Article in the Boca Raton News about FAU (and FIU)

[FIUFanatic]

Nice article about how good the future looks for FAU, and FIU in terms of Football.....Here's the link and a reproduction of said article below:

www.bocaratonnews.com/index.php?src=news&category=SPORTS%20NEWS&prid=9024


Future looks bright for FAU in Sun Belt


Published Saturday, July 24, 2004
by Hannon Deutsch



Florida Atlantic University’s Doug Parker carries the ball during a sunny November home game last season. FAU is preparing to join the Sun Belt Conference.
When Florida Atlantic University submitted a 29-page document to the NCAA outlining its strategic plan to meet NCAA requirements of gaining Division I-A status on June 28, its football program made the final stride towards distancing itself from II-A competition.
Currently there are three criteria that a program must satisfy in order to be granted I-A status.
A I-A football program must average 15,000 fans at all home games. Four home games have to be on the schedule, which was reduced from five approximately four years ago. The university must also grant 200 athletic scholarships.
Division I-AA football teams are allowed 63 scholarships while I-A squads can offer 85.
The NCAA board of directors will convene on Aug. 5 to discuss the attendance criteria and the penalties if a program fails to meet them. While some of the 11 permanent board members have questions regarding the fairness of the specified number, Stephen Mallonee, who is the Managing Director of Membership for the NCAA, says the majority of the members still feel it is an appropriate number.
“The subcommittee adopted that number three or four years ago,” Mallonee said. “The majority of the members still believe it is a viable, measurable commitment.”
Mallonee also said FAU, which has been moved into its first year of re-classification, will receive feedback from the subcommittee concerning the plan the school sent for review at some point during the year. If the football team continues to meet the NCAA’s philosophical guidelines, it will become a full member in 2006. By doing so, it would join the other 16 FAU sports competing at the I-A level.
The primary issue that will be discussed at the meeting will be the appropriate penalties for non-compliance. Since the NCAA does not have the penalties lined out, it will discuss measures toward adopting them.
Dr. Sidney McPhee, who serves as one of the 11 permanent board members, will be in attendance for the meeting next month. McPhee is one of a few members that wants to know why the attendance requirement is 15,000.
In addition to being on the board of directors, McPhee is the president of both the Sun Belt Conference and Middle Tennessee State University. He said last season was the first time his football program didn’t meet the attendance requirement.
“The options under review are if you don’t make it the first year you receive probation, then the second year you don’t make it you will be kicked out,” McPhee said by phone in Tennessee. “I believe it is too harsh and I want to see flexibility with that. Why 15,000? Why not 14,000 or 16,000? Also, how does that 15,000 connects with the student welfare issue.”

Trouble with Sun Belt attendance?

Last season, attendance was a concern for FAU football with the program drawing an average of 5,850 fans to Lockhart Stadium, which seats 20,450. That number is well below the NCAA average requirement, but FAU isn’t the only school in the Sun Belt Conference that has trouble drawing a large fan base.
As an Independent, Troy State, which is now in the Sun Belt, ranked first averaging 20,899 fans over four home games. North Texas came in second, drawing an average of 18,694 over five home games. Arkansas State ranked third with 17,488 over five home games. Idaho, Louisiana-Monroe and Middle Tennessee rounded out the bottom three with 12,064, 11,298 and 11.021, respectively.
In total, five of the nine football teams in the Sun Belt did not meet the attendance requirement.

FIU and FAU reaching out to fans

Rick Mello, who is the director of Intercollegiate Athletics for Florida International University, believes FIU’s average attendance of 7,073 will jump up this season because of the creative approach his staff is taking to fill the seats.
“I think the reason people are concerned is because it is the one element we don’t have control over,” Mello said. “I think we can make it. Playing in the Orange Blossom Classic versus FAMU and having student appreciation day will help. We are taking different approaches and doing creative things to make it happen.”
FAU is also taking an alternative approach to market their team to the youth in South Florida.
Although the Owls came close to competing for a national championship, the average attendance was a far cry from the requirement. As a result, FAU has launched a 40 City Community Action Campaign aimed at encouraging more people to come to the home games. According to assistant football coach Kurt Van Valkenburgh, the grassroots approach seems to be working.
“It is going very well,” he said. “There has been a good response with the combination of last year and the increased visibility of being out there in the community.”

