Sebastabear;842198783 said:

---

No way this is real. Why would the OP soliciting this kind of feedback not give his/ her name or title? Why would they pick just this one segment for feedback when Cal is trying new stuff almost every game and this segment was obviously a disaster? I think the feedback was pretty evident when no one participated. Doesn't make any sense.

But I think there have been a lot of good thoughts in here and I for one am going to pass this link along to those I know at Cal who really do manage the Cal game day experience. I think they need to hear this message.

---

I agree with your line of thought. Anyone from our AD would put in their signature who they are and what they do. I suppose its possible that our AD is so unprofessional that they skipped it... I hope not.

I'm hoping its just another BI forum goer giving all the other BIers a place to vent.

BearsWiin;842198743 said:

---

This right here needs to be printed out by the thousands and used as wallpaper in any and every place anybody associated with the AD is known to frequent. Buildings, elevators, stairways, cubicles, bathroom stalls, everywhere. Maybe then, over time, somebody will notice it and read a few lines. Then next time they're taking a dump they'll see it again and say "Hey, didn't I just see this somewhere else?" and read a few more lines. It may take a while, because let's face it, for smart people they don't seem too bright, but it just might sink in.

Title it "The OaktownBear Manifesto" and start papering up the campus, people. Staple it to their fucking foreheads if you have to.

---

LOL :rollinglaugh:
LOL :rollinglaugh:
LOL :rollinglaugh:
LOL :rollinglaugh:


+1

To add to Oaktown's awesome list, I remember the Cal students in the '70's blowing up balloons in the student section- yellow for those sitting in the block C and blue for those on the surrounding area.

They would hold them up shaking them which looked really cool and then all pop them at the same time..as kids we would always wander the student section after the game getting all the balloons that didn't get used (hey we were kids- we couldn't afford balloons!) The carnation top comment triggered that memory..

It really is amazing how bad the game day experience has become, especially when there is such a weak product on the field right now😞

Sebastabear;842198783 said:

---

No way this is real. Why would the OP soliciting this kind of feedback not give his/ her name or title? Why would they pick just this one segment for feedback when Cal is trying new stuff almost every game and this segment was obviously a disaster? I think the feedback was pretty evident when no one participated. Doesn't make any sense.

But I think there have been a lot of good thoughts in here and I for one am going to pass this link along to those I know at Cal who really do manage the Cal game day experience. I think they need to hear this message.

---

I assumed he was a trickster but he may be a Psychologist doing a thesis on manipulation of group behavior via the internet

BearsWiin;842198743 said:

---

This right here needs to be printed out by the thousands and used as wallpaper in any and every place anybody associated with the AD is known to frequent. Buildings, elevators, stairways, cubicles, bathroom stalls, everywhere. Maybe then, over time, somebody will notice it and read a few lines. Then next time they're taking a dump they'll see it again and say "Hey, didn't I just see this somewhere else?" and read a few more lines. It may take a while, because let's face it, for smart people they don't seem too bright, but it just might sink in.

Title it "The OaktownBear Manifesto" and start papering up the campus, people. Staple it to their fucking foreheads if you have to.

---

Great idea! and OaktownBear's post deserves a definite +100!

kadl;842198661 said:

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Hey CAL Football Community,

During the Cal vs. Washington State football we decided to test out a new segment which involved members of Section TT singing and dancing to the tune of "I'm a Believer"during the 3rd and 4th Quarter.

I would appreciate if everyone who heard, participated, or knew of the segment please give me some feedback on what worked, what didn't work, and possible improvements. Also, do you feel like it engaged those who weren't really interested in college football by creating a fun experience with friends and family?

Tell me what you think?

Thank you!

---

Thank you for soliciting feedback and I agree with feedback already provided by OaktownBear. When I read your request the biggest FAIL that jumped right out to me the fact that your marketing is being geared towards those who weren't really interested in college football.

Please play to Cal fans with Cal traditions and Cal songs. It seems that for several years now the in-stadium experience (and this has nothing to do with team and the play on the field) has steadily gotten worse and worse. For example, gimmicky promos that have NOTHING to do with Cal or Cal football, but which detract from the game day experience. Silencing the Band for piped in music - especially when the band is such source of Cal pride - heck, contract with the band to provide the music you want.

Consider your audience and instead of marketing towards those who weren't really interested in college football, perhaps you shoule put your energy and focus marketing towards those who are interested in COLLEGE football...specifically CAL football.

concernedparent;842198760 said:

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Absolutely awful.

It's like the Angels playing Build me up buttercup during the stretch, Halobear knows what I'm talking about.

---

As do I. Moreno and his wife seem to love that song, however, so it'll probably be around a while.

smh

OaktownBear;842198725 said:

---

At the risk of looking foolish, I'm going to assume you are for real.

