[Sly Fox]

We all agree that winning cures all as far as Williams Stadium attendance and atmosphere. Back on the old board we had a thread a year ago where we did some brainstorming about some things that could be done to increase the game experience on the mountain without necessarily breaking the bank. Here are some ideas that were generated:

Stevev - Continue to schedule more night games especially early in the year

Sly Fox - Middle Tennessee State was having difficulty meeting the mandatory 15k average for home attendance so they started booking hip-hop acts as postgame concerts. That way if music afficionados wanted to see the concert, they had to buy a football ticket. It seems like a cheap way to meet the attendance total, but it was effective. Perhaps we can start something similar with a CCM theme.

I know we have bemoaned the lack of atmosphere around the stadium on gameday on previous threads. But that is one area where I feel we can create a buzz surrounding the game that might entice more students to join in on the fun. Student organizations (or even dorms for that matter) might create a festival-type setup showing off the school's creativity. I'm thinking circus-esque freak shows.

We need to find some way to incorporate non-TRBC Lynchburgers into the action. Perhaps we could let local high school marching bands perform pre-game. That would not only add the bandmembers but also family & friends as well. You could promote the game in that community as say 'Rustburg Night' around their towns. Give them discount tix and maybe send Karcher and a couple of players out to their school's pep rallies before their Friday HS games. Yeah, I know it sounds chessy. But I'm trying to think of a way to start reaching the community in a grassroots fashion.

As for tradition, we might try and find a way to start up some type of "trophy" for annual contest with VMI. Given our close proximity and the likelihood that we'll be scheduling each other for years to come regardless of conference affiliation, why not come up with some goofy prize to go to the winner of our matchup. Surely somebody could come up with something clever.

As for our school fight song, how about an effort to teach it to the student body. I know, what a novel idea. Perhaps it could be part of some sort of freshman rite of passage or something. If we can start getting student to sing along with the song before games (and after victories), it might help create some atmosphere in what seems often to be as sterile as can be.

Personally, I'd love to see us set up some type of Olympic-type deal for us to light a flame before the team comes out on the field. I think that would really help build a pride in our Flames persona.

ATrain - The school fight song...only Dorm 10 and the famed Red Man Group know it...the rest of the student body needs to learn it (myself included).

Harrisburg Flame - Schedule as many in-state games as you can against other I-AA schools in Virginia.

Agressively market season ticket packages on TV and a designated radius around Lynchburg.

Season ticket packages are priced right - take advantage of those fans who are getting lost in the $$$ shuffle at Tech and UVA.

No more free tickets to anyone and everyone - creates a perception of low quality when you can get tickets on a whim and anywhere.

Recruit more local kids - Morgan Hout did it well.

Sly Fox - Just running with the LU-VMI deal ... I think the trophy should have some sort of military feel for it. Perhaps we could integrate Patrick Henry into it (you know, the whole "Give me Liberty ..." idea). Perhaps a powder horn or something? Or we could also do something integrating that Billygoat path called 501.

As for the flame, I picture seniors taking turns with the honor of lighting the torch right before the team rushes onto the field. But there are many ways this concept could be used.

LUconn - I like the flame idea, not a torch though. We need pyrotechnics the likes of which are only seen at Epcot Center. Just one big burst of a giant flame before the team rushes the field would do wonders for excitement and tradition.

Sly Fox - Here's another random musing while I was mowing my yard this afternoon:

The University of Texas has a tower on campus that they illuminate at night.



After football or basketball victories (and other sports from time to time if it is big enough) they put orange gels on the lights in order to turn the tower orange. That way everybody in town knows whether or not UT won their big game that day. In the case of national championships, they turn on lights in the rooms of thetower to show a '1'.



Obviously, we don'thave any towers on campus. But what if we were to come up with something up on top of the mountain that we could illuminate under similar circumstances. It would be something to take note of int he community of Lynchburg and be a source of pride for the school.

Granted, I know ther would be FAA & monetary issues. But it seems like something that could be worth some extra thought.

I know we also agreed that some sort of tribute to Rock Royer possibly including a a big rock would be appreciated to connect our current program to its past. I couldn't find the thread and as you can tell by my post time it is late.

Anybody else have any other ideas or modifications of these suggestions?

[Flamesfanva]

Hey Sly Fox -

Great job of collecting these ideas. I'll get my thoughts together and post tomorrow...err I mean later today.

