Athletic Director Tom O'Connor Announces Retirement

[Dawgs99]

Looks great.....also an interesting tidbit about the patriot center at the bottom of the last paragraph.

 

[dr. gunnie]

I know Mason is currently collecting bids for an athletic marketing firm to come in and help boost attendance - specifically in basketball. One of the documents has some Q&A from marketing firms with answers from Mason- some interesting info in there:

19. What percentage of attendees at Men’s Basketball games are alumni?

Unknown.

20. What percentage of attendees at Men’s Basketball games are members of the surrounding community?

Unknown.

22. Does priority of ticket sales matter (e.g., students first, alumni next, community next, etc.)?

Students and sales are equally important.

29. What was the athletic marketing budget for Men’s Basketball for FY2014? Should we use this figure to prepare our proposal?

Approximately $220,000. Yes.

30. What is Mason’s goal for ICA athletics as related to this RFP?

Mason’s goal is to sell out a minimum of three (3) home Men’s Basketball games each year.

34. When will the upcoming season’s Men’s Basketball schedule be available?

Aug/Sept

35. What are Mason’s key non-conference Men’s Basketball games? Please provide the names of key opponent schools.

Old Dominion University

36. What are Mason’s key rivalries? Please provide that names of those schools.

Virginia Commonwealth University
University of Richmond
George Washington University

 

[masonjoe]

The school has no idea what percentage of alumni attend games? That is absolutely ridiculous. Think about how many Mason alumni live in the area and have high paying jobs.

 

[Pablo]

The school has no idea what percentage of alumni attend games? That is absolutely ridiculous. Think about how many Mason alumni live in the area and have high paying jobs.

I would expect Andy Ruge to be able to provide a reasonable estimate of the percentage of attendees who are Mason alumni. If not, then the school should start by obtaining this information from season ticket holders.

 

[GMUgemini]

The school has no idea what percentage of alumni attend games? That is absolutely ridiculous. Think about how many Mason alumni live in the area and have high paying jobs.

Would be very difficult to calculate given there's no way to know if walkups are alumni or not.

Why isn't GW listed as a rivalry considering we are marketing as such? I would think a PR firm would like to know about our battle for the tricorner hat trophy.

 

[gmujim92]

Why isn't GW listed as a rivalry considering we are marketing as such?

They are.

 

[Pablo]

Would be very difficult to calculate given there's no way to know if walkups are alumni or not.

How difficult would it be for the marketing folks to do random samples of these attendees at a few games? My guess is that about 40% of the attendees are Mason alumni.

 

[masonjoe]

Would be very difficult to calculate given there's no way to know if walkups are alumni or not.

Why isn't GW listed as a rivalry considering we are marketing as such? I would think a PR firm would like to know about our battle for the tricorner hat trophy.

Walkups are a very small fraction of the the crowd. They don't ask season ticket holders when they sign up if they are alumni or not? Doesn't seem that difficult and would be valuable knowledge.

 

[mkaufman1]

Walkups are a very small fraction of the the crowd. They don't ask season ticket holders when they sign up if they are alumni or not? Doesn't seem that difficult and would be valuable knowledge.

I know they ask about "class year" when you donate to the Patriot club. Considering most if not all Season ticket holders donate to the Pat Club, theres no reason that information shouldnt be available.

 

[GMUgemini]

I guess Merten took those 6 900k checks from the AD?

You talking about the NCAA payout? Check out our basketball budget in 2005 and what it is in 2014.

 

[masonjoe]

I know they ask about "class year" when you donate to the Patriot club. Considering most if not all Season ticket holders donate to the Pat Club, theres no reason that information shouldnt be available.

Mason takes the same approach to basketball attendance as they do with anything else related to athletics...

 

[99 Patriot]

Anyone stalking campus this week? Final 3 are in for the last round of interviews...

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

Anyone stalking campus this week? Final 3 are in for the last round of interviews...

Who is they? I knows you knows.

I'll bet anyone 10,000 dollars the winner isn't a white male. Or seven dollars, whatever you can swing.

 

[GSII]

I bet 100k the hire has been made and an announcement is coming in a few days.

 

[JPgmuswim]

I bet 100k the hire has been made and an announcement is coming in a few days.

I wouldn't take that bet, thinking we'll hear on Monday.

 

[p8triotfan4life]

couldn't' agree with Jollay more, even though we all know that racist mother f'er is joking.

Trivia question: what do Donald Sterling and Christopher James Jollay have in common?

 

[KAOriginal]

Who is they? I knows you knows.

I'll bet anyone 10,000 dollars the winner isn't a white male. Or seven dollars, whatever you can swing.

Before I take that bet...does "used to be a white male" count?

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

couldn't' agree with Jollay more, even though we all know that racist mother f'er is joking.

Trivia question: what do Donald Sterling and Christopher James Jollay have in common?

A lot of the same Asian women, I imagine.

 

[99 Patriot]

I bet 100k the hire has been made and an announcement is coming in a few days.

You're right an announcement should come this weekend, but if you know who of the three they chose you are ahead of most everyone else.

 

[Haxormax]

couldn't' agree with Jollay more, even though we all know that racist mother f'er is joking.

Trivia question: what do Donald Sterling and Christopher James Jollay have in common?

Both have been kicked out of professional sport leagues