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ask the AD 2: The Dexter LaMont meeting

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Hello everyone.

We were talking about how marketing needs to change for next year and throwing out ideas in the "Ask the AD…" post in this same forum. Since I believe these ideas would go nowhere without directing them to the right person, I went and met with Dexter LaMont himself to pitch your ideas and get some more answers. I also talked to another gentleman whose name I can't remember.

If you haven't met him, LaMont's an extremely approachable, understanding guy. He's a graduate of Florida State so he knows what a typical college town that supports athletics should be like.

RE: Innovation Village shops
LaMont is on the Innovation Village development committee. I was told that he, as well as others, are adamant about the Innovation Village being an affordable, student-centered experience. I stressed several times that we cannot have the "University Commons Part 2" because nobody can afford it. I suggested a Blockbuster Video, he suggested a bar, I suggested a laundromat, he suggested a computer store and a Starbucks… so we were on the same page. That's certainly a relief. I also suggested Pita Pit since it's popular at UCF/UF.

RE: Football stadium on-campus
I was talking about the Innovation Village and made a comment to the effect of "and the football stadium, if it ever gets approved" and the other gentleman said, very firmly, that Brogan has said the first game must be in Fall 2010 in that "if the first game isn't in Fall 2010 we're all out of a job" way. I know this isn't new information, but knowing that the university considers it a strict, not-to-be-exceeded deadline is comforting.

RE: Doing more than garage sale-type signs
LaMont said that our big banners – the ones outside the Burrow and the 2nd entrance to FAU – are always stolen. Those big "FOOTBALL GAME TONIGHT" signs… consistently stolen. He said they were even stolen from the Breezeway. I recommended that they put some up in the dorm lobbies because they have cameras, an RA, etc and he said he'd love to do that. So we're going to try that. I also discussed the idea of putting up FAU banners/flags above the doorways to HPT/GPT and he said he'd provide the stuff if Housing was willing to put it up. He said what he's been pushing is getting into the dorms before students move in and hanging the posters, schedules, etc up on their walls for when they move in. Housing is against this. So if you're thinking about writing a letter to anyone, you might want to consider that. Personally, I love the idea. Until then, I asked him if we could put together 2000 "goodie bags" with FAU schedules, stickers, paper football helmet for windows, etc to give to students when they move in. He said sure. So I'm hoping we can do that. I was surprised to learn that before a big football game last year, he and his crew came in and got the garage-sale type signs and put them in the ground around Boca. The Boca Police collected them all and said if they found another one they'd fine FAU $500/sign. This is how our city supports us.

RE: Mascot walking around on campus
Apparently the issue is that the guy is a part-time student and he also takes up classes at a community college so he may not be around on game day. They're trying to get an official full-time student on campus to do it and then they could have him walk around on game day. So if you know anybody, have them stop in by Athletics. I also mentioned the idea of the mascot going to Boca mall (per fauowls44) and he said he'd like to do it if we can get over the same issue as on-campus advertising.

RE: No ideas coming out of the FAU Marketing department
I didn't mention that directly, but he told me about plenty of ideas (like planting the road signs before being caught). So they do have ideas. He also wanted to put an Owl or the football schedule on the back of the big blue campus directory signs because they're blank. Apparently the university doesn't want that because it's not for the sign's designated purpose. Boca is strict, FAU is strict… I mentioned fauowl's idea of having a "Sports Marketing" class with students competing to get the most students, highest excitement and he loves it but to work out all the details will probably take until next year – new courses have to go through faculty review processes to ensure that there is adequate academic content. But that is definitely an idea to explore… there was a recent article about a Rube Goldberg competition in the Palm Beach Post that was similar (see http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2007/06/21/0621robot.html) and it worked out very well. It shows that FAU students just need to be challenged and apply their education,which is why the College of Business does well because they break into groups and manage pretend businesses, etc.

Back to FAU Athletics…

He told me he has offered internship positions to the marketing students and they don't come. What can you do? He asked me if the campus groups would be interested in doing this, as fauowl put it, "apprentice"-style competition and he said he might even be able to award something like $5000. I said if he made it a "Raise money for Greek Housing" competition, he'd definitely get people. Outside of that, I mentioned that the bigger campus groups (like Konbit Kreyol) would probably be interested and have the manpower to pull it off.

RE: "Fighting Owls" –> "Owls"
He said the change was just part of the branding initiative from a couple of years back.

RE: Owl logos on campus
I mentioned that we're working with a couple of organizations to go on a branding blitz of the university, putting up Owl head logos on signs and hanging from ceilings in the cafeteria and hopefully even painting a huge Owl head on one of the buildings. He thinks it's awesome and mentioned that to get more Owl head logos and such on campus, people need to mention it to the University Marketing because they're the ones who side with the "FAU with the wave in the A" over the Owl logos. To be fair, the University Marketing apparently believes that the Owl is simply an athletic thing and not a "student pride" or "institutional pride" thing… something I'm going to talk to them about next week.

