Volleyball Tailgate

[SPEShockAlum]

This is place filled with sensible folks, so I know you'll shoot me straight...

The Young Alumni Council, a rapidly growing and exciting affinity group of the Alumni Association, is in the early (and I mean early) stages of a discussion with athletics and women's volleyball to partner with the Alumni Association to throw a tailgate before a volleyball match later this season. In all liklihood this will take place against a marquee Valley foe in October or November, perhaps even piggy-backing on an already advertised promotion. This will likely take place indoors at the Champions Club, PHS gym, etc. Again, still working out the details, but planning to have food and drink included with admission.

Goal is to have a unique event with collaboration from both athletics and the Alumni Association, and generate some excitement for volleyball and ultimately the University.

So, would you attend something like this? Please explain. Thanks for your feedback.

[1972Shocker]

Yes, I would definitely come but it needs to be a Saturday match when more time is available.

They had a chili cook-off in the last year or two, but I don't remember if that was before a volleyball match or a women's basketball game. I think the teams were primarily student groups including the fraternities and sororities.

We enjoyed it but it was very poorly attended. Of course, I don't think it was well promoted very well either. So if you are going to do something like this you have to make sure you find a way to get the word out. Perhaps passing out flyers at the matches leading up to the event.

Somehow we need to get the student body more engaged in the volleyball program at least until football takes over.

[WuDrWu]

I'd be there, but then again, I'd eat a shoe sprinkled with sawdust for the volleyball team.

[SPEShockAlum]

Yes, I would definitely come but it needs to be a Saturday match when more time is available.

Interesting point, but valid. It's a shame that the three conference opponents that would draw a lot of interest (UNI, Missouri State, and CU) are all in town on Fridays. Bradley is in town on Saturday the 27th (night after UNI) and Drake on the 17th (night after CU).

They had a chili cook-off in the last year or two, but I don't remember if that was before a volleyball match or a women's basketball game. I think the teams were primarily student groups including the fraternities and sororities.

We enjoyed it but it was very poorly attended.

How poorly attended are we talking? Just an approximation.

Of course, I don't think it was well promoted very well either. So if you are going to do something like this you have to make sure you find a way to get the word out. Perhaps passing out flyers at the matches leading up to the event.

Somehow we need to get the student body more engaged in the volleyball program at least until football takes over.

I hear you and I would love to engage the students more, but the Alumni Assoc. cannot directly market to students if alcohol will be present.

What kind of marketing is successful to reach our volleyball fanbase? Handbills? Announcements? Social media? We want to reach those who are already attending the matches, but also hook some new people as well for both the program and the Association.

Thanks for info.

[RoyalShock]

I'd be there, but then again, I'd eat a shoe sprinkled with sawdust for the volleyball team.

Intermission entertainment? :)

[1972Shocker]

Yes, I was aware of the Friday scheduling of our key conference home games which is unfortunate.

My memory simply is not that reliable anymore but after thinking about it I believe the Chili Cook-Off was part of the Homecoming activities in 2010. Here is a link: http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=1274

A chili cookoff and tailgate party begins at 5:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 12 outside Koch Arena before the women's basketball game against Arizona.

So it was not before a volleyball match but a women's basketball game. Also as you can see it was scheduled to be outside and weather forced them into the PHS All-Purpose Gym. Maybe somehwere in the neighborhood of 25-30 people attended (not counting the participants), if that. Too bad because there was some pretty good Chili served up by the kids. My wife and I enjoyed it.

I think to reach the VB fan base I would hand out flyers as people enter the matches over the preceding two home stands. I would not rely on Koch Arena PA announcments because half the time people tune them out and even if you are listening you often can not understand what they are saying. If you want to use technology have them put something up on the video board a few times during the preceding two home stands.

I would suggest you see if the Cheer squad could be there and maybe get an appearance from Lambo as well and try to make it somewhat of a pep rally.

You should probably check with Shannon Lamb and see if you can get a list of attendees at the Volleyball 101 dinner. Those are your most ardent Shocker VB fans and perhaps they have an e-mail list you could contact.

Hooking new people is always a challenge. Perhaps you could get one or all of the local TV stations to give you a short interview that they could run on their newscasts.

[SubGod22]

And never underestimate the power of Twitter or FB in reaching out to others. Even if it's through other WSU organizations. I know there are different Twitter accounts for VB and Golf as well as T&F I believe. If you could get the likes of them and others to help get the word out to others who may not follow a certain feed it could be beneficial. And it's cheap. There's no reason the WSU FB page couldn't help promote it either.

[1972Shocker]

Also I will happily supply and old shoe and an adequate supply of sawdust if @WuDrWu: wants to volunteer his services in whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Since it would be an old shoe I will even throw in a close pin.

[SPEShockAlum]

I think to reach the VB fan base I would hand out flyers as people enter the matches over the preceding two home stands. I would not rely on Koch Arena PA announcments because half the time people tune them out and even if you are listening you often can not understand what they are saying. If you want to use technology have them put something up on the video board a few times during the preceding two home stands.

I would suggest you see if the Cheer squad could be there and maybe get an appearance from Lambo as well and try to make it somewhat of a pep rally.

You should probably check with Shannon Lamb and see if you can get a list of attendees at the Volleyball 101 dinner. Those are your most ardent Shocker VB fans and perhaps they have an e-mail list you could contact.

Hooking new people is always a challenge. Perhaps you could get one or all of the local TV stations to give you a short interview that they could run on their newscasts.

To your final point about hooking people, I can think back to when we were living in Omaha and volleyball was in town to play CU. I told my wife that we needed to go and she was skeptical - why on earth would she want to watch women's volleyball? She's been asking to go back ever since. It wasn't too difficult to get us there, but for some of the others it's about having an added reason to go other than "just because" and then having them discover, "Hey - this is really fun!"

All good suggestions - thanks, '72.

And never underestimate the power of Twitter or FB in reaching out to others. Even if it's through other WSU organizations. I know there are different Twitter accounts for VB and Golf as well as T&F I believe. If you could get the likes of them and others to help get the word out to others who may not follow a certain feed it could be beneficial. And it's cheap. There's no reason the WSU FB page couldn't help promote it either.

It's an absolute benefit and we'll certainly use social media in our approach. We found that with this year's "We're Not Back to School Bash" we attrached a completely different demographic than we had in years past, but weren't able to reach some of the people we had in the past because of the gap that exists with social media usage (generally) with those even 10 years out of college.

[1972Shocker]

Everyone I have introduced to Shocker VB has enjoyed it very much. However, not very many of those have become regulars. There is not doubt that Wichita State Volleyball is a very entertaining and inexpensive form of entertainment.

Not sure what Mike Kennedy might be willing or able to do in the form of a publc service announcement during his radio broadcasts of the matches. I've never heard what kind of ratings or audience Mike gets for Shocker Volleyball.

[SpanglerFan316]

SPEShockAlum: Hooking is illegal. Just sayin'. :barbershop_quartet_