Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

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Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Running Ram »

There is a marketing discussion going on in the Holy Cross thread. I think it is appropriate to have a (lack of) Marketing thread of it's own. Maybe if we keep this discussion alive and vibrant it will put some heat on the University to wake the F up! Marketing opportunities are being wasted.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Rhode_Island_Red »

The formula isn't much of a secret: Win and the world wins with you, lose and you lose alone.

One great season is a start. Until we're winning 22 to 25 games year after year -- and the Ryan Center becomes The Place To Be -- the athletic department needs to invest in marketing via digital and legacy media.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by theblueram »

You want marketing? A win tonight will give us more marketing than a billboard on I95.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by josephski »

RI red and blueram, you guys are missing the point. Obviously winning games will help market the team. The fact is we have people who are paid for marketing the team and they have not done a great job.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Rhodymob05 »

Bill boards , Ripta busses, tv ads. Old school but works better than social media.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Hal Kopp »

They really miss John May. Am not only one to say that.
So long as good,young people (coaches incl.) leave for more $$,there will be setbacks in every aspect.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by section(105) »

Rhodymob05 wrote:Bill boards , Ripta busses, tv ads. Old school but works better than social media.
......both old and new school; more youth games at half time, free seats for school groups, get kids hooked early and often.....make the boxes up top more affordable(if empty).....try to get the campus environment going.....have a South County communities reduced tickets for like a Narragansett Nite etc.....and of course beer sales around the concourse.....
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Rhode_Island_Red »

section(105) wrote:
Rhodymob05 wrote:Bill boards , Ripta busses, tv ads. Old school but works better than social media.
......both old and new school; more youth games at half time, free seats for school groups, get kids hooked early and often.....make the boxes up top more affordable(if empty).....try to get the campus environment going.....have a South County communities reduced tickets for like a Narragansett Nite etc.....and of course beer sales around the concourse.....
It would be interesting to see statistical evidence of the effectiveness of freebies. My suspicion is that people are less inclined to buy tickets if they know there's a chance of getting them for nothing.

Hmmmm ... if only we could find some marketing students interested in a project like that.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by section(105) »

....and another thing, what happened to the free programs where there 5-6 visitor team rosters, our player bios, history, stats etc? Maybe I missed them this year, thought they were great take home for young and old, and priced right...Marketing...
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Unread post by RhowdyRam02 »

Had an envelope in the mail today, vouchers for a gift they're giving out at the Brown game. One for each season ticket.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by rodfromcranston »

Not to be a broken record, but......
we haven't beaten PC in SEVEN years!
In my 54 plus years of following URI basketball,
I doubt we've ever gone seven years without doing so.
The perception in this state is simple.
Whoever wins that game rules the state, regardless of record or
conference.
Beating PC and having a good season makes it even clearer to
fringe fans, who tend to jump on and off the bandwagon.
Sure, the marketing sucks, but it's the team and on the court's results that draws fans,
not billboards or busses.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Hal Kopp »

Agreed on the marketing sucks Rod.
But there has to be a way to get another 1000 people in those BB stands other than relying on the PC game.
Look at FB,am told the raffle is down (over time) to $20K in revenue vs $40K,which to me indicates that some core supporters are drifting.
They offset that with $15K from TD challenge (alums idea). Relatively new FB opponents like Stony Brook and Elon have more cache than George Mason or St. Bonnies hoops? Particularly with RI being more of a BB state? It has to be new/fringe people in those FB stands for a 3 win team?? For basketball,1000 more tickets X $15=$15,000 per game=$255,000 per year more in revenue. Push for reunions amongst alums and local High schools at hoops games?
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by woodennickel1 »

rodfromcranston wrote:Not to be a broken record, but......
we haven't beaten PC in SEVEN years!
In my 54 plus years of following URI basketball,
I doubt we've ever gone seven years without doing so.
The perception in this state is simple.
Whoever wins that game rules the state, regardless of record or
conference.
Beating PC and having a good season makes it even clearer to
fringe fans, who tend to jump on and off the bandwagon.
Sure, the marketing sucks, but it's the team and on the court's results that draws fans,
not billboards or busses.
We may have beat you last year Rod but at the end of the year I would definitely say you guys were clearly the more visible team and to me you guys had the better year. It's definitely nice winning that game but to me how your year ends means a whole lot more.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Taylor Swift »

