So this is the email I just sent to WSU, it is similar to the post I had earlier and I added to it
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I am sending this out so hopefully someone that can do something about it takes an interest. Ogden is re-creating itself as the recreational capital in the U.S. and I don’t see WSU taking any advantage of this. Why is WSU not a big proponent for the gondola, you are very shortsighted if you do not see the potential for students wanting to come to WSU just because of that. Not just the local students that are not commuting, but out of state students living on campus. It is unbelievable that WSU could be involved in something like this the only university that is connected directly with a ski resort. I wonder where the staffing will come from, maybe the students. How easy would it be to have a co-op or internship program at the resort for graduating students. Of course the longer it goes the less likely it is going to happen so maybe if you wait long enough it will be brushed under the rug and you won’t have anything to worry about, except the ever increasing competition to recruit new students.
We have dozens of new companies that have moved their headquarters here and I haven't seen any new advertising with WSU. If I could I would be contacting Amer Sports every day, they are the 3rd largest sports company in the world, (look and Oregon St. and their relationship with Nike). Some of the companies Amer Sports own are: Solomon, Wilson, Atomic, Arc'teryx, Bonfire, Oxygen, Volant, Dynamic, DeMarini, ETC, ETC, ETC. I am sure that a partnership could be created, with as much as they have invested in Ogden with the Solomon Center, etc. With a long term corporate contract with Amer you could name the Dee Event Center floor or the Football Field after one of their companies, Solomon Court, Bonfire Field, whatever. You could section off the 2 worst upper bowl sections (1 per side of the Dee Event Center) and covering the seats with a huge sign with an Amer Sport company advertising. It would look better than the empty chairs and wouldn’t exactly put a dent in the amount of seating still available, if I remember correctly there was still a lot of room last year for the Big Sky Championship (9,000 attendance or so). You have to admit attendance has been lousy at best. The work that Randy Rahe has done with these kids is deserving of so much more. I think you have done this with the two end top sections of the football stadium bleachers before with Iomega.
Ok, so now you have a corporate contract with Amer that will help fund the indoor facility for the football team (an updated scoreboard for the Dee Event Center would be nice, I love the new screen for Football) you could name it also after an Amer Sports company. This will help with recruiting, so now you are getting better athletes coming to your program. Winning helps with attendance, and I think it has been way too long since we participated in the Football post-season tournament. The future is looking pretty good but WSU needs to continually invest in its programs to keep up with everyone else.
Next you go to the other smaller companies: Adam Aircraft (after they get their finances straightened out), Scott USA, Descente North America, Goode, Kahuna, Nidecker snowboards, and SnowSports Interactive. Now you can have promotions from all these companies, give-away contests that someone will win every game, snowboards, skis, wakeboards, jackets, outdoor gear, whatever. Every game stuff can be given away. What is a 200.00 jacket to Bonfire or a 500.00 board from Nidecker, Kahuna, Solomon, basketball gear from Wilson? Nothing, they can write it off and they also get advertising. Then you also do other promotions at school pep rallies, and other events that get the students involved. The nice thing is this can happen at every event, even the smaller scale stuff say women’s v-ball or b-ball you can still give away Wilson tee-shirts, or Wilson b-balls or volleyballs, you just started women’s softball, how about a deal with DeMarini for gear for the new team and the men’s baseball club team. Another company that is hot is Under Armour, I wish they were local, but still they are new enough that WSU could still get in with them, I know you are currently with Addias but UA is HOT, HOT, HOT, more than any other sports clothing company in the US.
Then you do some extra footwork, contacting the radio sports station, giving away xx number of tickets to every game, you get the advertising and they will actually mention WSU has a game, which might let the casual fan know that there is something going on. And hey the sports DJ’s might even keep talking about the team if they can pry themselves away from their love fest with BYU-Provo and U of U. Head coaches could blog or answer online questions from fans about their thoughts on the teams, signed recruits, player status, etc. I know on the Utes website they have a link to ask Jim Boylen questions. Typical media is not enough anymore we have so many other available media options that should be taken advantage of. One example is the small but growing WSU fan forum.
http://wsufans.proboards49.com/index.cgi Coach Mac and Rahe or even one of their assistants could post weekly thoughts about the game, what is going on and answer questions. And sorry the marketing department is taking a big licking on the forum for their perceived lack of care. This is one reason why I am writing this email.
The opportunities are endless... but WSU needs to think outside the box to bring back the fans.
I think some of the ideas I have given follow WSU objectives from the signpost “Weber State University partnered with three counties to further entrepreneurial development in the tri-county area. SEED Weber/Davis/Morgan was formed as an off-shoot of SEEDUtah. It is an endeavor to grow entrepreneurial businesses in Utah. SEED stands for Stimulating the Expansion of Entrepreneurial Development. WSU joined the group because the university not only offers educational opportunities, said President F. Ann Millner, but it also supports the community. Part of the WSU mission statement says that the university partners with the community for economic growth. "It's part of being a steward of the place in which we serve," Millner said. WSU will look for new technologies and ways to commercialize them to contribute to SEED Weber/Davis/Morgan, she said, and many entrepreneurs live in the tri-county area. "We're really focused on growth and high-growth companies," Milner said. “ Signpost, writer: Lynn Wilde Issue date: 7/31/07
Finally, a few years ago WSU did a promotion to give away tution to a student. The name was pulled from the directory, I thought at the time it was a good promotion but never heard if anyone won. If you were to revive this I have a few ideas to tweak on it. 1. Make it similar to the Farr’s shootout, someone is going to win, but the students have to be there to enter it is decided at the last home game from a pool of students that have each won whatever contest you set up during the season. 2. Instead of 1 big tuition give-away do something smaller like 50-100 dollars in a giftcard to the bookstore or tuition remimbursement at each game. This would affect more students and give them a greater chance to win.
