(11-09-2012 11:24 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  Attendance does matter. If you take a look at attendance rankings and then compare how that matches perception level and money it's almost a completely linear relationship to the leagues attendance average.

For those of us in the "have not' confrences we all tend to focus on what seperates ourselves.

Attendance is a huge deal to ECU fans because they have some of the best around. Same can be said for the Cajuns and stAte. However they do not have a "Market pressence" to accentuate it. They can beat thier chests and say "LOOK how many support our school! We are the best!"

Others like FAU/GSU/FIU/UNT dont have "Attendance Pressence" because of many factors, but are in large markets and can boast on thier large TV market for thier potential. We can say "LOOK how many people will see us on TV, We are the best!"

I try not to participate in market or attendance smack because it's all relative to each programs unique situation. Neither should be used as a judgement of a a University's committment to a program.

It looked good on TV, whether or not there were actually 30,000+ there. Better than MAC week night games.

Regardless, it made the Sun Belt look good (to the nation).

I was a bit embarrassed when ESPN was at FIU.

First. Arkansas State kicked butt promoting this. It's one thing to send out a lot of emails and releases touting "Code Red" or a white-out or black-out. The school went aggressively to local businesses and sold tickets in bulk because at this point in the season, as ANYONE who watches weeknight football knows, it is hard to get a crowd in the stands and its not just a Sun Belt or MACtion issue, it is across the board. ASU made the decision that getting the stadium as close to full as possible for the TV cameras was issue #1 at this point.

Second. The promotions were varied and agressive. Most businesses I saw had signs touting the game and the ASU cheerleaders and dance teams were at most busy intersections in town holding signs game day morning.

Third. Traffic was an absolute cluster. At 5:20 we were exactly 2.5 miles from the stadium and I walked in as ASU was scoring to make it 7-7. I know more than one local who realized the game had started and pulled out of traffic and went home. That's the downside of weeknight. Everyone tries to arrive at the same time.

Finally. A friend was telling me that as he left the stadium and the fireworks were going off, a person behind him said, "They really put on a production here, we've got to come to the next game." A caller on the post-game show told of a 1988 grad who came to his first game since graduating driving just over 4 hours to be there. He vowed to be back December 1 and to buy season tickets.

I'm a big proponent of not rewarding people for not buying season tickets but I doubt that any infrequent attender or first time attender who saw the jump pass TD walked out of the stadium saying pfft, I won't be back.

It's all about creating excitement, and when you have the big stage take advantage of it. You got a lot of people to the game, next time the city should be prepared for the traffic and be able to handle that better. You guys promoted it and delivered with a big win for the program.

Example, I live in Birmingham, UAb has tried to bring excitement to the program, everytime they do something to bring in a big crowd they fall flat on their faces and come up with a loss. Hard to get momentum for the program when you can't get the fans excited when they are in the building.

Hopefully this spills over to the next home game with big attendance numbers.

(11-09-2012 12:47 PM)Usajags Wrote:  It's all about creating excitement, and when you have the big stage take advantage of it. You got a lot of people to the game, next time the city should be prepared for the traffic and be able to handle that better. You guys promoted it and delivered with a big win for the program.

Example, I live in Birmingham, UAb has tried to bring excitement to the program, everytime they do something to bring in a big crowd they fall flat on their faces and come up with a loss. Hard to get momentum for the program when you can't get the fans excited when they are in the building.

Hopefully this spills over to the next home game with big attendance numbers.

It helps in Arkansas State's case that they got city government and local businesses on board. IMHO that has to be the first step.

Liberty Bowl Executive Director Steve Ehrhart was at the game last night with Benson, and just mentioned how important attendance is and how impressed he was with the enthusiasm on the radio just now.

(11-09-2012 12:47 PM)Usajags Wrote:  You got a lot of people to the game, next time the city should be prepared for the traffic and be able to handle that better.

I'm not so sure the city was responsible for the traffic flow problems. It's just everyone waiting too late to arrive and a bottle neck effect taking place.
Rush hour traffic and a 6:00 start will create havoc in any town.

Though, I suspect we'll have a lot of 'early birds' for the next game.

(11-09-2012 12:50 PM)panama Wrote:  

(11-09-2012 12:47 PM)Usajags Wrote:  It's all about creating excitement, and when you have the big stage take advantage of it. You got a lot of people to the game, next time the city should be prepared for the traffic and be able to handle that better. You guys promoted it and delivered with a big win for the program.

