[Wvflame2013]

I've got a master's degree from Marshall, too. Class of '85 (forgot when I graduated).

That, by the way, is another GENIUS idea by Ballcoach. Marshall needs a rival school, since WVU is scared to play them, so LU would be perfect and only 5 hours away.

Maybe liberty and Marshall could play in the flaming turd bowl sponsered by American Standard Toilets. Jerry make it happen!

[phoenix]

In the decade since the online school boom, we haven’t seen the gigantic away game attendance from online students you’re talking about. The majority of those students have no connection to Liberty other than it being a means to an end for them.

I've been on both sides of the equation here, and I have to agree with Jon. The vast majority of LU Online students are there because it gets them the degree they need. There's no loyalty to Liberty, there's no attachment to the school or it's athletic teams. Most are incredibly uninformed about LU athletics in general, and are shocked to find out we compete against teams they've actually heard of.

My attachment to the school and the athletics program has more to do with the 3 1/2 years I spent on campus than the 5+ years I've spent as an online student.

[BJWilliams]

The thing with online vs. residential students is the residential community gets opportunities to be actively involved because they are physically there for home games and opportunities to travel are made available to them in convocation and what not. What connection opportunities are there for online students? The only times they can go to games (at least the students not within driving distance) is when a sports team is scheduled to play someone close to them, and how often is that? Every couple of years or so? How often do they check their LU email except for notes from their professors or classmates? Probably not very...

[LUOrange]

LUO students will start showing up for away games when we start winning consistently against schools they've heard of and care about.. Like everything else, that'll take some time. Which is why a neutral site game against any school not named Notre Dame or Alabama in the near future is way too premature.

[Kricket]

LUO students will start showing up for away games when we start winning consistently against schools they've heard of and care about.. Like everything else, that'll take some time. Which is why a neutral site game against any school not named Notre Dame or Alabama in the near future is way too premature.

I agree with this. Also there's very little promotion to online students as to how to watch the games.

[Kolzilla41]

LUO students will start showing up for away games when we start winning consistently against schools they've heard of and care about.. Like everything else, that'll take some time. Which is why a neutral site game against any school not named Notre Dame or Alabama in the near future is way too premature.

I agree with this. Also there's very little promotion to online students as to how to watch the games.

Just want to fill you in as someone who actually works this process. We mail postcards to anyone associated with Liberty in a certain mile radius of where they're playing. We also email almost everyone that has a Liberty address about how to purchase tickets or watch the game online. We're semi-good at promoting this.

[JK37]

You’re very good. But as is the case in most of the intercollegiate athletics world, everyone on the outside looking in knows better.

[Purple Haize]

You’re very good. But as is the case in most of the intercollegiate athletics world, everyone on the outside looking in knows better.

Of course they do. From Marketing, to Promotions to Coaching. All the people actually DOING it are morons

[Jonathan Carone]

LUO students will start showing up for away games when we start winning consistently against schools they've heard of and care about.. Like everything else, that'll take some time. Which is why a neutral site game against any school not named Notre Dame or Alabama in the near future is way too premature.

I agree with this. Also there's very little promotion to online students as to how to watch the games.

Just want to fill you in as someone who actually works this process. We mail postcards to anyone associated with Liberty in a certain mile radius of where they're playing. We also email almost everyone that has a Liberty address about how to purchase tickets or watch the game online. We're semi-good at promoting this.

So what you’re saying is you do a lot of things to market to online students but online students are predominantly not interested in Liberty athletics.

Hmm.

[CCWMichael]

LUO students will start showing up for away games when we start winning consistently against schools they've heard of and care about.. Like everything else, that'll take some time. Which is why a neutral site game against any school not named Notre Dame or Alabama in the near future is way too premature.

I agree. I get all the marketing and it means nothing but to me. Most other online students I know (we have many working within our hospital system) can care less about athletics.
Now, start showing up on national TV, win bowl games, spouses watching -- "hey that's my school, spouses school, child's, school". A certain pump of pride will come with winning and should boost a following.