Bright Future

FAU and FIU attended the Sun Belt Football Media Days in New Orleans last weekend. Both Van Valkenburgh and Mello walked away with good feelings and are excited about joining the conference.
“I have never been more psyched about the Sun Belt than I am now,” Mello said. “FIU and FAU will be major players in this league when we develop.”
“They were very hospitable and are excited to have us in the conference,” Van Valkenburgh said. “We were good enough to appeal to a conference and they felt we were capable.”

McPhee welcomes FAU and FIU

McPhee said he welcomed the additions of FAU President Frank Brogan and FIU President Modesto A. Maidique to the conference because he feels both schools can add to the integrity of the Sun Belt.
McPhee believes FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger, who increased attendance by nearly 40 percent at Louisville, will bring the same type of success to its football program just as he did in his hometown.
“I’m excited about having both in our league,” said McPhee, who was the Associate Provost for academic affairs at Louisville from 1987-94. “I met both presidents and they’re dynamic and well-respected. I saw what [Howard Schnellenberger] did at Louisville. Howard turned that program around. We went from 8,000 to 60,000 plus and nine years ago Louisville built a new stadium. Howard was the force behind that.”

[Mike]

FIUFanatic said:

Nice article about how good the future looks for FAU, and FIU in terms of Football.....Here's the link and a reproduction of said article below:

www.bocaratonnews.com/index.php?src=news&category=SPORTS%20NEWS&prid=9024


Future looks bright for FAU in Sun Belt


Published Saturday, July 24, 2004
by Hannon Deutsch

FIU and FAU reaching out to fans

Rick Mello, who is the director of Intercollegiate Athletics for Florida International University, believes FIU’s average attendance of 7,073 will jump up this season because of the creative approach his staff is taking to fill the seats.
“I think the reason people are concerned is because it is the one element we don’t have control over,” Mello said. “I think we can make it. Playing in the Orange Blossom Classic versus FAMU and having student appreciation day will help. We are taking different approaches and doing creative things to make it happen.”
FAU is also taking an alternative approach to market their team to the youth in South Florida.
Although the Owls came close to competing for a national championship, the average attendance was a far cry from the requirement. As a result, FAU has launched a 40 City Community Action Campaign aimed at encouraging more people to come to the home games. According to assistant football coach Kurt Van Valkenburgh, the grassroots approach seems to be working.
“It is going very well,” he said. “There has been a good response with the combination of last year and the increased visibility of being out there in the community.”

ATTENDENCE
The average home attendance (5 home games at FIU stadium) last year was 6629. If we subtract the 1'st game attendance 15,123, vs. BETHUNE-COOKMAN the average home game attendance drops to 5006. By including the 5 games at FIU stadium and last years 6'th game vs. FAU at Joe Robbie Stadium a.k.a. Pro Player Stadium then the attendance figure was indeed 7073. This year the game at Joe Robbie Stadium against FAU is considered an away game so we will not be able to use the figures from that game to inflate the attendance figures of our home games at FIU Stadium. The game against FAU should be moved to FIU stadium ASAP. We are kidding ourselves if we think having a game at Joe Robbie Stadium is helping the football program in any way.

CREATIVE THINGS
I think many people on this board would like to know anything that the athletic office is doing to increase attendance. As of now, none of the students and none of the alumni on this board have heard of anything nor has Don Strock mentioned anything on his show about any marketing.

FAU has had a number of events mentioned on this board and the 40 City Community Action Campaign sounds like a good play to copy in Dade County.

NOTE that FAU is marketing to the community, which is where the season ticket holders and large $$$ donations will come from. Why aren't we doing the same thing, and if we are why haven't we heard about it? We should be marketing in Broward also. Mello talks about Student Appreciation Day. I am not sure what he expects but it doesn't sound like an effort to get the community involved with FIU. Aside from homecoming it shouldn't be necessary to have a "Student Appreciation Day". It belittles the other games. If FIU doesn't market in Broward and Dade, especially North Dade, we will find those residences developing a loyalty to FAU and attending games at Lockhard Stadium since it is just as easy to drive to Lockhard Stadium as it is the FIU Stadium.

