General | November 16

Hello Huskies!
 
Last Wednesday night on the south side of Chicago, I saw a glimpse of the impact Huskie Athletics can have on building the presence and the brand of Northern Illinois University in the third-largest city, and the third-largest media market, in the country. I saw NIU Athletics on that proverbial "front porch" inviting the people of Chicago, as well as a national television audience on ESPN2, to experience what we have at NIU.
 
There is no doubt in my mind that the first Huskie Chi-Town Showdown game at Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, was a tremendous "win" for NIU Athletics and Northern Illinois University. While we would love for that to have been accompanied by a victory on the field, the positives that came out of the overall event – from engagement, exposure and brand identity to partnerships, visibility and student-athlete experience – cannot be overstated.
 
You've heard me talk about claiming a piece of that "Chicago market" pie and on Wednesday, we had more than one piece!  I truly believe that I saw and spoke to more radio, television and print media on that day than I have in my entire four years here in DeKalb.  It began bright and early for me with a 7:45 am appearance on Fox 32's "Good Day Chicago" from Guaranteed Rate Field; I was followed on the show by the NIU Silverettees and cheerleaders, Victor E. Huskie and the Huskie Marching Band from 8-10 a.m.
 
That footage aired throughout the day on Fox 32, CBS Channel 2 joined the party and the band and spirit squads headed downtown where they performed in Memorial Park on Michigan Avenue as NIU celebrated the opening of its new downtown office on Madison Street.
 
I arrived back at Guaranteed Rate Field with my family at 4 p.m. where the tailgate lots were beginning to fill as alumni and friends reconnected.  One of the greatest aspects of the game in Chicago was the number of new and different people who attended. While we LOVE each and every one of our loyal season ticket members, no matter where they come from, the fact is we need to grow! We need more of you, and bringing the excitement and pageantry of an NIU football game day to Chicago enabled us to engage with and make contact with more of our alumni, many of whom currently do not make it out to DeKalb on a regular basis.  
 
While the overall crowd was not at capacity, it was more than we have seen in the past on a Tuesday or Wednesday night at Huskie Stadium. I saw so many new faces, and heard from fans who told me how happy they were to have a game in the city again. The club seats were at capacity, suite sales were robust and our pregame gatherings in the White Sox premium areas helped give the game a real bowl-game atmosphere.  How about that videoboard?  Wow! And the fireworks after touchdowns never looked so good!
 
That "bowl" feeling continued on the field where there was a TV camera or a live shot going on every time I turned around before the game.  Fox 32 and ABC 7, as well as all three Rockford stations, were there broadcasting live. Writers from ESPN.com, the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times, roamed the field prior to the game. More than 100 media credentials (not including the 75 that went to ESPN2) were distributed – an enormous number for a NIU regular season home game.
 
I could see the excitement in the faces of our student-athletes as they came on the field during pregame warm-ups, especially our Chicagoans like seniors Kenny Golladay, Corey Thomas and Ladell Fleming. They were proud to put on those White Sox and Chicago-inspired NIU uniforms and represent both NIU and their hometown.   
 
None of it would have been possible without the cooperation, the support and the "all-in" mentality – from day one of this endeavor – of the Chicago White Sox organization, from top to bottom, and the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, especially board members and proud NIU alumni Jeff Yordon and Manny Sanchez. The White Sox and ISFA were phenomenal partners through the entire process. Thank you!
 
In the Huskie Chi-Town Showdown, I saw the birth of a relationship, the visibility we were able to attract in Chicago and what we can do to take #MACtion to the next level, and others from throughout the league saw it as well. We used this game as model and were able to show the exciting product we have in Huskie Football. Quite frankly we put a stake in the ground in Chicago and that's what it's all about.
 
To all those who attended the Huskie Chi-Town Showdown, thank you! I hope you enjoyed the game day experience. I hope everyone can appreciate the many benefits that NIU Athletics, and Northern Illinois University, reaped from the game at Guaranteed Rate Field.

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Don't forget, just because the home football season is over, doesn't mean the excitement is over this fall! This week alone – come out to the Convocation Center for a hoops doubleheader on Wednesday, Nov. 16 beginning at 5:30 p.m., AND don't miss the MAC Volleyball Championship, which runs from Thursday through Sunday at Victor E. Court. Let's show the MAC what a home court advantage sounds like this Saturday when No. 2 seed NIU plays at 7:30 p.m. in the semifinals!  For the entire tournament bracket, schedule and link to purchase tickets, CLICK HERE.
 
As I look forward to Thanksgiving next week, I want to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday.  I'm thankful for our Huskie Family of staff and student-athletes, our university, students and great Huskie fans! See you in the Convocation Center!
 
Go Huskies!
 
 
 




Sean T. Frazier
Associate Vice-President & Director of Athletics