Bobcat Gameday Experience

Discuss anything and everything relating to Bobcat Football here.

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Post by SonomaCat » Tue Dec 05, 2006 11:34 pm

Au Blue wrote:
Bay Area Cat wrote: And if we have Griz fans buying season tickets every year in order to get tickets for one game every two years, then that's brilliant marketing on the part of MSU.
maybe as far as $ are concerned... but I'd rather see those stands full for every home game. They were closer to capacity this year then they were the previous year when Cat/griz was in Bozo. The endzone seats are very easy to get season tickets in, the griz fans don't need to worry about purchasing them in off years.
MSU sold out their season tickets this year (non Cat/Griz year). That tells me that it would be very difficult for anyone who didn't have season tickets this season to get them for next season.



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Post by oldcatfan » Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:02 am

The athletic dept. never requested the band not play. Kramer wants more band, but the band needs to be ABLE to play more. Consistency in leadership on the band end would help. I think the athletics dept. would gladly can the canned music in favor of the band if the band could handle playing a whole game without repeating the same 15-second song 25 times. The new band director has a lot of energy and wants the marching band to be a force in the game. I'd say in a few years, if he sticks around, we could have a top notch marching band for football.



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Post by Platinumcat » Wed Dec 06, 2006 10:41 am

1BadBobcat wrote:
barechestcat wrote:I would love to see the tailgate areas spruced up. It seemed this summer we didn't water these areas at all and by Fall the grass was pretty much dead. This lends itself to muddy tailgate environments later on. If we committed to watering those areas during the summer, it would create a strong turf in which to tailgate on. Perhaps rows of trees for aesthetics?

The students need to become more involved with the gameday. Changes need to be made again to promote their attendance. As was mentioned, on campus promotions. In game promotions such as free books, credit at book store, on campus food court, etc. Prizes for craziest student fan, best dressed fan (catinthehat needs some competition).

I think we need to settle on our colors and promote ONLY them. I would love to see us get to the point where we were like Boise State and had one side that was totally blue and one that was totally yellow.

I'll keep thinking on some more
I couldn't agree more, barechest. I don't know how many umpteen different shades of blue I have seen and colors ranging from gold to yellow to something that looks like a burnt orange. I know because my home office is filled with Bobcat hats, shirts, memorabilia, etc. We need a uniform set of colors and that is what we market. I would think the contract we just signed with Learfield will help this. It is one area I am envious of the Griz (:yuck: - did I just say that?). If you look at all the Griz gear in various shops, it is one shade of maroon, one shade of gray, and one shade only.

By the way barechest, met your aunt in Helena Friday afternoon. Great lady - she was all decked out in the Bobcat gear and was showing me the family tree poster with all the Bobcat bloodlines and connections!!!
Really? Cool! They're great Bobcat fans (as is the entire family).


Oh, and I'm Jason Wiers, Platinum Property Management

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Post by CARDIAC_CATS » Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:46 pm

BobCatFan wrote:
tetoncat wrote:Better music selections that get the crowd into the game. I am still wondering why we had no music and cannon at our playoff game. The griz did, you could hear it on the TV broadcast. I think getting businesses to sell things right outside the stadium. Close off the endzone, if we can't get more bleachers now at least put up a fence that will keep some of the wind out and noise in. Set up package deals with motels, restaurants, and game tickets for out of town guests. Charge to get into the tailgate if need be but don't require a game ticket. Get the coaches show on some time other than 6:30 in the morning. FLYOVERS every game. More school incentive to be in the marching band or just make it a pep band that is louder. Nothing better than hearing a great Drum line.
Better Music
I was driving to the playoff game and Victim by AC/DC came on. I was thinking why have I never heard this song at a Cat game.