I'm sorry you have gotten rude responses, but you have to realize that the segment you are describing is a perfect example of how tone deaf the athletic department has become to its fan base. We want our Cal games back. Every time you see something at a Giants game, or A's game, or 49ers game or Raiders game, and think "we should do that at Cal", stop. Just stop. No more cheesy ads. No more stupid fan segments. We don't want them. We all grew up with a particular Cal experience at football games. Now it is a homogenized shopping mall of a game that could be any two-bit sporting event anywhere except that the players happen to have a Cal logo on their helmet. The athletic department took advantage of a winning program to squeeze every last dollar out of the fan and every last advertisement they could find, and have drained the experience of any college tradition or Cal tradition. I don't think anyone there even knows anything about what the game experience used to be like anymore. I know many people who had been going to games for decades who stopped going WHILE WE WERE WINNING.

Are you guys aware that through years of losing, you had a loyal group of fans that used to say "I come for the band". Some were joking. Some weren't. The band was an integral part of the experience and they have been shunted aside. Many people are upset by this. You want to do a promotion. Do a "Free the Band!" promotion. Get Acme Lumber and Siding to pay for some good will by sponsoring the band for a quarter, so they get an announcement, the band gets to play. Also, it used to be a big deal to a lot of people to go to the pre-game band concert at Sproul, march up with the band, hang out after the game and listen to the post-game band concert (sometimes after a special victory a football player would conduct the band in victory), go through the tunnel with the band, down to Bowles Hall where they played, and march with them down Bancroft. You should have the band front and center in your marketing instead of treating it like a nuisance.

Get in your way back machine and go to 19990, 1980, 1970, and look at what the game experience was like. That is what we want. We are Cal people who go to games to relive our college experience and share it with our families. We are irreverent, and our crowds often make their own entertainment. We want the band to play. We want to do cheers. Let the band play. Get some mic men who know what they are doing to roam around to different sections doing Cal cheers. Better yet, see if you can get some of our past mic-men who alumni might recognize to come back and do their thing. Maybe do some of their cheers from their era. Challenge the alumni to show the students how it is done.

Overall, do as little as possible, but when you do things, DO CAL THINGS. Seriously, I don't think anyone there has any idea about any historical Cal football history. (Let me ask, does C-A-L Aroo-ra-roo-ra-rah! mean anything to you? I'll give you a clue to make it obvious C-A-L, Who ya rootin' for?!) You need to know these things to market to a Cal crowd.

Some ideas:

1. Cal used to have a family section in the endzone. You got a season ticket that allowed 2 adults and 3 kids into all the games, except for Stanford which you could opt to buy for full price. First of all, it brought young families to games at a reasonable price (for instance, see your promotion for the Oregon State Game. $99 for four is a reasonable price for a family of four. It is certainly better than $260 per game). My family never would have gone to games at the price you normally charge now. It also made one section a family/kids oriented zone. You created a lot of Cal fans in that section. It was massively short sighted when Barbour decided she could get more money for those seats and eliminated that section. Well, now you ain't going to sell out the stadium for a long time. Time to start trying to build that relationship back. Bring back the family section. Season ticket cost of $100 bucks a game for 2 adults and 2 kids. And think about it. If you won't be convinced to stop the cheesy promotions, you now have a section of parents and kids where you can target ads. (hope you don't)
2. The guy blungld on this thread. He is one half of the duo that used to do the Bear Territory show. (sort of a demi-god in the Cal pantheon) That show holds a lot of fond memories for Cal fans. Does anyone in the athletic department know that show? If you are going to do segments, maybe do Bear Territory style segments. Maybe Chris and/or Steve might help, or even do a segment on occasion if you asked. (Don't know). But this is the kind of thing to be looking at.
3. Cal used to let people down on the field after the games to listen to the band and leave through the tunnel. Kids played football on the real football field. Wasn't a huge crowd, but it created a homey atmosphere. Stop being paranoid about the field, spend a little to clean it up and let people do something like this again.
4. Find out little things from Cal fans that they remember fondly. Like, you guys used to sell Carnation Malts with paper pull tops. For years kids would get their malts, pull the tops, and fling them on the field so that the area behind the endzone would littered with Carnation tops at the end of the game. Stupid little thing, but a stupid little CAL thing. The Cal rooting section used to launch water balloons and throw fruit at opposing bands, especially Stanford, USC, and UCLA. I know that is never going to be allowed again and I'm not asking it to be. But if you are going to have stupid segments, build them around these types of memories. Use your segments to remind people why they loved going to Cal games, not to remind them why they would rather stay home and watch it on TV.

If you have an idea that has nothing to do with Cal or Cal history, stop. My big idea for next year would be to acknowledge to yourselves that the football team is not good right now and to get the crowd that used to come despite losing back. Market "remember when Cal football was fun? Unique? Irreverent?" The band. The Play. Shots of old Cal crowds with sixties clothes and hair. Go retro. We have always been a retro fan base. Market to families. Remind today's parents about what was special about games when they were kids.

We are not a pro sports fanbase. If we are, you are screwed because all we would care about is the product on the field, and that is not good right now. Seriously, the Barbour era has drained the fun out of Cal football. She needs to make amends and bring it back. Stop trying to be the Giants. Stop trying to be Oregon. Stop trying to be cutting edge (we aren't, and you hopelessly are not and look ridiculous when you try) Be Cal.

