( or you can see him at the baseball games since to day is the last home contests for softball )...the main directory uses his real name.
I liked your post Keith and I liked bballraider's response. For the record, Keith is a very good fan that wants the program to be the best it can be. He can get a little worked up when we don't perform ( and it is easy to mess with him to get him really going crazy ). I always look forward to seeing him at the games and radio shows. I can promise you that there is no perfect game. There are as many mistakes in a thirty point win as a thirty point loss and when those fans call in the postgame radio shows they need to know that all of the guys work very hard and don't deserve to be the object of finger pointing unless you want to single out everyone's mistakes, you win as a team and lose at a team.

Roadtrip

[-]

Posts: 3404

(April 24, 2008 2:56 PM)

RaiderRoundball.com

As I have said many times on this board, there is no "i" in team. Like TG has stated many times, win as a team and lose as a team.

Cg80

[-]

Posts: 21

(April 26, 2008 2:22 AM)

I think we need better half-time entertainment. I love the Emerald Jazz, but we could try to add more groups. Sometimes if you have local groups, you get their fans, too. Furthermore, I used to like the promotions in the programs, where the coach's signature in a program might win the bearer a gift certificate to a local business. This might encourage more people to buy the programs at the games, rather than just using the free score cards. Finally, not really a "promotion" in the strictest sense, but I would like to see more WSU music students singing the National Anthem. While we have a good representation of local talent, we used to have more of OUR students participate. It seems odd to me that several times this year we had students or grads of other college music programs singing our national anthem. This, too, might bring additional fans who have more interest in the program. We sit in the section where they often place the singer and their family, and they usually leave after the performance. If it were a student they might be more likely to stay.

wsuboardmember

[-]

Posts: 350

(April 26, 2008 1:04 PM)

RaiderRoundball.com

Right now, wsuraiders.com is having an online survey that people can fill out about a wide range of WSU Athletics related topics (including concessions, half-time entertainment, broadcasts on radio and internet, etc). It was a pop-up when I was on there yesterday, and you have the chance to win an iPod.

backjudge

[-]

Posts: 52

(April 29, 2008 11:38 AM)

RaiderRoundball.com

Back in my day the big thing was the San Diego Chicken. He made a couple of appearances at the Central State game. I think they moved the game to UD and we had over 5000 fans for that one.

Roadtrip

[-]

Posts: 3412

(April 29, 2008 1:40 PM)

RaiderRoundball.com

You are correct, backjudge, I was also there for that one. Wasn't Ron Coleman the Coach at Central State at that time? You know the father of Curt Coleman, OSU defensive back and former color guy on the WSU B-Ball radio broadcasts with Greg Gahris.

semirabid

[-]

Posts: 346

(April 29, 2008 3:42 PM)

RaiderRoundball.com

'scuse me for digressing......could we get the San Diego Chicken here again? Only put a red and blue shirt on him.

bless me father, I have sinned........

Roadtrip

[-]

Posts: 3414

(April 29, 2008 3:52 PM)

RaiderRoundball.com

Wouldn't that be called a "Flyer" chicken?

semirabid

chicken

[-]

Posts: 348

(April 30, 2008 8:45 AM)

RaiderRoundball.com

Flyer and chicken is redundant.....

Darn it.... I'm trying to be good. I just can't help it.

W S U Raider

[-]

Posts: 291

(May 2, 2008 1:09 PM)

RaiderRoundball.com

Good thread Opti!

Half time entertainment, better music, food, programs etc etc etc are all great things to keep fans coming back. Our main goal really should be to get more butts in the seats to begin with. Here is what I would like to see:

Really take advantage (exploit) of our Alumni / Student base located in the Miami Valley

Make connections with the many local teams in the Miami Valley whether they are 5 years old or in High School. We could highlight their section during the game and really make an impression on some kids from an early age. For instance, we could couple with the YMCA, local sports clubs, middle school, High School teams etc to bring out their kid´s at a deep DEEP discount rate.

