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Kgrimmwsu
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Username: Kgrimmwsu

Post Number: 113
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Monday, November 10, 2008 - 10:23 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I was wondering if any WMU alum's here on the board attended and what was their opinion of the current billboard campaign being used in Metro Detroit and throughout the state to attract new students.
It was a great game (WMU beat Illinois 23-17), but next year's matchup against MSU at Ford Field should sell out.
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Mortgageking
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Username: Mortgageking

Post Number: 252
Registered: 12-2006
Posted on Monday, November 10, 2008 - 10:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Great game, it made me proud to be a Bronco.

I hate the signs, esp: "Grab the Reigns."

When it comes to advertising for a university, I believe that less is more; not advertising like they're trying to get people into a McDonalds or something.

Something simple and classy that makes people think "higher education." Maybe a big WMU in block letters.

(Message edited by mortgageking on November 10, 2008)
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Chuckjav
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Username: Chuckjav

Post Number: 1093
Registered: 09-2007
Posted on Monday, November 10, 2008 - 10:58 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Mortgageking...regarding WMU billboards, I agree 100%.

Also, to build upon what you had mentioned - regarding billboard simplicity; this is particularly true when advertising a school in Kalamazoo, to an otherwise unfamiliar southeastern Michigan audience.
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Michigansheik
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Username: Michigansheik

Post Number: 320
Registered: 09-2005
Posted on Monday, November 10, 2008 - 11:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

i have fun at the game, go broncos!
looking forward to next years game!

not a fan of the current billboards.
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Spiritofdetroit
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Username: Spiritofdetroit

Post Number: 1240
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Monday, November 10, 2008 - 11:35 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

less than 13,000 in the crowd... ouch.
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Focusonthed
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Username: Focusonthed

Post Number: 2083
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 11:05 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

That has a lot to do with Illinois. They didn't travel well for this game (can't blame em I guess).

Of that 13,000 (folks that were there estimate that number was about 5,000 short somehow), at least 10-11k were WMU fans.
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Mickeymac
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Username: Mickeymac

Post Number: 49
Registered: 08-2008
Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 5:56 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Not a football fan, but since WMU is right here in my home turf of Kalamazoo, I thought I would stick my head in.
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Vivadetroit
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Username: Vivadetroit

Post Number: 109
Registered: 04-2008
Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 8:27 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'm not a WMU alumni, but my brother is and he loves the billboards. I am not a fan of them, but if it pulls kids in to go to WMU, then good for the school.

I was at the game and it was a good turnout for WMU since they have a hard time getting students to go to the games in Kzoo. My brother, who was a former WSA prez, is friends w/ some of the bigwigs at WMU and they were asking how they could get kids to stay at the games or even go to them. He mentioned a ploy that they had in the late 90s - give away a semester's tuition to one lucky kid per game - only catch is that you had to stay til the last 2 minutes of the game. That will pull 'em in!

Can't wait til next year's game w/ Michigan State. That one will sell out for sure!! Go State!
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Detroit_pride
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Username: Detroit_pride

Post Number: 34
Registered: 02-2008
Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 9:13 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

WMU Alum here and went to the game. It is good to be able to support the team with having to drive to Kalamazoo. I'm not for certain, but I have a feeling that there are quite a few alumni living in the Metro Detroit area.

Ford Field on the other hand only had two concession stands open on each side of the field. THe lines were ridiculous and they lost a lot of sales due to that. They did however sell beer at the event....different then when the NCAA basketball was here last March, not sure why that is.

As far as the billboards....keep them up. I've been seeing Central, Eastern, Wayne State and even Toledo is putting up signs trying to attract the students.
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Focusonthed
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Username: Focusonthed

Post Number: 2084
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 9:23 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

WMU students pack the student section and stay for the whole game now, seriously. I'm a 2005 alum and they never used to...but I've been to 2 games in Kalamazoo this year, and the students have stayed.
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Chuckjav
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Username: Chuckjav

Post Number: 1094
Registered: 09-2007
Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 10:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Speaking (again) of the WMU billboards...anything is better than the old "Don't Stop Now - Try Western" campaign of the mid-late 1970s.