---

Wow great post! I'm a current student and didnt know about those traditions. That is very telling

OaktownBear;842198725 said:

---

At the risk of looking foolish, I'm going to assume you are for real.

I'm sorry you have gotten rude responses, but you have to realize that the segment you are describing is a perfect example of how tone deaf the athletic department has become to its fan base. We want our Cal games back. Every time you see something at a Giants game, or A's game, or 49ers game or Raiders game, and think "we should do that at Cal", stop. Just stop. No more cheesy ads. No more stupid fan segments. We don't want them. We all grew up with a particular Cal experience at football games. Now it is a homogenized shopping mall of a game that could be any two-bit sporting event anywhere except that the players happen to have a Cal logo on their helmet. The athletic department took advantage of a winning program to squeeze every last dollar out of the fan and every last advertisement they could find, and have drained the experience of any college tradition or Cal tradition. I don't think anyone there even knows anything about what the game experience used to be like anymore. I know many people who had been going to games for decades who stopped going WHILE WE WERE WINNING.

Are you guys aware that through years of losing, you had a loyal group of fans that used to say "I come for the band". Some were joking. Some weren't. The band was an integral part of the experience and they have been shunted aside. Many people are upset by this. You want to do a promotion. Do a "Free the Band!" promotion. Get Acme Lumber and Siding to pay for some good will by sponsoring the band for a quarter, so they get an announcement, the band gets to play. Also, it used to be a big deal to a lot of people to go to the pre-game band concert at Sproul, march up with the band, hang out after the game and listen to the post-game band concert (sometimes after a special victory a football player would conduct the band in victory), go through the tunnel with the band, down to Bowles Hall where they played, and march with them down Bancroft. You should have the band front and center in your marketing instead of treating it like a nuisance.

Get in your way back machine and go to 19990, 1980, 1970, and look at what the game experience was like. That is what we want. We are Cal people who go to games to relive our college experience and share it with our families. We are irreverent, and our crowds often make their own entertainment. We want the band to play. We want to do cheers. Let the band play. Get some mic men who know what they are doing to roam around to different sections doing Cal cheers. Better yet, see if you can get some of our past mic-men who alumni might recognize to come back and do their thing. Maybe do some of their cheers from their era. Challenge the alumni to show the students how it is done.

Overall, do as little as possible, but when you do things, DO CAL THINGS. Seriously, I don't think anyone there has any idea about any historical Cal football history. (Let me ask, does C-A-L Aroo-ra-roo-ra-rah! mean anything to you? I'll give you a clue to make it obvious C-A-L, Who ya rootin' for?!) You need to know these things to market to a Cal crowd.

Some ideas:

1. Cal used to have a family section in the endzone. You got a season ticket that allowed 2 adults and 3 kids into all the games, except for Stanford which you could opt to buy for full price. First of all, it brought young families to games at a reasonable price (for instance, see your promotion for the Oregon State Game. $99 for four is a reasonable price for a family of four. It is certainly better than $260 per game). My family never would have gone to games at the price you normally charge now. It also made one section a family/kids oriented zone. You created a lot of Cal fans in that section. It was massively short sighted when Barbour decided she could get more money for those seats and eliminated that section. Well, now you ain't going to sell out the stadium for a long time. Time to start trying to build that relationship back. Bring back the family section. Season ticket cost of $100 bucks a game for 2 adults and 2 kids. And think about it. If you won't be convinced to stop the cheesy promotions, you now have a section of parents and kids where you can target ads. (hope you don't)
2. The guy blungld on this thread. He is one half of the duo that used to do the Bear Territory show. (sort of a demi-god in the Cal pantheon) That show holds a lot of fond memories for Cal fans. Does anyone in the athletic department know that show? If you are going to do segments, maybe do Bear Territory style segments. Maybe Chris and/or Steve might help, or even do a segment on occasion if you asked. (Don't know). But this is the kind of thing to be looking at.
3. Cal used to let people down on the field after the games to listen to the band and leave through the tunnel. Kids played football on the real football field. Wasn't a huge crowd, but it created a homey atmosphere. Stop being paranoid about the field, spend a little to clean it up and let people do something like this again.
4. Find out little things from Cal fans that they remember fondly. Like, you guys used to sell Carnation Malts with paper pull tops. For years kids would get their malts, pull the tops, and fling them on the field so that the area behind the endzone would littered with Carnation tops at the end of the game. Stupid little thing, but a stupid little CAL thing. The Cal rooting section used to launch water balloons and throw fruit at opposing bands, especially Stanford, USC, and UCLA. I know that is never going to be allowed again and I'm not asking it to be. But if you are going to have stupid segments, build them around these types of memories. Use your segments to remind people why they loved going to Cal games, not to remind them why they would rather stay home and watch it on TV.

If you have an idea that has nothing to do with Cal or Cal history, stop. My big idea for next year would be to acknowledge to yourselves that the football team is not good right now and to get the crowd that used to come despite losing back. Market "remember when Cal football was fun? Unique? Irreverent?" The band. The Play. Shots of old Cal crowds with sixties clothes and hair. Go retro. We have always been a retro fan base. Market to families. Remind today's parents about what was special about games when they were kids.

