(09-08-2015 11:26 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(09-08-2015 11:01 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(09-08-2015 09:26 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  I'm sorry. It isn't a debatable topic.

EMU had by far the worst attendance in counted FBS last weekend. It was a fairly attractive FBS OOC opponent.

And yea, I'm bitter that JMU can't beg a MAC invite.

No, ODU is not at all what you could call an attractive OOC opponent within the MAC footprint. It doesn't matter if its an aweful or the best FCS team...its still an out of state FCS team.

I would understand how it could be for JMU but that is just because of the close distance.

My point is that it wasn't some poor FCS team, like years past. Morgan St last year had 3k more. Howard had 1500 more in 2013. ODU, a Mid-Atlantic FBS team should be a more attractive opponent than either of those horrible Mid-Atlantic FCS teams.

I get that ODU isn't a marquee draw.

I guarantee you ODU at NIU would be viewed exactly the same as any out of state FCS team...and it doesn't matter if the out of state FCS team is aweful or the #1 ranked FCS team.


JMU does well for attendance but that has more to do with having a good college football culture from your students, alums and locals. That is something that most MAC schools struggle with for various reasons.

(09-08-2015 08:55 PM)ilovegymnast Wrote:  To get back on topic of how to improve attendance, how about midget marching bands?

What about midget stripper marching bands? LOL

(09-09-2015 09:39 AM)utpotts Wrote:  

(09-08-2015 08:55 PM)ilovegymnast Wrote:  To get back on topic of how to improve attendance, how about midget marching bands?

What about midget stripper marching bands? LOL

That would be "little people" stripper marching bands.

(09-09-2015 10:09 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-09-2015 09:39 AM)utpotts Wrote:  

(09-08-2015 08:55 PM)ilovegymnast Wrote:  To get back on topic of how to improve attendance, how about midget marching bands?

What about midget stripper marching bands? LOL

That would be "little people" stripper marching bands.

That would be little people ecdysiast marching bands.

Geez, have some respect.

Will the little people marching band be using normal sized instruments or will they have smaller instruments. The minorettes will put on a great showing.
I also think we could cut out using real military planes for the fly over and use R/C military planes that drop a G.I. Joe carrying the game ball.

Well clearly an FBS team isn't going to garner much interest at MAC schools unless it is infact NDS or Montana, but even then, I dont see half the MAC teams getting excited for Montana even though they are quite a powerhouse in FBS.

Really, MAC teams should be going for more match-ups against group of 5 teams as much as possible in their home stadiums and lower tier Power 5 teams since the big heads won't touch away stadiums.

I do understand that EMU is going for a win rather an attendance at this point, but this is a suggestion for all encompassing MAC members.

All the good FCS conferences are going to join CUSA. Good in terms of being good in FCS play and Expanding with a $$ aim in things. CUSA is basically what the Sun Belt aimed to be, making the Sun Belt so sub-par. Mainly because the P5 has been taking good teams, making AAC/Big East take from CUSA.

CUSA really isn't better than the MAC, but in 5 years or so? They're going to be a lot better, IMO.

I don't want the MAC to get an Indiana State-like team or something with few fans, low budget, no expansion, but has some good years under their belt. Or even a consistently winning FCS team that's ranked but is staying the way they are with no big fan base beyond 5-6k strong fans and nobody else to get over 10k in attendance at a regular game, and no aim for Expansion.

Essentially, if we're to take an FCS squad, we want one that CUSA would want. Like ND-State, if that can be covered in our conf budget.

(09-09-2015 10:09 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-09-2015 09:39 AM)utpotts Wrote:  

(09-08-2015 08:55 PM)ilovegymnast Wrote:  To get back on topic of how to improve attendance, how about midget marching bands?

What about midget stripper marching bands? LOL

That would be "little people" stripper marching bands.

How about just strippers? LOL

(09-09-2015 12:36 PM)rocketinchitown Wrote:  Well clearly an FBS team isn't going to garner much interest at MAC schools unless it is infact NDS or Montana, but even then, I dont see half the MAC teams getting excited for Montana even though they are quite a powerhouse in FBS.

Really, MAC teams should be going for more match-ups against group of 5 teams as much as possible in their home stadiums and lower tier Power 5 teams since the big heads won't touch away stadiums.

I do understand that EMU is going for a win rather an attendance at this point, but this is a suggestion for all encompassing MAC members.

Hmm,... I would get very excited for a Montana vs MAC match-up!

(09-09-2015 09:27 PM)Montana Bronco Wrote:  

(09-09-2015 12:36 PM)rocketinchitown Wrote:  Well clearly an FBS team isn't going to garner much interest at MAC schools unless it is infact NDS or Montana, but even then, I dont see half the MAC teams getting excited for Montana even though they are quite a powerhouse in FBS.

Really, MAC teams should be going for more match-ups against group of 5 teams as much as possible in their home stadiums and lower tier Power 5 teams since the big heads won't touch away stadiums.

I do understand that EMU is going for a win rather an attendance at this point, but this is a suggestion for all encompassing MAC members.

Hmm,... I would get very excited for a Montana vs MAC match-up!

Where's Montana again? Lol

(09-09-2015 11:21 PM)utpotts Wrote:  Where's Montana again? Lol

Between North Dakota and South Dakota, I think. But I could be wrong and it it's a little farther west, out by Oregon and Arizona.

I think it's about 3.2 gazillion miles west of Minnesota.

Typical American arrogance. None of you guys know that Montana is in British Columbia, CANADA?
Sheesh.

I thought Montana was on Nickelodeon?

I'm not saying I want Montana to join the MAC! I was just trying to point out that a WMU vs Montana game would cause quite a stir in my house.

FYI beer is now being sold in the West side of Huskie Stadium. They had an unannounced soft opening last week. You basically had to know they were selling it to find it and I think its going to stay that way for the year to see how it goes.

(09-10-2015 12:22 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  I thought Montana was on Nickelodeon?

I think you're confused with Disney.

What can be done to improve attendance in the MAC?
If we are talking gross attendance, the solution would be to drop EMU and replace then with a legitimate program.
If we are talking average (mean) attendance, the solution would be to drop EMU. I guess you could also replace them with a legitimate program. Either way, you come out ahead.

While one of those Dakota schools would be good for attendance, I don't think they are worth the travel cost. Gotta stick a little more local than that. Also, are the Dakota schools strong in the USNWR rankings? If we are going to replace EMU, who is dead last in the MAC in those rankings, I'd want to replace them with someone who has strong academics.

I don't think either of your choices is the correct one. The question, I think, is how does each individual school increase its attendance? Eliminating a school with poor attendance doesn't increase the attendance at any other school. There is the problem, if you think attendance is a problem.

And if attendance is a problem, it's a problem the MAC has had for many decades. I haven't seen any solutions to the problem of changing our "MAC-ness." The only real solution is to win consistently and become relevant nationally, something no one school has been able to do long enough to maintain a "better than MAC" attendance base. Ohio has been the most successful at drawing crowds without having a dominant football program. Other schools do better or worse depending on circumstances. Toledo had its years when it drew pretty well. NIU is the poster child for the problems the MAC faces here. Great recent success hasn't made for attendance gains.

It's the MAC. Crowds are in a pretty tight range of 10-20K. A few higher each season, a few more than that lower. Lots of excuses and reasons.

The real question is whether or not we are in a post-attendance era, thanks to ESPN et. al.? Attendance seems to be hardly relevant, or at least much less relevant, given the way games are broadcast today.

bumping for the hell of it... Lol.