… And Yet Another Flub

General56

As if the previous report isn’t embarrassing enough, this morning’s N&O highlights yet another flub by NC State’s athletic powers that be.

It seems the ACC has a new program in which non-revenue sports contests are shown via webcast. This is a good idea. Non-revenue athletes labor in near-complete anonymity compared to their football and basketball counterparts. Giving those athletes some exposure, even via the Internet, is a great idea. I rarely credit the Swofford-run ACC for anything, but they deserve it here: The ACC is the first conference in the country to come up with a program like this.

Duke and Carolina are already implementing the webcast program. Guess which Triangle-based ACC school hasn’t, well, gotten around to it yet? If you guessed “the Research Triangle university primarily dedicated to technological advancement,� you’re right! From the N&O:

In the Triangle, Duke and North Carolina already have had webcasts; N.C. State has not yet launched the service. By the spring, all 12 ACC schools are expected to be participating.

Well, really, you say. Who cares? But let’s face it: this is yet another example of N.C. State athletics making yet another third-place showing in comparison with its Triangle competitors. That’s bad – and predictable – enough. But, again, when you consider that N.C. State is the technological base of the Research Triangle, it’s downright embarrassing.

Tighten up, Mr. Fowler. If N.C. State athletics and Wolfpack Sports Marketing can give you a special – hell, a unique – television show, ostensibly to publicize the very non-revenue sports at issue here (and pay you for the “privilegeâ€?), they can afford to have a couple of interns webcasting non-revenue sports and give those athletes just a little of the public exposure you so obviously crave in your own right.

General

56 Responses to … And Yet Another Flub

  1. Cardiff Giant 10/12/2006 at 9:09 AM #

    Why we continue to tolerate our Media Relations and Sports Marketing being run, comparatively, like a business off the tailgate of a pickup at the flea market is absolutely beyond me.

  2. RAWFS 10/12/2006 at 9:09 AM #

    In case you guys haven’t noticed the gross negligence and incompetence by WSM and the athletics department when it comes to mass media, perhaps this point in the never-ending curve will drive the point home.

  3. BoKnowsNCS71 10/12/2006 at 9:16 AM #

    If the deadline is Spring and we can put a better product out there with longer planning – I don’t see this as negative (yet).

    I know we are competitive but Internet broadcasting isn’t a competition or “race”. What are they doing over at the Dook/EweNC blogs sites? Giving themselves high five and sayin “We sure got the Pack on this one”.

    I guess when teams aren’t winning FB games and selling out seats — they have time for Swofford mandates like this.

    All in due time — due time.

  4. partialqualifier 10/12/2006 at 9:18 AM #

    I think sometimes we can get a little too consumed with how Chuck Amato has positively (& negatively at times) marketed Wolfpack Football. And sometimes we wonder why Calipari et al chose not to come to NC State. And sometimes we wonder how UNC can suck soooo bad in football and still get just about any player they want. I think you have nailed the answer to those questions. We do not do the little things well at all at NC State.

    Wins & Losses aside….I give credit to Amato for understanding how incredibly important those “little” off the field things are to a Football Program. At what point is the NC State Athletic Department gonna wake up and realize the litle things make all the difference to the NCSU athletics as a whole? Recruits are told of this…potential coaching candidates are aware of this….so why the hell isnt NC State? We live in a media age, and how no one at NC State has the forward thinking to do anything remotely “fresh” and original is beyond my comprehension. We wonder why it is that at NC State the other shoe always drops….well maybe it’s because all our “t’s” arent crossed and “i’s” dotted. Thanks to u guys here for beating this drum! This is vitally important if NC State ever wants to get anywhere close to a championship university.

  5. If the deadline is Spring and we can put a better product out there with longer planning - I don’t see this as negative (yet). Cardiff Giant 10/12/2006 at 9:25 AM #

    “We do not do the little things well at all at NC State. ”

    Absolutely 100% correct and my exact point.

    “If the deadline is Spring and we can put a better product out there with longer planning – I don’t see this as negative (yet).”

    Are you kidding me? When have we EVER put out a better sports marketing program than Chapel Hill or even Duke, no matter how long it takes NC State to get off the dime?

    If you had some historical evidence to back up this point I would acknowledge it. Fact is, there is none that I can see. No, this is just another example of third place effort on our part.

  6. CaptainCraptacular 10/12/2006 at 9:25 AM #

    Could some readership leverage help here? SFN, RAWFS, and others reach a lot of Wolfpack fans. Perhaps one of the more talented wordsmiths here can draft a form letter we could sign and send in to Oblinger, Fowler, etc. detailing the dissatisfaction with the Sports Marketing/Media Relations aspects of Wolfpack atheletics along with ideas for improvement. Numerous examples of missed opportunities/outright bungling have already been detailed here.

