http://sports.yahoo.com/news/university-...ncaaf.html

FWIW.

May be of interest and relevant. Read some of the comments that are pretty hard on the MAC.

???

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/university-...ncaaf.html

(06-30-2015 03:27 PM)Rock House Duke Wrote:  ???

Yeah. Forgot the link. Fixed.

Ohio Mac schools didn't get any favors when Ohio state won the national title. The real problem is playing second to sixth fiddle to the Buckeyes.

Playing those dumb*** Tuesday and Wednesday games kills their attendance. There should be a waiver to not include those attendance figures for those games. Nobody goes to them. The MAC needs to rethink those games. Yes, it gives them national exposure for those nights, But, what good is it when the cameras pan the stadium and there's not even 1,000 people there. Does more harm than good.

(06-30-2015 09:01 PM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  Playing those dumb*** Tuesday and Wednesday games kills their attendance. There should be a waiver to not include those attendance figures for those games. Nobody goes to them. The MAC needs to rethink those games. Yes, it gives them national exposure for those nights, But, what good is it when the cameras pan the stadium and there's not even 1,000 people there. Does more harm than good.

More: SB 9 out of 10 in attendance

http://georgiastatesports.blog.ajc.com/2...14_gsu_sfp

(07-01-2015 08:42 AM)SQZJMU Wrote:  

(06-30-2015 09:01 PM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  Playing those dumb*** Tuesday and Wednesday games kills their attendance. There should be a waiver to not include those attendance figures for those games. Nobody goes to them. The MAC needs to rethink those games. Yes, it gives them national exposure for those nights, But, what good is it when the cameras pan the stadium and there's not even 1,000 people there. Does more harm than good.

More: SB 9 out of 10 in attendance

http://georgiastatesports.blog.ajc.com/2...14_gsu_sfp

Doesn't include App St and Georgia Southern's attendance numbers though. They would be pretty close to CUSA in average attendance if you include those two schools. Add in JMU, and they'd probably top CUSA.

(07-01-2015 09:06 AM)atljmualum Wrote:  

(07-01-2015 08:42 AM)SQZJMU Wrote:  

(06-30-2015 09:01 PM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  Playing those dumb*** Tuesday and Wednesday games kills their attendance. There should be a waiver to not include those attendance figures for those games. Nobody goes to them. The MAC needs to rethink those games. Yes, it gives them national exposure for those nights, But, what good is it when the cameras pan the stadium and there's not even 1,000 people there. Does more harm than good.

More: SB 9 out of 10 in attendance

http://georgiastatesports.blog.ajc.com/2...14_gsu_sfp

Doesn't include App St and Georgia Southern's attendance numbers though. They would be pretty close to CUSA in average attendance if you include those two schools. Add in JMU, and they'd probably top CUSA.

With Appy, GS, and JMU numbers added to the SB, the averaged went up to 19,057. This includes the playoff game which lowered JMU's contribution considerably and also doesn't take into account what our numbers could be simply by moving up to FBS. CUSA had an average of 20,455. I too agree the SB and CUSA would be neck-and-neck with us as a member. Just another "arrow in the quiver" when stated there is not enough difference between the two conferences to say yes to one and no to the other.

On a related note, college football attendance is down as a whole... http://espn.go.com/college-football/stor...erage-2003

College football bowl attendance continues to decline... http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball...in-2014-15

TV ratings for bowl games are up though. I also believe TV availability is a contributor to regular season game attendance declining. Conferences need to be careful. Out of one side of their mouths they brag (particularly the P5 conferences) about how much more revenue they are getting (SEC Network, etc.) in their arms race. But, out of the other side of their mouth they are raising ticket prices constantly.

I believe I read somewhere that average bowl attendance is at its lowest levels since the late 70's. Of course, bowls with stadiums a third filled in late December has a lot to do with that. Still, there are people who find the time to watch these meaningless exhibitions on TV.

(07-01-2015 08:42 AM)SQZJMU Wrote:  

(06-30-2015 09:01 PM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  Playing those dumb*** Tuesday and Wednesday games kills their attendance. There should be a waiver to not include those attendance figures for those games. Nobody goes to them. The MAC needs to rethink those games. Yes, it gives them national exposure for those nights, But, what good is it when the cameras pan the stadium and there's not even 1,000 people there. Does more harm than good.

More: SB 9 out of 10 in attendance

http://georgiastatesports.blog.ajc.com/2...14_gsu_sfp

For our fans that are flipping out about our declining attendance, look at those numbers. Every single fbs conference saw declining attendance except the sec and acc.
It's a national trend.

(07-01-2015 10:29 AM)Potomac Wrote:  

(07-01-2015 08:42 AM)SQZJMU Wrote:  

(06-30-2015 09:01 PM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  Playing those dumb*** Tuesday and Wednesday games kills their attendance. There should be a waiver to not include those attendance figures for those games. Nobody goes to them. The MAC needs to rethink those games. Yes, it gives them national exposure for those nights, But, what good is it when the cameras pan the stadium and there's not even 1,000 people there. Does more harm than good.

More: SB 9 out of 10 in attendance

http://georgiastatesports.blog.ajc.com/2...14_gsu_sfp

For our fans that are flipping out about our declining attendance, look at those numbers. Every single fbs conference saw declining attendance except the sec and acc.
It's a national trend.

Exactly correct, Potomac. Student attendance is on an even greater decline and to your point it is a national trend, not just a "JMU thing". Google search "college football student attendance" and you'll get lots of articles about how students are not turning out nearly as much anymore.

