You can't spell FAILS without F, S, and L

[ninerID]

Okay, I am almost 26, and am not a business leader, but i know one thing is true.

In any economy, good or bad, YOU HAVE TO ADAPT.

Phil Dubois laid out a plan, good or bad, for FSL sales. That was then, this is now.

Back during the FSL thought process, the economy future wasn’t great, but wasn’t really hurting in the Charlotte area, that was then, this is now.

Then we went on while the economy sputtered along, getting 5600 commitments. When the time came to fufill those commitments (2-3% higher unemployment) it failed. It failed bad. 70% of people didn’t follow through.

So we have this “KICKOFF” way too late, for a sales force. Same freaking game plan, same freaking FSL’s, same pitch, no stadium, no head honcho, no direction, no potential conference mentions, no diagrams of the stadium, nothing, just a helmet, that is it. Instead we got confusion and misdirection, Plan B’s, and maybe we extend it out a year, FSL tiers and minimum donations.

We didn’t adapt at all to the economy. It was obvious that the community could not follow through on FSL’s 2 months ago. We were going to ask a bunch of people who had little connection to the university, had never donated a dime, to buy an FSL for a conceptual program, all in the name of “bringing in the community”. You know, the boy scout troop or the church youth group, the potential student who wants to come to a game, they won’t be able to get a ticket, without an FSL, that is just not a realistic thought.

Phil Dubois needs to change the FSL program to something else. It is obviously a failure under the same promotion, and lack of foresight we have had for 10 months. The lack of adaptation to the plan makes me believe Phil wants this to secretly fail. It would certainly make his job easier.

[Hooner49]

[QUOTE=ninerID;421836]Phil Dubois needs to change the FSL program to something else. [/QUOTE]

Phil won’t do anything because Phil doesn’t care. He’d rather this pass over and be forgotten about.

[punkrockcowboy]

Phil won't do anything because Phil doesn't care. He'd rather this pass over and be forgotten about.

It’s a big deal. He should want it to succeed because that’d be something to put on his record. To go all this way and not get a football team would reflect very poorly on him I think.

[eason49]

People can say you can’t blame the economy… but the local economy is pretty bad. I’m very thankful for having a job as I know several people that have been applying for awhile. $1000 is a lot of money.

They really do need to adapt. People would be a lot more inclined to give a little less, even if they didn’t get an FSL and instead just got season tickets or something, in my opinion.

[ninerID]

[QUOTE=eason49;421840]People can say you can’t blame the economy… but the local economy is pretty bad. I’m very thankful for having a job as I know several people that have been applying for awhile. $1000 is a lot of money.

They really do need to adapt. People would be a lot more inclined to give a little less, even if they didn’t get an FSL and instead just got season tickets or something, in my opinion.[/QUOTE]

$1000 is a lot, now multiply that times 2, 3, 4 whatever your family size is.

The thing that infuriates me is the “its about the community” and “bringing people back to the university”. Yeah right.

Why don’t you tell that to the kids who just graduated in May and still haven’t found a job, why don’t you tell that to the kids in entry level jobs or in some form of service to our communities that aren’t well paying jobs, they’ll need to buy a $1000 FSL to get back to our campus to watch football.

Tell it to the recent grads paying hundreds a month in student loans “1000 per head gets you in to see the wonderful things we’ve done”.

How do little kids groups, organizations, companies, church groups, the pee-wee 49ers team come to a random game? Ask Judy, according to her VERBATIM “if you don’t buy an FSL you won’t get a ticket”. utter bullcrap.

It is simply absurd to ask the local boy scout troop or any organization to by 15 FSLs, maintain season tickets for all of those FSL’s, and meanwhile since you got more than 4 there is a minimum donation.

freaking concept football that has never played a damn game, and we have to be balls to the wall elite wine and cheese crap buying thousands of dollars of FSL’s for not one definitive on what the future is.

[eason49]

$1000 is a lot, now multiply that times 2, 3, 4 whatever your family size is.

The thing that infuriates me is the “its about the community” and “bringing people back to the university”. Yeah right.

Why don’t you tell that to the kids who just graduated in May and still haven’t found a job, why don’t you tell that to the kids in entry level jobs or in some form of service to our communities that aren’t well paying jobs, they’ll need to buy a $1000 FSL to get back to our campus to watch football.

Tell it to the recent grads paying hundreds a month in student loans “1000 per head gets you in to see the wonderful things we’ve done”.

