IDEAS FOR GROWL

[TECHAJUN]

I have seen great ideas come out of this board and I have just been on it for a month or two...here's the deal. i know you are familiar with the growl radio show at the Dawghouse on Thursday nights at 630 on z107.5. For the life of me I don't know why we can't get more people to attend!! :?: The best attended show this year got everyone pumped up--Dave N. , Coach, me and of course the owners of the Dawghouse. But the next week we dropped about 65% in attendence. I just found out that the owners offered the frats a keg of beer for the one with the most guys to show for that show....of course they can't do that everyweek....but it's not just the Greeks or students--it's the people of the area...there is always the trusted ones that always show up and show their blue..but the crowd (lack of) is awful for a Div 1a school.
I don't know if the students think "oh well it's just for the older folks" and the townspeople think "oh well it's just for the students at their hangout"
This is the third year and the attendence stinks!!!! :x
I would appreciate any discussion or ideas :idea: :idea: :idea:

[Rooster]

If I lived in Ruston, I would certainly be there faithfully. I've been doing some thinking. I've come to trealize that our attendance may not ever increase on a consistent basis. It really pisses me off that people don't go to games and the growl, that is just our fans.

[Reddawg]

I think there is one thing only that will cure our attendence problems.....WINNING. Not just the Tulsa's of the world either. We have got to beat some of these big name teams we are playing to get any attention from the media or the fans, period. Tommorrows game is huge in my opinion. WE NEED A W!!!

Reddawg

[Dirtydawg]

Reddawg has a point. If we win against name teams, I think you'll see an increase in attendance with advertising. How much advertising is done for it now? However, if you really want to increase attendance, include Ruston High football and maybe Cedar Creek.

[Dwayne From Minden]

Every one of those guys ordered a menu item and beers -

There is NO Ruston attendance except for about 5 people -

That's the problem...

[ST5]

I have been thinking about going to the remote location at the Philin Station here in the port, but I don't think I could stomach listening to Bicknell say another word. I have heard too many, "I hope, I feel, if this and if that, maybe if, we'll try, no doubt about it, we gave them all that they could handle's" from Bicknell I want to puke. I don't even want to hear him speak.

Therefore, here is my idea: Have some players on the show. Maybe Dave could facilitate questions to the receivers one week and the O-line the next. Have a few guys there and make it more of an open discussion than an interview. I am sure that it would be a lot more fun to listen to these guys talk and joke around with each other trying to answer questions about themselves and the team than listening to Bicknell say the same thing over and over week in and week out.
________
vaporizers

[TECHAJUN]

I have been thinking about going to the remote location at the Philin Station here in the port, but I don't think I could stomach listening to Bicknell say another word. I have heard too many, "I hope, I feel, if this and if that, maybe if, we'll try, no doubt about it, we gave them all that they could handle's" from Bicknell I want to puke. I don't even want to hear him speak.

Therefore, here is my idea: Have some players on the show. Maybe Dave could facilitate questions to the receivers one week and the O-line the next. Have a few guys there and make it more of an open discussion than an interview. I am sure that it would be a lot more fun to listen to these guys talk and joke around with each other trying to answer questions about themselves and the team than listening to Bicknell say the same thing over and over week in and week out.

It is disturbing to hear the same ole same ole--I know I listen to every word every growl---I have asked Dave to put in some humor and he's trying...the idea of the players is a great idea--however I don't think they can go on the air at the Dawghouse -- it would help the commercial venture or something like that-I may be wrong, I'm sure someone here knows the NCAA legals on that...In the past we have had a position coach on with Dave for half the show.
MAYBE WE SHOULD MOVE THE SHOW TO SUNDAY AT 6PM--EVERYONE IS PRIME TO VENT AT THAT TIME--WE COULD REALLY HAVE SOME POINTED QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE -- I MEAN BY THURSDAY EVERYONE IS PRETTY WELL VENTED OUT--UNTICKED AND JUST LOOKING AHEAD --OH-OH I FORGOT NO BEER ON SUNDAYS IN RUSTON. :twisted:

[Dwayne From Minden]

Everyone wants something different out of the Growl because it is not "interesting enough"...

But yet - they don't care enough to pick up a phone, send an email or visit the Dawghouse...

