About 3 years ago on this site I posted a thread about how the overall fan base for football and basketball has a small time vibe. This is something that is holding this school back from going to the big12 or acc. I went too the game today and what I saw was very sad hell it made me mad. Also last year we had a hard time even getting 23,000 to 27,000 for some games.

Just like the fans of every other Cincinnati team - only support a winner, and even then only when the game is on a clear Saturday where the temperature is between 65 and 85.

A very insecure one with bizarre priorities. One that seems to spend more time obsessed with attendance and defining what type of fan base we are rather than interest in the teams, their performance and especially celebrating our many successes.

(12-06-2014 05:26 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  A very insecure one. One that seems to spend more time obsessed with attendance rather than interest in the teams, their performance and especially our successes.

Thank God...someone who actually realized we won a conference championship today.

(12-06-2014 05:23 PM)InspectorHound Wrote:  Just like the fans of every other Cincinnati team - only support a winner, and even then only when the game is on a clear Saturday where the temperature is between 65 and 85.

Dunno, quite a few still support the reds and bengals.

(12-06-2014 05:30 PM)DMT Wrote:  

(12-06-2014 05:23 PM)InspectorHound Wrote:  Just like the fans of every other Cincinnati team - only support a winner, and even then only when the game is on a clear Saturday where the temperature is between 65 and 85.

Dunno, quite a few still support the reds and bengals.

They struggle to sell out every game.

(12-06-2014 05:27 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(12-06-2014 05:26 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  A very insecure one. One that seems to spend more time obsessed with attendance rather than interest in the teams, their performance and especially our successes.

Thank God...someone who actually realized we won a conference championship today.

given the fact this championship was won in front of 24,000 the point is clearly made.

Disappointing, isn't it? Sadly, I've seen much worse in the 1980's and 1990's so I'm heartened by the fact that interest and attendance have improved steadily in recent years.

As they say, Rome wasn't built in a day and cultivating a base of passionate students, alumni and fans takes years and a complex equation of winning, quality facilities and in Cincinnati, picture perfect weather.

This is one reason I questioned the decision to do a massive ticket giveaway earlier this week. UC probably pushed 12,000 or more freebies out there and had the smallest crowd of the season. So I don't think ticket cost was the barrier. And one could now argue they've devalued the product further. Why buy a ticket late next season? Just wait for the giveaway.

This is not a broad criticism of the University or Athletic Department. Overall, they've done fine work and UC has enjoyed great results on the field and the court, spending millions less than many P5 programs that never compete effectively. But I do believe they miss opportunities to engage in more marketing and promotion on a continuing basis.

I do believe we will look good at Nippert next year so we have that going for us. Many on here knew PBS was going to be a challenge this year, esp with our POS home slate. Would have been better in the Big East with a WVA, UofL, Cuse, Pitt group coming in.

(12-06-2014 05:44 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  I do believe we will look good at Nippert next year so we have that going for us. Many on here knew PBS was going to be a challenge this year, esp with our POS home slate. Would have been better in the Big East with a WVA, UofL, Cuse, Pitt group coming in.

One thing I noticed at the game today (and likely others in attendance did as well) --- some of the biggest cheers of the afternoon were when they had the "Nippert Stadium 2015" Promo on the PBS scoreboards.

There's going to be a lot of excitement for UC at Nippert next year. That's a fact.

I just view today, and this season as a whole, as sort of "ignorable" from an attendance POV. PBS is a dump: the stadium stinks for college football and nobody from the UC fanbase is going to miss it.

One more positive way to look at today: there were 25K fans in cold and breezy and damp weather at a crappy ugly stadium, and those 25K were all UC fans because UH brought basically nobody (except their band, which was strange!). The 25K were the TRUE believers, the TRUE die-hards. That's not a bad "base" for UC football.

(12-06-2014 05:26 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  A very insecure one. One that seems to spend more time obsessed with attendance and defining what type of fan base we are rather than interest in the teams, their performance and especially our successes.

I especially enjoy posts where people are carping about the home attendance during the game, which tells me they're likely not in attendance either. Pot meet kettle.

(@LanceMcAlister)
6 Dec 2014 3:52 PM EST
Got to admit we left with 6-min remsining and a 14 point lead. At #Redsfest with Casey. Saw final play on TV here.