ORANGE BLOSSOM CLASSIC
Are we going to be the Home Team in the Orange Blossom Classic every year or is this a one time thing? It sounds like (that is the lack of any announcement from Mello) that it is a one-time event, which in my opinion is a big mistake. FIU should have signed a multi-year contract with the OBC before even agreeing to play one game or should withdraw Immediately from the OBC, pay whatever penalty is involved, and hold the game at FIU Stadium.

[FIUFanatic]

Interesting questions you bring up. However, last year's game against FAu was played at The Cage at FIU, not at Joe Robbie/Pro Player Stadium, so the numbers are really legit, not inflated in that respect.

[Xpedition]

Mike, here's some clarification.

When FAU opted out of the contract with Pro Player Stadium one of the terms of the deal was that the FIU vs. FAU game in which FAU was the home team was to continue to be played at Pro Player. FAU accepted these terms (since they were badly losing money at PPS) and now play at Lockhart. This year's game against FIU will be at Pro Player since it's their turn to host. Next year FIU hosts and it'll be at The Cage.

Details about the Orange Blossom Classic have been hard to find (at least for me). We are indeed the home team this year. Are we going to be playing every year, and will it be FIU vs. FAMU every year? I'm not sure. It'd be nice though. Here's what we do know: the Orange Blossom Classic of years past always featured FAMU vs. someone else. Is that what has been revived? I really don't know and it's a good question for Strock's show this week.

Withdrawing from the OBC would be insane. Even if it's a one-time deal, it's a great one-time deal. Think marketing. The game will be the only game that week and has several events involved. It will provide FIU with good publicity that you can't put a dollar value on (newspaper articles across the state - non-FIU areas). It will help attendance and be a much needed marketing boost for FIU. All in all, a win-win situation. Plus, the game will be in a legit 1A stadium. Just think how much fun it's going to be for all involved. It'll also serve as a good barometer as to the interest of the program.

I hate it when people on this board say "attendance was X but if you throw out such and such game..." Why throw out that game? That game drew interest from people and is the kind of game we need to be playing! It's like saying "UM's attendace is great, but if you take out the games against FSU and Va Tech at home, they only bring in 60k." Well, that's why they don't schedule crappy teams that no one cares about to play at the Orange Bowl. Same thing with FIU. This is an event town. If we ever got a school like Penn State, FSU, etc down here we'd sellout the Orange Bowl too (obviously wouldn't be played at The Cage, yet). Why? Because it'd be a great game to see. Losing to a big school like that is more interesting to watch than beating Jacksonville. This is how fans here think. Accept it.

As for FIU's marketing. You're preaching to the choir. We've all been harping about how crappy our marketing effort has been. I am hopeful that they get things moving soon on that end.

[Mike]

X thanks very much for the clarification on the game vs. FAU. I didn't realize the game was on Campus last year. That is the good news and I look forward it next year.

Re: the OLD Orange Blossom Classic and FAMU being the host every year I appreciate the history as I really don't remember. FAMU hosting the game was fine when there were no other teams down here and they considered this their "home" geographically. That is no longer the case and it is inappropriate for any school to come down here into our backyard and host a game every year. If the OBC invited different teams every year that would be better, but still distasteful to me. I disagree that playing in one game to help them get the OBC off the ground is good for us. I never believed in short term gratification, always preferred to invest for the long term.

Our Athletic Department has already demonstrated they don't know how to market, or, don't have the staff to do so if they do know how to market, so I doubt they will be able to take advantage of the OBC in terms of long term corporate sponsorship or recruiting. The OBC will get the corporate sponsors locally and we will get 1 week of publicity with FAMU getting the major share. With each dollar of corporate sponsorship that the OBC gets, that is one dollar less that local businesses will have in their budget to invest in football marketing. If what you say is correct and FAMU becomes the annual host school then this is going to be an OBC / FAMU event and we are merely the visiting team. Why would a corporate sponsor even consider putting money into FIU?

