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All,
I have come to the realization that I can't donate to this football program anymore. Anybody else stop this year?
Your giving to the athletic department not just FB.
I did this about four years ago.But my problem is with football and how the department is run in general. Football is the only revenue generator. I don't know how they get the message otherwise.
But my problem is with football and how the department is run in general. Football is the only revenue generator. I don't know how they get the message otherwise.
I was approximately a year ahead of you. 2014 was my last year to give to the BRAA or buy season tickets.I did this about four years ago.
This is a dumb thread.
First off I do not work for the university and have not even donated to the BRAA for next year yet (and may not). Second I think the problem is with the fans and with the administration. Fans should not come first. Winning should come first and then the fans will come. I only said the thread is dumb because it is literally about a person not donating and other people saying they stopped years ago. Clearly people stopping donating has not worked, but everyone has the right to not donate if they choose. Just seems like not donating or going to games has become some sort of badge of honor on here.It's a real thread. You live inside the program. We live on the outside of it. What I get for my money no longer matches up as a value for me. I stopped donating and buying season tix myself this year. I have been a MT fan for nearly 40 years. I had regularly attended most games (home and away) for over 25 years. This year, I won't be doing that. I'll be going to a couple games but that's it. Either we are the problem or they (the admin) are. When die hards walk out, it's time to get real as a program and look into the mirror. I don't judge anyone for leaving or not donating. If they (the admin) want donors and fans, they gotta step up their game and put the fans first. They don't do that and they live in their own bubble. There is a huge disconnect and it's becoming more obvious each season.
First off I do not work for the university and have not even donated to the BRAA for next year yet (and may not). Second I think the problem is with the fans and with the administration. Fans should not come first. Winning should come first and then the fans will come. I only said the thread is dumb because it is literally about a person not donating and other people saying they stopped years ago. Clearly people stopping donating has not worked, but everyone has the right to not donate if they choose. Just seems like not donating or going to games has become some sort of badge of honor on here.
rcodeman I seriously do not mean to disparage you at all. I think you are really trying to figure out what can be done to change things. I can see where saying a thread you started is dumb is disparaging you and for that I apologize.
First off I do not work for the university and have not even donated to the BRAA for next year yet (and may not). Second I think the problem is with the fans and with the administration. Fans should not come first. Winning should come first and then the fans will come. I only said the thread is dumb because it is literally about a person not donating and other people saying they stopped years ago. Clearly people stopping donating has not worked, but everyone has the right to not donate if they choose. Just seems like not donating or going to games has become some sort of badge of honor on here.
rcodeman I seriously do not mean to disparage you at all. I think you are really trying to figure out what can be done to change things. I can see where saying a thread you started is dumb is disparaging you and for that I apologize.
My wife and I have been BRAA members for over 20 years. If it weren't for my passion for MT we probably would have stopped long ago. I work in a retail business setting where customer service and appreciation is imperative. At MT this has been lacking so much that even I have considered stopping our donation. It has sadly become comical.
Simple things that make people feel appreciated just don't happen. For example, we don't give to be recognized, but still it is nice if they get it right. In fact, getting it wrong is kind of a slap in the face. In the program listings of BRAA donors one year they left us out. Another, they simply listed our first names. For our 15th year of giving, they gave us a nice certificate. For #20, only a handshake.
We have the impression that we are an afterthought. Our donation isn't huge so thank you for what you give and move on.
This year "we renewed", yet got an email saying we "had not". My wife called and they said that they "did" have our renewal on file. A few days later, they call me at work telling me "we haven't" renewed. Seriously?
I realize it is a revolving door there, but at some point the administration needs to wake up and realize this is an area that needs investment and improvements. I don't expect anyone to kiss my rear for the megar donation I make, but I would like for them to appreciate it and get my name right in the program for goodness sake.
Obviously we are still giving but such a mistake might drive others away - especially happening more than once. If this happened to me more than once, I wonder what else is happening to others?
Yes, the huge donors are needed and definitely wanted. Yet it is vital to treat everyone with great respect. In my business we would rather have a multitude of small investors instead of one large one. I am not sure what we have at MT, but I do know that people who have been passionate are losing that fire. In a period of changing times, we are marred in mediocrity and apathy. If you have someone who cares, whether they give $20 or $20,000 at least show you appreciate it and do the simple things that let them know it.
I don't care one bit about the Admin. I care about the teams. I do not care if the Admin cares about me. I just want them to put the best people in the positions to help the teams win. I don't need them to provide me anything more than that really. When I go to a store I look for the best product not the best marketing department. You can argue they are far from providing the best product possible, but I don't go to games or follow a team for promotions or reaching out to me to make me feel good. So the Athletic Department as a whole is not a marketing department. First priority for the AD should be to hire the right people to put the best product on the field. The BRAA is more into marketing and donor relations and they need to do better. I think the issue is the "customer" cares more about people making them feel good and that they matter than getting a good product. I don't need the BRAA to reach out to me and pat my back to make me feel good about myself or my giving. The coaching, recruiting, marketing, etc. does need to be better at MTSU, but I do not think the fans should be the top priority of the Athletic Department as a whole. Definitely not the top priority of the coaches.So you say fans should not come first so the question now becomes... "If the Admin doesn't give a sh!t about us, why should I or anyone give a sh!t about them?" That literally is the question now and the answer is people aren't giving a sh!t. That's the hardcore reality. If I was in that dept., that's the fist thing I tell everyone. The number one priority of a marketing program is to communicate effectively to a customer that they (the customer) matters. If the customer doesn't, then why should the customer give a sh!t? They won't. Why is this hard? It's almost hilarious. This is why you have 9k per game. SMH.
I don't care one bit about the Admin. I care about the teams. I do not care if the Admin cares about me. I just want them to put the best people in the positions to help the teams win. I don't need them to provide me anything more than that really. When I go to a store I look for the best product not the best marketing department. You can argue they are far from providing the best product possible, but I don't go to games or follow a team for promotions or reaching out to me to make me feel good. So the Athletic Department as a whole is not a marketing department. First priority for the AD should be to hire the right people to put the best product on the field. The BRAA is more into marketing and donor relations and they need to do better. I think the issue is the "customer" cares more about people making them feel good and that they matter than getting a good product. I don't need the BRAA to reach out to me and pat my back to make me feel good about myself or my giving. The coaching, recruiting, marketing, etc. does need to be better at MTSU, but I do not think the fans should be the top priority of the Athletic Department as a whole. Definitely not the top priority of the coaches.
JT just nailed my feelings. Well played, sir.They aren't winning championships on the field so they aren't delivering. They aren't delivering on marketing or on the experience so they aren't delivering there either. They aren't delivering on building new revenue streams in an ever changing economy so there's that. I'm glad you're happy. I was once like you. Now, I'm tired and don't care enough to throw money at a problem with no solution.
We'll see what happens this fall.
They aren't winning championships on the field so they aren't delivering. They aren't delivering on marketing or on the experience so they aren't delivering there either. They aren't delivering on building new revenue streams in an ever changing economy so there's that. I'm glad you're happy. I was once like you. Now, I'm tired and don't care enough to throw money at a problem with no solution.
We'll see what happens this fall.