Soccer wins opener and other links

The Men's Soccer team got the season off to a good start, beating Quinnipiac 1-0.

BCI has the lowdown on the new SuperFan shirt.

BJ Raji is ready for a big season.

Former BC basketball player Jordan Daniels is dealing with the NCAA over eligibility issues. It all started with his preseason games at BC. Donahue is taking the blame for the misunderstanding.

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.

When will the SuperFans grads change the BC Fan culture?

Michigan's attendance issues remain news in the college football world, but this article on Deadspin highlighted something that I think is important to BC Football. The article delves into the supply-demand relationship for sports, but slipped in this regarding student tickets:

"Current students are not that important [to ticket sales], per se," said Dan Rascher, a sports management professor at the University of San Francisco. "But you're trying to turn those current students into former students who are still fans decades later. You want students, when they become alumni, to have that attachment and come back for the games, and that's what's concerning athletic departments."

Despite some issues with basketball and the fairweather nature of any group of fans, BC's has a strong student section for Football. The SuperFans have made supporting BC Football cool for 16 years. However, I don't know if that SuperFan culture has carried over enough to when the SuperFans become Alumni. Now I know the caveats:  the Spaz's years dampened enthusiasm, recent grads move out of New England, recent grads are broke, etc. But even students who endured the Spaz years still have enough high points (bowls, GameDay, Luke Kuechly) to grow the attachment referenced in the Michigan piece.

I think it is that attachment that is missing from all of the pre-SuperFan Alumni. I know a large portion of loyal, older fans were turned off by the DBS, but I think for decades there was a detachment to BC sports. The Flutie runs or the Coughlin moments had a lightning in the bottle feel but otherwise there was an overriding cynicism to our fanbase. Or at least that I what I felt when I first arrived at BC in the mid-90s. The football games were social and the game was really secondary. So when the diehards were driven away, the casual fans didn't backfill because of the detachment.

The oldest SuperFans are creeping towards 40. Even with conflicts like kids or geography, the largest portion of these SuperGrads should still live in the northeast and still have BC in their blood. I know that BC keeps creating opportunities for young alums (GOLD). That's good. Now we just need a few more classes to graduate and then maybe we will have enough people that we can finally fill Alumni consistently. Winning wouldn't hurt either.

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.

BC fans are not teaching our children well

I've read "My Dad Loves Boston College Football" hundreds of times. Any time my son brings it over, I am helpless to resist. Yet today was the first time I realized what a dangerous book it was and how it captures all that is wrong with BC fandom. This cute little children's book is proof that BC's fan issues are "nurture" not nature. Don't believe me? It is right there on the pages. Take a look:

For those who can see the text, it reads: "Before the game starts we set up the tailgate. When I'm cooking with Daddy everything is just great." Harmless, right? Now look closer. If you look at the Upper Deck in the background, you will see that the Alumni is full (or nearly full). And this dad is still out at his tailgate throwing the football around and eating. He doesn't care if he is in the stadium at kickoff and he is teaching his son the same thing.

Now if you think I am overthinking this, check out the next page:

This time the text reads: "We look for our seats with the rest of the crowd. Inside Alumni Stadium it gets really loud." Once again look at the picture. Does it look like most of the crowd is looking for their seats? No, the stadium is full and this Father of the Year is just getting inside. Plus, look at the food and drinks he picked up. That easily delayed him getting to his seats. I am betting it is the Second Quarter by the time he finally sits down. And little Junior is going to think this is how BC fans support their team.

I've been preaching that if we are ever going to change the fan culture around BC it will start with the young SuperFans. Now I've lost hope. If this is what we are reading to them now, I don't know if they will ever learn.

Cameron not so Crazies and what it means for Superfans

Duke's legendary basketball fans -- the Cameron Crazies -- made news this week as fewer and fewer of them are attending basketball games. This trend should raise eyebrows at every private school playing big time sports. At BC it should set off alarms. Duke has a high-profile and historically dominant basketball program with a limited-availability student section. Every current student at Duke was well aware of this experience prior to arriving on campus. If they can't get their kids to come to games, what hope does BC have? This is more than just winning and losing. This is about kids today, current trends and the changing sports culture at private schools.

