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"We got to do a better job of reaching our fans," Massaro said. "We got to make the games more fun to attend and we got several ideas we're trying to queue up this year."
yawn
Several years ago I tried to dig up some articles from the time around when we made a change in ADs. Never could find on line the articles I was looking for. I seem to remember attendance and ticket sales were a big issue in selecting an AD and here we are 14 years later...
So a couple of things stood out to me here...
- only 4,200 season ticket holders last year, way down from when we did our 'Behind the Curtain' series just a couple of years ago. Almost a 2K drop. Yikes...
- only to 5,811 tickets scanned for the CUSA Championship game. Absolutely pathetic...
- the lowest attended regular season game was Homecoming. That screams something is wrong!
- only 4,200 season ticket holders last year, way down from when we did our 'Behind the Curtain' series just a couple of years ago. Almost a 2K drop. Yikes...
- only to 5,811 tickets scanned for the CUSA Championship game. Absolutely pathetic...
- the lowest attended regular season game was Homecoming. That screams something is wrong!
this...This...THIS....
My biggest complaint is Game Day Experience. Our GDE is god awful. I don't think you could make a plan for boredom and follow it to the T to make it any worse. Sure, I want to win and win more but for me and the stage of life I'm in I want bang for the buck. I can just as easily check my phone to see if we won and go about my business. As I have said in a previous post, that is where I'm at. Do I re up my season tix to sit there while MT trots out McPhee and his wife with Her blue hat and shake the hands of the equestrian dance team? I do not want to see that. How could a marketing dept ( or whoever dept ) be so lame? They just don't care and then want to whine when no one come to watch that crap. I have been buying up to 7 season tix for years. The past two years it has dropped down to just TWO. I can't persuade anyone to come back so I was just giving the othe 5 away at the gate.
I LOVE watching Blue Raider Football but I want a half ass game day experience. Massaro...at least try or get out of the way.
Heck, Give me a white horse leading the team out of the tunnel, Thunderstruck, beer garden, and some one with a mic and enthusiasm and I'll call that a start. What will we get?????
In the immortal words of Space Raider.....Yawn...
Massaro needs to go or be forced to retire. I was over it when we released the b ball signees with no restrictions
This news is the Gettysburg of the 1-A experiment and the coach and AD have completely ran the ship. Into an iceberg.
I think anything they do at this point is rearranging deck chairs.
Murfreesboro is a terrible college town.
I think anything they do at this point is rearranging deck chairs.
Murfreesboro is a terrible college town.
Murfreesboro is a terrible college town and MTSU is a big reason why but so is the city of Murfreesboro. I have never been to a campus that has so little around it as far as restaurants, bars,and cool retail. Those type of things keep students around, which would also mean they would more likely to go to a sporting event, which in turns increases the chance that they will come to games as alumni. Instead we have a suitcase campus.
It should not be that hard for the city and MTSU to work together to incentivise private development around campus to create the cool environments we see at other schools. Specifically around Greenland Drive and Mid TN Blvd across from the stadium, down Old Lascassas Hwy. The East Main area from Mid TN Blvd to S Rutherford. All they have to do is create a zoning overlay like they are doing for the Bottoms area now. It would guide development the way it's needs to be to create a cool area. They could also give real estate tax breaks to developers to encourage more development. I think the taxpayers would get a good return in the long run if done properly.
Instead the whole area has been pretty much stagnant, other than The Boulevard being built. One of the reasons why, is because MTSU buys up so much land around the campus that developers don't ever have the chance to do anything. MTSU will by a parcel and will sit on it forever and do nothing. The empty lot next to the little retail strip next to Far East is one example. That lot could be a bar or restaurant. A place for current students to hangout and make fond memories, instead it's an empty lot.
MTSU doesn't need to be spreading out. It needs to go taller and denser instead.
I offer simple one word advice: “Excellence”. It’s not about being/having fun. It’s not more flimsy halftime or television time out gimmicks. It’s not how many appearances on the field made by Dr McPhee or Mrs McPhee. Or whoever is "official” sponsor of smile cam or pizza of Blue Raider Athletics. It’s simply about excellence needed to earn championships or contend and be strong in academics to build tradition and leadership for the world. Frankly, I had more fun watching Tennessee Tech and OVC opponents throughout the eighties and nineties (win or lose) when compared to what I’ve seen in 2018 and recent past. We are not getting it done. Instead, we continuously send the message of “We competed. Perhaps next year. Great job guys.” when the football record is 6-6 or 7-5 with no real expectation of achieving better.
