Hosting "The U"

[DaphneUrquhart]

That would be correct. Our support is woefully thin from the alumni base. I know quite a few grads from the 2002-2004 (my daughters friend and members of my fraternity) that dont give a dime...........

I hate to hear that. I graduated in 2003 and have been a Yosef Club member and season ticket holder for 11 years, this being my 10th consecutive season. We also have to remember the Appalachian Fund. Giving just $1/year helps our Alumni Participation Rate, which is included in the calculations used by college rating/ranking publications.

Preach it! I sometimes feel like a broken record trying to encourage folks to give what they can regardless of how much that is. The alumni participation rate is key both for the Appalachian Fund and for Yosef. If we're ever going to get consistent, substantial corporate backing for athletics, the corporate donors must be convinced it will be good for their businesses.

Thanks, ASUMountaineer, for jumping into Yosef right off the bat!

[NewApp]

Stop trolling cline. It's been mentioned plenty of times why attendance hasn't been hitting the marks of the past, both tangible and emotional reasons. FWIW I think if we played Georgia Southern on a Saturday it would have had the potential to hit 30k or close. I'm interested to see the attendance number for Miami, I'm pretty sure it will top 30k easily. I don't know how many people KBS can really hold but if it could hold 35k I wouldn't be shocked to see that number hit. Hopefully we would put on a good product and use that game as a spring board to get more consistent visits out of those fans going forward.

Not trolling, silly. I'm just tired of waiting to see the joint packed again. It's been what, more than three years. No excuses. If we can't have it standing room only for Miami and then later Wake, we are in a heap of trouble. We are 8-2, now in FBS, and still in the running for at least a tie for first place. Tomorrow should be packed. Again, no excuses.

Sorry to bust your bubble but tomorrow it's not going to be packed and you already knew that. And I would hope that you're packing up the car to head up to Boone right now to be at the game tomorrow, "no excuses" Cline.

Don't worry dude, I will be there. Nothing to pack. My significant other and son will be enroute from Chicago, but I will be there.

And I didn't need your infantile calling me out to get me there.

[App1990]

I'm sure Doug and others realize that the lower attendance trend is a big problem. It is a national trend, but it is more pronounced for us. Honestly, outside a small minority of 'diehard' fans (i.e., those posting on boards), the fanbase does not see any difference between Wofford and ULM or Wyoming and JMU. And actually, there isn't much difference at all. One key is of course winning. But second, most fans are moved by the regional rivalries and rather see us play JMU instead of Idaho or Troy. It's not surprising that our biggest game is with a team we played prior to the move up. We should be very thankful that GSU moved with us. The declining attendance would be an even bigger problem without them. Teams that move up tend to see attendance fall (losing revenue while increasing costs, which tends to be viewed as a bad financial move), that was predicted by those that knew what they were talking about. Fact is that Wyoming, ODU, etc. all are less interesting than what we had for the typical fan. But Wake, UNCC, ECU, etc. should be the goal because all of them would be better for attendance than the U (though its nice to have with those others).

This is a big problem because, unlike P5 teams, the FCS and G5 teams depend on ticket sales (and even more student fees) but not at all TV money. The TV money is trivial, and doesn't even come close to covering the additional travel costs. We depend on ticket sales, so whatever the problem, the decline in attendance needs to be addressed. And its bigger than the numbers suggest because the announced attendance has been very very exaggerated. It's a problem no doubt. If we don't get on it, expect that we will again take from the students to pay for our entertainment (already paying about 60% of it). Winning and scheduling can only do so much. We'd be better off if we refused Thur night games, except if it draws big on its own, like GSU, ECU, Wake, etc. We need to push the Sun Belt to stop screwing us over with bad home dates. Last year home dates were horrible. This year was better, with not as many late dates, but the Thur dates and that bad storm hurt us. And it is nice to know that Doug realizes that, given the current situation and trends, the talk of expansion is just plain silly, especially when the last enhancement is still being paid off by student fees.

[Rekdiver]

It's a problem when you have 2 Thursday nite and a Thanksgiving weekend game. Still say you need to move game time to 2:30 for all games. By the way the U beat Pitt today.

[asu66]

"We depend on ticket sales, so whatever the problem, the decline in attendance needs to be addressed. And its bigger than the numbers suggest because the announced attendance has been very very exaggerated. It's a problem no doubt."

Perhaps the announced figure is "paid attendance." I know, I know--it's weak; but clearly a lot of ticket purchasers (including long-time season ticket purchasers) miss games for a variety of legit reasons. Their $$$$ still counts.

[DaphneUrquhart]

"We depend on ticket sales, so whatever the problem, the decline in attendance needs to be addressed. And its bigger than the numbers suggest because the announced attendance has been very very exaggerated. It's a problem no doubt."

