Ask The AD

[FIUFanatic]

A new question and answer has just appeared in fiusports.com in the section of "Ask the Athletic Director". The question deals with the advertising and/or promotions being done for the upcoming Football season. Basically, Mello explains that they chose to invest in in-games promotions and entertainment more so (or rather than) than in traditional advertising venues such as radio, tv, and/or billboard campaigns.

I wonder if that includes "mailing" campaigns to alumni and/or at-large communities, and not just to season ticket holders from the previous year.

I have to say, to be honest, that they have done a tremendous job with the "entertainment" side of the games played at The Cage. Last season, I brought a friend of mine from Puerto Rico who happened to be in Miami that weekend (he enjoyed with me the Marlins Championship that night as well!!) to the Homecoming game, and he still raves about the great time he had....the "tailgating tent", the band, the cheerleaders and dancers. He truly loved the atmosphere at that game, and is making plans to return this season to Miami with me and make it to one FIU Football game. Mind you, he barely knows anything about the sport of Football, yet he constantly asks me when I'm going to be there ( I hope to make it to at least 4-5 games!!) so he can go to another "FIU game".

That tells me, at least in a very, very small sample, that the theory Mello espouses is, indeed, accurate. Obviously, it helped that it was FIU's first win of the season, but the fact is he just LOVED the atmosphere and had such a great time, that he wants to return.

Anyways, here's the link and a reproduction of the piece:

www.fiusports.com/ask_the_ad/080504.htm


August 5, 2004

Rick:
From a marketing and promtions perspective, what is being done to promote this season's FIU Football campaign? Shouldn't the advertising be at full tilt considering we need increased attendance for succussful transition into Division 1?

Alberto Padron
Hollywood, FL


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Alberto:

I have been asked from time to time, “why doesn’t FIU Athletics have more visible marketing campaigns” for football and the other sports? The question is a legitimate one, but the answer isn’t as simple as it would seem.

In any major market like Miami, advertising is very expensive. A one-quarter-page ad in The Miami Herald alone runs approximately $4,700. And since there are so many various advertising mediums, unlike a confined college town, choices must be made.

Knowing that Miami is a “big event” city and we have a lot in the way of sports and entertainment-dollar competition, from a strategic standpoint, we have decided to invest budgets more in the entertainment elements, rather than traditional advertising.

In basketball, we have the band at every game and a full compliment of cheerleaders and dancers. In baseball, in-game promotions and interfacing with youth leagues have increased. In football, we have dedicated a great deal of resources towards in-game giveaways (seat cushions vs. Jacksonville, floppy hats vs. Western Kentucky, lapel pin vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, visor vs. McNeese State and Don Strock bobble head vs. Georgia Southern), secured four television games, produced pre-game entertainment, and most notably, brought the Orange Blossom Classic back to South Florida, where we can piggyback on the marketing muscle of the Orange Bowl Committee and the National Championship game. From a staffing standpoint, we have dedicated a full-time staff member to group tickets sales, which has paid some noticeable dividends in football, women’s basketball and softball.

We ask ourselves the same budgetary questions that you do with your family or business budgets. Will an investment in a one-time radio and television ad blitz accomplish more than ensuring top-caliber dance and cheer squads at our basketball and football games? Is billboard advertising more effective than fronting the funds to ensure we can place four games on television?

These types of decisions are always difficult to quantify as to why people go to a game, except for the obvious…winning and a good time at the stadium. Our hope is that as we begin to win at a high level, some of the “event elements” we have added will make our product even more attractive.

We feel like with the increased media coverage we have received with the advent of football, people generally know when we are playing. At the same time, we acknowledge the fact that more advertising needs to be done.

As Director of Athletics, I am keenly aware that our attendance is an area of concern. Not only does attendance create a more festive and enjoyable atmosphere (i.e. the inaugural football game vs. Saint Peter’s), but it also generates much-needed revenue.

I know this may not answer all the questions pertaining to this issue and maybe even generated more than it answered. If you have any questions about our marketing and attendance, please forward them and I will get to as many as I can.

