Blue Crew: What's in a Name?

[Westy03]

So why didn't you and Jimbo join the Blue Crew?

Didnt really see the benefit of paying 100-200 extra dollars especially when student tickets were free at that time. So instead of having us sit in the seats they just left them empty, it was really odd.

[willie]

Help me out here but I doubt it ever cost $200 bucks to join the Crew. You talk about opening it up to all students but for whatever reason you were not committed enough to Billiken bball to join a group trying to support the program. I think there should be dues but that money should go for shirts,pizza,beer etc. I feel your coming across with an elite attitude. "I'm too good for them."

[Westy03]

Help me out here but I doubt it ever cost $200 bucks to join the Crew. You talk about opening it up to all students but for whatever reason you were not committed enough to Billiken bball to join a group trying to support the program. I think there should be dues but that money should go for shirts,pizza,beer etc. I feel your coming across with an elite attitude. "I'm to good for them."

I was at 99% of the billiken home games during my 4 years so I supported the program plenty and continue to do so. I just didnt think charging students to be in the Blue Crew was the best way to go about it. Shouldnt the basketball proram/athletic marketing department provide money for shirts and pizza?

Open it up to all the students and I think you will get a better student turnout and a better home court advantage. I just dont understand why there has to be a seperate group...

[willie]

I was at 99% of the billiken home games during my 4 years so I supported the program plenty and continue to do so. I just didnt think charging students to be in the Blue Crew was the best way to go about it. Shouldnt the basketball proram/athletic marketing department provide money for shirts and pizza?

Open it up to all the students and I think you will get a better student turnout and a better home court advantage. I just dont understand why there has to be a seperate group...

If you watch college basketball almost every program has some kind of student group. ie izzo zone. I don't know but I thought the Blue Crew cost was $50. I do think any student season ticket should include a shirt.

[Westy03]

If you watch college basketball almost every program has some kind of student group. ie izzo zone. I don't know but I thought the Blue Crew cost was $50. I do think any student season ticket should include a shirt.

When it comes to basketball SLU really isnt every other program that I see on TV. Most of those schools have had a nice tradition especially with student turnout and make it a true home court. Its obvious that the student turnout and atmomsphere has been pathetic in recent years. Im not blaming this on the Blue Crew but I do feel what they are doing isnt working and something needs to change. I think getting something with ALL the students involved wouldnt hurt. Doesnt matter how it originated or if its warranted but the truth is, there is a stereotype for the Blue Crew and I think the athletic department needs to do something different.

[billiken_roy]

i dont think the level of cost per student is all that much.

fyi illinois orange krush membership is contingent on collecting enough pledges to equal at least $1.50 per 3 pointer made by the fighting illini for the upcoming season. the money collected goes to the krush foundation which goes to various charity causes and to support the organization.

last season the Illini made 219 three pointers. so to be in the krush student section it would cost a student in pledges $328.50 minimum.

apparently the lion's share of pledges goes to charities though as they have a note on their website "The Orange Krush Foundation raised and donated approximately $145,000 to the University and 50 charities during the 2009-2010 season."

they had over 3,000 students in Orange Krush last season.

[Pistol]

Man, there are a ton of good points coming up here from Westy, Shoe, Clock, and the rest. One thing I didn't hit on before, and I'm glad has been brought up in the meantime, is how the Blue Crew relates to the rest of the students attending the game. By re-branding, are they just trying to distance themselves from what they were? Are they trying to integrate the entire student section as one 'Blue Crew'?

My personal thought on this is, you establish your student section as one big whole, with the whole student body welcome and together, and if there is a small, hardcore, dedicated, or otherwise over-the-top group that wants to spin off and claim the front row, so be it. My hope is that this re-branding of the Blue Crew's name is to break down any barrier, real or perceived, between the Blue Crew and the rest of the student body. Start the season by giving away the same shirts to everyone buying tickets, or sell them at a rock-bottom price to anyone else. Emphasize the point that the Blue Crew is not exclusive and that all students are the Blue Crew, or SLU Crew, or whatever they're going to call it.

I hate to use an in-conference example, but I think it's more realistic than Roy's or some of the others because we aren't as big or established yet. Xavier's student section spans the 4 small sections at the end of the floor and is full for every single game that isn't during winter break. Almost everyone in there wears their Xavier Nation shirt, which has a new edition every season with the new year stamped on it. I don't know whether they charge for them or not. Anyway, there is no Blue Crew and regular student section- it's all one, and they're all going to the games. There is one row in the front of guys that paint themselves blue and sit closest to the visitors' bench, but everyone else is 'Xavier Nation'. I don't like the "_______ Nation" thing because it's overused and stupid, but the point is they've managed to keep the student body all in on it together despite having half the students of SLU (winning plays a role, but that's another conversation).