  7. Cardiff Giant 10/12/2006 at 9:29 AM #

    ^ Not really. The school recently entered into a NON-BID ten year contract with WSM. The sweetener? Lee’s special television show, with (IIRC) a special $50,000 payment to Lee himself for his services.

    If it wasn’t so laughable, you could get angry about it.

  8. BoKnowsNCS71 10/12/2006 at 9:34 AM #

    Cardiff “Are you kidding me? When have we EVER put out a better sports marketing program than Chapel Hill or even Duke, no matter how long it takes NC State to get off the dime?”

    I wasn’t talking about sports marketing. Only about meeting the deadline to do this one task.

    As for the entire Sports Marketing arena — they have al ong ways to go.

    Just distinguishing between the two.

  9. Cardiff Giant 10/12/2006 at 9:42 AM #

    ^ Fair enough. I am sorry I misunderstood your post. Still, I agree wholeheartedly with PartialQualifier’s point above: NC State athletics does not do the little things well, and this is just more evidence of that.

    What irks me about this the most is that these people, particularly Media Relations and Wolfpack Sports Marketing, are never, ever, called to account, in the slightest fashion, for their third rate and incompetent performances. Anabelle Vaughan should, in my opinion, have been replaced after the Chris Paul incident (if not long before). Awful.

  10. packbackr04 10/12/2006 at 9:46 AM #

    any word on hicksons press conf? what time will it be?

  11. class of 74 10/12/2006 at 9:50 AM #

    To pay any AD a fee for anything school related beyond his salary should be made criminal. Heck, if they are to farm themselves out this way lets make the base salary $50k and all the fees or commissions he can scarf up. Hey if he’s not making enough off of the state tell him to get a job delivering papers or selling hot dogs at the fair. What a low life goober we have as an ad.

  12. Trout 10/12/2006 at 9:50 AM #

    Hickson PC is at 4pm, at Wheeler High School, Marietta, GA.

  13. redfred2 10/12/2006 at 9:59 AM #

    Don’t you know? We follow, we react, we aspire, but LEAD??? Heaven forbid.

  14. CaptainCraptacular 10/12/2006 at 10:00 AM #

    ^ *The school recently entered into a NON-BID ten year contract with WSM. The sweetener? Lee’s special television show, with (IIRC) a special $50,000 payment to Lee himself for his services.*

    No Bid??!? $50,000 payment to Lee?!!?? Good grief. Maybe I’m naive, but I wonder how this is even legal. NCSU is still a public school right where the employees are government workers subject to statutes about contract negotiations and ‘kickbacks’ Is this similar to other arrangements for ADs in other public schools?

  15. Cardiff Giant 10/12/2006 at 10:11 AM #

    ^ I believe that Fowler is the only ACC AD to have his own show, particularly in addition to the the coach’s shows for each of the two major revenue sports.

    This show was ADDED in the new, ten-year non-bid contract NC State signed with WSM. I have read the contract in question.

  16. Rick 10/12/2006 at 10:22 AM #

    I mean it is not like we are a techinical school or anything.

  17. redfred2 10/12/2006 at 10:25 AM #

    To borrow a Michael Douglas line from the movies (slighty modified),

    ‘Ineptness is good. Ineptness is right. Ineptness pays.’

  18. choppack1 10/12/2006 at 10:27 AM #

    geez. I’m tired of giving that man the benefit of the doubt. This is a direct reflection of our good, ole boy AD.

  19. Cardiff Giant 10/12/2006 at 10:44 AM #

    Again, this seems like nitpicking, but it’s rather embarassing to me that NC State can’t seem to accomplish a process that, say, untold Russian pornography operators seem to work quite handily.

  20. Lock 10/12/2006 at 10:51 AM #

    as much as I hate to admit it, there are times when I understand why we’re referred to as Cow College. To me, this is highly highly important. Not to mention I crave something like this, ESPECIALLY in my current expat status. Any chance to watch the ‘Pack play anything, I’m all for it.

    And yes, I am totally signed up to the gopack.com webcasts. Early Christmas gift from my also-alumnus father.

  21. Rick 10/12/2006 at 10:59 AM #

    A flub out of our media department is akin to a three point shot in the Princeton offense.
    They come random and often.

  22. Cardiff Giant 10/12/2006 at 11:02 AM #

    ^ Thanks for covering this. This issue needs all the attention it can get. These people have been free of any kind of public accountability for their gaffes for far too long, IMHO.

  23. Rick 10/12/2006 at 11:07 AM #

    CG,
    They should not need public accountability. There should be accountability in their job. But since that is a pipe dream I guess this is the only outlet available.

  24. old13 10/12/2006 at 11:15 AM #

    Reason No. 999,999,999,999,999,999 why Foulup needs to be GONE!!!

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