Perhaps the announced figure is "paid attendance." I know, I know--it's weak; but clearly a lot of ticket purchasers (including long-time season ticket purchasers) miss games for a variety of legit reasons. Their $$$$ still counts.

Good point. I have season basketball tickets even though I can rarely make a game ... particularly during tax season ... and don't even like basketball all that much. I still have the tickets to support the team. From a corporate sponsor's viewpoint, that's another season ticket holder.

[NewApp]

I'm sure Doug and others realize that the lower attendance trend is a big problem. It is a national trend, but it is more pronounced for us. Honestly, outside a small minority of 'diehard' fans (i.e., those posting on boards), the fanbase does not see any difference between Wofford and ULM or Wyoming and JMU. And actually, there isn't much difference at all. One key is of course winning. But second, most fans are moved by the regional rivalries and rather see us play JMU instead of Idaho or Troy. It's not surprising that our biggest game is with a team we played prior to the move up. We should be very thankful that GSU moved with us. The declining attendance would be an even bigger problem without them. Teams that move up tend to see attendance fall (losing revenue while increasing costs, which tends to be viewed as a bad financial move), that was predicted by those that knew what they were talking about. Fact is that Wyoming, ODU, etc. all are less interesting than what we had for the typical fan. But Wake, UNCC, ECU, etc. should be the goal because all of them would be better for attendance than the U (though its nice to have with those others).

This is a big problem because, unlike P5 teams, the FCS and G5 teams depend on ticket sales (and even more student fees) but not at all TV money. The TV money is trivial, and doesn't even come close to covering the additional travel costs. We depend on ticket sales, so whatever the problem, the decline in attendance needs to be addressed. And its bigger than the numbers suggest because the announced attendance has been very very exaggerated. It's a problem no doubt. If we don't get on it, expect that we will again take from the students to pay for our entertainment (already paying about 60% of it). Winning and scheduling can only do so much. We'd be better off if we refused Thur night games, except if it draws big on its own, like GSU, ECU, Wake, etc. We need to push the Sun Belt to stop screwing us over with bad home dates. Last year home dates were horrible. This year was better, with not as many late dates, but the Thur dates and that bad storm hurt us. And it is nice to know that Doug realizes that, given the current situation and trends, the talk of expansion is just plain silly, especially when the last enhancement is still being paid off by student fees.

Hopefully we are at least halfway making up the lack of attendance with ESPN3, etc money, regardless. Otherwise we are in for a world of hurt. Gilliam will tie season ticket sales in with the Miami game next year and Wake the year after.

[NewApp]

"We depend on ticket sales, so whatever the problem, the decline in attendance needs to be addressed. And its bigger than the numbers suggest because the announced attendance has been very very exaggerated. It's a problem no doubt."

Perhaps the announced figure is "paid attendance." I know, I know--it's weak; but clearly a lot of ticket purchasers (including long-time season ticket purchasers) miss games for a variety of legit reasons. Their $$$$ still counts.

But we need butts in the seats and fans cheering their hineys off for the first time in years. It's like a high school game and it isn't the track that is causing it.

[NewApp]

It's a problem when you have 2 Thursday nite and a Thanksgiving weekend game. Still say you need to move game time to 2:30 for all games. By the way the U beat Pitt today.

But as I was reminded on here, we should have expected that with the move up. I was also reminded that ESPN would be setting the game times. And we got it.

[AppinVA]

I swear ours is the only school that could take news of a deal to HOST Miami, and have a faction of fans to construct an argument that we should've stayed in the SoCon. I'd like to say I am amazed, but, nope, I expected it. And you didn't disappoint.

[Appftw]

We didn't even sell out the FCS playoffs at this time of the year. Even when we were the #1 team in FCS after 09. How do you explain that NewTroll?


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[NewApp]

I swear ours is the only school that could take news of a deal to HOST Miami, and have a faction of fans to construct an argument that we should've stayed in the SoCon. I'd like to say I am amazed, but, nope, I expected it. And you didn't disappoint.

Who in hell said that? Certainly not me!!! I'm glad we are where we are where we are! I just want to see 30,000 fans and more money besides two games vs ACC schools. You should, too.
You need to read instead of making up crap. I'm still with the program or else I wouldn't be sitting in a traffic jam on I-77 instead of being in Chicago with my kid.

[NewApp]

We didn't even sell out the FCS playoffs at this time of the year. Even when we were the #1 team in FCS after 09. How do you explain that NewTroll?


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i already have. We played on a week's notice vs no name FCS teams in the first of a series of games instead of vs an FBS team for a possible FBS conference championship and a good bowl game . If you can't see the difference I can't help you.

