(08-27-2013 10:06 AM)olddawg Wrote:  Just a quick, not super accurate count leaves us w/ around 1500 unsold paying customer seats available.

If there are only around 1,500 unsold tickets, I think that is really good. Regarding student tickets being available, well they just got back to campus and had the first day of classes yesterday. Just maybe, picking up tickets wasn't the top priority for them yet. In the first year of the renovated stadium with the same opponent, they gave away for free two tickets to every season ticket holder who signed up before the priorty deadline. Let's wait until after the game to see how loud we should be complaining. If the reported attendance is greater than or close to the 23,248 at last year's opener, does that mean that all of the doom and gloom of killing the athletics program by not moving up was wrong?

(08-27-2013 10:06 AM)olddawg Wrote:  Just a quick, not super accurate count leaves us w/ around 1500 unsold paying customer seats available. Who knows how many of the students will show. Do we still allocate around 8000 for the students?

1500 available isn't really that much...it's only 6% of total sales. I still think we get a minimum of 6000 students. That would leave us with around 21k-22k at it's peak. That's actually fairly high all things considered.

(08-27-2013 10:06 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 09:57 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 09:53 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 09:53 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 09:50 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  You guys are right, they're going to be so pumped to play Florida International and Florida Atlantic when we go to CUSA.

THINK ABOUT HOW PACKED IT'S GOING TO GET FOR NORTH TEXAS!!!!!

Well, to be honest, I would expect all of those games to have higher attendance than SFU/CCSU.

Why?

Are you really arguing that CCSU/SFU carry the same weight with the average fan as FAU/FIU/UNT? Those 3 aren't exactly well known, but they get a whole lot more exposure than NEC teams.

I guarantee you that no one knows who any of those teams are.

My point is our problem is apathy towards our team itself, not our opponents. I keep hearing people saying they won't make it to home games because we're playing some joker. Well, ****, I could care less. It's still a Saturday in the fall and I'm in Harrisonburg in pLot with beautiful coeds and all my best friends and I'm in the center of the universe. Sure, you get excited for better opponents, but we're not going to be playing "name brand" teams anytime soon. Who outside of ECU, Marshall, and ODU would a random student know from CUSA? UTEP, maybe? Tulane?

I disagree. These are FBS opponents who actually get some exposure....not an NEC team that carries 37% fewer scholarships than we do.

Listen, we can agree to disagree. You and I show up at JMU because we enjoy the experience and pageantry. I can't give away tickets for SFU/CCSU. I think that would change in FBS.

~8000 student tickets available. less than 20,000 students on campus. you just can't, CANT get 40% of the student body to come to football games, outside of the first game in the new stadium, winning streak hype, big-name team, semi-final playoff, etc.

that being said, it's amazing that we get the turnout that we do. We have phenomenal student turnout. We probably won't get 40% of the student body Saturday, but we'll probably get 30%. Find another school where you get turnout anywhere CLOSE to that (given our capacity). And find another school that offers >30% of the seats in the facility to students for "free". we have great student attendance but people don't realize it.

Now, if we could get them to stick around for 60 minutes...

it's a holiday weekend! People still taking their last vacations for the summer. Smaller crowd on Labor Day isn't shocking. More room for me.

(08-27-2013 10:23 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 10:06 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 09:57 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 09:53 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 09:53 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  Well, to be honest, I would expect all of those games to have higher attendance than SFU/CCSU.

Why?

Are you really arguing that CCSU/SFU carry the same weight with the average fan as FAU/FIU/UNT? Those 3 aren't exactly well known, but they get a whole lot more exposure than NEC teams.

I guarantee you that no one knows who any of those teams are.

My point is our problem is apathy towards our team itself, not our opponents. I keep hearing people saying they won't make it to home games because we're playing some joker. Well, ****, I could care less. It's still a Saturday in the fall and I'm in Harrisonburg in pLot with beautiful coeds and all my best friends and I'm in the center of the universe. Sure, you get excited for better opponents, but we're not going to be playing "name brand" teams anytime soon. Who outside of ECU, Marshall, and ODU would a random student know from CUSA? UTEP, maybe? Tulane?

I disagree. These are FBS opponents who actually get some exposure....not an NEC team that carries 37% fewer scholarships than we do.

Listen, we can agree to disagree. You and I show up at JMU because we enjoy the experience and pageantry. I can't give away tickets for SFU/CCSU. I think that would change in FBS.

