Ask the AD....

[Bytor]

Some have been left fustrated with the lack of response from our AD, so here is the lastest Q/A from Angelos - Dated June 7.


Question from Justin
Why can every other D1 school afford facilities except ours? What takes so long? I graduated in 02' and what has been done in five years? A track.

UCF, FIU all shovels in the ground and the only thing were doing is revamping a dilapidated arena. It's embarrassing. Every six months the board of trustees just puts it off. Why can't we just have answer yesterday not in November, May, August, November, May, August, etc...

Something needs to be done in August. Once and for all.

We have nothing to be proud about at all. It's taken ten years for the board of trustees to decide we need a stadium. I don't like pointing the finger Mr. Angelos because I feel you've done a great job as an AD but whose fault is this? Not coach Cooney, not Schnelly, not Rex.

This is South Florida, people don't go anywhere until it's built, and to have this much fan support for a program that plays in our facilities is a feat in its own. The Marlins won the WORLD SERIES and average 15,000 fans in the regular season.


Response from Craig Angelos

Justin:
Thank you very much for the email. I do agree with your general frustration on the inability to move faster with regard to building a stadium on campus.

As you know, we are entering our sixth year of football, I have been trying to move with this KUD project on the stadium since January of 2005. It was moving pretty briskly but then hit a brick wall about 12 months ago and it has taken time to overcome those hurdles. We have had some success with our facilities improvements in my four years with the building of the new track and field stadium and also the renovating of our basketball arena for $10 million. I agree that the football stadium has to be the focus of the university if we expect our program to grow.

I am confident that we are moving in the right direction. We have some great coaches, we have raised a lot of money to be able to balance a budget for the second time in a row but there are indeed challenges with programs of this size that have very young athletic programs with limited interest from the student body and community and set down here in the Florida marketplace. I have to keep reminding myself that the University of Florida has been playing football for over 100 years and a lot of these challenges that they faced were back in the early 1900's rather than in the early 2000's. Nevertheless, I think we are progressing well and have a real shot to be successful but I believe wholeheartedly that we need to get this stadium built and then I think the momentum really will pick up.

I really appreciate your support and share your frustration but I know that we will eventually get this done.

Take care,
Craig

[illinoisowl]

I guess what bothers me most is this comment:

limited interest from the student body and community

We've been dealing with this since day 1. Hopefully it will get better. I can say I have been to 100% of the games that I could get to. Namely all the games played in Illinois (2). I do plan on attending the Kentucky game this year.

[Bytor]

illinoisowl said:

I guess what bothers me most is this comment:

limited interest from the student body and community

We've been dealing with this since day 1. Hopefully it will get better. I can say I have been to 100% of the games that I could get to. Namely all the games played in Illinois (2). I do plan on attending the Kentucky game this year.

It is something that we have been trying to improve since day one, but things are starting to change - slowly.

I still remember what the "Bury the burrow" in red did in creating some excitement on campus, which reiterates why we need an on-campus stadium now - heck, playing the spring game at the new track set-up a great atmosphere as well. We just need to find a way to build on those things to keep the momentum going.

[BMarkey]

If FAU did a bit more than putting up garage sale-type signs on game days, maybe there would be more interest. Will FAU sports ever be professionally and effectively marketed?

Simply following the lead of many posters here would be a good start to improved marketing.

[owlcountry]

bmarkey said:

If FAU did a bit more than putting up garage sale-type signs on game days, maybe there would be more interest. Will FAU sports ever be professionally and effectively marketed?

A couple of us are in discussions with Athletics in an attempt to improve marketing next year.

For instance, now that we have the "Basketball Game Tonight" banner paid for and available to use over by the Burrow (if anybody actually SEES that) we should really focus on getting big banners that say something to the tune of "GAME NIGHT * wear red * The Burrow * 7 pm" for the dorm lobbies (since most people who attend the games are on-campus residents) and then the same kind of banner for the Breezeway, in that order.

But banners and flyers and university-wide emails are passive marketing; to truly be successful the university needs students to get out word-of-mouth and generate excitement that way. So we're also talking to the Rowdy Rexes, for instance, to see how we can make some noise on campus before the games.

It's a start.

[fauowls44]

The Rowdy Rexes idea is a good one. One of the main problems with students has been that they just don't know when the games are. I think having the mascot walking around campus with a sign all day on game days, maybe giving out red t-shirts or even game tickets would really help and it is so easy(and cheap) to do. Maybe get the Rowdy's to do the same. I bet that alone would get an extra 50-100 students to the games, probably a lot more.