Gregg Doyel thinks kids are bored. I agree that the sameness of the game day environment is a factor. I know when I was a student a decade ago there was always something going on around campus. Going to a BC sporting event was just one option. Now many of those same options and distractions exist plus a million more entertainment choices. Going to the game -- regardless of the outcome -- might not seem that exciting when you can watch in your room while also playing video games or hanging out or studying or whatever.

There's another theory often mentioned on the BC message boards that is probably applicable to Duke: Nerdification. As both schools continue to raise their academic profile (Duke remains above BC) and continue to become even more exclusive in their admissions, the student body is bound to become more serious and academically focused. While plenty mock nerdification, I am not suggesting BC or any school hold back on bringing in the best and brightest. They just need to understand that those students might not care as much about sports. Current students at Duke and BC are accomplishing incredible things and working very hard. It is no wonder they don't have time to go to games. State schools can offset their nerdification with pure numbers. It is easier to fill a student section when you have 30,000 undergrads.

I don't know Duke well enough to suggestion solutions for them. But BC should realize that winning games is not the only way out of our student malaise. I think the answer is shrinking the student sections and creating some demand for the seats. While I love the Superfan tradition, I think BC needs to do more to educate the new students as they arrive on campus. Being a BC fan is about more than just a yellow t-shirt. Indoctrination about our history and the experience are the way to go. If that doesn't work just tell them they can use game attendance to earn extra credit.

Honoring the original Superfan and other links

For many of us our history as BC fans begins the day we set foot on campus. But there is a long history of diehards that have been bleeding maroon and gold for decades. BC honored one of those diehards last week when they gave Don Croatti the Donlan award. Croatti is one of the founders of the Gridiron Club and a past president of the Varsity Club.

Due to the depth at Shooting Guard, Hoopsworld thinks that Reggie Jackson will fall to the second round. Yet when I see some of the names supposedly ahead of him ( Iman Shumpert? Really?) I think either the analysts are way off or NBA GMs didn't really watch Reggie play.

Here is a good review of the disappointing baseball season and what's ahead.

Around the Res took a deeper look at new verbal commitment Sam Grant.

BC turns to young alums to help ticket sales

Disclaimer: BC doesn't release ticket sales data and trends publicly, so the information I am passing on is second hand for what it is worth.

Ticket Sales for the 2011 Football season are looking terrible. It doesn't take an investigative journalist or a numbers cruncher to tell you that. The empty seats at Conte and Alumni have been issues for years and things are only getting worse. There are multiple factors in play here and not all are unique to BC. With spring football wrapped up, the marketing and ticketing department are in the midst of their football ticket push. With a terrible home slate, they are wisely turning to Young Alumni to help fill the void. This is smart yet risky.

BC pushed this Young Alumni package via Facebook today. They are defining young alums as those who graduated within the last 10 years. Those Superfans can get a season ticket package for $150 and they get to sit next to the current students. That's the smart part. Hit the people with the time to attend games, give them cheap seats that you can't sell and help them make the student section louder. This is the Superfan generation so they are inclined to enjoy the BC football experience.

As I mentioned, this concept does have risk. If the Young Alums gobble up these discounts, it will only mask the real issues. BC's problem is that the older Boston area alums and non alum fans are not buying tickets like they did ten years ago. Is it the schedule, the ability to watch at home, the boring brand of football, the lingering bitterness over donor based seating, or the lack of true tailgating? I would say a little bit of everything. I've hammered the tailgating, schedule and Spaz issues to death, so that leaves us with Marketing. The Young Alumni Campaign proves that BC is willing to reach a specific audience with a specific promotion. Why not start hitting up other groups who may be interested in buying BC tickets but haven't in the past? Target BC parents! Target out of touch alumni in the Boston area! Hit the Boston sports fans who have never given BC a try! This season is going to be a disaster for ticket sales so you might as well try anything. Getting these forgotten or ambivalent sports fans into Alumni is the key.

