(10-08-2015 09:23 AM)JMU DUUUKES LAW Wrote:  JMURaquetball sounds like a young Taylor A (so much hope and excitement and wanting to do more). Ha Well.... before they broke him, and he moved to FBS himself ironically. You should probably get in contact with him actually ...

Amen! Our loss was UTSA's gain. When we visited him in San Antonio he still promoted JMU. He has purple blood and that natural leadership style.

I think when new posters come on here, we shouldn't engage them as if they have been reading these boards 24/7 for years like a lot of us. A student comes on here addressing an issue that we have all been concerned with since the Student Duke Club went away. Most of us didn't know We the Purple was even a thing or that the SDC had gone away. That's how little of an impact whatever they are doing now for students is having...no one knows anything about it. Maybe it's because we don't have students that care. Maybe its because our marketing department tried to fix something that wasn't broken (the SDC). Maybe both. Maybe neither.

Fact is, a student came on here and vented his frustrations about the lack of an organization like the SDC that many of us were fortunate to have and helped us become life long fans. They also show a passion for JMU athletics that we wish more students had. We shouldn't be arguing about whether his perspective is right or wrong on the admin, fcs football, etc. We should be helping to point him in the right direction and maybe we can inspire him to inspire the next generation of SDC kids...or we the purple kids (sorry, that name is dumb).

https://sway.com/8nUMzvdxsaj7c63G#st_ref...refQuery=/

There's a meeting tonight you can go to and express your opinions and ideas with other students.

(10-08-2015 09:49 AM)LegacyDuke08 Wrote:  https://sway.com/8nUMzvdxsaj7c63G#st_ref...refQuery=/

There's a meeting tonight you can go to and express your opinions and ideas with other students.

+1 to the Space Jam themed game idea

(10-08-2015 09:55 AM)Pitz Wrote:  

(10-08-2015 09:49 AM)LegacyDuke08 Wrote:  https://sway.com/8nUMzvdxsaj7c63G#st_ref...refQuery=/

There's a meeting tonight you can go to and express your opinions and ideas with other students.

+1 to the Space Jam themed game idea

Unfortunately as said before I have another obligation tonight as a club president, but I am glad "We the Purple" is actually meeting. The only problem is that I didn't know about it until you posted that link. I would imagine that about 90%-95% of students do not know that meeting is going on tonight, which is a shame. Hopefully their meeting sparks some ideas which interests more students.

(10-07-2015 04:58 PM)JMU_Degenerate Wrote:  Follow up question: In your opinion, if JMU was playing in it, are JMU students more likely to attend the FCS Championship game where a National Championship is on the line (and/or any playoff games leading up to this game) or attend the Cure Bowl (yes, that is a real SB bowl tie in)?

This is tough, because students don't have any $$

It would be better to poll the alumni base.
How many would take a trip to Orlando Florida in mid to late December and go to a JMU bowl game?
vs.
How many would take a trip Frisco Texas in early January for the FCS National Championship.

It would probably be in the ratio of 5000:250 in favor of the Cure Bowl

(10-08-2015 10:19 AM)NYJMUPIKE Wrote:  

(10-07-2015 04:58 PM)JMU_Degenerate Wrote:  Follow up question: In your opinion, if JMU was playing in it, are JMU students more likely to attend the FCS Championship game where a National Championship is on the line (and/or any playoff games leading up to this game) or attend the Cure Bowl (yes, that is a real SB bowl tie in)?

This is tough, because students don't have any $$

It would be better to poll the alumni base.
How many would take a trip to Orlando Florida in mid to late December and go to a JMU bowl game?
vs.
How many would take a trip Frisco Texas in early January for the FCS National Championship.

It would probably be in the ratio of 5000:250 in favor of the Cure Bowl

I have been an FSU fan my whole life. I have never been to a mid-tier bowl game featuring FSU because I dont feel like anything real is at stake and it doesnt move the needle for me. I have been to the ACC championship game 5 or 6 times when FSU is in it because there is something real on the line. I dont understand the appeal of going to the Peach Bowl (chickfila bowl or whatever is the first tier ACC bowl now) let alone the Cure bowl or any other mid or low tier bowl. Thats just me. I guess I am one of the 250 you mention because you will definitely see me at any/all JMU playoff games.

