Anyone watch the Laker's Dynasty on Hulu? Jerry Buss was ahead of his time, and KU football should take notes. Jerry Buss knew the Laker's game alone wouldn't increase ticket sales. He said people pay for entertainment, and they needed to make it a "must see" event that nobody wanted to miss. The basketball game was the icing on the cake, the atmosphere around the game was what people couldn't miss.
Selling tickets to watch a college football game isn't going to compel people to drive to Memorial stadium, sit on a wooden bench, eat stale hotdogs, and watch football. We need to make it an event. If you ever looked over at the Oread upper deck during the game, it is full of students partying because it is "the" must see event for them. Guys, girls, drinks, dj, and football on the tv. In order to compete with that, we need to get those students wanting to be at the stadium, on the hill, tailgating, and partying. And creating a "family zone with games" is not going to drive ticket sales. Yes it is part of the experience, but the reason the stadium was full during Mangino and Mason years was because the Hill was the biggest party in town. Yes we were winning football games, but remember even back then it was about every other year that we went to a low level bowl game.
And IMO, the biggest demographic we should be targeting (outside of Students), is the 22 to 35 yr old alumni who don't have families yet, have disposable income, don't have weekend booked up with family events, and are looking for a reason to come back to their alma mater.
If you look at the SEC or Big 10, which probably have the largest crowds, it is the tailgating that creates the party atmosphere. My friends want to go to a game LSU, not to see the LSU game, but to EXPERIENCE the atmosphere. With the Hill, we could have that atmosphere again, but it would involve getting rid of all the boring alumni tents, and turning it back into the must see party. Sure you can have your family zones, and alumni areas, but give the hill back to the people who make the atmosphere (The STUDENTS).
Selling tickets to watch a college football game isn't going to compel people to drive to Memorial stadium, sit on a wooden bench, eat stale hotdogs, and watch football. We need to make it an event. If you ever looked over at the Oread upper deck during the game, it is full of students partying because it is "the" must see event for them. Guys, girls, drinks, dj, and football on the tv. In order to compete with that, we need to get those students wanting to be at the stadium, on the hill, tailgating, and partying. And creating a "family zone with games" is not going to drive ticket sales. Yes it is part of the experience, but the reason the stadium was full during Mangino and Mason years was because the Hill was the biggest party in town. Yes we were winning football games, but remember even back then it was about every other year that we went to a low level bowl game.
And IMO, the biggest demographic we should be targeting (outside of Students), is the 22 to 35 yr old alumni who don't have families yet, have disposable income, don't have weekend booked up with family events, and are looking for a reason to come back to their alma mater.
If you look at the SEC or Big 10, which probably have the largest crowds, it is the tailgating that creates the party atmosphere. My friends want to go to a game LSU, not to see the LSU game, but to EXPERIENCE the atmosphere. With the Hill, we could have that atmosphere again, but it would involve getting rid of all the boring alumni tents, and turning it back into the must see party. Sure you can have your family zones, and alumni areas, but give the hill back to the people who make the atmosphere (The STUDENTS).