Radio promotions galore! Why not give away 100 or 200 tickets to every game over the radio?

Utilize the local attractions. Advertise and have ticket giveaways at the local malls, Air Force Museum, any and all of our sponsors.

Partner with your current season ticket holders and start a referral program that would give them 10% off of their tickets for each new season ticket holder they bring in.

Bring a friend night where each season ticket holder can give away 2 tickets for the family fun zone. This promo could be spread out over 3 or 4 games.

As mentioned before, Military ID night or nights.

Local area teachers night.

Buy one get one free coupons on the backs of concert tickets being held at the Nutter Center.

Coupons in the paper. Yes, the DDN

WSU student parent/sibling nights. Allow students to snag up 2 extra tickets for a parents/siblings/friends weekend.

Partner with the Bombers or the Dayton Dragons to offer discounts on tickets packages for both teams.

I am sure that I will think of more things to add to this list, but we need to start thinking outside of the box. Continuing to do the same things every year expecting a different outcome is border line insanity.

Anyways, good thread and let´s really start thinking on this.

Roadtrip

[-]

Posts: 3417

(May 2, 2008 1:29 PM)

RaiderRoundball.com

Chris Collins, play by play Raider announcer left MIX 107.7 and is now and has been for a while, a full time employee in the Athletics dept. with the title of promotions director, I think. I know he is open to any and all suggestions. I am not sure what his e-mail address is at wright State but maybe someone who knows can post it in this thread.

Klinger

[-]

Posts: 1634

(May 2, 2008 1:50 PM)

RaiderRoundball.com

Chris is definitely open to all suggestions. He occasionally reads this board (never posts because he's an employee). I'm sure that he'll note any good suggestions that may be in this thread.

I've talked to him recently, and he is working as hard as humanly possible to promote Raider athletics, both short term and long term. He's been communicating with other promotional directors at some major NCAA programs for ideas, things that work/don't work at other schools etc. He's got some excellent ideas of his own, but a guy can never have enough of them. Keep the suggestions coming. They won't fall on deaf ears.

mdg89

[-]

Posts: 332

(May 3, 2008 1:38 AM)

RaiderRoundball.com

chris.collins@wright.edu, it's listed on the athletics website's directory

he does have some good things in the works already from what i've heard. expect some changes. and don't underestimate the raider rowdies either.

Last Edited By: mdg89 May 5, 2008 4:09 PM. Edited 1 times.

lawbuck53

[-]

Posts: 273

(May 5, 2008 3:34 PM)

RaiderRoundball.com

I'd like to see some marketing of the "brand" of WSU basketball. Just good old fashioned print and mass media advertising in our metro area to change the culture and perception. It will take some capital above and beyond the regular advertising budget, but NOW while the smell of success is in the air.

There will be plenty of bandwagon followers showing interest in our winning program, we just need to tell them 1) this is big time, NCAA tournament eligible college basketball; 2) tickets are available; 3) how to get tickets; 4) how easy it is to get to the NC and ; 5) be a part of it ! (versus being an outsider of the UD program due to cost or only bad seats available). Show them value and make it attactive with some slick/ professionally produced film content and voice-overs, i.e. not small time video content. Then, actually make it easy for them in the parking lots (well run shuttles, if necessary). This should be geared to walk-ups, next year to season tix.

Use local cable TV, print (I hate giving UDDN money, but we need them), and radio. I know this costs money, but we know that it will work this year and 2000 extra butts in seats per game, @ $10 per (minimum) is $300K for 15 home games. Even if it takes until January to get the buzz going, 1/2 of that increase is possible. I'm not a marketing expert, but I have some experience and this short term media blast for November, December, and January will probably cost $30-50K per month if bought soon.

We will probably never have a better chance to raise the respect level of the Raider brand than in the next two years. New leadership, winning team, more respect, better future. .

Yuku free message boards

until the 2008-09 season

26th Annual Pacesetter Open (PDF)

Jeff, Thanks for the donation.