I took my preschool-aged kids to the Mayborn Museum today. It was hard to miss the disparity between the Mayborn parking lot (full) and the TSHOF's (empty). There may have been a temporary closure or something.
Baylor (especially SWC era) sports and high school football are neck and neck for first place in my sports heart. Obviously, I've always loved the TSHOF for that reason. It is a wonderland for me. But even among my sports fan friend groups, I recognize that my interests are a niche among niches.
My trip this morning got me thinking about what could be done to bolster attendance at a place I truly love. I am certain that this is an exercise that the TSHOF leadership have done a thousand times and I suspect that they have probably also considered the following idea and recognized it's fallacies. All of that said, here's my thought:
Sports bar.
Hear me out. I'm not saying convert the whole thing to a sports bar. Just find a vendor who would be willing to add one to the existing structure. Charge a couple of extra bucks to each ticket to allow museum admission to bar/restaurant patrons who opt in, or better yet roll it into the price of a bar/restaurant tab at a certain threshold.
It would immediately be the closest bar to campus by a wide margin and would kill it with law school traffic. On game days, it would be a destination. Most importantly, it would put museum patrons back on premises. Sure, you may forfeit some of the "family" vibe, but you honestly can't compete with the Mayborn for that. Embrace the adult market and make it the place to send dad and older siblings while the toddlers tootle around next door.
I am aware that museum leadership are unlikely to be a great fit for the restaurant business. I'm sure that zoning would be a huge hurdle. I know that food/drink service is always a gamble. But it really seems like there's not a lot to lose at this point.
Baylor (especially SWC era) sports and high school football are neck and neck for first place in my sports heart. Obviously, I've always loved the TSHOF for that reason. It is a wonderland for me. But even among my sports fan friend groups, I recognize that my interests are a niche among niches.
My trip this morning got me thinking about what could be done to bolster attendance at a place I truly love. I am certain that this is an exercise that the TSHOF leadership have done a thousand times and I suspect that they have probably also considered the following idea and recognized it's fallacies. All of that said, here's my thought:
Sports bar.
Hear me out. I'm not saying convert the whole thing to a sports bar. Just find a vendor who would be willing to add one to the existing structure. Charge a couple of extra bucks to each ticket to allow museum admission to bar/restaurant patrons who opt in, or better yet roll it into the price of a bar/restaurant tab at a certain threshold.
It would immediately be the closest bar to campus by a wide margin and would kill it with law school traffic. On game days, it would be a destination. Most importantly, it would put museum patrons back on premises. Sure, you may forfeit some of the "family" vibe, but you honestly can't compete with the Mayborn for that. Embrace the adult market and make it the place to send dad and older siblings while the toddlers tootle around next door.
I am aware that museum leadership are unlikely to be a great fit for the restaurant business. I'm sure that zoning would be a huge hurdle. I know that food/drink service is always a gamble. But it really seems like there's not a lot to lose at this point.