Remember we are spending a lot of money out of our limited budget to provide the OBC with FREE advertising and bringing our fans to the game which is something they couldn't get no matter how much money they were willing to spend.

The more I write the more I believe this is a bad deal for FIU.

[ARod]

FIU and FAU reaching out to fans

FAU is also taking an alternative approach to market their team to the youth in South Florida.
Although the Owls came close to competing for a national championship, the average attendance was a far cry from the requirement. As a result, FAU has launched a 40 City Community Action Campaign aimed at encouraging more people to come to the home games. According to assistant football coach Kurt Van Valkenburgh, the grassroots approach seems to be working.
“It is going very well,” he said. “There has been a good response with the combination of last year and the increased visibility of being out there in the community.”

This, my friends, is a perfect idea that we missed out on. FAU will definitely see the results of great marketing during the season. Why, oh, why can't we seem to get this through our thick administrative heads? This is what we need to be doing. Check out this link for proof of what being seen does.
The proof is in the pictures.......
fausports.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071404aaa.html

[ARod]

Our rivals to the North outshine us yet again....

Football to Compete in Delray Beach Bed Race
The Owls Captured the World Title and welcome the 7th annual event.

July 27, 2004

Boca Raton, FL - Florida Atlantic University's football team will participate in the 7th Annual "A Wacko Ona" Bed Race, Parade and Street Dance will be held on Friday, July 30, 2004, on Pineapple Grove Way (NE 2nd Ave.) in Delray Beach from 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm. Sponsored by the CRA, the Downtown Development Authority, Ocean City Lumber Company, City Walk and Pineapple Grove Village, this popular hometown event is always fun and frolic for Delray Beach friends and families.

The Owls captured the 2000 bed race and represented Delray Beach at the National competition held in Hawaii. They brought home the World Title that year and it was the last time a World Title was crowned.

Along with the team competing, Coach Howard Schnellenberger and team representatives will be on hand for autographs.

This year, competing teams do not have to build their beds to withstand the rigors of the race. Pineapple Grove has industrial strength beds that will be used by all teams during the races. The team beds or floats used in the parade can be as wild, funny or bizarre as they can be. The parade begins at 5:30 pm with teams assembling in Bru's Room parking lot (Ocean City Lumber) and will proceed to Atlantic Avenue continuing west to Pineapple Grove Way and roll up Pineapple Grove to the judge's stand between NE 1st and 2nd Streets. All beds and/or floats must be people-powered. No trucks or cars allowed.

Prizes will be awarded to the best representation of the theme, "A Wacko Ona" and the most creative beds or floats with a first, second and third prizes. For teams who race, the winning team wins a trip to a Florida resort, two nights, six rooms plus $500.00 in cash; second place, $300.00 and third place, $200.00. Parade participants are not restricted in any way. Racing teams are made up of four runners who push-pull the racing bed and a "queen" or "princess" riding on the bed, hanging on to the finish line.

Following the races and award ceremonies, Caribbean Pulse will provide music for dancing in the street commencing at about 8:15 pm.

For more bed race information, please call Cecilia Boone at [phone] or Lori Moore on the Pineapple Grove Bed Race hot-line at [phone].

Hell, I would go to their games if our games weren't at the same time just because I gotta give credit to the effort shown

[Xpedition]

gotta agree. the team needs to be more visible in the community. community service, charity events, charity marathons and such all need to be things the team does. Not just from a marketing perspective but from a "right thing to do" perspective as well.

[ARod]

THE CALL

Football to Participate in the Palm Beach County Sports and Fitness Festival
Team members will sign autographs

July 8, 2004

Boca Raton -
Florida Atlantic University Head Football Coach Howard Schnellenberger and team members are scheduled to participate in the 2004 Palm Beach County Sports and Fitness Festival, 10 am - 4 pm, July 15th and 16th at the South Florida Fairgrounds.

The Palm Beach County Sports and Fitness Festival is an avenue for amateur athletes with an opportunity to showcase their athletic skills and talents in an Olympic-style festival setting.

