1. The UNC system held us back for decades not allowing Masters and Doctorate programs for decades. The return in contributions from those programs would have been essential in funding things like football.

2. It hurts when graduates of UNCW choose to contribute more to the bigger institutions they pulled for growing up.

3. It is also essential to have large corporations buying into the startup of a football program. Coastal had companies like Hooters to help get them off the ground and running.

4. Endowments are another source in building and sustaining a football program. The University of Richmond has an endowment so big it pays for all the players' scholarships.

We have none of these. That's not to mention a Seahawk Club incapable of fundraising at such a level to sustain what we need without football.

(04-05-2022 02:37 PM)Hawk81 Wrote:  

(04-05-2022 01:44 PM)SEA33HAWK Wrote:  This right here is another reason we don't/can't have football.

I'm not sure what this even means?

Why can't we have football exactly? There are plenty of schools smaller than us that have it.

It’s not just the size of the school. It’s getting masters/doctoral donor money and endowments. Plenty of tiny schools have big donor money and endowments.

The little I give goes to UNCW. I hear what you're saying about the system being a hindrance, but I'm not sure what can be done about that.

(04-05-2022 03:20 PM)bricksnivy Wrote:  The little I give goes to UNCW. I hear what you're saying about the system being a hindrance, but I'm not sure what can be done about that.

I hear you. Sadly it seems you are in the minority there. At least in my experience.

UNCW has to create fans who didn't go to UNCW or live in Wilmingvton. It's that simple. We're likely not going to do that by just being good in sports, since we still won't be in the ACC and still won't be in the Sweet 16 on a regular basis. So what do we do?

Sell the liefstyle of a a beach school. I've said this over and over, but I have no confidence it will ever happen. We have to stop being like every other school and simply slap a logo on all the same gear. UNCW should offer beach gear/clothing/etc. We should trademark a brand name to sell it under. It really isn't that difficult but university marketing people are amongst the worst in the business. We actually have a unique branding opportunity and do NOTHING with it.

(04-05-2022 02:20 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(04-05-2022 02:02 PM)jumpinmullet Wrote:  Just a ridiculous way to look at things but I get it .

Do Pepperdine alums give a lot of their money to Stanford, UCLA or USC?

I have given plenty to UNCW -do you give to Pepperdine ? Trust me on this,they don't need it .

(04-05-2022 02:55 PM)SEA33HAWK Wrote:  1. The UNC system held us back for decades not allowing Masters and Doctorate programs for decades. The return in contributions from those programs would have been essential in funding things like football.

2. It hurts when graduates of UNCW choose to contribute more to the bigger institutions they pulled for growing up.

3. It is also essential to have large corporations buying into the startup of a football program. Coastal had companies like Hooters to help get them off the ground and running.

4. Endowments are another source in building and sustaining a football program. The University of Richmond has an endowment so big it pays for all the players' scholarships.

We have none of these. That's not to mention a Seahawk Club incapable of fundraising at such a level to sustain what we need without football.

Okay. This all makes sense to me.

(04-05-2022 02:55 PM)SEA33HAWK Wrote:  1. The UNC system held us back for decades not allowing Masters and Doctorate programs for decades. The return in contributions from those programs would have been essential in funding things like football.

2. It hurts when graduates of UNCW choose to contribute more to the bigger institutions they pulled for growing up.

3. It is also essential to have large corporations buying into the startup of a football program. Coastal had companies like Hooters to help get them off the ground and running.

4. Endowments are another source in building and sustaining a football program. The University of Richmond has an endowment so big it pays for all the players' scholarships.

We have none of these. That's not to mention a Seahawk Club incapable of fundraising at such a level to sustain what we need without football.

Football is a chicken/egg proposition. Football connects alumni to a university, and game day is like a reunion every game. Beyond returning for a football game, what reason do alumni have to return to campus? How do they stay connected to the university and to other alumni who may not be close friends? That's the real problem when it comes to giving.

Basketball is at the worst time of the year to create a "tailgate" experience, but it's the most popular sport that brings the most people. Furthermore, Trask is not conducive to fan interaction. There is no gathering place where we can hang out before the game, at halftime or after the game besides outside.

Baseball has the best weather and best opportunity to create that tailgate, reunion experience, but UNCW does a horrible job of creating a great fan experience. Jr. high level concessions with long lines and no great place to have a tailgate that is easily found and isn't exclusive to only Seahawk Club members. The field is located right across the street from the dorms and we can barely get the students to show up, much less alumni.

Soccer? Not happening since not enough people care about soccer. Plus you get caught up in the men's vs. women's teams.

We could create a dynamic athletic program if we had anyone with an ounce of marketing and fan experience at the center of their thought process, but we don't. I'm hoping a new chancellor will come in and place some emphasis on our fan experience and marketing.

(04-07-2022 06:12 AM)82hawk Wrote:  

(04-05-2022 02:55 PM)SEA33HAWK Wrote:  1. The UNC system held us back for decades not allowing Masters and Doctorate programs for decades. The return in contributions from those programs would have been essential in funding things like football.