Example, I live in Birmingham, UAb has tried to bring excitement to the program, everytime they do something to bring in a big crowd they fall flat on their faces and come up with a loss. Hard to get momentum for the program when you can't get the fans excited when they are in the building.

Hopefully this spills over to the next home game with big attendance numbers.

It helps in Arkansas State's case that they got city government and local businesses on board. IMHO that has to be the first step.

Its required. The next step is to convince the city to close its offices early on weekday gamedays, and have them blast all local business encouraging them to do the same. School's get out at 3 up here, and if they had let everyone get out a little early, people would have had time to pick up the kids, go home to get ready, and still make it to the stadium in time for a bit of tailgating.

I was about 3 miles from the stadium at 5:15, and it took every shortcut I knew in the book to be able to walk into the stadium as the band was starting its pre game ritual. Thank God all the cops were at the game, and not watching the tiny subdivisions for reckless drivers.

(11-09-2012 04:01 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(11-09-2012 12:50 PM)panama Wrote:  

(11-09-2012 12:47 PM)Usajags Wrote:  It's all about creating excitement, and when you have the big stage take advantage of it. You got a lot of people to the game, next time the city should be prepared for the traffic and be able to handle that better. You guys promoted it and delivered with a big win for the program.

Example, I live in Birmingham, UAb has tried to bring excitement to the program, everytime they do something to bring in a big crowd they fall flat on their faces and come up with a loss. Hard to get momentum for the program when you can't get the fans excited when they are in the building.

Hopefully this spills over to the next home game with big attendance numbers.

It helps in Arkansas State's case that they got city government and local businesses on board. IMHO that has to be the first step.

Its required. The next step is to convince the city to close its offices early on weekday gamedays, and have them blast all local business encouraging them to do the same. School's get out at 3 up here, and if they had let everyone get out a little early, people would have had time to pick up the kids, go home to get ready, and still make it to the stadium in time for a bit of tailgating.

I was about 3 miles from the stadium at 5:15, and it took every shortcut I knew in the book to be able to walk into the stadium as the band was starting its pre game ritual. Thank God all the cops were at the game, and not watching the tiny subdivisions for reckless drivers.

One of the few instances when big city traffic is preferable. It took us 3 hours to get from Birmingham to Tuscallloosa in 2010.

(11-09-2012 04:11 PM)panama Wrote:  

(11-09-2012 04:01 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(11-09-2012 12:50 PM)panama Wrote:  

(11-09-2012 12:47 PM)Usajags Wrote:  It's all about creating excitement, and when you have the big stage take advantage of it. You got a lot of people to the game, next time the city should be prepared for the traffic and be able to handle that better. You guys promoted it and delivered with a big win for the program.

Example, I live in Birmingham, UAb has tried to bring excitement to the program, everytime they do something to bring in a big crowd they fall flat on their faces and come up with a loss. Hard to get momentum for the program when you can't get the fans excited when they are in the building.

Hopefully this spills over to the next home game with big attendance numbers.

It helps in Arkansas State's case that they got city government and local businesses on board. IMHO that has to be the first step.

Its required. The next step is to convince the city to close its offices early on weekday gamedays, and have them blast all local business encouraging them to do the same. School's get out at 3 up here, and if they had let everyone get out a little early, people would have had time to pick up the kids, go home to get ready, and still make it to the stadium in time for a bit of tailgating.

I was about 3 miles from the stadium at 5:15, and it took every shortcut I knew in the book to be able to walk into the stadium as the band was starting its pre game ritual. Thank God all the cops were at the game, and not watching the tiny subdivisions for reckless drivers.

One of the few instances when big city traffic is preferable. It took us 3 hours to get from Birmingham to Tuscallloosa in 2010.

Yeah, often times college town are not that large, and the traffic grid simply isnt build to accomodate as many as 50-60,000 extra people. ASU has blocked off so many back roads, you really have to know what you are doing to get around on game day...that, and you need a helpful motorist that will let you cut in front of them when you have to join the main traffic line next to the stadium.

(11-08-2012 10:38 PM)WinstonTheWolf Wrote:  Announced crowd in JBR tonight.

Not sure I'm buying it - but was a great weeknight crowd nonetheless!

Thats a tremendous crowd!! Congrats on that and the win

Z