One article I read recently interviewed Univ of Georgia students (where student attendance is also down) asking them as a sample of big time football factories why. As expected, lots of variability in responses, but many focused on poor cell service at games. This generation is so tied to their phones, if they can't get service at the games, they figure what's the use. Not all of course. But it is growing. By the way, I'm not blaming them. It frustrates me too. My daughter is a rising senior at JMU. I've heard her and her friends talk about it before as a frustrating attribute while at Bridgeforth. She's a die hard so it isn't such a deterrent to keep her from the games, but it may others.

When you start losing students coming to games, you lose the future of your season ticket holder base. It is very worrisome for athletic administrations across the nation.

(07-01-2015 10:38 AM)Wear Purple Wrote:  

(07-01-2015 10:29 AM)Potomac Wrote:  

(07-01-2015 08:42 AM)SQZJMU Wrote:  

(06-30-2015 09:01 PM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  Playing those dumb*** Tuesday and Wednesday games kills their attendance. There should be a waiver to not include those attendance figures for those games. Nobody goes to them. The MAC needs to rethink those games. Yes, it gives them national exposure for those nights, But, what good is it when the cameras pan the stadium and there's not even 1,000 people there. Does more harm than good.

More: SB 9 out of 10 in attendance

http://georgiastatesports.blog.ajc.com/2...14_gsu_sfp

For our fans that are flipping out about our declining attendance, look at those numbers. Every single fbs conference saw declining attendance except the sec and acc.
It's a national trend.

Exactly correct, Potomac. Student attendance is on an even greater decline and to your point it is a national trend, not just a "JMU thing". Google search "college football student attendance" and you'll get lots of articles about how students are not turning out nearly as much anymore.

One article I read recently interviewed Univ of Georgia students (where student attendance is also down) asking them as a sample of big time football factories why. As expected, lots of variability in responses, but many focused on poor cell service at games. This generation is so tied to their phones, if they can't get service at the games, they figure what's the use. Not all of course. But it is growing. By the way, I'm not blaming them. It frustrates me too. My daughter is a rising senior at JMU. I've heard her and her friends talk about it before as a frustrating attribute while at Bridgeforth. She's a die hard so it isn't such a deterrent to keep her from the games, but it may others.

When you start losing students coming to games, you lose the future of your season ticket holder base. It is very worrisome for athletic administrations across the nation.

Which is why many stadiums are installing DAS and WiFi systems to "inhance" the game day experience. Damn I thought what was on the football field was the game day exprience. I know JMU has been approched by Verizon and NTelos to bring in a DAS system. I personnally think you are at a football game to watch football not play with your cellphone or tablet.

(07-01-2015 11:05 AM)JMUsince89 Wrote:  

(07-01-2015 10:38 AM)Wear Purple Wrote:  

(07-01-2015 10:29 AM)Potomac Wrote:  

(07-01-2015 08:42 AM)SQZJMU Wrote:  

(06-30-2015 09:01 PM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  Playing those dumb*** Tuesday and Wednesday games kills their attendance. There should be a waiver to not include those attendance figures for those games. Nobody goes to them. The MAC needs to rethink those games. Yes, it gives them national exposure for those nights, But, what good is it when the cameras pan the stadium and there's not even 1,000 people there. Does more harm than good.

More: SB 9 out of 10 in attendance

http://georgiastatesports.blog.ajc.com/2...14_gsu_sfp

For our fans that are flipping out about our declining attendance, look at those numbers. Every single fbs conference saw declining attendance except the sec and acc.
It's a national trend.

Exactly correct, Potomac. Student attendance is on an even greater decline and to your point it is a national trend, not just a "JMU thing". Google search "college football student attendance" and you'll get lots of articles about how students are not turning out nearly as much anymore.

One article I read recently interviewed Univ of Georgia students (where student attendance is also down) asking them as a sample of big time football factories why. As expected, lots of variability in responses, but many focused on poor cell service at games. This generation is so tied to their phones, if they can't get service at the games, they figure what's the use. Not all of course. But it is growing. By the way, I'm not blaming them. It frustrates me too. My daughter is a rising senior at JMU. I've heard her and her friends talk about it before as a frustrating attribute while at Bridgeforth. She's a die hard so it isn't such a deterrent to keep her from the games, but it may others.

When you start losing students coming to games, you lose the future of your season ticket holder base. It is very worrisome for athletic administrations across the nation.

Which is why many stadiums are installing DAS and WiFi systems to "inhance" the game day experience. Damn I thought what was on the football field was the game day exprience. I know JMU has been approched by Verizon and NTelos to bring in a DAS system. I personnally think you are at a football game to watch football not play with your cellphone or tablet.

While I agree with you (I'm an older farteker), reality is that this generation of current students want to take a selfie and tweet or instagram that pic to their friends, family or whoever while inside the stadium as part of their game experience. And, not being able to have the service provision to do it angers them. This is of course just one example of many.

JMU, like any school, must cater to whims of what its customers desire to attract them and hopefully keep them. And, if this is one of many things students are mentioning, then I'm hopeful JMU is listening and acts accordingly regardless of your and my viewpoints on what gameday should be about. I appreciate the additional information about the DAS system and Verizon & NTelos.

A similar debate at other schools I've seen involves marching band music versus piped in music. The younger crowd tends to lean to loving the piped in music while the older (my) generation tends to like the marching band music. My generation gives significantly more money while the students are the future of your programs AND they often set the scene for the in-game experience at a lot of schools. It can be a dilemma or it can be a blend of a little of both to satisfy everyone. I'm of course speaking in generalizations here. I don't mind the piped in music at all, for example.

(06-30-2015 03:47 PM)Potomac Wrote:  Ohio Mac schools didn't get any favors when Ohio state won the national title. The real problem is playing second to sixth fiddle to the Buckeyes.

Really 3rd to 8th fiddle when you add in Cincy + the 6 Ohio MAC schools