[NU Sports] Congrats Mr. Phillips!

Mon Nov 15 10:56:27 CST 2010

I am very confident that this will be a one-time deal for Northwestern,
since the school gets a lot more benefit from additional home games, and
Phillips has made it clear that NU needs 7 home games a year from a
scheduling standpoint.  While this game has been an issue ticket-wise (some
people got moved into lower priced areas than requested/paid for,
particularly those in the $125 sections; also, it's an additional expense
and has issues as Chuck noted below), I believe it has already paid
dividends and will continue to in the future (even if some new season ticket
holders drop, I believe the 'Cats will see a continued boost in future
seasons).

Jonathan

On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 10:46 AM, <cherron604 at aol.com> wrote:

>  I figure I have been a grumpy old curmudgeon, and I am very happy to be
> 7-3, but I think my issue is a season ticket one.  We keep our tickets for
> years, til we can work our way to a desirable parking pass, desirable seat,
> restrooms just steps away. It's probaly silly, but I am very proud that I
> and my box-mates in the upper deck have concessions and bathrooms within a
> few footsteps.  When we see events that subtract from the value of that
> season ticket, or that deny us those close-in bathrooms/concession stands,
> we get a little worried.
>
> What I would not want to see would be an annual event away from Dyche, even
> though I admit that the Iron Bowl in Birmingham and the cocktail party in
> Jacksonville are elements of CFB tradition, I still like 6 (perhaps 7)
> afternoons at Dyche each year.  We had to settle for just 5 this year.
>
> Chuck Herron   Tech '85
>
>
>
>  -----Original Message-----
> From: Jonathan Hodges <jonathanwhodges at gmail.com>
> To: Mike Nolan <nolan at romaine.tssi.com>
> Cc: nwu-sports at tssi.com; Beamsley, Jeff <Jeff.Beamsley at covisint.com>
> Sent: Mon, Nov 15, 2010 10:08 am
> Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Congrats Mr. Phillips!
>
>  On GameDay: they are reportedly scouting locations for the GameDay set
>
>
> today, and I'm sure they'll let everyone know shortly so that we can be
>
>
> there bright and early (show starts at 8AM CT on ESPNU, continues at 9AM CT
>
>
> On ESPN).  Also note that the 1995 game vs. Iowa was the one where GameDay
>
>
> came to NU and was forced inside due to the snowstorm.
>
>
>
>
> On the Wrigley game: It is undoubtedly a success.  The goal was to give
>
>
> ticket sales (and, therefore, revenue) a short term boost and that has been
>
>
> more than a success, resulting in the LARGEST single season jump in average
>
>
> attendance in Northwestern history (51% year over year increase, details
>
>
> here: http://hailtopurple.com/cats10j31a.html).  Those revenues are a big
>
>
> boost and you HAVE to give credit to Phillips for making this happen (and
>
>
> also bringing in Polisky to lead a marketing turnaround).  Yes, I still hope
>
>
> for more purple in the stands and for a long term sustaining of the numbers,
>
>
> but given what he had to start with I'd say he deserves the congratulations
>
>
> many here have expressed.  I was excited about the Wrigley game before now
>
>
> and am even moreso with GameDay showing up (and NU's big win this past week,
>
>
> too).
>
>
>
>
> Go 'Cats!!!
>
>
> Jonathan
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 9:28 AM, Mike Nolan <nolan at romaine.tssi.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> > > Also, regardless of the tactics, it's easy to measure success.  Did you
>
>
> > > sell all the tickets you had?  Until you do that regularly, you can't
>
>
> > > complain about how they are sold or who purchased them.
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > We used to only see a sellout when we had a home game with OSU or UoM.
>
>
> > > Two sellouts in a row is unprecedented success.  When was the last time
>
>
> > > that NU football could point to something like that?
>
>
> >
>
>
> > I think we can plan on their being another sellout every other year
>
>
> > when Nebraska plays at Northwestern.
>
>
> >
>
>
> > The AD is in charge of marketing, but only indirectly responsible for
>
>
> > winning the games.  Nobody could have predicted last summer that the
>
>
> > Cats would be missing the Big Ten's Most Valuable Player by the time
>
>
> > this game rolled around.
>
>
> >
>
>
> > Having the GameDay crew is also a bit of a coup, though it may not
>
>
> > generate the type of crowd that they get with on-campus visits.
>
>
> > (Missouri had something like 18,000 in the crowd for their recent
>
>
> > GameDay appearance, breaking a record set in Lincoln several years
>
>
> > ago.)  But they may get the Wrigleyville faithful, which could
>
>
> > make for a different kind of crowd.  The Chuck Barris rule still
>
>
> > applies.
>
>
> >
>
>
> > The last time GameDay did a Northwestern visit was a Penn State game.
>
>
> > It was cold and snowy and they did the broadcast from inside, with
>
>
> > little or no crowd, as I recall.
>
>
> >
>
>
> > I wonder where the GameDay set will be, on one of the rooftops?
>
>
> > --
>
>
> > Mike Nolan
>
>
> >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > In this sort of event marketing, success breeds success.  Sold-out shows
>
>
> > > virtually guarantee increased ticket sales to subsequent shows because
>
>
> > > people like being part of something special and the prospect of not
>
>
> > > being able to get a ticket forces people to make a decision earlier than
>
>
> > > they otherwise would.  The publicity that comes with a sold out show is
>
>
> > > priceless.  The people who thought they might want to attend know they
>
>
> > > waited too long.  The people who didn't think about attending start
>
>
> > > getting curious about what's going on.  People who were smart enough to
>
>
> > > buy tickets early feel good about their purchase and tell their friends.
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > We've been putting a good product on the field for years.
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > >From what I hear, we are improving the experience at the Stadium.
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > We appear to have some momentum in the market.
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > Let's make sure we keep our eye on the prize (sold out games) before we
>
>
> > > try to micromanage the process.