2. It hurts when graduates of UNCW choose to contribute more to the bigger institutions they pulled for growing up.

3. It is also essential to have large corporations buying into the startup of a football program. Coastal had companies like Hooters to help get them off the ground and running.

4. Endowments are another source in building and sustaining a football program. The University of Richmond has an endowment so big it pays for all the players' scholarships.

We have none of these. That's not to mention a Seahawk Club incapable of fundraising at such a level to sustain what we need without football.

Football is a chicken/egg proposition. Football connects alumni to a university, and game day is like a reunion every game. Beyond returning for a football game, what reason do alumni have to return to campus? How do they stay connected to the university and to other alumni who may not be close friends? That's the real problem when it comes to giving.

Basketball is at the worst time of the year to create a "tailgate" experience, but it's the most popular sport that brings the most people. Furthermore, Trask is not conducive to fan interaction. There is no gathering place where we can hang out before the game, at halftime or after the game besides outside.

Baseball has the best weather and best opportunity to create that tailgate, reunion experience, but UNCW does a horrible job of creating a great fan experience. Jr. high level concessions with long lines and no great place to have a tailgate that is easily found and isn't exclusive to only Seahawk Club members. The field is located right across the street from the dorms and we can barely get the students to show up, much less alumni.

Soccer? Not happening since not enough people care about soccer. Plus you get caught up in the men's vs. women's teams.

We could create a dynamic athletic program if we had anyone with an ounce of marketing and fan experience at the center of their thought process, but we don't. I'm hoping a new chancellor will come in and place some emphasis on our fan experience and marketing.

Spot on

We have rested on our laurels of being the only major sports presence in Wilmington. We assume if anyone likes sports in Wilmington, UNCW will be their outlet

This should have its own thread on fundrising. I do not agree with 82. You join the seahawk club to support the teams and increase giving to get better seats and to get into pre game social for basketball and tailgate lot for baseball. This is the same with rams,wolpack and pirate club.


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(04-07-2022 07:22 AM)tke75hawk Wrote:  This should have its own thread on fundrising. I do not agree with 82. You join the seahawk club to support the teams and increase giving to get better seats and to get into pre game social for basketball and tailgate lot for baseball. This is the same with rams,wolpack and pirate club.


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Keep doing what you've always done and you'll keep getting the same result. And what we're doing isn't working. I don't care what the Ram Club or any other school is doing, we aren't them. We don't have a big enough following to provide exclusivity for things like a tailgate. It's short sighted and counter productive.
.

82 then tell me how you increase the uncw budget to get basketball practice building,improve baseball field and seats that need complete overhaul. It takes money. I do not care for caa football and only watch the ncaa tourney of that level. Uncw needs many improvements to recruit the players to win and get to ncaa championship games.


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(04-07-2022 05:31 PM)tke75hawk Wrote:  82 then tell me how you increase the uncw budget to get basketball practice building,improve baseball field and seats that need complete overhaul. It takes money. I do not care for caa football and only watch the ncaa tourney of that level. Uncw needs many improvements to recruit the players to win and get to ncaa championship games.


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Money follows popularity, eyeballs and fans. It's the reason we're fighting for loyalty of UNCW grads who instead buy UNC gear, attend UNC games and who do nothing to support the school they graduated from. We give them no reason to, and they respond accordingly. When you're seeking a customer, and the customer isn't buying your product, you don't blame the customer. Durham Bulls games are packed with a whole bunch of people who couldn't care less about their win/loss record and who may not care about baseball at all. Durham Bulls games are fun regardless of if the team wins or loses. Because of that, they are able to bring on corporate sponsors and sell advertising.

It's great we have a Seahawk Club and that the club provides a much needed infusion of cash into the athletics program. But that business plan is very limited in its' scope and its' potential. Furthermore, if you want to see the Seahawk Club explode, create a fan experience and marketing plan that fills Trask and fills the baseball stadium for every game. You cannot recapture lost ticket revenue after a game is over, it's lost forever. And when the seats are filled, the merchandise sells as well. And when the seats are filled, businesses want to be a part of the program. We do the exact opposite of marketing to gain a broad fan base and instead put all our effort and energy into a small group of people. It's a typical elitist attitude that runs through the veins of a university.

It's a mistake. Build your fan base and the Seahawk Club will have people beating down its' doors. But the opposite isn't true. Building the Seahawk Club will not build a fan base.

Using minor league baseball is a poor analogy, 82. Most fans understand that the minor leagues are where MLB talent is developed, and W-L record never matters.

That’s not the case at the collegiate level. Literally ALL that matters is wins and losses, and the rest is just window dressing.

(04-08-2022 03:53 AM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  Using minor league baseball is a poor analogy, 82. Most fans understand that the minor leagues are where MLB talent is developed, and W-L record never matters.

That’s not the case at the collegiate level. Literally ALL that matters is wins and losses, and the rest is just window dressing.

