Looks I am all for bringing in better teams to Huskie Stadium, but there are really only a handful of AQ teams that would set foot in our stadium if that. Our only chance is targeting games with G5 teams. Are stadium is subpar by FBS standards. The scoreboard will help but there is still work to be done. There are FCS programs with nicer stadiums than us.

(03-07-2013 06:16 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Looks I am all for bringing in better teams to Huskie Stadium, but there are really only a handful of AQ teams that would set foot in our stadium if that. Our only chance is targeting games with G5 teams. Are stadium is subpar by FBS standards. The scoreboard will help but there is still work to be done. There are FCS programs with nicer stadiums than us.

Opponents dont care about the quality of our stadium. Fans are going to come because the audio system sounds better, they are only going to come if NIU plays legit FBS opponents.

(03-07-2013 06:36 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 06:16 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Looks I am all for bringing in better teams to Huskie Stadium, but there are really only a handful of AQ teams that would set foot in our stadium if that. Our only chance is targeting games with G5 teams. Are stadium is subpar by FBS standards. The scoreboard will help but there is still work to be done. There are FCS programs with nicer stadiums than us.

Opponents dont care about the quality of our stadium. Fans are going to come because the audio system sounds better, they are only going to come if NIU plays legit FBS opponents.

If you were an FBS coach right now today would you want to come to NIU to play...I wouldn't for obvious reasons

(03-07-2013 06:36 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 06:16 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Looks I am all for bringing in better teams to Huskie Stadium, but there are really only a handful of AQ teams that would set foot in our stadium if that. Our only chance is targeting games with G5 teams. Are stadium is subpar by FBS standards. The scoreboard will help but there is still work to be done. There are FCS programs with nicer stadiums than us.

Opponents dont care about the quality of our stadium. Fans are going to come because the audio system sounds better, they are only going to come if NIU plays legit FBS opponents.

Bigger name opponents tend to prefer to play in larger venues. And yes while some do care about the opponent, it's all about creating a fun game day experience to lure in the casual fan. The scoreboard will help with that. The diehards will always show, we now need to find ways to bring in the casual fan with regularity. I have been to plenty of games at other stadiums that were packed and half the people could care less about the opponent. They were there to tailgate and enjoy the game day experience.

(03-07-2013 06:54 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 06:36 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 06:16 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Looks I am all for bringing in better teams to Huskie Stadium, but there are really only a handful of AQ teams that would set foot in our stadium if that. Our only chance is targeting games with G5 teams. Are stadium is subpar by FBS standards. The scoreboard will help but there is still work to be done. There are FCS programs with nicer stadiums than us.

Opponents dont care about the quality of our stadium. Fans are going to come because the audio system sounds better, they are only going to come if NIU plays legit FBS opponents.

Bigger name opponents tend to prefer to play in larger venues. And yes while some do care about the opponent, it's all about creating a fun game day experience to lure in the casual fan. The scoreboard will help with that. The diehards will always show, we now need to find ways to bring in the casual fan with regularity. I have been to plenty of games at other stadiums that were packed and half the people could care less about the opponent. They were there to tailgate and enjoy the game day experience.

You could have as fun of a gameday experience as possible, if you are playing EIU, Wyoming, and Idaho you will get your typical 12-14k.

(03-07-2013 06:51 PM)OldTtimeNIU Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 06:36 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 06:16 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  Looks I am all for bringing in better teams to Huskie Stadium, but there are really only a handful of AQ teams that would set foot in our stadium if that. Our only chance is targeting games with G5 teams. Are stadium is subpar by FBS standards. The scoreboard will help but there is still work to be done. There are FCS programs with nicer stadiums than us.

Opponents dont care about the quality of our stadium. Fans are going to come because the audio system sounds better, they are only going to come if NIU plays legit FBS opponents.

If you were an FBS coach right now today would you want to come to NIU to play...I wouldn't for obvious reasons

It takes work, yes, but Toledo has managed to fill their schedule with quality opponents from 2010-2018. Its not going to be a cakewalk like scheduling SF games or Big 10 away games, but the end rewards over a long period are much greater when you establish a large fan base. We just need to find an AD that has the determination and ability to get it done. Look at the best AD NIU has ever had, Cary Groth, she brought in some great teams to Huskie Stadium.

(03-07-2013 06:58 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Look at the best AD NIU has ever had, Cary Groth, she brought in some great teams to Huskie Stadium.

I respect Cary Groth but I would not consider her the best NIU AD ever.

I think that Mssrs Phillips and Compher were better at fund raising and had a bigger and bolder vision for facilities. I remember Jim Phillips looking at the initial plans for the endzone facility, concluding that we could do better and delivering better. I thought that Jeff Compher thoroughly researched IPFs and did not settle for a second class facility.

I think that Cary suffered a bit from being totally "home grown" and it limited her vision. That said I will be eternally grateful to her for hiring coach Novak and never losing confidence in him. To me the last decade has been the golden age of NIU football and coach Novak poured the foundation for all of that success. No matter whose name is on the Endzone facility or the IPF, to me they will always both be the houses that Joe Novak built.

Not this again. We already have an AD rant going on in the Compher thread.

(03-07-2013 06:57 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  You could have as fun of a gameday experience as possible, if you are playing EIU, Wyoming, and Idaho you will get your typical 12-14k.

Bet you a pack of peanut M&Ms that attendance for the home opener vs EIU will be over 18k with an Iowa loss and over 24k with a win over Iowa.