[GOSLU68]

I disagree. I think the goal is to get rid of the stigma of the two separate groups. I think what needs to happen is that people who buy season tickets get a "Billiken Basketball" shirt and everyone who comes to the first 2 exhibitions get (insert student section name here) t-shirts. That way everyone will have a shirt with the new name.

I believe we still have a tip off club and a Billiken Club-same deal-just move forward

[billikenfan05]

Man, there are a ton of good points coming up here from Westy, Shoe, Clock, and the rest. One thing I didn't hit on before, and I'm glad has been brought up in the meantime, is how the Blue Crew relates to the rest of the students attending the game. By re-branding, are they just trying to distance themselves from what they were? Are they trying to integrate the entire student section as one 'Blue Crew'?

My personal thought on this is, you establish your student section as one big whole, with the whole student body welcome and together, and if there is a small, hardcore, dedicated, or otherwise over-the-top group that wants to spin off and claim the front row, so be it. My hope is that this re-branding of the Blue Crew's name is to break down any barrier, real or perceived, between the Blue Crew and the rest of the student body. Start the season by giving away the same shirts to everyone buying tickets, or sell them at a rock-bottom price to anyone else. Emphasize the point that the Blue Crew is not exclusive and that all students are the Blue Crew, or SLU Crew, or whatever they're going to call it.

I hate to use an in-conference example, but I think it's more realistic than Roy's or some of the others because we aren't as big or established yet. Xavier's student section spans the 4 small sections at the end of the floor and is full for every single game that isn't during winter break. Almost everyone in there wears their Xavier Nation shirt, which has a new edition every season with the new year stamped on it. I don't know whether they charge for them or not. Anyway, there is no Blue Crew and regular student section- it's all one, and they're all going to the games. There is one row in the front of guys that paint themselves blue and sit closest to the visitors' bench, but everyone else is 'Xavier Nation'. I don't like the "_______ Nation" thing because it's overused and stupid, but the point is they've managed to keep the student body all in on it together despite having half the students of SLU (winning plays a role, but that's another conversation).

100% agree!!!! Thank you. This is exactly what is going on. Just a rebranding, they aren't starting a new group just trying to change the perception on campus.

[dneuner]

I think one of the major issues with Blue Crew is that it is both a student organization chartered by the SGA and an organization that is funded and organized by the AD. It needs to be one or the other. I do not like the idea of having a student section and a Blue Crew; they are either one or none. It's been said already, but this isn't just about changing a name. From what I've gathered, the goal here is to make Blue Crew a multi-sport "organization" and that everything except for the exec. board and purpose is changing. It's not just a beauty contest of adopting a new name. I think the AD is seriously trying to re-work the way Blue Crew operates.

[bonwich]

I think one of the major issues with Blue Crew is that it is both a student organization chartered by the SGA and an organization that is funded and organized by the AD. It needs to be one or the other. I do not like the idea of having a student section and a Blue Crew; they are either one or none. It's been said already, but this isn't just about changing a name. From what I've gathered, the goal here is to make Blue Crew a multi-sport "organization" and that everything except for the exec. board and purpose is changing. It's not just a beauty contest of adopting a new name. I think the AD is seriously trying to re-work the way Blue Crew operates.

You written about this yet, dneuner? I think it pretty much cries out for a nice piece of journalism to sort all the issues out.

[milwaukeebill]

Man, there are a ton of good points coming up here from Westy, Shoe, Clock, and the rest. One thing I didn't hit on before, and I'm glad has been brought up in the meantime, is how the Blue Crew relates to the rest of the students attending the game. By re-branding, are they just trying to distance themselves from what they were? Are they trying to integrate the entire student section as one 'Blue Crew'?

My personal thought on this is, you establish your student section as one big whole, with the whole student body welcome and together, and if there is a small, hardcore, dedicated, or otherwise over-the-top group that wants to spin off and claim the front row, so be it. My hope is that this re-branding of the Blue Crew's name is to break down any barrier, real or perceived, between the Blue Crew and the rest of the student body. Start the season by giving away the same shirts to everyone buying tickets, or sell them at a rock-bottom price to anyone else. Emphasize the point that the Blue Crew is not exclusive and that all students are the Blue Crew, or SLU Crew, or whatever they're going to call it.

