[StanUSwagU]

About 30 people post on Cardboard football threads.   This is a very small echo chamber.    The prevailing attitude seems to be. “I’m interested in football so all students should be interested in football”.    Do a handful of 70 year old, die-hard football fans know what 18 year old students are interested in?

There is a website College Confidential about college topics.  It has a very big message board.  I’ve frequently posted on this board for twenty years; particularly on threads involving Stanford.   Many threads are discussions by students about what top colleges they will be applying to.   I’ve never seen a post, “I’m thinking of applying to Stanford but I’m concerned about how many games the football team will win”.

...
The other argument that has been made is that while no one will say “I am considering applying to Stanford due to its football team”, a successful football team with a rabid fanbase contributes to the overall environment, which contributes to the “gestalt” as to how people feel about the school, which does drive how people apply or decide to go to the school.  I think Mick has provided some data to back up the fact that schools see a bump in applicants after successful sports seasons.
...
BC

Funny, because I first considered applying to Stanford because of its football team. To be more more specific, I fell in love with the '71 Rose Bowl team with Jim Plunkett at quarterback. Even though I lived in Texas, Stanford became my team. I loved the uniforms, the style of play, the California setting, Prince Lightfoot...you name it. I never wanted to go to school anywhere else. Only later did I learn the academics were solid. But it was football that won me over.

I did always wonder about the band, though.

***********************************

Branner,

I have attended both a Texas A&M home game & a UT home game.  AWESOME !

I would recommend to any Stanford Alum, to put these 2 events on their 'sports bucket list',

[P.S. as you probably know Branner, its mandatory to be there Friday  before the Saturday game, cause college football events at those 2 Universities begin on the Friday evening before]

StanUSwagU,

I've been to a Texas A&M home game and have a son who graduated from there and goes to all of them. Agreed: the atmosphere is amazing. A&M does a great job of welcoming alums and making families feel comfortable and wanted. I've posted elsewhere in this forum on what an outstanding job of marketing A&M does, and how it integrates academic open houses with football games. By the way, A&M baseball games are just as amazing! They fill the place and have baseball-specific cheers, chants, and student stunts that even opponents laugh at and appreciate.

Until I discovered Stanford, the Longhorns were my team. I haven't been to a game in Austin, but know the place rocks. I didn't care for the trash thrown on the field earlier this season (Georgia game, I think).

I've even been to games (football and baseball) at Texas State. Again, the place rocks, and the students feel connected to their teams and do what they can to influence the course of the games.

Stanford has great traditions. Somehow our students have been disconnected from them. I think we can do a much better job of marketing and engaging the Bay Area in Stanford sports. What's not to like? Stanford is truly an inspiring place. This is a business problem that can be solved, and I am optimistic that Luck will make a big difference, especially with Levin's support.

****************

Hi Branner,

Yep, as you well know, the College Football weekend experiences (starting on Fridays) at Texas A&M & UT are AWESOME !

I secretly wish Andrew Luck (being a native of Texas, Houston area I think) ....would take all of our Stanford University officials (eg President, Provost, Board of Trustees, BigDonors, CorporatePartners, Athletic Director, Admissions Director, Head FootballCoach, Key Faculty, etc .....to University of Texas & Texas A&M, to let them meet with their counterparts at these 2 universities, so that our Stanford University Administration & Faculty could learn & get a 'window into how their counterparts support & blend the great Academics at these 2 outstanding Research Universities ..... with Great Competitive College Football that all the Student-Body, Faculty, and Administration enjoy & partake in.

[StanUSwagU]

About 30 people post on Cardboard football threads.   This is a very small echo chamber.    The prevailing attitude seems to be. “I’m interested in football so all students should be interested in football”.    Do a handful of 70 year old, die-hard football fans know what 18 year old students are interested in?

There is a website College Confidential about college topics.  It has a very big message board.  I’ve frequently posted on this board for twenty years; particularly on threads involving Stanford.   Many threads are discussions by students about what top colleges they will be applying to.   I’ve never seen a post, “I’m thinking of applying to Stanford but I’m concerned about how many games the football team will win”.

...
The other argument that has been made is that while no one will say “I am considering applying to Stanford due to its football team”, a successful football team with a rabid fanbase contributes to the overall environment, which contributes to the “gestalt” as to how people feel about the school, which does drive how people apply or decide to go to the school.  I think Mick has provided some data to back up the fact that schools see a bump in applicants after successful sports seasons.
...
BC

Funny, because I first considered applying to Stanford because of its football team. To be more more specific, I fell in love with the '71 Rose Bowl team with Jim Plunkett at quarterback. Even though I lived in Texas, Stanford became my team. I loved the uniforms, the style of play, the California setting, Prince Lightfoot...you name it. I never wanted to go to school anywhere else. Only later did I learn the academics were solid. But it was football that won me over.

I did always wonder about the band, though.

***********************************

Branner,

I have attended both a Texas A&M home game & a UT home game.  AWESOME !

I would recommend to any Stanford Alum, to put these 2 events on their 'sports bucket list',

[P.S. as you probably know Branner, its mandatory to be there Friday  before the Saturday game, cause college football events at those 2 Universities begin on the Friday evening before]

StanUSwagU,

I've been to a Texas A&M home game and have a son who graduated from there and goes to all of them. Agreed: the atmosphere is amazing. A&M does a great job of welcoming alums and making families feel comfortable and wanted. I've posted elsewhere in this forum on what an outstanding job of marketing A&M does, and how it integrates academic open houses with football games. By the way, A&M baseball games are just as amazing! They fill the place and have baseball-specific cheers, chants, and student stunts that even opponents laugh at and appreciate.

Until I discovered Stanford, the Longhorns were my team. I haven't been to a game in Austin, but know the place rocks. I didn't care for the trash thrown on the field earlier this season (Georgia game, I think).

I've even been to games (football and baseball) at Texas State. Again, the place rocks, and the students feel connected to their teams and do what they can to influence the course of the games.

Stanford has great traditions. Somehow our students have been disconnected from them. I think we can do a much better job of marketing and engaging the Bay Area in Stanford sports. What's not to like? Stanford is truly an inspiring place. This is a business problem that can be solved, and I am optimistic that Luck will make a big difference, especially with Levin's support.

****************

Hi Branner,

Yep, as you well know, the College Football weekend experiences (starting on Fridays) at Texas A&M & UT are AWESOME !

I secretly wish Andrew Luck (being a native of Texas, Houston area I think) ....would take all of our Stanford University officials (eg President, Provost, Board of Trustees, BigDonors, CorporatePartners, Athletic Director, Admissions Director, Head FootballCoach, Key Faculty, etc .....to University of Texas & Texas A&M, to let them meet with their counterparts at these 2 universities, so that our Stanford University Administration & Faculty could learn & get a 'window into how their counterparts support & blend the great Academics at these 2 outstanding Research Universities ..... with Great Competitive College Football that all the Student-Body, Faculty, and Administration enjoy & partake in.