I don't think free tickets are necessarily the answer.  We have to educate the public on what we have and get tickets into the right hands that can make a difference.  If they give free tickets to a figure skating competition, I am not going because the tickets are free because I don't care about figure skating.

There are tons of people down here that simply don't care or don't know enough about basketball to go.  We need to find those that may care about it and that is the task that is difficult.

Maybe some kind of joint effort with the Heat.  They had an open practice and scrimmage years ago at the Burrow and the place was packed.  Those are people that at least like basketball. 

We should donate tickets to AAU travel basketball teams or like if there is a travel basketball tournement in the area, give FAU tickets to those who participate or are involved with the tournement. Just random ideas! We should call into local news stations and be like "Hey guys….look what this team is doing?" Maybe they'll put it on the local sports…

I'll say it again:

- Stories (well written press releases) in the community and weekly newspapers - those who can't afford or do not have the writers and photographers to cover the games. Newspapers like the Town-Crier (Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, The Acreage, Loxahatchee); weeklies around Boca, similar papers in north Broward; community Web sites (dozens just for this area) and more.

- Keep inviting the young cheerleaders and dance groups to perform (they bring lots of adults).

- Invite local governments, for example, with Boynton Beach Night (which would bring its council, leaders and residents). make them feel special and invited and they will take ownership in the program.

- Get on the radio more, with callers to stations such as ESPN 760's many shows, and even the slate on WZZR (94.3 and 101.7).I heard a mention by one of the 10-noon hosts about FAU hoops this week. A callers coud have gotten a real conversation going, drawing other callers. That conversation coud have brought 100 people to that night's game. The afternoon drive time guy on 560AM out of Miami talks FAU once in a while and had Jarvis on a month or so ago.

- Send some students assistants, volunteers or low-paid workers to a different youth league even each week with the mascot, tickets, posters, t-shirts, etc. Grow a fan base!

- Keep doing all the little fun events between plays and during time-outs and halftime. The kids love them. Everyone loves the Kiss Cam.

- Put up real estate/garage sale type signs on every major road leading to FAU from north and south. Eventually, get that impossible to read computerized video board at the main entrance off Glades to properly advertise events. But, first it has to be properly angled toward passing traffic. Maybe workj with the DOT to add games and events to those electronic traffic signs on I-95 and elsewhere. Put up a hot air balloon near major roads on game days.

- Work with the many chambers of commerce and business leaders to encourage businesses to place FAU signs and banners in their storefronts on on their roadside marquees - maybe even with game info that could change weekly. Build these businesses into sponsors and attendees.

- Host booths and offer contests with tickets and FAU gear as prizes at events ranging from major fund-raisers to chicken dinners, chamber of commerce meetings, SunFest, Delray Affair, Boynton's GALA, ArtiGras in Jupiter, etc. I once bought a brunch and football game tickets with Howard Schnellenberger at the South Florida Fair's VIP opening night auction. BTW, an exhibit or give-away at the fair would have been perfect.

- Get the school district to send home announcements, flyers, or even make verbal announcements bewteen classes for FAU events - maybe even at the start of each season.

There it is - five minutes worth of ideas.

Also, if every regularly-attending FAU basketball fan would make an effort to bring two other people every other game or so, thousands of new fans would be created in no time. The games are the best deal in town - even at stated prices - and loads of fun for kids.

"Eventually, get that impossible to read computerized video board at the main entrance off Glades to properly advertise events. But, first it has to be properly angled toward passing traffic. "

Unfortunately the board's been gone for at least a year if not 2 by now.

As for the rest of your ideas, I think they're excellent! Especially the part about Boynton Beach Night or DelRay night something like that. Send Owlsey or Whatever the f**k his name is to elementary schools. Kids love mascots, same with young kids playing in PAL leagues send Owlsey over there to give them tickets

The video board is gone?! Geeze. It was so hard to read that I guess I started ignoring it. Why won't it be brought back? It's probably the best advertising FAU has now.

They could have a, say, Lake Worth Night and invite the politicians and leaders onto the court for recognition (and a few boos). Some pictures could be snapped, which would end up in brochures, on Web sites and in community newspapers.

I just thought ofm a few more papers to target: Jupiter Courier, Hometown News, Lake Worth Herald, Palm2Jupiter (Gardens to Jupiter), a couple of Glades papers, Deerfield Beach Observer, those Forum papers, and their counterparts in Broward.

Does Boca have a paper anymore? I offered the Boca News photos from Owls games a half-dozen times and couldn't even get a response out of its leaders.

A lot of great ideas only if the damn AD dept. would step up… I mean it really is not that hard, and doesn't take that much effort, especially when you have a winning team like right now. Everyone loves a winner!

GO OWLS!!!

My free ticket sales advice: Palm Beach County teacher nights.  Reach out to the Palm Beach County school board with an offer of $5 tickets for all employees.  They may have thousands of employees in our area. 

NCowl said

A lot of great ideas only if the damn AD dept. would step up… I mean it really is not that hard, and doesn't take that much effort,

I'm sure Athletics would say it requires a lot of footwork to go out to all of these groups/places and they only have so many people. I agree with whoever said Athletics needs to team up with the College of Business and offer a Sports Marketing internship. There's your extra people doing free legwork for you.