Will special t-shirts be enough to fill Conte?

Conte Forum has been a Ghost Town for basketball games for 5+ years. Different things have been tried and nothing has really stuck. Winning would be a big boost, but how do you overcome apathy as the team tries to rebuild? The latest gimmick is a limited-edition white SuperFan t-shirt. Now I love the idea of a special SuperFan shirt. I am too old to wear a t-shirt to a game, but I would certainly wear it at other times. Do other people care about this stuff? BC claims limited quantity of the t-shirt. Will the supposed demand get people into the build early?

Providence is a traditional hoops rival. They will bring plenty of their own fans. The history alone should bring BC fans into the game. But it won't because many casual BC fans don't care about our old rivalries. After the t-shirts are gone and the winning starts, we need to use some marketing power to make people care aobut our history with teams like Providence.

College Football's MLS ideas and BC

The WSJ posted an interesting article last week on College Football programs looking to the MLS for marketing, game day experience and ticketing ideas. What's interesting to me is that programs that might not have much in common with the MLS are looking for answers in the soccer boom, yet the stadium size and locals markets are so different. BC, however, probably has more in common with an MLS' teams issues than a big SEC school. Our stadium is smaller, we are in an urban setting and we compete with bigger teams.

BC is not mentioned as a team looking to the MLS, but fortunately we are already doing things they recommend. Stadium improvements are the most obvious, but we are also tracking individual student attendence and rewarding loyalty.

What the MLS is also improving the food at the stadium. Food is rarely mentioned as the problem with BC sports. But maybe it is something BC should address. An improved team will always have a greater impact than improved concessions, but it doesn't mean something can't be done.

I rarely go to games so I am always an armchair QB on the issue. But I think that the only way to get Alumni and Conte filled is to make it an experience you cannot get at home. Winning is important, but everything else matters too.

Sign of the times: BC cannot sell out Parents Weekend

There was a time when BC always scheduled our least desirable home game Parents' Weekend. The demand was such that we would sell out the game regardless of the opponent and it was always good to send the parents home with a win. This year BC will host Florida State for Parents' Weekend and unfortunately there are still seats available. (See this ad from BC's Tuesday email.)



Just like there were and are multiple factors in BC's recent decline, I also think there are multiple reasons why Parents' Weekend is no longer an automatic sellout. Some of the factors are probable social. I think there is a growing group of BC parents and students who just don't care about college sports. I also assume that as the student population spreads farther from the Northeast, it becomes harder for some BC parents to make the trip (or make it every year). But the ultimate factor is that the football team has not been fun to watch and the gameday experience has not been special. We all know that BC is working to improve both. When we do, I think parents will come back.

Small world

The picture on the left is the BC Bookstore catalog. The one on the right is from the University of Georgia's bookstore. They arrived in the mail yesterday. Notice anything familiar between the two?

When they arrived I knew what to look for (fellow Eagle in Atlanta Patrick S. gave me the heads up), but that still doesn't make it any less funny. I am not surprised that the companies use models for multiple schools. I guess the publisher doesn't expect the catalogs to arrive at the same house, on the same day with the same covers models. Or maybe they just don't expect any weirdo bloggers to pick up on it and care enough to post about it.

More moves: BC changes student ticket packages

First the Game Day tents, now Brad Bates changing in the student season ticket packages. Like the Game Day pregame facilities, I have no idea if this will work, but I applaud the action. Empty student seats were an embarrassment  Maybe this will change things.

Austin Tedesco broke the news and highlighted how the program will work.

All undergraduate students will be eligible to purchase the pass, and there will not be a limit on the number of passes sold. Once purchased, the pass will be loaded onto a student’s Eagle-One Card. Students will then be able to swipe their IDs for entrance to all football, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s hockey games.

Swiping a card instead of a paper ticket is hardly revolutionary. BC is playing catch up there. The bigger change is the bundling of all the tickets at a reduced cost and available to all students. Two of the biggest complaints students have had (going back to my days) is lack of tickets and the cost. Now both have been addressed. The best part of the plan is bundling football with the other sports. Even the least interested BC student tends to buy football tickets. The casual Superfan was only committing to a few games and the cost was relatively cheap. Now those passive fans will have access to more events. I don't think they will suddenly become die hards and attend every basketball and hockey game, but it should create a marginal increase in attendance.