(10-08-2015 10:19 AM)NYJMUPIKE Wrote:  

(10-07-2015 04:58 PM)JMU_Degenerate Wrote:  Follow up question: In your opinion, if JMU was playing in it, are JMU students more likely to attend the FCS Championship game where a National Championship is on the line (and/or any playoff games leading up to this game) or attend the Cure Bowl (yes, that is a real SB bowl tie in)?

This is tough, because students don't have any $$

It would be better to poll the alumni base.
How many would take a trip to Orlando Florida in mid to late December and go to a JMU bowl game?
vs.
How many would take a trip Frisco Texas in early January for the FCS National Championship.

It would probably be in the ratio of 5000:250 in favor of the Cure Bowl

It really boils down to location, but I think for the first one or two bowls games, fans will show up. As the novelty wears off, suddenly no one will go to anything outside of the military bowl in DC/Annapolis. Maybe the pinstripe bowl. Keep in mind there may never even be a conference tie-in to those.
Most G5 fan bases aren't fall over their own feet to get to the potato bowl in Idaho.

(10-08-2015 10:19 AM)NYJMUPIKE Wrote:  

(10-07-2015 04:58 PM)JMU_Degenerate Wrote:  Follow up question: In your opinion, if JMU was playing in it, are JMU students more likely to attend the FCS Championship game where a National Championship is on the line (and/or any playoff games leading up to this game) or attend the Cure Bowl (yes, that is a real SB bowl tie in)?

This is tough, because students don't have any $$

It would be better to poll the alumni base.
How many would take a trip to Orlando Florida in mid to late December and go to a JMU bowl game?
vs.
How many would take a trip Frisco Texas in early January for the FCS National Championship.

It would probably be in the ratio of 5000:250 in favor of the Cure Bowl

I'd love to go to either/both, though Orlando sounds like a nicer destination.

The difference is it's much more feasible to make a Bowl game on a semi-regular basis than it is to get to the FCS NC. A bowl game is more equivalent to making the FCS playoffs. Also, Bowl games tend to get better TV exposure and you are playing against more recognized opponents.

If we go to a mid tier bowl at the same frequency we go to a FCS NC game then I'm going to both 100% of the time. A FCS NC game is a rarity I think we will lose a lot of supporters if JMU is only going one bowl game every 10+ years.

But let's look at Marshall and Ohio's bowl history the last 5 years. Why them? I have no idea the first two schools I thought off.

Marshall: I'm going to all 4 appearances if it was JMU.
2009, Little Caesars, Detroit, vs Ohio
2011, Beef o Brady, Fla, vs FIU
2013, Military, Annapolis, vs Maryland
2014, Boca Raton, FLA, vs Northern Illinois

Ohio: I'm probably skipping Potato and Independence bowl but I'm going to 3 of 5 if it was JMU.
2009, Little Caesars, Detroit, vs Marshall
2010, New Orleans, NOLA, vs Troy
2011, Idaho Potato, vs Utah
2012, Independence, LA, vs Louisiana-Monroe
2013, Beef o Bradys, Fla, vs. ECU

Now since I was a freshman, JMU has gone to 7 playoff games. I have been to 5 (NDSU and last year vs. Liberty only exclusions). So it appears I'm going to mid tier bowl games with the same frequency as playoff games. The weird thing about FCS playoffs is what I will call the gambling effect. I'm not going to NDSU for a playoff game, I'm gambling they will win and play the next round closer.

So I guess I'm going to 100% of NC games but not 100% of mid tier bowls but that isn't the right comparison in my eyes. The right comparison in my eyes is playoff matchups vs bowl games, in which case I'm going with the same frequency.

(10-08-2015 11:01 AM)JMURocks Wrote:  

(10-08-2015 10:19 AM)NYJMUPIKE Wrote:  

(10-07-2015 04:58 PM)JMU_Degenerate Wrote:  Follow up question: In your opinion, if JMU was playing in it, are JMU students more likely to attend the FCS Championship game where a National Championship is on the line (and/or any playoff games leading up to this game) or attend the Cure Bowl (yes, that is a real SB bowl tie in)?

This is tough, because students don't have any $$

It would be better to poll the alumni base.
How many would take a trip to Orlando Florida in mid to late December and go to a JMU bowl game?
vs.
How many would take a trip Frisco Texas in early January for the FCS National Championship.

It would probably be in the ratio of 5000:250 in favor of the Cure Bowl

I'd love to go to either/both, though Orlando sounds like a nicer destination.

