OSU GameDay Experience

AD Bob De Carolis came out with his final Orange Perspective on goals for the upcoming year.  This was supposed to be the much anticipated GameDay Experience piece where we would learn more on opening Truax to fans on GameDay and about more exciting introductions for the football team that would get fans in their seats before kickoff.  Instead Bob’s most pressing issue he was most consumed with was more signage for walking around in areas where you aren’t even able to see the game directly.  Sorry Bob, but the Lost and Found is not what most of us had in mind for improvements that might raise the national profile of OSU Football.

His glib mention of Truax tailgating made it sound like more of the status quo.  He was unwilling to put fans at ease by proudly proclaiming Truax would be available to fans for a pre-game festivities that would help put us in the major leagues of sporting events in the state.  His talk of videoboard improvements was focused on the post game.  Just what I want to do is stick around after losing to Sacramento St.  From what I can gather what fans most want is improvements for before and during the game.  Quit making us wait and start talking about productive discussions on an open Truax that will make OSU Saturdays as good as any in the NW.  Then talk about a higher production introduction of the team to the field (See South Carolina and try to top that).  An intro that builds a new exciting tradition, involves the fans and makes sure 95+% are in their seats 8 minutes before kickoff.

Videoboard improvements should be used during this pregame intro buildup and during the game.  Get rid of the lame stuff like Beaver Biceps and telling us how to leave before the 4th quarter starts.  Showing some post-game highlights is fine but once the game is over and especially after any loss it will be hard to keep fans from wanting to beat traffic.  So put your effort where it matters Bob and not in another losing or poorly chosen cause.  More signs won’t help me to get a hot chocolate any faster on the second level since the lines far outweigh the servers.  Every employee or volunteer working the game should be able to point us to the Lost and Found so that is low on the list of needs.  The Lost and Found signs we need most should lead to the AD’s office.

One final area that needs improving is having a less Gestapo like vibe with too many Event Staff and monitors in the stands.  In recent years I feel like I am being stared at while I simply try to enjoy the game.  Nothing nefarious is happening well over 99% of the time so they need to chill a little and not have constantly darting eyes making many uncomfortable just to be watching the game as intended.  It is about the big picture Bob.  Signage doesn’t win games or raise the prestige of the program.  What we want is a better produced product that will unite and excite Beaver Nation and boost the program up a couple notches.