I agree with what all of you are saying. Yes, marketing needs to be done.

But the bottom line is some some of the responsibility needs to be on the fans. The best excuse I ever heard as a student was "I didn't know." No… you did know… you just didn't where to look.

Ex: What time is the home game?
They can look on Facebook, fliers around school and, something REALLY hard to find - THE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE. LOL.

You'd be surprised how many students and/or fans expect everything to be delivered to them directly.

And this isn't only at FAU. It's at the other schools I've worked for too.

I disagree with everyone. Yes, marketing could do a better job. Yes, the FAU community (students, faculty, admin, fans, alumni, etc.) should be more involved. But neither are really to blame. FAU is in a transition phase and it takes time to complete. Let me explain:

Since its inception, FAU has been a commuter school, and only in recent years has the university been trying to make the transition from commuter school to a more traditional university setting. They are adding more dorms, more on-campus recreational facilities, activities, football stadium, etc. to keep people on campus property. Because once they leave campus and enter the rest of south Florida, there are a million and one things to do that will keep people off campus.

It takes time to build tradition, it takes time to build school spirit, and it takes time to build the facilities needed to keep people on campus. Patience is a virtue and all great things take time before they happen. I mean if you talk to the members of FAU's first graduating class, and ask them if they ever thought they would see what exists at FAU today, they would reply with an emphatic "no!"

FAU will one day be, what all want and know it can be.

smittysahoot said

I agree with what all of you are saying. Yes, marketing needs to be done.

But the bottom line is some some of the responsibility needs to be on the fans. The best excuse I ever heard as a student was "I didn't know." No… you did know… you just didn't where to look.

Ex: What time is the home game?
They can look on Facebook, fliers around school and, something REALLY hard to find - THE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE. LOL.

You'd be surprised how many students and/or fans expect everything to be delivered to them directly.

And this isn't only at FAU. It's at the other schools I've worked for too.

Smitty I absolutely agree that the students have some responsibility. And they should be excited about the events. That they're not excited about the events means the university needs to do a better job at planning them to make them more exciting. For instance, I'm pushing for them to hire this company out of Fort Lauderdale for Fall Family Fest that does human bowling and human hamster ball races. I think college students will prefer that to the "make your own sand art" and various other silly things they usually get.

I agree with you Owlcountry. But what would need to be sacrificed in the budget to make human bowling happen instead of sandart?

smittysahoot said

I agree with you Owlcountry. But what would need to be sacrificed in the budget to make human bowling happen instead of sandart?

You may have answered your own questions (sand art would be sacrificed) but it depends on the cost. From my discussions with Michelle Perkins, the company that provides the inflatables and the carnival games provides it as a package for ~$3500. I believe the money comes out of Program Board's budget. In any case, my suggestion is to renegotiate what's in the package so that you can get something more appealing to college students.

owlcountry said

smittysahoot said

I agree with what all of you are saying. Yes, marketing needs to be done.

But the bottom line is some some of the responsibility needs to be on the fans. The best excuse I ever heard as a student was "I didn't know." No… you did know… you just didn't where to look.

Ex: What time is the home game?
They can look on Facebook, fliers around school and, something REALLY hard to find - THE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE. LOL.

You'd be surprised how many students and/or fans expect everything to be delivered to them directly.

And this isn't only at FAU. It's at the other schools I've worked for too.

Smitty I absolutely agree that the students have some responsibility. And they should be excited about the events. That they're not excited about the events means the university needs to do a better job at planning them to make them more exciting. For instance, I'm pushing for them to hire this company out of Fort Lauderdale for Fall Family Fest that does human bowling and human hamster ball races. I think college students will prefer that to the "make your own sand art" and various other silly things they usually get.

I need to interject my .02 here.

It is only the students responsibility to show if the events of homecoming have been sold to them properly.  FAU's marketing is poor, plain and simple, in all aspects.

It is the responsibility of the salesperson (read marketing dept / team at FAU) to be aggressive and get their clients (FAU students & alumni) interested, involved and AT the events.

Case in point, last year I was nominated and inducted into FAU's Parliament of Owls, you know when I was notified?  Two days before the ceremony!!!  Not only did I not know that I was nominated, but the date of the ceremony was my anniversary, try explaining that to your spouse.

Many times, as a student and as an alumni, marketing has dropped the ball on getting the word out and motivating the masses to show up.

Marketing must develop a product that is exciting that the students WANT to be a part of.

Going into any sales situation expecting the "prospect" to have "some responsibility" to act is naive and a recipe for failure.

Good points SigEp77…

Once they put pay for performance measure into job descriptions and cut the ability to squat jobs by walking and breathing alone, this may happen…

Last time i was at the library, there must have been 5 "employees" sitting behind computers surfing the internet that were being paid…

Money well spent…

No, actually laughable.

Florida_Owl said

Good points SigEp77…

Once they put pay for performance measure into job descriptions and cut the ability to squat jobs by walking and breathing alone, this may happen…

Last time i was at the library, there must have been 5 "employees" sitting behind computers surfing the internet that were being paid…

Money well spent…

No, actually laughable.

Understand what you're saying F_O. But Homecoming money comes from SGA. Library funding comes from other sources. But I understand your point…

I think FAU's Homecoming is great and it offers a variety of activites for everyone. But it's a matter of students and alumni WANTING to go.

Building tradition is a slow process. But if this year we have 50 people at the parade, then 100 next year, then 200 next year… that would be great. Rome wasn't built in a day.

smittysahoot said

Understand what you're saying F_O. But Homecoming money comes from SGA. Library funding comes from other sources. But I understand your point…

I think FAU's Homecoming is great and it offers a variety of activites for everyone. But it's a matter of students and alumni WANTING to go.

Building tradition is a slow process. But if this year we have 50 people at the parade, then 100 next year, then 200 next year… that would be great. Rome wasn't built in a day.

Agree Smitty!

Hope it didnt sound like i was pointing that at the Homecoming Crew…they bust hump for little pay to pull off what they do…no quam there whatsoever…

this was a "general sense" reply only…