That said, MT is an FBS university. We do not act like an FBS university in our culture. The game day atmosphere seems like D-II event or even a high school event sponsored by TSSAA. It’s about developing a championship mentality and cultivating school spirit and pride in an excellent manner. It’s about having a first class media network production, not a third rate production on a sub channel, web site app, or have flagship radio broadcast on a station that cannot reach much beyond the Murfreesboro city limit at night. Our facilities need freshening up today; ours is beginning to show wear and age. The bottom line is we do not display excellence on many fronts. And, that disease is (or has) spreading to people who carry themselves representing the university and selling our great university in too many cases. Success and excellence must matter first and foremost! Actual attendance numbers are quite embarrassing and is a symptom of great apathy. We have to clean up culture or find people who can give this university superior leadership it needs to get better.
Our leadership needs to make MT athletics first class in word and in deed because we are True Blue! Our alumni need to see progress not regression.
That said, MT is an FBS university. We do not act like an FBS university in our culture. The game day atmosphere seems like D-II event or even a high school event sponsored by TSSAA. It’s about developing a championship mentality and cultivating school spirit and pride in an excellent manner. It’s about having a first class media network production, not a third rate production on a sub channel, web site app, or have flagship radio broadcast on a station that cannot reach much beyond the Murfreesboro city limit at night. Our facilities need freshening up today; ours is beginning to show wear and age. The bottom line is we do not display excellence on many fronts. And, that disease is (or has) spreading to people who carry themselves representing the university and selling our great university in too many cases. Success and excellence must matter first and foremost! Actual attendance numbers are quite embarrassing and is a symptom of great apathy. We have to clean up culture or find people who can give this university superior leadership it needs to get better.
Our leadership needs to make MT athletics first class in word and in deed because we are True Blue! Our alumni need to see progress not regression.
Whether temporary or not, football is not sustainable right now. The people who care about this program are being washed out with transplants. We could leverage the massive new population but for the most part their minds are made. How many times have I seen a blue shirt or hat only to be UK.
That's not the main problem. It's our massive alumni base not giving a flip. Basketball is our best hope.
That's not the main problem. It's our massive alumni base not giving a flip. Basketball is our best hope.
We need a dynamic President. Plenty out there for a school with 25,000 students. We need a leader that can re-build our alumni base. Its that simple.
Our new board? Although, they have been kind of disappointing thus far as they and McPhee were powerless with the whole law school fiasco.
The Board a few months back gave McPhee a five contract. The only consolation out of that is is that is shorter than our football coach...
McPhee and Massaro are both problematic... we see this decline in the football program and obviously changes need to be made but no one will do anything. Get ready for even fewer butts in seats next year
These people just don't understand the concept of breathing new life into a program. Sometimes you just need a new president, athletic director, and coach literally for the sake of change.
It's bad enough they could all be fired for lack of production, it's even worse when you see everything going down the drain and nobody's even making an effort to turnover the administration.
This is why government control of things doesn't work. There is no accountability. If this were a free-market capitalist company where McPhee, Massaro, and Stock had to answer to shareholders and be accountable to the health of the organization, they would have been fired a long, long time ago.
Sad, sad, sad.
It's bad enough they could all be fired for lack of production, it's even worse when you see everything going down the drain and nobody's even making an effort to turnover the administration.
This is why government control of things doesn't work. There is no accountability. If this were a free-market capitalist company where McPhee, Massaro, and Stock had to answer to shareholders and be accountable to the health of the organization, they would have been fired a long, long time ago.
Sad, sad, sad.
Wiley, I don't think I've ever liked or agreed more with anything that you've posted.
Going off an aging, foggy memory, but this is what I remember. There were 4 published finalists: CM, a guy from UT, someone from a small college in Connecticut, & someone from Arizona St. The guy from UT withdrew after a tour of the campus & town. My guess is the school wanted someone with some familiarity or ties to the South. CM probably ended up being the default candidate. I remember thinking at the time I was somewhat underwhelmed by the 4 candidates.
The last 15 years I worked I spent a fair amount of time in S.C. Since the 2 main schools don’t have to compete with any pro franchises, both S.C. & Clemson enjoy great support. S.C. has never had great success in football, but generally, on any given Saturday, 80,000 show up just because the gates are open.
CM never really had to develop a strategic plan to increase $$$ or season tixs. Depending upon his role at the time. Fans showed up or wrote checks.
I have heard him speak at various BRAA events & to the BRAA Advisory Board. He really doesn’t know what, or how, to solve the myriad issues.