Thank you for your interest and support of FIU Athletics. Go Golden Panthers!!

Rick Mello
FIU Director of Athletics

[Devastator]

The thing that is surprising is that .. someone actually wrote to Ask the AD ;D, just joking. Actually its a good way to get information directly from the source which is a real plus.

[Mike]

Interesting posting;)

See www.fiusports.com/ask_the_ad/
Note that his previous post was April 21, 2003. In other words he has gone 15 months without responding to any questions emailed to him.

Welcome to our "Ask the Athletic Director" feature, your direct link to Florida International University Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation Rick Mello. About every three weeks, we will ask Mr. Mello to answer a question from you, the fans. Please feel free to ask any question about the Golden Panthers athletic program, however, we ask your understanding when questions are deemed inappropriate. Questions and answers will be posted on this site. If your question is answered, you will receive a Golden Panther or Sun Belt Conference souvenir.

a few months ago, I emailed the AD a question and didn't get an answer. Then I followed up with a telephone call.

We have discussed many different marketing options here and probably many more before I joined. I have called the NCAA numerous times (the most recent was yesterday) to ensure that I wouldn't present something that would violate any NCAA rule.

However hard the marketing folks are working, they could accomplish more with minimal impact on their budget or schedule.

IMHO Answering 1 question every 3 weeks is absurd and condescending. If Mello is looking for a marketing tool that cost nothing he should be posting answers to 5 questions weekly. Notice the way profession fb teams interface with the press. They have daily press conferences, which keeps them on the sports pages.

Don has his weekly sports show which provides some visibility.

I would like to see "Ask the Coach" added to the website. It would be a great compliment to his radio show and also provide him with information on what the FIU fan wants to know. I don't think that answering 5-10 questions emailed to him shouldn't take more than 10-20 minutes out of his weekly schedule.

His radio show is limited to less than 1 hour per week and should focus exclusively on FIU - there are many other sources available to discuss the Dolphins, Cowboys, Heat, etc.

[The OC Panther]

I wrote Newman I few months ago too and he never responded. 15 months without responding is a joke. Im not a Mello basher, he has done some great things but as a bussiness owner I have one philosophy "People dont give you money if you look like you need it" and the same thing applies here in terms of sloppiness. If we have any chance of making in it in ultra competitive Miami it has to be a a tight ship. People want to be part of success, as a an employee or a customer. If the stands are 80% empty and your last column was posted 15 months before your shooting yourself in the foot. We often look like we have volunteer staff.

We need to advertise outside and get new fans. That can even be past alumni who see the giant billboard and get excited to go to their first game. Student government had the same philosophy when I was at FIU by providing free food at all the events to bribe people to come... that my friends is a plan of diminishing returns and creates no customers just people who bolt the minute you dont give them something for free.

NY Panther
(I'll send him this one)

[MaXx]

It's amazing that was finally updated. He does bring up some interesting points about which direction to take the advertising of the program. We have invested in 4 televised football games instead of creating events for the football team like FAU has. FAU does not yet have a televised game that will be shown in Florida, we have 4. I'd say that's pretty significant.

[FIUFanatic]

When it is put that way, I agree, I'd rather be 4 times on TV (3 times statewide and/or nationally). Hopefully, we will continue to get a lot of exposure through those TV games. I guess there's some costs associated with this, so that is a good investment, in my opinion.

Now, that doesn't mean we could not do some other things to raise the awareness in the community to complement the TV exposure. Maybe some community work, and limited advertising would do wonders. However, I'm sure that, unfortunately, there are some constraints and the administration has to make some choices as to where place money for advertising/promotion/awareness for our programs.

Guys, we have to start winning with some consistency to make a dent in the local community in terms of support, both in terms of attendance and dollars for the program. I guess, we, the limited number of hardcore fans, have to do our little part to make this thing a success, and buy season tickets, get friends and family involved, and donate money to the program, such as the Golden Panther Club. I have increased my number of tickets and my donation as well. All of us here, to their individual possibilities should do the same.......