All systems go! From the Oregonian:
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1179536110143020.xml&coll=7
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1179536110143020.xml&coll=7
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Chisholm starts PSU on trail of enthusiasm
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ManOfVision
Active member
I also really like that he wasn't afraid to state some goals. I always like knowing what we're shooting for in terms of revenue, ticket sales, etc.
http://media.www.dailyvanguard.com/media/storage/paper941/news/2007/08/01/Sports/Miller.Highlights.Strikes.Back.From.The.Desk.Of.Tucker.Miller-2928675.shtml
Fan life at Portland State is about to change drastically. Athletic director Torre Chisholm has been busy planning and organizing for a groundbreaking year of Viking sports.
Chisholm's primary task is preparing for the onslaught of new bodies that will soon stomp up and down the South Park Blocks. He hopes to take the bodies that trudge through PSU's hallways and cover them in Viking gear, place them in PGE Park and Stott Center seats and give them a reason to be true Viking fanatics.
Keying off from the hiring of former NFL head coach Jerry Glanville, who has created a celebrity-like buzz since arriving in Portland, Chisholm hopes to change the typical Viking fan's experience.
The lack of fan intensity and dreadful school spirit that are akin to Viking games will soon be replaced with a reinvigorated fan base molded by Chisholm.
First on his agenda is bringing back The Hoard, Portland State's student fan group of old. It will put Viking fanatics and student leaders in charge of hooting and hollering, in a bid to cause as much ruckus as possible at Viking games.
For fans, the reinstatement of The Horde means, instead of being the only student standing and making noise at games, everyone will be doing the same. In unison, fans will belt out cheers and gripe at the officials, which is pretty cool considering the recent lack of energy.
Like being rewarded for supporting your team, The Hoard's perks are based on the number of events members attend. They will start as small as receiving free T-shirts and burritos, but members will eventually score free Viking merchandise. Chisholm wants to give students who've been to 20 events an end-of-the-year party, catered on a boat with Glanville.
On August 7, PSU will unveil the football's new all-black uniforms. To give you a visual, the new threads look similar to the Raiders' black and silver jerseys with duller gray numbering. It gives the Vikings a rough and tough mystique to accompany Glanville's claims to be the hardest hitting team on the West Coast.
There are plans for a "blackout game" where students will be given black T-shirts. This blackout is in honor of the new uniforms and a tribute to Glanville's preference for all black clothing.
It will be exhilarating to see PGE Park swimming in a sea of black. The pure unity of all fans wearing the same color will bring camaraderie and togetherness for everyone in the stands.
Before games this year, there are plans for student tailgate parties to be held in the Park Blocks. The party will consist of cheap food and a beer garden, which is still in the works.
But, Chisholm may have bitten off potentially more than he can chew with this one. He has forgotten many basic considerations, but seems ready for challenges that may arise.
The major problem I see is the hemorrhaging rain clouds that pound the city during fall and winter, or better known as football season, in Portland. Are students really going to stand in the rain to get a hot dog and beer? The answer is, probably, yes--that is, as long as the beer is cheap and doesn't stop flowing.
Another difficulty may be the games themselves. After building up Glanville's reinvention of Viking football, will they deliver? And, if there is a lack of quality product on the field, will fans want to come to the games?
Although most signs are positive and the athletic department is taking great steps, nothing is a done deal.
All in all, it will be an exciting season for the Viking faithful. Whether you're a student, instructor, coach or athlete, it is obvious that this year will be much different, especially for the fans.
Fan life at Portland State is about to change drastically. Athletic director Torre Chisholm has been busy planning and organizing for a groundbreaking year of Viking sports.
Chisholm's primary task is preparing for the onslaught of new bodies that will soon stomp up and down the South Park Blocks. He hopes to take the bodies that trudge through PSU's hallways and cover them in Viking gear, place them in PGE Park and Stott Center seats and give them a reason to be true Viking fanatics.
Keying off from the hiring of former NFL head coach Jerry Glanville, who has created a celebrity-like buzz since arriving in Portland, Chisholm hopes to change the typical Viking fan's experience.
The lack of fan intensity and dreadful school spirit that are akin to Viking games will soon be replaced with a reinvigorated fan base molded by Chisholm.
First on his agenda is bringing back The Hoard, Portland State's student fan group of old. It will put Viking fanatics and student leaders in charge of hooting and hollering, in a bid to cause as much ruckus as possible at Viking games.
For fans, the reinstatement of The Horde means, instead of being the only student standing and making noise at games, everyone will be doing the same. In unison, fans will belt out cheers and gripe at the officials, which is pretty cool considering the recent lack of energy.
Like being rewarded for supporting your team, The Hoard's perks are based on the number of events members attend. They will start as small as receiving free T-shirts and burritos, but members will eventually score free Viking merchandise. Chisholm wants to give students who've been to 20 events an end-of-the-year party, catered on a boat with Glanville.
