BRAA Donation
- Thread starter rcodeman
- Start date
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.
Well, quit. That seems would a good number of people here do. All it takes is an email or a phone call.
Not giving is about the opposite of helping the problem. I give because its the school I loved going to and I do what I can to support the school, not because they dont do things exactly how I think they should.
I was approximately a year ahead of you. 2014 was my last year to give to the BRAA or buy season tickets.
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.
Only to an idiot who doesn’t listen to his customers.
I've donated for nearly 10 years, basically since I graduated MT. I just don't want to give them the money. I worked with BRAA board. Nobody listens. It's we have this idea and that's all. I had several suggestions I sent them, and anytime somebody on here said something that I thought was a good idea I passed it along to them. I sent about 10 different emails as well as attending meetings. Never heard a thing about if they'd try this or try that. So I gave it about a year and a half working on that. I wrote a letter to them why I am not donating, which will probably go into the trash anyway.
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.
That's no problem. I honestly mean what I say. I didn't make the decision lightly. I don't think its a badge of honor that we don't go to games in fact if I lived there I would go.
It's just a matter of I see my money going to something, and I don't like the direction and I can't do anything about it. I've given money to the school. I've given back to the school, and I appreciate what the school did for me, but I'm not giving them money because I have to. I will donate because I want to. I don't want to donate any more. We've been over why, but I just think there's such a disconnect between people who actually want to help and want to do something for the program and the department. I'm not there everyday to bridge the gap, if I could I would, but honestly its not our job to do that.
I tried to make a difference I.E. join BRAA Board and then I offer suggestions, and to help and I was not once asked to do anything other than show up to events that I geographically can't attend. I understand I don't live in Murfreesboro anymore, but I'd do anything they'd ask to help. I'd donate my time. Anybody can donate money that takes the stroke of a pen or sliding a card. I don't think I am alone on this, but even us die hard fans see the writing on the wall when it comes to football, and that's 65% of my interest in the athletic department.
I doubt it does anything but just make us as fans look bad, but to me when you are an alumni who donates you are not just a fan. You have a connection to the school. You paid the school for your education and time there. You pay the school after you graduate in donations. (Receiving no tax break anymore!) Why shouldn't you demand better? Why shouldn't you be allowed to occasionally voice that? It's not like I am here bashing somebody like McDevitt whose been here one season. You know what you have with Stockstill and that's no longer acceptable to me. Period. I didn't dig the hole that is his contract. I didn't agree with the contract. There's about 10-15 in country that deserve that contract, and I'd say all of them have more than a shared conference title.
This is a never ending cycle on this message board of this discussion and with this department. All of this has already been said in not so many words. I will support the school, but I will not give another cent until a change is made.
rcodeman is spot on. His story is very similar to mine. We all deserve better. And until major changes are made, we aren’t going to get it.
Sad.
Sad.
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.
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 did receive a call this week about them scheduling a dinner with myself and my wife when they come to Dallas and play N. Texas. So it appears they are trying to reach out to people. Nothing is perfect by any stance. However, you have to support your deal no matter. We didn’t attend/ graduate from TN or wherever so support and build as best as you can one day at a time. What we need is a core group of restructuring personnel to develop fund raising and building relational equity with alums.
Michael David Blackburn is being paid more than anyone who ever held the position. ($140,000 annually)
Lansden and Farley were both more visible and engaging than the last two guys who run/ran the BRAA.
Lansden and Farley were both more visible and engaging than the last two guys who run/ran the BRAA.
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.
This is a brilliant summary of the core problems that exist. When great folks like this valuable fan is saying this, the dept. and BRAA dang well better listen.
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.
That is a fair point and people can think they should do more on the marketing side. I am just saying for me I really do not care about that as much. Sure it would be nice, but I would much rather them concentrate on winning than anything else. Should be able to walk and chew gum at the same time of course. I just think not donating is not hurting the Admin near as much as the programs and that is why I choose to still donate. Wish things were different.
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.
Never said I was happy with the performance on the field. Pretty sure I said all of those things need to be better. I really wish people would start reading everything I say and not get hung up on one thing.
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