The difference is it's much more feasible to make a Bowl game on a semi-regular basis than it is to get to the FCS NC. A bowl game is more equivalent to making the FCS playoffs. Also, Bowl games tend to get better TV exposure and you are playing against more recognized opponents.

This. Our odds of a National Championship game vs a bowl isn't even close. The "Depends Undergarment" bowl may not sound exciting to FSU or Ohio State but to a G5 team it's an opportunity to play in a nationally featured game that often has a lot of build up for the schools participating. As a "next step" in our progression I'll take it.

(10-08-2015 09:49 AM)LegacyDuke08 Wrote:  https://sway.com/8nUMzvdxsaj7c63G#st_ref...refQuery=/

There's a meeting tonight you can go to and express your opinions and ideas with other students.

Yeah, you guys need to get the sports teams and athletic department to blast this kind of stuff. They should all be officially supporting you since your success is in their best interest.

The We the Purple facebook page has 54 likes right now...

https://www.facebook.com/JMUwethepurple

If we can't get students to click "like" then asking them to attend meetings, create an intimidating student section, and bring tradition to game days is going to be tough.

(10-08-2015 12:31 PM)DolleyMadison Wrote:  The We the Purple facebook page has 54 likes right now...

https://www.facebook.com/JMUwethepurple

If we can't get students to click "like" then asking them to attend meetings, create an intimidating student section, and bring tradition to game days is going to be tough.

Man this is sad. Why can't JMU product a rabid student fanbase? We need to sell beer.

(10-07-2015 05:05 PM)JMUisat2014 Wrote:  

(10-07-2015 02:36 PM)JMURACQUETBALL Wrote:  I am a current student here at JMU. Other friends and myself are bummed at the athletic situation here at JMU. FCS football, sub par basketball team, no atmosphere, etc... I reached out to the leader of the student fan group "We the Purple" to lead a charge to pump up the students for football and basketball games and he said they were every week... doesn't look like it to me with no students at football games. I would try to lead the cause for the students but I cannot because of other obligations. I've tried contacting JMU Athletics Marketing but no response. Just wanted to let everyone know the students care, but no one will do anything about it. No one comes to football games because no one cares about ANY of the teams playing at BFS. Not even a W&M or UD. Someone should tell the administration to market games as "purple out" or "black out" and give shirts to everyone. Also more incentives for students. The duke rewards app doesn't even work. Make them aware that students want to care, but don't.

- a general lack of knowledge about FCS football, but also football in general. Those who truly love football really will be able to get themselves behind a team at any level. unfortunately those types are few and far between at JMU. the amount of times I asked friends why they were tailgating and not going to the game was ridiculous. I don't know if you all realize how large a portion of students just tailgate and then go home with no intention of seeing the game or maybe going for the first half. Their reasoning: "dude don't we suck?" "we aren't good at football" "i don't even know who we're playing" etc. Now part of this you all will jump on and say "SEE WE NEED FBS". but really it wouldn't have as much of an affect as you might think. There is a strong vocal minority crazy about JMU sports. The problem is a huge amount of intellectual laziness (and I think this is something that is a huge issue for my generation in general). No one takes the initiative to look around and see what our program is, how far we've come. The vast majority of students are too lazy to take 30 mins to read about JMU football. They literally know nothing about it. I would pop stats off the top of my head and across the board the responses were, "really?", or "wow I didn't know that". Lazy. College. Students. Who didn't come to JMU because they thought we had a good football team. They came here to party and get a great education at a great price.

Someone hire this man. You are right, few people take the initiative to do the (simple) research to see if their mental models are actually correct. All they know is that we haven't played/beaten any ACC teams, or teams they have heard of, so we must suck.

(10-07-2015 04:58 PM)JMU_Degenerate Wrote:  

(10-07-2015 04:37 PM)JMURACQUETBALL Wrote:  

(10-07-2015 03:11 PM)bjk3047 Wrote:  

(10-07-2015 02:36 PM)JMURACQUETBALL Wrote:  I am a current student here at JMU. Other friends and myself are bummed at the athletic situation here at JMU. FCS football, sub par basketball team, no atmosphere, etc... I reached out to the leader of the student fan group "We the Purple" to lead a charge to pump up the students for football and basketball games and he said they were every week... doesn't look like it to me with no students at football games. I would try to lead the cause for the students but I cannot because of other obligations. I've tried contacting JMU Athletics Marketing but no response. Just wanted to let everyone know the students care, but no one will do anything about it. No one comes to football games because no one cares about ANY of the teams playing at BFS. Not even a W&M or UD. Someone should tell the administration to market games as "purple out" or "black out" and give shirts to everyone. Also more incentives for students. The duke rewards app doesn't even work. Make them aware that students want to care, but don't.