[tyndal23]

They wont travel to Lynchburg regardless and Lynchburg wont support LU outside of Students and Faculty until we actually are a P5 then we might get some local support but probably not much. Key is getting recruits and playing in P5 venues around the nation and simultaneously marketing LU Online for the $ that our Online Programs generate until we get an P5 invite ( based on our $, level of competition, national streaming eyeballs and facilities ( not based on our physical attendance )or if we can crash 8 team playoff based on our hybrid P5 / G5 Schedule. What won’t work is trying to be a typical G5 regional success story like Boise St ,Fresno St, etc - all the big names in G5 other than UCF ( possibly USF and Cinci ) have $ and geographical location issues with no national recruiting presence. We must max out what our strengths are. I have pushed for playing all 5 conferences - However - worst case schedule heavy ACC ( Ian already doing that ) and Big 12 - the 2 conferences we would have any kind of shot at and start being a regular name with them at the very least...Win Loss record will not be nearly as big a factor short term - get respected by playing them tough, then winning some big games and seeing LU playing multiple big teams year in and year out - Win your 6 G5 games and 1-3 P5 games and your getting respect way quicker than a Buffalo, Troy, etc.who are stuck in conferences and will always be stuck in G5 no mans land. UCF is a completely different animal and will be P5 by next realignment - but great thing is they are driving the discussion for 8 team playoff -which is GREAT for LU. Ian did a great job scheduling last minute - we now have a top 5 coach - lets revisit schedule and tweak sooner rather than later and invest some money beefing it up ( we had $25 million set aside for Conf USA ) we can buy out some games and ramp up quicker than we thought we could - great problem to have - what are we risking ? Last year attendance numbers are nothing to try and cling to and preserve - 1 less home game - no big deal. Remember - Big 12 - each team got $36 million end of the year - this is what we are investing in the short term to get to as quick as possible. LU hoops and baseball are on same trajectory - P5 invite isn’t nearly a long shot as most think if we go for it. IF Ian is strategically trying to get us in ACC - then buying a VT game over Hampton next year makes tons of sense - paying extra $ for 1 for 1 with the Carolina schools every year also makes a ton of sense - ( no room for 2 for 1 -so pay the extra $ to get Duke, UNC, NC State, WF, WVU teams here - they will travel for a relative easy game that is close ) We are probably the only school in the country that is willing and capable of making 1-1 games happen at our current level.

[CCWMichael]

Tyndal -- solid.
The only struggle I see with us -- at least in our current position --- is the TV ratings. As you said, winning will help. My hopes are with yours we are angling for P5.

Just win baby!

[cruzan_flame13]

They wont travel to Lynchburg regardless and Lynchburg wont support LU outside of Students and Faculty until we actually are a P5 then we might get some local support but probably not much. Key is getting recruits and playing in P5 venues around the nation and simultaneously marketing LU Online for the $ that our Online Programs generate until we get an P5 invite ( based on our $, level of competition, national streaming eyeballs and facilities ( not based on our physical attendance )or if we can crash 8 team playoff based on our hybrid P5 / G5 Schedule. What won’t work is trying to be a typical G5 regional success story like Boise St ,Fresno St, etc - all the big names in G5 other than UCF ( possibly USF and Cinci ) have $ and geographical location issues with no national recruiting presence. We must max out what our strengths are. I have pushed for playing all 5 conferences - However - worst case schedule heavy ACC ( Ian already doing that ) and Big 12 - the 2 conferences we would have any kind of shot at and start being a regular name with them at the very least...Win Loss record will not be nearly as big a factor short term - get respected by playing them tough, then winning some big games and seeing LU playing multiple big teams year in and year out - Win your 6 G5 games and 1-3 P5 games and your getting respect way quicker than a Buffalo, Troy, etc.who are stuck in conferences and will always be stuck in G5 no mans land. UCF is a completely different animal and will be P5 by next realignment - but great thing is they are driving the discussion for 8 team playoff -which is GREAT for LU. Ian did a great job scheduling last minute - we now have a top 5 coach - lets revisit schedule and tweak sooner rather than later and invest some money beefing it up ( we had $25 million set aside for Conf USA ) we can buy out some games and ramp up quicker than we thought we could - great problem to have - what are we risking ? Last year attendance numbers are nothing to try and cling to and preserve - 1 less home game - no big deal. Remember - Big 12 - each team got $36 million end of the year - this is what we are investing in the short term to get to as quick as possible. LU hoops and baseball are on same trajectory - P5 invite isn’t nearly a long shot as most think if we go for it. IF Ian is strategically trying to get us in ACC - then buying a VT game over Hampton next year makes tons of sense - paying extra $ for 1 for 1 with the Carolina schools every year also makes a ton of sense - ( no room for 2 for 1 -so pay the extra $ to get Duke, UNC, NC State, WF, WVU teams here - they will travel for a relative easy game that is close ) We are probably the only school in the country that is willing and capable of making 1-1 games happen at our current level.