The Owls' football team, that finished 11-3 and ranked no. 4 nationally, will be on hand to enjoy events that many participated in as high school athletes, but have chosen football as a vehicle to receive a college education. There are two football players that hold state track records and several other team members who participated in Olympic type sports in high school. It is those outstanding athletic qualities that have come together to allow the Owls to move to NCAA Division I-A and Sun Belt Conference affiliation in just four years of competitive play.

THE RESPONSE

FAU football reaches out to youth

Published Saturday, July 17, 2004
by Hannon Deutsch
More than 2,500 kids attended the 2004 Palm Beach County Sports and Fitness Festival, which was held Thursday and Friday at the South Florida Fairgrounds. The Festival did more than give kids an opportunity to develop their skills in various sports, enjoy live entertainment and mingle with professional athletes.
Many different organizations set up booths designed to educate through hands-on exhibits to kids from 25 different camps. The area designated to the Florida Atlantic University football team was one of the biggest draws of the event.
Taheem Acevedo, Roosevelt Bynes, Ben Coker, Lawrence Gordon, Dimitri Jacques, Eric Benson, Mike Leshe and Kevin Ketchum all attended the Festival in an attempt to reach out to the youth of Palm Beach County and get them interested in FAU football.
FAU is embarking on a 40 City Community Action Campaign. In an attempt to create sellout crowds at all home games at Lockhart Stadium, the football team is committed to being involved in each of the 40 communities in South Florida. In just four years of existence, FAU has moved into NCAA Division I-A in the Sun Belt Conference.
With people flocking to Miami Hurricanes home games every Saturday, it is hard to create a large fan base with a national perennial power such as the ‘Canes in your backyard. Coach Howard Schnellenberger’s mission is to see 15,000 fans fill the seats of Lockhart every Saturday and by taking part in various events in the communities around South Florida it definitely speeds the process.
William McDonald, senior, OL
“When you get them young, they’ll be fans for life,” said William McDonald, who plays on the offensive line. “We’re trying to get them excited about football and want to come out to see us on Saturdays to play.”
One of the many kids who were impacted by a player at FAU’s booth was Stanley Hooks. After Hooks met defensive end Dimitri Jacques, he walked away more than a fan of FAU football.
“He helped me open my eyes and he said I have a chance,” Hooks said. “All I have to do is put my mind to it and keep my grades up.”
Ben Coker summed up the 40 City Community Action Campaign while being mobbed by campers.
“All these kids look at us like we’re a celebrity and they want your autograph,” said Coker, who was signing and talking at the same time. “These kids are going to grow up and be big time fans of FAU because of what we’re doing now. And that’s what we’re looking for. We have to meet 15,000 fans and we only did that against Colgate last year and that was the biggest crowd we had. We have to meet that 15,000 to stay in [NCAA Division] I-A and we definitely have to get out in the community and talk to the kids about FAU.”

Click below for picture and story:
www.bocaratonnews.com/index.php?src=news&prid=8966&category=SPORTS%20NEWS

If this isn't proof that reaching out to the community doesn't work, I don't know what is

[MaXx]

This is definitely something that should be brought up to Coach Strock in next weeks show. I'm going to be in Atlanta for the week but if any of you guys call this should be addressed.

[ARod]

More ideas that WE HAVE NOT thought of:

NCAA (COLLEGE)
Kent State, Akron Boost Marketing to Keep Premier College Football Status
By Curtis Eichelberger
Aug 4, 2004, 09:39
Aug. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Kent State University football players plan to help classmates move into their dormitory rooms this September as part of an effort to encourage attendance at their games.

The school is among 11 that stand to lose almost $1 million each in payments from playing football powerhouses if average attendance falls below 15,000 and the National Collegiate Athletic Association kicks them out of its premier division, said University of Idaho Athletic Director Rob Speer.

``We need more support from our student body, and the problem is that they don't know who we are,'' Kent State coach Doug Martin said from his office in Kent, Ohio. ``So we're going to have our players standing outside the dorm rooms in uniform, offering to help carry the heavy stuff when the students move onto campus. That should make an impact.''

