Recruiting Student Fans!!!

[Falcon Fanatic]

As I mentioned earlier, the Falcon Hockey coaching staff is working hard to increase attendance at the games. Here is an example of that: Tonight the Falcon Hockey Coaches sponsored a student fan night. Each player brought 2 students (which oddly enough, were mostly female ) to the Alumni Lounge at the rink for pizza and some hockey "education." They showed a video clip (made back in 1988, when Paluch was a senior) that featured Section A and the ice arena at full capacity during the Michigan State game. The tape highlighted everything that was great about the crowds, what we all used to scream and yell and why the BG hockey games were the hottest ticket in town. Coach Paluch talked about getting the students to have an identity (a group name, similar to the Sideline Squad for Basketball) with T-Shirts that have that name on it (Orange shirts to wear to every game.) Everyone in attendance will get the first shirts once they are designed and printed. Students were asked to think of ideas and get involved with the team and the program. Several of us "veteran" fans were invited to attend to speak about what it was like in the glory days of Falcon Hockey. We even had a former Freddie Falcon in attendance. We spoke of the things that we used to yell, the unity in our cheers and the grief we used to give the opposing goalie. We talked about lining up 2 hours before the doors opened and busting our tails to get to the Section A ahd H seats on the glass. We told them how the students used to have to get a student ticket with their ID's on Monday or Tuesday morning or they couldn't get into the games on Friday and Saturday nights.

It was well attended and very well received! Hopefully with things like this, the student fans will return in numbers!!

Also, one other thing, I asked the players how the freshman were fitting in and one highly ranked player said that this was probably the BEST class that has come in here in his four years here, and probably the BEST in a long, long time; that they are going to play A LOT this year!!!

Saturday, October 9th cannot get here fast enough!!!!
DROP THE PUCK, ALREADY!!!!!!

[bgbill]

That sounds great! Can't wait to hear thousands of students chanting as they did in the 80's.

I wonder if Scott has ever thought about going on the offense with goalie taunting. When the north end seating was added, Jerry York decided to switch team benches, among other reasons so that our goalie could be in a friendly end for two periods. Wouldn't it be better to put the opponent in the closed end, so that our student section could really get on him during the first and third periods?

It would also be better if the penalty boxes were in front of a student section, rather than the genteel section they now occupy.

I'd like to take a couple of interested students along to some of the road games; give them a taste of what our guys face.

[Falcon Fanatic]

I'd like to take a couple of interested students along to some of the road games; give them a taste of what our guys face.

That sounds like fun...would you take along a couple of older fans who rarely get to go to road games? 8)

[BGFan]

I believe that York moved the opposing goalie into the closed in area thinking that it would be more imposing to him. The idea backfired as far as I'm concerned because all of the good, intelligent taunters were in sections A and H and pretty much stayed there.

A group did develop in section E (remnents of which still remain) however they never really developed the wit needed to truly get under the skin of the opposing goalie.

[bgbill]

I'd like to take a couple of interested students along to some of the road games; give them a taste of what our guys face.

That sounds like fun...would you take along a couple of older fans who rarely get to go to road games? 8)

Sure. Know a couple of older fans?


One of these days I'm going to teach myself how to edit a quote on this board.

[BGFan]

Chuck and Nan? They're older!

As far as we're concerned.....we're well broken in.

[BGSUfanatUT]

FF that sounds FREAKin amazing! I wish I could have been there, I know I cannot possibly be the 'veteran' fan that can honestly remember all of that, being as I am 20, but I know my falcon hockey, and I know it well. My dad was a hockey coach, and Ive been at that ice arena since b4 I can remember. I am so excited about this season, it needs to start already. What Im not looking for is the $30-$40 gas and 5 hours of driving time it takes to get there and back from Cinci all the time

What all was the video about? I NEED DETAILS!!!!!! They didnt mention anything about the '84 title game DVD did they? I still need to get my hands on that.

Hopefully this really got soem student interest going for this season. As small as that place it, there is NO REASON to not sell out every seat every game, NO REASON! WE need to be loud, we need to be rowdy, and we need to support our icers!

[Falcon Fanatic]

FF that sounds FREAKin amazing! I wish I could have been there, I know I cannot possibly be the 'veteran' fan that can honestly remember all of that, being as I am 20, but I know my falcon hockey, and I know it well. My dad was a hockey coach, and Ive been at that ice arena since b4 I can remember. I am so excited about this season, it needs to start already. What Im not looking for is the $30-$40 gas and 5 hours of driving time it takes to get there and back from Cinci all the time

What all was the video about? I NEED DETAILS!!!!!! They didnt mention anything about the '84 title game DVD did they? I still need to get my hands on that.

