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Pony Up Creates Buzz, But Not Butts In Seats

Harry

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Harry Grand Master

Harry

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http://colleges.beloblog.com/archives/2007/09/pony_up_creates_buzz_but_not_butts_in_se.html#comments

September 4, 2007

Pony Up creates buzz, but not butts in seats

Must admit that I've been impressed by SMU's Pony Up marketing blitz. With all the ads, banners and billboards, there's no doubt the word got out about SMU football.

Too bad SMU types don't seem to care, as noted by superstar columnist Kevin Sherrington

Officials projected a sell-out, which certainly seemed reasonable. The game came up 6,000 short. And if it hadn't been for Tech fans, the stadium would have been three-quarters empty.

Maybe the rainy forecast kept them home. Maybe they were still at the lake.

Maybe they're just not convinced.

Now, as a North Texas alum, I'm not gonna go wagging my finger in Hilltop folks' faces about such matters as attendance and opening-game results. But I will make a guarantee: There will be more green than red and blue Saturday night at Ford Stadium.

Mean Green fans are still fired up about the beginning of the Todd Dodge era. Seems like a bunch of SMU students, in particular, want to see and be seen boulevarding but can't be inonvenienced by actually entering the stadium.

The outnumbered SMU folks in the stadium will still have us beat in net worth, but the fine folks from Southlake supporting Dodge will help Mean Greeners close that gap.

Posted by Tim MacMahon email.gif at 11:34 AM (E-mail this entry) | Comments (0)

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Quoner Mentor

Quoner

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Will this mean all of you that bitch endlessly about more posters and ads and t-shirts and free stuff will finally shut the hell up and realize it is winning that makes the machine go in this town?

SMU had posters, a top-tier (for them or us) opponent and more hype and presence than we have ever had. And it got them a bunch of visiting Tech fans and a black-eye bigger than Mrs. Warren Moon's.

You can tweak the surplus, but you got to have something worth selling for it to work.

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Arkstfan Proficient

Arkstfan

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Will this mean all of you that bitch endlessly about more posters and ads and t-shirts and free stuff will finally shut the hell up and realize it is winning that makes the machine go in this town?

SMU had posters, a top-tier (for them or us) opponent and more hype and presence than we have ever had. And it got them a bunch of visiting Tech fans and a black-eye bigger than Mrs. Warren Moon's.

You can tweak the surplus, but you got to have something worth selling for it to work.

Ah I feel like I'm back in Imelda Williams marketing class.

What I don't get with the SMU situation is WHY their marketing blitz apparently failed. SMU was picked to be upper middle of the pack in CUSA and more than one pre-season look picked them to win 7 and go to a bowl. They are coming off their second best post-death penalty season. They've got an exciting QB. If ever a marketing blitz was warranted this would have been the year because they seemed to finally have something to sell.

If this holds up I don't think it can be interpreted as anything short of a no-confidence vote in the coaches and AD by the fans.

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GreenAlums Newbie

GreenAlums

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Will this mean all of you that bitch endlessly about more posters and ads and t-shirts and free stuff will finally shut the hell up and realize it is winning that makes the machine go in this town?

I have to admit, I'm one of those that HATES the fact I can't find green everywhere. I promise to "shut up" when we beat SMUt. I'm afraid to think what I may be willing to do for a win!! I was here in the Fry era, (I actually walked on with him as coach, what a gentleman) and have carried the rivalry he instilled in us forward to today. Many of you can also, but I can share some choice quotes a younger Haden Fry would have shared then. Remember this one, "I told them to take care of the school and I would take care of the team. They didn't like that so here I am". We gotta beat SMUt!!!

UNT 24

SMUt 19

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Quoner Mentor

Quoner

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Ah I feel like I'm back in Imelda Williams marketing class.

What I don't get with the SMU situation is WHY their marketing blitz apparently failed. SMU was picked to be upper middle of the pack in CUSA and more than one pre-season look picked them to win 7 and go to a bowl. They are coming off their second best post-death penalty season. They've got an exciting QB. If ever a marketing blitz was warranted this would have been the year because they seemed to finally have something to sell.

If this holds up I don't think it can be interpreted as anything short of a no-confidence vote in the coaches and AD by the fans.

I think they were hardened by two decades of misery and didn't want to believe in it until they saw some real on the field success. If they had won or competed in this game, they probably would have had a nice crowd. All the students I talked to there just tailgated and could not even be talked into coming to the game next week. They don't mind meeting us to boulevard or whatever, but they don't want to be caught dead in the stadium.