I hate to use an in-conference example, but I think it's more realistic than Roy's or some of the others because we aren't as big or established yet. Xavier's student section spans the 4 small sections at the end of the floor and is full for every single game that isn't during winter break. Almost everyone in there wears their Xavier Nation shirt, which has a new edition every season with the new year stamped on it. I don't know whether they charge for them or not. Anyway, there is no Blue Crew and regular student section- it's all one, and they're all going to the games. There is one row in the front of guys that paint themselves blue and sit closest to the visitors' bench, but everyone else is 'Xavier Nation'. I don't like the "_______ Nation" thing because it's overused and stupid, but the point is they've managed to keep the student body all in on it together despite having half the students of SLU (winning plays a role, but that's another conversation).

agreed agreed agreed.

+1 on saint lunatics or SLUnatics too. GIMMIE MURPHEY LEE.

[Quality Is Job 1]

I agree. Changing the name means nothing to me. The name is fine. Based upon comments from those closer to the situation, the organization is not. Not surprised since student run organizations, w/o school support and guidance, often change too much each year based upon personalities.

Believe no one is asking the larger question. Is SLU trying to form a single, all-inclusive name for the entire student body or is it trying to replace one sub-group for another. Seems like we should have both: a name for the students at large and retention of the Blue Crew for the interested die hards.

By comparison, Mizzou has both a student section and a section reserved for the student run group - The Antlers. If the general students section body wants to be called its own name, then go for it. If the Blue Crew wants to remain, then go for it as well. Maybe the Blue Crew can still remain a smaller, more intimate "sub-group" more equivalent to the Antlers. Unless things have changed since I was a college kid, general student body sections often don't have names. If the students want a new name, go for it.

Do the Antlers still exist at Mizzou? (I'm really not sure.) I haven't heard mention of them for several years. They've been referring to the student section as the Zou Crew (or something like that).

Perhaps it's more like what some people have been suggesting. The student section is referred to the Zou or Zou Crew but there's still a student-run organization called The Antlers. But I don't know if that's the case or not.

[bluecrewprez]

When I was in the Blue Crew and it was a STUDENT-RUN ORGANIZATION the fee to be in the Blue Crew was $35. That covered tickets, pizza, t-shirts, events, transportation and any other random events that would come up throughout the season. Now the cost is, what, $105 and all they get is a seat and a t-shirt? NO ONE is benefiting more on this than the Athletic Department. If they are charging each student 300% more than what we originally needed to run the organization, where the hell is all of that money going? It's sure as hell not going to events to promote the students going to the games. Now THAT'S a question to ask the administration. Way to leach off of the students, SLU.

I get it, I'm in marketing for a living. The thing is that we're talking about it and there is a buzz going, people are getting fired up, they're trying to get more focus on the students. I GET IT! But changing the name is not the answer...PROMOTION is the answer. There are a million other way to get people talking.

For any Billiken basketball fan graduate in the last 10 years, ask yourself which do students respond better to: the administration telling them what's cool or other students telling them what's cool? Exactly.

YOU CAN'T CREATE TRADITION! If you CREATE tradition, it sure as hell ain't tradition...it's a marketing ploy! Way to alienate alumni who have been waiting YEARS for an arena and for the organizations they we're involved in to be what they always wanted them to be. Way to go AD. Way to go.

[Westy03]

Prez, I love your passion and you are a true billiken fan. But what alumni want to see is winning basketball and a great college basketball atmosphere. Its obvious, at least to me, that the Blue Crew wasn't delivering that. I think you are going overboard with this. Get the whole student body involved and change the name if they want its not like they are disbanding something great. We're all want a great home court advantage...

[RiseAndGrind]

When I was in the Blue Crew and it was a STUDENT-RUN ORGANIZATION the fee to be in the Blue Crew was $35. That covered tickets, pizza, t-shirts, events, transportation and any other random events that would come up throughout the season. Now the cost is, what, $105 and all they get is a seat and a t-shirt? NO ONE is benefiting more on this than the Athletic Department. If they are charging each student 300% more than what we originally needed to run the organization, where the hell is all of that money going? It's sure as hell not going to events to promote the students going to the games. Now THAT'S a question to ask the administration. Way to leach off of the students, SLU.