On August 7, PSU will unveil the football's new all-black uniforms. To give you a visual, the new threads look similar to the Raiders' black and silver jerseys with duller gray numbering. It gives the Vikings a rough and tough mystique to accompany Glanville's claims to be the hardest hitting team on the West Coast.
There are plans for a "blackout game" where students will be given black T-shirts. This blackout is in honor of the new uniforms and a tribute to Glanville's preference for all black clothing.
It will be exhilarating to see PGE Park swimming in a sea of black. The pure unity of all fans wearing the same color will bring camaraderie and togetherness for everyone in the stands.
Before games this year, there are plans for student tailgate parties to be held in the Park Blocks. The party will consist of cheap food and a beer garden, which is still in the works.
But, Chisholm may have bitten off potentially more than he can chew with this one. He has forgotten many basic considerations, but seems ready for challenges that may arise.
The major problem I see is the hemorrhaging rain clouds that pound the city during fall and winter, or better known as football season, in Portland. Are students really going to stand in the rain to get a hot dog and beer? The answer is, probably, yes--that is, as long as the beer is cheap and doesn't stop flowing.
Another difficulty may be the games themselves. After building up Glanville's reinvention of Viking football, will they deliver? And, if there is a lack of quality product on the field, will fans want to come to the games?
Although most signs are positive and the athletic department is taking great steps, nothing is a done deal.
All in all, it will be an exciting season for the Viking faithful. Whether you're a student, instructor, coach or athlete, it is obvious that this year will be much different, especially for the fans.
HA!! "Bringing Back The Horde" really cracks me up. I only came up with the name and idea behind the student group 3 years ago. Its not like its been around forever and now has gone into remission. It just hasn't taken off like I had originally planned. I will be ridiculously exstatic if The Horde really takes off and becomes a group like the Gaucho Locos (UC Santa Barbara) and the Crazy Insane Anteaters (UC Irvine), which are both schools where Torre worked.
My excitement for this year just keeps escalating. I can't wait for the first game! GO VIKS!!
My excitement for this year just keeps escalating. I can't wait for the first game! GO VIKS!!
http://media.www.dailyvanguard.com/media/storage/paper941/news/2007/08/01/Sports/Spreading.The.Word-2928674.shtml
Hope and excitement have eluded Portland State athletics in recent memory. Rookie athletic director Torre Chisholm is laying the groundwork to ensure that Viking athletics is viewed in a fresh, new light with a host of new faces, including former NFL head coach Jerry Glanville as the football team's leader.
Chisholm, who began his stint at Portland State on May 1, has feverishly worked with associates to makeover the athletic department since his arrival. Chisholm has made selling the Viking name a top priority, and has already more than doubled the department's marketing budget from $24,500 to $50,000.
In addition to longtime sponsors like Joe's (formerly GI Joe's), Pepsi, The Cheerful Tortoise and Chevron, associate athletic director of marketing and sales Scott Herrin has added a throng of companies to promote Viking athletics.
Among the new sponsors are Plaid Pantry, The Oregonian, Les Schwab and RE/MAX Realty. In total, 18 new corporate sponsors have been added--a 35 percent increase--which has opened the door for many more marketing opportunities, according to Herrin.
"If a company is doing advertising in town, we are co-branding, so it's an advertisement they are already paying for but now they're promoting Portland State football." Chisholm said. "The other part is getting companies to sponsor game-time activities, which adds to the overall experience."
Cricket Wireless is expected to sponsor a firework show during the home opener versus the University of California, Davis on Saturday, Sept. 8. Mt. Hood Beverage will support The Ultimate Tailgate Experience, which includes music, food and entertainment on the corner of 20th and Morrison, for mingling fans and families before each home kickoff.
The corporate partnerships will also pave the way for fans to watch the Vikings on the road. Portland State aficionados will have an opportunity to win tickets to witness the Vikings play away games against San Diego State, Montana and Northern Colorado, which includes a private tour of the Coors brewing factory.
We've really gone after ways to get more Portland State images out there as well as keeping some more money in our pockets to increase the overall funding," Herrin said.
Expect to encounter more Viking logos around Portland. In an attempt to saturate the city with the Viking name, Chisholm and Herrin have already secured deals to promote on The Oregonian's newspaper racks, displays in Portland stores and TriMet bus-side advertisements, and to wrap announcements around local newspapers and billboards.
"In terms of our marketing exposure, it will be really heavy during August and September," Chisholm said. "We want people to know we are here."
Raising awareness through marketing and promotion is an attempt to increase attendance at PSU athletic events. With football right around the corner--the first home game is Sept. 8, mere weeks away--Chisholm has prepared to capitalize on the buzz surrounding Glanville's hire.
