Hunter Lochmann Out
![UM-ND-12[1]](https://mgoblog.com/sites/mgoblog.com/files/images/391e2b39a68b_94A3/UM-ND-121.jpg "UM-ND-12[1]")
Lochmann on the left
Jim Hackett ain't having it. A "Chief Marketing Officer" who can't even market his own brain effectively is not long for the AD:
"He resigned his position to pursue other opportunities," said Dave Ablauf, Michigan associate athletic director.
Lochmann was the living symbol of Dave Brandon's incompetence, a buzzword-spewing yes man whose only ideas were bad ones. The fact that Brandon hired a CMO whose twitter handle was "LochDogg" for at least a year after he was hired says somethin' about somethin'.
Under Lochmann's watch, Michigan aggressively polluted its gameday experiences with relentless noise, chintzy contests, and above all money-grubbing. Michigan came to be defined by the bad ideas Lochmann rolled out only to quickly reverse course on and bad ideas it was too late to do anything about except lie. Michigan lied about hiring skywriters; they claimed the Cokes-for-tickets thing was a failed "retail activation," which isn't English. Michigan increasingly focused on roping in "families of four from Grand Rapids who go to one game a year," as he told a prominent member of the alumni association, taking the core fanbase for granted.
That fanbase rebelled against his boss thanks in no small part to Lochmann. Ticket sales now hover on the edge of collapse and Michigan Stadium is just another generic sports experience.
The best news of all is that Michigan doesn't know if they're going to bother to replace him. Air would have been more effective at marketing Michigan than Hunter Lochmann was, and less expensive.
December 17th, 2014 at 11:35 AM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 12:57 PM ^
My biggest issue was not being able climb on the noodle. Back in my day, the pioneers used to ride those babies for MILES.
December 17th, 2014 at 11:36 AM ^
I also don't trust a man who wears a toy watch.
December 17th, 2014 at 11:44 AM ^
I believe that is a blinky LED bracelet that were given to fans as part of one of the UTL game promotions. Part of the WOW experience. Depending on who you ask its either sort-of-neat or annoyingly stupid, much like the man himself.
December 17th, 2014 at 11:37 AM ^
that he rode in on
December 17th, 2014 at 11:40 AM ^
The purpose of marketing is to make you feel inadequate
December 17th, 2014 at 11:46 AM ^
The purpose of marketing is to create plans that other people have to execute. At least in my world. If those marketers don't understand the product and the demand, they are completely useless. Seems like Lochness didn't understand Michigan football as a the product, and he definitely didn't understand the fans as the buyers. I hope we can reverse course on the in-game stuff b/c it was getting pretty lame for me. It's getting lame at other stadiums too but I always felt Michigan's experience was different, not so much anymore.
December 17th, 2014 at 11:48 AM ^
of Brandon yes-men. Good riddance. Hopefully Michigan athletics can return to common sense and sanity in it's promotions and marketing now.
December 17th, 2014 at 1:51 PM ^
is how many of the decisions they made that have aroused so much ire were so completely unnecessary for the health of Michigan football or for the athletic department.
There was not a single particle of need for noodles, skywriting, or fireworks. There was no conceivable need to force people to rent ass cushions, or listen to Pop Evil. There was no need to yank long-time loyal season basketball ticket holders out of their seats, or force people to buy bottled water at $5 a pop. There was no need to have the sign on Stadium be that fucking huge. Nobody was clamoring for bumblebee jerseys or numerals that were impossible to read.
It was one unforced error after another, yet they went ahead with all of it because "If it ain't broke, break it!"
Perhaps it's fitting that they broke their Michigan careers in the process.
December 17th, 2014 at 11:55 AM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 11:57 AM ^
So much this.
December 17th, 2014 at 11:57 AM ^
He was being paid $215K a year for that bullshit?????? It's not like he was being asked to market Micheal Vick brand dog food. All he had to do was sell Michigan to Michigan fans. He really was the epitome of Dave Brandon's brand of management.
December 17th, 2014 at 12:55 PM ^
I'm at work and I snorted when I read "not like he's marketing Michael Vick brand dog food". Thanks for that one!
December 17th, 2014 at 11:53 PM ^
^ Post of the day.
December 17th, 2014 at 11:58 AM ^
I'm not going to defend the decisions he made but personally I think this is all a little uncalled for. "Marketing" this football team over the last couple years has been a near impossible task. If the team had won 11 games this year the department would have been flush, and happy with him, despite some grumbling from the fan base about commercialization.
I mean, what would your pitch have been after we were, say, embarassed at home by Utah, finishing the game off of TV, in the pouring rain, in a stadium empty besides Utah fans which had moved down to the front rows? A lot of jobs in the U-M athletic department become very difficult when the football team sucks, espeically marketing.