 Based on just his recent announcements, I am becoming very optimistic about the plan Bates is unveiling this summer. His early moves have shown a willingness to address long-neglected issues. If we keep heading down this path being a BC fan might be a totally new experience in five years.

Takeaways from Addazio's day at ESPN

While many coaches have spent time at ESPN, I cannot think of another who got so much airtime in one day. I also cannot recall any BC figure at any time getting that much attention from the worldwide leader in sports. Regardless of the Tebow nonsense, Addazio's day at ESPN has to be viewed as a huge success. Here are my thoughts and news of the day. 

-- The best moments of the day were his stint on College Football Live and his chat on ESPN Nation. In both forums Addazio was able to focus on BC. He reiterated many of the things we know like his focus on recruiting and his willingness to shape the offense to his talent. In the chat he also mentioned preliminary plans for a new practice facility and that he is taking names off of the jerseys.

-- I cannot recall a BC coach being so engaged with the media. I don't think Addazio is a great quote or has natural TV charm, but he has the right energy and attitude. He wasn't glib or boring or standoffish like some of our past coaches. He was himself. You can see how that same passionate and straight forward personality is paying off on the recruiting trail.

-- Addazio really likes Chase Rettig. I had heard this before through the grapevine, but Addazio was pretty effusive in his praise for our Senior QB. I know Addazio wants to run, but given our lack of depth at running back and talent in the passing game, I think we will throw a lot this season.

-- Addazio needs to do as much as possible to win over fans and media now. I think we are in for a major rebuild after this season (once Amidon, KPL, Rettig, etc graduate). Addazio makes a good case for his vision and BC's direction in these settings. The booster meetings have all been positive too. Load up on the good will tour now while he still has a clean slate.  

Addazio TV

Steve Addazio will spend most of Tuesday all over the ESPN family of networks. He'll start the day on Mike & Mike, but also be seen on First Take, College Football Live and SportCenter. I don't know how Addazio will do in his various appearances but this has to be viewed as a positive and a major step forward for BC's Marketing efforts.

Given our location and history with ESPN, you would think BC faces would be on ESPN all the time. Unfortunately that hasn't been the case. And it is not all ESPN's fault. Our coaches and players either have not been accessible or have lacked even the littlest bit of charisma or personality. Showing just a little energy and passion goes a long way on TV. TOB and Spaz were obviously not comfortable doing this sort of thing. Jags had his one ESPN halftime show, but didn't do much otherwise. Other schools have sent their coaches across country to ESPN and ESPN gladly put them on air. In the offseason, ESPN is welcoming to any sort of football content. If Addazio is any good, he could be back on before the summer ends.

These sorts of appearances won't win BC any games this fall, but it will work to change the perception of the  program. Recruits will notice as will the ESPN execs in charge of scheduling. I also think our fans will notice. Passion can be contagious. If Addazio truly spreads the message, he will get a lot of leeway out of the gate.

I will recap all the events late Tuesday. Tune in and give your thoughts as Addazio works his way through Bristol.

Can BC sell a faceless program?

As the team prepared for the poster photo shoot, I started to think about some of the current challenges BC faces marketing the program. Who will be the focus of the poster? Can a casual BC fan name our best players? With the team coming off its worst season in over a decade, it would be nice to have a focal point. A person who fans could rally around. With Kuechly gone, BC doesn't have that player or coach.

Spaz is not a compelling public speaker. BC uses coordinators in their Youtube videos. No BC player made the ACC's preseason all conference team. They have two likeable but rather unknown Seniors on the cover of the media guide.

Perception matters in college football. Obviously tickets sales are part of that, but lacking a star player hurts when TV networks are selecting our games. Even if some of our players have breakout years, they will have a hard time winning national awards.

