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It just means WMU gets to join the club of MAC teams playing mid week in front of what the TV broadcast makes look like 10s of fans.

Akron ended last season on four straight tuesday games. The athletic director complained about it, so now this season Akron has eleven saturday games and one friday game.

Some programs see value in these weeknight games, some don't think it's worth it.

Need to PLAN NOW on how to get fans at those games. Suggest the following:

Inexpensive ticket packages to support band/athletic departments for high schools in the area. Heck with the TV money, let them keep 100% of the ticket revenue contingent upon them getting at least 1000 fans there, or something like that.
Then you have a win win. But THEY MUST SHOW UP...Give them prime TV locations...i.e. camera sight lines. Or to borrow chips thinking, put the cameras on the student side...and put all these "borrowed fans" around the season ticket holders. In my opinion this would be a win/win, if it could some how be allowed. Athletic programs or band programs have a fund raising base and communications system already in force, meaning, they can coordinate it all right away. I know that a local band was thrilled with a mattress sale that netting a couple of thousand even though it was a lot of work. How much work would it be to go to a game? WIN WIN

(02-28-2015 04:17 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(02-28-2015 04:10 PM)MajorHoople Wrote:  

(02-28-2015 02:31 PM)jubbasubba Wrote:  I would bet money that Fleck loves the thought of being on national TV for a month straight.

If true, it's his call, he's the header.

Hope it works out then, win-wise.

Could work out win wise, not so much crowd wise.

That is probably true. Like the NFL, TV money makes attendance-ticket sales almost immaterial.

(03-01-2015 08:30 AM)uclabruin Wrote:  Need to PLAN NOW on how to get fans at those games. Suggest the following:

Inexpensive ticket packages to support band/athletic departments for high schools in the area. Heck with the TV money, let them keep 100% of the ticket revenue contingent upon them getting at least 1000 fans there, or something like that.
Then you have a win win. But THEY MUST SHOW UP...Give them prime TV locations...i.e. camera sight lines. Or to borrow chips thinking, put the cameras on the student side...and put all these "borrowed fans" around the season ticket holders. In my opinion this would be a win/win, if it could some how be allowed. Athletic programs or band programs have a fund raising base and communications system already in force, meaning, they can coordinate it all right away. I know that a local band was thrilled with a mattress sale that netting a couple of thousand even though it was a lot of work. How much work would it be to go to a game? WIN WIN

Hard to get a big turnout of school age kids on a work/school night, especially in November when it is dark and cold. Just have to accept it is a national/regional TV audience and play the game with an EA Sports background. That is technically feasible now.

The biggest bummer I see in the schedule has already been mentioned (plethora of midweek games), so I won't go into much about that. I get being a part of one midweek MACtion game per year - even two is okay although stretching it. But I still hold Saturday afternoons pretty dear for college football.

Would prefer CMU later in the season to build up suspense and a storyline, but oh well.

I don't mind NIU/UT at the end as opposed to near the beginning. A tough way to close out the season, sure, but you've gotta play them sometime.

The good spots include the Bye being scheduled pretty well: we can use a break to lick wounds and recover from the OOC slate before the MAC starts. And no long stretch of road games. Seems to alternate home n' away pretty well.

The start of the MAC schedule is very weak. Could very well be undefeated in MAC play entering the NIU game.

As for tge CMU game I like it early. Allows for a packed house and a grat atmosphere. The game itself should not be that big a deal. That program is seriously messed up right now. As for what they bring to the table, not much.

Defensively they will struggle to stop anyone particualarly through the air.

On offense they will have to move it through the air. A lot will ignore Rush's limitations during the season and focus on his final game.

EKU let off tge gas and tried to sit on a huge lead, and it alliowed him to play pitch and catch. Rush us still immobile, will have a questionable Oline, and won't have much at WR. No depth and one injury away from the cellar.

(03-01-2015 08:30 AM)uclabruin Wrote:  Need to PLAN NOW on how to get fans at those games.

IIRC didn't the athletic department run some kind of special promotion before the Ball State Tuesday night game back in 2009? I remember because the game was going to be televised on one of the ESPN networks and we were out of the MAC race, there was a lot of concern no one would be at Waldo and it would look embarrassingly bad on TV.

Whatever promo they ran, we ended up surprisingly drawing just under 20K. I wish I could remember what they did, because whatever they did obviously had some success.

