The bay area is FULL of college educated folks who are fans of some other team. The trick is to get that Texas, UCLA or Michigan Alum, maybe even (gulp) that Ivy league alum to adopt Stanford rather than the 49ers.
Some thoughts:
1) Pop Warner:
The south and East bay are hotbeds for Pop Warner football teams - some of them with ex-Stanford players as coaches. Pop Warner players always have football loving parents (or in my case, ONE football loving parent - my wife, not so much). I\'d work that angle.
2) Saturday Day Games
Early in the season the Saturday Day games conflict with youth sports and back-to-school activities. These are the same games where being in the stadium has been compared with being a piece of MuShu Pork in a hot oiled wok. Try early evening games on Sept and early October Saturdays. (Sorry Robbie - clearly we differ on this) ;) Well either this or a retractable canvas awning on the south side.
3) Beer!
Hmmhhhh .... yeah, I remember the late 80\'s games with random fights in the stands. But I also remember games in the late 70\'s where beer and Stanford sports mixed just fine. How about experimenting with bringing back beer sales in some safe and sane way? Great way to break the country club stereotype (more on that later.)
4) Basketball
The experiment with seat licenses has failed and drove away fans. Really dumb marketing idea to put this one in play when the fans were already alienated by losing and football was resurgent. Rethink this. (Ok .... I admit this is my pet peeve.)
5) Tailgating
Tailgating is a big part of Stanford sports but the demographic is starting to skew older. Play up this tradition for younger fans and alums! Perhaps get McCarthur Park (nearby restaurant) to sell picnic baskets with barbeque ribs and sandwiches. Select a randomly chosen <30 yrs winner for a catered tailgate party for him and his/her friends. Encourage Toby the Fan knock-offs. Encourage young alum clubs to throw their own parties. I bet you can think of your own ideas but figure out how to get new fans to join this vital tradition.
6) Statues garden of great Stanford players
Help educate the fans on Jim Plunket, John Elway, Toby Gerhart, Darrin Nelson, John Brodie, Ernie Nevers, etc. Maybe a statue garden outside the stadium? A quarterback corner? Eh .... considering how we\'re treating the statue of Hank Luisetti maybe this isn\'t such a great idea.
7) Don\'t play to the stereotype
Some folks have this stereotype that Stanford games are peopled with the country-club set that doesn\'t include them. Promote the games as THE place to be for a fun party where everyone (and in particular every college football fan and non-alums under 40) can connect with great college football even if they went to school somewhere else.
I think your biggest roadblock will be the perception that Stanford is a closed club where non-alums aren\'t included. Â It\'s not the reality so getting folks to come and have a great time is the best way to counter this. Â Surround the game experience (which is already a winner) with inclusive and fun events outside the stadium walls and connect the best ambassadors for Stanford (the players and coaches) with the community and you should do just fine.
/Lefty
Some thoughts:
1) Pop Warner:
The south and East bay are hotbeds for Pop Warner football teams - some of them with ex-Stanford players as coaches. Pop Warner players always have football loving parents (or in my case, ONE football loving parent - my wife, not so much). I\'d work that angle.
2) Saturday Day Games
Early in the season the Saturday Day games conflict with youth sports and back-to-school activities. These are the same games where being in the stadium has been compared with being a piece of MuShu Pork in a hot oiled wok. Try early evening games on Sept and early October Saturdays. (Sorry Robbie - clearly we differ on this) ;) Well either this or a retractable canvas awning on the south side.
3) Beer!
Hmmhhhh .... yeah, I remember the late 80\'s games with random fights in the stands. But I also remember games in the late 70\'s where beer and Stanford sports mixed just fine. How about experimenting with bringing back beer sales in some safe and sane way? Great way to break the country club stereotype (more on that later.)
4) Basketball
The experiment with seat licenses has failed and drove away fans. Really dumb marketing idea to put this one in play when the fans were already alienated by losing and football was resurgent. Rethink this. (Ok .... I admit this is my pet peeve.)
5) Tailgating
Tailgating is a big part of Stanford sports but the demographic is starting to skew older. Play up this tradition for younger fans and alums! Perhaps get McCarthur Park (nearby restaurant) to sell picnic baskets with barbeque ribs and sandwiches. Select a randomly chosen <30 yrs winner for a catered tailgate party for him and his/her friends. Encourage Toby the Fan knock-offs. Encourage young alum clubs to throw their own parties. I bet you can think of your own ideas but figure out how to get new fans to join this vital tradition.
6) Statues garden of great Stanford players
Help educate the fans on Jim Plunket, John Elway, Toby Gerhart, Darrin Nelson, John Brodie, Ernie Nevers, etc. Maybe a statue garden outside the stadium? A quarterback corner? Eh .... considering how we\'re treating the statue of Hank Luisetti maybe this isn\'t such a great idea.
7) Don\'t play to the stereotype
Some folks have this stereotype that Stanford games are peopled with the country-club set that doesn\'t include them. Promote the games as THE place to be for a fun party where everyone (and in particular every college football fan and non-alums under 40) can connect with great college football even if they went to school somewhere else.
I think your biggest roadblock will be the perception that Stanford is a closed club where non-alums aren\'t included. Â It\'s not the reality so getting folks to come and have a great time is the best way to counter this. Â Surround the game experience (which is already a winner) with inclusive and fun events outside the stadium walls and connect the best ambassadors for Stanford (the players and coaches) with the community and you should do just fine.
/Lefty
In 1938 Neville Chamberlain declared "Peace in our time", Superman first appeared in Action Comics, Seabiscuit beat War Admiral ....... and C.a.l last won the Rose Bowl.