[Hold My Own]

I like that idea! maybe we can talk wingate into not shining that awful green light all over their hotel when we win...

no but really, we could do something like that with the big tall part of the Ericsson building that they used to test transformers in...it's VERY tall and it has Liberty University written on it and it can be seen from miles away...we could put a glow on that...it's worth talkin about

[bigsmooth]

a great idea. i think we need to get the students involved by having a spirit club. maybe call them "rocco's rowdies" have them in a red t-shirt with a crazy picture of the coach on there, and have the coaching staff or ath. dept feed them pizza. sell the idea of painting the stadium red, so that everyone wears red. maybe have dorm "tailgate parties". group a male and female dorm and have parties on the lawn in front of hancock. i have also seen at other schools having a person leading cheers with the cheerleaders with a microphone. and having some sponsored give-aways like a lucky seat gets a free pizza, or bring a fan to the field and have them catch footballs from a jugs baseball pitching machine for cash prizes. and having "flames vision" a big video board would help too. and i do not mind our school song, but maybe a different song after a touchdown, then sing the fan the flames song. also have the players sing the school song at the middle of the field.

[PAmedic]

at homecoming I noticed a pig roast or something going up on the back part of the circle, up against what used to be the intramural fields. Is that a common thing, or just happened for that weekend? Thats a good idea. I suppose adult beverages are out

[SuperJon]

Dude, I don't even drink and I know how to hide it. I'm sure you could too, Medic.

[Hold My Own]

medics way of hiding it is in a really shinny silver container he keeps in his pocket with his initials on it, it's really cute

[OhioFlame]

I think a carnival type atmosphere outside the stadium before pregame would be a great idea. We've got to make Liberty football more than just a football game, but a family event. That'll put butts in the seats and bring more people to games who might not otherwise come. Post game fireworks shows usually help attendance as well. I like the CCM concert ideas too.

[SuperJon]

Ok, on the CCM issue, do you bring in bands that the students would like or the ones that parents and other older adults would like? I realize that some at the school will obviously like some of the lighter Christian bands but many others would rather see someone like Anberlin, Relient K, Last Tuesday, Emery, etc. It's a good idea, just gotta make sure it's done right.

[Flamesfanva]

I realize of course that some things cost $ and it may not be in the ole budget right now, but there are some things I think that can be done right away. I attend VT games and love the atmosphere created there and see several things that we could do as well.

I don't see the cheerleaders engaging the crowd to create noise. At the Hokie games, cheerleaders alternate sides with signs that say "Let's go" "Hokies". Good luck trying to find our mascot, I rarely saw him engaging the kids or crowd like the Hokie Bird does. Although I did see him get in a fight with another mascot, which was sort of cool.

Merchandise is an area where I think it would not only generate support but $ as well. I wear VT jerseys to their games, but they aren't available for us (although I believe proto is on this and has some things in the works). Now I know you are supposed to wear red to games and I do, but perhaps just like UVA and VT do, we should designate a particular game to really push wearing red. VT's SGA sells orange and maroon T-shirts for their orange effect and maroon effect game days. Maybe we could as well and call it "red blaze, inferno, firestorm,...game"...take your pick.

I plaster my SUV with the flames magnets and flags, but I only saw one or two other cars with either a flag or a magnet on it. When I go to tech games, it's like a convoy of cars plastered with VT magnets and flags, really builds unity and excitement. I'd also love to fly a Flames banner, flag or garden flag, just like you see around here for VT or UVA, but again not available right now. You also see those $5 Wincraft pennants around, even the Hillcats have them, they are great for kids to plaster on their walls, I'd like one for my sports room, and they would be a relatively cheap way for the students to put them up in the dorms. Again, the more we can get everyone involved, the better off we'll all be. Gotta have something for alumni, community, kids, and students.

I love the tech music too, it gets you fired up for the game. I asked the band director if the LU fight song was available anywhere, but he said no. I'd like to have it so I can for one, try and learn the words, and for two, get psyched up for the game. VT has a whole CD with game day music on it and I play it on the way down to Blacksburg.

I also suggested to the athletic dept, to have a banner somewhere at the games that promotes libertyflames.com.

I mentioned in another post about having flames shoot up from perhaps the top of the endzone locker room everytime the Flames score, but since that will obviously take $, what about have some type of flame or crackling fire sound from the loud speakers. I downloaded a few a while back and found some that actually didn't sound too bad. I know you hear the Panther growl at home games for the Carolina Panthers, you even hear it in the background on the TV when their home games are broadcast.

I like the fireworks idea after the night games. I usually choose which Hillcats games to attend by when they have fireworks afterwords...that way if the game stunk, at least you still have something to look forward to

At one time the billboard right next to Taco Bell on Wards Rd advertised Flames football. I think we need to do that again. We need hometown support.

