gorocks99
Posts: 10,760
Feb 3, 2012 11:31am
And you can thank/blame the fans:
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7536205/big-ten-reassess-legends-leaders-namesBottom line: Legends and Leaders will remain through the 2012 football season.Here's the part that will surprise some folks: Many Big Ten fans seem to want it that way.
Of the 516 fans surveyed, 57 percent either liked the division names "somewhat" or "very much." About 35 percent disliked the names somewhat or very much, while only 8 percent were neutral.
The study found that fans warmed up to the names as the season went along and saw them as unique and reflective of Big Ten history.
[+] EnlargeCourtesy Big TenTime seemed to work in the Big Ten's favor, as approval increased as the season played out.
It also found that despite strong awareness of the names -- 91 percent of respondents knew about Legends and Leaders -- many fans felt they were confusing. The confusion went away for some when the names were explained through public service announcements and other marketing ventures.
The chief complaint, even among some fans who liked the names, was that they didn't know which teams went in which divisions. Unlike other leagues, the Big Ten decided not to use directional designations, even vague ones like Great Lakes and Great Plains, because it created the divisions based on competitive balance rather than geography.
Yet despite some drawbacks, the names seem to be catching on a year after being panned.
"When the names came out, people were confused," said Brian Powell, owner of The Brand Explorers, a Houston-based firm that conducted the study. "People scratched their heads and said, 'I don't know what they mean. I don't know how they came about. I don't know where my team fits.' As season moved along, people became more comfortable.
"As that understanding improved, you certainly saw the division name acceptance start to improve."
FatHobbit
Posts: 8,651
Feb 3, 2012 11:49am
516 fans is a pretty small sample size. I still think the names are stupid.
ts1227
Posts: 12,319
Feb 3, 2012 11:51am
Jim Delany refusing to budge? Never!
I still have no idea who is in which division, and it's the same with the ACC because they divided and/or named them like a bunch of dumbasses.
I still have no idea who is in which division, and it's the same with the ACC because they divided and/or named them like a bunch of dumbasses.
gorocks99
Posts: 10,760
Feb 3, 2012 11:52am
You accidentally a wordFatHobbit;1074306 wrote:516 fans is a pretty small sample size. I still the names are stupid.
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bigkahuna
Posts: 4,454
Feb 3, 2012 11:52am
I'm not gonna lie, I almost forgot about the names. I don't think the names played as big of a role as say the East and West do for the SEC. I'm not saying I like/don't like the names now; I just didn't notice them.
jordo212000
Posts: 10,664
Feb 3, 2012 11:54am
It is still really dumb, but oh well.
FatHobbit
Posts: 8,651
Feb 3, 2012 11:57am
oops. I hate when happens.gorocks99;1074309 wrote:You accidentally a word
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vball10set
Posts: 24,795
Feb 3, 2012 12:04pm
they sure as hell didn't ask me!
Iliketurtles
Posts: 8,191
Feb 3, 2012 2:17pm
LOL 516 people thats it? That is probably like 1% of big ten fans. I also agree that the names are stupid.
gorocks99
Posts: 10,760
Feb 3, 2012 2:20pm
516 is a reasonable sample size, from a research perspective, assuming they had a representative sample.
Wooball
Posts: 1,325
Feb 3, 2012 2:25pm
As a pretty big OSU and B1G fan, I couldn't tell you without looking it up who is in which division. I don't know which division OSU is in. Obviously as the years go along people will get more used to the Leaders and Legends, but that doesn't make the names any better.
SportsAndLady
Posts: 35,632
Feb 3, 2012 2:26pm
Could care less what the names are
Heretic
Posts: 18,820
Feb 3, 2012 2:29pm
So, far in the first posts on this thread, it seems to be heavily skewed towards neutral (where I'd put the "don't even know which one is which") posts and against, with no one saying they like them.
Which means they asked the wrong fans.
Which means they asked the wrong fans.
dazedconfused
Posts: 2,662
Feb 3, 2012 2:29pm
You're doing the divisions thing right when even the casual fans can recognize what division a team is in. An example of that would be im pretty sure everyone knows alabama and lsu are in the sec west. How about the acc? Anybody, without looking it up, have a clue as to whether or not fsu and maryland are in the same division? I don't. While not as bad because of the name recogniton of the teams, I think the big ten is more in the acc category
gorocks99
Posts: 10,760
Feb 3, 2012 2:34pm
I can never remember which SEC team is in which division because I don't care about the SEC.
The B1G is easy (for someone who follows it), all the M's, N's, and Iowa in Legends, the rest in Leaders.
