My letter to Rick Chryst

[San Diego Falcon]

Mr. Chryst,

Before I address the subject of this message, as a Bowling Green alumnus, I must first thank you for the job you've done as MAC commissioner, especially in obtaining increased exposure for the conference via television contracts and bowl opportunities.

However, as I'm sure you well know, the vast majority of the country, including the fans of these schools who waited all year for this game, were deprived of seeing most of it. Only certain parts of Ohio, the few with ESPNU, and certain satellite subscribers were able to see the entire game. Yes, the weather created this conflict, but it is baffling that ESPN would deem a November pre-season, non-conference college basketball game to be more worthy of showing than a de facto divisional championship game of a Division 1A conference. To add insult to injury, they didn't announce they would be switching programming until about 10 minutes before doing so; not one time previous during that 2 hour and 40 minute delay did
they state this possibility or their intentions, which would have allowed some fans to make alternate arrangements to view the game.

Over the past few years, I have seen multiple press releases and commentary from ESPN programming personnel discussing their happiness with the impressive ratings for MAC football telecasts. If that is true, then how could they make this decision? We all know they would not have made this decision had this been a game involving BCS schools and possibly
some other conferences. This is a slap in the face to all MAC athletes, fellow students, alumni, and supporters.

We trust that you will be having very serious discussions with ESPN very soon to ensure this never happens again. You have my support and that of many others as you do so.

Best regards,



P.S. Amstutz sure is fat, isn't he?

[FalconAwesome]

As an addendum, Why does the MAC commercial have 50 stats about all of the MAC alumni in the pros and one stat about the excellent graduation rates or our athletes.

Instead of using valuable airtime to assist the recruiting of football athletes that make up less than 1/5 of 1 percent of our schools populations, why don't we spend that airtime to help our member schools recruit the other 99.95% of students?

[hammb]

As an addendum, Why does the MAC commercial have 50 stats about all of the MAC alumni in the pros and one stat about the excellent graduation rates or our athletes.

Instead of using valuable airtime to assist the recruiting of football athletes that make up less than 1/5 of 1 percent of our schools populations, why don't we spend that airtime to help our member schools recruit the other 99.95% of students?

A high quality athletic program brings in far more students than you can ever imagine. I think transfer would be the better person to ask, but I seem to recall that BG has seen a definite uprise in applications submitted since the football team gained national recognition. Am I wrong Transfer?

[JohnnySwoop '85]

Largely because commercials touting the Science dept's drosophilia study or room and board at Maison de Francais would only attract 1/10th of 1 percent.

On the other hand I think the commerical showing the depressed kid alone in the football stadium will go along way for recruiting that 1/18,000 prospective student to join him.

[1987alum]

I think it was NIU's president who said the athletic department is like the front porch to your house - it's the first thing most folks see and we all know about first impressions.

[San Diego Falcon]

[email protected]

Send him a message. I sent him my message this morning. We'll see if he responds.

[kdog27]

Largely because commercials touting the Science dept's drosophilia study or room and board at Maison de Francais would only attract 1/10th of 1 percent.

On the other hand I think the commerical showing the depressed kid alone in the football stadium will go along way for recruiting that 1/18,000 prospective student to join him.

My problem with the commercial is that it is old. This is the third or fourth season it has been on.

[San Diego Falcon]

My problem with the commercial is that it is old. This is the third or fourth season it has been on.

They just update the MAC's bowl record each year for that second it's on the screen.

[Tricky_Falcon]

I bet he doesn't respond. But I do know for a fact that he glances the messageboards to get an idea of what everyone is thinking. How often he comes to AZZ.com I am not 100% certain. But as a former intern at the MAC I might have been chewed out by one of the head guys (not the comish) for browsing this website. Main thing I was told was not to post because they didn't want people tracing it back to the MAC office.

[FalconAwesome]

A high quality athletic program brings in far more students than you can ever imagine. I think transfer would be the better person to ask, but I seem to recall that BG has seen a definite uprise in applications submitted since the football team gained national recognition. Am I wrong Transfer?

