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perimeterpost Offline
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Post: #21
RE: Major College Football Attendance Down
(06-29-2015 12:06 PM)HuskieAlumnus03 Wrote:  I have a different thought on it.

Here's where the generational gap occurs. I'm younger(ish) and experienced a very different NIU. NIU was already well established academically and was a very popular choice for colleges for my HS graduating class, my freshman class was so big NIU didn't even have enough dorm rooms to fill the students and had to contract out rooms with UP and other hotels. First I remember my orientation in 2003, the orientation leaders were already talking about how we were the best football team in the state. Then 2003 season occurred and NIU was the talk of the town, which was awesome for my HS friends and I going back home and wearing NIU gear and folks talked NIU football. Football was very much in the forefront for the rest of my years, despite the disappointing last season of Novak. For me personally it was a huge part of my weekends, because i was one of the people that made the cannon go BOOM and watched games on the field!

That said, for those that are 35 years and younger, we are spoiled, and we expect a better product. I feel a better product has been put out year after year. Having a home schedule like last year, isn't very exciting. After seeing the national limelight and potential for NIU, having to play the bottom of teams in the MAC, its very MEH! Coming into the season with ALOT of question marks, Losing our away streak in a blowout fashion, losing NIU's homestreak, crappy weather. It adds up! That said, it boils down to schedule, this will improve with better teams coming to Dekalb, all thank to the new AD. Big games, fans turn out. @ Northwestern last year is a great example.

105,017 fans paid top dollar to watch their favorite team play an Eastern Michigan team that had lost 15 straight. Your opponent isn't the problem.
06-30-2015 02:51 PM
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HuskieAlumnus03 Offline
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Post: #22
RE: Major College Football Attendance Down
(06-30-2015 02:51 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  
(06-29-2015 12:06 PM)HuskieAlumnus03 Wrote:  I have a different thought on it.

Here's where the generational gap occurs. I'm younger(ish) and experienced a very different NIU. NIU was already well established academically and was a very popular choice for colleges for my HS graduating class, my freshman class was so big NIU didn't even have enough dorm rooms to fill the students and had to contract out rooms with UP and other hotels. First I remember my orientation in 2003, the orientation leaders were already talking about how we were the best football team in the state. Then 2003 season occurred and NIU was the talk of the town, which was awesome for my HS friends and I going back home and wearing NIU gear and folks talked NIU football. Football was very much in the forefront for the rest of my years, despite the disappointing last season of Novak. For me personally it was a huge part of my weekends, because i was one of the people that made the cannon go BOOM and watched games on the field!

That said, for those that are 35 years and younger, we are spoiled, and we expect a better product. I feel a better product has been put out year after year. Having a home schedule like last year, isn't very exciting. After seeing the national limelight and potential for NIU, having to play the bottom of teams in the MAC, its very MEH! Coming into the season with ALOT of question marks, Losing our away streak in a blowout fashion, losing NIU's homestreak, crappy weather. It adds up! That said, it boils down to schedule, this will improve with better teams coming to Dekalb, all thank to the new AD. Big games, fans turn out. @ Northwestern last year is a great example.

105,017 fans paid top dollar to watch their favorite team play an Eastern Michigan team that had lost 15 straight. Your opponent isn't the problem.

LOL, are you being sarcastic? When you come off a season, one win away from the Fiesta Bowl, sorry playing EMU nor any of the bottom feeder teams is not attractive. Unlike Ohio, we are used to winning and fans want to see better teams, not have to drive to cold windy DeKalb to see winless teams. Switch Toledo or Bowling Green to weekends, IMHO that would get a great crowd.
06-30-2015 04:19 PM
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axeme Offline
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Post: #23
Major College Football Attendance Down
Sounds like there will be a chronic attendance problem then. When the fans' priority is the opponent, not the home team, and most of the games are conference games vs. teams who will have an average record of, oh, say about .500, things will likely stay about the same.

One can dream about a fan base that comes out to see their team consistently, regardless of the opposition. Doesn't look likely.
06-30-2015 05:45 PM
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perimeterpost Offline
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Post: #24
RE: Major College Football Attendance Down
(06-30-2015 04:19 PM)HuskieAlumnus03 Wrote:  
(06-30-2015 02:51 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  
(06-29-2015 12:06 PM)HuskieAlumnus03 Wrote:  I have a different thought on it.

