Marketing?scheduling the 49ers across the US

Generally, I’ve never complained about the basketball schedule, other than the 49ers always played fewer home games than most of the “name” teams we face. But I’m beginning to wonder what difference it makes, if there is going to be a core crowd of say, 6,000 for any game in Halton, regardless of the opponent, perhaps the athletic department should just worry about making money, taking any guarantee for games out there. I know you have to have “buy games” like UNC Asheville or Delaware State and I know it’s somewhat difficult to get the Alabamas and Indianas to come to Charlotte, much less teams who have had even more success recently. But I see teams with low RPIs making a huge killing travelling anywhere and honestly, they’re getting more name recognition across the nation than Charlotte gets.

Case in point, High Point U. It was announced yesterday that they were replacing Wake Forest in this year’s Great Alaskan Shootout because the Deacons had decided to participate in the Preseason NIT. Other schools include Alabama, Furman, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington and host Alaska Anchorage, who is D-II. The Panthers were to have opened the season on ESPN at Duke in a Coaches vs. Cancer contest but Duke has played in their 2 non-exempt events over the last four seasons and can’t play now. How does a team that had an RPI of 220 (Big South’s ranking is #30 of 32) get these opportunities? Granted, the entire team is back and they have some fair recruits, but this is High Point! They’re getting big checks from Michigan, Pitt and Virginia as well for trips. Tubby Smith said Monday night that HPU would get a game in Kentucky next year. Instead we have the guaranteed wins over nobodies with a 250+ RPI and 15-12 Rutgers. The only way they’re 56 is due to the strength of the Big East overall.

Guess I’m just venting but, Charlotte never seems to be on the radar screens of any preseason events nor in any holiday tournaments. You would have thought that Judy’s former position on the selection committee might have helped in scheduling more.

We won 11 road/neutral games last year. That doesn’t make us very popular. Different story if we commanded a national audience.

With all due respect LoudNProud, you’re going to convince me that Furman and High Point command more of a “national audience” than the Charlotte 49ers? :rofl: That’s like telling me the proposed Pfeiffer exhibition game will draw 8,000+ in Halton.

The lineup of C-USA teams since 1985 in the Preseason NIT goes like this… Cincinnati (2), DePaul (3), Louisville (2), Marquette (2), Memphis (3), Saint Louis (1), Tulane (2) and UAB (1), no UNCC, UNC Charlotte or just plain Charlotte. Heck, UNC Greensboro played 2 games in the Preseason NIT in 2002 and Davidson played in it last year. Several more nearby teams have been there, NC A & T, UNC Asheville, UNC Wilmington, not to mention the College of Charleston, which is a ligitimate program.

I know the NCAA has the stupid 2 in 4 rule, it’s not affecting us. We play in no tournaments of any sort. That trip to Alaska or Hawaii as often as possible might be the ticket that sways a recruit or two our way.

I hate it when we go west. We never seem to do well out there. So I am glad we didn’t get an invite to thet alaska tourney. Who knows, we might have gotten an invite and turned it down.

Highpoint, I wanted you to take them both together.

Unlike HPU, we can win those games. Our 11 road/neutral wins scares the pants off teams. The problem is, we don’t command a national audience to make a quite likely loss more palatable. Benjamins make losing easier to deal with I guess. But instead throw Furman or HPU in, and it’s a win instead.

The Shootout or Preseason NIT games are not about winning a road game, they are supposedly somewhat neutral, although the NIT is looking to get a particular draw in NYC. They’re for reputation, getting extra play for your team and maybe a dollar or two.

Are the 49ers being recogized nationally as a team that should be seen in these types of events? You have to admit, the Great Alaskan Shootout field is not as glorious as it once was due to the NCAA’s 2-in-4 ruling. If the staff doesn’t want to participate is entirely another question, maybe that is the case. (All of us know why the 49ers participated in their last tournament, the CoSIDA Classic in Raleigh, to get a shot at the Wolfpups.)

[i]Originally posted by HP49er[/i]@Jun 12 2004, 09:31 PM [b]The lineup of C-USA teams since 1985 in the Preseason NIT goes like this... Cincinnati (2), DePaul (3), Louisville (2), Marquette (2), Memphis (3), Saint Louis (1), Tulane (2) and UAB (1), no UNCC, UNC Charlotte or just plain Charlotte. Heck, UNC Greensboro played 2 games in the Preseason NIT in 2002 and Davidson played in it last year. Several more nearby teams have been there, NC A & T, UNC Asheville, UNC Wilmington, not to mention the College of Charleston, which is a ligitimate program.

[/b]


When I see these kind of figures and consider our results within the league during that time, it gives me reason to think that opportunities for preseason tourneys “may” have existed and the school turned them down.

Of course, these preseason tourneys may be a matter of simple fan economics. I hope I don’t offend anyone by saying that Charlotte has a reputation for not bringing fans on the road. Compared to Cinci, Memphis, Louisville or Marquette, we don’t have a rabid fan base and in turn, don’t travel well. Some of these tourneys seems to be more interested in bringing fans to fill hotel rooms.

At the same time, I would venture to say that we would travel as well as A&T, Asheville, Wilmington & Davidson.

Whatever the reasons are, I think this is a fair question to ask. I hope I don’t ever learn that the school turned down opportunities to play in one of these types of events. Sure they might’ve gotten their tails handed to them. However, they might have also missed an opportunity for some very positive visibility.

Well, at least we are going to Alaska next season.