Utes Working to Enliven Atmosphere
If you've actually been to a Utes game, you know that the game-day atmosphere doesn't exactly measure up to coach Jim Boylen's furious intensity on the sideline.
Funereal seems like a word that fits, far too often.
But the Utes are trying to change that. Having convened an athletic department committee in the offseason to study the problem -- snarky thought: they needed a committee? -- they're planning several noticeable changes for the upcoming season that marketing director Ann Ronchetti described as the first parts of a plan to liven up the Huntsman Center.
"We just want to make it great and exciting for the fans," Ronchetti said, "so that not only are they seeing a great product on the floor, but they're having a great time in the stands."
Perhaps most noticeably, the Utes will have a new public-address announcer in Rick Bouillon and new directors of both the band and the Crimson Line dance team, which Ronchetti said will aspire to bring a "new, fresh look to those three elements," along with more interactive features on the video scoreboard during the game.
The Utes hope to get all of those factions more involved in the games, and will switch to announcing each team's starting lineup all at once, so Bouillon can get "a little peppier" in introducing the Utes and hopefully set a more exciting tone for the game.
They also have hired a new company to run the video board, and plan video pieces and concourse banners similar to the ones they featured last season in celebration of the university's 100th season of basketball that enjoyed "such a great reaction," Ronchetti said. The Utes are cultivating a greater relationship with the Junior Jazz program to draw more kids to the games, too, and have designated four games that will feature the aspiring players at halftime.
Even the MUSS will have a halftime show at some point, as well, and fans will have a chance to offer their own suggestions for improvements via an online survey that Ronchetti is preparing.
"It's just kind of a process we're working on," she said. "We just hope the fans have a good reaction."
Funereal seems like a word that fits, far too often.
But the Utes are trying to change that. Having convened an athletic department committee in the offseason to study the problem -- snarky thought: they needed a committee? -- they're planning several noticeable changes for the upcoming season that marketing director Ann Ronchetti described as the first parts of a plan to liven up the Huntsman Center.
"We just want to make it great and exciting for the fans," Ronchetti said, "so that not only are they seeing a great product on the floor, but they're having a great time in the stands."
Perhaps most noticeably, the Utes will have a new public-address announcer in Rick Bouillon and new directors of both the band and the Crimson Line dance team, which Ronchetti said will aspire to bring a "new, fresh look to those three elements," along with more interactive features on the video scoreboard during the game.
The Utes hope to get all of those factions more involved in the games, and will switch to announcing each team's starting lineup all at once, so Bouillon can get "a little peppier" in introducing the Utes and hopefully set a more exciting tone for the game.
They also have hired a new company to run the video board, and plan video pieces and concourse banners similar to the ones they featured last season in celebration of the university's 100th season of basketball that enjoyed "such a great reaction," Ronchetti said. The Utes are cultivating a greater relationship with the Junior Jazz program to draw more kids to the games, too, and have designated four games that will feature the aspiring players at halftime.
Even the MUSS will have a halftime show at some point, as well, and fans will have a chance to offer their own suggestions for improvements via an online survey that Ronchetti is preparing.
"It's just kind of a process we're working on," she said. "We just hope the fans have a good reaction."
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 7:38 AM |
2 Comments:
Great to have you back blogging...
I remember calling into the Bill Riley show telling Bill the same thing 2 years ago, I felt the fans was treated like a burden under Coach Giacoletti's tenure; they even got rid of the mini basketballs they used to throw into the stands at half time, Bill's reaction was: the mini basketballs are not going to increase the fan base.
Well, perhaps not, but all the attention to the little details do add up to a complete experience, in my case, it makes my little ones look forward to going to the game, and when they grow up, they will forever stay a Ute Fan.
Nothing adds to game-time atmosphere more than winning, however I do agree that Utah could do more to add to the experience...I think the marketing department could be a little more creative, the "Back in Red" promotion for football this year is flat-out awful...There's got to be a more creative theme than that...anything...c'mon people! As for basketball, I'm for the Jr. Jazz games, the mini basketballs and anything that promotes young fans to come out and enjoy the games. But it all comes back to winning. I think the past three years of mediocre Utah basketball have proved that the Utes core fan base is pretty tiny, and that Utah has to have a ranked/winning team to pack the house...
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