BC created some new and unique ticket packages to help attendance for the less attractive games. If we are play well, TV networks might pay attention during the last month of the season. But if the team struggles, it will be hard to sell anything. You can't force players to be great or be dynamic personalities. Even if players aren't well known, I am consistently proud of how they handle themselves. But BC can ask its coach to sell the program. Spaz doesn't and won't. But I hope that when we hire a new coach that sales and marketing aspect are not ignored. Coaching is primary, but representing BC should always be a factor. 

BC using coordinators as face(s) of the program?

BC posted this "thank you" video as an invite to a special practice for season ticket holders. Notice anyone missing? It is just a silly Youtbue video but I find it very telling that the school left out the Head Coach. This is college football. Your head coach is the face of the program. Ours isn't even mentioned in a direct marketing message to our most loyal customers.

There are many likely explanations for Spaz's absence. He's not particularly good on camera. He's never really shown any sort of enthusiasm for this sort of thing. And I think BC has heard enough to know that Spaz is not very popular with our fan base. No reason to trot him out when it will just dampen excitement about the upcoming season.

I like Bill McGovern and Doug Martin. Both are capable coordinators and leaders. Martin's been a head coach and I know McGovern wants to be one, so giving them face time is not a bad idea. Let's hope they are also given autonomy this year (which hasn't been Spaz's strong suit with coordinators). If these two are given real power, season ticket holders will probably be happy they renewed.

Under Armour overlooking BC in new t-shirt rollout

I hoped that when BC signed with Under Armour that it would mean more aggressive merchandising and licensing. Based on Under Armour's own website, BC is either old news or undesired.

Now these t-shirts aren't my tastes and BC's doesn't have the fanbases of some UA schools, but there is no reason they couldn't produce a BC version. UA is selling Loyola, USF, Temple and Marquette and not selling a BC version of this t-shirt. Why? Have BC sales been so poor that we are no longer part of design rollouts?

Because most of the college licensing products are made in batches, a manufacturer is taking a risk any time they make a bunch. But there is also a chicken and an egg element to the sales. How are they going to sell any BC gear if they don't make BC gear?

I love my BC Under Armour fleece and my BC Under Armour sweatshirt. But that doesn't excuse UA from leaving BC off of their own website. One of the reasons we selected Under Armour as our partner was so we would be one of their few colleges instead of one of many Nike schools. UA needs to promote and include BC in all of their releases and BC needs to stay on top of the relationship so that we are not ignored.

Would Fenway Sports Group support a BC game in Anfield?

I've blogged before about BC Football's potential return to Ireland. While it would make sense for a BC-Notre Dame game to be played on the Emerald Isle, the game has never really gained traction (for a variety of reasons). But reading tweets about Fenway's Open House reminded me that BC partners with an aggressive sports marketing company (Fenway Sports Group) that has no problem re-purposing their stadiums if it means a few extra dollars. Since the Red Sox owners also own Liverpool FC, playing a game on their field starts to make sense.

What's in it for Fenway Sports Group?
Aside from the potential of a onetime pay day, FSG could benefit from a couple of aspects of a game. As a sports marketing company it would help flex their muscle in Europe. It could also be a test run for using Anfield for non-Liverpool FC events. I also think it extends the Liverpool FC brand in the U.S. FSG seemed to get a pink Red Sox hat on millions of women outside of New England. I think they understand the value of reaching non-traditional supporters. The game wouldn't be a merchandise play but it would help the Liverpool paraphernalia sales. Let's assume they got a team with a large U.S. fanbase to play BC (i.e. Alabama, Texas, Ohio State), wouldn't the Red Sox owners be thrilled with 5,000 LFC scarves floating around Austin or Tuscaloosa? The NFL is not coming to Liverpool. Baseball would require putting an infield on Anfield, so that is not an option. The next best thing for FSG would be college football.

What's in it for BC?
In a way, BC has less to gain than the Fenway Sports Group. There would be money, but uprooting the team and the travel costs are one of the reasons the Ireland game has never come together. But I do think the spotlight would be worth it. I don't think you would get a flood of applicants from Liverpool but I do think it would help the school gain some additional recognition in the United Kingdom. And as I mentioned in the Ireland post, it would be a chance for our BC alumni in Europe to have a big event.