As for marketing, MSU really needs to make Billings their home base as well as Bozeman. After all, MSU-Billings does not have a football team and there are a lot of Cat fans in Billings. If MSU wants a 20,000 seat stadium, the fan base is to the east, just waiting for MSU to turn them onto Cat Football. I moved to Billings this past September, and I never seen any promotion for the Cats. When I would go to Spokane, WSU and U of W, I saw all kinds of marketing efforts by these schools. They had billboards, radio ads, and radio talk shows talking about each schools football programs. The AD should be attending Marketing 101 classes on campus and get a clue on how to bring in fans. If you spend $100k in marketing, it should bring back $500k in sales. Bozeman is not big enough to support a 20,000 seat stadium, but with in a 2 hour drive, there are a potenial 250,000 fans. This includes Billings, Helena, Butte, and all the small towns in between. If they can tap just 4%, that would be 10,000 fans. The students and the locals should be able to provide the other 10,000 fans. Heck, I know some guys at work who went to Missoula over the Cats for the first playoff game. They were not U of M grads. They went for the game day experience.

Here is another idea. I knew a gentlement that had a craft business. He would try to find shows that had a big draw into the town and at the same time a craft show would be held. The extra people in town meant more customers. He said one of his big shows each year was the football game for WSU. The craft show would be schedule the same day as a football game. The guys would go to the game while the wives went to the craft show. MSU just has not figure these things out. This is called marketing and it costs very little to do.
Very good points! I try and bring 2-4 new people up every year from Billings that have never gone to a Cat game. Billings is a HUGE draw for Cat Fans and we need to not only get those fans up there, but new fans (people that you meet that are nuetral, but new to the area etc.). MSU should be able to support 20,000 easily with Helena/G.F/Butte/Billings/Livingston being so close.



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Post by Egg Salad » Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:55 pm

The marketing department should put a big ad in the Gazette. It has the highest circulation in the state, and covers a lot of area geographically. Have the schedule on it, ticket info, and maybe team up with a hotel and/or restaurant for a package deal for out of town fans.



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Post by Cat Grad » Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:08 pm

I suspect we're going to have to get much more involved in the Flathead. Young Mr. Ogle is definitely going to have to get some help and I'd like to see some type of charter heading to Bozo on a regular basis stopping only for immediate Class VI resupply as we motor up the Swan, through Helena and on into the tailgate area. Having had the opportunity to really experience the World's Largest Floating Cocktail Party in Jacksonville where people take an entire week before and stagger back on Sunday, I can think of many Cats I grew up with who've migrated to other parts of the state. And no, it doesn't necessarily have to involve a great deal of drinking because I've been to tailgates where nobody has any alcohol.



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Post by BelgradeBobcat » Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:58 pm

Charters from the Flathead, Great Falls, Billings, Helena, etc sounds like a great idea. Maybe that's a next step. It started with cars in the parking lot, the pickups with BBQ grills, then motorhomes coming in the night before, then a half mile of coaches lined up along 11th Street.

This idea was brought by someone else so it's not mine. I'd like to see MSU spend some of the parking revenue on rejuvenating, landscaping, and paving the entire Fieldhouse parking lot with wide lit concrete walkway connecting the Fieldhouse to the stadium. You can get an idea of what I mean by observing the parking lots at Walmart and Home Depot. Walmart has two long walkways going from the front doors into the parking lot with landscaping along each side. Tailgaters could setup along this walkway and fans could form a human tunnel when the band, cheerleaders, coaches and team walks from the Fieldhouse to the stadium high fiving everyone along the way. This walkway would also be benefical to basketball fans who now have to wade across the mud to get to the small paved lot in front of the Fieldhouse. During the week the walkway would serve students parking in the Fieldhouse lot and walking towards campus. They would have to move the rodeo dirt-but that's a good thing as it occupies some of the most prime parking on campus.

Starting the games at 2 or 3 p.m. would help our gameday. With a 1 pm or 12 pm kickoff there's just enough time to eat then go to the game. A later kickoff would give people more time to get to the walkway and cheer the team as the head to the stadium. So lets gets some lights so we don't have to start quite so early.



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Post by bobcatmaniac » Thu Dec 07, 2006 7:16 am

I like the idea cheering them into the stadium!