Can you tie that uptick in applications directly to our sporting success? Perhaps it has to do with our university-wide marketing campaign. Perhaps it has to do with our improving reputation. Did you really pick BG because they had football games on TV and the conference they were in sent Chad Pennington to the pros?

[BGDrew]

It's no joke. The office of admissions said the record setting freshmen class in 2004 was due to more financial aid, more programs, and the success of the football team.

[NYFalcon94]

A high quality athletic program brings in far more students than you can ever imagine. I think transfer would be the better person to ask, but I seem to recall that BG has seen a definite uprise in applications submitted since the football team gained national recognition. Am I wrong Transfer?

Can you tie that uptick in applications directly to our sporting success? Perhaps it has to do with our university-wide marketing campaign. Perhaps it has to do with our improving reputation. Did you really pick BG because they had football games on TV and the conference they were in sent Chad Pennington to the pros?

I have worked in a high school for 12 years and I am always talking up BG. Don't underestimate the positive impression left on kids when they see us on television.

[transfer2BGSU]

I cannot tie our Fall 2004 enrollment to any one thing.

Financial aid - in Fall 2004, we put out a very nice scholarship package and touted the availability of the awards. We appear to be the only state university that puts out the exact requirements to qualify for a freshman academic scholarship. Most counselors tell me that the other scholols talk in general terms, BGSU gets specific.

Campus visits - we've seen an increase in students visiting campus over the last five years. We're already ahead of where we were in 2004 (which was ahead of 2003, which was ahead of 2002, well..you get the picture).

Athletic Success - YES, our success in athletics also helps us. How many times did we appear on TV in Fall 2003? How many millions of dollars of free publicity did we get just from ESPN College GameDay coming on campus? Everytime they came back from commerical with "Welcome back to College GameDay. We're coming from Bowling Green, Ohio" it was FREE!!!! Now you're speaking my language.

Just a note - Northern Illinois University saw a HUMONGOUS increase in applications for Fall 2004 (I believe it was almost 10,000+ applications due to the publicity it received for it's football season. But NIU had no applikcation fee if a student applied for admission on-line. We charge an app fee whether you apply on-line or complete the paper app. We had a sizeable increase in our enrollment, NIU lost freshmen that year, and our friends up north....)

The success BGSU has experienced in recent years come from an outstanding Admissions staff doing their jobs!

The success BGSU has experienced in recent years comes from its outstanding alumni talking about their alma mater! Thanks to SW-MI Falcon and FalconFan1 among others who have assisted the Office of Admissions at various college fairs.

The success BGSU has experienced in recent years comes from the faculty and staff giving their time and energy at various recruitment programs like the two Preview Days in the fall and Presidents' Day in the spring!

The success BGSU has experienced in recent years comes from the hard work of the BGSU students and student-athletes! Take a look at the retention rate from Fall 2004 to Fall 2005.

There are numerous reasons BGSU has experienced success in enrolling and maintaining student enrollment figures.

[Schadenfreude]

As an addendum, Why does the MAC commercial have 50 stats about all of the MAC alumni in the pros and one stat about the excellent graduation rates or our athletes.

I love the MAC's commercial. It is first-class. It really captures what we are about, and it's production values are excellent.

The only thing that bugs me a bit is the Temple helmet at the end. I actually think bringing in Temple is a decent decision. But I don't think it's worth bragging about.

Seriously: I LOVE the commercial. I almost get choked up when I see it.

[FalconAwesome]

I have worked in a high school for 12 years and I am always talking up BG. Don't underestimate the positive impression left on kids when they see us on television.

This is exactly my point. These kids do get an impression of us when they see us on television.

I think the MAC should be helping our hard-working admissions staff and the stafs at other member institutions recruit these kids, not the select few who are trying realize their NFL dreams by playing in the MAC. I just think it is more important to tell the viewing public that we have quality schools, rather than playing up the quality of our football.