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Show ---------------------------......-......,...____ .. __ __ .. _T_H_E_U_N_ 1v_E_R_s1_T_YJO_u _R _N_A _L·_s_ ·o_u_·1_·H_E_RN_U_T_AH_U_N_IVE_·R_s1_TY_·_T_ u~_sD_A_Y_,_sE_~PT_EMD_E_R · _l_7_,_19_9_8_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1ITB]] <CA1¥ffiDUJ§ j) 0 Sports promos add spice to SUU athletics and back-Ht signs for revenue. Jewkes said that the next p roject is getting coun-side cameras that can be plugged into the scoreboard. Last year, the football stadium was also renovated with a state-of-the-art press box. And with the new track this "Over the last 10 years, college athle tics have decreased in popularity year , Jewkes said that he hopes SUU w ill host more track meets. uGa mcs nowadays are more than just games. They're events. We jus t want to nationwide, " said Tony J~wkes, direc tor of marketing and promotions for the SUU make every event fun . We want to show people a good time and hop e they come athletic department. Jewkes said that with more s tude nts working, a variety of back," Jewkes said. sports c hannels on television , and the p opularization of more "extreme" sports, Many of the promotions will be for footba ll, gymnastics, and men·s and women's · students just don't seem to he as interes ted in attending the games. A new department at SUU has been jnstituted to help solve tJ1is problem. baskcthaU. Those sports arc top priority because they draw the largest c rowds and are the only o nes tJ1at arc Jewkes is responsible for ticketed. inc reasing attendance at athletic events and e nhancing students Jewkes said that he hop ed more is done in the spring with softball experiences. The program started and baseball. He said those sports in July of 1997 w he n Jewkes was arc mo re diffic ult to promote hired. because the games aren't always This is a relatively new played at the scheduled times. department ofSUU. "It's the Two attendance records were newest arm of college athle tics. We're just keeping up with the set last year during foocha ll season. Jewkes said that the single rest of the country, " Jewkes said. Its main purpose is not only to season attendance a nd single enhance the e nte rtainme nt value game attendance (Montana Tech.) and atte ndance of athle tic evencs, records should he broken th is hut to c reate revenue for athletic year. scholarships. "We a re going to be The first plan of action is competitive. Our foo tball team is advertising. Because of its small o ne of the best teams we've ever hudget, said Jewkes, the had," Jewkes said. He also said that basketball :rnd gymna.•aics de partme nt need,; to he c reative and n :sourccful. There's quite a s hould he competitive as well. hit of trade-out with the local The SlJU squads arc facing some media. In exch:rnge fo r highly ranked t~1ms in this newspaper ads o r radio a nd TV scason 's schedule. spots, SUU offe rs c lub Jewkes highly encouraged memberships with free tickets ~ students to :mend the gamt:s. :111cl n:urn:s wriuen in the game ~ "Stude nts arc key. We wan t them progr:101 . gto come o ut wall the games and A new focnhall progr:un will ,... ): he rowdy and loud. Swdcnts make its dchut thi · sc-ason. The t don't realize their impact on :111 :11hlctic department is teaming up :.- :uhktic event. They're \'Cry with 77ie Spectrum Dri;zv Net(IS important ," he said. Joe llillock, to c rc:tte a 16-pagc tablo id-sized Tony Jewkes, director of marketing and promotions for the athletic department, slands In fron t wome n ·s basketball coach , agreed program to he circulated with the of /he 11ew scoreboard at Eccles Coliseum. 771e scoreboard was added to the S/((dfum last year that the numbe r of people in the newspaper the d:t)' before each and provides video Joo1age, sponsor logos, and back-lit signs/or adverlising. sta nds makt:s a differe nce. ''When game. Approximately 2 1,000 it's a packed house it makes it a programs will he dispersed from Beaver co Mesquite, and 4,000 free programs w ill hard place for oppos ing teams. It's difficult for the m when it's loud." he issued at each game. As an incentive for stude nts to attend, there will be opportunities for them to Jewkes said that the department is bringing in much more money than it is participate in half-time contests and games. During football season , a contest called spending. Because of this, the department is able to award more scholarships, and "Pass, Punt, and Kick" will be held. Students mus t sign up to participate the week make SUU's athletics programs bigger aod be tte r. before a game in the Sha.rwan Smith Ce nter. If their name is drawn, they have the "We feel like we have a great product. Every year the re's an improvement in the chance to pass, punt, and kick a football down the field . Jewkes said that if the y can athletics program. We want students to come to games and see the things they kick it through the field goal, they will win "a nice prize to furth er their educational like," said Jack Bishop, SUU athletics director. pursuits." Jewkes also said he wanted to remind students that eve n if they don 't like sports, the games are stiU great social events. Plus, it can't be too bad w hen the Last year n ew scoreboards were put in at Eccles Colisseum and the Centrum Arena. These scoreboards arc more versatile, allowing video footage, sponsor logos, events arc free with a student I.D. By RHIA.l'INON BENT JOURNAL STAFF WRITER 5 ..._...__.......,I SUU football topic for Convo Looking backward, forward , and at the immediate future of the Southe rn Utah University football program w ill offered at today's Convocation in the SUU Auditorium. The Co.nvocalion , titled "Feed the Fire, " w ill start a t 11 :30 a.m. "Most of the convocation focus w ill be on the upcoming season, where the Thunderbirds p robably have what is conside red one of the toughest schedules in all of I·AA football ," Tony Jewkes, di.rector of athletics marketing and promotions at SUU, said. "Our first three games of the year a re against the number three ranked team in the nation [Monta na]. the numbe r one ranked team in the nation [McNecsc State]. and the number seven ranked team in the nation !Western Illinois]." SUU Athletic Director Jack Bishop, who led the Thunde rbirds to more wins than any other coach In the univers ity's history before retiring from coaching, w ill present a brief history of football at the school, explain the struc ture of NCAA Division I ·AA football, and omline the p layoff ro ute to a nat ional championship in I-AA. Head Coach C. Ray Gregory w ill o utline the pros pects of the team this year and talk about the basic strengths and challenges of the squad. He will also introduce members of the team. Gregory is just starting his second season as the head coach pf the Thunderbirds, and has h elped lead the 'Birds to one of the biggest wins in school history with a 45-35 win over third-ranked Montana. He also worked as an assistant coach at SUU during the 1996 season under Rich EUerson. Representatives from the team itself will also talk about SUU football from their perspectives. Expected to be among those p articipating arc starters Brook Madsen, fullback; Matt Cannon, quarterback; and Clay Marshall, linebacker. "We are exp ecting some of the players to share with the audience what the fans can do to help the team, including during the game itself," Jewkes said. "We will conclude the Convocation with a fo ur-minute football promotional video c reated by [Cedar City television channel] CJV-12. We want everything during the program co help build the ent husiasm for this year's team and the Thunderbird program ." Sherratt Library receives honor The Gerald R. Sherratt Library has been named a winner in American Schools and University magazine's "Educational Interiors Showcase." Toe library was recognized in the most recent edition of the nationally circulated magazine with the Collegiate Citation for libraries and media centers. That citation is p resented to the building in its category judged to have "the most outstanding and progressive educational interior e nvironment. " Among the c rite ria for the recognition were "well-designed for multiple uses," "creative tec hnology application ,• "excellent use of light and mate rials," and "construction well w ithin reasonable budget." "This is the second award for the new library," Diana Graff, director of the SUU Library, said. "The hasis for recognition varied in the two magazines making the awards." |