I get it, I'm in marketing for a living. The thing is that we're talking about it and there is a buzz going, people are getting fired up, they're trying to get more focus on the students. I GET IT! But changing the name is not the answer...PROMOTION is the answer. There are a million other way to get people talking.

For any Billiken basketball fan graduate in the last 10 years, ask yourself which do students respond better to: the administration telling them what's cool or other students telling them what's cool? Exactly.

YOU CAN'T CREATE TRADITION! If you CREATE tradition, it sure as hell ain't tradition...it's a marketing ploy! Way to alienate alumni who have been waiting YEARS for an arena and for the organizations they we're involved in to be what they always wanted them to be. Way to go AD. Way to go.

You want to know where that money is going? Umm..... it is called the Chaifetz arena and our million dollar coach.

And I think you are making a bigger deal out of this than it really is. Lay of the Blue Crew koolaid and relax. There no tradition being destroyed or created.

The AD hasn't destroyed anything. You want people to show up? Give them free ###### and win basketball games. It is that simple. It doesn't matter what the Blue Crew does.

Hell, maybe with a new name the Blue Crew can lose its lame reputation. I'm all for a new name.

[Clock_Tower]

When I was in the Blue Crew and it was a STUDENT-RUN ORGANIZATION the fee to be in the Blue Crew was $35. That covered tickets, pizza, t-shirts, events, transportation and any other random events that would come up throughout the season. Now the cost is, what, $105 and all they get is a seat and a t-shirt? NO ONE is benefiting more on this than the Athletic Department. If they are charging each student 300% more than what we originally needed to run the organization, where the hell is all of that money going? It's sure as hell not going to events to promote the students going to the games. Now THAT'S a question to ask the administration. Way to leach off of the students, SLU.

I get it, I'm in marketing for a living. The thing is that we're talking about it and there is a buzz going, people are getting fired up, they're trying to get more focus on the students. I GET IT! But changing the name is not the answer...PROMOTION is the answer. There are a million other way to get people talking.

For any Billiken basketball fan graduate in the last 10 years, ask yourself which do students respond better to: the administration telling them what's cool or other students telling them what's cool? Exactly.

YOU CAN'T CREATE TRADITION! If you CREATE tradition, it sure as hell ain't tradition...it's a marketing ploy! Way to alienate alumni who have been waiting YEARS for an arena and for the organizations they we're involved in to be what they always wanted them to be. Way to go AD. Way to go.

Prez.

Appreciate your comments and insight. I certainly don't have all the answers. What I do know, however, is that is appears quite obvious that the Blue Crew was poorly run both before and after your tenure and that many students have felt alienated by the structure of the organization - not the name.

Would you be in favor of having a SLU/AD organization for all students and the Blue Crew for a smaller group?

[HusakAttack]

You want to know where that money is going? Umm..... it is called the Chaifetz arena and our million dollar coach.

And I think you are making a bigger deal out of this than it really is. Lay of the Blue Crew koolaid and relax. There no tradition being destroyed or created.

The AD hasn't destroyed anything. You want people to show up? Give them free ###### and win basketball games. It is that simple. It doesn't matter what the Blue Crew does.

Hell, maybe with a new name the Blue Crew can lose its lame reputation. I'm all for a new name.

Perfectly stated on all accounts. No more discussion needed on the subject matter

[BillikenROAR]

question roar, i assume by your post, that you werent part of that suckie blue crew. i.e. you were part of the problem. dont knock the kids that had the guts to sit in the front row and tried to make a difference. knock the a$$es that didnt. they were the problem. not the blue crew or the name blue crew.

Answer Roy, I was part of the blue crew my freshman year in 06. it was absolutely horrible. The group was a bunch of kids who obviously didn’t get out much and had no idea about college basketball. I would compare the blue crew to a church comedian. You want to laugh because it’s kind of creative and you are doing the right thing by being at a church function, but in the end, it just sucks balls and you can’t wait to leave. The "pizza and face painting" before games was 10 people eating in greis lobby and painting slu on their cheeks. la-di-freaking-da. the prez had on a Viking hat and thought it was a crown.

kids who had the guts to sit in the front row? are you kidding me? there were a lot of people who would have loved to sit in the front row but didn’t join "blue crew". it was way more fun and a better game experience to sit rows behind them, drink beer, and have intelligent basketball conversation rather than join a piss poor organization just to sit in the first 5 rows.

the blue crew has changed a little for the better since chaifetz, but I would rather forget the "tradition" of our old blew crew. we have something new in chaifetz and a different basketball atmosphere where the student section will actually play a big part of the games. Start off with something new to get people excited and hopefully it will catch on and lead to a strong tradition.

