I can't find it now, but a few years ago the Northern Star reported NIU spending some big $ to buy up tickets to meet the NCAA-required 15,000-per-game average. I also wonder if the scanned totals in the WSJ report include those, since they help a school meet that requirement. I can't see someone shoving each one of those through a counter one by one.

(09-14-2021 08:01 AM)pvk75 Wrote:  NIU does not think outside itself, beyond internal controls and policy. Here's an example of a real opportunity missed on Saturday ... (sorry for length/takes space to explain) ...

Right over the top of the NIU-Wyoming game ... The Lions of Illinois Foundation held its post-Covid antique and classic car show in DeKalb on Saturday (9-11) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 700 N. Peace Road. That's Illinois Valley Business Equipment, nice big property with plenty of lawn area for the show, big paved parking area, just north of DeKalb-Taylor airport. Also ... note ... on the opposite side of town from NIU.

The Roar-In' Car Show was pre-promoted in the Northern Star/Online webpage with a cover-page link to a huge color ad with all the show info. The Northern Public Radio director was one of the main show guests.

Beautiful day, and the Lions promo said they'd have a hot dog vendor, popcorn and water "available to attendees."

It was the Lions' low-vision fund-raiser to aid individuals and families with vision supplies and services -- very valuable public service -- but how about a different location?

Since the NIU game was on ESPN+, why not kick off at 3 p.m. and have the Lions car show in the big Convo parking lot from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Still a 4 1/2-hour show. Since parking was included in the game ticket, let the Lions use the lot for free. Co-promote and market.

Don't know how many went to the show, but put that together with the game and ... ?

But not NIU. Pays no attention to what's going on around it, even if it's in Northern Star/Online. Never occurred to the bigshots.

Hey NIU! Get a freakin' local calendar! Read the NS/Online! Pay attention!

A car show was actually in the works for last season then Covid hit. Thanks for the reminder. I will resurrect the discussion.

(09-14-2021 10:32 AM)pvk75 Wrote:  I can't find it now, but a few years ago the Northern Star reported NIU spending some big $ to buy up tickets to meet the NCAA-required 15,000-per-game average. I also wonder if the scanned totals in the WSJ report include those, since they help a school meet that requirement. I can't see someone shoving each one of those through a counter one by one.

I'm not sure how it works, but they UI and others then sell tickets on Stubhub at generally lower rate. You will see entire rows for sale. I doubt they can sell above face. But I am sure they can buy at bulk rate and try to turnaround and make money, at least break even on the buyback.

I went to the Illinois v Nebraska game a few weeks back. Tickets to that game were cheaper than west side reserved seats in HS. I bought tickets through the U of I website, not a broker.

(09-13-2021 11:30 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  

(09-13-2021 10:42 PM)dc1 Wrote:  BigRed, U of I has had and currently has there own attendance problems! They opened with 41k for Nebraska and 33k the following week against UTSA and lost. The stadium holds 60K-something

People in Illinois just don't care that much about football... Northwestern always looks outshined by their opponents

Yes they do, unfortunately they go to Indiana to attend the game.

Obviously if we had Big 10 opponents playing in Huskies Stadium our attendance would be more competitive like Illinois or Northwestern. Imagine if Wisconsin or Iowa were coming to Huskies Stadium instead of Ball State or EMU.

None of the MAC teams really bring fans, except for maybe WMU. Wyoming had more fans last Saturday than our fellow MAC opponents ever bring.

(09-16-2021 07:02 AM)epasnoopy Wrote:  None of the MAC teams really bring fans, except for maybe WMU. Wyoming had more fans last Saturday than our fellow MAC opponents ever bring.

Huskie Stadium is a pretty poor game day experience. The stadium is below average and dingy. It takes forever just to get a beer or a hot dog.

(09-16-2021 10:11 AM)stpeterocketfan Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 07:02 AM)epasnoopy Wrote:  None of the MAC teams really bring fans, except for maybe WMU. Wyoming had more fans last Saturday than our fellow MAC opponents ever bring.

Huskie Stadium is a pretty poor game day experience. The stadium is below average and dingy. It takes forever just to get a beer or a hot dog.

Preaching to the choir here.

If you guys would stop going to the main concession stand you’ll have zero line at the other concession locations.

(09-16-2021 11:00 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  If you guys would stop going to the main concession stand you’ll have zero line at the other concession locations.

They need signage directing people to the other locations. I've never seen any (signs). They're not exactly obvious. I did stop by one of those little cages where they were selling popcorn, soda and domestic beer. Maybe they had hotdogs too. But that's out of the way too, and most people wouldn't know it's there. Certainly visitors would not.

(09-16-2021 12:52 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 11:00 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  If you guys would stop going to the main concession stand you’ll have zero line at the other concession locations.

They need signage directing people to the other locations. I've never seen any (signs). They're not exactly obvious. I did stop by one of those little cages where they were selling popcorn, soda and domestic beer. Maybe they had hotdogs too. But that's out of the way too, and most people wouldn't know it's there. Certainly visitors would not.

Of course NIU doesn’t tell anyone about those other concession stands. They suck at fan interaction. That’s what I’m counting on as I never have to wait a second to get beer or to use the bathroom. It’s like my own private suite. It’s beautiful.

(09-16-2021 01:16 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 12:52 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 11:00 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  If you guys would stop going to the main concession stand you’ll have zero line at the other concession locations.

They need signage directing people to the other locations. I've never seen any (signs). They're not exactly obvious. I did stop by one of those little cages where they were selling popcorn, soda and domestic beer. Maybe they had hotdogs too. But that's out of the way too, and most people wouldn't know it's there. Certainly visitors would not.