Last season, Viking football games attracted an average of 7,070 fans to PGE Park. Chisholm's goal is for the Vikings to average closer to 12,000 fans, placing Portland State in the top 25 in Division I-AA for attendance. With Glanville now at the helm, ticket sales have already skyrocketed. Athletics has sold 2,250 season ticket packages before the summer has even ended. Last season, 944 packages were sold.
Chisholm will strive to create an event atmosphere at all football games. This entails an exciting product on the field in the newly installed run-and-shoot offense and hard-hitting 3-4 defensive alignment, musical representation and halftime shows for entertainment, fan giveaways and implementing a theme for each game.
Fan noise is an essential aspect Chisholm cannot completely control. In football stadiums and basketball arenas across the country, scenes of rowdy college students boisterously cheering are common. Portland State games have been unable to achieve this level in recent years.
In hopes of creating an energized environment, The Horde--an erstwhile student group of rapid fans--will be reinstated. The group will act as the Vikings' chief following, attending all home sporting events and giving teams a boost of energy.
"Once we have the students at the games, we want them to be coordinated and definitely have some fun," Chisholm said. "I think we probably need to break out a PA system for football just for the student section, so when we have our student leaders they can use the PA system to get the rest of the students going."
Chisholm said that The Horde will sport matching t-shirts, most likely colored black- or green-white tye-dye, and appointed leaders will direct synchronized cheers. Benefiting from an incentive-based program, members will also collect prizes like food vouchers and Viking memorabilia when they attend sporting events.
"We have spoken with the Student Alumni Relations Group, and they will co-partner with the V-Team as the leaders of the core effort to reenergize The Horde. Part of that effort is going to entail, the standard stuff, getting the shirts sponsored and creating the memberships," said Chisholm.
A student tailgate party in the South Park Blocks for football games is also in the works. Chisholm and Herrin say the first tailgate is expected to be Saturday, Sept. 15, when the Vikings match up against Sacramento State and students are returning for fall quarter. The event will begin approximately two and a half hours before kickoff and will include barbecuing and refreshments. Pending permit approval, they may be able to serve alcohol.
"We really want to have the student tailgate on campus, so students can be a part of it," Chisholm said. "And we want to make it a student event to go over to the game together, whether by walking or taking the street car, because that really adds to the camaraderie."
Hope and excitement have eluded Portland State athletics in recent memory. Rookie athletic director Torre Chisholm is laying the groundwork to ensure that Viking athletics is viewed in a fresh, new light with a host of new faces, including former NFL head coach Jerry Glanville as the football team's leader.
Chisholm, who began his stint at Portland State on May 1, has feverishly worked with associates to makeover the athletic department since his arrival. Chisholm has made selling the Viking name a top priority, and has already more than doubled the department's marketing budget from $24,500 to $50,000.
In addition to longtime sponsors like Joe's (formerly GI Joe's), Pepsi, The Cheerful Tortoise and Chevron, associate athletic director of marketing and sales Scott Herrin has added a throng of companies to promote Viking athletics.
Among the new sponsors are Plaid Pantry, The Oregonian, Les Schwab and RE/MAX Realty. In total, 18 new corporate sponsors have been added--a 35 percent increase--which has opened the door for many more marketing opportunities, according to Herrin.
"If a company is doing advertising in town, we are co-branding, so it's an advertisement they are already paying for but now they're promoting Portland State football." Chisholm said. "The other part is getting companies to sponsor game-time activities, which adds to the overall experience."
Cricket Wireless is expected to sponsor a firework show during the home opener versus the University of California, Davis on Saturday, Sept. 8. Mt. Hood Beverage will support The Ultimate Tailgate Experience, which includes music, food and entertainment on the corner of 20th and Morrison, for mingling fans and families before each home kickoff.
The corporate partnerships will also pave the way for fans to watch the Vikings on the road. Portland State aficionados will have an opportunity to win tickets to witness the Vikings play away games against San Diego State, Montana and Northern Colorado, which includes a private tour of the Coors brewing factory.
We've really gone after ways to get more Portland State images out there as well as keeping some more money in our pockets to increase the overall funding," Herrin said.
Expect to encounter more Viking logos around Portland. In an attempt to saturate the city with the Viking name, Chisholm and Herrin have already secured deals to promote on The Oregonian's newspaper racks, displays in Portland stores and TriMet bus-side advertisements, and to wrap announcements around local newspapers and billboards.
"In terms of our marketing exposure, it will be really heavy during August and September," Chisholm said. "We want people to know we are here."
Raising awareness through marketing and promotion is an attempt to increase attendance at PSU athletic events. With football right around the corner--the first home game is Sept. 8, mere weeks away--Chisholm has prepared to capitalize on the buzz surrounding Glanville's hire.