As irritating as the PC billboards are, I’ve never made a buying decision based on seeing one. Case in point, Ed Tarbox is super annoying and his face is all over billboards... makes me not want to step foot in his dealerships.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by TruePoint »

woodennickel1 wrote:We may have beat you last year Rod but at the end of the year I would definitely say you guys were clearly the more visible team and to me you guys had the better year. It's definitely nice winning that game but to me how your year ends means a whole lot more.
Unfortunately being on top at the end of the year does nothing for attendance and whatnot, and that was the original point of this discussion.

I do agree with Taylor in some sense - not many people buy a ticket to a basketball game based on seeing a billboard. At least not consciously, but that is the rub. Putting up billboards and other traditional marketing efforts may not get "clicks" in the same way as digital marketing, but it does establish your presence and works in a kind subliminal way.

You may not take out your phone and call from your car or go right home to your computer and buy tickets, but if you see the sign every day and then you overhear someone talking about the team in the line at the grocery store and then a few days later your buddy from down the street calls to say he wants to go to a game, do you want to come...probably impacts your answer a little bit.

I just think URI tends to accept being out of sight out of mind for 75-80% of the state and it would be better if we tried harder to change that.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by RhowdyRam02 »

I'm sure the Friartown billboard does more to get our fans riled up then it does to increase their attendance or fan base. Should be self evident, yet we go for the cheese and think it would be smart for us to burn money in kind
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by bigappleram »

Billboards, TV spots, or other large format marketing tools have different purpose than direct marketing tactics to sell tickets. The ROI isn't measured in how many tickets they sell for those types of marketing channels. It's creating positive brand affinity. That is called "branding" versus direct marketing (banner ads with promos to buy tickets or some kind of an offer). The ROI on branding is measured over the long term...marketing in general is part conscious and part sub-conscious. It's staying top of mind. Its winning over hearts and minds. When is the last TV ad for a car that you saw where you immediately went out and bought the car....of course it doesn't work that way. Humans don't work that way. But in the battle for hearts and minds of the casual RI basketball fan we are out of sight and out of mind. I would bet we have a higher awareness and profile (due to our coach) in the NY/NJ region than we do in our own state. We are the state university and we have conceded the battle for RI basketball fans to the friars.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Iggy1979 »

A day doesn't go by where I'm not hit with something on social media promoting URI basketball ticket sales. Mini-plans, four tickets, four popcorns etc. And I see plenty of print ads, too.
So I can't say that marketing is non-existent.
Getting into the tournament increased sales 10-15 percent. How much does a good marketing campaign move the needle? 1-2 percent?
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by bigappleram »

Those are all direct marketing tactics. Yep we need those. But we also need brand building. Win games, build a brand, create long term equity...on top of meeting short term sales needs. We need both, not one or the other. The target market is simple: URI alums (50,000) and casual basketball fans in RI. To think you are reaching and engaging all of those people through Facebook ads and direct response ticket offers is short sighted.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by bigappleram »

And Iggy that is because you are "cookied" and they are merely re-targeting you. I get 100 of them a day. But they don't need to market to me. It's the most cost efficient and targeted marketing they can do, due to the data that digital media provides, so it needs to be part of the mix. However re-targeting the fan base or people who have already shown interest/purchase isn't growing the fan base. It's just chasing a few more seats to games this season by trying to sell more, to less. It's not growing the base. That comes from consistent winning and an effective brand building strategy to own larger share of mind in the state.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by RoadyJay »

Iggy1979 wrote:A day doesn't go by where I'm not hit with something on social media promoting URI basketball ticket sales. Mini-plans, four tickets, four popcorns etc. And I see plenty of print ads, too.
So I can't say that marketing is non-existent.
Getting into the tournament increased sales 10-15 percent. How much does a good marketing campaign move the needle? 1-2 percent?
I don't think anyone believes the marketing is non-existent. We do have a social media presence but I would venture a guess that a majority of those eyeballs are already buying tickets and popcorn.

