Down to 2 radio affiliates - not good!

[CL82]

Living down here on the NY/CT border its really fustrating that I cannot listen to Uconn BB and FB on the radio unless I turn on my computer and use www.wtic.com. Of course, the computer option fell behind the cbs paywall last year, so actually that is no longer available either. I know Warde has a lot on his plate, but we really need to have a radio presence in FF lower county, particularly if we are going to sell Uconn as the flagship of CT, premiere public university of NE and influential in the NYC DMA.

I get WTIC in Jersey. Not well, but I can get it.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Is there any evidence that billboards give a positive ROI. They are expensive and you said it yourself they don't influence you.

I guess I know Ke$ha is at a casino tomorrow because I saw it on 84 but I can't imagine the people who want to see Ke$ha are sitting in traffic on 84.

There is some evidence. At least according to this 2009 study. http://www.arbitron.com/downloads/InCarStudy2009.pdf . This primarily details with retail but i think its probably true of other industries. I buy a significant amount of outdoor advertising and our follow up studies show a pretty significant increase in brand awareness in those markets.

 

[Kingspoint]

I can't imagine people want to see Ke$ha

Who's Ke$ha?

 

[formerlurker]

One week and a few hours before kickoff to the 2013 UCONN Football season and we only have two radio feeds??????!!!!

 

[emshorts]

[I was on 91 for the first time in a long ass time and there was a huge billboard for POST(WATERBURY) UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL. I didn't even know they had a football team so I looked it up and apparently they participate in something called "sprint football" where athletes must be under 172 lbs and have less than 5 percent body fat.

I personally have never been influenced by a billboard to do anything. (except maybe one for that quaint little gentleman's meeting place off exit 68 on 84.) But my point is that UConn can't really cry poverty in marketing if POST is shelling out money for billboards.]

my nephew is playing for POST. he's a freshman. penn, Princeton, cornell, army, navy, Mansfield PA, & franklin pierce are in the league. dave coggins from sacred heart is on the team also.

 

[whaler11]

There is some evidence. At least according to this 2009 study. http://www.arbitron.com/downloads/InCarStudy2009.pdf . This primarily details with retail but i think its probably true of other industries. I buy a significant amount of outdoor advertising and our follow up studies show a pretty significant increase in brand awareness in those markets.

Do you show a tangible ROI? Goal isn't for people to know you exist. I have brand awareness of Spam and Diet Dr Pepper. Really there are people in this state who aren't brand aware of UConn or UConn Football?

 

[J187Money]

Is there any evidence that billboards give a positive ROI. They are expensive and you said it yourself they don't influence you.

I guess I know Ke$ha is at a casino tomorrow because I saw it on 84 but I can't imagine the people who want to see Ke$ha are sitting in traffic on 84.

Clearchannel Outdoor does about $2 billion in revenue a year. That's a lot of spend if people don't think there is an ROI.

 

[whaler11]

Clearchannel Outdoor does about $2 billion in revenue a year. That's a lot of spend if people don't think there is an ROI.

Understood. I've just never met anyone who says they are particularly influenced by them. Maybe UConn has ticket buyers who wouldn't exist if not for the billboards on 91/84 but if they spend 100k which is pretty easy to do - are there 40k tickets sold to cover the direct cost nevermind the opportunity cost of other avenues.

 

[pepband99]

You have to look at the schools buying billboards in CT:

Army
Post
etc.

As much as i hate the idea of the AD thinking they have a captive audience, they likely do, in this case.

 

[pepband99]

I realize that I may have jumped the gun here a bit.

2012's media guide has the same exact wording (not shocking), and we did end up adding an affiliate (WAVZ-AM 1300 in New Haven).

Like some of you, I've also personally voiced my concerns about radio coverage to the AD. I'm hoping we get some news here soon.

 

[whaler11]

You have to look at the schools buying billboards in CT:

Army
Post
etc.

As much as i hate the idea of the AD thinking they have a captive audience, they likely do, in this case.

The Post billboards I see are for the school not football. They just show two football players as their hook is 'teamwork'.

I'd propose UConn needs to recruit fans like they do players.

Why aren't there direct sales reps in the major corporations in Hartford, New Haven and Fairfield a day each summer?

Hey it's UConn day at CIGNA. Jonathon is in the cafeteria from 11-1 posing for pictures. You've got two reps distributing applications and selling season and mini plan tickets on the spot. Buy two or four season tickets and get some kickers that actually have some value. I don't know exactly what revenue streams UConn controls but pay today and it's red parking, or some decent apparel, or women's basketball tickets. Travelers, The Hartford, Aetna, CIGNA, GE, UBS, Pratt - whoever will open their doors.