We are not a pro sports fanbase. If we are, you are screwed because all we would care about is the product on the field, and that is not good right now. Seriously, the Barbour era has drained the fun out of Cal football. She needs to make amends and bring it back. Stop trying to be the Giants. Stop trying to be Oregon. Stop trying to be cutting edge (we aren't, and you hopelessly are not and look ridiculous when you try) Be Cal.

---

This should be mandatory reading for the Cal Marketing Department and Athletic Department. I simply can not believe the ineptitude they show when they are, as you say, tone deaf to this input. Brands kill for brand evangelists--and Cal had it here in spades. Instead of using this resource, they ignore it and have actively unwittingly killed it. I think they've lost perspective and are in a proverbial echo chamber.

Why on Earth aren't they stumbling over themselves to listen and recruit our help and loyalty? We could help their marketing efforts be on target and well-supported. Why isn't there a BI consulting group or an ongoing active Cal marketing dialogue/chat with us?

As for the Bear Territory reference, thanks. I wonder if anyone outside of Herb Benenson and Scott Ball (maybe a few others) know what Bear Territory is/was. We were always ignored and marginalized by Cal. We would have done anything to support Cal and we were never asked. Not once. We had to create any opportunities we did ourselves at rallies, games, on tv, etc. We were persona non grata. What a waste. We actually got WAAAAAAY more friendly treatment by other schools (especially Stanfurd) who thought we were hilarious and wish we supported their schools. At the time Montgomery was coach at the Farm and he was hilarious with us, as was their AD Geiger. Our admin treated us like an embarrassment and thorn in their side--maybe we were.

I would still love to be a part of the process of creating a real Cal football and basketball experience--an advisory committee, a do's and don'ts handbook, and a training protocol. I think a "torch bearer" operation of our lore would be a wonderful legacy and a rewarding result to the thousands and thousands of hours I (and others) have put into the school as a fan--a service and commitment that often feels like a one way street.

blungld;842198855 said:

---

This should be mandatory reading for the Cal Marketing Department and Athletic Department. I simply can not believe the ineptitude they show when they are, as you say, tone deaf to this input. Brands kill for brand evangelists--and Cal had it here in spades. Instead of using this resource, they ignore it and have actively unwittingly killed it. I think they've lost perspective and are in a proverbial echo chamber.

Why on Earth aren't they stumbling over themselves to listen and recruit our help and loyalty? We could help their marketing efforts be on target and well-supported. Why isn't there a BI consulting group or an ongoing active Cal marketing dialogue/chat with us?

As for the Bear Territory reference, thanks. I wonder if anyone outside of Herb Benenson and Scott Ball (maybe a few others) know what Bear Territory is/was. We were always ignored and marginalized by Cal. We would have done anything to support Cal and we were never asked. Not once. We had to create any opportunities we did ourselves at rallies, games, on tv, etc. We were persona non grata. What a waste. We actually got WAAAAAAY more friendly treatment by other schools (especially Stanfurd) who thought we were hilarious and wish we supported their schools. At the time Montgomery was coach at the Farm and he was hilarious with us, as was their AD Geiger. Our admin treated us like an embarrassment and thorn in their side--maybe we were.

I would still love to be a part of the process of creating a real Cal football and basketball experience--an advisory committee, a do's and don'ts handbook, and a training protocol. I think a "torch bearer" operation of our lore would be a wonderful legacy and a rewarding result to the thousands and thousands of hours I (and others) have put into the school as a fan--a service and commitment that often feels like a one way street.

---

You just like that I called you a demigod.

blungld;842198855 said:

---

This should be mandatory reading for the Cal Marketing Department and Athletic Department. I simply can not believe the ineptitude they show when they are, as you say, tone deaf to this input. Brands kill for brand evangelists--and Cal had it here in spades. Instead of using this resource, they ignore it and have actively unwittingly killed it. I think they've lost perspective and are in a proverbial echo chamber.

Why on Earth aren't they stumbling over themselves to listen and recruit our help and loyalty? We could help their marketing efforts be on target and well-supported. Why isn't there a BI consulting group or an ongoing active Cal marketing dialogue/chat with us?

As for the Bear Territory reference, thanks. I wonder if anyone outside of Herb Benenson and Scott Ball (maybe a few others) know what Bear Territory is/was. We were always ignored and marginalized by Cal. We would have done anything to support Cal and we were never asked. Not once. We had to create any opportunities we did ourselves at rallies, games, on tv, etc. We were persona non grata. What a waste. We actually got WAAAAAAY more friendly treatment by other schools (especially Stanfurd) who thought we were hilarious and wish we supported their schools. At the time Montgomery was coach at the Farm and he was hilarious with us, as was their AD Geiger. Our admin treated us like an embarrassment and thorn in their side--maybe we were.