[Gonzo]

I have a theory. I think the success of the Panthers hurts our attendance. I can only speak for my peers (alums in their mid and late 20s), but many people I know are so gung ho about the 11-0 Panthers they've almost forgotten about the Apps' historically good season. It's almost impossible to travel to Boone on Saturday and go to the Panthers game in the same weekend. And not even my most compensated buddies can afford season tickets to the App game AND Panthers PSLs (I know the latter dwarfs the former but it's hard for someone to justify buying both when they don't even make 60k a year). My best friend is a HUGE State fan. He didn't go to Carter-Finley for a single game this year and hasn't missed a Panthers game.

Just a thought. One of the myriad of factors that's hurt us of late, but one I haven't seen posted.

[Appftw]

We didn't even sell out the FCS playoffs at this time of the year. Even when we were the #1 team in FCS after 09. How do you explain that NewTroll?


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i already have. We played on a week's notice vs no name FCS teams in the first of a series of games instead of vs an FBS team for a possible FBS conference championship and a good bowl game . If you can't see the difference I can't help you.

So excuses work for FCS but don't hold up in FBS. Got it. Last time I respond to anything you post. Shoulda known.


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[NewApp]

I have a theory. I think the success of the Panthers hurts our attendance. I can only speak for my peers (alums in their mid and late 20s), but many people I know are so gung ho about the 11-0 Panthers they've almost forgotten about the Apps' historically good season. It's almost impossible to travel to Boone on Saturday and go to the Panthers game in the same weekend. And not even my most compensated buddies can afford season tickets to the App game AND Panthers PSLs (I know the latter dwarfs the former but it's hard for someone to justify buying both when they don't even make 60k a year). My best friend is a HUGE State fan. He didn't go to Carter-Finley for a single game this year and hasn't missed a Panthers game.

Just a thought. One of the myriad of factors that's hurt us of late, but one I haven't seen posted.

I think you've got something there. They sure dominate the media coverage here in the Charlotte area.

[NewApp]

We didn't even sell out the FCS playoffs at this time of the year. Even when we were the #1 team in FCS after 09. How do you explain that NewTroll?


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i already have. We played on a week's notice vs no name FCS teams in the first of a series of games instead of vs an FBS team for a possible FBS conference championship and a good bowl game . If you can't see the difference I can't help you.

So excuses work for FCS but don't hold up in FBS. Got it. Last time I respond to anything you post. Shoulda known.


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Oh no! I'm gonna cry my eyes out tonight!

Not!

[TheMackAttack]

We didn't even sell out the FCS playoffs at this time of the year. Even when we were the #1 team in FCS after 09. How do you explain that NewTroll?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

i already have. We played on a week's notice vs no name FCS teams in the first of a series of games instead of vs an FBS team for a possible FBS conference championship and a good bowl game . If you can't see the difference I can't help you.

So excuses work for FCS but don't hold up in FBS. Got it. Last time I respond to anything you post. Shoulda known.


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I think I speak for a large number of posters on this board when I say, please stop quoting NewApp. We have him on ignore for a reason and if you keep quoting him then we keep seeing what he posts and it defeats the whole purpose of ignoring him to begin with.

[ASUMountaineer]

That would be correct. Our support is woefully thin from the alumni base. I know quite a few grads from the 2002-2004 (my daughters friend and members of my fraternity) that dont give a dime...........

I hate to hear that. I graduated in 2003 and have been a Yosef Club member and season ticket holder for 11 years, this being my 10th consecutive season. We also have to remember the Appalachian Fund. Giving just $1/year helps our Alumni Participation Rate, which is included in the calculations used by college rating/ranking publications.

Preach it! I sometimes feel like a broken record trying to encourage folks to give what they can regardless of how much that is. The alumni participation rate is key both for the Appalachian Fund and for Yosef. If we're ever going to get consistent, substantial corporate backing for athletics, the corporate donors must be convinced it will be good for their businesses.

Thanks, ASUMountaineer, for jumping into Yosef right off the bat!

Of course! I'd buy season tickets to basketball too, if I was able to get up the mountain with any type of consistency during the season--baseball too. When I was at App, I worked at the AppFund. So, it's near and dear, but you nailed it with corporate support. If alums pitch in at the tune of "$10 a year" we'd be flushed with support--and funding!

[bigdaddyg]

I was fortunate to be able to attend many of the FCS playoff games. The problem I think was pretty simple- timing. Most years when we hosted the first round the game fell on Thanksgiving weekend. The reason for lower attendance (some years it was really low) was due to students still being out. The next weeks were also a crap shoot. As students complete exams they go home. If we advanced to the third round with a home game students were gone and folks were in Christmas mode (not to mention some of those games included some god awful weather). Watch ESPN has really put a hurting on attendance. Why go when you can watch the game on an IPAD? I think that is just the reality.