Mike Thomas talks changes to the Illinois football game day experience & appearance of Memorial Stadium

[DanvIllini]

All of the loyalty circle goes to the "tailgate" at I-Hotel. "Free" food and booze. In my experience, most loyalty circle people have alternative parking that they use instead.

[chiefini]

Originally Posted by DanvIllini

All of the loyalty circle goes to the "tailgate" at I-Hotel. "Free" food and booze. In my experience, most loyalty circle people have alternative parking that they use instead.

The Loyalty Circle donors get to choose parking either in the AH parking lot or directly west of MS with their name on the sign at their parking spot. Shuttles by golf cart are available to the IHotel

[KJKobs]

Originally Posted by Kramer116

Wanted to throw my 2 cents into this discussion. I have visited a handful of places for tailgates, such as Notre Dame, Indiana, Iowa, and hell of even the IU tailgate experience was better. I have obviously done some tailgates at Illinois too. We have so much potential at Illinois, it needs to get tightened up and revamped. We easily have the best potential setup in terms of space, grass, etc.

I have a few coworkers who are Indiana alums and they brag about their football tailgates. I went with them to the Illinois/Indiana game last October and my takeaway was that it was a huge frat party and not worthy of being called a tailgate. Hell, more than half of the students were at an intoxication level that they didn't even bother going into the game.

[256ILLINI]

"Intoxication level"? Aka too drunk ? Sounds like a really good tailgate

[firefightingillini]

I love what Mike Thomas is doing. He is finally trying to get our fanbase lathered up for some winning. I love the idea of recognizing our former teams and greats.

As for game experience, I have a couple ideas...

1. Why don't we sing the words to the 3 in 1? Why not put a microphone in front of the glee club and have them lead the crowd in singing it. I think it would be really cool.

2. Gene Honda is going to be a great addition, but we also need some decent music and more of the Dick Butkus scoreboard stuff. IMO, MS gets way too quiet. Make it a point to not have any quiet time. Always have something going on...

3. All the "old-timers" who tell me to sit down during the game...you need to go. Put up a big sign on the doors to MS that says standing up is ok. Im tired of fighting with people to cheer on our team!

[Illiniwek66]

The Marching Illini do sing the words to Pride of the Illini as soon as the song begins. There are no words (that I know of anyway) to March of the Illini which is the song the Chief used to dance to. The entire crowd sings Hail to the Orange and I believe they put those words on the screen.

[Sure Shot]

Originally Posted by Ransom Stoddard

Essentially, a contest to see who could come up with and execute the best "themed" tailgate. There were different categories--Greek, student, community, business, etc. There were a few different bandstands around the parking lots, massive amounts of good humor and community, and an overall sense that the tailgate lots were the place to be.

This was in the Neal Stoner days, I think RG did away with it shortly after he took over, I could be incorrect on that.

Brilliant. I'm in.

[Umgawa1]

Originally Posted by firefightingillini

1. Why don't we sing the words to the 3 in 1?

The words are specific to the MI, but no real reason why the crowd couldn't sing them too.

We are marching for dear old Illini
For the men who are fighting for you.
Here's a cheer for our dear Alma Mater
May our love for her ever be true.
While we're marching along life's pathway
may the spirit* of old Illinois
Keep us marching and singing
With true Illini spirit
For our dear old Illinois.

(No, not "spirits," although that is another version)

Or, as we used to sing during the days of the mandatory Reserve Officer Training Corps,

We are marching for military credit
To get out of the ROTC
Here's a cheer for our dear band director
He's the [person] who's setting us free......

(MI members were exempt from ROTC because we provided the music for ROTC parades - comprising the First Regimental Band and the Second Regimental Band.)

[ILLINIFAN2]

I can remember back in the early 80's ( I was a child) and my parents having to park at Hessel Park as there was no room near the stadium and there being a lot of fans tailgating there. Since I have not attended a game in a number of years not quite sure if that still happens but from the sounds of things tailgating is not as popular these days.

[Stevegarbs]

Originally Posted by Umgawa1

The words are specific to the MI, but no real reason why the crowd couldn't sing them too.