I would still love to be a part of the process of creating a real Cal football and basketball experience--an advisory committee, a do's and don'ts handbook, and a training protocol. I think a "torch bearer" operation of our lore would be a wonderful legacy and a rewarding result to the thousands and thousands of hours I (and others) have put into the school as a fan--a service and commitment that often feels like a one way street.

---

I would fully support this. Many other schools basically force freshman to learn fight songs/cheers. I doubt 70% of our stadium knows the lyrics to our songs. But it sure would be cool and unifying if people would actually sing our fight songs together during games when the band plays them (although we all know this is becoming a rarity).

DurTbear2000;842198901 said:

---

I would fully support this. Many other schools basically force freshman to learn fight songs/cheers. I doubt 70% of our stadium knows the lyrics to our songs. But it sure would be cool and unifying if people would actually sing our fight songs together during games when the band plays them (although we all know this is becoming a rarity).

---

We're not Texas A&M and we'll never have "yell practice" at midnight, but we could definitely get one or two steps closer to having a more unified crowd.

I know we have to give in to corporate sponsors, cater a little to casual fans, and so forth, given our dire economic situation. But do we have to be so blatant and have such bad timing about it? One little fan singalong doesn't but me, but a song like "I'm a Believer" during a game we're losing?

The real damage done by that is how it sends the wrong message. Go to a college football game in the Big 10 or Big 12 or SEC and you get the feeling that EVERYONE in the house - students, grandmothers, little kids, the PA guy, the ushers, the bigwigs in the president's box, the refs (kidding!) wants the Buckeyes or Horns or Crimson Tide to win. That passion is something real college FB fans thrive on, what makes us attend in person, and what differentiates this sport from pro sports.

But when the stadium keeps broadcasting all these silly little non-Cal promotions at seemingly randomly chosen times, the damage done is more than just a bunch of 20-second distractions. It kills the passion. It sends the opposite message, that not everyone in the house cares about the game on the field, that the people in charge in particular only care about whether they got as much money out of you as they possibly can so their bonuses will be nice and big at the end of the year.

As an ASU friend told me last year, watching a Cal home game feels more like a combo of attending a fundraiser and visiting a sick friend in the hospital, than a college FB game.

DurTbear2000;842198901 said:

---

I would fully support this. Many other schools basically force freshman to learn fight songs/cheers. I doubt 70% of our stadium knows the lyrics to our songs. But it sure would be cool and unifying if people would actually sing our fight songs together during games when the band plays them (although we all know this is becoming a rarity).

---

Instead of a random section singing a lame pop song, have the entire West side (ie, those who remember, the keepers of the flame) sing along with Sons of California. This would be freakin' awesome.

kadl;842198661 said:

---

Hey CAL Football Community,

During the Cal vs. Washington State football we decided to test out a new segment which involved members of Section TT singing and dancing to the tune of "I'm a Believer"during the 3rd and 4th Quarter.

I would appreciate if everyone who heard, participated, or knew of the segment please give me some feedback on what worked, what didn't work, and possible improvements. Also, do you feel like it engaged those who weren't really interested in college football by creating a fun experience with friends and family?

Tell me what you think?

Thank you!

---

Kadl,

I think you should be strung up by your genitals and beaten with whatever remains of California football's pride. Now that I can believe in.

OaktownBear;842198870 said:

---

You just like that I called you a demigod.

---

No, that's Steve. He's the pretty boy on an ego trip ;-)

"IT’S THE MONKEES! THEY WEREN’T EVEN A REAL GROUP, YOU FxxK! AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!"




Piling on the what the others have said...no more introductions OF ANYONE during the timeouts. Let the band play and let them come up with a Cal Football Theme Song that gets what's left of the crowd fired up.

Here is a bit of Sam talking about the Monkees and other things:

DurTbear2000;842198901 said:

---

I would fully support this. Many other schools basically force freshman to learn fight songs/cheers. I doubt 70% of our stadium knows the lyrics to our songs. But it sure would be cool and unifying if people would actually sing our fight songs together during games when the band plays them (although we all know this is becoming a rarity).

---

I agree with Oaktown that corporate money should be working more closely with Cal tradition and sponsoring those things, and then they are delivering value to fans...which in turn delivers value to the advertising dollar.

I don't believe this "catering to the non-sports fan". Yes, there are non-sports fans that go to Cal games...but they are at a football game for a reason: to have that experience. So amplify and sponsor that. You don't distract from the experience and have egg tosses, you get them excited by what it means to go to a Cal football game.

Here's an example. I love English Soccer and have made numerous travels to the meccas of European football. Often I will bring friends (and my wife) who are "not that in to soccer"--but for those 3-5 hours they GET INTO SOCCER. Because there is an experience that sweeps over you and makes you feel like this is something unexpected and overwhelming---from the beer at the pub before to the chants in the stadium throughout to the cult of personality to the play on the pitch--it's infectious. My wife who is somnolent, grudging sports spectator was cheering for manchester United and actually giving a crap when Giggs scored. Because there were elements there that sucked her in.