(12-06-2014 05:34 PM)InspectorHound Wrote:  

(12-06-2014 05:30 PM)DMT Wrote:  

(12-06-2014 05:23 PM)InspectorHound Wrote:  Just like the fans of every other Cincinnati team - only support a winner, and even then only when the game is on a clear Saturday where the temperature is between 65 and 85.

Dunno, quite a few still support the reds and bengals.

They struggle to sell out every game.

Still better than what the university gets, and UC has actually won in the post season in the past 18 years.

*I don't count winning an individual playoff game in the MLB, only series matter.

(12-06-2014 05:50 PM)NittanyLion Wrote:  

(12-06-2014 05:44 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  I do believe we will look good at Nippert next year so we have that going for us. Many on here knew PBS was going to be a challenge this year, esp with our POS home slate. Would have been better in the Big East with a WVA, UofL, Cuse, Pitt group coming in.

One thing I noticed at the game today (and likely others in attendance did as well) --- some of the biggest cheers of the afternoon were when they had the "Nippert Stadium 2015" Promo on the PBS scoreboards.

There's going to be a lot of excitement for UC at Nippert next year. That's a fact.

I just view today, and this season as a whole, as sort of "ignorable" from an attendance POV. PBS is a dump: the stadium stinks for college football and nobody from the UC fanbase is going to miss it.

One more positive way to look at today: there were 25K fans in cold and breezy and damp weather at a crappy ugly stadium, and those 25K were all UC fans because UH brought basically nobody (except their band, which was strange!). The 25K were the TRUE believers, the TRUE die-hards. That's not a bad "base" for UC football.

I thought it was odd that they did not bring the whole band. There were only about 20 to 30 members in attendance. As far as the question, UC fans as a group are a very apathetic lot. After the game today, the host of wlw, Chick, asked UC fans to call in and give there experience. I called and got through, but got disconnected. I called back and immediately got through and spoke to the host. After three more UC callers, he had to take questions about OSU. I am convinced that UC fans were not calling.

(12-06-2014 05:55 PM)Billy_Bearcat Wrote:  (@LanceMcAlister)
6 Dec 2014 3:52 PM EST
Got to admit we left with 6-min remsining and a 14 point lead. At #Redsfest with Casey. Saw final play on TV here.

Classic, from a guy who whenever he covers UC on the radio or tweets about them is trolling about low attendance.

(12-06-2014 05:55 PM)Billy_Bearcat Wrote:  (@LanceMcAlister)
6 Dec 2014 3:52 PM EST
Got to admit we left with 6-min remsining and a 14 point lead. At #Redsfest with Casey. Saw final play on TV here.

F#@k McAlister, if that is his real name...

(12-06-2014 06:13 PM)JackieTreehorn Wrote:  F#@k McAlister, if that is his real name...

It's not.

As much as some of you hate the guy, he's apparently had tickets for several years.

A good hardcore fan base. I think the biggest issue with UC's fan base it that a lot our fans are families with young children, which equals lower turnout on weeknights and bad weather games. The student numbers were good early in the year but fell off as the year went on. That was expected playing at PBS. I don't believe UC needs to be searching for casual fans but should focus on building from within. 25,000 fans would have been an excellent number ten years ago for a game played in cold weather against a former C-USA foe, not named Louisville.

I also believe attendance is an old fashion way of measuring our fan base and interest level. Staying out of the cold and watching the game on ESPN isn't a bad option for the casual fan.

I was ashamed of the lack of attendance. Sure it was cold but this is football not tennis.

I love it...we just won 9 games for the 6th time in the past 7 years and the 5th conference championship in that same span, had a 5* recruit visiting who has said he's having "the time of his life" here, and we've got a new stadium to come home to in 9 months. It only takes people 2 hours to start bitching about something. Jesus guys, be happy for once instead of picking every damn thing apart. If you were at the game, watched the game on TV, or followed along any way you could, you did your part. We all know the circumstances of this season we an enormous factor for why people weren't in the seats, but guys, seriously, look at where we are...NO ONE would have thought we'd be here 10 years ago, and it takes a hell of a lot longer than that to cultivate a fan base who comes out to everything regardless of the element, especially in an environment that we've got to deal with (Reds, Bengals, UK, OSU, etc.). What it is about this city that makes everyone look at the negative all the ******* time?!