Here's where the generational gap occurs. I'm younger(ish) and experienced a very different NIU. NIU was already well established academically and was a very popular choice for colleges for my HS graduating class, my freshman class was so big NIU didn't even have enough dorm rooms to fill the students and had to contract out rooms with UP and other hotels. First I remember my orientation in 2003, the orientation leaders were already talking about how we were the best football team in the state. Then 2003 season occurred and NIU was the talk of the town, which was awesome for my HS friends and I going back home and wearing NIU gear and folks talked NIU football. Football was very much in the forefront for the rest of my years, despite the disappointing last season of Novak. For me personally it was a huge part of my weekends, because i was one of the people that made the cannon go BOOM and watched games on the field!

That said, for those that are 35 years and younger, we are spoiled, and we expect a better product. I feel a better product has been put out year after year. Having a home schedule like last year, isn't very exciting. After seeing the national limelight and potential for NIU, having to play the bottom of teams in the MAC, its very MEH! Coming into the season with ALOT of question marks, Losing our away streak in a blowout fashion, losing NIU's homestreak, crappy weather. It adds up! That said, it boils down to schedule, this will improve with better teams coming to Dekalb, all thank to the new AD. Big games, fans turn out. @ Northwestern last year is a great example.

105,017 fans paid top dollar to watch their favorite team play an Eastern Michigan team that had lost 15 straight. Your opponent isn't the problem.

LOL, are you being sarcastic? When you come off a season, one win away from the Fiesta Bowl, sorry playing EMU nor any of the bottom feeder teams is not attractive. Unlike Ohio, we are used to winning and fans want to see better teams, not have to drive to cold windy DeKalb to see winless teams. Switch Toledo or Bowling Green to weekends, IMHO that would get a great crowd.

the team I referenced was coming off of a Rose Bowl victory. Keep making excuses.
06-30-2015 07:56 PM
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HuskieAlumnus03 Offline
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Post: #25
RE: Major College Football Attendance Down
(06-30-2015 07:56 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  
(06-30-2015 04:19 PM)HuskieAlumnus03 Wrote:  
(06-30-2015 02:51 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  
(06-29-2015 12:06 PM)HuskieAlumnus03 Wrote:  I have a different thought on it.

Here's where the generational gap occurs. I'm younger(ish) and experienced a very different NIU. NIU was already well established academically and was a very popular choice for colleges for my HS graduating class, my freshman class was so big NIU didn't even have enough dorm rooms to fill the students and had to contract out rooms with UP and other hotels. First I remember my orientation in 2003, the orientation leaders were already talking about how we were the best football team in the state. Then 2003 season occurred and NIU was the talk of the town, which was awesome for my HS friends and I going back home and wearing NIU gear and folks talked NIU football. Football was very much in the forefront for the rest of my years, despite the disappointing last season of Novak. For me personally it was a huge part of my weekends, because i was one of the people that made the cannon go BOOM and watched games on the field!

That said, for those that are 35 years and younger, we are spoiled, and we expect a better product. I feel a better product has been put out year after year. Having a home schedule like last year, isn't very exciting. After seeing the national limelight and potential for NIU, having to play the bottom of teams in the MAC, its very MEH! Coming into the season with ALOT of question marks, Losing our away streak in a blowout fashion, losing NIU's homestreak, crappy weather. It adds up! That said, it boils down to schedule, this will improve with better teams coming to Dekalb, all thank to the new AD. Big games, fans turn out. @ Northwestern last year is a great example.

105,017 fans paid top dollar to watch their favorite team play an Eastern Michigan team that had lost 15 straight. Your opponent isn't the problem.

LOL, are you being sarcastic? When you come off a season, one win away from the Fiesta Bowl, sorry playing EMU nor any of the bottom feeder teams is not attractive. Unlike Ohio, we are used to winning and fans want to see better teams, not have to drive to cold windy DeKalb to see winless teams. Switch Toledo or Bowling Green to weekends, IMHO that would get a great crowd.

the team I referenced was coming off of a Rose Bowl victory. Keep making excuses.