Would ESPN do it?
The Red Sox would have to put up most of the money, but ESPN would have to step up too. The travel costs to England would be extreme for both teams. Additional money from ESPN would be needed. But I think they would do it gladly. They know that unique settings and gimmick games can drive ratings. Just look at the North Carolina-Michigan State basketball game from an aircraft carrier. If BC played a solid team early on a Saturday morning, people would watch. In fact I predict a live college football game as a lead in would give College Game Day its best ratings of the year.

If the Anfield game were to happen, it would take years to plan and sell. So BC wouldn't and shouldn't do it to lift the current malaise around the program. But it would be forward looking and aggressive. It would be a strong marketing move from a school that has been extremely conservative. Plus we could recruit off of it. I know both the Red Sox and BC have bigger priorities right now, but this is the type of idea that both need to explore.

Should BC football barnstorm in the Spring?

Many ACC bloggers (BCI & TN) are talking about the doom and gloom that followed Miami's second scrimmage. Overlooked in the Cane talk was that the scrimmage was held in Fort Myers. They used one of their precious Spring practices to reach fans and more importantly recruits two and half hours away from their campus. Now this wasn't all forward thinking from Al Golden and Company. They couldn't use their own stadium because of Wrestlemania. But still you have to admire their ability to turn lemons into lemonade. Even in the best of years, BC Football's springs are dull. Holding a scrimmage outside of Alumni might be a nice change of pace and a chance to reach our fans and recruits outside of Boston.

Because this is still BC, we would have to do it with a tight budget and no more than a bus ride away. It would also have to be accessable to enough fans and media to make it worthwhile. I recommend the following:

1. Don Bosco Prep. The BC-connections to Bosco are well known. Holding a scrimmage there would only strengthen those ties. We know they have facilities capable of hosting one practice. The campus is in Ramsey, New Jersey and relatively accessible by car for most of our Alumni in the Tri-State area.

2. Timex Performance Center. The New York Giants' practice facility could certain handle one measly BC scrimmage. It is located in the Meadowlands complex, so location and transportation is not an issue. The rub with an NFL franchise certainly wouldn't hurt our perception with recruits. What would be an issue is letting fans all over the complex. As much as the Giants love BC, I don't know if they want to let a few thousand random BC fans onto their complex.

3. Randall's Island. This complex in the middle of the East River is probably the biggest stretch. There are hundreds of New York City groups lined up to use the property at different times. It's location would probably curb some fans from attending and wouldn't draw much media interest. However, I still think it would be cool. And I think our city based fans would turn out for at least one event.

Those are my thoughts. Where would you like to see BC practice?

2011 Football Poster

BC released its new poster this morning. My thoughts below the image.

I am really glad they ditched the cliched players posing theme that every college uses. I like the idea of the action shot. My only complaint though is that there is a lot going on in this image and you can't identify some of the players without their numbers. As for the slogan: "everyday is gameday"...not bad. Let's hope Spaz -- whose gameday acumen is in question -- shares that mentality as he preps and coaches the team this year.

Big Spenders

This article in Forbes reinforced many of our BC stereotypes, but also left me scratching my head. Long story short: BC has a fraction of the fanbase of other schools when it comes to affinity credit cards, yet outspends every other group by an absurd amount. First the numbers that stood out:

-- BC only has 597 people enrolled on a BC card. Forget bandwagon fans, we don't even have a fraction of what another private, catholic, non-football school like Villanova has (5,538).
-- Those 597 people generated $1.1 million in revenue for BC. That revenue is based on BC's share of the fees. As another point of reference, Stanford has 16,079 enrollees and only generated a $1 million.

Assuming that Mastercard generates 2% in fees and splits it with BC, that means that the average BC cardholder puts $187,000 in charges on his/her card every year. That's the average! In a down economy. Maybe our marketing is all wrong. Instead of trying to sell 45,000 tickets, maybe we should just sell whole sections to a few fans. We can fan them during the game, while they are fed grapes.