How about sending the mascot to the mall or the shops across the street on game days with 100 tickets and handing them out to people who are actually interested. Maybe have a sign that says "Hoot if you want tickets for tonight" and then have them hoot as loud as they can into megaphone or something. Kids would love it. Maybe the people use the tickets, maybe they don't but it would certainly get people's attention. If even 10 people use the tickets, it's 10 more people then you had before.

There are lots of good, cheap ways to advertise if they are willing to put a little effort into it. Having one sign at the front of campus is a start, but it's not nearly enough. you actually have to go to the students and fans and tell them there is a game and you want them to be there. It's a good product. Once people get in, they'll want to come back.

[fauowl]

It's great to hear good ideas coming from this board. It amazes me that we don't hear many ideas from the FAU marketing department. The talent exists within the student body. Why don't we have internships for marketing majors and come up with programs that benefit the marketing students and the university. You could almost have an "Apprentice" atmosphere. Whatever marketing major comes up with the best marketing plan for FAU athletics with a reasonable budget, gets some scholarship money for a semester...or however they want to set that up. Give each of the top 10 submissions one basketball game (for example) to work their plan. The marketing majors would have the students to consult with for ideas, etc. The talent is there, let's use it to our advantage. Maybe with all the hype and attention we increase our fan base by a couple hundred or so.

[fauowls44]

Well if anyone knows anyone over at the athletic department or marketing department feel free to pass along my suggestions. They can take credit for them, all I want is a great atmosphere at the Burrow and the football games.

The main problem with the marketing the Owls do now is that they do everything on a very tight budget, but there are cheap and and effective ways to advertise with what they already have. Something as simple as having the mascot and cheerleaders running around campus on game days or the week of football games with signs about the game and free red t-shirts doesn't cost much. I guarantee if they did that every game, student attendance would increase 25% at least.

[Talon]

I like the ideas and think you guys are right on. The apprentice or internship thing is a great idea. The Scholly money is very attractive and it can be open to all students. give these guys an opportunity and we may all be surprised. School of business could use that in a marketing class for a grade. That might not be a bad idea for the Angelos Blog

[CanadianOwl]

or just contact the marketing director...

Dextor LaMont
[e-mail]
561-297-2953

[Bytor]

I always hate to hear the words about lack of funds is the reason why there is not much marketing - it's that type of thinking that will ALWAYS result in LACK OF funds to exist.

Just the few example above would cost very little to implement and when you have little to work with, just requires more effort and creativity, but you have to have something to help generate interest, it doesn't happen by itself.

[illinoisowl]

Latest from "Ask the AD". Craig Angelos came out of hiding.

This is good news. I thought fund rasing efforts have been on-going. Apparently they haven't. They just got approval to start.

fausports.cstv.com/ot/ask-ad-responses.html




Ask The AD With Craig Angelos

June 25, 2007



Question from Tom
I am like many others looking forward to a stadium on campus. Us older graduates waited a long time for a football team to support and rally around. Are there plans for fund-raising drives to help the stadium along? A second question: Am I correct in saying that with an on-campus stadium, even a temporary one, funds can flow into the Athletic Department instead of out to rent other stadiums?


Response from Athletics Director Craig Angelos
Tom:
Thank you for the email. With regard to plans for fundraising for the stadium, we have recently received permission to start raising money to get this stadium off the ground. We have been approaching donors for naming rights as well as naming four pillars around the stadium and a clock tower. This inventory and our fundraising effort will continue to expand as the stadium gets formally approved. The momentum is about to pick up.

With regard to revenues flowing through the athletic department once we get on campus, that will be true to the extent that we will increase ticket sales, keep all of our parking and concession revenues and avoid paying any kind of rental costs for the stadium. With regard to money generated through naming rights, premium seating, and signage, most likely that will go towards funding a stadium.

Nevertheless, I believe once the stadium is formally approved and subsequently built that will signal a real tipping point for this athletic department.

Thanks for your support,
Craig

[Florida_Owl]

came out of hiding and answered a VERY "friendly" question...

at least is was positive in response...2010 better happen, or he may not have a job!

[fauowl]

floridaowl said:

came out of hiding and answered a VERY "friendly" question...

at least is was positive in response...2010 better happen, or he may not have a job!

If it doesn't happen in 2010, he won't want this job.

[Talon]

I was on the FIU board and found this interview MC had with Sports Extra. Interesting thing is what his answer is to the question of the stadium and recruiting


vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2039485270

BOT and Admin need to see this and maybe they will understand the urgency of the stadium. The whole thing with Lockhart is an embarrassment for the program, but they will wait until they absolutely are forced into a decision - what leadership.

What we are trying to do isn't anything new. As a matter of fact we are almost duplicating UCF's plan. Sun Sentinel has some pretty good clips on what they are up to.