(03-07-2013 10:15 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 06:57 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  You could have as fun of a gameday experience as possible, if you are playing EIU, Wyoming, and Idaho you will get your typical 12-14k.

Bet you a pack of peanut M&Ms that attendance for the home opener vs EIU will be over 18k with an Iowa loss and over 24k with a win over Iowa.

HJ, I hope you're right, but I just don't see a sellout this season.....maybe if we run the table going into November. As I recall the Kansas game last year drew a little over 18K. I hope we get 19K for EIU.
As for drawing good FBS schools to DeKalb.....I don't see that happening, certainly not in the immediate future. I'll bet 2 packs of M&M's on that one.

I think the chances for a sellout this year will depend on one a hot start with a win at Iowa and two either a preseason Top 25 or early season Top 25. That will gets us on the national buzz circuit as a BCS buster.

(03-07-2013 10:15 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 06:57 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  You could have as fun of a gameday experience as possible, if you are playing EIU, Wyoming, and Idaho you will get your typical 12-14k.

Bet you a pack of peanut M&Ms that attendance for the home opener vs EIU will be over 18k with an Iowa loss and over 24k with a win over Iowa.

I'll take that bet and throw in a stale pretzel and cold hot dog. My treat.

(03-07-2013 10:15 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 06:57 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  You could have as fun of a gameday experience as possible, if you are playing EIU, Wyoming, and Idaho you will get your typical 12-14k.

Bet you a pack of peanut M&Ms that attendance for the home opener vs EIU will be over 18k with an Iowa loss and over 24k with a win over Iowa.

Seriously? We couldn't even fill the stadium with Kansas playing us at home.
I can see pretty good numbers IF we are ranked in the top 25 , along with no losses AND perfect weather. But over 24K? I can't see it.

I want to be wrong though. I really do.

(03-08-2013 01:10 PM)DoubleHuskie84 Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 10:15 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 06:57 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  You could have as fun of a gameday experience as possible, if you are playing EIU, Wyoming, and Idaho you will get your typical 12-14k.

Bet you a pack of peanut M&Ms that attendance for the home opener vs EIU will be over 18k with an Iowa loss and over 24k with a win over Iowa.

I'll take that bet and throw in a stale pretzel and cold hot dog. My treat.

And I'll bet you both a pair of my used underwear that the number of EIU fans at the game will exceed the number of students at our basketball games.

(03-08-2013 01:24 PM)HuskieFootball Addict Wrote:  Seriously? We couldn't even fill the stadium with Kansas playing us at home.
I can see pretty good numbers IF we are ranked in the top 25 , along with no losses AND perfect weather. But over 24K? I can't see it.

I want to be wrong though. I really do.

With a win over Iowa as long as we win the Idaho game we will be ranked.

(03-08-2013 01:27 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  And I'll bet you both a pair of my used underwear that the number of EIU fans at the game will exceed the number of students at our basketball games.

... no bet

(03-08-2013 01:27 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(03-08-2013 01:10 PM)DoubleHuskie84 Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 10:15 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(03-07-2013 06:57 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  You could have as fun of a gameday experience as possible, if you are playing EIU, Wyoming, and Idaho you will get your typical 12-14k.

Bet you a pack of peanut M&Ms that attendance for the home opener vs EIU will be over 18k with an Iowa loss and over 24k with a win over Iowa.

I'll take that bet and throw in a stale pretzel and cold hot dog. My treat.

And I'll bet you both a pair of my used underwear that the number of EIU fans at the game will exceed the number of students at our basketball games.

Hmmmmm. Still probably fresher than that pretzel....

Mach 21st BOT agenda: "Capital Project Approval; Huskie Stadium Sound System and LED Ribbon Board Project"

http://www.niu.edu/board/meetings/2013/b...Notice.pdf

BIG PICTURE:

Pause to consider where the NIU football program and facilities were when heading into the 2003 season "ony" a decade ago.

So very much more has been achieved since that non bowl ten win season.

Much more needs to be and can can be achieved.

Many different folks working in athletics and administration over the past decade deserve the credit and less of our whining.

I eagerly look forward to the ribbons replacing tacky banners, new sound system and video board the coming season. It may temporarily give a minor boost to attendance. I strongly believe the lack of attendance in large part has been related to the economy which seems to be slowly healing. While ticket prices remain a bargain, adding parking fees, ridiculous fuel costs and tailgating supplies all adds up under dicretionary spending in some households. Students who may have intended to enroll at NIU are often attending community colleges now in greater numbers than previously.

It will be "interesting" to track how NIU handles the needs for the press coverage for IHSA title games given the present inadequecies.
\
Forward Together Forward.

(03-18-2013 10:05 AM)niucyberdawg Wrote:  BIG PICTURE:

Pause to consider where the NIU football program and facilities were when heading into the 2003 season "ony" a decade ago.

So very much more has been achieved since that non bowl ten win season.

Much more needs to be and can can be achieved.

Many different folks working in athletics and administration over the past decade deserve the credit and less of our whining.

I eagerly look forward to the ribbons replacing tacky banners, new sound system and video board the coming season. It may temporarily give a minor boost to attendance. I strongly believe the lack of attendance in large part has been related to the economy which seems to be slowly healing. While ticket prices remain a bargain, adding parking fees, ridiculous fuel costs and tailgating supplies all adds up under dicretionary spending in some households. Students who may have intended to enroll at NIU are often attending community colleges now in greater numbers than previously.

It will be "interesting" to track how NIU handles the needs for the press coverage for IHSA title games given the present inadequecies.
\
Forward Together Forward.

Wrong.
You're making stuff up to justify your perception

link