...Pert' near made me feel inferior for to-goin' thar.

(Message edited by chuckjav on November 11, 2008)
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Bibs
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Username: Bibs

Post Number: 733
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 10:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

If Lynwood Bartley wasn't giving them so much homework then they would be able to go to the football games! Lynwood is probably long retired. But any Alum that had him will certainly remember his name!
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Lefty2
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Username: Lefty2

Post Number: 2836
Registered: 07-2007
Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 11:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Go Bronco's, alum, student council member.
Does anyone remember the Puking Moose Saloon? Student ghetto parties on Davis.
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Kgrimmwsu
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Username: Kgrimmwsu

Post Number: 114
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 11:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

As bad as many people think WMU's football attendance is,it has consistently ranked number #1 in the Mid-American Conference for the past decade and holds most of the attendance records in the MAC.
(I dont count the PSU/Temple game at Lincoln Financial)
"Waldo Stadium has become one of the top drawing stadiums in the MAC in recent years. In 2000, WMU sold out its season opener against Indiana State, setting a MAC home attendance mark in the process with 36,361 fans." (From www.wmubroncos.com)

We have to remember how difficult it is to attract people to these games since WMU is reasonable driving distance to MSU,UofM,and Notre Dame.
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Mortgageking
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Username: Mortgageking

Post Number: 253
Registered: 12-2006
Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 - 12:06 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

My place on Eldred Street (two houses up from Jimmy Johns). A quick stumble to the Stadium, the Ghetto and of course, Waldos.





We were well known for our rope-swing. You could swing that thing out over the street. Its a wonder that nobody was ever seriously hurt.

We also had a treehouse in the back yard.
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Focusonthed
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Username: Focusonthed

Post Number: 2085
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 - 11:54 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I lived on Lafayette, student ghetto the sequel.
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Kgrimmwsu
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Username: Kgrimmwsu

Post Number: 115
Registered: 06-2004
Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 - 6:44 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

My favorite part of WMU will always be the view from East Hall overlooking all of Kalamazoo. Now there's a place to hang out and have a couple beers
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Detroit_pride
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Username: Detroit_pride

Post Number: 35
Registered: 02-2008
Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 - 7:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I was there the day they closed down the knollwood tavern....only thing left were Zima's and Memories. Followed by some breakfast stew at MAggies.
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Focusonthed
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Username: Focusonthed

Post Number: 2086
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 - 10:04 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Isn't the parking services building there now? Or across the street. Something like that. I find that funny. Never had the chance to go to the Knollwood.

Though I do mourn the loss of the original Bilbo's. At least Waldo's is just as awesomely shitty as always.
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Quonset_hut
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Username: Quonset_hut

Post Number: 19
Registered: 08-2008
Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 - 10:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"Reaching such a figure in the 65,000-seat venue has been more difficult than imagined, though an estimated 12,000-15,000 fans are all that's needed to break even financially, said Monty Porter, WMU's associated athletic director of business affairs.

Porter says WMU is on the hook for between $425,000 and $475,000, factoring in a $300,000 guarantee to the University of Illinois and its Ford Field costs.

"If the numbers aren't as high as we'd like them to be, the Ford Field folks will scale back the personnel they need, which will lower the opening numbers," Porter said."

http://www.mlive.com/broncos/i ndex.ssf/2008/11/ticket_sales_ sluggish_for_wmui.html

Going from the Ford Field Parking Ramp to the Stadium was the shortest walk ever to see a football game. They closed off the upper decks and must have relocated anyone who bought seats in those areas. The limited concession stands open was a way to economize per the article.
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Lefty2
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Username: Lefty2

Post Number: 2861
Registered: 07-2007
Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 - 10:56 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

well at least they beat the a big ten team.
WMU owes 450K WTF.
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Focusonthed
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Username: Focusonthed

Post Number: 2087
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 - 11:39 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

That article was written last week. They owed $300k to the UofI for the game, and then the rest to Ford Field or the Lions or whoever.

It's not like they owe $450k MORE.

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