Once I got over the average, then the whole redemption thing left me scratching my head. I put everything I can on my credit cards and happily redeem the rewards. Travel, electronics, and even cash back all have their merits. So what can these BC big spenders buy with their 200k annual points? A pair of basketball tickets or some BC t-shirts. Maybe you want to tour the Yawkey Center. That will only cost you 5,000 points, meaning the average BC card holder can take the tour 40 times!

But if you are already spending $200K on your BC credit card, aren't you already buying all the BC tickets and t-shirts you want?

Now I really don't like to tell people how to spend their money, but if any of you big spenders have considered an investment in a media company, I know a great blog you can buy.

Pillow Pets are the latest novelty gift to slight BC fans

Are you familiar with Pillow Pets? They are pillows that fold into cute stuffed animals. Their infomercials are ubiquitous. I must say the marketing is highly effective as both of my daughters have one. In the ultimate brand extension, there are now NCAA Pillow Pets. You can buy Pillow Pets for many teams including Miami, UNC, FSU, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Clemson, NC State, and Virginia Tech. I guess the brains behind the latest fad didn't think the wine and cheese crowds at UVA, Duke, Wake and BC would be interested. But when you can get a Syracuse Pillow Pet or a UConn Pillow Pet or even some FCS schools, you know BC isn't connecting from a marketing standpoint. I have to say it is disappointing. What am I supposed to lay my head on when I am curled up under my BC Snuggie?

Advice on selling tickets and other links

Lou Imbriano teaches Sports Marketing at BC. Previously he was the Chief of Marketing for the Patriots. Unfortunately the Athletic Department doesn't consult him on issues related to marketing BC sports. In his most recent sports marketing chat he had something simple to say regarding ticket sales.

Think ticket sales folks have to spend more time understanding the fans likes and dislikes and less time thinking up gimmicks.

I don't expect change in the near future but BC needs to improve the gameday experience...especially if the product on the field doesn't improve.

BC's 9th commitment keeps our pipeline to Canada open. I actually think Canada should always be a good source for BC recruits. Canadians usually have a solid academic foundations, are a little older and don't seem concerned about the weather in Boston.

Swiggert and Freese are the latest BC players to be added to award watch lists.

Suggested programming for regional New England Sports Networks

The Globe had an interesting article on the two regional New England sports networks -- CSNNE and NESN. Both have their respective niches and based on the article are both willing to explore new ideas in order to drive more viewers. What both are clearly lacking is Boston College content. While I appreciate the occasional taped piece that both will run on BC sports, there is a huge void. Both could and should do more. Given NESN and BC's relationship with the Red Sox, NESN's lack of BC programming is inexcusable. Here are my thoughts. All are relatively cheap and should be easy to implement.

1. Carry all ESPN3.com games live. NESN has numerous Red Sox scheduling conflicts during the fall, so this would probably have to fall to CSNNE. I don't know the logistics or what it would cost the network to buy the regional rights, but I know it is done in other parts of the country. I don't think it would be a huge ratings boost, but I know it would be a better draw than any alternate programming they would use instead (often other lower level college football games). Getting BC on TV screens instead of PC screens would be a huge improvement for fans in New England. Those of us outside the region with satellite/cable "sports packs" would also appreciate an alternative to watching on a laptop.

2. Replay of all games Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. This is another seemingly simple solution. I live in Atlanta and can see Big East games replayed on YES or SNY, but not a BC game. Something is wrong there. If the regional New York stations can acquire the rights and make money on Rutgers and UConn replays, there must be a market for it in Boston. This is something NESN could do with ease. They have the programming slots. They have the relationship with BC. They have a sponsorship base that I presume would like to extend their brands to TV ("The Giant Glass BC replay" or "BC rewind brought to you by BMW of Peabody").

3. Football and Basketball coaches shows.
I know this has been tried before with little ratings success. But that doesn't mean BC and the networks shouldn't keep trying. The cost to produce a show is minimal. All you need is Meter and the respective coach to talk for 20 minutes. Have a BC student produce a "field" piece each week for free and you are down to 16 minutes. No travel needed. Very few highlights needed. If NESN can make more money showing an informercial, than BC should buy the time. We waste money on so many things around the program, this seems like a straight forward way to sell the programs and help the coaches reach fans and future players.

