Attendance For The Rest Of The Season

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

It's looking like there are a lot of tickets for sale this coming Saturday. Typically, even in dismal seasons Black Saturday has been a well attended game. Is it really the Miami effect, the fact games on television, the conference opponents we have at home this year, or all of the above?

My personal opinion is that the athletic department marketed season tickets as a sure way to get a ticket to the Miami game. Many people took the bait knowing they couldn't make the other games. I can't make this weekends game. Tried to sell my tickets and parking pass to recover some of the money, but had to end up giving the tickets away. I figured the season tickets were already paid for, why not help cover the aluminum?

Do you all think it will improve? I think it's safe to say expansion to KBS should be off the table. Enhancements, yes. Expansion, not so much.

[HighlandsApp]

It's looking like there are a lot of tickets for sale this coming Saturday. Typically, even in dismal seasons Black Saturday has been a well attended game. Is it really the Miami effect, the fact games on television, the conference opponents we have at home this year, or all of the above?

My personal opinion is that the athletic department marketed season tickets as a sure way to get a ticket to the Miami game. Many people took the bait knowing they couldn't make the other games. I can't make this weekends game. Tried to sell my tickets and parking pass to recover some of the money, but had to end up giving the tickets away. I figured the season tickets were already paid for, why not help cover the aluminum?

Do you all think it will improve? I think it's safe to say expansion to KBS should be off the table. Enhancements, yes. Expansion, not so much.

It is sad to me that we are not having higher ticket sales. It is to be another picture perfect weather day in Boone and we all know there is no better place to be than in Boone.

Premium seating, loge seats, Yosef Club hospitality deck, more concession areas, permanent seats for the now temporary bleachers and bringing Miller Hill to the South end zone are great enhancements. It will be very nice to have Owen's Field House gone. In addition, a third gate entrance up Jack Branch Road where the block A bushes are needs to be added more as an emergency exit than anything so if we ever need to squeeze more than 34,658 in the place, then perhaps we will be allowed to. It had never occurred to me until the liability limits were revealed that we only have two exits.

Go AppState! BEAT Georgia State!

[Gonzo]

This game is at noon, therefore it will be 20k or worse.

[EastHallApp]

I think all your points are correct, plus the noon start certainly won't help. Also, on the past, Black Saturday was typically a big rivalry game against another conference favorite. I don't think people were motivated so much by the promotion as by the fact that we were playing GS or Furman.

[mtnjax]

The Noon kickoff will affect attendance more than anything this weekend. Unfortunate byproduct of FBS and TV deals, but it does give fans a chance to watch us play who can't make it up the mountain.

[JonW]

The noon kickoff does not help, but I do think a majority of the marketing efforts went into the 'Miami Experience' and not the overall season experience. Don't get me wrong, such an event demanded increased attention, but not at the expense of marketing for the entire season. Heavy-up marketing schedules seem to be a little off base in order to drive demand. If the conversation is that these opponents are not well-known because of the age of the competition between the programs, it is up to the marketing department to capitalize upon this scenario to (a) improve knowledge of opponents and (b) thereby increase demand (attendance) for home games featuring such opponents.

[MDaniels84]

Really really miss those games in mid 2000's with over 25,000 for almost every home game (excluding playoffs). I really fear that some of this is a spill over effect from losing some stadium fans that weren't pleased with 2 things : 1) The way that Coach Moore left the program and 2) making the transition to FBS . Additionally, all you have to do is go back and see the difference that having 3:30 kickoffs (which we no longer control) had with our attendance spike . With that said , people need to just figure out that we are not moving backwards. We have a great group of coaches and young men who "Give their all for Appalachian State" every day of the week.

On a lighter note, maybe our marketing dept should do something like having Charlie Cobb in a dunking booth or something for games against Ga State. I would definitely float a five spot to get that clown wet !

[appst89]

I've never had to miss home games before, but now that my son is involved in weekend tournaments, there are two games this year I can't make. I am trying to make sure that the seats are filled.

Attendance all across the country is declining. I don't know that we'll ever get back to the 25k+ average, but what we need to do is to cultivate as many loyal fans as we can and make the gameday experience as good as possible for them.

[AppAlum1]

IMO, what is affecting attendance more than anything else is that the kickoff time is not posted until 12 days prior.

In my own case, I have made entire seasons of games, home and away, when the schedule has been set months in advance.

In the case of the GaState game, had this game been at 3:30, I could be there. I have to be somewhere else from 11:00 - 1:15 though. This event was planned months in advance, and I already committed to it hoping kickoff was at 3:30.

So, if the school wants TV $$, they will have to sacrifice butts in the seats unless they can set the kickoff times months in advance like they used to do.

Is ESPN3 or ASN really worth it? Perhaps ESPN or ESPN2 is worth it. But, other TV opportunities are not. IMO.

