So I finally made it back to DeKalb. Very last-minute trip as I had to come up here for work & decided to make a quick run to Fatty's in the AM with some alums. Had to leave about 1:30 to make it to work function so couldn't make the game but walked around a bit to remember the good ol' days.

This was my first time back in DeKalb since '10.. it's been a while :(

Fattys - Love the expansion. And the potato salad is still delicious.
Mollys - $5 cover.. Hahahahaha. No. That's dumb.

Tailgating
I don't know if I'm just used to the mayhem of Florida-Georgia tailgate every year, but man, both east & west lots seemed empty. Obviously the frats had their normal things going but outside of that, so much green space and not a lot of stuff happening. Are there any students outside of frats that actually park on the lawn anymore?

Lot K --- Also pretty sparse.

The Yard - I love the setup with the big screen & beer available but it was a little depressing in there. That entire West side was depressing walking around. Thanks for donating & being hardcore fans but look excited being at a football game.

Which brings me to a point i've been making for a longtime... The only way to attract people to NIU games is by building up the gameday experience. The biggest part of that is tailgating.

The parking situation just dumbfounds me. I understand the need to make donors happy w/ premier parking But at the same time those premier parking spots are fantastic tailgating spots. How many people are tailgating in the convo lots?. Get them around the stadium. Let them park in Lot K & East Lawn. Even if you just allow 30 spots per lot to be open for single game parking that could make a huge improvement.


Short version: The tailgating experience was just plain boring. Big changes need to be made. If that was my first NIU gameday I wouldn't come back. And this is coming from someone who was like a little kid going to Disney World.

The Convo lot was nuts! I had not been out there and it was an amazing atmosphere!


Were there really that many open spots in the East lot this week? I walked on the North and South sides of the lots and didn't notice many. If there were then I would agree with the 20-30 GA spots open first come first serve. Heck they could probably charge $50per spot for every non-prime game and $100 for every prime game.

I would love to see Lot Ks small lot (closest to 38) being offered to season ticket holders. Maybe something like $20 a game for the season, so $100-$120 for a season pass. That would still give the donors the spots closest to the stadium while also filling up the lot for the improved atmosphere.

Guess I shoulda went to the convo lots. The perimeter of the east lots was full but quite a bit of space the closer you got to the stadium.

I usually park in Lot k but didn't this weekend. If you're talking about lowering the requirement for donations then you have to look at lot the PS first. It has the same donation requirements as lot k but had 15 cars in it. The issue is there's no gap between $100 Water tower lot and $300 k/ps

Why do people need to be crammed together and act like monkeys in order to tailgate? I am in the West lot and it's great. People who want to tailgate do so, and now there's enough room without blocking the aisles for cars to get to their spots. Adults park in this lot, and they don't act like idiots. Do tailgate lots need to have loud music blaring with hundreds of people acting like idiots in order for tailgating to be fun for you guys?

(10-25-2015 04:07 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Why do people need to be crammed together and act like monkeys in order to tailgate? I am in the West lot and it's great. People who want to tailgate do so, and now there's enough room without blocking the aisles for cars to get to their spots. Adults park in this lot, and they don't act like idiots. Do tailgate lots need to have loud music blaring with hundreds of people acting like idiots in order for tailgating to be fun for you guys?

I'm an adult now. I don't act like an idiot (most of the times) but I do thoroughly enjoy tailgating in a fun atmosphere - and not in a fratty student type of the way. The West Side was like an old folks home when I walked around.

The donation requirements for parking in some of these lots is just dumb. You can confine the donor lots, then open up the rest for everyone else. Immediate gameday improvement if you do that.
Casual fans need more than a football game to draw them to DeKalb. I understand what they were trying to do in getting bigger donations for premier parking, but sometimes you have to realize you f'd up and change it up again.

You know what'll bring people to dekalb? A strip club

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(10-25-2015 04:53 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  You know what'll bring people to dekalb? A strip club

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Maybe they can have it in the tailgate lots!

(10-25-2015 04:56 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(10-25-2015 04:53 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  You know what'll bring people to dekalb? A strip club

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Maybe they can have it in the tailgate lots!

"Bring your NIU ticket stub for free cover! $5 lap dances when attendance is over 20k! 1/2 off buffet when NIU wins!"

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Sine we're on the subject of donor lots, I think they should open earlier than 5 hours. Part of perk should be the ability to tailgate before the general lots open.

I parked in the west lot. There were five of us tailgating. Four of the five are solidly middle aged. We had our canopy up, chairs out, grill going, and cooler well stocked. I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to do as far as tailgating goes to provide excitement.

I do take issue with the number of empty spots in the west side lot (plus the number of unoccupied seats in the seatbacks). Give money and show up. Or find someone to use your seats for that day.

Something that won't ever be fixed is NIU has a very unique, and almost awkward site design around the stadium. There is no parking on the north and south sides. Right now, the baseball field creates another disjoint, unoccupied space. I would suggest that most major programs probably have a fair number of donor spots right by the stadium for people who don't tailgate at all. The parking here is fairly disjoint.

Some of this just is the way it is.

The convo tailgating isn't that far away, but it's a shame they can't fill up the west and east sides of the stadium, it makes the whole atmosphere look lame.