Is EA Sports already using our new look?

EO poster Onyx Blackman had a nice find today with his screen caps of our uniforms in EA Sports. I am still waiting on confirmation from BC if all these looks will be used on the field. The big changes are the return of maroon pants and the gold home jersey. I welcome both additions. Other thoughts:

-- It looks like the "all white" era is over. I will always associate it with Jags's time at BC, so we might as well drop it.
-- A gold home jersey may be a reality. It is not as dramatic a departure as I was hoping for, but the gold jersey is perfect for a one-time event. I predict it will debut in our Thursday night game against Florida State.
-- It looks like we will have the stained glass numbers we saw in basketball. I don't know if anyone other than die-hard BC fans notice, but it is a nice touch.
-- This will be the first time BC plays in maroon pants with stripes. The maroon pants of the TOB era were solid.
-- The helmet stays the same.


Please share your thoughts. I will update as I get new information.

Interpreting BC's ticket sales push

BC launched a "Father's Day Kickoff Sale" Wednesday. Like other recent efforts, I applaud the push by the Ticket Department, but worry that BC's aggressive marketing is a sign of a bigger problem. I know that football ticket sales are down again. There is always a decline in years in which BC doesn't play Notre Dame. But the trending is worse than previous non-Irish seasons. Then there are the season ticket renewal anecdotes.

The scenario goes something like this. BC Season Ticket holder let his/her tickets lapse. After ignoring email reminders, they get a personal call from the ticket office mentioning they can still have their seat(s). In most cases the calls are ineffective and the ticket holder declines to renew. [IF YOU HAVE A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE PLEASE SHARE IT IN THE COMMENTS.]

Now comes the Father's Day sale. Considering the season is two months away, I think it is too early to start major discounting. What does that signal to your most loyal customer base? Like any situation with slack demand, BC has to be careful how much they devalue their own product. BC put this sale in a limited window, but I have a funny feeling we will see more sales as the season approaches.

If you ask Gene why sales are lagging, he will tell you the economy, television and secondary market reselling have contributed to the decline. Those are factors. So is the gameday experience and the product on the field. I wish I had a simple solution but I don't. My fear with the front loaded home slate and the low expectations, we could see our lowest attendance figures since the early days of TOB.

Because there is no simple solution, I think BC is stuck dumping tickets at low prices. It may offset things a bit. In the long run, I hope all the factors are recognized and BC does a better job rebuilding the game day experience. Winning is the best sales driver but so are relationships and expectations. BC needs to rebuild relationships with their most loyal fans. And BC needs to coach Spaz into being a better face of the program. If those things don't change, BC will be giving tickets away soon.

Wanted: BC's version of a gimmick uniform

Would you prefer a gold helmet with maroon wings or maroon helmet with gold wings?

Michigan and Notre Dame often take themselves way too seriously. Their traditions. Their history. What they will or won't do. Both consider their uniforms sacrosanct. Yet this season in their game against each other, they will debut special uniforms. They are calling them throwbacks, but Michigan's version is much more of a throwback/future clash. I used to hate this sort of overt marketing but now I am a convert. And I am also wondering if these two self important programs can mix it up a little, then why not BC?

BC last used throwbacks in 2004. The style recalled BC's uniforms of the mid-'80s. It was a nice touch but not exactly what I had in mind. I want BC to do something unique. Let's get Under Armour involved! I loved what they did with the basketball uniforms. Think of what they might do with a one time only event. A logo on the helmet? Wings?

I know BC fans tend to be traditional. I am not naive enough to think that one uniform will change our momentum on the field. It won't put butts in the seats. But it's something. There is tremendous apathy surrounding the program. It will take a numerous small steps to change that apathy. Changing our look for one game seems like a low risk way to shake things up.

Gene likes to say that BC tries to be Harvard during the week and Alabama on Saturdays. If we break out some gimmicky uniform, then we can say we are Harvard during the week and Oregon on Saturdays.