We are marching for dear old Illini
For the men who are fighting for you.
Here's a cheer for our dear Alma Mater
May our love for her ever be true.
While we're marching along life's pathway
may the spirit* of old Illinois
Keep us marching and singing
With true Illini spirit
For our dear old Illinois.

(No, not "spirits," although that is another version)

Note the Varsity Men's Glee Club sings this as they march into the Krannert Great Hall for their fall and spring concerts- it's not just for the MI!

[BluesBro]

Originally Posted by Stevegarbs

Note the Varsity Men's Glee Club sings this as they march into the Krannert Great Hall for their fall and spring concerts- it's not just for the MI!

Having them sing it over the PA system would be problematic unless they've conquered the time delay. If they haven't then the band would always be a second or two ahead of the glee club. The delay was manageable for the national anthem, ( I remember FAA Dean Bill Olsen, years ago, singing the national anthem about two beats ahead of the band playing it so it meshed ... usually seemlessly ... Olsen was great!) as the band is standing at attention to play it and not marching; but during the 3 in 1 they are involved in one of the most intricate patterns/routines in college marching band; having the loudspeaker singing not mesh perfectly with the band's singing and drum beats would be VERY difficult. (Wow, run-on sentence much? Sorry )

Now my experience with the MI and the PA system from the field with its time delay is admittedly 25 years old (Dang. I am OLD!), but unless it is nearly instantaneous, it would probably be a non-starter.

[Oskee Mayer]

Originally Posted by Umgawa1

The words are specific to the MI, but no real reason why the crowd couldn't sing them too.

We are marching for dear old Illini
For the men who are fighting for you.
Here's a cheer for our dear Alma Mater
May our love for her ever be true.
While we're marching along life's pathway
may the spirit* of old Illinois
Keep us marching and singing
With true Illini spirit
For our dear old Illinois.

(No, not "spirits," although that is another version)

Or, as we used to sing during the days of the mandatory Reserve Officer Training Corps,

We are marching for military credit
To get out of the ROTC
Here's a cheer for our dear band director
He's the [person] who's setting us free......
(MI members were exempt from ROTC because we provided the music for ROTC parades - comprising the First Regimental Band and the Second Regimental Band.)

Is that you Dad?:laugh:

[goillini75]

Originally Posted by ILLINIFAN2

I can remember back in the early 80's ( I was a child) and my parents having to park at Hessel Park as there was no room near the stadium and there being a lot of fans tailgating there. Since I have not attended a game in a number of years not quite sure if that still happens but from the sounds of things tailgating is not as popular these days.

Well shoot way back when we used to park at the hotel on the corner of neil and kirby. then we always did kessel park if we couldn't park there. Then we got parking passes in research park wasn't the worst walk was usually a good atmosphere. But the sad thing is that rv lot is like half full.

[GilThorpe]

Ole Miss tailgating in the Grove on gameday.

some of you already know I have a son at OleMiss. If we could get just 25% of the tailgating they get, we would double what we have right now.

[Sure Shot]

Originally Posted by GilThorpe

Ole Miss tailgating in the Grove on gameday.

some of you already know I have a son at OleMiss. If we could get just 25% of the tailgating they get, we would double what we have right now.

And the frustrating thing: unlike virtually every other big-time school in America we have the setup to pull this off!

Look up other stadiums on Google Maps or whatever. We are one of the only ones (certainly the only one in the Big Ten) with big swaths of available grass parking right next to the stadium. Not to mention all the nearby paved parking at and around AH. Seriously, look it up, it's a DRAMATIC difference between us and, say, Iowa or Wisconsin. And yet these lots are half empty on gameday. That's absolutely criminal, we are SO blessed by the setup around MS and we're pissing it away.

[illinicb]

Originally Posted by Sure Shot

And yet these lots are half empty on gameday.

So is the stadium. I believe parking lots are assigned by donor level so it makes sense that parking is dispersed among the various lots. That benefit will likely not be taken away from donors.