I park in west lot and think since they went to the assigned spots and upped the $ to get in the atmosphere has changed. I thought that this game was best all year, but I too am surprised by the number of open spaces. There are certain groups that tailgate all the time, but two guys next to me park and go to HAF tent, which is fine.

(10-25-2015 10:40 AM)HuskieRak Wrote:  So I finally made it back to DeKalb. Very last-minute trip as I had to come up here for work & decided to make a quick run to Fatty's in the AM with some alums. Had to leave about 1:30 to make it to work function so couldn't make the game but walked around a bit to remember the good ol' days.

This was my first time back in DeKalb since '10.. it's been a while :(

Fattys - Love the expansion. And the potato salad is still delicious.
Mollys - $5 cover.. Hahahahaha. No. That's dumb.

Tailgating
I don't know if I'm just used to the mayhem of Florida-Georgia tailgate every year, but man, both east & west lots seemed empty. Obviously the frats had their normal things going but outside of that, so much green space and not a lot of stuff happening. Are there any students outside of frats that actually park on the lawn anymore?

Lot K --- Also pretty sparse.

The Yard - I love the setup with the big screen & beer available but it was a little depressing in there. That entire West side was depressing walking around. Thanks for donating & being hardcore fans but look excited being at a football game.

Which brings me to a point i've been making for a longtime... The only way to attract people to NIU games is by building up the gameday experience. The biggest part of that is tailgating.

The parking situation just dumbfounds me. I understand the need to make donors happy w/ premier parking But at the same time those premier parking spots are fantastic tailgating spots. How many people are tailgating in the convo lots?. Get them around the stadium. Let them park in Lot K & East Lawn. Even if you just allow 30 spots per lot to be open for single game parking that could make a huge improvement.


Short version: The tailgating experience was just plain boring. Big changes need to be made. If that was my first NIU gameday I wouldn't come back. And this is coming from someone who was like a little kid going to Disney World.

You have some points, but GA/FL tailgate vs NIU is like comparing Disney World to Santa's Village. Very few will ever make NIU football their focal point of a weekend. I always go back to history, or lack of for NIU and it not being in a area where the college is the only thing going for 100+ miles around. It's as much to do with friends, family and community. Very few have an inner circle that has any interest.

I do think it is a strange setup, piecemealed wit no choice. Students get prime spot and yet are sequestered from donors and w. side activity. I am guessing at most schools they are outter lot. NIU does it to give them closest proximity to actually go to (and in and out at 1/2) game. Otherwise, many wouldn't go, leave not come back. K lot is great, no one goes. Other donor lots are somewhat isolated too. Convo in reality is close when compared to many other schools, but really isolated by soccer field and tree line.

I park in the west lot, and I don't tailgate. I realize I'm not adding to the festivities by not being raucous, but I prefer to just park my car and head off to the Yard and HAF tent. There are others in the lot who commit the crime of not tailgating. I guess you could blame us for not creating an atmosphere of mayhem there. Maybe I could just scream like a banshee as I walk on over to the HAF tent.

I think if Athletics could focus on improving the East and Movie lots atmosphere that the West lot could be left as is.

(10-25-2015 03:35 PM)numbersdontlie Wrote:  I usually park in Lot k but didn't this weekend. If you're talking about lowering the requirement for donations then you have to look at lot the PS first. It has the same donation requirements as lot k but had 15 cars in it. The issue is there's no gap between $100 Water tower lot and $300 k/ps

The LA Tan Lot has been a spectacular success! Packed again early Saturday.

Sounds like that will take care if itself next year but the fact it was available for Free this year and it is really just an extension of Lot K (where Donors have paid to be there) is not a good situation.

How does tailgating in the Movie lot work as far as room to set up?

Do you take up 2 parking spots or do you set up in the path of the drive?

(10-26-2015 10:34 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  How does tailgating in the Movie lot work as far as room to set up?

Do you take up 2 parking spots or do you set up in the path of the drive?

Since it became a Donor Lot you can pretty much take whatever you need. Set up a hammock...recliner...

But seriously...yes when it was a regular cash lot it is a bit narrow for tents but folks were flexible and did what was neighborly depending on how crowded the lot was that day.

(10-25-2015 04:07 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Why do people need to be crammed together and act like monkeys in order to tailgate? I am in the West lot and it's great. People who want to tailgate do so, and now there's enough room without blocking the aisles for cars to get to their spots. Adults park in this lot, and they don't act like idiots. Do tailgate lots need to have loud music blaring with hundreds of people acting like idiots in order for tailgating to be fun for you guys?

i agree that the 'convo style' is for some people, not for others. likewise, the east side style is for some, not for others. however, on the east side, ideally there is supposed to be energy and excitement, and fun. this is what appeals to a college student.

IMO, it was a HUGE mistake that NIU forced most students to go to the west side (beginning in 2004) unless they were a huskie donor. The cart went before the horse. It split up what was supposed to be a high energy high 'fun' area. I have no doubt that now the tailgating experience to most students is now 'meh'. Before NIU did this, the east side was packed, fun, high energy, and a big party - with tons of potential. Its no wonder that the growth in overall alumni support has not been there. I'm not shocked that we are paying the price for this shortsighted move. I'm just saying.