I really hope you aren't making a comparison of NIU with Ohio State totally not the same situation and fanbase. LOL! Anyway, it's not excuses, NIU hasn't been exactly been anywhere near bottom of the list in attendance in the MAC, except for last season. So yes, like I said, it was a very crappy schedule and weather.
06-30-2015 09:51 PM
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Love and Honor Offline
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Post: #26
RE: Major College Football Attendance Down
Every other month we have this debate in the MAC forum and there's no point to it. Until attendance is counted equally throughout college football, there will be no basis for comparison unless you're Rain Man and can count butts in the seats based on a picture.
06-30-2015 10:11 PM
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HuskieJohn Offline
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Post: #27
RE: Major College Football Attendance Down
(06-30-2015 05:45 PM)axeme Wrote:  Sounds like there will be a chronic attendance problem then. When the fans' priority is the opponent, not the home team, and most of the games are conference games vs. teams who will have an average record of, oh, say about .500, things will likely stay about the same.

One can dream about a fan base that comes out to see their team consistently, regardless of the opposition. Doesn't look likely.

Not really true for NIU's Saturday MAC games since 2004


Just moving our MACtion games back to a Saturday would make a great impact on our average attendance.
07-01-2015 10:55 AM
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NIU007 Offline
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Post: #28
RE: Major College Football Attendance Down
(06-30-2015 02:51 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  
(06-29-2015 12:06 PM)HuskieAlumnus03 Wrote:  I have a different thought on it.

Here's where the generational gap occurs. I'm younger(ish) and experienced a very different NIU. NIU was already well established academically and was a very popular choice for colleges for my HS graduating class, my freshman class was so big NIU didn't even have enough dorm rooms to fill the students and had to contract out rooms with UP and other hotels. First I remember my orientation in 2003, the orientation leaders were already talking about how we were the best football team in the state. Then 2003 season occurred and NIU was the talk of the town, which was awesome for my HS friends and I going back home and wearing NIU gear and folks talked NIU football. Football was very much in the forefront for the rest of my years, despite the disappointing last season of Novak. For me personally it was a huge part of my weekends, because i was one of the people that made the cannon go BOOM and watched games on the field!

That said, for those that are 35 years and younger, we are spoiled, and we expect a better product. I feel a better product has been put out year after year. Having a home schedule like last year, isn't very exciting. After seeing the national limelight and potential for NIU, having to play the bottom of teams in the MAC, its very MEH! Coming into the season with ALOT of question marks, Losing our away streak in a blowout fashion, losing NIU's homestreak, crappy weather. It adds up! That said, it boils down to schedule, this will improve with better teams coming to Dekalb, all thank to the new AD. Big games, fans turn out. @ Northwestern last year is a great example.

105,017 fans paid top dollar to watch their favorite team play an Eastern Michigan team that had lost 15 straight. Your opponent isn't the problem.

I think the opponent thing is cumulative. Nobody buys season tickets because we typically have had 5 home games with 1 of them being an FCS school. Plus we had fire sales on tickets shortly before the games so that didn't help.
07-01-2015 03:58 PM
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Post: #29
RE: Major College Football Attendance Down
(07-01-2015 10:55 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  
(06-30-2015 05:45 PM)axeme Wrote:  Sounds like there will be a chronic attendance problem then. When the fans' priority is the opponent, not the home team, and most of the games are conference games vs. teams who will have an average record of, oh, say about .500, things will likely stay about the same.

One can dream about a fan base that comes out to see their team consistently, regardless of the opposition. Doesn't look likely.

Not really true for NIU's Saturday MAC games since 2004


Just moving our MACtion games back to a Saturday would make a great impact on our average attendance.

exactly
07-01-2015 10:47 PM
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Post: #30
RE: Major College Football Attendance Down
After looking through Akron's attendance, we see 36% fewer fans on weeknight games compared to Saturday games. I'm betting the numbers are similar across the conference.
07-02-2015 01:33 AM
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Post: #31
RE: Major College Football Attendance Down
(07-02-2015 01:33 AM)uakronkid Wrote:  After looking through Akron's attendance, we see 36% fewer fans on weeknight games compared to Saturday games. I'm betting the numbers are similar across the conference.

true. sorta kinda. below is from Zips Nation, all of the home games for the last 6 years ranked by attendance-