I’ve notice that some alumni are moving back to the Burg. As for online, although this is not LUO, but there is a growth of families who are moving to or near the Burg since their children are taking online courses for LU online academy. This may not seem possible, but if we actually invest more into the idea of growing our athletic programs(especially the main programs), more families and alumni might want to come back to the area. Sports build a community in which Lynchburg needs. Of course there’s a lot of tech and UVA fans in our area, but imagine if we build our programs that beats these opponents a few times. Some of these tech/uva fans wouldn’t mind having a team in their area. Yes, you have to consider that people here dislike LU, but look who they support(I usually see it more from the UVA fans, go figure). That’s why I think Tyndal’s statements is not as crazy as it seem. This is business and you have to take risks to gain. Let’s not put the money under the couch and actually invest in things that make a university grow(1.education 2. football 3.everything else). If the next realignment is truly aiming to create some mega conferences, I think LU should work towards that and not just any conference. As Tyndal stated, ACC or Big XII is the only good option that we have. Frankly I’ll aim more for the Big XII since I can’t imagine the commissioner and presidents accepting LU as a legitimate institution. Anywho, this is just a thought.

[Kricket]

You’re very good. But as is the case in most of the intercollegiate athletics world, everyone on the outside looking in knows better.

I have two online degrees from Liberty so I can speak directly from my experience, I don't get mailers because I must be too far away. I also don't really recall seeing many or any emails. I'm not saying they weren't sent, but they certainly didn't catch my attention if they were sent, and I follow the program closely. I wasn't trying to call anyone incompetent, so you can relax a bit.

[JK37]

Tyndal - where you lose me is saying W/L doesn’t matter, or matter very much. If I’ve followes you correctly, we have the chance now to schedule like you’re saying starting several years from now. And in this latest diatribe, you’re talking about winning 1-3 of those P5’s annually. And winning all 6 of the G5 contests. But what happens if we don’t that first year or two? How can we guarantee we’re ready to play that schedule? How many P5’s have we beaten since becoming FBS? How many G5’s? You say W/L doesn’t matter, that buying our way into the Big Boys Club to show we belong among them is the key.

Being there doesn’t mean we belong. BEATING a few means we belong! Losing just proves we don’t.

The things about losing is that it snowballs. Fast. And that kind of negative program momentum can be extremely difficult to reverse.

I like the ambition and the aggressiveness. I’d like to at last hear you acknowledge there is a downside to your plan with serious risks.

[Jonathan Carone]

Not enough vision dude.

[tyndal23]

Tyndal - where you lose me is saying W/L doesn’t matter, or matter very much. If I’ve followes you correctly, we have the chance now to schedule like you’re saying starting several years from now. And in this latest diatribe, you’re talking about winning 1-3 of those P5’s annually. And winning all 6 of the G5 contests. But what happens if we don’t that first year or two? How can we guarantee we’re ready to play that schedule? How many P5’s have we beaten since becoming FBS? How many G5’s? You say W/L doesn’t matter, that buying our way into the Big Boys Club to show we belong among them is the key.