[milwaukeebill]

Answer Roy, I was part of the blue crew my freshman year in 06. it was absolutely horrible. The group was a bunch of kids who obviously didn’t get out much and had no idea about college basketball. I would compare the blue crew to a church comedian. You want to laugh because it’s kind of creative and you are doing the right thing by being at a church function, but in the end, it just sucks balls and you can’t wait to leave. The "pizza and face painting" before games was 10 people eating in greis lobby and painting slu on their cheeks. la-di-freaking-da. the prez had on a Viking hat and thought it was a crown.

kids who had the guts to sit in the front row? are you kidding me? there were a lot of people who would have loved to sit in the front row but didn’t join "blue crew". it was way more fun and a better game experience to sit rows behind them, drink beer, and have intelligent basketball conversation rather than join a piss poor organization just to sit in the first 5 rows.

the blue crew has changed a little for the better since chaifetz, but I would rather forget the "tradition" of our old blew crew. we have something new in chaifetz and a different basketball atmosphere where the student section will actually play a big part of the games. Start off with something new to get people excited and hopefully it will catch on and lead to a strong tradition.

++++1

Id rather pregame instead of sitting around and eating pizza.

[Clock_Tower]

++++1

Id rather pregame instead of sitting around and eating pizza.

Where are you Prez??

Mainstreaming the general student body cheering section needs to be done. Believe you ran a really good club but student clubs inherently end up being smaller clubs based upon personalities. Do you agree??

As I recall, when you graduated and were looking for a job, many on this Board suggested that the adminstration hire you develop, in part, a student section which will show up - in numbers - for the games. If you would have even been interested, and if the SLU would have even offered such a position, would this not have been a complete change and break with tradition?? Going from a student-run club to an administration-sponsored club?? What am I missing?

[SShoe]

++++1

Id rather pregame instead of sitting around and eating pizza.

Trust me, you can be a member of Blue Crew and still do plenty of pregaming.

This is what bugs me, why can't the too-cool-for-school guys who like to criticize the Blue Crew, just be in the group, but at an arms length? Just because you join the organization, does not mean you have to go eat pizza and paint your face before the game. You can do your own thing before the game, but once it starts join in, or even lead, the cheering. If you did the pregame ceremonies right, you should have no issues yelling the entire time. Additionally, if those in the group don't want to do their pregame celebrations the same way as you, they should have that option.

[billikenfan05]

Trust me, you can be a member of Blue Crew and still do plenty of pregaming.

This is what bugs me, why can't the too-cool-for-school guys who like to criticize the Blue Crew, just be in the group, but at an arms length? Just because you join the organization, does not mean you have to go eat pizza and paint your face before the game. You can do your own thing before the game, but once it starts join in, or even lead, the cheering. If you did the pregame ceremonies right, you should have no issues yelling the entire time. Additionally, if those in the group don't want to do their pregame celebrations the same way as you, they should have that option.

+1

[slufan13]

Change the name and the true Billiken fans will still show up. Maybe other students won't feel separated and they'll show up too. Get the excitement building up early. Start advertising the games before game day. That can take the homework excuse away a little bit because everyone knows about the game for several days leading up. Have posters or flyers around campus. The average fan doesn't always know when the games are. Have more than the big banner on Gries on game day. Spend every dollar you can and give stuff away. Have contests for free tickets on game day. I know it's tough but the leaders of the Blue Crew/whatever need to try to get the whole fan section all on one page. I'm sure bluecrewprez and many others have already thought of all these things, but I'm just throwing some ideas out there.

[milwaukeebill]

Trust me, you can be a member of Blue Crew and still do plenty of pregaming.

This is what bugs me, why can't the too-cool-for-school guys who like to criticize the Blue Crew, just be in the group, but at an arms length? Just because you join the organization, does not mean you have to go eat pizza and paint your face before the game. You can do your own thing before the game, but once it starts join in, or even lead, the cheering. If you did the pregame ceremonies right, you should have no issues yelling the entire time. Additionally, if those in the group don't want to do their pregame celebrations the same way as you, they should have that option.

Ive been in the blue crew since ive been here. (it comes with season tickets now im nearly certain so thats why i am in it). you basically have described the routine i go through for every game.