How do little kids groups, organizations, companies, church groups, the pee-wee 49ers team come to a random game? Ask Judy, according to her VERBATIM “if you don’t buy an FSL you won’t get a ticket”. utter bullcrap.

It is simply absurd to ask the local boy scout troop or any organization to by 15 FSLs, maintain season tickets for all of those FSL’s, and meanwhile since you got more than 4 there is a minimum donation.

freaking concept football that has never paid a damn game, and we have to be balls to the wall elite wine and cheese crap.

You make a lot of great points.

I think this will look very poorly on Dubois if it fails, like other posters said. So much money wasted.

[ninerID]

I’ve got another one. . . . .

Hmmm, let’s see, the 49er club has a little over 2000 paying members where the minimum price is 49 dollars. Let’s see, i think we can get 5000 people to pay $1000.

Freaking genius i tell you what.

[bigb62084]

We can point fingers all day at Phil, Judy, the FSL’s, the economy, whatever; the truth is we only have 2000 FSL’s sold and a lot less people who care to see this happen. This is the hand we have been dealt. If niners wanted football bad enough, this wouldn’d be an issue.

We are talking about $1000 dollars each. Sure it’s not chump change, but it is not like people are having to cash in their inheritance either.

People complain about the gold tier and the required contributions. People need to get over it, people can’t always have the best.

People say they need more than 5 but are not willing because of the contribution requirements. With some sacrifices, there are ways around it.

Some complain about given money without having any thing to show. I guarantee everyone spends money every week where in the end they do not have any thing to show (beer, movies, games, etc.).

People argue that it is not a charitable donation. If it was, you would only get a small percentage (maybe 15%) of that back.

All I am saying is lets quit blaiming the system and blame our fans. I would be hard pressed to believe that Phil doesn’t want this to happen. Like any human, he has pride and he knows that the ultimate fingers will point back at him if this thing fails.

I really appreciate all the teams efforts and their committment to see this through. I just wish they had a better fan base to work with.

[J_Felt]

The FSLs have always been $1,000.

We had over 5,600 pledges for $1,000 FSLs.

The $2,500 ones, yeah, that makes me a little grumpy, but the school acted on what the fanbase said they would do.

[Chipper]

It’s no surprise to me that our number of sold FSLS is about the same as our number of 49er Club members. But it was a surprise to me when Phil announced the number of FSLS necessary for football. 2 and a half times our number of 49er Club members.

[eason49]

The FSLs have always been $1,000.

We had over 5,600 pledges for $1,000 FSLs.

The $2,500 ones, yeah, that makes me a little grumpy, but the school acted on what the fanbase said they would do.

Yeah, it’s fine that casual individuals expected full payment from every single person that filled out a simple form with no verification tied in. Gullible? Sure, but it isn’t a fan’s job to be realistic.

If the Athletic Department really thought they would actually receive funds from 100% of the people that signed up, they are grossly incompetent.

[Jersey_Niner32]

but the school acted on what the fanbase said they would do.

Yea the fans would buy into it if the school actually continued moving forward with football (like ninerID said earlier perhaps, maybes something like:)
-getting a coach
-conference plans (both now and future)
-a concrete stadium plan!
-some actual advertising (something I’ve wanted the entire time.)

When people notice that NOTHING IS STONE it makes our school look like this is a glorified scam to be investing in (sorry for being extreme, but I’m getting fed up as well.) People aren’t going to put their money into something that hasn’t progressed at all in nearly a year besides getting a “sales force” after the initial drive failed.)

[J_Felt]

Yea the fans would buy into it if the school actually continued moving forward with football (like ninerID said earlier perhaps, maybes something like:) -getting a coach -conference plans (both now and future) -a concrete stadium plan! -some actual advertising (something I've wanted the entire time.)

When people notice that NOTHING IS STONE it makes our school look like this is a glorified scam to be investing in (sorry for being extreme, but I’m getting fed up as well.) People aren’t going to put their money into something that hasn’t progressed at all in nearly a year besides getting a “sales force” after the initial drive failed.)

I agree. I’ve voices this complaint multiple times.

But, the FSL plan was met with substantial support from the fanbase/community, regardless.

The school should decide to go forward with it or not. And sell FSLs over 3 years.

[JoeSixPack]

[QUOTE=punkrockcowboy;421838]To go all this way and not get a football team would reflect very poorly on him I think.[/QUOTE]

I agree. But, CHP may be proving what I thought of him, but hoped wasn’t true.

