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Post by Pinnum on May 21, 2014 12:45:29 GMT -5
As for fundraising, it's silly to suggest playing Niagara in another building is advantageous in fundraising. For starters, it's such a long shot anyway that someone would be reinvigorated to donate based upon a basketball game in their city. Secondly, the Bona people that would come to a Niagara game are likely the same people that WOULD come to the RC at some point. It's not drawing in loads of alumni that otherwise wouldn't be interest in the University or the basketball team. It's NIAGARA we're talking about. (a fine school, but let's get real here) A lot of schools (Patriot, Ivy, ACC, SEC, etc) require their development officers to travel for games in areas where they have large concentrations of alumni. These can be some of the biggest lead generating events, not only do they, in fact, generate small reoccurring donations, but when they go and meet large donors they already have relationships with it isn't uncommon for them to be introduced to others who are in attendance with the donor. If they are really doing something like this for fundraising then they got fundraising all wrong. (not to mention basketball scheduling). There are way more influential ways to engage your alumni and inspire giving. Scheduling a basketball game in their city against a MAAC opponent seems like a cheap, desperate ploy to fundraise and if I know anything about fundraising, it's that folks who give HATE cheap, desperate ploys to fundraise. I do not know your back ground or experiences, and I would rather not share mine, but I have had different experiences than those you have argued.
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Post by tastylicks on May 21, 2014 13:05:16 GMT -5
I will mention another program I have some familiarity with. Take a look at UConn's schedule from this past year. You will see that they split their 'home' games between their campus (Gampel Pavilion) and the XL Center 45 Minutes away in Hartford. Based on most of the arguments on this thread, I would guess that people would say UConn should only go to Hartford for big games or games that will attract a lot of fans. However that is not the case. They work to balance their schedule between the two venues: www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/conn-m-baskbl-sched.htmlXL Center (Hartford, CT) Biggest Non-Conference Game - Stanford 11,140 Ivy League Game - Yale 8,848 Gampel Center (Storrs, CT) Biggest Non-Conference Game - Florida 10,167 Ivy League Game - Harvard 9,218 The reason for the split, and taking on the added expense of hosting games at the second venue 40 minutes away is because it keeps games rare in each area helping to keep ticket prices higher. Additionally, they are able to reach a lot more sponsors and donors in Hartford that are vital to funding their program. But we're not UCONN. That's the point. This and what you are saying is a very general way of doing things. Team has alumni in big nearby city. Team splits games between campus and big nearby city to make all happy. Makes sense, sure. But the thing everyone loves and recognizes about Bona's is the unique experience that is a night at the Reilly Center. Even if you aren't there, or can't make it there or haven't been there in 30 years you take pride in that place. (maybe you criticize the student body for not being like you were? haha but that's exactly what I'm talking about) Bringing the Bonnies away from the RC against a MAAC opponent in a large arena that will likely not even be close to filled, ruins that. Another part of the Bona experience too is that we enjoy our small school on the big stage!! Everyone knows that we play Niagara every other year at home, and moving it away from the RC is trying (cheaply in many minds) to make a big stage. We are smarter than that and it's a little annoying frankly.
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Post by kcSBU03 on May 21, 2014 13:19:05 GMT -5
Are you really comparing us to UConn?
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Post by Pinnum on May 21, 2014 13:26:34 GMT -5
I disagree. Preserving the Niagara game is more important than ensuring it is at home. Are you trying to tell me alumni in Rochester place a higher value on SBU playing at home than they do having SBU playing in Rochester?
If there are so many people that value the RC games, why are the games not selling out? Why are the donations not rolling in?
Yes, very one takes pride in SBU being a small intimate campus but I don't think that negates the pride felt by many when they go to the BCA and see all of the people wearing Brown and showing their support for something they too cherish.
SBU needs to adapt and evolve while still holding on to some tradition. Playing Niagara is tradition, playing in front of SBU fans is preferred, the location is less significant.
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Post by Pinnum on May 21, 2014 13:28:41 GMT -5
Are you really comparing us to UConn? Negative. If anything, a small rural SBU has a greater need to reach more fans than a flagship land grant university with recent championships.
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Post by kcSBU03 on May 21, 2014 14:07:58 GMT -5
Are you really comparing us to UConn? Negative. If anything, a small rural SBU has a greater need to reach more fans than a flagship land grant university with recent championships. Actually you did. You attempted to take logic from this argument and apply it to UConn. Your whole post referencing them using Gampel and the XL Center. Sure sounds like a comparison to me but what do I know, Im young. The Niagara series is not in danger so what exactly needs to be preserved? Its just fine being home and home
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Post by Pinnum on May 21, 2014 14:32:58 GMT -5
Negative. If anything, a small rural SBU has a greater need to reach more fans than a flagship land grant university with recent championships. Actually you did. You attempted to take logic from this argument and apply it to UConn. Your whole post referencing them using Gampel and the XL Center. Sure sounds like a comparison to me but what do I know, Im young. The Niagara series is not in danger so what exactly needs to be preserved? Its just fine being home and home You asked if I was comparing the two schools (or basketball programs), which I was not. Adopting lessons learned does not mean you're mirroring an application. I was comparing a method of scheduling that has proven beneficial for one school while offering how I believe it can be beneficial to SBU. Again, in regards to playing NU at the neutral location, you're taking a micro approach for one basketball series. As long as you just see this only being about a location of a basketball game with Niagara, I don't expect you to change your position.
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Post by kcSBU03 on May 21, 2014 15:00:00 GMT -5
Im out, this is at an impasse and Im not wasting any more time with you.
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Eagle
Junior Member
Posts: 340
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Post by Eagle on May 21, 2014 15:49:12 GMT -5
Hmmm, OK, then why not play Niagara twice a year, one game at Reilly on alternating years and one game at Gallagher on alternate years? Game #2 each year would be at a neutral site like FNC or BCA.
Both teams find scheduling home opponents difficult and the cost would be minimal.
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Post by 123Rob on May 21, 2014 16:56:14 GMT -5
Nice try Eagle
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JAC
Sophomore Member
Posts: 165
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Post by JAC on May 21, 2014 18:04:07 GMT -5
Without Mason doesn't really matter where they play...
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Post by bonaman2013 on May 21, 2014 19:18:15 GMT -5
Mason was an absolute black hole for NU. I think they will be better without him. Mason was a very, very average player who shot a ton, but benefited big time with the rule change in regards to fouls.
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JAC
Sophomore Member
Posts: 165
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Post by JAC on May 21, 2014 19:49:22 GMT -5
Mason was an absolute black hole for NU. I think they will be better without him. Mason was a very, very average player who shot a ton, but benefited big time with the rule change in regards to fouls. So you think a 7-26 team that currently has only 10 scholarship players, 7 of which are either freshmen or sophomores, will be better without the nations leading returning scorer? Maybe? They probably can't get worse?
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Post by bonaman2013 on May 21, 2014 22:02:36 GMT -5
Max,
They have 12 scholarship players for next year, and I do think they will be much better. They return 10 players from last year's team, and like you said, they can't get much worse than 7-26!
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JAC
Sophomore Member
Posts: 165
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Post by JAC on May 22, 2014 6:13:34 GMT -5
I guess you'd have to define what much better means to you. I can't possibly imagine Niagara winning more then 10 games and that's without knowing what their schedule looks like. Snowden and Myers played well. Davis and Reid were nice recruits. But this team is young and has no inside game at all.
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