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > Jeff
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > The contents of this e-mail are intended for the named addressee only. It
>
>
> > contains information that may be confidential. Unless you are the named
>
>
> > addressee or an authorized designee, you may not copy or use it, or disclose
>
>
> > it to anyone else. If you received it in error please notify us immediately
>
>
> > and then destroy it.
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com <nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com?>]
>
>
> > > On Behalf Of Jim Leonard
>
>
> > > Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2010 10:07 PM
>
>
> > > To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
>
>
> > > Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Congrats Mr. Phillips!
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > I don't think the success of the Wrigley game is dependent on getting a
>
>
> > > win.
>
>
> > > Clearly that's what we all want but the idea is to promote NU football
>
>
> > > within
>
>
> > > Chicago and that seems to be working. I'd feel much better if we had
>
>
> > > Persa but
>
>
> > > I'm still not intimidated by Illinois.
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > As a side note, I don't care for the College Game Day show. I understand
>
>
> > > why the
>
>
> > > masses love it, but it just seems tacky hundreds of people show up hours
>
>
> > > and
>
>
> > > hours before the game hoping for 5 seconds on TV. I shall not lead a
>
>
> > > protest
>
>
> > > against it, it's well within the boundaries of harmless fun but I think
>
>
> > > it
>
>
> > > jumped the shark about 5 seasons ago.
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > Go Cats!
>
>
> > > Jim
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > ----- Original Message ----
>
>
> > > From: "cherron604 at aol.com" <cherron604 at aol.com>
>
>
> > > To: sjtruog at yahoo.com; nwu-sports at tssi.com
>
>
> > > Sent: Sun, November 14, 2010 1:48:44 PM
>
>
> > > Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Congrats Mr. Phillips!
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > Having a Lee Corso in attendance is hardly evidence of success.  Mostly,
>
>
> > > it is
>
>
> > > evidence of how low the success bar has been set.
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > The sellout success won't be known until Saturday.  Yesterday was a
>
>
> > > sell-out,
>
>
> > > but half of the fans were wearing black and yellow.
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > Finally, the wisdom of giving up a home conference game won't be known
>
>
> > > until the
>
>
> > > W or L is in the books.
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > Chuck Herron  Tech '85
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > -----Original Message-----
>
>
> > > From: SjT (Stephen J. Truog) <sjtruog at yahoo.com>
>
>
> > > To: nwu-sports at tssi.com <nwu-sports at tssi.com>
>
>
> > > Sent: Sun, Nov 14, 2010 11:54 am
>
>
> > > Subject: [NU Sports] Congrats Mr. Phillips!
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > A sellout and College Gameday coming to Wrigley!
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > Should be a nice showcase for Northwestern football, coming off of the
>
>
> > > big win
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > over Iowa.
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > I am delighted to eat crow on this one - I didn't think giving up a home
>
>
> > > game
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > for Wrigley without the Illini also doing so was a good idea, but it
>
>
> > > already has
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > become the "event" our AD was hoping for to help NU football take over
>
>
> > > the
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > Chicago media market - and now going national!
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > Well done, Mr. Phillips!
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > GO CATS!!!
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > -SjT
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > PS - Now let's hope we give 'em a good show!
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > * * * * * * * * *
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > STEPHEN J. TRUOG
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > sjtruog at yahoo.com
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > ==========================
>
>
> > >
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> > >
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> > >
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> > >
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> > >
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> > >
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> > >
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> > >
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> > >
>
>
> > > _______________________________________________
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > nwu-sports site list
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > nwu-sports at tssi.com
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > _______________________________________________
>
>
> > > nwu-sports site list
>
>
> > > nwu-sports at tssi.com
>
>
> > > http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > _______________________________________________
>
>
> > > nwu-sports site list
>
>
> > > nwu-sports at tssi.com
>
>
> > > http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports
>
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> > >
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> > >
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> > >
>
>
> > > _______________________________________________
>
>
> > > nwu-sports site list
>
>
> > > nwu-sports at tssi.com
>
>
> > > http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports
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> >
>
>
> > _______________________________________________
>
>
> > nwu-sports site list
>
>
> > nwu-sports at tssi.com
>
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> > http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports
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> >
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