Cal can absolutely do the same. There are so many clever and genuine things that sponsors could support. Heck why not have them sponsor a Lore Night at Memorial each year the night before first kick off. A night of learning chants & songs, getting free traditions books, selecting the mic man, raffle a run on to the field with the team/band, etc. Make it a happening.

Anything but "name that guppy" or "singalong with Sandy".

We can do much better.

I will also assume that you are serious about this topic. OaktownBear and others have elucidated the issues many fans have with promotions like this, especially from the perspective of a long-time fan who wants to see the school's traditions preserved. I also would like to hear the band play more often, and for promotions during timeouts to be more closely related to Cal traditions and football history, if we must have them at all. The experience at Cal football games isn't like the NFL, and it shouldn't try to be, because with two teams in the area local fans have plenty of opportunities to see NFL teams. They are going to a Cal game for something different.

That said, if you are going to try something like this you need to up your game. In the last 2 or so years I have been at least once to games at AT&T Park, Candlestick, O.Co Coliseum, and Oracle Arena. It's true that at all of those stadiums they often have "segments" where they play a cheesy pop song and encourage fans to dance or sing along. It often works! Fans get into it and it helps keep people pumped during breaks in the game.

Here's the thing: when the Giants or 49ers or Warriors do one of these, they do it well. First, they pick a song that everyone knows, and they tend to pick the same songs so that repeat customers will anticipate them (for example, last season I think the Giants played "Gangnam Style" at almost every game -- cheesy, yes, but everyone knows some approximation of the dance moves and could get into it). "I'm A Believer" is pretty damn old, probably most people haven't danced to it recently, and it's not some current Top 40 song so most people won't know the words. I don't think you guys put up lyrics on the scoreboard either -- when the Giants do a singalong they always put them up so no one is lost.

Another thing the pro teams do is they have multiple cameras sweeping the stadium during these breaks, and they put people who are doing particularly amusing things on the Jumbotron. More people are going to get up and do stupid dance moves because they want to get on camera. When you restrict it to one section of the stadium, you're basically encouraging everyone else to tune out. I'm not sure if we even saw anyone dancing on the Jumbotron during this segment. Maybe Cal Memorial doesn't have enough cameras around the stadium to do something like what the Giants do. Well, if you want to try it again you should probably invest in a better setup . . . or otherwise drop it and come up with something that better fits the facility and the crowd.

Finally, you can't keep making little mistakes. The announcer initially attributed the song to "The Monkees" when it was in fact the Smashmouth version. Little mistakes like that extend to the other promotions too. At one point, an announcement ran long and the announcer was still talking while Cal was snapping the ball! Introducing Cal champions in other sports is great, but it seems redundant when they are all re-introduced during halftime and reaffirms how much of it is filler (and time that could be better spent hearing the Cal Band play!). This stuff adds up. When announcements are made at Giants, A's, 49ers, or Warriors games it feels like what it is: a professional organization running a professional show for the fans. They don't let things run long and they don't do anything redundant. When Cal tries this stuff and has all these little flubs it feels incoherent and smacks of trying to be something you're not. This isn't like a lot of college stadiums where you're the only game in town; Bay Area fans have a lot of pro teams they can go see. If you're trying to do what they are doing then you are inviting a comparison that probably isn't favorable -- unless you really up your game.

blungld;842198855 said:

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This should be mandatory reading for the Cal Marketing Department and Athletic Department. I simply can not believe the ineptitude they show when they are, as you say, tone deaf to this input. Brands kill for brand evangelists--and Cal had it here in spades. Instead of using this resource, they ignore it and have actively unwittingly killed it. I think they've lost perspective and are in a proverbial echo chamber.

Why on Earth aren't they stumbling over themselves to listen and recruit our help and loyalty? We could help their marketing efforts be on target and well-supported. Why isn't there a BI consulting group or an ongoing active Cal marketing dialogue/chat with us?

As for the Bear Territory reference, thanks. I wonder if anyone outside of Herb Benenson and Scott Ball (maybe a few others) know what Bear Territory is/was. We were always ignored and marginalized by Cal. We would have done anything to support Cal and we were never asked. Not once. We had to create any opportunities we did ourselves at rallies, games, on tv, etc. We were persona non grata. What a waste. We actually got WAAAAAAY more friendly treatment by other schools (especially Stanfurd) who thought we were hilarious and wish we supported their schools. At the time Montgomery was coach at the Farm and he was hilarious with us, as was their AD Geiger. Our admin treated us like an embarrassment and thorn in their side--maybe we were.

I would still love to be a part of the process of creating a real Cal football and basketball experience--an advisory committee, a do's and don'ts handbook, and a training protocol. I think a "torch bearer" operation of our lore would be a wonderful legacy and a rewarding result to the thousands and thousands of hours I (and others) have put into the school as a fan--a service and commitment that often feels like a one way street.

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Chris,
I love what you have to say, and wish that you guys can become consultants about our Cal traditions, which are sorely lacking these days. My favorite segment of Bear Territory was when you guys walked through the parking lot tailgate at Autzen Stadium with a roasted duck hanging from a string. Seeing the reactions from the duck fans cracked me up, and remembering it still does crack me up. Thanks. You and Steve are true Cal heroes!

oldblu86;842199020 said:

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You and Steve are true Cal heroes!