Last last TWO Thursday nites there was the Outdoor Festival at the Thomas Assembly Center and something else -

The Z gives thems a free phone call to the coach, BB&B offers them an unedited email to the Coach or Dave if they are brave enough to sign their name -

This is a CALLER and QUESTION driven show that requires participation - but it is the same as any other TECH athletic event in Ruston or Shreveport - some people want EVERYTHING but are unwilling to do ANYTHING...

Thankfully there are people like Bobby Jeffcoat, Steve Thurmon, Travis Boney, Glen Mitchell, Hollis Downs and others who are there basically every Thursday nite...

And these people eat and drink every Thursday nite - i wonder what the receipts are on Thursdays at the Dawghouse the 40 Thursdays outside of football season?

And then there are the emailers who send in a question every week without fail - Clyde, EJ, TECH77, DonW and Gooddawg -

All people have to do is call or drop an email to -

bulldoggrowl@hotmail.com

And yes - this is directed towards people like ST5 and their attitudes...

[EJ]

This may have been brought up, but doesn't the Dawghouse over half-price drinks to those in blue?

1. Why not poster the dorms and campus with flyers about the 1/2 price if you wear blue? Every building on campus has bulletin boards with crap all over them.

2. Pay some kids to put flyers under every dorm door (in the guys dorms anyway).

3. Give the ladies an incentive to come such as "ladies drink half price". If the girls are there, the guys will follow.

4. Before the show, place a star or dot under some of the chairs at a few tables. During the commercials, tell everyone to look under their chair and whoever has the star/dot wins a free appetizer.

I am sure there are many other ideas. These are just off the top of my head. DISCLAIMER>>>They may or may not work. 8O

[TECHAJUN]

We tried to have the posters and ads done on campus and was told it was against Tech policy to entice students with drinks and specials to attend a Tech sponsored show off campus, or something like that. The Dawghouse pays a fee to Tech Athl for the show to be held in their location...Tech then pays that fee to the radio station for the time and then Tech has all the air time to sell commercials for profit.
I have seen the same folks there Thursday after Thursday and their attendence is very very appreciated or we'd be talking to a empty room--the same kind of empty room there would be if the show wasn't on at that time.
You are right--free phone call from across the U.S.A. -- free unedited email for questions...it's not a church night--it is in a clean friendly place...there is food or no food..there is beer or no beer..children are invited to attend...Coach is available after show to take a few minutes to visit with anyone who would like to talk off air.....We advertise it constantly during the week -- free to Tech. I just don't get the no shows :?: :?:

[Tech77]

How about a frat/sorority contest? Designate each week for one frat and one sorority. Count the number from those that come. Give some sort of award to the winner at the end of the season.

[TECHAJUN]

The frat/soroity idea is good - will look into what Tech can and can't do since it is off campus at a (oh my god) a BAR. Anyway there are more non greeks than greeks on campus--way out numbered--are frats and soroitys the only students interested in Tech football?? certainly there are non greek students on campus that give a d*** about the dogs...I mean don't get me wrong I want all the greeks and other groups to come and we have tried to schedule this thing around some other student activities so we could have students show up....I mean afterall the premier of "Friends" was last thursday the 26th but before that it was reruns..and that's why they made vcr's....we haven't even touched on what would get more fans that DON'T attend Tech -- from Alumni on-it is pathetic...
KEEP THINKING better yet invite one or two people to come out and eat with you and attend the growl--maybe they'll come back.

[Tech77]

OK, here's another shot then. Make it ?????? Dorm night each week, rotating dorms. Have a sponsor who will help pay for 1/2 price food drinks for persons from that dorm during The Growl. Get the RA's or whatever they are called these days to coordinate it for each dorm.

[Tech77]

Also, even though it was expressed in too negative a fashion, a previous poster may have made a good point. Just having Coach Bicknell every week may be getting stale. We might need to have some players there. Let them talk about their memory of last year's game with this week's opponent (during conference play.) It would be very interesting to hear a Tech defensive back's comments about the second half of last year's Rice game, and what he thinks he needs to do differently this time around. That kind of stuff.

[Gooddawg]

Getting players on would be an awesome Ideal! Almost as good, How about getting Rick Smith and Conroy Hines on for a segment or two. You wouldn't have to have them on every week. I think it's interesting and I enjoy listening to the show every week. Thanks for your hard work and keep it up! I don't think we need to get rid of it by any means.