I'm all for a "Flames Vision" video screen. I think the screens in the Vines add to the excitement of BB games.

Maybe have a huge flag with the flames logo fly from atop the tall building on the new campus that has the words Liberty Univerity lit up on it. When the flags flying everyone would know there is a game that day.

I know there's got to be other things from other college teams that we could tweak to our own Flames image.

[BJWilliams]

asked the band director if the LU fight song was available anywhere, but he said no.

The band doesn't have a widely circulatable CD of music (although that would be something to suggest for next year) but we do have the fight song on teh newly revamped band website www.liberty.edu/band in the audio section

[Flamesfanva]

Thanks for the link. I'll download it and try to memorize the words too

[Flamesfanva]

By the way, it was quite some time ago I sent him an email inquiring about the fight song so it was obviously before the revamped site went up. Glad progress has been made. I look forward to listening to it and gearing up for the fall.

[PAmedic]

medics way of hiding it is in a really shinny silver container he keeps in his pocket with his initials on it, it's really cute

great, now I'm a lush.

and the flask doesn't have my initials on it.

[PAmedic]

Thanks for the link. I'll download it and try to memorize the words too

here's another link (or 5) for ya: http://www.liberty.edu/academics/arts-s ... m?PID=9545

Individual links are:

Fight Song

Tusk

Jungle Love

Stubbin'

[PastorZack]

I personally would change the band from a show band to a military style band. They could do a march-in before the game and have a build up toward kickoff.

I personally like tailgating...it works really well for afternoon games and early evening games.

What is bad about Lu is that the student body is transient, in that , alot of kids go home for weekends. I would also encourage that the CFAW that are in the fall be on weekends that we have home games. That would help get excitment for future students as well.

I know the sound system needs upgraded, but using music and the natural elements around the stadium to keep the noise in would help alot.

[Sly Fox]

Great, just what we need. A band that plays the same songs every week and walks from one side of the stadium tothe other.

Get over the Aggie fixation, Zack. You've been away long enough for that cultish mindset to be fading.

Hullabaloo, kinnickinnick.

Texas A&MN-oriented suggestions still welcome ... keep them coming.

[PastorZack]

hey sly, how bout that game last night?[/b]

[Sly Fox]

It was the ugliest basketball game I've seen in years. But that was an amazing shot for Acie after PJ went momentarily braindead.

[Brokeback Flamer]

I realize of course that some things cost $ and it may not be in the ole budget right now, but there are some things I think that can be done right away. I attend VT games and love the atmosphere created there and see several things that we could do as well.

I don't see the cheerleaders engaging the crowd to create noise. At the Hokie games, cheerleaders alternate sides with signs that say "Let's go" "Hokies". Good luck trying to find our mascot, I rarely saw him engaging the kids or crowd like the Hokie Bird does. Although I did see him get in a fight with another mascot, which was sort of cool.

Merchandise is an area where I think it would not only generate support but $ as well. I wear VT jerseys to their games, but they aren't available for us (although I believe proto is on this and has some things in the works). Now I know you are supposed to wear red to games and I do, but perhaps just like UVA and VT do, we should designate a particular game to really push wearing red. VT's SGA sells orange and maroon T-shirts for their orange effect and maroon effect game days. Maybe we could as well and call it "red blaze, inferno, firestorm,...game"...take your pick.

I plaster my SUV with the flames magnets and flags, but I only saw one or two other cars with either a flag or a magnet on it. When I go to tech games, it's like a convoy of cars plastered with VT magnets and flags, really builds unity and excitement. I'd also love to fly a Flames banner, flag or garden flag, just like you see around here for VT or UVA, but again not available right now. You also see those $5 Wincraft pennants around, even the Hillcats have them, they are great for kids to plaster on their walls, I'd like one for my sports room, and they would be a relatively cheap way for the students to put them up in the dorms. Again, the more we can get everyone involved, the better off we'll all be. Gotta have something for alumni, community, kids, and students.

I love the tech music too, it gets you fired up for the game. I asked the band director if the LU fight song was available anywhere, but he said no. I'd like to have it so I can for one, try and learn the words, and for two, get psyched up for the game. VT has a whole CD with game day music on it and I play it on the way down to Blacksburg.

I also suggested to the athletic dept, to have a banner somewhere at the games that promotes libertyflames.com.

I mentioned in another post about having flames shoot up from perhaps the top of the endzone locker room everytime the Flames score, but since that will obviously take $, what about have some type of flame or crackling fire sound from the loud speakers. I downloaded a few a while back and found some that actually didn't sound too bad. I know you hear the Panther growl at home games for the Carolina Panthers, you even hear it in the background on the TV when their home games are broadcast.