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Added to my obit...along with "never saw Cal in a Rose Bowl."

blungld;842199030 said:

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Added to my obit...along with "never saw Cal in a Rose Bowl."

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I would also add "A keen and thoughtful observer of the great television show, Breaking Bad".

sycasey;842199013 said:

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Finally, you can't keep making little mistakes. The announcer initially attributed the song to "The Monkees" when it was in fact the Smashmouth version. Little mistakes like that extend to the other promotions too. At one point, an announcement ran long and the announcer was still talking while Cal was snapping the ball! Introducing Cal champions in other sports is great, but it seems redundant when they are all re-introduced during halftime and reaffirms how much of it is filler (and time that could be better spent hearing the Cal Band play!). This stuff adds up. When announcements are made at Giants, A's, 49ers, or Warriors games it feels like what it is: a professional organization running a professional show for the fans. They don't let things run long and they don't do anything redundant. When Cal tries this stuff and has all these little flubs it feels incoherent and smacks of trying to be something you're not.

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That's also one of my pet peeves. I'd be curious if anyone who attends games at furd or USC or UW or UCLA last weekend sees them making this many little errors and flubs. My guess is no, and it makes us look so clueless and small-time by comparison.

It might also be a sign that we're doing too many in-game promotions that are stretching our staff too thin, to the point they're hastily put together and look so ragged. Maybe our promotions have become the equivalent of Tedford's overly-complicated offense? Maybe it's time to realize less is more?

DurTbear2000;842198901 said:

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I would fully support this. Many other schools basically force freshman to learn fight songs/cheers. I doubt 70% of our stadium knows the lyrics to our songs. But it sure would be cool and unifying if people would actually sing our fight songs together during games when the band plays them (although we all know this is becoming a rarity).

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The only good thing Joe Kapp did as the HC was make the team learn the words to the fight song(s).

Son-of-California;842199047 said:

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The only good thing Joe Kapp did as the HC was make the team learn the words to the fight song(s).

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How about "The Play"?

blungld;842198974 said:

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No, that's Steve. He's the pretty boy on an ego trip ;-)

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I'm not the one who festooned my hair with blue and gold look-at-me beads for half a season's worth of episodes.
But now that you've drawn me out, I'd like to add my voice to the chorus of thank-yous to OaktownBear for an epic post that is a) awesome and b) important. I wish we were still on air so that we could put it on the show. Maybe we should talk to Comcast or Pac12 Net about seeing if we could produce some segments.

86Oski;842198722 said:

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Please let the Band play...take every opportunity you have for giving the PA system a rest and let the Band do its thing.

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Yes, please let the Cal Band play. I didn't really find the "dance off" to be very interesting or exciting, but if you really want to have a dance off, why don't you at least let the Cal Band provide the music?!
We don't need canned music at Cal games. When the team isn't doing well, there are many people who keep coming to the games primarily to enjoy the Cal Band's performances!

kadl;842198661 said:

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Hey CAL Football Community,

During the Cal vs. Washington State football we decided to test out a new segment which involved members of Section TT singing and dancing to the tune of "I'm a Believer"during the 3rd and 4th Quarter.

I would appreciate if everyone who heard, participated, or knew of the segment please give me some feedback on what worked, what didn't work, and possible improvements. Also, do you feel like it engaged those who weren't really interested in college football by creating a fun experience with friends and family?

Tell me what you think?

Thank you!

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Try that. It's all about the colors, and red doesn't move people like it used to, so go for it! I bet if you did it in front of the students they'd get a big kick out of it.

egbear82;842198799 said:

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To add to Oaktown's awesome list, I remember the Cal students in the '70's blowing up balloons in the student section- yellow for those sitting in the block C and blue for those on the surrounding area.

They would hold them up shaking them which looked really cool and then all pop them at the same time..as kids we would always wander the student section after the game getting all the balloons that didn't get used (hey we were kids- we couldn't afford balloons!) The carnation top comment triggered that memory..

It really is amazing how bad the game day experience has become, especially when there is such a weak product on the field right now😞

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That goes back a lot farther than the 70s! For years it was actually the final card stunt trick- usually following "Toast to California" (motion stunt of a stein with beer foam over flowing down the side) and the traditional script Cal.

The balloons were part of the card package- and as you said formed the same block C that's on the section. They'd blow them up, hold them up to form the C; then sway righhhhhht; sway back lefffffft..... then let them go. Looked awesome from across the stadium! I really missed that when they got rid of it (due to the advent of water balloon launchers and all.)

I've really enjoyed reading all the thoughtful posts about improving the game day experience, but I wonder when the OP will reveal themselves as a phony? Perhaps they were trolling for vitriol, but they got a constructive discussion.

Kadl, I don't know if you and this post is legit or not. If so, you can go back several pages and see several threads that deal either directly or indirectly with the game day experience, and the anger/frustration we feel as we watch the Cal game day experience and traditions being whored out to the highest bidder.