Your complaints confuse me.

You start out by saying that no one cares because we're playing FCS football. But they you say that the game-day atmosphere is to blame. But then you say that no one cares about any of the teams playing at BFS, seemingly switching back to the FCS football issue. But then you blame game-day atmosphere again.

Which one is to blame for student complacency?

If it's FCS football, join the "old man yells at cloud" party. It's raging here on the boards.

If it's really game-day atmosphere, by all means, communicate it to the administration and marketing and whoever will listen. Just don't muddy up the message by telling them "no one cares about ANY of the teams playing at BFS." Why would anyone listen to your thoughts on game-day if you're just going to ignore the product offered on the field anyway?

Part of the gameday atmosphere problem is that we are in fcs and don't play teams students want to see... Wouldn't you agree that these aren't separate problems? Remember the UVA v. JMU basketball game last year? Students were going nuts trying to get tickets for it and the atmosphere was 1000% better than and regular JMU basketball game

Also, I am truly interested in your opinion regarding a topic that has been discussed on here before. If JMU moved to FBS and played in the Sun Belt, in your opinion, How many more JMU students really show up to watch JMU host Texas State, Troy, Louisiana Monroe or South Alabama compared to games against Richmond, William and Mary, Villanova or Delaware?
Follow up question: In your opinion, if JMU was playing in it, are JMU students more likely to attend the FCS Championship game where a National Championship is on the line (and/or any playoff games leading up to this game) or attend the Cure Bowl (yes, that is a real SB bowl tie in)?

I suppose you are making an argument against the Sun Belt (or perhaps you really are just inquiring) but I've never liked this line of reasoning. Independently, no, we aren't going to be that excited about playing Tx St or Troy. However, it's the build-up to those games that matters in terms of generating interest. Let's say we play OOC games and beat SMU, lose to VT, and lead ECU in the 4th qtr but lose. Ok, now we are 1-2 heading into a home game against Tx St, but interest has been generated, we are getting good press, and students are interested, not so much because of WHO we are playing, but because of the LEVEL at which we are playing.

(10-08-2015 01:30 PM)capn kitt Wrote:  

(10-07-2015 04:58 PM)JMU_Degenerate Wrote:  

(10-07-2015 04:37 PM)JMURACQUETBALL Wrote:  

(10-07-2015 03:11 PM)bjk3047 Wrote:  

(10-07-2015 02:36 PM)JMURACQUETBALL Wrote:  I am a current student here at JMU. Other friends and myself are bummed at the athletic situation here at JMU. FCS football, sub par basketball team, no atmosphere, etc... I reached out to the leader of the student fan group "We the Purple" to lead a charge to pump up the students for football and basketball games and he said they were every week... doesn't look like it to me with no students at football games. I would try to lead the cause for the students but I cannot because of other obligations. I've tried contacting JMU Athletics Marketing but no response. Just wanted to let everyone know the students care, but no one will do anything about it. No one comes to football games because no one cares about ANY of the teams playing at BFS. Not even a W&M or UD. Someone should tell the administration to market games as "purple out" or "black out" and give shirts to everyone. Also more incentives for students. The duke rewards app doesn't even work. Make them aware that students want to care, but don't.

Your complaints confuse me.

You start out by saying that no one cares because we're playing FCS football. But they you say that the game-day atmosphere is to blame. But then you say that no one cares about any of the teams playing at BFS, seemingly switching back to the FCS football issue. But then you blame game-day atmosphere again.

Which one is to blame for student complacency?

If it's FCS football, join the "old man yells at cloud" party. It's raging here on the boards.

If it's really game-day atmosphere, by all means, communicate it to the administration and marketing and whoever will listen. Just don't muddy up the message by telling them "no one cares about ANY of the teams playing at BFS." Why would anyone listen to your thoughts on game-day if you're just going to ignore the product offered on the field anyway?