Why aren't there sales people with Jonathan out at events like the Glastonbury Irish Fest? Who better to sell to then people out drinking outside in a tailgate like atmosphere.

Trade with the Rockcats, Tigers, Bluefish - let us come sell tickets at your stadium and repay them with access or signage or something.

They have access to a ton of talented energetic kids who would be selling a school they love - many of whom struggle to find good part time jobs. Unleash them.

 

[pj]

Billboards are good for giving people usable information. If it says "Welcome to UConn Country" in big letters and below it says "Tune in to the UConn Radio Network ... WTIC 1080 AM Hartford ... WHUS 91.7 FM Storrs ... WILI 1400 AM Willimantic ... (Fairfield county station to be named)" then people will know what to do.

 

[ZooCougar]

On the short drive to Lawrence from KC you see a series of billboards, Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk.

It's great, it shows pride and it reminds the people passing through where they are. It's not like people need to be aware, more like they are reminded or something.

 

[Exit 4]

I get WTIC in Jersey. Not well, but I can get it.

Yeah, I get a very-very weak signal sometimes. Depends on the weather and which radio I am using. Most of the time its not there for me, AM radio is funny that way - its signal can really hop over long distances creating pockets. At night WFAN can be heard clear as a bell from Cape Cod to southern Delaware....sometimes even further.

 

[Husky25]

I get WTIC in Jersey. Not well, but I can get it.

I've been able, at certain times, to tune in as far south as Central Jersey and as far north as Albany New York, but it's spotty.

Yeah, I get a very-very weak signal sometimes. Depends on the weather and which radio I am using. Most of the time its not there for me, AM radio is funny that way - its signal can really hop over long distances creating pockets. At night WFAN can be heard clear as a bell from Cape Cod to southern Delaware....sometimes even further.

You don't lie. Atmospheric interference is really difficult to predict. I had a consulting gig in Bristol a couple years ago and I had a hard time some nights getting 1410 to come in east of the Arigoni Bridge.

 

[Waquoit]

Why aren't there sales people with Jonathan out at events like the Glastonbury Irish Fest? Who better to sell to then people out drinking outside in a tailgate like atmosphere.

It's the Irish MUSIC Festival, thank you very much. You trying to say that the Irish are a bunch of drinkers?

 

[huskymedic]

my nephew is playing for POST. he's a freshman. penn, Princeton, cornell, army, navy, Mansfield PA, & franklin pierce are in the league. dave coggins from sacred heart is on the team also.

Damn - that's where Coggins landed??

 

[joey3$trike$]

I think a nice big billboard showing the new Uconn jerseys/logo and brand would be a good thing No?

 

[uconnkelly]

Talked with Warde Manuel after the spring game about the radio "network". Told him that after watching two away games on TV last season I listened to the radio post game show--in the car. The reception here in Milford is spotty at best and I refuse to pay to listen online. He said that he had similar experiences when he was driving to Fairfield County or NYC and couldn't get hoops games on the radio. (Have you seen his huge pick up truck--that thing doesn't have Sirius/XM?)

Expanding the radio network has the direct benefit of games on the air as well as the indirect benefit of collateral promotion that goes along with airing the games. C'mon UCONN, get it together.

 

[FDNY99]

You have to look at the schools buying billboards in CT:

Army
Post
etc.

As much as i hate the idea of the AD thinking they have a captive audience, they likely do, in this case.

A 2 seasons ago Army had a billboard on Railroad Ave (between Prospect St and Field Point Ave) in Greenwich across from CL&P advertising Army football/season tkt info...emails to Hathaway about what UCONN was doing to sell UCONN athletics in FFC fell on deaf ears (I may have been on HFD status with Hathaway because of the emails I sent him).

 

[RioDog]

The UConn radio station 91.7 WHUS carries the game and is free to stream. Being students they are not as good as Joe D but you can stream anywhere.

Love this- just tried it and I can listen in Rio. WTIC is blocked content here.

 

[whaler11]

Love this- just tried it and I can listen in Rio. WTIC is blocked content here.

Better than no one hears John Rowland.

 

[RioDog]

Better than no one hears John Rowland.

Huhn- didn't know he has a show. I guess the Brazilian Gov't is smarter than I thought.

 

[pepband99]

So - it's official - we have espn 1300 out of new haven again. Not sufficient for sw ct, but it's not a drop, at least.

 

[CL82]

I think a billboard might be useful in selling Top of the Rent ticket packages. People may not realize just how inexpensive they actually are. Do a 'season tickets starting at..." series of ads on the major drags. Then again I'm not sure how much TV and radio selling we are doing.

While we are marketing ideas, why not give a discount to new grads? 30% off the first year, 20% the second and 10% the third year. Get them in the habit of going to the games.