If the Young Alums buy into the packages it will help BC short term and give the stadium an energy boost. But as I said, that only masks the problem. As other Boston area sports options better understand their potential customer base and ways to grow their market, BC is still churning through BC grads to save the day. We need to think bigger and market differently. Maybe some of the young alumni in BC marketing can use their influence to get BC to think beyond those who already bleed maroon and gold.

Can you make the BC Triple header?

This is a challenge to all current students. If you consider yourself a Super Fan, you must attend the basketball doubleheader at Conte on Saturday and then follow that with an evening of hockey at the Garden.

Why is this important for students? Because, as I've mentioned before, the real world is right around the corner. Wasting your day watching two NIT games and the Hockey East Finals is something that can't be replicated. You will get free tickets. You will get to see BC play a decent Big 10 team! You will be able to say "I was there."

BC's 2011 NIT got off to a rocky start. After beating McNeese State the team endured a hellish series of flights in an effort to get home. They deserve a great home game. Be there to support them.

The BC women's basketball team is always overlooked. I understand. This Saturday is a chance to change that. After the BC men play their game, the women will take over the court. If you simply stay in your seat from earlier in the day, you can give the women the biggest home crowd of the season.

The other day on Twitter, I suggested playing the NIT game in Power Gym. My suggestion was not intended to mock the NIT. It was actually the opposite. I wanted the team to play in Power simply for the novelty. Power is not going to happen but you can do your part to make this unique. Get there early and make noise.

I know the hockey game is not on campus, but it is still accessible. Go to the Garden. This will be your chance to watch the best team on campus do their thing.

The NIT stinks. I know we would all rather be in the Big Dance. But the only redeeming aspect of the NIT are the on campus games. Take advantage of this.

I want the athletes to feel your support, but ultimately it isn't about them. It is about making memories...three of them. Go!!!

Please note: I know Hockey needs to win Friday to advance to Saturday night's game.

Miss Manners: You cheer for and attend BC, not West Virginia

Dear Miss Manners:

I was wondering what your thoughts were about this “First Down...Bitch” chant that has apparently been going around Alumni? As a grad in the class of ’08, we didn’t have stuff like this. It’s not even the profanity, it’s just stupid. The chant is not imaginative. It’s not creative. And it’s dumb. You know at some point BC is going to be losing a game, they’re going to get a first down, and the chant is going to come out. At that point, who cares? Look, I applaud the underclassmen and new Eagles for taking initiative and trying to start some new traditions. And it’s not that I’m offended by the language. I’m offended by stupidity and a lack of creativity, both of which this dumb cheer reeks of.

-- Matt '08

Matt:

You captured the problem with this cheer succinctly. It is neither clever nor creative. What ever points the BC students get for originality is negated by the stupidity of the chant. While you may not be offended by the language, there are sure to be plenty of fans who are. Anyone attending a college football game can expect to hear a few offcolor remarks, but a coordinated and consistent chant -- after every first down no less -- is too much. Boston College has an image and an environment that it protects and projects fiercely. Six thousand Superfans yelling "bitch" is not consistent with that image.

The SuperFan movement was organic and came from passionate students. BC grabbed a hold of it and helped turn a few yellow shirts into a tradition. The "First Down...bitch" is as organic. I expect BC to mute it with the same efficiency they helped the original SuperFans.

I am sure some of the "bitch" yellers will view BC and older fans as humorless or grumpy. What they don't realize is that the thousands of people annoyed by their cheer were once sitting in those same student seats. With time, perspective and a little class, they will realize that the "bitch" cheer doesn't belong at Alumni.

Bringing a horn to the Heights

Watching the World Cup sparked an idea. Next season the Super Fans should start blowing vuvuzelas when the other team is on offense. I know this would annoy most of the stadium. The down in front, whale pants crowd would be in an uproar. But the student section filled with the cheap plastic horns could finally give BC a unique home field advantage. Mississippi State fans bang cow bells all game. This could be our thing...yet with only a more international and obnoxious flair. As the BC's jumbotron used to say "Signal Deafening Noise!"

Words of wisdom for BC students and fans

Photo courtesy of Matt F.

As I was working out the logistics of this weekend, my wife raised a fair question, "didn't you say this was a once in a lifetime opportunity last year?"