Going to the tournament, successful season, beating PC... they are absolutely part of the equation, but these things are not a line item in a marketing budget. Forget about the winning piece of this for a moment. It's only one part of the equation.

The other part of the equation is what are we spending our marketing dollars on?

Are we doing what we can to win over, as BAR states, the "hearts and minds" of Rhode Islanders? Do we all just think that we are tattooed with a PC or URI logo at birth? Some of us would think it is sacrilegious to change from a URI to a PC fan but I know many folks that either like both or are on the fence. Those are the ones I want to go after.

I was giving my son's teammate's father a hard time this weekend about his PC sweatshirt and he said he has a URI sweatshirt too. This is a guy I want to become a die hard Rhody fan. What are we doing to get this guy to become a URI fan and turn his kids into URI fans? Social Media ads probably aren't going to do it.

We should be killing PC when it comes to the hearts and minds of this state. We represent the entire state. They are a private school with the name of our capitol city. We both have a great basketball history. We both have one tournament win in our recent past. But we just concede to PC because they've beaten us regularly?

I don't get that mentality. If I ran a business I certainly wouldn't sit around and wait for good things to happen. I'd get out there an make sure people knew my product or service and why I'm the best option around.

The winning and the marketing/branding go hand-in-hand it's not one or the other.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by bigappleram »

There are 40-50k alums...there are an additional group of thousands and thousands of casual basketball/sports fans. That is our market.
It takes more than social media to engage and entice them.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by RhowdyRam02 »

OK great. Now tell me why we should waste money on billboards and signs in the airport.

You're talking about two of the places where people are most miserable, sitting in traffic and waiting for their luggage so they can finally get home. We freak out about those two things and if anything that creates negative brand association. Those are wasteful dollars that PC can afford to burn, but we need to and should be smarter than wasting money on that ineffective advertising.

If you want to argue we should spend more on TV spots during games, I'm with you. But then, have we supported the program well enough for them to reach out to new people?
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by RoadyJay »

RhowdyRam02 wrote:OK great. Now tell me why we should waste money on billboards and signs in the airport.

You're talking about two of the places where people are most miserable, sitting in traffic and waiting for their luggage so they can finally get home. We freak out about those two things and if anything that creates negative brand association. Those are wasteful dollars that PC can afford to burn, but we need to and should be smarter than wasting money on that ineffective advertising.

If you want to argue we should spend more on TV spots during games, I'm with you. But then, have we supported the program well enough for them to reach out to new people?
I'm not specifically commenting on billboards and signs in the airport. I'm not a marketing/branding guru so I can't tell you what we need to be spending our marketing dollars on. What I do know is that we are not doing nearly what we need to for us to win over our target market.

I don't know why this seems so controversial or is upsetting or offensive to people. At least that's how I am perceiving some people are taking it.

As far as the billboards and signs in the airport specifically... I'm a frequent traveler in and out of TF Green. I hate seeing that Friartown shit.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by bigappleram »

Yeah, why would the state university and their marquee sports program want to be the first thing you see when you land at the state's only airport. Blasphemy!

It's a high impact placement, you aren't fighting with a million other ad messages at an airport, you take-over the environment and drive impact.
No, someone doesn't then drive to the Ryan Center and buy a ticket to the St Bonnies game, but that positive impression and message gets through. And over time builds a brand. Placement in airports, high visibility areas of Providence and South County, on TV, add a sense of gravitas and magnitude to the program, beyond the ROI on ticket sales they deliver. They say we are big time. We are prominent.
Go to other states and see how their flagship institutions and programs are marketed in their local geo. I can guarantee you it goes well beyond digital/social media.
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Unread post by rhodyruckus »

There is a definite mix at play like others have mentioned above. My wife is a vendor/in direct sales, and finds she has to be selective. It is easy to do some bazaar where you know sales will be brisk and you make a profit but only 80 people total put their eyeballs on your table for the whole day. But she is taking the leap and doing a mall kiosk the next handful of weeks...it may lose money due to the upfront cost, but there will be hundreds if not thousands of eyeballs on her product and that will lead to future "remember that jewelry lady that sold X, Y and Z, let's go to her website" down the road.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by RhowdyRam02 »

RoadyJay wrote:
RhowdyRam02 wrote:OK great. Now tell me why we should waste money on billboards and signs in the airport.