We can definitely agree to disagree, and no disrespect intended. Hope I didn't come off like that. I just don't think anyone who doesn't already attend games would know FIU, FAU, or UNT and not know CCSU.

We should discuss this over a beer this weekend. You going to be around?

(08-27-2013 10:27 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 10:23 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 10:06 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 09:57 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 09:53 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  Why?

Are you really arguing that CCSU/SFU carry the same weight with the average fan as FAU/FIU/UNT? Those 3 aren't exactly well known, but they get a whole lot more exposure than NEC teams.

I guarantee you that no one knows who any of those teams are.

My point is our problem is apathy towards our team itself, not our opponents. I keep hearing people saying they won't make it to home games because we're playing some joker. Well, ****, I could care less. It's still a Saturday in the fall and I'm in Harrisonburg in pLot with beautiful coeds and all my best friends and I'm in the center of the universe. Sure, you get excited for better opponents, but we're not going to be playing "name brand" teams anytime soon. Who outside of ECU, Marshall, and ODU would a random student know from CUSA? UTEP, maybe? Tulane?

I disagree. These are FBS opponents who actually get some exposure....not an NEC team that carries 37% fewer scholarships than we do.

Listen, we can agree to disagree. You and I show up at JMU because we enjoy the experience and pageantry. I can't give away tickets for SFU/CCSU. I think that would change in FBS.

We can definitely agree to disagree, and no disrespect intended. Hope I didn't come off like that. I just don't think anyone who doesn't already attend games would know FIU, FAU, or UNT and not know CCSU.

We should discuss this over a beer this weekend. You going to be around?

No worries. Just having a spirited debate!


Yessir....rootin at space 140 something on Godwin (gotta look that up in the ticket book). Gold Suburban with old school JMU plates. We'll be rolling in much later than our norm due to a 5 week old son. Start em early, I say.

play a more exciting brand of ball and win and people will show up.

end of story.

(08-27-2013 10:43 AM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  play a more exciting brand of ball and win and people will show up.

end of story.

100% agreed. If we were playing little sisters of the poor but scoring a bunch, we would pack the place out.

attendance began to become a problem for students when we started to struggle on offense. that's not a coincidence.

if we played an ODU-style on offense, first off, we'd go undefeated with our great D's ;-)....but I GUARANTEE every single game would be sold out and students would pack the place.

The game that will be of more concern attendance wise is our second one against St. Franks. We have somewhere around 2800 unsold for that one. Nothing that a convincing & exciting win over CCSU combined with a victory over Akron wouldn't take care of.

(08-27-2013 10:56 AM)olddawg Wrote:  The game that will be of more concern attendance wise is our second one against St. Franks. We have somewhere around 2800 unsold for that one. Nothing that a convincing & exciting win over CCSU combined with a victory over Akron wouldn't take care of.

I don't think a win over Akron would excite too many to be honest...even though they are 1A, most people around these parts don't know much about them and those that do know college football know that they were abysmal last year.

Personally, I would love for us to beat Akron! I jsut don't think we'll see an attendance fluctuation one way or the other for St. Frankies.

That is why I think it is imperative that JMU put a whooping on CCSU in the opener to generate some excitement and the new O'Cain led offense can move the chains.

(08-27-2013 11:00 AM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  Personally, I would love for us to beat Akron! I jsut don't think we'll see an attendance fluctuation one way or the other for St. Frankies.

(08-27-2013 10:47 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 10:43 AM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  play a more exciting brand of ball and win and people will show up.

end of story.

100% agreed. If we were playing little sisters of the poor but scoring a bunch, we would pack the place out.

More exciting football will certainly help keep the students excited and attracted to the game. Playing in a better conference / playing against more nationally recognized teams would also bring in more attention and devotion to the team. Deez has a good point about student attendance.. 40% is a tough number to hit even if both of my previous points (more exciting offense + Better Opponents) are met. I imagine there are few schools out there, big schools included that regularly hit that number.

Its going to take more than just throwing the football to get 8k students to stick around for a game. The game has to mean something. Winning helps too.

(08-27-2013 09:34 AM)DolleyMadison Wrote:  The Student Duke Club posted something on facebook yesterday about student tickets still being available. That was disappointing to see. Most of our students don't know the difference between a bad CCSU team and a good North Dakota State team so the opponent is no excuse. Since this is the first game of the year, being burned out or disappointed in the football team isnt an excuse. So whats the deal!?!?!