Akron, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Idaho, Ball State and Utah State are running promotions including a tuition give-away, postgame rock concerts and autograph sessions with celebrities to boost attendance.

Buffalo, which averaged a Division I-A-low attendance of 9,414 last season, will have former 1976 Olympic decathlon winner Bruce Jenner sign autographs and country singer Lee Ann Womack perform the national anthem at its Sept. 11 game against Syracuse University.

The other four schools that averaged fewer than 15,000 fans last season were Central Michigan, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, University of Louisiana at Monroe and Middle Tennessee State.

Three Requirements

The NCAA's executive committee will meet Thursday to decide on penalties for schools that don't meet the governing body's requirements to remain in football's top level. In addition to the 15,000 attendance average, schools are also required to offer 200 athletic scholarships and participate in 16 sports.

Some fans and alumni say the NCAA went too far when it set the attendance requirement.

John Loffredo, managing director of the municipal product group at Merrill Lynch & Co., and a Utah State graduate, said the attendance requirement is an unfair way to measure a Division I-A school -- especially one in rural Logan, Utah.

``It's a silly reason to drop a team,'' Loffredo said in an e- mail message from his office in Plainsboro, New Jersey. ``Utah State is a large school in a very small town. I would hate to see them dropped.''

Bowl Game Draw

The NCAA set the minimum because Division I-A schools are eligible to play in postseason bowl games and need to be able to draw fans to those games.

NCAA members thought a 15,000 average was a reasonable expectation for college football's premier division, said NCAA Division I Vice President David Berst, who is based in Indianapolis. Especially when schools like Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee and Ohio State each averaged more than 100,000 fans for home games last season.

While Buffalo tries to woo fans with celebrities such as Womack and Jenner, Kent State will give away free tuition valued at $12,000 to one student who regularly attends home games.

Akron, which averaged 13,812 fans for Zips games in 2003, hired the Leffler Agency in Baltimore to create an advertising campaign. The result includes the slogan, ``It's Akron's big- league team.''

Nascar Night

Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti, averaged 11,260 fans last season. The school, which hired the San Diego Chicken mascot to appear at one game, is bringing in Christian music group ``Out of Eden'' for a concert and will have a Nascar Night with racecar driver Bobby Allison signing autographs.

The school also planned a rare doubleheader at Detroit's Ford Field on Nov. 6. Local Division II rivals Wayne State University and Hillsdale College kick off at noon, followed by Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan at 4:30 p.m. One ticket gets admission to both games.

``That's our gem this year,'' said Doug Kose, assistant athletic director for marketing and promotion. ``We could get 25,000 combined.''

Getting knocked back to the second tier would hurt more than school pride. The universities would lose the opportunity for payouts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for scheduling games against nationally ranked teams.

Cannon Fodder

Traditional football powerhouses such as Penn State routinely schedule smaller opponents early in the season to help them prepare for tougher games later in the year. By remaining in Division I-A, the borderline schools are more appealing to top football schools.

Penn State will pay Akron $350,000 for a non-conference game to start the season, said Mike Rodriguez, Akron associate athletic director for business.

That money helps the smaller schools keep their intercollegiate sports programs afloat.

``These guarantees balance our budget,'' Speer said from his office in Moscow, Idaho. ``If we dropped (down a level), it would cut our budget by about $600,000 to $800,000 a year, and we suspect that corporate sponsorship and alumni donations would suffer, too.''

Speer said guarantees will account for about $850,000 of his $9.5 million budget this season.

Kent State President Carol Cartwright, the chairwoman of the NCAA's executive committee, said she is pushing to have the attendance requirement reconsidered.

``While it's good to have fans in the stands, it's not the only measure of a successful program,'' Cartwright said.

Kent State's football team continues to gear up for the school's move-in weekend Aug. 28 and 29.

``I want the students of this university to take ownership of this team,'' Kent State coach Martin said. ``Ideally, someone will say to her friend, I know the guy who just made that tackle. He carried my TV to my dorm room this summer.''

We'd better start doing something soon, if not we'll be in the same boat

P.S. Quick! Somebody e-mail the AD Rick Mello and Coach Strock