The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

I know I said I wouldn't but you guys anymore, but imradioboy invited Akron Comments.

Overall, I had an enjoyable experience at the game and it was my first time at Dix. I think that part of the problem was that everyone is used to driving to the game and walking in just prior to the start. Can't do that during big games though. I typically tailgate prior to Akron games and have been to a TON of Michigan games. You always get to UofM games early and get your seat. They don't have a designated parking area, but they do have excellent access to the stadium. I also don't have a problem with having to show your ticket. I can see getting a little PO'd, but if you purchased general admission, you're going to get whatever seat is open. If you want a good seat, buy season tickets and sit where you want. If it gets too crowded, go sit in your assigned seat which will have a good view. If KSU is like Akron, season tickets are going to cost just a bit more than ONE Michigan ticket.

The negative comments I have are with the signage and with the traffic. After searching around for Will Call, I found it when someone moved and I saw the sign... at knee level. Please move it to the top of the building where people can see it. Then, after waiting there in line for 10 min, I was told that Akron's Will Call was burried around the corner. WTF!

Now the biggest problem I had was the traffic. Terribly done. I had a HELL of a time getting to the stadium once I got to Kent. Who puts the access to 30,000+ seat stadium on a 2 lane road? We sat in traffic longer than I do at U of M games. They also need the Freshman to move their cars also.

Overall, I had a good experience. I knew it would be packed and luckily noticed the parking advisory before I left. I planned to get there 1 hr. early and got there about 10min prior to kickoff. OK, I'll bug you guys next year.

Quote:Look. I appreciate all the effort. But face facts, parking and getting people into, and out of the stadium are basic. I saw people smashing old men and women to get on the bus after the game. There is no reason for that. One usher getting people to form a line to get on teh busses is not too much to ask for. These are not perks that only top flight schools. If you get trampled leaving the game, no amount of free food and music will get you back.

You have valid points, radioboy. Sounds like a real mess.

Hey Imradioboy;

Face it. The times are a changin'. Days of leaving the house 30 minutes prior to the kick off, purchasing a general admission ticket and sitting anywhere you like are over.
I sensed some real excitement over the first two games and along with that comes the growing pains of how to handle it.
The beer situation is horrible. It is probably easier to sneak in with a twelve pack than wait in those lines.
The yellow uniforms were great! I hope they keep them. It's too bad we don't have a blue field like Boise St. to really be different.
Keep coming to the games and supporting the team. Just make sure to get there at least an hour before kick off.

82661 Wrote:Keep coming to the games and supporting the team. Just make sure to get there at least an hour before kick off.

I have every intention of supporting the team. That's why the Akron game upset me so much. I want to see things done right. Look, our window to get things right is very small. KSU needs to do all it can to attract people to the games. That means handling the gameday situation properly.

I think the play on the field is getting better. I like nothing more then those winter Saturday's in the MAC Center cheering on the basketball team. The on-field play is getting better, the off the field issues need to grow accordingly. That's all I am saying.

The real problem with this university is most of its sports fans look for an excuse to whine even if they don't have a good reason. Could the bus lines after the game been more organized? Yes. Is the beer rule stupid? At least you got it. Did the video board work? Not really but at least they tried.
But if you want a freeway system, go to an OSU game. Sure, move the freshman cars. That's reasonable. Do you think they could also move those 2,000 cars back to the stadium before Friday morning? If you went to last year's, you should have known to get there early. Kent State and Akron play once a year. Leave work 30 minutes early and you could have been there long before kickoff.

KSTUD .......... I agree

They could have done some things better; I had a good time but got there early...........................

If the Flashes had won (instead of giving this to the Zippers) the mistakes made by the University to do this right
would been cosidered oppertunities for improvement by most fans.


Seeing 25,000+ fans at Dix was worth some of the problems noted; believe me: I have been to the Rubberbowl many times
and this was a cakewalk compared to that mess they call parking around the Derby downs, around that circle and around
the fields of that old airport area (seams like you have to walk ten miles before you get in the Bowl).

I really hope Kent fans continue to support the team this year, I think coach Martin is right guy for the job!!

We "only" need to average 11,000 fans for the last three home games to make the 15K requirement. C'mon out!

KStud Wrote:The real problem with this university is most of its sports fans look for an excuse to whine even if they don't have a good reason.

It's not whining. Look, nobody wants to see this work more then me. I sat through plenty of really bad seasons at Dix. I was there with 6000 others in late October on many occasions. These are legitimate criticisms of the stadium operations. On a normal day they wouldn't matter that much. But this program has a very limited oppertunity to make this work to remain a viable 1-A program.

The University knew there would be a big crowd. And I left way more then 30 min before the game. Hell it takes me 40 to get back to Kent from where I live now. The program is on the cusp of turning around. These kinds of things need to be addressed now. I just want to see the whole thing work.

Look, radioboy isn't off the wall with his observations. I was not at the game, but spoke to several at KSU who admitted the parking and transportation situation for Akron was not executed well. The sad thing is they are working on solutions to accomodate Thursday night crowds in the future, but the way this team is playing it won't matter.