I think that's everything. Just thought everyone should know that we're trying to push forward, but it's more about paperwork, funding and administrative obstacles than a lack of effort or passion.
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ask the AD 2: The Dexter LaMont meeting

That is excellent feedback, owlcountry, and greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking the boards ideas and feedback and doing something with it. Talk is cheap. Involvement will make a difference.
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ask the AD 2: The Dexter LaMont meeting

Excellent work. Thank you for bringing this stuff up to the proper people. About the mascot thing, I understand about the guy being a student and all, but are you telling me that they can't rotate different people to go out as the mascot around campus and the mall, etc. It's only something that has to be done for a few hours a day for a couple of days a month. Oh well, at least they now have more of our ideas. Let's see what they do with it.

I guess the problem I have is that it is always "we can't because…"(I don't just mean the marketing department because I know that they have a tough job, but the entire athletic department and university). I'm sorry, but I don't accept that. There are so many different things you can do to spread the word about our athletic teams that are so cheap and easy. It's just a matter of getting everyone on the same page.
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ask the AD 2: The Dexter LaMont meeting


fauowls44 said

About the mascot thing, I understand about the guy being a student and all, but are you telling me that they can't rotate different people to go out as the mascot around campus and the mall, etc. It's only something that has to be done for a few hours a day for a couple of days a month. Oh well, at least they now have more of our ideas. Let's see what they do with it.

I have pretty much the same perspective on it, except I know firsthand that there are instances wherein you commit to something because it's "just a few hours a day once a month" and then that happens to fall on the day before a huge test or something. So while I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, I do think they should have at least three or four people who can suit up whenever they're needed.


fauowls44 said

I guess the problem I have is that it is always "we can't because…"

Yes, there's definitely a LOT of "we can't because…" at FAU. Which is fine if it's legitimate but usually it's for a pretty nebulous reason.
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Re: ask the AD 2: The Dexter LaMont meeting

ask the AD 2: The Dexter LaMont meeting

Put a tracking chip in them…small and non detectable…

Arrest the thief, and clean up the campus at the same time as well…

Problem solved…
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Re: ask the AD 2: The Dexter LaMont meeting

what about other things like more branding? I know this is comparing apples to oranges but if any of you were in Texas the Texas brand was EVERYWHERE! They had Texas colored crocs, they had a store in the airport. I know we're not at that stage yet but how about more branding and getting our name out there more. Maybe try working out a deal with Footlocker/Sports Authority/Champs/Lids to where they can carry replica FAU jerseys. Lids has a lot of hats and Champs has like 1 or 2 T-shirts. Lids sells some NFL jerseys maybe the one in Boca can carry FAU jerseys as well.

How about some kind of a window sticker for the back window on peoples cars. I'm starting to see more of them recently just driving around I see a little owl head sticker on the back window. Especially for those people who for whatever reason don't have the FAU license plate they can still support their team and school. Sell them at the book store for $.50 I bet a lot of people would pick it up because hey what the heck it's only $.50 you can find that change in your car.

Now I know this has NOTHING to do with Dexter or marketing but who do we talk to about keeping the bookstore open later and on weekends? We've had this discussion 100x but for us alumni who work until 6 or 6:30 we can never get to the bookstore because they're closed.

My two favorite teams are FAU, and who ever is beating FIU!
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Re: ask the AD 2: The Dexter LaMont meeting

I've seen FAU gear in stores…Sport Authority Boynton carried it two years ago…but it was T-shirts and hats…
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Re: ask the AD 2: The Dexter LaMont meeting

Boca Police went around collecting signs and gave fine threats to FAU?  Really makes me wonder if I should seek any employment with them after graduation.  If they are just being used as a tool of the retired "condo" crowd enforcing stupid ordinance laws instead of solving ohhh i don't know maybe the Boca mall murders? Then no thanks!!!!!!
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Re: ask the AD 2: The Dexter LaMont meeting

The said

Boca Police went around collecting signs and gave fine threats to FAU?   Really makes me wonder if I should seek any employment with them after graduation.  If they are just being used as a tool of the retired "condo" crowd enforcing stupid ordinance laws instead of solving ohhh i don't know maybe the Boca mall murders? Then no thanks!!!!!!

Not for nothing… and I'll discuss this later in the week in my blog entry… in all fairness, Boca Raton removed those signs probably because there was a complaint. "If my business, club, event, cause, initiative, etc. can't put up signs, why can FAU?"

So - that's probably why. It's not the City of Boca Raton going around and trying to damper the spirits of FAU.

I'm a proud lifetime member of the FAU National Alumni Association. Are you a member? Join now at www.faualumni.org.
Tradition in the Making, One Alum at a Time…
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Re: ask the AD 2: The Dexter LaMont meeting

For special events like big football games considering we only have 3-4 a year, we can apply for city of boca special event sign permits.  We can put up signs legally, athletics just didn't get permits.
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