Get your act together JMU students!!! Get to the game!!!

Our fans, and especially our students have been historic procrastinators. They'll think about Saturday's game Friday morning. If its Friday at noon and no sell out, okay, start to panic.

(08-27-2013 10:24 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  ~8000 student tickets available. less than 20,000 students on campus. you just can't, CANT get 40% of the student body to come to football games, outside of the first game in the new stadium, winning streak hype, big-name team, semi-final playoff, etc.

that being said, it's amazing that we get the turnout that we do. We have phenomenal student turnout. We probably won't get 40% of the student body Saturday, but we'll probably get 30%. Find another school where you get turnout anywhere CLOSE to that (given our capacity). And find another school that offers >30% of the seats in the facility to students for "free". we have great student attendance but people don't realize it.

Now, if we could get them to stick around for 60 minutes...

Well said! Agree that beating Akron might help with STFU. It may not among students, but it would for me personally. The truth is 7 home games is a lot, especially when 4 of them (CCSU, STFU, Charlotte, and Albany (also PW)) aren't expected to be that competitive. I'll be there this weekend, and might make the others except Charlotte (other commitment) but it's hard to justify prioritizing them over the accesible, and more important, Delaware and Towson trips.

Also, we are the weird ones. Tough to take sometimes, but true. Wouldn't trade it for the world and if we ever are more relevant, it will be bittersweet when all the no-nothing wagoneers start showing up and acting like they've been there all along. I still want JMU to move up, but wonder if we'll remember these quaint "students aren't passionate enough" discussions when the FBS bandwagon, wine and cheese crowd starts rolling into BFS halfway through Q2 in a few years during a game against Wake or Vandy.

(08-27-2013 10:13 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  Whoa is me, whoa is me. First game is not even over and the sky is falling. Whoa is me.

Wasn't the point of my OP. I was just curious to know if anyone had any additional info they could share, since I had never seen this many "free ticket giveaway" promotions for games before.

(08-27-2013 11:22 AM)PurpleStreamers Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 10:24 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  ~8000 student tickets available. less than 20,000 students on campus. you just can't, CANT get 40% of the student body to come to football games, outside of the first game in the new stadium, winning streak hype, big-name team, semi-final playoff, etc.

that being said, it's amazing that we get the turnout that we do. We have phenomenal student turnout. We probably won't get 40% of the student body Saturday, but we'll probably get 30%. Find another school where you get turnout anywhere CLOSE to that (given our capacity). And find another school that offers >30% of the seats in the facility to students for "free". we have great student attendance but people don't realize it.

Now, if we could get them to stick around for 60 minutes...

Well said! Agree that beating Akron might help with STFU. It may not among students, but it would for me personally. The truth is 7 home games is a lot, especially when 4 of them (CCSU, STFU, Charlotte, and Albany (also PW)) aren't expected to be that competitive. I'll be there this weekend, and might make the others except Charlotte (other commitment) but it's hard to justify prioritizing them over the accesible, and more important, Delaware and Towson trips.

Also, we are the weird ones. Tough to take sometimes, but true. Wouldn't trade it for the world and if we ever are more relevant, it will be bittersweet when all the no-nothing wagoneers start showing up and acting like they've been there all along. I still want JMU to move up, but wonder if we'll remember these quaint "students aren't passionate enough" discussions when the FBS bandwagon, wine and cheese crowd starts rolling into BFS halfway through Q2 in a few years during a game against Wake or Vandy.

I'm really weird since I will be at the game regardless of who we play. But I guess with the BB tune of "BE TRUE To YOUR SCHOOL" as my theme I am an old old-school die hard fan.

Perhaps Bribe them! Flat screen giveaways seem to work for basketball games. Maybe do the drawings right before Start Wearing Purple and between the third and fourth Quarters. Or a series of Kline's flavor of the week for the semester drawings? I'm sure you folks can come up with something better.

(08-27-2013 10:54 AM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  attendance began to become a problem for students when we started to struggle on offense. that's not a coincidence.

if we played an ODU-style on offense, first off, we'd go undefeated with our great D's ;-)....but I GUARANTEE every single game would be sold out and students would pack the place.

Sounds like we're going to be close to that kind of offense this year - I don't remember which player said it on those after-practice interviews, but he said that we're shooting for 90 - 100 plays/game. That will be way up tempo.