You're talking about two of the places where people are most miserable, sitting in traffic and waiting for their luggage so they can finally get home. We freak out about those two things and if anything that creates negative brand association. Those are wasteful dollars that PC can afford to burn, but we need to and should be smarter than wasting money on that ineffective advertising.

If you want to argue we should spend more on TV spots during games, I'm with you. But then, have we supported the program well enough for them to reach out to new people?
I'm not specifically commenting on billboards and signs in the airport. I'm not a marketing/branding guru so I can't tell you what we need to be spending our marketing dollars on. What I do know is that we are not doing nearly what we need to for us to win over our target market.

I don't know why this seems so controversial or is upsetting or offensive to people. At least that's how I am perceiving some people are taking it.

As far as the billboards and signs in the airport specifically... I'm a frequent traveler in and out of TF Green. I hate seeing that Friartown shit.
Have you ever heard a single person at baggage check see that sign and say hey, we should go to a game? Five people? It's ineffective advertising.

I don't find it controversial at all that people think we need better marketing. I've been a massive critic of where the coach's show is held for instance. I'm just arguing against certain types of advertising which I deem ineffective and no one can calculate a ROI for
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by RhowdyRam02 »

bigappleram wrote:Yeah, why would the state university and their marquee sports program want to be the first thing you see when you land at the state's only airport. Blasphemy!

It's a high impact placement, you aren't fighting with a million other ad messages at an airport, you take-over the environment and drive impact.
No, someone doesn't then drive to the Ryan Center and buy a ticket to the St Bonnies game, but that positive impression and message gets through. And over time builds a brand. Placement in airports, high visibility areas of Providence and South County, on TV, add a sense of gravitas and magnitude to the program, beyond the ROI on ticket sales they deliver. They say we are big time. We are prominent.
Go to other states and see how their flagship institutions and programs are marketed in their local geo. I can guarantee you it goes well beyond digital/social media.

Because people are miserable in airports and advertising in places where people are miserable doesn't create a positive impression in people's minds? And because there's zero way to tell what, if any, return you're getting on your investment?
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by bigappleram »

Are we talking about Friartown (and our lack thereof?) That is your way of knowing it is making an impact.
I can't even go there with the assertion that everyone at an airport is miserable. I wonder if a family returning from Disney world, or a soldier returning from Iraq, or a kid getting off a plane to go to URI for his freshman year are miserable. And so on and so on.
Cmon man, that's a broad and erroneous statement.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by ramster »

RhowdyRam02 wrote:
RoadyJay wrote:
RhowdyRam02 wrote:OK great. Now tell me why we should waste money on billboards and signs in the airport.

You're talking about two of the places where people are most miserable, sitting in traffic and waiting for their luggage so they can finally get home. We freak out about those two things and if anything that creates negative brand association. Those are wasteful dollars that PC can afford to burn, but we need to and should be smarter than wasting money on that ineffective advertising.

If you want to argue we should spend more on TV spots during games, I'm with you. But then, have we supported the program well enough for them to reach out to new people?
I'm not specifically commenting on billboards and signs in the airport. I'm not a marketing/branding guru so I can't tell you what we need to be spending our marketing dollars on. What I do know is that we are not doing nearly what we need to for us to win over our target market.

I don't know why this seems so controversial or is upsetting or offensive to people. At least that's how I am perceiving some people are taking it.

As far as the billboards and signs in the airport specifically... I'm a frequent traveler in and out of TF Green. I hate seeing that Friartown shit.
Have you ever heard a single person at baggage check see that sign and say hey, we should go to a game? Five people? It's ineffective advertising.