The B1G is easy (for someone who follows it), all the M's, N's, and Iowa in Legends, the rest in Leaders.
Mulva
Posts: 13,650
Feb 3, 2012 2:53pm
The names are irrelevant. They're stupid as hell, but they're irrelevant.
Iliketurtles
Posts: 8,191
Feb 3, 2012 3:08pm
I know the ACC and FSU because I am a FSU fan. They are in the Atlantic Division with Clemson, WF, NCST, Maryland, and BC. Then UNC, Duke, VT, GT, Virginia, and Miami are in the Coastal Division.dazedconfused;1074469 wrote:You're doing the divisions thing right when even the casual fans can recognize what division a team is in. An example of that would be im pretty sure everyone knows alabama and lsu are in the sec west. How about the acc? Anybody, without looking it up, have a clue as to whether or not fsu and maryland are in the same division? I don't. While not as bad because of the name recogniton of the teams, I think the big ten is more in the acc category
FatHobbit
Posts: 8,651
Feb 3, 2012 3:08pm
I would say the response is mostly negative with a few neutral. Maybe I'm biased because I think they are stupid. I don't know of anyone who even likes the names somewhat. Where did they find these fans?Heretic;1074468 wrote:So, far in the first posts on this thread, it seems to be heavily skewed towards neutral (where I'd put the "don't even know which one is which") posts and against, with no one saying they like them.
Which means they asked the wrong fans.
gorocks99
Posts: 10,760
Feb 3, 2012 3:11pm
From the article...
FWIW, I don't mind the names.The survey included "core" fans ages 18-66 (average age of respondents was 36). Of the respondents, 56 percent were football season-ticket holders (43 percent for five years or longer); 72 percent were Big Ten students or alumni and 90 percent watched four or more Big Ten games during the 2010 season. The survey also identified fans who use social media and the web for Big Ten football information.
There were few differences in the demographics between those who liked the names and those who didn't. Surveys were distributed to fans who visited the Big Ten's mobile tour, which, among other things, displayed the new football championship trophy. The tour stopped at 10 campuses for games featuring 11 of the league's 12 teams. (Illinois didn't play at any of the tour stops; Illini fans appeared at the tour stops and could receive the survey, league officials said.)
FatHobbit
Posts: 8,651
Feb 3, 2012 3:17pm
Can we get a poll? I don't want to start a new thread, but I am curious to see what the chatter thinks.
And I did read the article and could be completely off, but I don't know anyone who likes the names. So when I asked where they found these fans I guess I was inferring that they weren't a random sampling and were probably hand picked. But I probably would not go to a B1G tour to see the new trophy either, so maybe people who did were more inclined to like the names. IDK...
And I did read the article and could be completely off, but I don't know anyone who likes the names. So when I asked where they found these fans I guess I was inferring that they weren't a random sampling and were probably hand picked. But I probably would not go to a B1G tour to see the new trophy either, so maybe people who did were more inclined to like the names. IDK...
gorocks99
Posts: 10,760
Feb 3, 2012 3:24pm
I went and saw the trophy at Michigan for the Michigan-Minnesota game but they didn't ask me the poll. I would guess if there were a poll on the OC the names would be negative/neutral heavy because we're mostly assholes and probably younger than the people they surveyed. Average age 36 on there, average age on here is probably, what, 27?
FatHobbit
Posts: 8,651
Feb 3, 2012 3:33pm
I would guess younger people would be more open to change and the championship game. Most of the older fans I know hate that OSU/Michigan is not the last game of the season anymore and that there is a possibility of a rematch. I would think we would be more open to the division names than most. But there are a lot of assholes here. lolgorocks99;1074518 wrote:I went and saw the trophy at Michigan for the Michigan-Minnesota game but they didn't ask me the poll. I would guess if there were a poll on the OC the names would be negative/neutral heavy because we're mostly assholes and probably younger than the people they surveyed. Average age 36 on there, average age on here is probably, what, 27?
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cats gone wild
Posts: 2,651
Feb 3, 2012 3:57pm
I could tell you what 100% non Big 10 fans think of the names..............
gorocks99
Posts: 10,760
Feb 3, 2012 4:03pm
Trick question, non Big 10 fans don't thinkcats gone wild;1074551 wrote:I could tell you what 100% non Big 10 fans think of the names..............
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vball10set
Posts: 24,795
Feb 3, 2012 4:04pm
You could tell us what YOU think, but it's literally impossible for you to tell us 'what 100% non B1G fans think' :rolleyes:cats gone wild;1074551 wrote:I could tell you what 100% non Big 10 fans think of the names..............