9/12/2009 Morgan State 27,881
11/7/2009 Can't 20,802
10/2/2013 Can't 20,239
11/12/2011 Can't 19,889
10/5/2013 Ohio 19,775
9/7/2013 JMU 19,653
9/21/2013 Louisiana 18,809
9/19/2009 Indiana 18,340
10/10/2009 Ohio 16,381
10/26/2013 Ball State 16,119
10/8/2011 FIU 16,016
9/4/2010 Syracuse 15,969
9/10/2011 Temple 15,156
10/22/2011 Ohio 14,760
9/24/2011 VMI 14,257
10/29/2011 Central 14,327
9/20/2014 Marshall 13,357
8/30/2012 UCF 12,616 Thursday
11/29/2013 Toledo 12,506 Friday
10/2/2010 Northern 12,133
11/13/2009 Temple 10,927 Friday
11/4/2014 BG 10,348 Thursday
10/6/2012 BG 10,102
10/23/2010 Western 10,073
9/11/2010 GWU 10,046
9/15/2012 Morgan 9,933
11/27/2009 Eastern 9,962 Friday
8/28/2014 Howard 9,104 Thursday
10/4/2014 Eastern 8,416
10/11/2014 Miami 8,223
9/29/2012 Miami 8,211
11/10/2012 UMass 7,716
11/17/2010 Miami 7,671 Wednesday
10/20/2012 Northern 7,074
11/18/2014 UMass 5,571 Tuesday
11/26/2010 Buffalo 5,216 Friday


Here's the list again, this time sorted by attendance and broken down by month-

9/12/2009 Morgan State 27,881
9/7/2013 JMU 19,653
9/19/2009 Indiana 18,340
9/21/2013 Louisiana 18,809
9/4/2010 Syracuse 15,969
9/10/2011 Temple 15,156
9/24/2011 VMI 14,257
9/20/2014 Marshall 13,357
8/30/2012 UCF 12,616 Thursday
9/11/2010 GWU 10,046
9/15/2012 Morgan 9,933
8/28/2014 Howard 9,104 Thursday
9/29/2012 Miami 8,211

10/2/2013 Can't 20,239
10/5/2013 Ohio 19,775
10/10/2009 Ohio 16,381
10/26/2013 Ball State 16,119
10/8/2011 FIU 16,016
10/22/2011 Ohio 14,760
10/29/2011 Central 14,327
10/2/2010 Northern 12,133
10/6/2012 BG 10,102
10/23/2010 Western 10,073
10/4/2014 Eastern 8,416
10/11/2014 Miami 8,223
10/20/2012 Northern 7,074

11/7/2009 Can't 20,802
11/12/2011 Can't 19,889
11/29/2013 Toledo 12,506 Friday
11/13/2009 Temple 10,927 Friday
11/4/2014 BG 10,348 Thursday
11/27/2009 Eastern 9,962 Friday
11/10/2012 UMass 7,716
11/17/2010 Miami 7,671 Wednesday
11/18/2014 UMass 5,571 Tuesday
11/26/2010 Buffalo 5,216 Friday



To correctly evaluate the impact of non-Saturday games you have to put them in the proper context-

3 Thursday games- 2 of the 3 games on Thursdays were season openers.
4 Friday games- 3 of the 4 Friday games were on Black Friday, the day after a holiday, and the last game of the season.
2 Tues/Wed games- 2 true weeknight, Nov. MACtion games.

I don't see playing the first or last game of the season on a non-Saturday as being an unfair burden to the team or it fans, or as something that is unique to being in the MAC. Look at opening weekend for 2015, there are 18 FBS games scheduled for Thursday and 9 scheduled for Friday. All of the P5 conferences have games scheduled for those days. I don't consider playing the season opener on a non-Saturday to be a reasonable excuse for poor attendance.

I also do not think its reasonable to suggest that playing the last game of the season on the Friday after Thanksgiving has any significant impact on attendance compared to playing that game on the following day.

So that leaves a couple of midweek November games over the past 6yrs, hardly an unreasonable burden for a fanbase. I believe the month a game is played in has a bigger impact on attendance than the day.
(This post was last modified: 07-02-2015 05:45 PM by perimeterpost.)
07-02-2015 05:43 PM
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UofToledoFans Offline
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Post: #32
RE: Major College Football Attendance Down
I'd love to see ours... Lets not forget these weekday games are 80% november... And in the cold months in the midwest where teams are out of contention low attended games will happen regardless of weekend or not.
07-02-2015 06:22 PM
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Post: #33
RE: Major College Football Attendance Down
(07-02-2015 05:43 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  
(07-02-2015 01:33 AM)uakronkid Wrote:  After looking through Akron's attendance, we see 36% fewer fans on weeknight games compared to Saturday games. I'm betting the numbers are similar across the conference.

true. sorta kinda. below is from Zips Nation, all of the home games for the last 6 years ranked by attendance-