I don't find it controversial at all that people think we need better marketing. I've been a massive critic of where the coach's show is held for instance. I'm just arguing against certain types of advertising which I deem ineffective and no one can calculate a ROI for
I'm also a frequent traveler in and out of TF Green. I hate the Friartown Advertising wall. And I hate it with an envy wishing that was a Rhode Island Rams Advertisement. I am jealous of it, like PC beat us to it. How much does it cost? How many tickets does it sell? I don't know.
But I think "Welcome to Friartown" is a powerful slogan. Teams like FGSU, Nebraska, VCU, Dayton, George Mason, Davidson, Georgia State, Detroit, Valparaiso, William & Mary, UNC Ashville, Nevada (next year), Saint Louis, Home - Home with P5 Team TBA ;) all fly into TF Green and see that Wall - nobody can miss it. Why not URI on that Wall? or another Wall? I'm no expert on Marketing or Advertising but that stinkin sign always gets to me.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Sweep The Leg »

To attract basketball fans that are just Rhode Island residents who have no ties to either school and have a rooting interest in both, PC and URI need to cross promote by doing a single game package, one game for each team at a discount and place it on Groupon or Living Social and maybe the ProJo. It can for those games considered dogs on the home schedule that have little buzz (maybe a choice of 3 different games for each school).

To bring in students, have halftime promotions and contests for something of real value. Back in the mid 90s, it was the Pepsi Challenge for a $1,500.00 scholarship, where each conference game had a qualifying round until the final home game where the payout contest would occur. It can be Pats tickets, Celtic tickets, concerts, anything... Not a Mews or Kingstown Pizza gift card, even though Mews is great.

Bring in local athletes to sign autographs at the Ryan center, a ticket gets you an autograph or photo with a player, Red Sox, Pats, whoever. Even if it brings 500 people more, it's a win.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by bigappleram »

We need different tactics for different audiences (i.e. students, South County community, RI-based alums, general basketball fans).

Let's make it even more granular...this board is basically the frequent flyer club for URI hoops, have we ever been engaged directly? What about a special Keaney Blue night at a game? Discounted ticket for all registered members? Meet & greet with the team post game? There are 150-200 people talking URI hoops year-round here and not 1 effort to engage them.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by section(105) »

......the coach’s show was location was mentioned, if not the current rotating locations, and current radio station; then what should the show then be to improve it as a marketing component?.....sounds like sponsors, not having live TV/quality stream coverages for every game, again sponsors are needed......have the current radio voices of the Rams over local TV/stream for every game......again sponsors......no?
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by section(105) »

.....and another thing......I think the early adopters of the PC brand were brought along by the Chris Clark simulcast of radio play by play of many PC games over local TV......old enough here to remember those games.......in the early sixties!,!
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Rhody74 »

section(105) wrote:.....and another thing......I think the early adopters of the PC brand were brought along by the Chris Clark simulcast of of radio play by play of many PC games over local TV......old enough here to remember those games.......in the early sixties!,!
That describes me before I went to URI in 1970. I was a big Jimmy Walker fan.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by section(105) »

Rhody74 wrote:
section(105) wrote:.....and another thing......I think the early adopters of the PC brand were brought along by the Chris Clark simulcast of of radio play by play of many PC games over local TV......old enough here to remember those games.......in the early sixties!,!
That describes me before I went to URI in 1970. I was a big Jimmy Walker fan.
......Bingo.....!!
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by section(105) »

......Think Big We Do......is marketed in an international approach......this has been mentioned before here that marketing the URI Basketball is something less......why?
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Rhody83 »

section(105) wrote:......the coach’s show was location was mentioned, if not the current rotating locations, and current radio station; then what should the show then be to improve it as a marketing component?.....sounds like sponsors, not having live TV/quality stream coverages for every game, again sponsors are needed......have the current radio voices of the Rams over local TV/stream for every game......again sponsors......no?
I know our radio guys are URI legends but they need to be changed. And referencing Chris Clark??? We need to be fresh. Broadcasting and marketing that worked in 1970s doesnt work in 2017.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Da_Process_Survivor »

Rhody83 wrote:
section(105) wrote:......the coach’s show was location was mentioned, if not the current rotating locations, and current radio station; then what should the show then be to improve it as a marketing component?.....sounds like sponsors, not having live TV/quality stream coverages for every game, again sponsors are needed......have the current radio voices of the Rams over local TV/stream for every game......again sponsors......no?
I know our radio guys are URI legends but they need to be changed. And referencing Chris Clark??? We need to be fresh. Broadcasting and marketing that worked in 1970s doesnt work in 2017.
and yet here we are crying about not spending money on billboards
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by ramster »

RoadyJay wrote:
RhowdyRam02 wrote:OK great. Now tell me why we should waste money on billboards and signs in the airport.