I've written about this so much I've just grown tired of sharing my thoughts with the feeling they are simply a waste of time and an exercise in futility. A few years ago, there actually was an effort by someone within Cal Marketing to create a group of Cal people to consult with them on ideas to help promote Cal athletics. I think I still have the card of the person who tried to put that together but I'm tired and unwilling to look for it at this time. I would be happy to look for it again if you contact me directly and give you feedback on what I remember from that effort.

Basically I'm just going to say this: I'm sick and tired of the bombardment (and volume) of the commercials, I find the "promotions" to be boring and a major distraction from the flow and atmosphere of the game, and I really hate the silence of the Cal Band. The silence of the band is more deafening than the idiocy I have heard from the stadium PA system last year and (even more frustrating) this year. (I say "frustrating" because I had hoped after last year, the Athletic Dept. and Marketing Departments would have seen from observation that the over the top amount of commercials and promos were not only ill advised, but a crowd disaster as well.)

Direct to your question, the "Im a Believer" segment was un-needed, poorly done, and was met in my section by nothing but groans. What we want to hear is the Cal Band. The Cal Band is an integral part of the Cal Gameday experience. They are there to boost the morale of the team, and the fans. They are a big part of what separates the Cal gameday experience from that of other schools and the more plasticized professional version of football so easily available locally and on TV.

The Cal songs, the card stunts, the cannon, the yells, and the return to campus are the reasons college football at Cal is what I spend my money on instead of the professional alternative. Take those away, and all you have is just "the game", and I can watch "the game" on TV without paying for the trips up from L.A. which cost me money for transportation, wear and tear on the car, room, food, and miscellaneous money I spend on Cal gear which I don't need if I simply watch the game at my home on TV.

The excitement I had as a kid at my first Cal game was not from the game, it was from watching the Cal Band. I went to my first game when I was 5. I knew nothing of football, but I understood music, and the fun of watching the band on the field and in the stands. In high school, I played football.....but I also played in the band (at least first year, when I could do both). I gave up football to play rugby in college, but never lost my love for a good band. There aren't many good bands in the Pac 12. The Cal Band? Well, there's a reason why the Cal section yells "Cal Band Great!"

So instead of trying to conform to the other crap of other schools, or (worse) the NFL, start marketing what you have that's different......The Cal Spirit, The Cal Band, The Cal gameday in Berkeley at Strawberry Canyon. There's nothing like it. And no other school can duplicate it. But it's getting less prevalent with each passing week. Since that's what keeps me coming back, I'm not ashamed to tell you with each passing year, (and with the continued erosion of the Cal gameday experience I love and come up for), I find myself debating whether or not I want to renew my season tickets, and keep losing my whole weekend and the money associated with it to travel from L.A.

Cal gameday is special.....or at least it was. If you lose it, you lose me (at least as far as coming up from L.A. is concerned). And I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in saying that. You're welcome to contact me if you'd like further perspective and feedback. I'd be happy to try to help you.

510Bear;842199035 said:

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That's also one of my pet peeves. I'd be curious if anyone who attends games at furd or USC or UW or UCLA last weekend sees them making this many little errors and flubs. My guess is no, and it makes us look so clueless and small-time by comparison.

It might also be a sign that we're doing too many in-game promotions that are stretching our staff too thin, to the point they're hastily put together and look so ragged. Maybe our promotions have become the equivalent of Tedford's overly-complicated offense? Maybe it's time to realize less is more?

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That's certainly possible. I understand that doing more of these segments and video board ads are the "way of the future" so we probably can't do away with them entirely, but perhaps they can be lower in quantity and higher in quality?

sycasey;842199247 said:

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That's certainly possible. I understand that doing more of these segments and video board ads are the "way of the future" so we probably can't do away with them entirely, but perhaps they can be lower in quantity and higher in quality?

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Or maybe we need more staff handling them? This is the same athletic dept that paid Tedford a king's ransom and skimped on assistant salaries: resource allocation may not be its strong suit. I could see us having N people do a job that 2*N or 3*N people are doing at other P12 schools.

I've also noticed almost every single post in this thread screaming about letting the band play. While I agree that a big part of fixing our gameday atmosphere involves More Cal Band, it's not as simple as that. Unless the whole mentality behind everything that goes on in the stadium changes, we could make that one change and still have a gameday atmosphere on par with furd and way behind that of the other 10 P12 schools.

There is so much thought-provoking content in this thread; but I can't shake the feeling that this is an echo chamber, an exercise in preaching to the choir.

It would be nice if someone with the power to make changes was hearing this -- do we have any volunteers to forward a link to this thread, to such a person?

Someone well connected sending a link to this thread would be great. I also think everyone should share their thoughts directly with the athletic department via a personal email. Emails are taken more seriously than message board posts. All season ticket holderrs should have a " Gold Standard" rep assigned to them. Can't hurt to try to make use of that person as a point of contact.

So? Where did you go?

Who here at BI can deliver this thread to Cal Marketing and actually get it read?