(03-01-2015 12:47 PM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  The biggest bummer I see in the schedule has already been mentioned (plethora of midweek games), so I won't go into much about that. I get being a part of one midweek MACtion game per year - even two is okay although stretching it. But I still hold Saturday afternoons pretty dear for college football.

Would prefer CMU later in the season to build up suspense and a storyline, but oh well.

I don't mind NIU/UT at the end as opposed to near the beginning. A tough way to close out the season, sure, but you've gotta play them sometime.

The good spots include the Bye being scheduled pretty well: we can use a break to lick wounds and recover from the OOC slate before the MAC starts. And no long stretch of road games. Seems to alternate home n' away pretty well.

I would generally agree on preferring the CMU game be later in the season where it can be built up more. However, this year, I don't see CMU being much of a contender, so might as well get it out of the way early and enjoy a nice fall day with friends.

The obvious reasons-advantages for playing CMU late (last) are regardless of how season is going still gives team something to play for, and guarantees a good crowd - unlike playing Eastern or some other bottom feeder in front of parents and band only.

vs. MSU -- L (0-1)
great environment, great for the community, let's just have a good showing and escape healthy

@ Georgia Southern -- L (0-2)
I think we struggle defensively to stop them, like Air Force in the FIPB. Tough matchup, hopeful we get revenge the next year at home.

vs. Murray St. -- W (1-2)
Let's take care of business and leave healthy.

@ Ohio St. -- L (1-3)
See Michigan St., but on the road.

vs. CMU - W (2-3, 1-0)
Two weeks rest (we'll need it) and lots of time to prepare for our arch-rival at home. I sense a dominating performance. Let's smash them.

@ Ohio -- W (3-3, 2-0)
Kind of a toss up IMO. Tough to beat them at their place, but we should still be able to handle them if all goes to plan and we're healthy at this point in the season.

vs. Miami -- W (4-3, 3-0)
They'll be better, and out for blood. We're still the better team. Closer than it should be, but we come away with the W.

@ EMU -- W (5-3, 4-0)
Really hate how this game sets up for us on 5 days rest... but in their case, they've got the same 5 days of rest, and will be coming off a beat down @ NIU.

vs. Ball St. -- W (6-3, 5-0)
Predicting us to start 5-0 in conference play is a little greedy. But the schedule sure seems to set up that way. Hard not to pick us to beat Balls Tate at home.

vs. BGSU -- W (7-3, 6-0)
They have some extra rest on us here (bye week before, and one extra day during the week) but again... we won at their place last year. No reason to think we can't repeat at home.

@ NIU -- L (7-4, 6-1)
Huskies could conceivably have 3 conference losses by this game... wouldn't shock me to see us beat them here, but I don't have the stones to call it yet.

@ Toledo -- L (7-5, 6-2)
This game could be for all the marbles in the West. Rockets are just too good next year. Can't see it with our young secondary and Ely returning (assuming he's healthy).

I like the challenges ahead. Yes, it will be tough. But nothing great is ever easy. Another HUGE growth opportunity for the kids, staff, and program.

(03-02-2015 10:28 AM)Hoekjeness Wrote:  vs. MSU -- L (0-1)
great environment, great for the community, let's just have a good showing and escape healthy

@ Georgia Southern -- L (0-2)
I think we struggle defensively to stop them, like Air Force in the FIPB. Tough matchup, hopeful we get revenge the next year at home.

vs. Murray St. -- W (1-2)
Let's take care of business and leave healthy.

@ Ohio St. -- L (1-3)
See Michigan St., but on the road.

vs. CMU - W (2-3, 1-0)
Two weeks rest (we'll need it) and lots of time to prepare for our arch-rival at home. I sense a dominating performance. Let's smash them.

@ Ohio -- W (3-3, 2-0)
Kind of a toss up IMO. Tough to beat them at their place, but we should still be able to handle them if all goes to plan and we're healthy at this point in the season.

vs. Miami -- W (4-3, 3-0)
They'll be better, and out for blood. We're still the better team. Closer than it should be, but we come away with the W.

@ EMU -- W (5-3, 4-0)
Really hate how this game sets up for us on 5 days rest... but in their case, they've got the same 5 days of rest, and will be coming off a beat down @ NIU.

vs. Ball St. -- W (6-3, 5-0)
Predicting us to start 5-0 in conference play is a little greedy. But the schedule sure seems to set up that way. Hard not to pick us to beat Balls Tate at home.

vs. BGSU -- W (7-3, 6-0)
They have some extra rest on us here (bye week before, and one extra day during the week) but again... we won at their place last year. No reason to think we can't repeat at home.

