New stadium, same story

IU Athletics Director Fred Glass peered over the East Section of Memorial Stadium at the fans standing in will call: “Hey, come on in,” he yelled.

He had just walked up and down all the stairs of the IU football student section, shaking every hand in sight.

IU scored its first touchdown on a run by junior running back Trea Burgess just as Glass left the stands.

“Kicks for keeps, baby,” he said, referring to an IU initiative that encourages fans to keep footballs from field goal kicks – as long as it’s not from the opposing team.

Moments later, Eastern Kentucky scored its first touchdown and field goal, and fans responded by throwing the football into the South End Zone.

Glass’ football-heavy agenda was in full swing.
 
During his first football game as IU athletics director, the beginning of IU’s 125th-anniversary season, Glass rode around Memorial Stadium in a smart car, dubbed “The Fred Mobile.”

He greeted fans, walked out to the 50-yard line and pushed for more involvement from students.

“I think having students to have this as their college experience isn’t only important for the football program,” he said. “It’s far more important than that. It’s very important for our athletic department because the money that we make from football is what we use to fund all of our other sports.”

IU athletics ranks second to last in the Big Ten in money spent per sport, a number Glass has constantly said must change.

He has come up with countless promotions to change the tradition and culture associated with the sport.

From the North End Zone to the IU replica field in Knothole Park, he has created a line of campaigns to drive fans into the seats of Memorial Stadium.

Many of Glass’ initiatives have been met with much fanfare. When he walked through Memorial Stadium, he fielded pats on the back and chants of “Fred” from crowd members, who were out in droves at the beginning of the game.

John Laskowski, vice president of marketing and membership for the IU Alumni Association, said he set an appointment with Glass shortly after he was announced as the new athletics director last October.

“He said if you hear something going on, you call me, because I want to know what the people are doing,” Laskowski said. “And that’s what it takes – is a guy who understands the fans and listens to what they say and gets things done.”

Glass saw that the stadium was already half full when hundreds of freshmen ran out of the North End Zone. The students came out before IU football players filed onto the field.

The group stayed afterward to watch the game and filled portions of the student section that are traditionally only full during games against Purdue.

“That was kind of an added bonus,” Glass said of the lingering freshmen.

But not everything that Glass helped introduce has gone as smoothly.

Glass was part of a 25-person panel that looked into ways to improve the tailgating experience.

During the course of several meetings, there was some momentum to shut the whole thing down, Glass said.

“There’s a real concern that on University property that some of the things were getting out of control,” he said. “There was a group of people with the University who thought, ‘Maybe we should shut it down.’”

Instead, they expanded the Hoosier Village tailgating fields, and called for the fields to close 10 minutes before kick-off.

The “Fan Walk to the Rock,” was also created to funnel students into Memorial Stadium 20 minutes prior to the game.

Tickets were sold for $5 to all people interested in attending the game.

“I think the balance that the working group tried to strike was to have the fun because tailgating is part of fun and bringing back the students,” he said. “The group decided ‘Let’s not step on that, but when the game starts come on into the game or do something else.’”

Glass said he supported the decision to add restriction to the tailgating fields, and won’t apologize if that benefits IU Athletics.

“I plead guilty to wanting people to come to football games,” he said. “Frankly, I enjoy tailgates, but the whole concept is that you have this good time and then you come to the game. That’s what the phrase is about.” 

Thursday was the first day for the extended Hoosier Village. Whether students agreed or not, many promptly walked out of the tailgate and into Memorial Stadium.

Tailgaters were still crossing 17th street for the stadium well into the first quarter.

Glass had already visited the band and the student section before leaving for the press box.

As he walked through the corridors of the new North End Zone, Glass said IU must extend Thursday’s turnout.

“Now we got ‘em,” he said. “We just gotta keep them coming back.”