How Do You Solve The Problem

[courtside]

University of Illinois for years has promoted "Wear Orange" for every home game, they never had to giveaway free shirts. True fans should want to create and exciting environment, that is what athletics seems to be trying to accomplish. I don't think SLU needs to give away anything...people should just heed their advice and wear white or blue when they suggest it. God forbid SLU would try something like Indiana did last weekend with alternating white and red sections. They told fans to wear the color that coordinated with their seat sections. Surely we would complain that we weren't getting free t-shirts on that day too.

And SLU didn't play in the Final Four the past few years. Really? Comparing SLU to Illinois?

I remember not all that long ago when the students at Illinois were mostly the only ones wearing the Orange in their building. How soon you forget the recent past.

Indiana? Really? Would SLU have over 17,000 fans for a 6-17 team that had exactly one conference win? SLU isn't Indiana.

SLU has to sell casual observers to attend their games. You can either put your nose in the air and say "Screw em all." Or, you could actually solve the problem by identifying it and addressing it. SLU is addressing some of its past challenges. They have a ways to go on some marketing things.

People at Billikens.com do not need a free tee to attend games. There aren't 10,000 people here.

SLU is still in a position where they are selling the program. They do not have recent success to sell, nor a lot of past success to sell casual observers.

This isn't an exclusive club, it is an inclusive club,....Billiken Fandom. Too many times I see people here that would rather be exclusive than inclusive, and SLU isn't in any position to be that way right now or moving forward.

[billiken_roy]

And SLU didn't play in the Final Four the past few years. Really? Comparing SLU to Illinois?

I remember not all that long ago when the students at Illinois were mostly the only ones wearing the Orange in their building. How soon you forget the recent past.

Indiana? Really? Would SLU have over 17,000 fans for a 6-17 team that had exactly one conference win? SLU isn't Indiana.

SLU has to sell casual observers to attend their games. You can either put your nose in the air and say "Screw em all." Or, you could actually solve the problem by identifying it and addressing it. SLU is addressing some of its past challenges. They have a ways to go on some marketing things.

People at Billikens.com do not need a free tee to attend games. There aren't 10,000 people here.

SLU is still in a position where they are selling the program. They do not have recent success to sell, nor a lot of past success to sell casual observers.

This isn't an exclusive club, it is an inclusive club,....Billiken Fandom. Too many times I see people here that would rather be exclusive than inclusive, and SLU isn't in any position to be that way right now or moving forward.

courtside, not sure of your intent with this post? why is it unreasonable to expect fans to wear blue like the illini expect fans to wear orange? what does a final four have to do with putting on a blue or white shirt?

[Basketbill]

to keep students at the game after they get their free stuff, the answer is simple.........super glue in their seats and on the floor in front of their seats!!

[shouldbeworking]

And SLU didn't play in the Final Four the past few years. Really? Comparing SLU to Illinois?

I remember not all that long ago when the students at Illinois were mostly the only ones wearing the Orange in their building. How soon you forget the recent past.

Indiana? Really? Would SLU have over 17,000 fans for a 6-17 team that had exactly one conference win? SLU isn't Indiana.

SLU has to sell casual observers to attend their games. You can either put your nose in the air and say "Screw em all." Or, you could actually solve the problem by identifying it and addressing it. SLU is addressing some of its past challenges. They have a ways to go on some marketing things.

People at Billikens.com do not need a free tee to attend games. There aren't 10,000 people here.

SLU is still in a position where they are selling the program. They do not have recent success to sell, nor a lot of past success to sell casual observers.

This isn't an exclusive club, it is an inclusive club,....Billiken Fandom. Too many times I see people here that would rather be exclusive than inclusive, and SLU isn't in any position to be that way right now or moving forward.

All I was doing was comparing how SLU has gone out of there way to give what they can on a much presumably (sp?) smaller budget than schools like Illinois and Indiana.

I agree with the Orange Krush comment with only the students wearing orange...but as a former Illinois season ticket holder, the "Paint the Hall Orange" campaign started when Illinois wasn't good at all in the Big Ten and were hosting a very strong Michigan State team with the likes of Mo Pete, Mateen Cleaves, etc that went on to the Final Four and might have won it all that year. That was the Illini team that consisted of Cory Bradford, Brian Johnson and Sergio McClain - not exactly a Big Ten powerhouse. I think ever since then, the Orange has caught on - even for a football team that has been dreadful most of the past decade.

I understand what you were saying and by no means am I trying to question your "fanhood" (ridiculous ESPN comment of the day) but I like what SLU is trying to do. Call me geeky or cheesy, but for not growing up a Bills fan and being a recent transplant who only sees one or two games a year...I like the idea of wearing WHITE or BLUE to make a fun environment.

Side note - I missed the PinkZone game...how'd it look? I know they gave out t's...did it look good?

[courtside]

All I was doing was comparing how SLU has gone out of there way to give what they can on a much presumably (sp?) smaller budget than schools like Illinois and Indiana.

I agree with the Orange Krush comment with only the students wearing orange...but as a former Illinois season ticket holder, the "Paint the Hall Orange" campaign started when Illinois wasn't good at all in the Big Ten and were hosting a very strong Michigan State team with the likes of Mo Pete, Mateen Cleaves, etc that went on to the Final Four and might have won it all that year. That was the Illini team that consisted of Cory Bradford, Brian Johnson and Sergio McClain - not exactly a Big Ten powerhouse. I think ever since then, the Orange has caught on - even for a football team that has been dreadful most of the past decade.

I understand what you were saying and by no means am I trying to question your "fanhood" (ridiculous ESPN comment of the day) but I like what SLU is trying to do. Call me geeky or cheesy, but for not growing up a Bills fan and being a recent transplant who only sees one or two games a year...I like the idea of wearing WHITE or BLUE to make a fun environment.

Side note - I missed the PinkZone game...how'd it look? I know they gave out t's...did it look good?

I believe SLU should do all they can and then some marketing and promotion wise to attract more casusal fans with the goal of developing more long term fans. As has been mentioned, SLU is the only D-1 program in town and when successful, they will draw casual observers as well as hoops fans that might not necessarily be SLU hoops fans.

SLU has had a need to increase the budget and increase the resources for many years. No, SLU won't be competing budget-wise with the elite and big boys of college basketball, however, SLU has previously lacked the commitment and resources to be more competitive.

SLU is not, nor should it be a mom and pop program.

[moytoy12]

SLU is not, nor should it be a mom and pop program.

Don't agree entirely with this, certain aspects of the program are still mom and pop (e.g. p.r./marketing, sports information, whoever is in control of online information (streaming games, podcasts, etc.)).

[courtside]

courtside, not sure of your intent with this post? why is it unreasonable to expect fans to wear blue like the illini expect fans to wear orange? what does a final four have to do with putting on a blue or white shirt?

Most of those fans won't be wearing a white "SLU" tee. SLU cannot provide a tee to all fans in attendance? To one or a handful of games? Wow.

SLU should be giving out free SLU gear at multiple home games to all fans in attendance.

[courtside]

Don't agree entirely with this, certain aspects of the program are still mom and pop (e.g. p.r./marketing, sports information, whoever is in control of online information (streaming games, podcasts, etc.)).

SLU has a long way to go in several areas including the ones you posted. You are not telling me anything I haven't already posted myself. The point was more that SLU doesn't have to be a mom and pop program any longer.

[moytoy12]

SLU has a long way to go in several areas including the ones you posted. You are not telling me anything I haven't already posted myself. The point was more that SLU doesn't have to be a mom and pop program any longer.

Fair enough. It was a little misleading when you posted that "SLU is not [mom and pop]."