Bobcat Gameday Experience

suckitgriz · Post by **suckitgriz** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:15 pm

you had me scared for a second there- i thought you were going to choose mad cow!

CLUB 126 · Post by **CLUB 126** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:32 pm

this thang is headed in the right direction, find a way to increase the way we get it, were we are all happy!

Whiskers · Post by **Whiskers** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:39 pm

huh

watch the DVD

billingscat · Post by **billingscat** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 1:54 pm

I think the biggest problem for attendance to the Cat games is having it played on OMEGA every week. Dont get me wrong when it is a road game and its not economically sound to travel all over to watch the game its nice to sit in the recliner and watch the game, but as far as home games go I dont think they should televise them, sorry for you guys that live a ways from Bozeman, but if you want a big crowd it needs to be taken off TV. Once we start selling out the place every weekend we can start showing home games on TV but for right now they should keep the TV games to away games only.

wbtfg · Post by **wbtfg** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 2:07 pm

My biggest beef with our athletics marketing team is that they are far too reactive rather than being proactive. It seems that everything that goes on at one of our games is something that we stole from another school.....most of the time UM.

Can anyone tell me what our marketing team has done to make the Bobcat gameday experience unique? I sure as hell can't....I don't know if they've come up with one origional idea since Bruce Parker left two years ago.

Also, can anyone tell me what traditions are at a bobcat football game? I can't think of a single one. The griz have the sky divers, the kiss cam (I'm glad we don't have that, but some people like it), cotton eyed joe, the MONTANA.....GRIZZLIES chant....etc. What do we have?

Don't get me wrong, I love MSU, and I love going to Cat games. I don't want to turn it into a goat show like the one in missoula, but it seems like our athletics marketing department is lacking any creativity.

Cat Pride · Post by **Cat Pride** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 3:09 pm

Amen wbtg, amen!

CARDIAC_CATS · Post by **CARDIAC_CATS** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:09 pm

billingscat wrote:I think the biggest problem for attendance to the Cat games is having it played on OMEGA every week. Dont get me wrong when it is a road game and its not economically sound to travel all over to watch the game its nice to sit in the recliner and watch the game, but as far as home games go I dont think they should televise them, sorry for you guys that live a ways from Bozeman, but if you want a big crowd it needs to be taken off TV. Once we start selling out the place every weekend we can start showing home games on TV but for right now they should keep the TV games to away games only.

I'm sure this really cuts into our crowd a lot (especially during cold weather). I agree with not televising the game on Omega ... at least live anyway .... they can show it on late Sunday or whatever, but I think it should be tape delayed at the very least.

theblackgecko · Post by **theblackgecko** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 5:12 pm

Let's see, I've attended games for the better part of a season in Wash. Griz, Autzen (Oregon), and Reno H. Sales stadium, done road games in Joe Albi and PGE. Actually, more than one season in Wash. Griz.
Here is my two cents on the gameday experience:

First, the screen is used miserbably at Bobcat Stadium. All I ever see on the thing is that stupid ad for the rent a car company, or other advertisments. There is no good reason to have it. Actually, they show the Griz score there when the Griz are winning.
Second, band needs improvement. Part of this falls on the music department. I know plenty of students at Montana who are in band because they love it. I know students at Montana State who are not in the band, because they absolutely hate the marching band experience. I would love to see the band used to play more music. There's something really scary about Oregon's marching band playing Ludicrous during the huddle. Keep in mind, at Oregon, all music played in the stadium comes from the band, not a Winamp playlist. The other thing about the band that gets my goat is when they play to the south side of the stadium. I wouldn't mind if people were sitting there watching, but they usaully end up playing to empty stands.
Third, Bobcat fans need to cheer some more. I remember how loud it was for the overtime game against PSU. But, I was up in Missoula over Thanksgiving break, where it was twice as loud for NW State's opening drive! This isn't a matter of crowd size, this is a matter of Bobcat fans sitting on their hands, especially the season ticket holders. Yes, it is far better than most BSC teams, but improvement is absolutely necessary. The student section doesn't get a free ride here, though. Autzen is loud mainly because the student section is insane, which is not the case in Bozeman.
Fourth, CMS are a bunch of @$$holes. The whole patrolling the student section for alcohol/checking as students enter the stadium is way overkill, and doesn't stop the drinking. So, rather than be an ineffectual, just let the students be. I'm sick of being treated like a smuggler when I enter Bobcat stadium. (For the record, I have never brought an alcoholic beverage into any football stadium.)
Fifth, let the fans go on the field after the game. They do it in Missoula and Eugene. It's a great experienece for everyone.
Sixth, I know a lot of money has been poured into imporvements to the stadium. But, from my perspective, its the same as it was 15 years ago. Everyone notices all the improvements that have gone into Washington Grizzly stadium, with the Jumbotron, Sprintturf, and the N-Zone expansion. All I see is a name change that I don't care about, and a bunch of luxury boxes where I'm not allowed to sit, filled by people who won't cheer. The people on the south side of the stadium do little to contribute to the gameday experience, as it seems like they get all the perks.

wbtfg has a point that the Bobcat marketing department has fumbled away the ball. I can't think of anything that makes going to Bobcat football games memorable, other than close games. Missoula has gameday excitement, it feels like another Saturday in Bozeman. Maybe I've been given too much, but I know I should expect a better experience. I should feel like I'm going to a football game, where the only word I can use to describe it is loud.

carrotlicker · Post by **carrotlicker** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 8:35 pm

So start haggling local businessmen for expansion money....put together a fund....bombard planners and managers with emails....get 'er done!!! If you sit around all day, of course nothing improves. I know Missoula isn't the sole Mecca of business money and donators, so let's see somethin happen in BozAngeles.

Post by **SonomaCat** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 8:39 pm

carrotlicker wrote:So start haggling local businessmen for expansion money....put together a fund....bombard planners and managers with emails....get 'er done!!! If you sit around all day, of course nothing improves. I know Missoula isn't the sole Mecca of business money and donators, so let's see somethin happen in BozAngeles.

And with that, cl outs himself.

BozoneCat · Post by **BozoneCat** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:46 am

Could "carrotlicker" = "KittyLiquor" from the old ESPN board? Please god, say it ain't so!

Post by **SonomaCat** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 9:40 am

BozoneCat wrote:Could "carrotlicker" = "KittyLiquor" from the old ESPN board? Please god, say it ain't so!

KL from the ESPN board is bareback/bear axed on this board. His unavoidable writing style gives him away as he moves from board to board.

BelgradeBobcat · Post by **BelgradeBobcat** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 10:59 am

billingscat wrote:I think the biggest problem for attendance to the Cat games is having it played on OMEGA every week. Dont get me wrong when it is a road game and its not economically sound to travel all over to watch the game its nice to sit in the recliner and watch the game, but as far as home games go I dont think they should televise them, sorry for you guys that live a ways from Bozeman, but if you want a big crowd it needs to be taken off TV. Once we start selling out the place every weekend we can start showing home games on TV but for right now they should keep the TV games to away games only.

I used to think this way, but now I disagree. This past season was the first that every game was televised and we had one of our best attendance averages ever.

We need the statewide exposure-the griz are on TV every week home and away and so should the Cats.

If people are excited about the team and the upcoming home game they're not going to settle for watching it on TV, they're going to go to the game.

TV games probably have the most negative impact when the weather is bad, but a winning team will bring the fans out.

A TV broadcast is a 3 hour infomercial for the team and the school-we can't sacrifice that for a couple hundred extra fans at the game.

carrotlicker · Post by **carrotlicker** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:33 pm

outs myself?

Post by **SonomaCat** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 2:01 pm

carrotlicker wrote:outs myself?

Yes, as anything other than a Bobcat fan, which is what you held yourself out as in earlier posts. Welcome to the board, but keep the insincere stuff on the smack board, please.