I like the fireworks idea after the night games. I usually choose which Hillcats games to attend by when they have fireworks afterwords...that way if the game stunk, at least you still have something to look forward to

At one time the billboard right next to Taco Bell on Wards Rd advertised Flames football. I think we need to do that again. We need hometown support.

I'm all for a "Flames Vision" video screen. I think the screens in the Vines add to the excitement of BB games.

Maybe have a huge flag with the flames logo fly from atop the tall building on the new campus that has the words Liberty Univerity lit up on it. When the flags flying everyone would know there is a game that day.

I know there's got to be other things from other college teams that we could tweak to our own Flames image.

Good ideas, but, suprise, problems with most of them.

The number 1 thing that will put butts in seats in winning. A carnival atmosphere sounds good, but there are a lot of people getting tired of getting mobbed on their way to their seats. One person told me he felt like it was the Airport scene with all the Hari Chrishna's and Robert Stack kickin their tales

As for the music, you must be sipping on PA's "medicinal" beverages. A few years ago, there was a person who stormed the press box and tried to beat the door down b/c they were playing Motown toons. He obviously was wanting something a little more uptempo from Pat Boone or the Cathedrals. Music and LU games is like Social Security to politicians. The third rail!

There were fireworks several years ago, but in a sick, yet funny twist of irony, that was the 2001 season, and we all know what happened one September morn. After we scored our first touchdown, the fireworks went off, and everyone ducked!!! There were letters.

Wingate footed 1/2 the bill for the billboards.

A "Flames Vision" screen at the end zone would be around 5 million.

TV. Why go to a game when I can watch Notre Dame/FSU/Tech and flip to LU at breaks.

Money. LU has money for what LU wants to have money for. If they gave the marketing dept the OK to spend the money, it would most likely be spent wisely, but until they do.....

There are solutions, but it comes down to winning games and people WANTING to go. Now, I have some friends who will be back in town in mid april that I can ask to see what we can do. Gay Day anyone?

[BJWilliams]

The number 1 thing that will put butts in seats in winning.

That's pretty much a given my friend. Winning puts people in the seats, then the question is kepping them there.

I know that teh new AD is really looking for guidance from every source he can find. I have a feeling he will be making an appearance or two in convo looking to the students for what should be done to get them out there. Although I did like the firestarter thing they did in 2004. They ought to bring that back

[Thelaxman]

Winning starts with development of a quality program. I know right now I have a College Lacrosse Team at UNM that has very little experience to compete in our region two things we have do at UNM. Number 1, we got to come up with a training program that will pass our competition and develop ourselves ahead of the competition. Number 2, we have to use the next two to three years to recruit and sell our program to the best High School Players in the west like places in Colorado, Arizona, Texas and California. If we can get a Junior College Player or a High School kid from back east that would be iceing on the cake.

So the big thing for the Flmaes Football Team is recruiting and selling our program to a network of Christian Coaches throughout the Country to get the top Christian Players to come and play Football for us. One avenue is to use is the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I used their resources to build Liberty's Lacrosse Team between 2002-2005 and we had two All Americans come out of that recruiting and some great Players that put us in the top 20 in the Country. It is hard to find dedicated Christian Athletes to come to your program at Liberty. But if you can develop a network between Pastors and their Churches and Christian High School Football Coaches you will find not only great Football Players but great Athletes and great Christian young Men that will do great things for your program on and off the field.

Next for the Flames Football Team is developing the product you already have. This comes by making big changes in the training and development of your current personnel. A real push in conditioning. When Lou Holtz went to South Carolina he made huge changes in how the Players developed as Athletes and really focused on conditioning. In the end, Carolina went from being the joke of the SEC to a top 25 NCAA Football program. Holtz emphesis was on conditioning what he had and developing his current personnel and through his network system he had from his past Coaching experience he was able to recruit some of the top Players in the Country and build a great Team at South Carolina.

Just my two cents worth. I look forward in cheering for a great Football powerhouse at LU.

Thelaxman

[Thelaxman]

Also, I like some of Sly Fox's ideas and the circus type stuff. I think that will fill some seats from the local area. But most of winning will fill the seats.

Thelaxman

[Thelaxman]

Also the Motown Music is also a great idea. I don't care what those Fundi's think!

Thelaxman

[Brokeback Flamer]

Also the Motown Music is also a great idea. I don't care what those Fundi's think!

Thelaxman

If memory serves the gentleman was angry either at the door or the PA operator b/c on good run defense plays "No Where To Run To..."(Martha and the Vanella's?) would blare out. Also, "Heatwave" caused a great stirring of dissent.