Okay, so I’ve been a Yosef Club member since 1976 and my “ Generation of club member” “ is responsible for, the poor membership growth. I wonder why we don’t have more Yosef Club members. Whatever we are doing and have seen doing to increase membership ain’t working. Not criticizing the folks working , as I know they are understaffed, underpaid and overworked! Nor do I know all the answers! If we are ok with the status quo, we’ll then ,ok! But , it seems like an average of about 60 members per year in growth should be unacceptable. Anyone else have a thought and or solutions?!?!? I’ll throw out the first solution I would suggest: Change the name from Yosef to….(insert any name).

Changing the name will only weaken the brand.

People need to understand (a) what the benefits of joining YC are (both to the member and to the teams) and (b) that you can join Yosef for as little as $50/year.

Younger alumni, especially, think a booster club like the Yosef Club is something for older fans who shell out serious cash and have season tickets. But they might consider joining if you show how it benefits our athletes and point out that it’s less than $5/month. And if they DO regularly attend games, a relatively small investment can yield fairly generous benefits.

The biggest problem has been living in the shadow of the ACC. I know App grads who give to UNC, NCSU, and ECU because they were fans before they came to App and as soon as they graduated the black and gold went back into the closet. The real issue is that we have not been able to ride the recent wave of success to boost YC as much as it could have been. I don't have any answers because I am not privy to the plans of the YC leadership. Beyond seeing the faults, its kinda hard to give great suggestions when we can't be in the planning meetings to see the issues that YC faces behind the scenes.

Show the math on the big screen.
Today’s attendance 29300+-
3100 YC members
29300 - 3100 = 26,200 @ $50 each =$1,310,000.00
Join Yosef today & make a difference.

I think someone is right. There is a misconception that you have to be old and money bags to join. Put those numbers up and let people see what $50 can do. A nice family of 6 adults sits in front of me. They unfortunately split the YC donation rather than individual members. But at least it’s a donation. Our winning culture has not translated into a YC culture. Someone here has said we have freeloading fans. I wish people could understand what a huge help they could be.

appdaze wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 13, 2021 1:55 pm

The biggest problem has been living in the shadow of the ACC. I know App grads who give to UNC, NCSU, and ECU because they were fans before they came to App and as soon as they graduated the black and gold went back into the closet. The real issue is that we have not been able to ride the recent wave of success to boost YC as much as it could have been. I don't have any answers because I am not privy to the plans of the YC leadership. Beyond seeing the faults, its kinda hard to give great suggestions when we can't be in the planning meetings to see the issues that YC faces behind the scenes.

That makes me sick that anybody could go to our splendid university and go back to giving to these other schools.

I would need to see stats on that. Graduate App and then contributing to ACC school. Grew up Heels fan, graduated App. St. Still a fan of the Heels after my allegiance to App. St....never have given them a dime other than the price of am occasional ticket.

I’d say marketing needs to improve and find better ways to get students/grads signed up. No one calls me or emails me to join Yosef Club... $50 isn’t much and I can do that. Someone get YC to identify all people associated with App via LinkedIn and FB and start pumping

TheAppalachianState wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 13, 2021 9:19 pm

I’d say marketing needs to improve and find better ways to get students/grads signed up. No one calls me or emails me to join Yosef Club... $50 isn’t much and I can do that. Someone get YC to identify all people associated with App via LinkedIn and FB and start pumping

I had a conversation with an athletic department member today about this. There seems to be no sense of urgency to grow the athletic fund from the bottom of the pyramid. They’re only so many whales in the App family but there’s about 110,000 regular fish who could possibly give 50 to a 100 annually.

I wonder how many former athletes are members, especially those who received scholarship money.

Can someone provide email that I can reach YC to join? Not an app grad (assuming I can still join/support) but grew up in Wilkes and followed app since early 2000s.

Funny story…. I was in college in bfe KY when we played Mich. listened to every second via internet radio. Literally ran up and down dorm room hallway with exactly ZERO ppl to celebrate with.

I don’t recall a single appeal to support the Yosef Club from the video boards yesterday. That is such an underutilized asset. Hope we get that fixed by next year.

I'm going to take some "poop" for saying this, but the biggest problem with growing the YC is that there's no real reason to join.

To get out in front of the comming storm, I've been a YC member constantly since 1998 and have given around 25k over those years.

teller wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 14, 2021 6:29 am

Can someone provide email that I can reach YC to join? Not an app grad (assuming I can still join/support) but grew up in Wilkes and followed app since early 2000s.

Funny story…. I was in college in bfe KY when we played Mich. listened to every second via internet radio. Literally ran up and down dorm room hallway with exactly ZERO ppl to celebrate with.

LOL...your dorm mates must have thought you were crazy. To join the Yosef Club, just go to AppStateSports.com and click on the "Mountaineers Athletic Fund" tab and you can join online. Thanks for signing up!!

teller wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 14, 2021 6:29 am

Can someone provide email that I can reach YC to join? Not an app grad (assuming I can still join/support) but grew up in Wilkes and followed app since early 2000s.