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Post by Cat in NC » Thu Dec 07, 2006 7:26 am

This is actually a really good idea. They run the same sort of thing at App (called the Mountaineer Walk) and it's very cool. At different times, both the players and the band walk into the stadium with a "human tunnel" almost the entire way. One of the best aspects is that the band stops at intervals along the way, usually the biggest tailgates in the Stadium Lot, and plays their fight song. They'll also do Happy Birthday, and maybe even some requests. It adds a lot to the tailgate/pregame atmosphere.


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Post by bobcatbob » Thu Dec 07, 2006 9:38 am

We need to get some of these ideas, especially the paving of lots and walkway tunnel idea and bus charters from around the state to the Athletic Dept. Now is the time for them to start planning for next year. There are some terriffic ideas here.



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Post by Cat Grad » Thu Dec 07, 2006 10:17 am

I rather enjoy the atmosphere of the Ole Miss traditional pregame ritual but it's just a little TOO Southern sophistication for even me. We could easily borrow many of these ideas and BelgradeBobcat has a great idea as to the need for improving our parking lots up and around the athletic complex. We've got a lot of open space up there that could make for a great tailgate venue.

Now, I'm sorry but I kind of take exception to the need for a bunch of brush and bushes around our area--it tends to spoil the view if you've got a bunch of dang trees in the way. I kind of get claustrophobia when I spend a whole bunch of time in the Flathead and can't wait to get back up over the hill so I can see some prairie mixed in with the mountains. We get a lot of kids from the eastern two thirds of the state and many of them will tell you they felt confined even in the Gallatin as it is now, for what it's worth. Hell, let's log what trees we have on the campus now unless we need to hide some of our old "historic" buildings that ought to be razed and a new one built in its place :evil:



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Post by BozoneCat » Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:39 pm

I've brought up the paving idea a few times in the past, and I believe I have mentioned that there is a standing offer to do the landscaping work at cost by my brother's company. Just throwing that out there. :D


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Post by bcats » Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:06 pm

BozoneCat wrote:I've brought up the paving idea a few times in the past, and I believe I have mentioned that there is a standing offer to do the landscaping work at cost by my brother's company. Just throwing that out there. :D
If this is true then why hasn't it been done. I think we can all agree the a paved and nicely landscaped parking lot would bring a lot to the overall gameday experience. What I don't understand is that we all seem to have great ideas and for the most part agree on what kinds of things need to be done but for some reason very little ever gets noticed and done. I still believe if we spent a little money it would bring in more revenue ten fold.


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Post by Eastcoastgriz » Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:57 pm

Bay Area Cat wrote:
MSU sold out their season tickets this year (non Cat/Griz year). That tells me that it would be very difficult for anyone who didn't have season tickets this season to get them for next season.
How many season tickets does msu sell??


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Post by JimmyEatWorld » Sat Dec 09, 2006 7:17 am

We have a long way to go in the promotions/marketing/game day exp. catagory. I saw an ad last night watching the Griz game that promoted their sports program that was awesome. We have a Film & TV school - we s/b the ones that kick butt when it comes to this kind of thing. We also need a decent Hall of Fame - the one in the Brick is pretty bad. It really seems to me that this marketing area is really floundering with no direction. I've heard that MSU has subcontracted with an outside firm for next year - hopefully that will begin to improve things.



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Post by liqud360 » Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:31 am

All great ideas, so where oh where is the money going to come from. One would think that the Athletic dept cant be full of a bunch of squares, we all have great ideas...where are theirs? I think money is a huge issue, things would get done if we had it. The griz marketing is 90% football...what are the other sports???? dont know! Seriously, I think MSU concentrates on trying to evenly distribute funds to all sports. UofM seems to pipe most of theirs into FB. And ya know...seems to work for them.


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Post by tdub » Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:42 am

I didn't read all the posts carefully, so I apologize if I repeat someone else's setiment here.

ADVERTISING. I'm in Billings, and almost everywhere you go, there is something Griz. New creative things. Huge varieties, selections. The Cats have just the basic t-shirts, sweatshirts, maybe a coffee mug, and a hat.

