How Can Boston College Salvage What Could Be A Very Difficult Season?

Yesterday we discussed how BC's offense has been stagnant and looked at the declining trends on offense. But as we have pointed out here numerous times, there are bigger problems that are haunting our football program. Declining ticket sales, an apathetic fan base and a football team heading in the wrong direction. This year BC has the added problem of tough away games and an unattractive home schedule.

So how can BC athletics salvage this season and send the program back in the right direction? By some calculated risks!

1) Do something/anything to attract fans -- Cutting ticket prices and packaging them in June seem like a desperate move from the PR department. They need to do something to attract younger fans this season. How about moving some things around, such making Modstock an all weekend fall event? Have a concert, a student and young alumni football reunion BBQ, and cap it off with a game against Wake Forest? I like Fanfest. It's a great idea, but why is it always shoved in the Plex? Could BC open it up, move it outside to the Mod parking lot or somewhere outside where fans can listen to music, eat and drink? Come on BC Athletics don't make me do all the work for you!

2) Insert a new wrinkle into the offensive playbook -- Do you all remember the Bazooka? It was Gary Tranquill's way of saying "Hey look! We are using the Wildcat Formation to fool defenses before we just hand it off to Montel Harris up the middle again!"  He really never did anything with it, but maybe Rogers could find something like this that may actually work. More options, end arounds or spread formations. Anything that could make the offense more exciting, and in the end more effective. 

3) Cut the donor based tailgating garbage -- Want people to come to more games? Don't make them pay extra to tailgate. $750 to tailgate? It's a stupid policy that just hampers young professionals that can barely afford the ticket prices as they are. I'm not saying they need to change hours but if more people could park in Shea or Brighton campus and tailgate with friends, more people will show up. If you want to vomit, just look at easy it is to tailgate at Notre Dame. They have a handbook on how to tailgate on their website! I'm sure BC's site just says if you show up near campus on game day, some surly Statie will yell at you and tell you to move your car to Needham. 

4) Sell beer at the stadium -- Just kidding. That'll never happen.

5) Teach Spaz and other BC players how to use social media -- Interact with the fans, answer questions, talk up the team. Whatever! Be interesting and get the BC name out there. Why do I feel like Spaz would be really funny if he got on Twitter? Get Chase Rettig on there, and make him interact with fans, get his name out there and make him likable! Social networking connects the fans to the team. 

These were just some of my thoughts on how this could be a successful year for BC not only on the field, but in the stands as well. As a season ticket holder nothing depresses me more than a silent Alumni Stadium, half filled on a beautiful fall day. BC is going to need to be creative to save this season, but that's what marketing is all about. And nothing will test their skills more than the challenges that await them this season.