December 17th, 2014 at 1:11 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 12:00 PM ^
Michigan is the only school in the nation, and trust me I've been to quite a few, that a blog would complain about "relentless noise" during a football game. Duh, it's a football game. It's not church. That's what is supposed to happen and since most of the alums are too good to stand up and cheer, filtering in noise is the next best thing.
We need filtered in noise currently because the place is not loud at all currently, unless you all continue to be okay with hearing announcers say "this is the most quiet 110,000 I've ever heard." Maybe if some of you would get off your asses and make some noise, Michigan would have a homefield advantage again it could be proud of. I cannot stand going to the Big House and being ridiculed because I stand up in row 10 and some 1986 alum is snickering behind me because I'm actually cheering.
December 17th, 2014 at 12:28 PM ^
Michigan won plenty of games for many years without "filtered in noise." It's not needed, it's not important, and it hasn't won us any football games.
So quit complaining about older fans who were around for many years to see winning football, and who understand what that actually means.
December 17th, 2014 at 12:28 PM ^
Disagree. I've been to nearly every home game for 25 years (I started when I was 6, so this is not a get-off-my-lawn post) and the experience of all the noise nowadays is maddening and annoying. Believe it or not it often actually prevents the crowd from making any noise. When there is silence students and fans and the band will come up with ways to fill that silence but they can't even start doing that when every dull moment is clogged up with shitty music and announcements from the press box. The students used to be creative and come up with their own cheers but now they just sing along to Sweet Caroline.
I sit in row 17 and people behind me are constantly pissed that I stand up, always have been, and while that is annoying it is not a good reason to pipe in constant noise.
It used to be nice to enjoy a fall day outside and a marching band and hopefully some crowd-noise. I'm even reluctantly in support of when they ring the hells bells to get the crowd jacked up on 3rd down, but the volume (as in quantity/frequency) of the noise interruptions is really awful these days.
Ultimately it makes us a boring, generic sports experience. It may not be as much of a WOW experience and it may be labelled as "boring and posh" to outsiders but it creates a community and a deep loyalty that you don't get by playing to the flashy, noisy, pro-sports experience crowd.
December 17th, 2014 at 12:58 PM ^
Student sections and other parts of the stadium used to actually do their own cheers ("Let's Go Blue" CLAP, "GOOOO" "BLUUUUE" passed back and forth, etc). It's been much reduced because when rawk is blasting, it's hard to be heard, so why do it. I agree that it saps the energy of the stadium.
December 17th, 2014 at 4:33 PM ^
Whatever noise is good noise to me. I'd prefer human-made noise. I'm just pointing out that for quite a while now, with the exception of UTL 1, Ohio State 2011, and UTL 2, the stadium has really been a drag to go to. I drove up from the TN this year for the Penn State game and brought my brother with me - first game he had been to since 1991 - and he said to me during the game, "Man, I've heard LP Field way louder than this and it only seats 69,000."
I just kind of get embarrassed that 110,000 passionate Michigan fans are below the decibel level of 87,000 in Auburn, Alabama.
December 17th, 2014 at 1:13 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 5:01 PM ^
How exactly does filtered in noise during breaks create a home field advantage? I've been to nearly every game since 2009 and it got significantly louder since the press boxes were put up and they started encouraging people to make noise. But you realize there only needs to be noise when the other team has the ball right? Otherwise it's just noise to make noise.
And I don't exacty like it either, but people are really only inclined to make noise when it's a big game. Penn State despite being under the lights was an offensive abomination where the defense didn't need any help from the crowd.
Some of the loudest games I've been to were Western Michigan in 2009, Notre Dame in 2009, Iowa near the end in 2010, UTL, Nebraska 2011, OSU 2011, and OSU last year.
December 17th, 2014 at 11:52 PM ^
Tired of hearing the "press boxes increased the noise" meme. Surely there has to be people in here who remember Bo asking the student section to knock it off... or Michigan getting penalized because the visiting team couldn't call signals on account of too much noise. Fact of the matter is somewhere along the way fans started getting spoiled, indifferent, and thought waiving their keys on 3rd down wuz kewl. Back then, capacity was what 101,000? The additions are just an excuse.
December 17th, 2014 at 12:01 PM ^
"Air would have been more effective at marketing Michigan than Hunter Lochmann was, and less expensive"
Oh come on , Cook. Tell us what you really think!
December 17th, 2014 at 12:06 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 12:13 PM ^
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December 17th, 2014 at 12:17 PM ^
May all the useless marketing hacks get the message:
Hit the road hack
And don't you come back
No more no more no more no more
December 17th, 2014 at 12:20 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 12:34 PM ^
Brian,
You constantly criticize the gameday experiences, primarily football. While I largely disagree with your assessments, I'll agree to disagree.