Hopefully this really got soem student interest going for this season. As small as that place it, there is NO REASON to not sell out every seat every game, NO REASON! WE need to be loud, we need to be rowdy, and we need to support our icers!

The video is part of a tv show that I taped back in 1988. It was from a show that WBGU produced called, "Time Out" and it was all about BG athletics and was hosted by Larry Weiss. They happened to do a segment on Section A at the hockey games. It was about 5 minutes long and showed the stands overflowing with screaming fans. I happened to keep the tape (amazingly enough) and brought it to the rink to show the coaches when they asked me to speak at this event tonight. They had not seen it and Coach Paluch didn't even remember being inteviewed for it. The coaches used it to show the students (and players) in attendance tonight how awesome it used to be in this rink. It was VERY well received and I am sure they will be using it again for other things as well.

Regarding the '84 Championship video. It will NOT be for sale. They are NOT allowed to sell it (as per the NCAA). The athletic department was only allowed to have a certain number of copies made (most of which went to the people who sponsored the tables at the '84 Championship Anniversary Banquet.) So, sorry about this news, though it was posted on the old board shortly after the anniversary event.

Btw, it's REALLY great to have you on here talking hockey with us!! We need to get others to SPEAK UP, as I know they are lurking out there!!!

GO HOCKEY!!!!

[Flipper]

Man, it was so much fun when the ice arena was packed. I think I was at that MSU game in 1988, or one of them anyway.

Screw Ron Mason.....

[Tricky_Falcon]

It would've been nice if they would have got the word out about tonight's meeting. I would have liked going. Oh yeah no surprise that the players brought ladies to the event...

[FindlayFalcon]

Chuck and Nan? They're older!

As far as we're concerned.....we're well broken in.

Thanks a lot Rick. But seriously---we would love to take a few road trips but I'm afraid they would be really lloonnnggg trips since we will be in "sunny" Florida with the hurricanes. Ugh

[Lord_Byron]

We told them how the students used to have to get a student ticket with their ID's on Monday or Tuesday morning or they couldn't get into the games on Friday and Saturday nights.

This flashed me back to remember that the tickets were color coded for each game with a game number on them. They rotated about 4 or 5 colors, so for days we didn't have tickets, we'd erase the number on an old one and draw in a new one to use a forged ticket.

Otherwise, we'd be sitting at home and not see the game.

[Falcon Fanatic]

It would've been nice if they would have got the word out about tonight's meeting. I would have liked going. Oh yeah no surprise that the players brought ladies to the event...

I don't think it was meant to be an advertised event. It was a launch of sorts, to start to generate interest in fans who are unfamiliar with Falcon Hockey's tradition (though, that would be nearly ALL of the students nowdays!!). I am sure they will be doing more things. They had the the marketing guys there talking about the fact that they are going to have giveaways for students at the games and one game will have a big gift certificate for students to use at the bookstore (to buy the next semester's books).

[BGSUfanatUT]

We told them how the students used to have to get a student ticket with their ID's on Monday or Tuesday morning or they couldn't get into the games on Friday and Saturday nights.

This flashed me back to remember that the tickets were color coded for each game with a game number on them. They rotated about 4 or 5 colors, so for days we didn't have tickets, we'd erase the number on an old one and draw in a new one to use a forged ticket.

Otherwise, we'd be sitting at home and not see the game.

That is glorious. Man I would do about anything to be at the point where people were forging tix to get ino tthe game. As I said b4, with 5000 seats, it really shouldnt be that hard. oswho is about the only team that sells out anymore, and thats b/c half of our students go to cheer for the suckeyes.

[NWLB]

I believe that York moved the opposing goalie into the closed in area thinking that it would be more imposing to him. The idea backfired as far as I'm concerned because all of the good, intelligent taunters were in sections A and H and pretty much stayed there.

A group did develop in section E (remnents of which still remain) however they never really developed the wit needed to truly get under the skin of the opposing goalie.

Not speaking personally, I think a lot of the then younger set, found the OLD humor to be to campy to use. I don't think anybody failed to appreciate the past, but too many people in their 40s trying to explain what seemed like ancient history. IE, the entire "sucks" issue with remains today. In Sec. E we were more interested in getting under the officals skin than the other goalie. Though York was there at the start, when Buddy arrived, he switched where the goalies started, and that did a lot to end the focus on that.

What I think was great about Sec. E was that it generally came about on its own, as the next bunch will. I won't compare the Sideline Squad with a direct comparison to any of the hockey groups. Two different animals.

It had its own bright little point in time, and in due course, it will either revitalize, with new and younger types, or another Section will take off. It seems clear the interest is in Sec. A.

Curiously, as part of my ever-ongoing history project, I just got in touch with EM Swift at SI, who drafted the now famous article from 1979. I'll have to quiz him on some of that.