Anything and everything about Liberty Flames football. Your comments on games, recruiting and the direction of the program as we move into new era.

Moderators: jcmanson, Sly Fox, BuryYourDuke, Class of 20Something

User avatar
By CCWMichael
Posts
#542579
Flames filling football seats. Across the NCAA it is difficult to keep seats filled at football games. I would love a 40k stadium here but let’s keep 25 filled first.
Idea one. An instate yearly rivalry game with ODU. Both schools would benefit from this. Just look across the country at true rivalry draws. Long term Liberty fans need that one game to look forward to Whether it is ODU or some other school. That is just one of 6 or 7 home games. We have a Flames Club point system
Idea two. Actual ticket sales … no giveaways. Aside from a good product on the field what is the draw for a gameday experience? Easy, early, and efficient entry. The current gameday promotions should keep going. Ticket pricing needs to be reasonable for the market. Keep parking free and provide coordinated shuttle service much like amusement park tram systems (can also be used for other athletic events). Quick concession service. With such a small stadium an app can be used to order items, pay, and have them delivered to your seat. I can see the LU bags of goodies being carried by an all red clad attendant. Point systems for the public making ticket purchases scanned for entry. Three games free seat cushions. Let’s be real seating is not cozy. If three games purchased in advance send a seat cushion. Four games free hot dog. Incrementally add as more games attended. If leaving the game with less than five minutes left discount coupons for local establishments.
Idea three. Student attendance. Allow meal cards to be utilized at games. Point system for student attendance and if you scan your ticket on the way out of the game (within five minutes of completion of the game) where the points may accumulate for one free book from the book store for all year attendance or REAL discounts on other campus related items or events. Liberty already has some great after game movies and such to increase attendance ---- keep those promotions.
Idea four. Every person attending who purchases a gameday Flames Illustrated (which will contain a number) are entered in a drawing for a prize (which may be claimed on the way out of the stadium or any time after drawing). Drawing to be held at first break in fourth quarter and must be in attendance to win. Keep the interactive fan cams going. 4QF T shirts are a winner to keep fans in the stands but have different shirts each week and advertise the shirt. Early starts may help keep fans in the stands late. The earlier evening starts this year helps keep the young one in it and football is a family experience. And, Sunday is typically a busy day for some. Hands on experience where kids can touch real footballs and Liberty helmets or even try on jerseys. (I guess adults as well).
Just a few quick ideas. I do accept tips and claim all ideas to be my own. I would love to hear some other ideas as well. Maybe Jjr will give some of us some love for great ideas
By TDDance234
Registration Days Posts
#542582
It's the same problem with basketball. When we have a consistent winner ... we'll get more people to hang around. While basketball is only drawing a little under 3,000 - it's night and day from where it was just a few seasons ago. There hasn't been much worth watching towards the end of the last few seasons, save our playoff run.
User avatar
By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#542584
I believe LU is playing (and paying ODU) for a home game coming up. Getting into a conference will do wonders for any type of rivalry. Of course, it will have to be ginned up as LU doesn’t really have a natural rival (Maybe BYU)
Your other ideas have to do with Game Day Operations, Ticketing and some Marketing.
I do like the seat cushion idea but functionally it would be difficult. Seats currently are not designed for anyone over 6’ and 85 lbs. and if you were to put the seat cushions/backs on the bleachers you will not ha e enough room for all the actual ticket holders
They do offer ‘Mini Season Ticket’ packages for Hoops. With only 5-6 hole games I’m not sure it would work with FB. I mean you could tie it in with whatever key home game LU has but I don’t think the fan base is there yet
Good thinking though. These are things that are done at other Universities.
User avatar
By TH Spangler
Registration Days Posts
#542586
Purple Haize wrote: LU doesn’t really have a natural rival (Maybe BYU)
Baylor? After last year they may want a piece of us for years to come?
User avatar
By Cider Jim
Registration Days Posts
#542587
Purple Haize wrote: Seats currently are not designed for anyone over 6’ and 85 lbs.
More JOKES? :lol: :rofl
User avatar
By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#542588
Cider Jim wrote:
Purple Haize wrote: Seats currently are not designed for anyone over 6’ and 85 lbs.
More JOKES? :lol: :rofl
Ha. Ok maybe a LITTLE hyperbole But the seats aren’t designed for the build of ‘your average Baptist Body Type’
User avatar
By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#542589
TH Spangler wrote:
Purple Haize wrote: LU doesn’t really have a natural rival (Maybe BYU)
Baylor? After last year they may want a piece of us for years to come?
Did Ball State? Eastern Michigan?
I agree that ODU would be LU’s best bet at an FBS rivalry. I am not sure Lu can keep paying $1.3 million every other year for a home game though.
User avatar
By TH Spangler
Registration Days Posts
#542590
Purple Haize wrote:
TH Spangler wrote:
Purple Haize wrote: LU doesn’t really have a natural rival (Maybe BYU)
Baylor? After last year they may want a piece of us for years to come?
Did Ball State? Eastern Michigan?.
But they're not Baptist either :D
User avatar
By jinxy
Registration Days Posts
#542591
The rivalry is still alive and well with coastal. I went to the beach in the fall and played a course about 2 miles from campus. 4 different students or old timers all said how they wished we would keep that rivalry going. Ive also seen it on twitter from multiple coastal people. Odu would be a geographical rivalry and byu could assuming we step up our game to where we can serious challenge them on a regular basis.
By ballcoach15
Registration Days Posts
#542595
I might be wrong, but I can't see ODU being our rival. They are still a young football school.