Part of the gameday atmosphere problem is that we are in fcs and don't play teams students want to see... Wouldn't you agree that these aren't separate problems? Remember the UVA v. JMU basketball game last year? Students were going nuts trying to get tickets for it and the atmosphere was 1000% better than and regular JMU basketball game

Also, I am truly interested in your opinion regarding a topic that has been discussed on here before. If JMU moved to FBS and played in the Sun Belt, in your opinion, How many more JMU students really show up to watch JMU host Texas State, Troy, Louisiana Monroe or South Alabama compared to games against Richmond, William and Mary, Villanova or Delaware?
Follow up question: In your opinion, if JMU was playing in it, are JMU students more likely to attend the FCS Championship game where a National Championship is on the line (and/or any playoff games leading up to this game) or attend the Cure Bowl (yes, that is a real SB bowl tie in)?

I suppose you are making an argument against the Sun Belt (or perhaps you really are just inquiring) but I've never liked this line of reasoning. Independently, no, we aren't going to be that excited about playing Tx St or Troy. However, it's the build-up to those games that matters in terms of generating interest. Let's say we play OOC games and beat SMU, lose to VT, and lead ECU in the 4th qtr but lose. Ok, now we are 1-2 heading into a home game against Tx St, but interest has been generated, we are getting good press, and students are interested, not so much because of WHO we are playing, but because of the LEVEL at which we are playing.

Again, look at the exponential level of excitement JMU fans had prior to the SMU game. People were posting about it on social media, watch parties were happening all over the country, and people were paying attention. This was a game against a program that hasn't been relevant in almost 30 years. I know some of you old timers will lecture me about how good SMU used to be but to most students and recent alumni, SMU means as much to them as a bunch of those no-name Sun Belt schools.

Move to FBS, bring back the Student Duke Club, quit monitoring, and fire Alger *drops mic*

(10-08-2015 10:29 AM)JMU_Degenerate Wrote:  

(10-08-2015 10:19 AM)NYJMUPIKE Wrote:  

(10-07-2015 04:58 PM)JMU_Degenerate Wrote:  Follow up question: In your opinion, if JMU was playing in it, are JMU students more likely to attend the FCS Championship game where a National Championship is on the line (and/or any playoff games leading up to this game) or attend the Cure Bowl (yes, that is a real SB bowl tie in)?

This is tough, because students don't have any $$

It would be better to poll the alumni base.
How many would take a trip to Orlando Florida in mid to late December and go to a JMU bowl game?
vs.
How many would take a trip Frisco Texas in early January for the FCS National Championship.

It would probably be in the ratio of 5000:250 in favor of the Cure Bowl

I have been an FSU fan my whole life. I have never been to a mid-tier bowl game featuring FSU because I dont feel like anything real is at stake and it doesnt move the needle for me. I have been to the ACC championship game 5 or 6 times when FSU is in it because there is something real on the line. I dont understand the appeal of going to the Peach Bowl (chickfila bowl or whatever is the first tier ACC bowl now) let alone the Cure bowl or any other mid or low tier bowl. Thats just me. I guess I am one of the 250 you mention because you will definitely see me at any/all JMU playoff games.

You specifically said the Cure Bowl. I know you meant (insert any non-New Years Bowl here), but I went with Cure Bowl.

I would go to Orlando in December. It's warm there and cold here at that time. It's cheap to get there...direct flights from NYC/ DC, etc. I would do a couple of days at Disney, the JMU bowl game, etc. Many others would as well. I'm well aware that most people are not going to Motor City bowl games...I probably wouldn't either. Like it or not, any bowl game would have a much larger meaning to most of our alumni base than Frisco. It's not about how we die-hards on this board would feel, it's about waking up the casual sports fan that graduated from JMU.

Also, why WOULD an FSU fan go to a middle level bowl? That is a failure season for them. It's like a Yankees fan getting excited for the wild-card play-in game.

EDIT: Forgot to add that I think it's awesome that you plan to go to every JMU playoff game! I hope to get to one of them :)

So, does the "We the Purple" group have a shirt, or a chant, or anything to make them identifiable at sporting events?

(10-08-2015 12:31 PM)DolleyMadison Wrote:  The We the Purple facebook page has 54 likes right now...

https://www.facebook.com/JMUwethepurple

If we can't get students to click "like" then asking them to attend meetings, create an intimidating student section, and bring tradition to game days is going to be tough.

I'm not a student but I actually had no idea what We The Purple was until I saw this thread. They have 8 followers on Twitter. Just seems like really poor marketing of what this group is.