Of course NIU doesn’t tell anyone about those other concession stands. They suck at fan interaction. That’s what I’m counting on as I never have to wait a second to get beer or to use the bathroom. It’s like my own private suite. It’s beautiful.

Well, if I make nice to you, would you let me pee in your private suite bathroom?

(09-16-2021 01:19 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 01:16 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 12:52 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 11:00 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  If you guys would stop going to the main concession stand you’ll have zero line at the other concession locations.

They need signage directing people to the other locations. I've never seen any (signs). They're not exactly obvious. I did stop by one of those little cages where they were selling popcorn, soda and domestic beer. Maybe they had hotdogs too. But that's out of the way too, and most people wouldn't know it's there. Certainly visitors would not.

Of course NIU doesn’t tell anyone about those other concession stands. They suck at fan interaction. That’s what I’m counting on as I never have to wait a second to get beer or to use the bathroom. It’s like my own private suite. It’s beautiful.

Well, if I make nice to you, would you let me pee in your private suite bathroom?

Depends on your annual donation amount. I do offer sink
Peeing for smaller donors. Smaller Bering dollar amount.

(09-16-2021 01:21 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 01:19 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 01:16 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 12:52 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 11:00 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  If you guys would stop going to the main concession stand you’ll have zero line at the other concession locations.

They need signage directing people to the other locations. I've never seen any (signs). They're not exactly obvious. I did stop by one of those little cages where they were selling popcorn, soda and domestic beer. Maybe they had hotdogs too. But that's out of the way too, and most people wouldn't know it's there. Certainly visitors would not.

Of course NIU doesn’t tell anyone about those other concession stands. They suck at fan interaction. That’s what I’m counting on as I never have to wait a second to get beer or to use the bathroom. It’s like my own private suite. It’s beautiful.

Well, if I make nice to you, would you let me pee in your private suite bathroom?

Depends on your annual donation amount. I do offer sink
Peeing for smaller donors. Smaller Bering dollar amount.

Well, if I am able to stretch my donation amount, maybe I can pee in your sink.

(09-16-2021 10:11 AM)stpeterocketfan Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 07:02 AM)epasnoopy Wrote:  None of the MAC teams really bring fans, except for maybe WMU. Wyoming had more fans last Saturday than our fellow MAC opponents ever bring.

Huskie Stadium is a pretty poor game day experience. The stadium is below average and dingy. It takes forever just to get a beer or a hot dog.

Agreed, our stadium is a dump. But I go to the games to see my team play not to go to fancy stadiums.

(09-16-2021 01:28 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 01:21 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 01:19 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 01:16 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 12:52 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  They need signage directing people to the other locations. I've never seen any (signs). They're not exactly obvious. I did stop by one of those little cages where they were selling popcorn, soda and domestic beer. Maybe they had hotdogs too. But that's out of the way too, and most people wouldn't know it's there. Certainly visitors would not.

Of course NIU doesn’t tell anyone about those other concession stands. They suck at fan interaction. That’s what I’m counting on as I never have to wait a second to get beer or to use the bathroom. It’s like my own private suite. It’s beautiful.

Well, if I make nice to you, would you let me pee in your private suite bathroom?

Depends on your annual donation amount. I do offer sink
Peeing for smaller donors. Smaller Bering dollar amount.

Well, if I am able to stretch my donation amount, maybe I can pee in your sink.

Keep on your toes. You’ll get there.

(09-16-2021 01:16 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 12:52 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 11:00 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  If you guys would stop going to the main concession stand you’ll have zero line at the other concession locations.

They need signage directing people to the other locations. I've never seen any (signs). They're not exactly obvious. I did stop by one of those little cages where they were selling popcorn, soda and domestic beer. Maybe they had hotdogs too. But that's out of the way too, and most people wouldn't know it's there. Certainly visitors would not.

Of course NIU doesn’t tell anyone about those other concession stands. They suck at fan interaction. That’s what I’m counting on as I never have to wait a second to get beer or to use the bathroom. It’s like my own private suite. It’s beautiful.

I wish they had better beer. At least in the yard they had that Dawgma, a Kolsch. Didn't see that in the stadium though.

(09-16-2021 01:32 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 01:28 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 01:21 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 01:19 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 01:16 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  Of course NIU doesn’t tell anyone about those other concession stands. They suck at fan interaction. That’s what I’m counting on as I never have to wait a second to get beer or to use the bathroom. It’s like my own private suite. It’s beautiful.

Well, if I make nice to you, would you let me pee in your private suite bathroom?

Depends on your annual donation amount. I do offer sink
Peeing for smaller donors. Smaller Bering dollar amount.

Well, if I am able to stretch my donation amount, maybe I can pee in your sink.

Keep on your toes. You’ll get there.

If you let him pee in your sink, he'll never leave.

(09-16-2021 02:22 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 01:16 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 12:52 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-16-2021 11:00 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  If you guys would stop going to the main concession stand you’ll have zero line at the other concession locations.

They need signage directing people to the other locations. I've never seen any (signs). They're not exactly obvious. I did stop by one of those little cages where they were selling popcorn, soda and domestic beer. Maybe they had hotdogs too. But that's out of the way too, and most people wouldn't know it's there. Certainly visitors would not.

Of course NIU doesn’t tell anyone about those other concession stands. They suck at fan interaction. That’s what I’m counting on as I never have to wait a second to get beer or to use the bathroom. It’s like my own private suite. It’s beautiful.

I wish they had better beer. At least in the yard they had that Dawgma, a Kolsch. Didn't see that in the stadium though.

Dawgma is pretty good! I get that even if I’m watching at home. Game time is Kolsch, wheat ale or lager. Any other is Stout, sour, ipa