Bull crap. It's all entertainment unless you're a die hard fan(even minor league), and there are plenty of people looking for something fun to do. Take one moment and think about the level of fan engagement we have at UNCW for any sport? What we offer is the opprtunity to grab some stadium food, grab a beer and then sit in the stands and watch a game. That's about it. We're so bad at our marketing and fan experience that we barely get students, who live in a dorm, to walk 200 yards to a baseball/soccer gamer that costs them NOTHING. We have the worst set up to sell fan gear I have ever seen, at any level. Our local high school does a far better job than we do.

I promise you, a low level marketing firm could create a marketing plan for the entire athletic program that would blow away anything we have now, without spending 5% more than we do now. And that plan could have a comprehensive scope to include a unique look for all our uniforms, a unique look for our athletic facilities, a unique look and style for our food and beverage offerings, music, advertising, etc. Right now we look exactly like every other athletic program and all we've done is swapped logos and colors.

If we did something like that, we could create a fan base that begins early, develops over the years, and remains over time. THAT is how you build an athletic program and loyal fan base and we do none of it.

(04-08-2022 05:33 AM)82hawk Wrote:  

(04-08-2022 03:53 AM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  Using minor league baseball is a poor analogy, 82. Most fans understand that the minor leagues are where MLB talent is developed, and W-L record never matters.

That’s not the case at the collegiate level. Literally ALL that matters is wins and losses, and the rest is just window dressing.

Bull crap. It's all entertainment unless you're a die hard fan(even minor league), and there are plenty of people looking for something fun to do. Take one moment and think about the level of fan engagement we have at UNCW for any sport? What we offer is the opprtunity to grab some stadium food, grab a beer and then sit in the stands and watch a game. That's about it. We're so bad at our marketing and fan experience that we barely get students, who live in a dorm, to walk 200 yards to a baseball/soccer gamer that costs them NOTHING. We have the worst set up to sell fan gear I have ever seen, at any level. Our local high school does a far better job than we do.

I promise you, a low level marketing firm could create a marketing plan for the entire athletic program that would blow away anything we have now, without spending 5% more than we do now. And that plan could have a comprehensive scope to include a unique look for all our uniforms, a unique look for our athletic facilities, a unique look and style for our food and beverage offerings, music, advertising, etc. Right now we look exactly like every other athletic program and all we've done is swapped logos and colors.

If we did something like that, we could create a fan base that begins early, develops over the years, and remains over time. THAT is how you build an athletic program and loyal fan base and we do none of it.

What do you think the average attendance in baseball should be?

(04-08-2022 08:23 AM)SEA33HAWK Wrote:  

(04-08-2022 05:33 AM)82hawk Wrote:  

(04-08-2022 03:53 AM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  Using minor league baseball is a poor analogy, 82. Most fans understand that the minor leagues are where MLB talent is developed, and W-L record never matters.

That’s not the case at the collegiate level. Literally ALL that matters is wins and losses, and the rest is just window dressing.

Bull crap. It's all entertainment unless you're a die hard fan(even minor league), and there are plenty of people looking for something fun to do. Take one moment and think about the level of fan engagement we have at UNCW for any sport? What we offer is the opprtunity to grab some stadium food, grab a beer and then sit in the stands and watch a game. That's about it. We're so bad at our marketing and fan experience that we barely get students, who live in a dorm, to walk 200 yards to a baseball/soccer gamer that costs them NOTHING. We have the worst set up to sell fan gear I have ever seen, at any level. Our local high school does a far better job than we do.

I promise you, a low level marketing firm could create a marketing plan for the entire athletic program that would blow away anything we have now, without spending 5% more than we do now. And that plan could have a comprehensive scope to include a unique look for all our uniforms, a unique look for our athletic facilities, a unique look and style for our food and beverage offerings, music, advertising, etc. Right now we look exactly like every other athletic program and all we've done is swapped logos and colors.

If we did something like that, we could create a fan base that begins early, develops over the years, and remains over time. THAT is how you build an athletic program and loyal fan base and we do none of it.

What do you think the average attendance in baseball should be?

I think most of this is true for baseball and basketball at UNCW but you have to remember who is running the show at UNCW and that explains it all . I have had a few brief talks with the AD and left each time wondering how this man ever got the job and how he keeps it . So he is not the problem but his boss is ? Until they get some real leadership there the ship will continue to drift with no rudder . I know some people on this board think that Bass is actually good at his job and it doesn't include stuff like this because he got a little BS award and he hired Siddle so that makes him good at his job . To me it includes all facets in the AD and he has failed miserably to get anything done so it's past time for his boss to make a move-but it will not happen . Literally no chance they do anything different so expect more of the same . Inferior facilities and bad game experience is part of the deal here-I am used to it myself .

The chanc at uncw fund raising $100 million did not include money for the athletic dept.

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What are our athletic student fees, in comparison to the rest of the schools in our conference?

IMO, that should increase also. Especially as student undergrad and graduate numbers have been steadily increasing over the last 20 years. It won't solve the problem, but it will be a small step to help us even the playing field.

Additionally, we need university leadership (in all areas, not just the AD) who VALUE the impact of athletics.