Maryland pushing for alcohol sales; when should BC try?

Maryland is the latest college sports program exploring alcohol sales at football and basketball games. Their logic -- like the other schools that have implemented similar programs -- is that the stadium sales increases revenue and decreases binge drinking. Current ACC schools, Miami, Syracuse and Louisville sell alcohol at events. At what point should BC try this?

The limited and restrictive nature of tailgating at BC games is a common complaint. The school also dislikes the late arriving crowd. Would serving beers and wine in Alumni make people happy and get fans to their seats on time? What sort of revenue boost would it provide? BC probably has some preliminary data from the UMass game at Gillette last season.

The local neighborhoods might object to giving BC a liquor license, but any reduction in tailgating might sway the approval boards. We've tried all sorts of other measures. Why not this?

Bates is right and wrong

Brad Bates issued another "letter" from the AD desk, this time regarding the game day experience. I applaud him for the series and reaching out to share his thoughts. I also appreciate the renovations in Alumni. However, I think he and many of his fellow sports leaders are missing the boat on the competition for the game day experience. Watching the game is better at home and it is cheaper. That will never be the competition. That is people's default. But better replay and easier parking, or even cheaper tickets are not the answer to getting people to the game. Getting people to the game is about experiences you cannot get at home.

That is why the band is important. That is why tailgating is critical. That is why having traditions like the Eagle or getting your picture with Baldwin makes a difference. Running on the field after the game is something you cannot do if you stay home. Social media is great but nothing beats the communal experience of watching a tense game with thousands of like-minded people. If you want people to pay extra and make the effort, remind them of what is unique about seeing a game live. Replays and parking and even food need to be good. The stuff you cannot duplicate at home needs to be great. Then people will come. Then they will feel they are part of something.

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.

Are Hospitality Venues the answer to BC's gameday problems?

To his credit, Brad Bates introduced a new concept for Boston College home football games. This fall, BC will have three Hospitality Venues where fans can eat, drink and watch other games prior to our kickoff. It is like the Plex pregame only in more spaces and with a bigger emphasis on food and drinks. The price will be vary by location and range from $150 to $180 for the season. This is a nice effort, but is it enough?

The good news about all of this is Bates championing new ideas and new approaches. These venues might not catch on, but at least he is trying something. I also like the varied locations. Having options in different parts of campus enables more people to attend and spreads the pregame crowds out a bit. They currently tend to congregate on the tradition areas on Lower Campus (Mods, Shea, Garages,etc). I also think the pricing is fair. $30 a head (plus drinks) is close to what you would pay for a share of a parking spot and food at a full tailgate.

But the challenge with the idea and my fear as to whether or not it will catch on is demand. Currently a large portion of our season ticket holders want better tailgating and have tailgating options. Because this is a season pass concept, this is competing with those tailgating experiences. I am not on campus much for gamedays but I've never gotten the sense that the Plex pregame was so popular that it needed three similar set ups. The other aspect that might pose a challenge is the season pass concept. This sort of venue seems ideal for the casual fan or once a year fan who doesn't have a regular tailgate. I imagine they can adjust and offer one-time passes if that demand arises.

I don't know if this idea will catch on but I applaud the approach and effort. BC needs to try something new and Bates approach seems to be one of listening and adjusting. With this approach, we will eventually fix gamedays.

Can Tailgating give the Spring Game the attendance boost it needs?

Select Flynn Fund members will be allowed to tailgate on the surface lots next Saturday during the Spring Game. At other schools that is not a big deal. For BC to actively market tailgating to their most loyal customers is a sign of change.

This is a great opportunity for BC fans, but also comes with a responsibility. If we want to see the tailgating rules and environment change during Football season, we need to take advantage of these types of commitments from BC. Fans need to turn out next week, tailgate and be as cooperative with BC with regards to clean up and getting into the game.

The game might be exciting too. Based on the second scrimmage, it sounds like the team is improving. Addazio is also trying to create some incentives for the players, so that the game has a little more meaning.

If Addazio can split BC into 2 teams, he said he wants to have a victory meal (prime rib) and a loser meal (hot dogs and beans) to have fun.
— Greg Joyce (@GJoyce9) April 13, 2013

I always try to use the Spring Game as a looking glass into the team's future. Maybe this year it is a glimpse of the changing Athletic Department.

Tailgating at Duke, LSU and other links

Tailgating is on my mind with the recent news out of Duke. The school, which has permitted a student tailgate since 2003, canceled the event just in time for the BC game. The reason for the shutdown was a incident of underage drinking prior to last week's Virginia game. BC's never had any sort of sanctioned student tailgate, but the Mods served as the defacto substitute. I have not been on campus the past two years, but I've been told the pregame scene at the Mods has been subdued because of the fences, more IDing and apathy around the football program.

