New Mexico at Valpo Sat Dec 6 7:05 pm CT

[justducky]

I have no comments on the game yet but decided to start the new thread just to update you on the ticket sales. This is not good! Almost no mezzanine sales along with sections A, E, F, and J being cumulatively less than half sold.

I hope I don't have to round up another crowd at gunpoint because explaining this to law enforcement has always been difficult.

[valpotx]

That sounds pretty sad.  A game against New Mexico should be packed.  I truly hope that it fills up quite a bit more.

[Valpofan00]

Most likely majority of them will be sold at the door if people decide to show up.

[Smj]

When I bought my tickets I found the middle areas difficult to find the 4 seats together.    However I did not look anywhere but the middle lower section seats. ...   

If we can't get a big crowd for this level of competition it will be rather sad.

[valpopal]

I hope word gets out that there will be entertainment by the Bucket Boys of Chicago during halftime. They were a crowd favorite last year.

[classof2014]

Sadly, like I've said before the marketing team seems to be lacking. The only place in NWI where Valpo is marketed is Valpo. Other than a few billboards there are no commercials or anything else aired on tv/radio throughout the region.

You have to spend money in order to make money. Just look at turnaround the Blackhawks had once Bill Wirtz died and Rocky took over. He marketed the team and spent the money and now they sell out every night compared to a half full arena of ten years ago.

Other than alumni it doesn't seem many other people just go there to spend a Friday or Saturday night. A Valpo game is much cheaper than a Chicago Bulls game and you get a pretty decent product as well!

[hailcrusaders]

You have to spend money in order to make money. Just look at turnaround the Blackhawks had once Bill Wirtz died and Rocky took over. He marketed the team and spent the money and now they sell out every night compared to a half full arena of ten years ago.

A Stanley Cup or two along the way sure helps. But yes, let's see a packed house Saturday. When was our last sellout anyway?

[a3uge]

I've ranted about this before, but it needs repeating:

The athletics department does a dismal job of advertising these games. There's been ZERO Facebook posts about Valpo playing New Mexico. There's been ZERO links to buy tickets. There's been a total of 2 Tweets about this game, both just retweets, and no ticket link. The athletics site doesn't even mention their next home game, let alone provide a link to buy tickets. This is easy stuff. This has been the next home game since NOVEMBER 14TH!

Horrible advertising and social media aside, the Athletics site is still way too difficult to buy tickets from. I would expect it to behave like 99% of team sports sites. I don't understand why it's so difficult to include a link to buy a ticket from the team's schedule page. I still think its not all that clear that clicking a seating section brings up the seat chart. Also, having row 1 and the last row of the mezzanine being sold at the same price seems really stupid.

And this is just the basics - stuff that requires zero extra dollars. Given theres only 3 OOC D1 home games, we should really be seeing actual deals, giveaways, targeted advertising, etc. There's no young alumni deals, pregame events, merch sales like you see at other programs. But I guess if you can't even find info for tickets on their Facebook/Twitter against a team that was ranked last year, why expect some creativity elsewhere?

[valpo84]

I hope word gets out that there will be entertainment by the Bucket Boys of Chicago during halftime. They were a crowd favorite last year.

If it isn't Red Panda, I'm not coming. Wait, Red Panda retired. Ugh....

[classof2014]

You have to spend money in order to make money. Just look at turnaround the Blackhawks had once Bill Wirtz died and Rocky took over. He marketed the team and spent the money and now they sell out every night compared to a half full arena of ten years ago.

A Stanley Cup or two along the way sure helps. But yes, let's see a packed house Saturday. When was our last sellout anyway?

My guess would be the HL championship game against Wright State. I don't recall any sellouts last season.

[vu72]

I just checked the seats available and counted 103 available in the chairbacks.  On the reserved side, in sections B,C and D there are only 12 seats left.  In sections A and E there are lots and upstairs...don't ask 

[classof2014]

I'm guessing it'll be similar to the crowd in the game against SLU, the ARC was full but not packed.

[a3uge]

After my rant, the various Twitter and Facebook accounts have both posted about Saturday's game, and even included a link to buy tickets, so that's much better. Hopefully we see the mezzanine fill up a lot more by Saturday.