I have seen this play out time, after time, after time in the business world. Someone fires or replaces someone in an important position. The replacement under performs too, but because the Prez, or whoever has already fired one person, is very reluctant to admit the person they hired to replace the first person isn’t getting the job done neither. So they continue to ride with their new hire, hoping against hope they eventually rise to the occasion.
All we can hope is the new board or trustees begin to start asking the tough questions, sooner, rather than, later.
Three years ago.....same old song and dance.
https://www.dnj.com/story/sports/co...eeks-ways-boost-football-attendance/78508978/
https://www.dnj.com/story/sports/co...eeks-ways-boost-football-attendance/78508978/
Wonder how many complaining about attendance have season tickets or actually show up for games? Kind of like people complaining about facilities...my question is how much have you given to BRAA to help out?
Not sure I see the correlation between BRAA donations and leadership ineptitude.
People want to feel good about giving their hard earned money away. I don’t get that feeling with the stewardship at hand.
People want to feel good about giving their hard earned money away. I don’t get that feeling with the stewardship at hand.
I understand wanting to give your money away to be used appropriately, but if everyone waits on that we are never going to get new facilities.
The only thing that will increase attendance is winning. That is it. Study was done and published in the Journal of Sports Economics or whatever of G5 schools that started selling alcohol at games. Showed no significant increase in attendance after selling alcohol. Only significant increase in attendance was a team from the MAC that had a few winning seasons in a row. Once the winning stopped the attendance went back down. G5 schools do not have the luxury of a Tennessee or Arkansas and keep their fans going to games even when they suck.
The only thing that will increase attendance is winning. That is it. Study was done and published in the Journal of Sports Economics or whatever of G5 schools that started selling alcohol at games. Showed no significant increase in attendance after selling alcohol. Only significant increase in attendance was a team from the MAC that had a few winning seasons in a row. Once the winning stopped the attendance went back down. G5 schools do not have the luxury of a Tennessee or Arkansas and keep their fans going to games even when they suck.
I don’t see winning being the most effective strategy in today’s market.
Don’t we pay people a lot of money to come up with ideas other than winning. They can’t even get that going.
Don’t we pay people a lot of money to come up with ideas other than winning. They can’t even get that going.
Exactly. I have stopped giving to the BRAA and no longer buy season tickets. I will not give again until some changes have been made. I'm certain i'm not the only one. Why give money to this group so they can piss it away? It's the only way I can see to exert some pressure for change.
Add me to the list. Made the decision 5 years ago not to continue to throw good money after bad. The place needs a cleansing enema.
Even more embarrassing is the conference website says announced attendance was 15,806 compared to the 5,811 actual turnstile. People living in fairy tale land. All involved.
I wonder how many of that 5,811 “home field advantage” were UAB fans???
Yet you were the one complaining about how good Troy's facilities were compared to ours. Fine if you don't want to give...but then why complain about lack of facilities when we know $$$ are the key.
So one thought process is stop giving money and leadership will change? How has that worked? Do not see how the same people that stop giving money and stop buying season tickets complain about facilities and attendance. Facilities are built with money.
Good point.
At what point should fans, boosters, supporters start speaking with their wallets? At what point can they legitimately complain about a poor ROI? Does their lack of financial support indicate a lack of trust in the ability of the leadership to guide the program to a brighter future?
These are simple questions, but they have complicated answers. It’s a chicken / egg scenario. Do facilities come because of program success or does program success come because of fascilities? Or is it a bit of both?
I think it's very obvious from the season ticket and attendence count few care. At this point it's not a question of how much you give its do you give. I have until this year. I have had enough of this piss poor management and will not give a dime until the whole bunch are gone. If this were a private company we would be bankrupt, so call leaders fired years ago and probably indictments. If the numbers published here are not enough to get people fired then there is no hope. And if it doesn't change I'll just keep more of my hard earned money.
No. Wrong. Lack of people actually in the seats indicates every answer to every question you have about this issue. Fans, boosters, and supporters have already spoken.
It works very well in the private sector. Takes a bit more time in public sector due to no accountability, desire for pensions over performance and low expectations.
All I did was show what real leadership can accomplish vs what we have. As an alumni, I have every right to criticize the leadership when I see fault. If you want to keep throwing your money down the toilet be my guest, but I think people that give blindly with no standard for success are part of the problem. We can all see how that strategy has been working thus far.
I don't think us not giving money is the problem. There's not a whole lot of "us". That's the problem. The program has not been inclusive or synergistic let alone innovative in their approach to the community. It's broken. The Brand is broken, the outreach is broken, and the experience in broken as well. Until they address the real issues, everything will be a band aid on gun wound.
