What are your giveaways/promotions for games?

[SJHooper]

How does your school get the fans in the seats? What works? What doesn't? Obviously winning is #1 so other than that. I've noticed at St. John's, the free bobble head nights especially with notable players like Chris Mullin get the place packed out. Also, the blackout against South Carolina a few years ago when free shirts were given out. I think t-shirts are a great giveaway that attracts lots of students who wouldn't otherwise come out, but they should give them out at the end of the game. What happens is that people show up, get their t-shirts, then leave or pretend they are going to the bathroom (out of embarrassment) then leave. Giving them out at the end ensures the fans stay and are not just in it for the giveaway. Another thing that seems blatantly obvious to me is free replica jersey nights. I'm not talking stitched or anything fancy, just screen-printed, lightweight jerseys. I guarantee a huge turnout for such a night. SJ seems to have a reputation for being clueless in terms of promotions and ways to get fans in seats. So I'm curious what other Big East schools do and what works/doesn't work.

I have especially been thinking about this due to our first exhibition being dead. Not that I expect rabid fans going nuts for an exhibition, but these are the kinds of games only diehards will go to. For everyone else, they need another reason to go and SJ doesn't seem to get that. All they have to do is give away something people actually want, and the fans will come in droves. Another thing we need in the worst way to get more fans at games is to either knock down CA (our on campus arena) or seriously renovate it to be more comfortable and inviting. 21st century food options, comfortable seats, a bowl shape, a real student section instead of 4 rows 10 feet above the ground, etc. It's very bland too. I think of Hinkle with all the wall graphics with their history…SJ could definitely follow suit to improve CA.

Anyway, sorry for rambling. Feel free to share yours.

[BigEast1]

I would be very surprised if any school was doing a promotion or giveaway for an exhibition game. Schools are not scheduling exhibition games to sellout the joint so to speak. Am I wrong but didn't St. John's gut and completely renovate their on campus arena a few years ago? Didn't they also open a practice facility? I know G'Town is opening up a new practice facility and DePaul and Butler are getting new arenas/facelifts.

[NJRedman]

How does your school get the fans in the seats? What works? What doesn't? Obviously winning is #1 so other than that. I've noticed at St. John's, the free bobble head nights especially with notable players like Chris Mullin get the place packed out. Also, the blackout against South Carolina a few years ago when free shirts were given out. I think t-shirts are a great giveaway that attracts lots of students who wouldn't otherwise come out, but they should give them out at the end of the game. What happens is that people show up, get their t-shirts, then leave or pretend they are going to the bathroom (out of embarrassment) then leave. Giving them out at the end ensures the fans stay and are not just in it for the giveaway. Another thing that seems blatantly obvious to me is free replica jersey nights. I'm not talking stitched or anything fancy, just screen-printed, lightweight jerseys. I guarantee a huge turnout for such a night. SJ seems to have a reputation for being clueless in terms of promotions and ways to get fans in seats. So I'm curious what other Big East schools do and what works/doesn't work.

I have especially been thinking about this due to our first exhibition being dead. Not that I expect rabid fans going nuts for an exhibition, but these are the kinds of games only diehards will go to. For everyone else, they need another reason to go and SJ doesn't seem to get that. All they have to do is give away something people actually want, and the fans will come in droves. Another thing we need in the worst way to get more fans at games is to either knock down CA (our on campus arena) or seriously renovate it to be more comfortable and inviting. 21st century food options, comfortable seats, a bowl shape, a real student section instead of 4 rows 10 feet above the ground, etc. It's very bland too. I think of Hinkle with all the wall graphics with their history…SJ could definitely follow suit to improve CA.

Anyway, sorry for rambling. Feel free to share yours.

1. We have already renovated CA, we don't need to knock it down and rebuild because then that would invite all of our nosey neighbors to complain.

2. We have MSG so we don't need to pour a ton of money into what is basically our womens basketball/volleyball gym. It's a waste of resources.

3. We don't need to do giveaways for exhibition games, save that for when we play Farleigh Dickenson and the Niagras on our schedule. We rather have fans in the stands for those games. The ones that actually count.

[X-man]

We fill the stands for every game, but also give away stuff periodically. Hats and bobbleheads seem to be the most popular. This season, there are two bobblehead nights. One is for Sr. Rose Ann Fleming, the ancient and diminutive nun who keeps the athletes on the straight and narrow. The other is for former had coach Pete Gillen, who of course also coached at PC. There is also the odd giveaway of salt and pepper shakers in the shapes of the two mascots. Hard to say if that will be a crowd pleaser.

[trephin]

They're making a bobblehead of a nun? THAT IS AWESOME! I would want one (if I was an Alum).

If I was a little kid, I think I'd like the salt and pepper shakers too!

I admit though, I'm a sucker for giveaways.

NJ, you know CA hosts conference games I've always enjoyed games there (basketball and volleyball) even if it was USF or DePaul

I've never looked at the schedules but I wonder how much of a percentage of mens bball conference games are played at CA ? I was surprised to see how little Nova played last year at Wells Fargo (and I think similar for the future)

[BEX]

X has graduated 94 straight Seniors from BB program thanks to this young lady

[X-man]

They're making a bobblehead of a nun? THAT IS AWESOME! I would want one (if I was an Alum).

If I was a little kid, I think I'd like the salt and pepper shakers too!

I admit though, I'm a sucker for giveaways.

The Gillen bobblehead should e interesting. Gillen's head is disproportionately large relative to his body. So the bobblehead might actually be to scale with him.

[Bluejay]

They're making a bobblehead of a nun? THAT IS AWESOME! I would want one (if I was an Alum).

If I was a little kid, I think I'd like the salt and pepper shakers too!

I admit though, I'm a sucker for giveaways.

The Gillen bobblehead should e interesting. Gillen's head is disproportionately large relative to his body. So the bobblehead might actually be to scale with him.

He also sounds just like Peter Griffin.

[Bluejay]

Much to my chagrin, other than one tshirt a year, Creighton never does giveaways. We did one for the first time last year with Doug McDermott and they only had like 5000 Dougs. With 18000 in attendence day, lots of people went home empty handed.

We do have one tshirt promotion yearly. It is a pink out for cancer awareness and they give you hot pink tshirts. Other than that, promotions are basically nil.

[Jet915]

Much to my chagrin, other than one tshirt a year, Creighton never does giveaways. We did one for the first time last year with Doug McDermott and they only had like 5000 Dougs. With 18000 in attendence day, lots of people went home empty handed.

We do have one tshirt promotion yearly. It is a pink out for cancer awareness and they give you hot pink tshirts. Other than that, promotions are basically nil.

They did do a Kyle Korver bobblehead a few years ago as well and made 10000 of them unlike Doug's which they limited to 3000 and are still a hot item on eBay.