You're talking about two of the places where people are most miserable, sitting in traffic and waiting for their luggage so they can finally get home. We freak out about those two things and if anything that creates negative brand association. Those are wasteful dollars that PC can afford to burn, but we need to and should be smarter than wasting money on that ineffective advertising.

If you want to argue we should spend more on TV spots during games, I'm with you. But then, have we supported the program well enough for them to reach out to new people?
I'm not specifically commenting on billboards and signs in the airport. I'm not a marketing/branding guru so I can't tell you what we need to be spending our marketing dollars on. What I do know is that we are not doing nearly what we need to for us to win over our target market.

I don't know why this seems so controversial or is upsetting or offensive to people. At least that's how I am perceiving some people are taking it.

As far as the billboards and signs in the airport specifically... I'm a frequent traveler in and out of TF Green. I hate seeing that Friartown shit.
I tend to think that people at Airports are not miserable. In fact, maybe more on the happy side. They may be coming home, have family greeting them at the Baggage Claim area, coming home from a Business trip, coming to RI for vacation.......A lot of people come to RI for Newport, for Golf and Tennis Tournaments.
RoadyJay,
You travel a lot, what do you think about the frame of mind the people are in at the Airport? Would they tend to respond positively to a full wall poster like PC has saying "Welcome to Friartown"? or do you think they are a miserable lot in general and not impacted by a sign like this?

I do believe that URI, Roger Williams, Bryant and Brown also have advertising at the Airport but not to the magnitude of the PC promotion.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by NHRamFan »

I travel enough to report that many colleges and universities have billboards and ads in their local and regional airports. As someone earlier mentioned, it's part of a branding effort, building awareness and keeping the product top of mind. Marketing encompasses creative and directional media; direct and indirect if you prefer. I have sold media almost my entire adult life - radio, print, digital, social....everything but TV. I can tell you that a concerted marketing campaign must incorporate a constantly changing mix of many of the above. Effectiveness is directly proportional to available budget and personnel. The bottom line - I'm confident we are doing what we can with what is available. Funds feed marketing feed funds. It's a (dare I say it?) process.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Iggy1979 »

RoadyJay wrote:
Iggy1979 wrote:A day doesn't go by where I'm not hit with something on social media promoting URI basketball ticket sales. Mini-plans, four tickets, four popcorns etc. And I see plenty of print ads, too.
So I can't say that marketing is non-existent.
Getting into the tournament increased sales 10-15 percent. How much does a good marketing campaign move the needle? 1-2 percent?
I don't think anyone believes the marketing is non-existent. We do have a social media presence but I would venture a guess that a majority of those eyeballs are already buying tickets and popcorn.

Going to the tournament, successful season, beating PC... they are absolutely part of the equation, but these things are not a line item in a marketing budget. Forget about the winning piece of this for a moment. It's only one part of the equation.

The other part of the equation is what are we spending our marketing dollars on?

Are we doing what we can to win over, as BAR states, the "hearts and minds" of Rhode Islanders? Do we all just think that we are tattooed with a PC or URI logo at birth? Some of us would think it is sacrilegious to change from a URI to a PC fan but I know many folks that either like both or are on the fence. Those are the ones I want to go after.

I was giving my son's teammate's father a hard time this weekend about his PC sweatshirt and he said he has a URI sweatshirt too. This is a guy I want to become a die hard Rhody fan. What are we doing to get this guy to become a URI fan and turn his kids into URI fans? Social Media ads probably aren't going to do it.

We should be killing PC when it comes to the hearts and minds of this state. We represent the entire state. They are a private school with the name of our capitol city. We both have a great basketball history. We both have one tournament win in our recent past. But we just concede to PC because they've beaten us regularly?

I don't get that mentality. If I ran a business I certainly wouldn't sit around and wait for good things to happen. I'd get out there an make sure people knew my product or service and why I'm the best option around.