Being there doesn’t mean we belong. BEATING a few means we belong! Losing just proves we don’t.

The things about losing is that it snowballs. Fast. And that kind of negative program momentum can be extremely difficult to reverse.

I like the ambition and the aggressiveness. I’d like to at last hear you acknowledge there is a downside to your plan with serious risks.

Sure, I am happy to acknowledge a downside - losing is contagious. I firmly believe in order to recruit the # of 4 stars and high end 3 stars to compete with 4 P5 teams on your schedule you need to bump it to 6 ( max we can schedule ) and show recruits that we are in fact a P5 equivalent and have a path to a Playoff - we may not have a 60k stadium but we are playing 6 P5 games and will have best SOS of any G5 out there. That makes a recruit who likes everything else make the jump. It also makes a Hugh Freeze level coach stick around rather than jump ship after 1 10 win season and get poached like every other G5 coach does. 6-6 bowl eligible with a close loss to VT is better than a 7-5 bowl eligible season with a 40 point win over Hampton ( in my mind ). Again - I want to hear from Ian what our big pic goal is and plan to get there - if it is just getting max wins and crap bowl eligible - then eliminate at least 2 P5 games and schedule 2 winnable G5 - that philosophy will get you maybe to a N Texas level or Troy - “nice little program you got there fellas”. I don’t think that is what JFJR is looking for but I could be wrong.

[GoLU_13_21]

Tyndal -- solid.
The only struggle I see with us -- at least in our current position --- is the TV ratings. As you said, winning will help. My hopes are with yours we are angling for P5.

Just win baby!

Okay, trying to keep up with all the names. Who is Tyndal?

[JK37]

Thank you. I may disagree in part. But at least you know how to make a logical case. I respect that.

[thepostman]

Logical is a stretch but it's the holidays so I'll be nice

[JK37]

Even flawed logic is still logic.

[tyndal23]

Logical is a stretch but it's the holidays so I'll be nice

Ha! Well Postman if you had stated 3 years ago we would have the stadium we do now, Hugh Freeze as our head coach and Ian as our AD, FBS with Syracuse coming to our opener I would have called you an absolute loon. I don’t think tweaking our schedule by 2 games 5 years from now is that big of a stretch all things considered.

[Cider Jim]

Well Postman if you had stated 3 years ago we would have the stadium we do now, Hugh Freeze as our head coach and Ian as our AD, FBS with Syracuse coming to our opener I would have called you a prophet.

FIFY

Sounds like a Christmas Miracle to me!

[Purple Haize]

Well Postman if you had stated 3 years ago we would have the stadium we do now, Hugh Freeze as our head coach and Ian as our AD, FBS with Syracuse coming to our opener I would have called you a prophet.

FIFY

Sounds like a Christmas Miracle to me!

Or someone got into the eggnog a little early

[Ewglenn]

You’re very good. But as is the case in most of the intercollegiate athletics world, everyone on the outside looking in knows better.

I have two online degrees from Liberty so I can speak directly from my experience, I don't get mailers because I must be too far away. I also don't really recall seeing many or any emails. I'm not saying they weren't sent, but they certainly didn't catch my attention if they were sent, and I follow the program closely. I wasn't trying to call anyone incompetent, so you can relax a bit.

I also have my degree from the online portion so I can speak directly to this too. While in SC I never received anything about games. The only thing I ever get is the magazine. To say that all online students don’t care is not true. I’ll be at any game close to where I live. I can’t think of a time in SC or SD that I’ve received anything specifically for football. The emails that are being talked about either aren’t being received or are not catching the eye of Alumni. Just a suggestion maybe at graduation that is a question that could be answered. Are you interested in receiving more about LU’s athletic programs. Just an idea because idk if they do anything like that. I don’t remember anything like that when I was at graduation this past year.