[EastHallApp]

^ Good point. Ticket sales for this and every other non-Miami game were lagging long before the noon kickoff was announced.

[eggers76]

I will miss a home game for the first time in many years on Saturday. It's not because of the game time, opponent or similar reasons. The timing just does not work out sometimes.

[Yosef84]

I think all your points are correct, plus the noon start certainly won't help. Also, on the past, Black Saturday was typically a big rivalry game against another conference favorite. I don't think people were motivated so much by the promotion as by the fact that we were playing GS or Furman.

Exactly!

I am hopeful that attendance for the remainder will be good but so far, this game doesn't have me encouraged. We have ALWAYS depended heavily on game day sales, so you never know. I do think the noon kick-off will hurt this one....which is disappointing.

[bcoach]

Bottom line is that none of this is a surprise. We have known for a few years now that this was going to be the deal. Now you may or may not agree with the move but we can't pretend we didn't know this would be the case. Down side is some may not be able to get to a game or two. Upside is that you will never have to miss seeing a game due to all of them being on either TV or ESPN3. Look at the bright side (:

[Yosef10]

I get what you're saying about ESPN3 but the guaranteed $250k on top of ticket sales is the kicker. It's also helpful in recruiting for say a kid from FL or AL and we can tell his parents they'll be able to see him play week in and week out without making an 8 hour trip. I honestly don't think the games being on ESPN3 makes a significant impact on who comes up the mountain either, maybe 1000 extra fans each week?

[AppAlum1]

Bottom line is that none of this is a surprise. We have known for a few years now that this was going to be the deal. Now you may or may not agree with the move but we can't pretend we didn't know this would be the case. Down side is some may not be able to get to a game or two. Upside is that you will never have to miss seeing a game due to all of them being on either TV or ESPN3. Look at the bright side (:

But ... why? Sometimes its better to whine & complain!

[AppFan11]

For whatever it's worth, I think the real reason why attendance has been hurt has to do w/ the doubling of the Yosef commitment. I think DG has done a very good job in a relatively short period of time. However, at the end of the day he had a choice, selling more season tickets vs the need for more $$$$$. He chose $$$$$. We all knew that we would have to "step-up." However, when he chose the doubling of the Yosef commitment that sealed the fate of season ticket sales even w/ the UM game.... sales would have been even lower w/o the UM game. Add to this the elimination of the mini packages, it created the environment for this depressed season ticket sales and lower attendances ( from the highs of 2005-2009). Personally, I thought you could have increased both ($$$ and ticket sales) by increasing commitment by 50-60% and selling the crap out of season tickets. This is water under the bridge now.

[MDaniels84]

I agree with AppFan11 and think that we would see a spike in attendance if we brought back the mini season ticket package of 3 games.

[AppAlum1]

For whatever it's worth, I think the real reason why attendance has been hurt has to do w/ the doubling of the Yosef commitment. I think DG has done a very good job in a relatively short period of time. However, at the end of the day he had a choice, selling more season tickets vs the need for more $$$$$. He chose $$$$$. We all knew that we would have to "step-up." However, when he chose the doubling of the Yosef commitment that sealed the fate of season ticket sales even w/ the UM game.... sales would have been even lower w/o the UM game. Add to this the elimination of the mini packages, it created the environment for this depressed season ticket sales and lower attendances ( from the highs of 2005-2009). Personally, I thought you could have increased both ($$$ and ticket sales) by increasing commitment by 50-60% and selling the crap out of season tickets. This is water under the bridge now.

I see no connection whatsoever between ticket sales and the Yosef Club commitment. You are in essence saying that if people give more $$ to the Yosef Club, then fewer tickets will sell. Nonsense. Those who choose to give to the Yosef Club, do so; and those who chose not to, don't. Anyone can buy a ticket without contributing to the Yosef Club.

If anything, increasing the Yosef Club commitment means an increase in ticket sales through improved facilities, more schollies, etc.

[BUTCH1991]

I've never had to miss home games before, but now that my son is involved in weekend tournaments, there are two games this year I can't make. I am trying to make sure that the seats are filled.

Attendance all across the country is declining. I don't know that we'll ever get back to the 25k+ average, but what we need to do is to cultivate as many loyal fans as we can and make the gameday experience as good as possible for them.

Same here, will have to miss this weekend due to a baseball tournament and perhaps again for the Texas State game. Having a hard time unloading the tickets for this weekend. Now, if we could move kickoff to say 10:00 am, then I can make it this Saturday.

[MDaniels84]

TV definitely has some impact on who is willing to make it up the mountain each week. Found this little article regarding SunBelt football and tv and thought it interesting. I don't see anyone lining up for those massive market matchups like Charlotte vs ODU this week .

http://www.dothaneagle.com/sports/troy/ ... c4a50.html