9/12/2009 Morgan State 27,881
11/7/2009 Can't 20,802
10/2/2013 Can't 20,239
11/12/2011 Can't 19,889
10/5/2013 Ohio 19,775
9/7/2013 JMU 19,653
9/21/2013 Louisiana 18,809
9/19/2009 Indiana 18,340
10/10/2009 Ohio 16,381
10/26/2013 Ball State 16,119
10/8/2011 FIU 16,016
9/4/2010 Syracuse 15,969
9/10/2011 Temple 15,156
10/22/2011 Ohio 14,760
9/24/2011 VMI 14,257
10/29/2011 Central 14,327
9/20/2014 Marshall 13,357
8/30/2012 UCF 12,616 Thursday
11/29/2013 Toledo 12,506 Friday
10/2/2010 Northern 12,133
11/13/2009 Temple 10,927 Friday
11/4/2014 BG 10,348 Thursday
10/6/2012 BG 10,102
10/23/2010 Western 10,073
9/11/2010 GWU 10,046
9/15/2012 Morgan 9,933
11/27/2009 Eastern 9,962 Friday
8/28/2014 Howard 9,104 Thursday
10/4/2014 Eastern 8,416
10/11/2014 Miami 8,223
9/29/2012 Miami 8,211
11/10/2012 UMass 7,716
11/17/2010 Miami 7,671 Wednesday
10/20/2012 Northern 7,074
11/18/2014 UMass 5,571 Tuesday
11/26/2010 Buffalo 5,216 Friday


Here's the list again, this time sorted by attendance and broken down by month-

9/12/2009 Morgan State 27,881
9/7/2013 JMU 19,653
9/19/2009 Indiana 18,340
9/21/2013 Louisiana 18,809
9/4/2010 Syracuse 15,969
9/10/2011 Temple 15,156
9/24/2011 VMI 14,257
9/20/2014 Marshall 13,357
8/30/2012 UCF 12,616 Thursday
9/11/2010 GWU 10,046
9/15/2012 Morgan 9,933
8/28/2014 Howard 9,104 Thursday
9/29/2012 Miami 8,211

10/2/2013 Can't 20,239
10/5/2013 Ohio 19,775
10/10/2009 Ohio 16,381
10/26/2013 Ball State 16,119
10/8/2011 FIU 16,016
10/22/2011 Ohio 14,760
10/29/2011 Central 14,327
10/2/2010 Northern 12,133
10/6/2012 BG 10,102
10/23/2010 Western 10,073
10/4/2014 Eastern 8,416
10/11/2014 Miami 8,223
10/20/2012 Northern 7,074

11/7/2009 Can't 20,802
11/12/2011 Can't 19,889
11/29/2013 Toledo 12,506 Friday
11/13/2009 Temple 10,927 Friday
11/4/2014 BG 10,348 Thursday
11/27/2009 Eastern 9,962 Friday
11/10/2012 UMass 7,716
11/17/2010 Miami 7,671 Wednesday
11/18/2014 UMass 5,571 Tuesday
11/26/2010 Buffalo 5,216 Friday



To correctly evaluate the impact of non-Saturday games you have to put them in the proper context-

3 Thursday games- 2 of the 3 games on Thursdays were season openers.
4 Friday games- 3 of the 4 Friday games were on Black Friday, the day after a holiday, and the last game of the season.
2 Tues/Wed games- 2 true weeknight, Nov. MACtion games.

I don't see playing the first or last game of the season on a non-Saturday as being an unfair burden to the team or it fans, or as something that is unique to being in the MAC. Look at opening weekend for 2015, there are 18 FBS games scheduled for Thursday and 9 scheduled for Friday. All of the P5 conferences have games scheduled for those days. I don't consider playing the season opener on a non-Saturday to be a reasonable excuse for poor attendance.

I also do not think its reasonable to suggest that playing the last game of the season on the Friday after Thanksgiving has any significant impact on attendance compared to playing that game on the following day.

So that leaves a couple of midweek November games over the past 6yrs, hardly an unreasonable burden for a fanbase. I believe the month a game is played in has a bigger impact on attendance than the day.

True but they're both factors. Plus, when you play during the week it's at night. So if it's November, it's even colder for the mid-week game than it would be for a Saturday afternoon game. I think in NIU's case the novelty of playing Toledo on a Tuesday evening has worn off, since we've been doing that every year for several years. It's been a long time since we've played them on a Saturday and that could potentially be one of our better attended games since it often determines the West title.
07-02-2015 10:17 PM
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