I answered quickly, "It was and so is this year!" That's right BC students, you are getting a second chance at a once in a lifetime opportunity. The school is giving you tickets. All you have to do is get down to Tampa. Last year I threw out every solution I could think of short of hitching a ride on a freight train like hobo. Now there are much simpler solutions. Airtran, JetBlue, and Delta all have reasonable rates from Boston to Tampa. In some cases you don't even need a hotel room...you can fly early Saturday morning and and fly back Saturday night. It would be the best $250 you have ever spent.

These adventures are not about the costs. They are about the experiences. As silly as it sounds, it means something to say you were there. Listen to alumni and recent grads. Soon you'll be trying to figure out babysitters or vacation days. The carefree moments are few and far between once you become part of the rat race.

For you seniors, this time next year you'll be sitting in a cube reading about two ACC teams getting ready for the ACC Championship Game. As much as I trust this staff, the odds say that BC won't be one of those teams. If you throw the credit card down and buy a plane ticket, you could witness BC's most important win in 60 years.

Alumni and other members of the BC family, I won't try to guilt trip or prod. I know the dilemmas. If not for calling in a favor or two the Mrs would not be joining me this weekend. That said though, you understand what's on the line and how truly rare these situations are. If you are leaning towards going and live on the East Coast, seriously look into same day flights. Don't miss this chance.

Depending on the schedule, I only get to a game or two a year. I never go to game watches. I am so off kilter and antisocial during some of these games, it's best that I watch them alone. That said, I wouldn't miss this because it is a chance to add my voice to the small chorus cheering on this group of BC Guys. It's also a chance to share an experience with the other faithful.

Last year hurt. As soon as time expired, I was racing for my car. I didn't want to spend another minute in Jacksonville thinking about what could have been. But I never regretted going. If you can get there this Saturday, join us. You will never regret it.

Students step up

BC fans catch a lot of grief. Some of it is deserving. But our student section has been going strong now for ten years. After the ND win an impromptu concert broke out as neither the students nor the band went home. They sang and cheered an additional 30 minutes. Here is some of the video.


When BC ruled the world from Christopher Skillman on Vimeo.

Thanks to Chris S. for the clip.

Go gold

BC wants everyone in their seats and in gold Saturday. Get there early and make some noise for our Eagles. The gold thing is hard to pull off (see below). Yellow is always a good substitute.

Welcome home

Needless to say, campus got a little excited last night. The Mods were packed and word quickly spread about the team's 3:30 AM arrival back on campus. So some passionate students got together and organized an impromptu pep rally. Even the band got out of bed. WE ARE BC!!!


Thanks to Kris C for the pictures.

Fan stuff: Atlanta tailgate and Blaudschun challenge

For those coming to Atlanta this weekend, please join the BC club of Atlanta at a pregame tailgate at Jocks & Jills on 10th street. For more information check out this site.

I've been in the AJC before, but they didn't bother to contact me for this article. Instead all around nice guy and former chapter head Mike Romaniello gets quoted. Mike recently got engaged, so he's on a roll.

Finally, a few people sent me notes about Mark Blaudschun's comments on BC fans in this article. For those who don't want to read the whole thing, here are the important quotes:

BC's 2-0 start has caught the attention of the voters in the polls. The Eagles made their initial appearance in the AP Top 25 at No. 21, and went from 25 to 19 in the coaches poll.

But what to make of the BC fans, who continue to arrive late and leave early?

If you want Top 25 respect, you have to act like a Top 25 program on the field and in the stands.

I don't care for Blaudschun but I understand what he is getting at. BC fans should do a better job staying for the whole game. The crowds have been good so far this year, but there is no reason to leave until the final whistle. I still think there is a mix of old BC fans who are more concerned with tailgating and traffic. I applaud the younger alumni and students who are doing a great job showing up, making noise and staying for the whole game. I've written about this before, but I think that as the Super Fans graduate the culture of BC sports will continue to change and change for the better. Me and many students mocked the SuperFans when they started 11 years ago, but we were wrong and part of the old BC mindset. The SuperFans are the future and are setting a great example.