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Green Lantern Mentor

Green Lantern

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Will this mean all of you that bitch endlessly about more posters and ads and t-shirts and free stuff will finally shut the hell up and realize it is winning that makes the machine go in this town?

SMU had posters, a top-tier (for them or us) opponent and more hype and presence than we have ever had. And it got them a bunch of visiting Tech fans and a black-eye bigger than Mrs. Warren Moon's.

You can tweak the surplus, but you got to have something worth selling for it to work.

I hate you and your stupid logic. It has no place here, sir.

JK. *Norm Voice* "I love you"

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SouthernMustang Newbie

SouthernMustang

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Even if we were to outnumber an opponent's schools in fan, their school colors would outnumber ours. I learned very early... our school colors are not red and blue, but pastel, khaki, and whichever color tongue variation you can find in the latest Sperry Topsiders.

As for the marketing blitz failing, I'm not surprised. Until SMU wins a freaking game of relatie importance (of which none of the 6 last year I count as important or marquee), alums and students alike have the right to not believe that spending money on advertising (instead of coaching and loosening recruiting restrictions and adding educational programs that cater to athletes) is bogus. They've had this problem for 20 years. UNT's problem was 4 years (or however long your drought was)... multiply that times 5, have your school start making it ridiculous to let people in to play thereby tying your coach's hands behind his back, but then adding great facilities and a wonderful tailgate setpup (despite the awful billboard)... and SMU is officially is the greatest c@ck-tease in college football. Have you ever been c@ck-teased for 20 years? I haven't... but I can imagine it's pretty rough.

I have no idea how I got off on that tangent.. oh yeah, marketing and why no one showed up. They're sick of being teased, they just want to score.

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NT80 Grand Master

NT80

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What I don't get with the SMU situation is WHY their marketing blitz apparently failed. SMU was picked to be upper middle of the pack in CUSA and more than one pre-season look picked them to win 7 and go to a bowl. They are coming off their second best post-death penalty season. They've got an exciting QB. If ever a marketing blitz was warranted this would have been the year because they seemed to finally have something to sell.

If this holds up I don't think it can be interpreted as anything short of a no-confidence vote in the coaches and AD by the fans.

It failed because of several reasons. First, the ad campaign was lame to begin with, "a mustang symbol and an arrow?". As one poster asked a friend from out of town what they thought it meant: "go this way to park your horse?". Next, many SMU alums are still mad at the loss of the SWC days, refusing to support anything (or conference) less. $mu's elitism has turned off the average Dallas public (not that they ever had them). Small private school, snob attitudes, poor record for 20 years, coach on the hot seat = not much to get excited about = 6,000 fans at games.

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Green Mean Enthusiast

Green Mean

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I constantly see messages and threads on this website poking fun of the SMU marketing campaign and I honestly do not see why. Again, like I said in a previous thread that I am not basing anything on this season so far but NT has absolutely no room to talk. We have pathetic attendance numbers as well....and this also includes our 4 straight NOB appearances. Yes I admit SMU has lost some of its fan base but I think after what has happened I am not surprised because they truly got a feeling of a death penalty. Atleast they have a marketing campaign, you see their ads on the radio, tv, newspaper, billboards etc. They actually have great funding for their athletics when they need/want it. They have great facilities like a beautiful state of the art football stadium on campus in the heart of Dallas. I havent seen NT do anything major (marketing wise) like that other than in front of Fouts Field or somewhere in Denton. Before criticizing someone elses fans I really think we need to look at ourselves in the mirror first and ask ourselves are we any better?

Edited by Green Mean
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Green Mean Enthusiast

Green Mean

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You haven't been to Moody lately have you? If charging overpriced tuition is an acceptable form of funding for a lame ad campaign then I'm glad we don't.

Its all about perspective....why is it never overpriced of a student goes to an out of state state-college? After all tuition, fees etc its not that much less than a private school. And no I havent been to Moody in about 7 years so I dont know how it is now but last I remember it wasnt that bad and its certainly nothing to be ashamed about. By the way I have heard that they are in the process of trying get some support to renovate the whole thing. And why does tuition have to be based on athletics?? Maybe someone wants to go to SMU's business school or theatre school or whatever they want to do. Why should we care how much they pay for their education?

Edited by Green Mean
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