[Kyle321n]

After my rant, the various Twitter and Facebook accounts have both posted about Saturday's game, and even included a link to buy tickets, so that's much better. Hopefully we see the mezzanine fill up a lot more by Saturday.

It's learning

[vu72]

I've ranted about this before, but it needs repeating:

The athletics department does a dismal job of advertising these games. There's been ZERO Facebook posts about Valpo playing New Mexico. There's been ZERO links to buy tickets. There's been a total of 2 Tweets about this game, both just retweets, and no ticket link. The athletics site doesn't even mention their next home game, let alone provide a link to buy tickets. This is easy stuff. This has been the next home game since NOVEMBER 14TH!

Horrible advertising and social media aside, the Athletics site is still way too difficult to buy tickets from. I would expect it to behave like 99% of team sports sites. I don't understand why it's so difficult to include a link to buy a ticket from the team's schedule page. I still think its not all that clear that clicking a seating section brings up the seat chart. Also, having row 1 and the last row of the mezzanine being sold at the same price seems really stupid.

And this is just the basics - stuff that requires zero extra dollars. Given theres only 3 OOC D1 home games, we should really be seeing actual deals, giveaways, targeted advertising, etc. There's no young alumni deals, pregame events, merch sales like you see at other programs. But I guess if you can't even find info for tickets on their Facebook/Twitter against a team that was ranked last year, why expect some creativity elsewhere?

It's crazier than that.  The lower reserved seats are the same price as the upper deck!!

[classof2014]

Personally the most expensive seats should be right in the middle of section CC (obviously not gonna happen), best site lines of the game IMO.

Only problem is every now and then the curtain isn't all the way to the ceiling or one of the practice basketball nets aren't up all the way and blocks part of the score board so you can't see the time, the score, or stats.

It is stupid that row ZZ or whatever in section EE is the same price as row G in section C.

[covufan]

I just checked the seats available and counted 103 available in the chairbacks.  On the reserved side, in sections B,C and D there are only 12 seats left.  In sections A and E there are lots and upstairs...don't ask 

After the win tonight, the social media should be on the 8-1 bandwagon with links to purchase tickets.  Hopefully these sections will be full soon...

[LaPorteAveApostle]

LET'S TURN THESE GUYS INTO LOSS LOBOS...

[FWalum]

Got my ticket tonight so there is one less seat available 

[valpotx]

Since I picked us to go undefeated this month, I have to go against what the past 14-15 years tell us about playing 'name' programs:

Valpo 75
New Mexico 68

[justducky]

Haven't seen New Mexico but given what I have seen from Valpo's recent play I think it would take a heck of a performance by the Lobos to be able to pull out of here with a win. So I will say VU by 4 and believe that it could be more.

[bbtds]

The Lobos have a few homecomings and semi-homecomings when they visit Valpo in NW Indiana. They have 2 Chicago area guys in senior Deshawn Delaney, Chicago native and played at Vincennes U and Tim Williams, a junior, from Flossmoor, IL. They have 2 guys who went to LaPorte LaLumiere, sophomore, South Sudan native, Obij Aget and freshman from Indianapolis, Sam Logwood. Also Butler transfer, Elijah Brown, who transferred when Brad Stevens went to the Celtics, is a sophomore on the Lobos.

[Smj]

I don't like all the homecomings because they might have more fans than normal (playing this far from NM)....   

[wh]

Chairbacks $35, lower bleachers $20, mezzanine bleachers $20.  Seriously?

I know this is a marquee game and we're off to a great start, but I'm afraid these prices will turn a lot of casual fans and potential newcomers off.  Would shelling out $20 each keep 2 buddies from checking out the Crusaders?  Probably not.  Would it keep a guy from bringing his wife and 2 kids and shelling out $80 plus concessions?  Almost definitely.  This would not be considered affordable family entertainment in NWI. 

[covufan]

I'm looking forward to this game.  Not sure how to measure the student pre-game interest in attending this game.  We need to get every student and HS Junior recruit in the area to this game.

Valpo          69
Loss Lobos  62