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CU needs to follow through
Posted February 19, 2008
![KYLE RINGO373[1]](http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1282/1339606186_8edb1020c0_t.jpg)
It's been two weeks since former Colorado football coach Bill McCartney and current coach Dan Hawkins called out CU fans asking them to fill Folsom Field for the April 19 spring game.
And we've heard next to nothing from the athletic department in terms of following up on the rallying cry.
No new marketing campaign, no ads, no mass e-mailings... crickets.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that McCartney and Hawkins weren't joking in issuing their challenge. These are men of action who set goals and achieve them. So I would suspect they will light a fire under somebody in the athletic department to start spreading the word a little more vigorously than it is now.
And that is what it's going to take. CU usually attracts a few thousand to its spring game. Last year was the best in the four years I have covered the team with somewhere between 5,000 and 8,000 showing up, depending on who was doing the counting.
But we're talking about producing a huge increase in one year with only a few months notice. It's not impossible, but somebody needs to get the ball rolling behind the coaches' challenge.
I called athletic director Mike Bohn this week. He answered his phone as always. (That's the No. 1 thing that sets him apart from most people in his position by the way).
Anyway, Bohn said his department is working on some things for the game, promotions, giveaways, etc. That's good. But my point is, they need to start making noise (and a lot of it) now. Not the week of the game and not two weeks before the game.
That approach won't come close to getting the job done.
Here is my suggestion as a place to start. Bill this as the first opportunity to see Ralphie V lead the Buffs onto Folsom Field. Make it historically significant.
Start but don't stop there.
Invite former Buff greats back for a 30-minute flag football game before the spring game begins. Let people see Kordell Stewart throw another touchdown pass to Michael Westbrook. Let them see Rashaan Salaam run for another touchdown.
Get the students involved. It can be done, but it's going to take some imagination and some action right now, two months ahead of time.
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Posted by buffalotom on February 22, 2008 at 8:53 a.m.
its good to see this, Kyle, thanks. it also is important that the dept have some idea of crowd size so that other preparations can be made, e.g., concessions, security, and so on. one possibility is for fans to make a 'reservation' directly through the dept and have the buff club chapters throughout the state promote it. charge a dollar or two for the reservation as a means of defraying costs and of avoiding losing money through overpreparation. in exchange for the dollar or two, the dept could issue a voucher (through the website) for that same value to be redeemable for merchandise or food - for fans that show the game is free, those that don't have made a small donation to the dept to help defray game costs.
Posted by BuffTime on February 22, 2008 at 9:39 a.m.
I am a little confused on one point... Is or is not the spring game this year free? I know it is normally free, but I thought I read something that this year you have to buy a ticket (which is good for the concert the night before and the spring game). Kyle, could you double check for us and give us the definitive "yes it's free for the game" or "it will cost this much for the game and concert the night before"? Either way I will be there, but I think if people know it is free for the game more will go. Conversely, if it isn't free and people show up thinking it is free then that would be a bad thing too.
Posted by chris on February 22, 2008 at 11:06 p.m.
Admission to the spring game is free, as always.
Tickets to the Counting Crows concert (8pm 4/18) are $35.
http://www.gridironbash.com
Posted by cubuffone on February 24, 2008 at 11:08 a.m.
Kyle- FYI the spring game used to have an alumni scrimmage before the game where some old time greats would show off their skills or make us laugh with their age. However, this practice was abandoned a few years ago for uknown reasons. I like your enthusiasm if only the AD could translate rhetoric into action.