Last season, Viking football games attracted an average of 7,070 fans to PGE Park. Chisholm's goal is for the Vikings to average closer to 12,000 fans, placing Portland State in the top 25 in Division I-AA for attendance. With Glanville now at the helm, ticket sales have already skyrocketed. Athletics has sold 2,250 season ticket packages before the summer has even ended. Last season, 944 packages were sold.
Chisholm will strive to create an event atmosphere at all football games. This entails an exciting product on the field in the newly installed run-and-shoot offense and hard-hitting 3-4 defensive alignment, musical representation and halftime shows for entertainment, fan giveaways and implementing a theme for each game.
Fan noise is an essential aspect Chisholm cannot completely control. In football stadiums and basketball arenas across the country, scenes of rowdy college students boisterously cheering are common. Portland State games have been unable to achieve this level in recent years.
In hopes of creating an energized environment, The Horde--an erstwhile student group of rapid fans--will be reinstated. The group will act as the Vikings' chief following, attending all home sporting events and giving teams a boost of energy.
"Once we have the students at the games, we want them to be coordinated and definitely have some fun," Chisholm said. "I think we probably need to break out a PA system for football just for the student section, so when we have our student leaders they can use the PA system to get the rest of the students going."
Chisholm said that The Horde will sport matching t-shirts, most likely colored black- or green-white tye-dye, and appointed leaders will direct synchronized cheers. Benefiting from an incentive-based program, members will also collect prizes like food vouchers and Viking memorabilia when they attend sporting events.
"We have spoken with the Student Alumni Relations Group, and they will co-partner with the V-Team as the leaders of the core effort to reenergize The Horde. Part of that effort is going to entail, the standard stuff, getting the shirts sponsored and creating the memberships," said Chisholm.
A student tailgate party in the South Park Blocks for football games is also in the works. Chisholm and Herrin say the first tailgate is expected to be Saturday, Sept. 15, when the Vikings match up against Sacramento State and students are returning for fall quarter. The event will begin approximately two and a half hours before kickoff and will include barbecuing and refreshments. Pending permit approval, they may be able to serve alcohol.
"We really want to have the student tailgate on campus, so students can be a part of it," Chisholm said. "And we want to make it a student event to go over to the game together, whether by walking or taking the street car, because that really adds to the camaraderie."
ManOfVision
Active member
This is great. Sounds like Torre's off to a great start. Giving Horde members their own PA would certainly be interesting. I like the blackout idea as well.
ManOfVision said:
I like the blackout idea as well. I picked up one of those 'back in black' shirts at the spring game, I think I'll wear it to a few games this year...
Nice article Marty! I do disagree with the statement that Glanville and Davis are working with a weak talent base left by their predecessor. Walsh had a good eye for talent, in my opinion, it may not be run and shoot talent, but they were 7-4 last year. Would love PSU to be in the WAC.
forestgreen said:
Yeah, weak talent base is a little off. It was a drop off from last year, but the team last year was really talented. The defensive side of the ball last year was probably one of the most talented ever on the park blocks.
ManOfVision
Active member
Great article, indeed! Love to see overt references to moving up.
Agree with you. Chisholm hasn't impressed me yet, how about an introductory letter on the website for a start? How about a fully functional website after 2 or 3 months without one?
Do students get free admission?
Judging from Ticketmaster, there isn't even a student section. First and foremost, THAT has to be corrected.
Pick up where I'm coming from? The first thing here is getting people in the door, not getting people to find a table. If they insist on "membership," there should be people right in that section ready to help. You have to get the students IN first.
Judging from Ticketmaster, there isn't even a student section. First and foremost, THAT has to be corrected.
Pick up where I'm coming from? The first thing here is getting people in the door, not getting people to find a table. If they insist on "membership," there should be people right in that section ready to help. You have to get the students IN first.
WiViking
Active member
I think the students know all the sports are free. However, if they think it's still not worth going, it's up to the athletic department to make it more exciting. Having a $5 punch card with prizes could be fun, but if it's an effort to get people there, why isn't there info about it anywhere except in this article?
The Horde is virtually impossible to get going during football. Too many entrances, too many people coming from too many different places.
Basketball is another story, as all students must enter through one door, and only students are allowed through that door. During basketbal, I would expect to see more and more students join The Horde. The key, I think, is to be sure that the students sit in the student section.
Yes, there is a student section for both football and basketball. Look for The Horde banner above the sections.
Basketball is another story, as all students must enter through one door, and only students are allowed through that door. During basketbal, I would expect to see more and more students join The Horde. The key, I think, is to be sure that the students sit in the student section.
Yes, there is a student section for both football and basketball. Look for The Horde banner above the sections.
They must be doing something better, The Horde section seemed pretty full for the exhibition game. Well, full compared to many games last year that is....