I think our best rivalry should be with some ACC school, like a Wake Forest maybe.
User avatar
By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#542596
ballcoach15 wrote:I might be wrong, but I can't see ODU being our rival. They are still a young football school.

I think our best rivalry should be with some ACC school, like a Wake Forest maybe.
You’re wrong. ODU is young but has more FBS experience than LU. Why Wake Forest?
User avatar
By CCWMichael
Posts
#542598
ODU is in state and should provide a natural rival series that would benifit both schools. I doubt Virginia or VT would have a remote interest as their rivalry is in place. ODU has no rival as of now as this could be pumped by both schools to fill the seats solid for one game a year.
Someone mentioned Coastal ... I would prefer in state but if Coastal is willing to continue the History it would fill seatd here for them it would be about filling seats and scheduling us every year.
User avatar
By Jonathan Carone
Posts
#542621
The idea of creating a yearly rivalry as an independent is one you guys should likely try to get out of your heads. Most schools who are in a conference aren't going to lock in one of their four non-conference games each year on us. It's not smart scheduling for them.
User avatar
By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#542678
Jonathan Carone wrote:The idea of creating a yearly rivalry as an independent is one you guys should likely try to get out of your heads. Most schools who are in a conference aren't going to lock in one of their four non-conference games each year on us. It's not smart scheduling for them.
But. But. But ......
User avatar
By R i
Registration Days Posts
#542691
Jonathan Carone wrote:It's not smart scheduling for them.
Getting paid to stay instate, to play FBS team that you should beat (on paper). Sounds like a great scheduling opportunity for ODU every single year. I actually cannot think of a negative thing about it.
User avatar
By Class of 20Something
Posts
#542692
R i wrote:
Jonathan Carone wrote:It's not smart scheduling for them.
Getting paid to stay instate, to play FBS team that you should beat (on paper). Sounds like a great scheduling opportunity for ODU every single year. I actually cannot think of a negative thing about it.
We won't pay them from here on out. We paid them for the games we got out of them.

ODU will likely be Home and Homes going forward.
User avatar
By Jonathan Carone
Posts
#542697
R i wrote:
Jonathan Carone wrote:It's not smart scheduling for them.
Getting paid to stay instate, to play FBS team that you should beat (on paper). Sounds like a great scheduling opportunity for ODU every single year. I actually cannot think of a negative thing about it.
We paid them for one game based off the money we got from a game we are getting paid on. It was a one time larger-than-we-wanted payment in order to open up multiple other games that year. In the future, we are doing home and homes with them.
User avatar
By jinxy
Registration Days Posts
#542699
Thats why odu and coastal make the most sense. For ccu its a non conference game that their fan base would care about and is winnable. Odu its all about them needing a travel parter and an in state rival. Obviously it doesnt make sense for anyone else.
User avatar
By BJWilliams
Registration Days Posts
#543118
1 PM could work for later in the season when the temps aren't so hot in that part of the day. Personally I have always been a fan of having 2 in each window: 2 games at 1, 2 games at 3:30 and 2 games in primetime (homecoming and one other one)
User avatar
By TH Spangler
Registration Days Posts
#543128
Our Sep 3, 2016 VA Tech game was a 12:30 kickoff, it was warm though. Those that travel and want to keep it a day trip like the earlier starts. In 2018 ODU will probably be the only game that brings in a lot of visitors.
User avatar
By Class of 20Something
Posts
#543132
TH Spangler wrote:Our Sep 3, 2016 VA Tech game was a 12:30 kickoff, it was warm though. Those that travel and want to keep it a day trip like the earlier starts. In 2018 ODU will probably be the only game that brings in a lot of visitors.
What are we expecting? 3k-5k? I think that's pretty reasonable given first game of the season. Fans get the itch when their team is playing.
LaTech

Liberty 2 LaTech 0. Yoder pitched 1 hitter with 7 […]

Dondi Costin - LU President

Ive gone there a few times since moving to texas[…]

NCAA Realignment Megathread

Duke Gonzaga B12? https://larrybrownsports.com/co[…]

FlameFans Fantasy Baseball

We are on!!! Hope to see everyone tonight at 9:30[…]