The winning and the marketing/branding go hand-in-hand it's not one or the other.
I think this is a very healthy discussion, but it seems none of us know how much money is spent on marketing and how it is spent. Until I know that I really don't know if it's being done properly. I agree we should be going after the fan who likes both teams and alums who don't go to games. But I don't know if that's happening or not.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by RoadyJay »

Iggy1979 wrote:
I think this is a very healthy discussion, but it seems none of us know how much money is spent on marketing and how it is spent. Until I know that I really don't know if it's being done properly. I agree we should be going after the fan who likes both teams and alums who don't go to games. But I don't know if that's happening or not.
Matt Moeller, Associate AD Marketing, has agreed to speak with me next week and I will let everyone know what I learn.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Rhode_Island_Red »

section(105) wrote:
Rhody74 wrote:
section(105) wrote:.....and another thing......I think the early adopters of the PC brand were brought along by the Chris Clark simulcast of of radio play by play of many PC games over local TV......old enough here to remember those games.......in the early sixties!,!
That describes me before I went to URI in 1970. I was a big Jimmy Walker fan.
......Bingo.....!!
My father used to take me to a playground on Smith Street to watch Jimmy Walker play pickup games.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Rhody74 »

See, Red, and we recovered! Redemption is possible!
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by CTRamfan »

PC has been the in-state "big league" team for decades. They play in the BIG [EAST] LEAGUE. We play in a very good league, but honestly, there have been only a few years where the two were equal.
.....That is the truth, period.

What can be done?....win consistently, and a fanbase will follow.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by ramster »

RoadyJay wrote:
Iggy1979 wrote:
I think this is a very healthy discussion, but it seems none of us know how much money is spent on marketing and how it is spent. Until I know that I really don't know if it's being done properly. I agree we should be going after the fan who likes both teams and alums who don't go to games. But I don't know if that's happening or not.
Matt Moeller, Associate AD Marketing, has agreed to speak with me next week and I will let everyone know what I learn.
Great Roady Jay,

Just for the heck of it, please ask him from a marketing perspective what he and others in the Marketing Department think of the giant “Welcome to Friartown” wall at TF Green.
Also what new efforts might we expect down the line
I know other schools do a lottery selection process for student tickets. Started with football whereby students would camp out overnight for tickets in hard to obtain schools. At some schools there was concern for student safety - and parental concerns. I think of this when I see giant lines of students waiting in the cold at URI. Just let them know in advance that they are getting in or not getting in. Hate to see students wait for hours only to get turned away. Lost study time, get a bad taste for the basketball team. What can URI do to improve this for heavily attended games. I also know that if you won or got selected for a lottery ticket but DID NOT show for the game then that went against you for future lottery selection odds.

Thanks,
Look forward to hearing about your meeting
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Billyboy78 »

Lost study time? Lol.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by ramster »

Billyboy78 wrote:Lost study time? Lol.
My point is I could have waited 2 hours, be towards the end of the line and then NOT gotten in. There is a risk in waiting in the line. If the student tickets were by lottery as many schools do, then there is not the potential wasted time in line only to be turned away. If I have an exam or paper due then I might chose to not risk the line wait.
The technology exists and the process exists to avoid the wasted time in line.

If not for lost studying time, then sub lost drinking time, or lost time at the fitness center, or lost anything time, but not much worse feeling than standing in line in the cold only to get turned away. Increases the likelihood that those turned away will not return anytime soon.
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Re: Lack of marketing (lazy old regime wasting DH's time?)

Unread post by Billyboy78 »

ramster wrote:
Billyboy78 wrote:Lost study time? Lol.
My point is I could have waited 2 hours, be towards the end of the line and then NOT gotten in. There is a risk in waiting in the line. If the student tickets were by lottery as many schools do, then there is not the potential wasted time in line only to be turned away. If I have an exam or paper due then I might chose to not risk the line wait.
The technology exists and the process exists to avoid the wasted time in line.

If not for lost studying time, then sub lost drinking time, or lost time at the fitness center, or lost anything time, but not much worse feeling than standing in line in the cold only to get turned away. Increases the likelihood that those turned away will not return anytime soon.
Ramster, I think you're around my age. Tell me if I remember this correctly. When I was in school (74-78), student tickets were given out the mornings of games, very early if I do remember correctly. If you wanted to go to a game badly, you'd go stand in line then. But at least you knew you had a ticket way before the game started. In 4 years, I never missed a game. Am I right or did I dream this?
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