So naysayers what's the plan?
Told ya, step one is for us as boosters to create incentive for MAC Championship. If declined, pull support from athletics until things change. This has to be financial commitment from us to basically say to the coaches that there's a fat carrot at the end of this instead of you getting 8 wins.
Hate to say it people but money talks. If you're willing to continue giving your money towards something, is someone going to change how they do business? And let me ask this: if you worked in sales and there was no incentive for you to make more sales because you're on salary, are you going to push the boundaries of your sales? Heck no, you're going to do the minimum work required and therefore not get after it. What do you think not having a MAC Championship incentive is like? All he has to do is get 8 wins and no more for bonuses. So that's step one. I can pull my donation no problem tomorrow with little concern, can you?
Step Two: Organization of alumni associations.
For those of us not in Cleveland, Columbus, or Athens, the organization of chapters needs to ramp up. Our reach out in other areas is not as strong as it needs to be. As an Ohio State alum, I had an opportunity to form a new chapter and for raising $500 for a scholarship, the university would match us on it, along with giving us a social budget. Sure, that's a big school doing that, but does the alumni association help create incentives for these chapters to do significant work? No.
Step Three: Challenge to give more every year
This one I can't help, but it takes each of us upgrading every year, whether it's upgrading seats, upping donation, or developing pet projects. Heck, even developing a Bobcat Attack fund within OBC would be a start. Donate under your alias and as a message board vote on how we utilize the funds, whether it's starting endowments or helping to pay for an assistant in an under-funded sport. Small initiatives like that from multiple communities within athletics can fund an organization.
Step Four: Bring others on the bandwagon
When your tickets can't get used, find folks in your neighborhood that can't go. Bring kids at a young age that don't know about Ohio University and only Ohio State. Heck, get your youth football teams to play down at Peden Stadium or the Convo for other sports. Getting the kids down to actually play in our facilities would go a long way towards developing the next crop of kids that want to come and begin that affinity early. Long term bet here people, but it's what we gotta do to begin chipping away at other schools.
So there ya go, there's some solutions from someone you think is being a pessimist.