Texas Tech University - La Ventana Yearbook (Lubbock, TX)

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SPIRIT WINS THE GAME With the help of new marketing techniques, school spirit was returning to Tech. By Kent B. Jameson Thanks partly to Texas Tech ' s first athletic department marketing di- rector, the pride was back in Texas Tech Red Raider football during the 1989 foot- ball season. Marketing director Dick Murray, who was hired by the Tech athletic depart- ment in July 1989, said he believes there is a direct relationship between a vocal crowd at games and victories on the field. It seems that such Monday morning University Daily headlines as Red Raid- ers wallop Wildcats, Raiders 27 - Ag- gies 24 and Giant-killer Red Raiders hook ' Horns in Austin attest to Murray ' s point of view. Murray ' s goals for the 1989 season were to increase attendance at football games, increase profits at home games and improve recruiting of high school players for the 1990 Red Raider football team. He said that if he were to accom- plish all the goals, it would result in an improved football program overall. To accomplish his goals, Murray intro- duced corporate sponsorship of games to Texas Tech and to the Southwest Conference, a method he borrowed from successful programs at LSU and Georgia Tech. The idea behind corporate sponsorship was to give area businesses an opportun- ity to sponsor specific promotions at home games in return for advertising for their companies and tickets for their em- ployees. Decked out in red and black, football fans in the stands show their spirit and support by getting their guns up and cheering during the Texas A M game. (Photo by Greg Humphries) :.m - ' : ' ■ 10 — Spirit That Won The Game

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J Lawless said he was disappointed to find that unallocated funds for Tech were practically non-existent compared with the University of Houston, Texas A M and the University of Texas, but he said that has become one of his top priorities. Unallocated funds are essential in mak- ing big differences in small areas, but they are just not available at Tech, he said. Although funding remains a problem for Tech to forge ahead. Lawless never loses sight of the positive. From 1983 to 1989, he said, Tech gained six presidential en- dowed scholarships totaling $25,000 each. In his five months as president, the number has more than doubled to 15. I feel pretty good about the fact that we ' ve achieved 1 V2 the amount of scholarships in five months as we did in six years, he said. Lawless said he hadn ' t had too many surprises since beginning his term, ex- cept that I underestimated the spirit and enthusiasm of Tech ' s student body, he said. I ' ve met some quite talented and irticulate people. From my exposure to ligher education, I believe these students President Robert Lawless talks to Development Vice President Colette Murray at a First Nation- al Bank reception, (Photo by Corby Roberts) are as good a group of young people as you ' ll find anywhere. As any good businessman would agree. Lawless said he feels students are the customers of a university and that the level of service to students should come first. I think being a student-oriented university to the maximum extent and delivering student services will bring Tech to be a better-quality university, he said. — The University Daily Dr. Robert Lawless gave up his position as vice president at Southwest Airlines to continue improvements at Texas Tech. (Photo by Rob Will- iams) President Robert Lawless — 9

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Corporate sponsors paid for such promotional items as the Game Plans handed out before each home game which instructed fans on how and when to show their spiht; reversible hats that could be worn with the red side showing for offense or the black side showing for the Black Attack defense; and clickers which were used when either Tech or its opponent were in third-down situations. To increase spirit, marketing director Dick Murray also introduced the Roof Raider, who stood atop the Jones Stadi- um north athletic offices waving a red flag when the Raiders were in control of the ball and a black flag when Tech was on defense. The changes Murray brought to the football program seemed to have an ef- fect on the atmosphere at the games. Greg Sears, a junior finance major from Plainview, summed up the new feeling brought to the games: The crowd got a lot more into the games this year, and for a change it was a lot of fun watching them win. fsm GO lES During the pre-game party, Raider fans display their sign made for the All American Bowl In Birmingham, Ala. (Photo by Rob Williams) As part of halftlme activities, All American Bowl fans are treated to a spectacular fireworks display at historic Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. (Photo by Greg Humphries) Designed by Mark Valdez Spirit That Won The Game — 11