Billings currently (and has been for quite a few years) a UM town. Which is wierd to me. The fan base from here could stop 3 hours sooner, and not even drop their cash on motel if they didn't want to. Turn it into at Cat town. Window hangings in retail locations, resturaunts - find some bar owner, grease his palms a bit, and have him turn the bar into THE place to go for Bobcat athletics for those that can't (or won't) travel. The Winner's Circle has on their outside sign every football season "Griz game here every Saturday". Turn some place into the Tiny's Tavern (Broncos bar for those who don't know) of Bobcat football.

When people start to see a product (and that's what is really trying to be sold here) everywhere, they start to think about it more. People that move here from out of state that don't know the difference yet, will maybe think they moved into a town that supports the Cats, so why wouldn't they.

In a nutshell, make Bobcat athletics must more visible to the general public, and not just provide for those that are already fans.



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Post by BobCatFan » Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:55 am

tdub wrote:I didn't read all the posts carefully, so I apologize if I repeat someone else's setiment here.

ADVERTISING. I'm in Billings, and almost everywhere you go, there is something Griz. New creative things. Huge varieties, selections. The Cats have just the basic t-shirts, sweatshirts, maybe a coffee mug, and a hat.

Billings currently (and has been for quite a few years) a UM town. Which is wierd to me. The fan base from here could stop 3 hours sooner, and not even drop their cash on motel if they didn't want to. Turn it into at Cat town. Window hangings in retail locations, resturaunts - find some bar owner, grease his palms a bit, and have him turn the bar into THE place to go for Bobcat athletics for those that can't (or won't) travel. The Winner's Circle has on their outside sign every football season "Griz game here every Saturday". Turn some place into the Tiny's Tavern (Broncos bar for those who don't know) of Bobcat football.

When people start to see a product (and that's what is really trying to be sold here) everywhere, they start to think about it more. People that move here from out of state that don't know the difference yet, will maybe think they moved into a town that supports the Cats, so why wouldn't they.

In a nutshell, make Bobcat athletics must more visible to the general public, and not just provide for those that are already fans.
I agree with your post, but MSU Athletics is clueless when it comes to advertising. Kramer is the one person from MSU supporting the Cats outside of Bozeman. I think the few t- shirts and coffee mugs you see are mostly done by the merchants and not by MSU. MSU needs to study basic marketing and understand they need to promote their brand. All year long, all over the state, do it with class and they need to saturate the market place.



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Post by BelgradeBobcat » Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:43 am

liqud360 wrote:All great ideas, so where oh where is the money going to come from.
The parking lot idea should be funded through parking revenues-those little stickers everybody has to buy to park on campus during the week.

Winning begets a lot of what we are talking about. washington-grizzly stadium used to hold about what ours holds now and they didn't fill it up over night. MSU helped them right along by hiring Earle Solomonson, dismantling instate recruiting and letting almost all the top Montana high school football players go to Missoula without a fight. Our ineptitude in the late 80's was like throwing gas on a fire in Missoula in my opinion. We're still recovering.

We are making strides. Our stadium in now full for every home game-that didn't even happen in our National Championship years. And a lot of those people are not from the Gallatin Valley. People come to our games from all over the State.

But for every step or two forward there's step back. Our women's basketball program hit rock bottom in terms of wins last season. Our men's team is going through the same thing this season. The volleyball team-after many years of success is starting to fall off. It's been testified here that our previous men's basketball coach , who used to get almost every Montana Gatoraid Player of the Year, passed on the State's top basketball player to sign a JC shooting guard who couldn't make grades. :evil: :evil: Our new coach doesn't appear to be making the same mistakes in signing early two in-state players-from Butte and Great Falls no less.

I think all our major programs-perhaps except for volleyball-are finally moving in the right direction at the same time. 2007-08 will be pivotal.

The other factor we have to change: A less than apathetic statewide media-both TV and print.



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