@ NIU -- L (7-4, 6-1)
Huskies could conceivably have 3 conference losses by this game... wouldn't shock me to see us beat them here, but I don't have the stones to call it yet.

@ Toledo -- L (7-5, 6-2)
This game could be for all the marbles in the West. Rockets are just too good next year. Can't see it with our young secondary and Ely returning (assuming he's healthy).

I see exactly the same thing HJ. Like we have discussed previously, probably more talented on the field, but the schedule dictates a lesser record. I see 7-5, but have a feeling they stumble somewhere in the 5 games to start the conference, so I will say 6-6.

Quote:I see 7-5, but have a feeling they stumble somewhere in the 5 games to start the conference, so I will say 6-6.

IMO, from last year, we seemed to Make a Statement against who-we-should-beat teams -- and play close (but falter) against the tough ones (NIU, Toledo), and also not do anything special against other tough ones (Purdue, Air Force, VATech).

I wouldn't expect it to be much different, except us being better to some degree, but NIU+Toledo are away...and so is GA-Southern.

I would EXPECT "par" being 6-6, with 2-3 of those loses being Close-Dammit-Ugh ones, but almost as likely going 7-5. Depends which way the wind's blowing, IMO. The MAC is going to be tougher next year.

4-8: 10%
5-7: 15%
6-6: 35%
7-5: 30%
8-4: 10%

I agree it seems hard not to stumble at least once in the first 6 MAC games. But I compensate by predicting we win one or the other of UNI or Toledo.

By the time we get to those last two games, the youngsters we start will be seasoned, and that will make all the difference.

7-5, but it is a stretch.

(03-02-2015 12:04 AM)The Colonel Wrote:  

(03-01-2015 08:30 AM)uclabruin Wrote:  Need to PLAN NOW on how to get fans at those games.

IIRC didn't the athletic department run some kind of special promotion before the Ball State Tuesday night game back in 2009? I remember because the game was going to be televised on one of the ESPN networks and we were out of the MAC race, there was a lot of concern no one would be at Waldo and it would look embarrassingly bad on TV.

Whatever promo they ran, we ended up surprisingly drawing just under 20K. I wish I could remember what they did, because whatever they did obviously had some success.

they had a sign contest, and raffled off a lease on a Ford Fusion

Hard to argue with Hoek's breakdown a couple posts back. There's a lot of games I could see going either way, such as GSU, BSU, NIU, UT.

And I have to say, if there's ever been a time to knock off MSU, it will be on September 4, 2015. We return all of our offensive production and most of our defense. We won't be breaking in any key positions. All coaches return. It's a HOME GAME. MSU will have a new defensive coordinator and lost a lot of senior talent, especially on D. I'm not saying we SHOULD win, cuz we'll still be pretty big underdogs. But this is the chance to catch them off-guard.

I wouldn't be shocked if we stun MSU and then lose to Georgia Southern. Either way, going into MAC play 2-2 would be a big accomplishment. I think PJ also knocks off NIU - best-case 8-4, worst case 6-6.

Quote:@ NIU -- L (7-4, 6-1)
Huskies could conceivably have 3 conference losses by this game... wouldn't shock me to see us beat them here, but I don't have the stones to call it yet.

Against who?

@CMU
vs. Ball State
@ Miami
vs. EMU
@ Toledo
@ Buffalo

You think NIU is going to go 3-3 in that stretch after losing 2 conference games the last 5 years?

For whatever reason, NIU struggles with CMU so if you want to put that on there, sure maybe. Ball State, Miami, EMU should be relatively easy. @ Toledo is obviously a possible loss. Buffalo should be a win.

Worst case could they have three losses? Sure, maybe. Not sure how anybody would be expecting/predicting that though.

(03-02-2015 07:05 PM)7 Wrote:  

Quote:@ NIU -- L (7-4, 6-1)
Huskies could conceivably have 3 conference losses by this game... wouldn't shock me to see us beat them here, but I don't have the stones to call it yet.

Against who?

@CMU
vs. Ball State
@ Miami
vs. EMU
@ Toledo
@ Buffalo

You think NIU is going to go 3-3 in that stretch after losing 2 conference games the last 5 years?

NIU should be favored in all of those games. The only one that they might not be is Toledo.