These numbers are reinforcing what I don’t want to hear. Another thing that would legitimize FSL sales, IMO, is to see someone from the business community show some public support. From what I have seen, there has been no public financial support from the business community. Sorry, but Johnny Harris rallying the sales troops at a mixer is not enough.

Somewhere, needs to go public and say “We are behind the Charlotte 49ers and their football program”.

[CharSFNiners]

If niners wanted football bad enough, this wouldn'd be an issue.

I get tired of this line. I’m a loyal fan and would want nothing more for this school to get a team, and create an identity for itself but when/if football starts I’d need 3 tickets, thus 3 FSLs at $3000 each. Since this FSL thing was announced I lost my job, was unemployed for two months before getting a new job at a reduced salary, then there were cutbacks and I had to take a paycut. I have a 1 y/o and anyone who has a kid that age knows what it’s like monetarily to take care of the kid (mostly childcare everyday in the N. Meck area).

So I get tired of the low blow that I’m not a good enough fan or loyal enough fan to get FSLs.

I have no excess spending habits. I use all kinds of coupons for groceries, I goto parks and other free entertainment, I don’t pay. Bare ****ING necessities. So before anyone else decides to spout off that “If Niner fans really wanted it they’d have it”, they need to step out of their ****ing bubble and take a look around.

The economy ****ing sucks, and eventhough I was laid off and found another job, I’m considered a success story during this time, there are people who are as big of fans as me who want FSLs who are still out of jobs, and I feel bad for them, and sadly there are going to be more to join them.

FSLs were a bad idea, IMO, but there’s nothing to do about it now, we’re ****ed… Maybe we can all meet up for a JC Smith football game this fall instead.

[ninerID]

[QUOTE=CharSFNiners;421857]

FSLs were a bad idea, IMO, but there’s nothing to do about it now, we’re ****ed… Maybe we can all meet up for a JC Smith football game this fall instead.[/QUOTE]
no it’s not too late. Fortunately the school made the absolutely boneheaded mistake of pushing this thing out 5 years to 2013 (while other schools were taking 2-4 years).

We can still change the plans, and get a team.

Hell play at memorial in 3 years, it will be fixed. Yeah its a craphole, but go screw yourself if you think that is a reason not to play, when we don’t even have a freaking team. Elitist bull ****. I have heard from people (alumni/donors) who were upset that the stadium wasn’t going to be downtown.

Play there for a few years, develop a contending Division Iaa program, THEN CAMPAIGN for the on campus stadium.

You’ll have a coach, a conference, a team, jerseys, a history, a known future, Then sell the FSL’s. Allow people who have already bought FSL’s to keep their money in the future advancement or partial refunds. Say this is who we are now, and this is where we want to play so we can take this program TO THE NEXT LEVEL not to start.

Let’s not start the we are screwed line of thinking. We can play at memorial in 2011.

[bigb62084]

Sorry to hear about your situation CharSFniners, but I am not talking about niner fans who have your sort of circumstances. Believe me, I know sort of what you are going through. Luckily I am fortunate to have a job. But things are still tight. I am 25, full time job, in the process of getting a masters from Charlotte, 2 kids (1 and 3), wife is a stay at home mom, mortgage payment more than I am comfortable with, etc. But I have had to sacrifice and purchased 4 and it upsets me to no end to see this thing fail.

Again, I am talking about niner fans in general, not the lesser percentage who truly can’t afford it becuase of their current financial status. I apologize if I upset you, I am just calling it how I see it. I just sometimes see us as the fan base who always wants something for nothing and always a quick to blame others.

[bigb62084]

[QUOTE=ninerID;421858]Play there for a few years, develop a contending Division Iaa program, THEN CAMPAIGN for the on campus stadium…[/QUOTE]

I love this plan and would be all for it if it meant having football.

[eason49]

Niner football should never, ever be put in front of your family and your financial stability. Anyone that says otherwise is a complete fool.

[ninerID]

How’s this for a timeline.

Hire a coach at the end of this football season during the shuffle - Jan 2010

He takes a year to get facilities and schedule of events to where he is comfortable, builds his coaching team, start recruiting - Dec. 2010

Recruit, recruit, recruit (redshirt class) for 2011-2012 season

Recruit/schedule - Begin football Fall 2012

Play 3 years and improve - 2015 season ends

start campaigning for on-campus stadium with the prospectus of going Div. Ia after completion, 3 years to campaign/construct

2019 stadium on campus, Division IA football.

We’d be well into the next recession for the stadium campaign. It’s time to save face Phil.