The converse of the BC/Duke experience is life in SEC country and no game day is more infamous than LSU games in Baton Rouge. To get a great feel of what it is like read this account from BC's own Andrew Sharp. Andrew captures the sort of awe any BC fan might have the first time he or she experiences the intensity of an SEC tailgate. I know we are not about to allow Winnebagos and huge grill/smoker combos on Lower Campus, but the lesson is that BC can do more to embrace the tailgate scene.

Former Eagle Robert Ziminski died in a car accident over the weekend. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

David Glenn looks at our basketball team but starts with a discussion of Al Skinner. I think he is right that Al Skinner wouldn't have been fired under the same circumstances 12 years ago. But in college basketball's new environment the head coach needs to be a marketer and a coach.

BC has interest in Florida prospect Juwan Caesar.

NC State has followed BC in offering a scholarship to Worcester WR Canaan Severin.

BC target Colin Thompson is also picking up more offers.

"Eagles take flight" (literally)

Last spring at the Matt Ryan cocktail party here in Atlanta, Gene held a Q&A with alumni. Inspired by Auburn's pregame ritual, fellow Eagle, Ted Hodan made a great suggestion to have a live eagle circle Alumni Stadium before games. Ted felt that a stunning tradition, like Auburn's, might motivate tailgaters to get to their seats on time. At the time, Gene casually brushed off the suggestion as silly [Eds note: Ted said "he acted like it was a terrible idea"]. Well Gene must of had a change of heart since BC has enlisted Challenger the Bald Eagle to perform his pregame flight prior to the Notre Dame game.

Challenger is a regular at NFL and MLB games throughout the year. Hopefully his flight is as cool as it sounds. If the response is positive and people get to their seats, I think we should get our own live eagle for every game.

Where to begin with attendance?

photos courtesy of Andrew K


Editor's Preface: First let me state that I am not a season ticket holder. I haven’t been one since I was a student. If you transported my current life and situation to Boston, I would probably be a season ticket holder but wouldn’t attend all the games because of the kids.


BC has a real attendance problem and I am not sure if there is a simple explanation or a simple solution. First let’s recognize that the economy is a major issue everywhere. College teams all across the country are falling well short of sellouts. Just look at TCU. They are a Top 10 private school with a nice history in a major metropolitan area and cannot fill their small stadium. I also think the growing and improving TV options dampens ticket demand? 10 years ago, the BC-CMU game wouldn’t have been on TV. If you wanted to see it, you would have to go to Alumni. Now there is ESPN U to cover the game. But even with the economy, the lackluster schedule, the weather issues, Halloween, a better TV experience, and all the other excuses that contribute to the attendance issues, there are two major factors that BC must address this offseason. Those issues are:

1. The fans that no longer attend games due to donor-based seating
2. The fans that no longer attend due to the diminished tailgating experience


Donor-based seating. BC hasn’t released stats around donor-based seating and its impact on sales. I’ve heard varied reports on the effect from as few as 500 tickets that were not renewed in some capacity to as many as 3,000 tickets that were not transferred in some capacity. Regardless of the true total, BC needs to spend some time this offseason and reach out to the people who gave up their tickets. Even if it is only 10 people, those are 10 people that BC could still use. At one point the previous ticket holders cared enough about BC football to have season tickets. We can get them back. We are still producing good football and have likable guys. It is an easier sell to say sorry and we want you back to a previous ticket holder than getting Boston-area fans to experience BC sports for the first time. You need as many season ticket holders as possible so that there is consistent demand regardless of the opponent. The shrunken season ticket holder base leaves more to the general public and allows more fans to pick and choose which games they will buy and attend.

Game day experience. BC has done a lot in things to make Saturdays more fun. There is the Eagle Walk. There are things for kids. There is are new bookstore and places to eat and shop. But the recurring comment I hear is that the tailgating policies are so restrictive and enforced with such cold and uncompromising zeal that it is a turn off to new and old fans. I am sure BC has good reasons for what they are doing and how they enforce policies, but they need to work on execution. And they need to spend offseason time reaching out to tailgaters. Listen to their complaints and explain why things are the way they are. Emails and letters are great communication tools to the masses but tone and touch can get lost in the delivery. Getting all the tailgaters on campus during the offseason in a "thank you" environment will help. It may also lead to some new ideas and solutions to tailgating policies.

I am disappointed that BC doesn't fill Alumni for any and all opponents. I don't think it makes a difference in the results on the field, but I do think the kids deserve a full stadium and I do think getting more people passionate about BC football is a good thing for the university. When there are so many factors, you need to start with one and work on it and for the Athletic Department it is not about commercials or promotions or any other gimmick. This offseason should be about thanking their current and former loyal customers and asking "how can we do it better."