Yet, rather than the constant carping, what is it that you WANT??
A post, with subsequent discussion, or polling, might be an interesting diversion from the CC rumors/discussions.
As for the complaints about marketing, certainly some efforts are better than others, but, certainly, you cannot object to the practice. Like it or not, the Department needs revenue. You want to pay the next HC $6 million+ and the coordinators and assistants big time $$, as well as pay the other coaches in other sports, recruit nationally, have great, competitive facilities, etc.
All of that requires $$ and it has to come from somewhere. IMO, it's not fair to expect the Stephen Rosses of the world to bear the entire burden.
December 17th, 2014 at 1:18 PM ^
I can get with opinions and I'm fine with that but the unabashed bashing of people is out of line at time. Blaming Brandon in large part for the Shane Morris incident is wack. The mob mentality ouster of him dismissed too often the things that he accomplished here. All that said, we should move on and focus on what's important, the future and getting the right hc in place, not ripping lochdogg, who 99pct of us never even heard of.
December 17th, 2014 at 1:44 PM ^
Are you someone they hired? Because it's like you've never read...anything related to this topic. The "let's focus on important things because we're all incapable of thinking about more than one thing at a time" bit was truly troll-tastic.
Brandon's demise started in 2012 when he cited "expenses" as an excuse to not send the band to Dallas. It's been downhill from there. We didn't blame Brandon for losing football games, but because he continued to act as if he was selling Ferraris in spite of the product on the field. Since the band thing, he's continued to pilfer our pockets in the most insulting ways possible. He treated us like raccoons who go crazy over shiny things because they're shiny and for no other reason.
As for the Morris incident, Brandon did his level best to cover up everything and blame no one. Hoke came across as incompetent. Brandon came across as malicious.
December 17th, 2014 at 3:51 PM ^
On his way out the door, Brandon lowered student ticket prices for 2015. As far as I can tell, nothing more has yet changed. But, I can be patient. PSD is the same, water is still $4.50 at games. Rawk is still at basketball and football games. I particularly detest the music and dunking video at the basketball games. Just show highlights of actual games! Will be also interesting if the criticism will continue with a new AD, if the game experience is not changed to the satisfaction of Brian.
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December 17th, 2014 at 11:02 PM ^
was abig deal, and got most peoples attention.
But Brandon hadn't been here a month before he "floated" the idea of a mascot, "cause all the kids love them". Warning signs were early & often.
December 17th, 2014 at 12:34 PM ^
Well done, Jim Hackett! I am extremely pleased with this development. As an alumnus and season ticket holder, I emailed Dave Brandon after every single season begging him to pull back the reigns on his dastardly mission to "WOW" us during home games. Every season I was just ignored, and the marketing minions under his control just seemed to polute the stadium experience more and more. This seaosn was the first season in years that I did not attend any home games. The reason is I live 800 miles away, the schedule was dead-on-arrival, and I just did not see myself dropping hundreds of dolalrs and time off of work to travel up for the game day experience Brandon created. The firing of Lockman is a HUGE step in the right direction, and I think all of us will see immediate, instantaneous changes in our game day experience going forward. Hackett (or who ever the permanent AD will be) just needs to remember one thing: keep it simple.
I am very pleased with Hackett thus far. And for the time being, I am doing what he asked for during his Hoke-firing presser by being patient and believing that this awkwardly long and quiet coaching search is all part of a well-thought out hidden plan to land a top-notch HC.
December 17th, 2014 at 12:40 PM ^
Being repeatedly ignored by Brandon is surprisingly better than having him respond. Keep fighting the good fight.
December 17th, 2014 at 1:56 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 2:41 PM ^
I would be, would be a great souvenir to print it out, frame it, and hang it in the Michigan room.
December 17th, 2014 at 12:34 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 12:36 PM ^
and suddenly i'm reminded of Bill Hicks' diatribes against marketing persons (albeit this post / thread is fairly less incendiary)
December 17th, 2014 at 1:15 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 12:37 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 1:04 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 2:51 PM ^
You know you love it.
December 17th, 2014 at 12:38 PM ^
Only a team of morons would look at a stadium that consistently sells out and think..."Yeah, but how can we sell more tickets?"
Get all these guys out.
Don't let the douche hit ya on the way out, LochDoggieDogg.
December 17th, 2014 at 12:46 PM ^
he looks to have one of those faces you kinda just want to punch...and by what he said, I think it adds up.
December 17th, 2014 at 12:53 PM ^
Put his salary in the I really want Jim Harbaugh for Christmas fund.
December 17th, 2014 at 12:57 PM ^
December 17th, 2014 at 12:57 PM ^
One could add that air would have done less damage, too.
December 17th, 2014 at 1:09 PM ^
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