Funny story…. I was in college in bfe KY when we played Mich. listened to every second via internet radio. Literally ran up and down dorm room hallway with exactly ZERO ppl to celebrate with.

https://mountaineersathleticfund.com/

I realize many members of this board are probably former athletes and view the club differently than I do. The push that I have always heard for joining the Yosef Club is how it benefits our student athletes and that is wonderful... BUT I know quite a few people who are Yosef Club members and only one is a former athlete. All the others are simply alumni and FANS. I attended ASU but did not graduate but have been a fan since those days and finally joined the Yosef Club to get season tickets. It had nothing to do with what the university does with the money or a desire to help fund more scholarships. I think that is the way a majority of App fans feel. To grow membership the push should not be how it benefits the athletes but how joining is a benefit to the individual club member. With appx. 30,000 fans in the stands on game day I am guessing there are way less than 2,000 former athletes in attendance and few who were athletes in sports other than football. The Yosef Club push should be to the general public in this area of N.C., Tenn, and Va. Tout the benefits you get as a member of the Yosef Club such as season tickets, and add some other perks, but lay off the mention of benefits to athletes. I too know many ASU alums who attended every game as students and are now members of the clubs at UNC, NC State, or other schools. They don't join those clubs to benefit the athletes but to get seats for the games. They have no interest in how it benefits the athletes. Change the focus and marketing to show the fan's benefit and you will probably see growth. Just my opinion.

appgrad95&97 wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 14, 2021 7:49 am

I'm going to take some "poop" for saying this, but the biggest problem with growing the YC is that there's no real reason to join.

To get out in front of the comming storm, I've been a YC member constantly since 1998 and have given around 25k over those years.

I somewhat agree with you. I think the focus is three fold. 1) how do we get new members, 2) how to we cultivate and nurture the big donors, and 3) which is the biggest issue to me and more in line with your comment, how do we incentive current members to give more? I give and expect nothing in return, but there are a lot of people that need that carrot. So looking at the current giving levels, a donor at the $250 level gets pretty much the same benefits has a $1,000 donor. So where is the push to get more?

I sit in the NEZ and while leaving, I got to see how it could work. Susie had a table of App stuff for purchase. One of the items was the black coaches hat with the Mountaineers script. Was told that they wouldn’t be available in the store. Scooped one up. I think access to coaches apparel at certain levels is one way to increase giving. Maybe access to surplus sales prior to the public. Anyone have any ideas?

I believe in order for Yosef and The Mountaineer Athletic Fund to function as a non-profit, tax exempt organization they have to advertise as such and are limited in the "benefits" that members are provided. How many people would donate what they do if there was not the tax benefit for a charitable donation? Funding scholarships is DIRECTLY related to the product on the field or court. If the product is poor then tickets are not sold and money is lost across the board. Why is it so hard for people to understand that and continue to only consider immediate, tangible benefits for themselves. When I give to the Food Bank of NC I get ABSOLUTELY nothing in return other than the knowledge that I helped feed someone less fortunate than I. When I give to Yosef I help a student-athlete receive a college education that they otherwise may not have been able afford without considerable debt. In turn I get to enjoy quality athletics whether I buy a ticket or not. That's a pretty good benefit to me.

goapps93 wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 14, 2021 10:34 am

I believe in order for Yosef and The Mountaineer Athletic Fund to function as a non-profit, tax exempt organization they have to advertise as such and are limited in the "benefits" that members are provided. How many people would donate what they do if there was not the tax benefit for a charitable donation? Funding scholarships is DIRECTLY related to the product on the field or court. If the product is poor then tickets are not sold and money is lost across the board. Why is it so hard for people to understand that and continue to only consider immediate, tangible benefits for themselves. When I give to the Food Bank of NC I get ABSOLUTELY nothing in return other than the knowledge that I helped feed someone less fortunate than I. When I give to Yosef I help a student-athlete receive a college education that they otherwise may not have been able afford without considerable debt. In turn I get to enjoy quality athletics whether I buy a ticket or not. That's a pretty good benefit to me.

Ok, that is the way you view it and there are plenty of like minded people, myself being one of them. But there are those that don’t.

brianowen wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 14, 2021 8:46 am

teller wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 14, 2021 6:29 am

Can someone provide email that I can reach YC to join? Not an app grad (assuming I can still join/support) but grew up in Wilkes and followed app since early 2000s.

Funny story…. I was in college in bfe KY when we played Mich. listened to every second via internet radio. Literally ran up and down dorm room hallway with exactly ZERO ppl to celebrate with.

https://mountaineersathleticfund.com/

Maybe start a new campaign with a goal of 5,000 members or some other specific number. Reaching out to all alumni, students and even residents in the region to broaden the potential makes sense. Use social media even more and direct contact (emails, calls, direct mail, etc.) to advertise the campaign goal and update numbers continually until goal is reached. I agree that in stadium messaging and PA announcements should be part of it. New members could also be entered into a drawing for prizes. Any company doing business at a significant $ level with the Athletic Department should also be encouraged to join.

Long post...hear me out.

Great campaign 5 years ago...Video crew went around campus "Shaming" people that were wearing UNC, NCState, ECU, Wake, Duke or other teams jerseys. I think it was INCREDIBLY successful. I rarely see any other college apparel other than App at Appstate and really the Boone area.

Take that same level of shame to the fans. My campaign slogan. "Do you have your uniform on today?"

Go around the parking lot and look for Yosef Club members....create a video...Shaming fans....maybe students. The uniform reveal group could do a great video and at the end, display the Yosef Club sticker with the saying. "Did you come dressed for the game or are you sitting this one out?" "Are you in the trenches with the players or are you letting them do all the dirty work alone? Where is your uniform?" "I hope you will lace up the cleats....Snap the chin strap and join the Yosef Club" "PUT YOUR UNIFORM ON!!!!!!!!"

Just a thought....