Lack of HU Sports Advertising/Marketing is UNACCEPTABLE

[stuball888]

OK Joe1 I guess I am being a little obtuse. Thats like Polito calling Uncle Buck and Bull Fan "tools"! I just dont think it should fall only on the players to get students out to the arena. They really have a lot on their plate. Other schools have off campus promotions in restaurants, delis and yes even sports bars. Not just for mens basketball but for their other sports as well. Guys as far as the 'pride club"s concerned. They used to have an open meeting once a year. The last two years absolutely zero. I call the pride club to talk to dave Wojek(sp) the president and it goes directly to Jim furlong a Hofstra asst AD. I was told I would be notified of the open meeting. I am not going to hold my breath.

[Wags]

Likely that next Thursdays game against UNCW will be a battle for first place. If HU cant play that up and turn some people out (students and others) even on a Thursday night, it would truly be a shame. Its embarrassing watching game highlights and seeing such a nice facility with only a smattering of people at each game.

That's what the marketing department should take note of the most and it drives me nuts every time I see it.

I wrote this (http://www.nysportsday.com/2016/01/29/g ... -meltdown/) last night and although this pic was a little blurry (sorry), how much better would it look with actual fans in the background instead of ones disguised as empty blue seats? It's just Rok, the defender guarding him and a couple of camera guys in the shot. No one else! And really, there was no better angle in which it was much better in the background, at every home game this season. It's embarrassing. This is a good product on the floor this year. They've GOT to find a way over this final month to get more people in those empty blue seats.

And forget my articles. It's a small, independent site. You want brand recognition for the Hofstra name? How about doing all that you can do from a marketing standpoint to make sure there's a background of a crowd that at least looks decent instead of (as you said) a nice-looking yet empty arena when Koon's follow slam from last night is #9 on SportsCenter's Top 10. Or when you can show other clips of Green and Gustys or even others making big plays without empty seats in the distance?

It matters! And it's frustrating because this league (ranked, what 8th or 9th in the nation most of the year?) and this team (which has the potential to get to the NCAA tourney and be a dangerous matchup for someone) deserve so much better.

The quality of play and the backgrounds don't go together. Empty seats in these pics and clips for mid-major programs like HU make the team and league look to the somewhat uneducated, fringe fans like it's the 20-something-ranked America East or SWAC, etc. instead of portraying what HU and the CAA deserve -- a crowd in the background that looks like it belongs with a top-10 conference. And isn't that why Hofstra left the America East for the CAA a decade and a half ago in the first place? To gain greater exposure and receive the benefits of playing in a higher profile, better quality league?

I just don't understand why filling the seats for these games does not seem to be a top priority. It goes against everything they say they want to do in strengthening and growing their brand as a program. ACTIONS > simply words.

[HUSID80]

It can be done...this was only a few short years ago....notice all the FREE t-shirts that were given on that night

file:///C:/Users/jfrew/Pictures/hofstra%20%20basketball%20full%20arena_files/image003.jpg

[stuball888]

We could always get crash dummies and dress them like students.

[joeg1]

OK Joe1 I guess I am being a little obtuse. Thats like Polito calling Uncle Buck and Bull Fan "tools"! I just dont think it should fall only on the players to get students out to the arena. They really have a lot on their plate. Other schools have off campus promotions in restaurants, delis and yes even sports bars. Not just for mens basketball but for their other sports as well. Guys as far as the 'pride club"s concerned. They used to have an open meeting once a year. The last two years absolutely zero. I call the pride club to talk to dave Wojek(sp) the president and it goes directly to Jim furlong a Hofstra asst AD. I was told I would be notified of the open meeting. I am not going to hold my breath.

Just kidding about the "obtuse" crack, Stu. It's maddening how the admin doesn't pick what seems to be low hanging fruit. A home court advantage matters.

[ProudofPride]

I of course also agree that attendance should be much better for a team playing this well, but on WAGS point also want to give credit where credit is due and say pep band has improved tremendously last couple years both in size and sound. It is still far away from other schools, but much much better than a few years ago and hopefully their continued enthusiasm will boost the Lions Den atmosphere and lead to increased student attendance.

While it's great that they've improved and are bigger now, they still can't do it alone. I think we're all sick of them being the only ones making noise in Lion's Den consistently. The atmosphere would be so much better if it were packed with way more students. Administrators needs to realize that.

[HofstraMathew]

I remember the 2006 season when for the #25 GMU and two NIT games we had the entire Student Section through the 200 and spilling over into the 200 corner sections filled up. Not to mention at least where I was standing we had more students standing than seats.

[Wags]

Here are this season's home attendance numbers:

Canisius - 2,106
Molloy - 897
Florida Atlantic - 961
Sacred Heart - 1,313
Delaware - 1,293
Drexel - 1,102
JMU - 1,687
W&M - 894
Elon - 1,125

Games: 9
Total: 11,378
Avg: 1,264

* Highest all season: 2,106
* ALL BUT 2 games under 1,400!
* 3 games under 1,000!

Is the marketing dept. just not reviewing these numbers? Or they don't care? Or they care but don't know what to do about it? Does a marketing dept. even exist?