[orangeroses07]

Originally Posted by GilThorpe

Ole Miss tailgating in the Grove on gameday.

some of you already know I have a son at OleMiss. If we could get just 25% of the tailgating they get, we would double what we have right now.

I got the chance to go to the Grove this past fall when SIU played there. It was the greatest experience i've ever had on a college campus. They have such pride in their Rebels even though they have not been very good the past couple of years, just like us! Not sure why we can't have gameday experience like that.

[Sure Shot]

Originally Posted by illinicb

So is the stadium. I believe parking lots are assigned by donor level so it makes sense that parking is dispersed among the various lots. That benefit will likely not be taken away from donors.

You don't have to take it away. In fact, I have firsthand knowledge that a lot of big-money donors who get the grass parking right next to the stadium would prefer to be in the paved lot right next to it.

Because of the rare surplus of really close-in parking, we have the ability to both assure that the nearby grass lots are filled with tailgaters AND make sure that the Loyalty Circle are closer to the stadium than any of their equivalent donors would be at any other Big Ten venue. You don't even need to think "outside the box" you just have to be, like, next to the box. You can still be touching the box. Unfortunately, our previous AD was sealed up in the box with nothing but a telescope, a tin-can phone, and a "No fanz allowed" sign painted on the outside.

[Dan]

Originally Posted by illinicb

So is the stadium.

Stadium was at 82% capacity last season. Not great, not half empty. Every game was an opportunity to have a jammed tailgating area close to the stadium. (keyword is: close)

[Parking map]

Indeed, Memorial Stadium has the setup for a potentially great tailgating area. The key is Lot 36 & Lot 31 on the west side. Jam those lots up, especially Lot 36, and you've got something.

Today, things are too spread out. Lot 36 (the Loyalty Circle lot) is so empty it's comical. It's the A Section of Illinois football.

Lot 45,46,47 are in Urbana. I mean, seriously? Jam all of that into Lot 42.

The time has come to eliminate the free parking available at various university lots along Peabody and Pennsylvania. F-R-E-E that spells free. Unbelievable that those lots are still available like that.

The opportunity is there to control the parking and make the experience something special. Not just by making lots available, but by closing lots as well.

[256ILLINI]

Originally Posted by orangeroses07

I got the chance to go to the Grove this past fall when SIU played there. It was the greatest experience i've ever had on a college campus. They have such pride in their Rebels even though they have not been very good the past couple of years, just like us! Not sure why we can't have gameday experience like that.

Have you seen their girls compared to Illinois?

[orangeroses07]

Originally Posted by 256ILLINI

Have you seen their girls compared to Illinois?

Their girls are second to none. No doubt about it.

[Holdemall]

Originally Posted by 256ILLINI

Have you seen their girls compared to Illinois?

Have you seen their academics compared to Illinois?

[256ILLINI]

Originally Posted by Holdemall

Have you seen their academics compared to Illinois?

Yea, they let a player in who couldn't read.

I thought we were talking tailgates and not academics?

[Ransom Stoddard]

Originally Posted by 256ILLINI

Yea, they let a player in who couldn't read.

I thought we were talking tailgates and not academics?

No matter how much you're enjoying an Ol' Miss tailgate, at a certain point you will realize that despite how much fun you might be having, and how much more attractive their co-eds seem, and how superior the SEC football experience seems, you're still in Mississippi.

[illinicb]

Originally Posted by Sure Shot

You don't have to take it away. In fact, I have firsthand knowledge that a lot of big-money donors who get the grass parking right next to the stadium would prefer to be in the paved lot right next to it.

I'm not sure about the grass versus asphalt lots you are referring to, but you can always park at a lot for a donation level less than yours (at least that WAS always the case). If you want to park in a lot area for higher donation levels, then you write a bigger check. If your big-money donor friends prefer parking in a paved lot, they either already have that ability to or they need to donate more. Maybe I'm missing something here.

If your argument is that parking should not be based on donation levels, than that is another discussion. I also think you make a distinction between parking and tailgating. I see the two as just a difference between what you do once you park the car.