The above numbers should be what they are simply by accident. With even an ounce of effort you should be able to increase the above numbers.

[ProudofPride]

Here are this season's home attendance numbers:

Canisius - 2,106
Molloy - 897
Florida Atlantic - 961
Sacred Heart - 1,313
Delaware - 1,293
Drexel - 1,102
JMU - 1,687
W&M - 894
Elon - 1,125

Games: 9
Total: 11,378
Avg: 1,264

* Highest all season: 2,106
* ALL BUT 2 games under 1,400!
* 3 games under 1,000!

Is the marketing dept. just not reviewing these numbers? Or they don't care? Or they care but don't know what to do about it? Does a marketing dept. even exist?

The above numbers should be what they are simply by accident. With even an ounce of effort you should be able to increase the above numbers.

The W&M game is understandable due to weather, and although I'm a firm believer in supporting the team no matter what (every HU sports team, not just MBB), I can't blame people for not wanting to watch the team play a D2 team. The others are simply due to lack of marketing the games.

[Wags]

Here are this season's home attendance numbers:

Canisius - 2,106
Molloy - 897
Florida Atlantic - 961
Sacred Heart - 1,313
Delaware - 1,293
Drexel - 1,102
JMU - 1,687
W&M - 894
Elon - 1,125

Games: 9
Total: 11,378
Avg: 1,264

* Highest all season: 2,106
* ALL BUT 2 games under 1,400!
* 3 games under 1,000!

Is the marketing dept. just not reviewing these numbers? Or they don't care? Or they care but don't know what to do about it? Does a marketing dept. even exist?

The above numbers should be what they are simply by accident. With even an ounce of effort you should be able to increase the above numbers.

The W&M game is understandable due to weather, and although I'm a firm believer in supporting the team no matter what (every HU sports team, not just MBB), I can't blame people for not wanting to watch the team play a D2 team. The others are simply due to lack of marketing the games.

Agree, although the roads were FINE the morning of the W&M game and it was nice and early so it didn't cut into the rest of the day much. But fair enough on that and the Molloy game. However, those two games (even vs. D-2 and post-blizzard) in past years, when the program was marketed better, would still have drawn a lot better than they did this year.

[stuball888]

Then tell me why SBu drew 3,404 for US merchant marine acadamy and 2,544 for div 3 farmingdale..

[Polito]

Bottom line is there is NO excuse. I'm VERY disappointed in the AD's lack of action here. Buck stops with him.

They are absolutely BLOWING one of the best HU seasons in 15 yrs, and a ridiculous amount of marketable material - I mean Green and the CBS POW should've been on a super sized banner and hung from one of the overpasses to simultaneously promote to everyone at HU and the entire local community - I mean c'mon that's not difficult and it's def affordable - this isn't rocket science, it's just sheer laziness and/or apathy by the admin - disgraceful.

And I don't believe the violation stuff - my understanding (and pls someone in legal correct me if I'm wrong with PROOF) schools are absolutely allowed to advertise/market with their own players (faces, likeness, number, etc.) - fairly certain that's only for non-university companies attempting to use them to sell something - even though the school is technically selling itself, it is allowed - schools do it all the time all over the country at EVERY level.

[The Shadow]

On another thread, there was a mention of HU should change conferences because the CAAT is going to South Carolina instead of Baltimore. With those attendance totals, what other conference would welcome HU? Do any of you think the A10 would even consider HU? You really cannot make a logical reason for acceptance. These poor numbers are with a team tied for FIRST PLACE at the half point of the CAA season. The numbers speak volumes in the lack of marketing, student interest, and community support. Remember not doing enough is a choice that is made by the administration of the college. The athletic department acts under those guidelines. I hope the next four games show a remarkable change, but I really do not think it will happen. The famous Bill Parcells' quote sums this up: "You are what your record says you are."

[stuball888]

Like the shadow said JH has to answer to rabinowitz.

[stuball888]

On another note Tori Harris just scored her 1000th point at HHH. She is a top recruit who visited Hofstra when the women played in front of less people then Tori gets at her high school games. What does that say about the commitment to our programs. I have been at some womens games where the opponents have had more fans in the stands than hofstra had. It is supposed to be a home court advantage,, Not anymore! Another poster said if we were playing ODU, Mason and VCU maybe we would draw more people. Maybe, but arent fans supposed to come out to see Hofstra? If its St johns I understand.

[garyg]

Stu makes good point about attendance and recruiting....while staff has done very good job with recruiting it has to be tough when recruits visit and place is more then half empty...

[stuball888]

When Tori visited Hofstra we had less than 5% capacity.

[garyg]

It is a shame because both the men and women put a quality product on the floor

[joeg1]

When Tori visited Hofstra we had less than 5% capacity.

Surely Hathaway must realize this....is HE obtuse? (lol Stu)

Seriously, I cannot understand why they don't do more, for this reason alone.

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[garyg]

Maybe administration is looking at it this way...maybe they expect people just to show up because they have invested in the programs and have put quality, competitive programs on the floor....maybe they feel their work is done...obviously this is the wrong way to look at things as advertising/marketing are usually a big part of most programs....