There is nothing worse for our league than parity. In basketball we saw it and despite having a solid RPI- we were stuck with one team in the big dance and a bad seed.
In football we are seeing it this year and it seems to be killing attendance and excitement.
Yesterday's reported attendance
NIU- 18,732
WMU - 14,168
CMU - 12,801
BGSU - 9,608
Buffalo- 5,814
Why can't the MAC turn its increased national TV exposure into better teams and more fans? This is the worse year of excitement in MAC football since 1996- when BSU won the league because of a punter.
OK, yesterday's attendance was subpar. But killing excitement? Are you kidding me?!? What's more exciting than believing your team has a chance to win on any given weekend?
CMichFan Wrote:What's more exciting than believing your team has a chance to win on any given weekend?
How does that feel? I am not sure I'd know it if it happened?
I actually watched a lot of the Toledo vs CMU game, while I lisened to Miami. It was a terrific game. By excitement I meant = attendance and discussion.
Where and when is the WMU-CMU match-up? That'll be a huge crowd this year with good weather, and I see the long term outlook for Nov 5 is for good weather (warmer than average) in the midwest. I am surprised that CMU didn't draw more for the Toledo match-up, though.
chuckwalker Wrote:Why can't the MAC turn its increased national TV exposure into better teams and more fans?
The eternal question.
MAC attendance will ebb and flow, but when every snot-nosed adolescent and teenager in the Midwest is a die-hard UM/OSU/ND fan, you face an uphill battle to get them to "switch" their primary allegiance over to the MAC school they find themselves attending.
For people like us, it was a pretty easy transition to mostly follow the school you attend(ed) because it's natural to get more passionate about it. Our school, our classes, our friends, our memories, our stomping grounds. When we finally win after tough years, it's so much sweeter than simply tossing our hat in with the media darling mega-bandwagon.
But people's egos get in the way. To them, following a 'sexy' team consistently in the Top 15 and the subject of attention on SportsCenter strokes their egos in an "I'm Big by my Association to Something Big" kind of way. It's all about being a part of the huge party and being seen. It's all about going to the office Monday morning, hugging the water cooler, and 'bragging' to co-workers about how they scored tickets to The Game and went with their (generally uninterested about the sport but would kill to be there) wives.
It's disappointing. With the proliferation of cable sports channels, the Internet, and an increase in bowl games for the smaller conferences, you'd think attendance would increase and spread around. But it hasn't.
And there's just something about this area (Midwest) where we have an unusually bigger problem with bcs-bandwagons. As much as we like to rip on CUSA, those guys are generally right when it comes to fans in MAC territory. We have a tougher time filling the stands and our students/alumni are more hard-wired to glue themselves to the beauty pagaent winner.
Sorry for the soapbox, but I tend to go off on this subject. :wave:
exCincy Kid1 Wrote:Where and when is the WMU-CMU match-up?
November 12 in Kalamazoo.
Motown Bronco Wrote:chuckwalker Wrote:Why can't the MAC turn its increased national TV exposure into better teams and more fans?
The eternal question.
MAC attendance will ebb and flow, but when every snot-nosed adolescent and teenager in the Midwest is a die-hard UM/OSU/ND fan, you face an uphill battle to get them to "switch" their primary allegiance over to the MAC school they find themselves attending.
For people like us, it was a pretty easy transition to mostly follow the school you attend(ed) because it's natural to get more passionate about it. Our school, our classes, our friends, our memories, our stomping grounds. When we finally win after tough years, it's so much sweeter than simply tossing our hat in with the media darling mega-bandwagon.
But people's egos get in the way. To them, following a 'sexy' team consistently in the Top 15 and the subject of attention on SportsCenter strokes their egos in an "I'm Big by my Association to Something Big" kind of way. It's all about being a part of the huge party and being seen. It's all about going to the office Monday morning, hugging the water cooler, and 'bragging' to co-workers about how they scored tickets to The Game and went with their (generally uninterested about the sport but would kill to be there) wives.
It's disappointing. With the proliferation of cable sports channels, the Internet, and an increase in bowl games for the smaller conferences, you'd think attendance would increase and spread around. But it hasn't.
And there's just something about this area (Midwest) where we have an unusually bigger problem with bcs-bandwagons. As much as we like to rip on CUSA, those guys are generally right when it comes to fans in MAC territory. We have a tougher time filling the stands and our students/alumni are more hard-wired to glue themselves to the beauty pagaent winner.
Sorry for the soapbox, but I tend to go off on this subject. :wave:
Well said. Now, what can we as a conference do to slowly reverse this little by little?
chuckwalker Wrote:There is nothing worse for our league than parity.
Yesterday's reported attendance
NIU- 18,732
WMU - 14,168
CMU - 12,801
BGSU - 9,608
Buffalo- 5,814
Why can't the MAC turn its increased national TV exposure into better teams and more fans? This is the worse year of excitement in MAC football since 1996- when BSU won the league because of a punter.
I disagree concerning parity, and if MAC OOC games had produced a reasonable amount of wins, the overall outlook would be a lot better. But this attendance problem has got to be addressed, and the sooner the better. These numbers don't bode well for the MAC future fb picture. IMHO there has to be a conference directed commission long term plan to have all MAC schools organized and on the same page to grow MAC fb attendance & bb attendance also,before it to slips to the lowly level of the fb programs. IMHO better home OCC games as well as better facilities are a part of the answer, as is indoor club seating, which will help take away the bad weather excuse that is some often used by MAC fb apologists. It really shouldn't be this way, and it doesn't have to be this way.
chuckwalker Wrote:This is the worse year of excitement in MAC football since 1996- when BSU won the league because of a punter.
:rolleyes:
Job request for any MAC AD or marketing director:
A typical 16-year-old wandering around the mall is wearing an MSU basketball cap (backwards), a UM football jersey, Southern Cal sweatpants, and is gearing up to watch the Duke basketball opener on the tube. He's still a bit stung about the NY Yankees not making the World Series.
When that same kid turns 18-years-old and enters a MAC school, your job is to get him to spend his Saturday afternoons watching two #80-#100 teams with little bowl hopes and who will get zero mentions on ESPN SportsCenter that night.
Mission nearly Impossible. Whoever solves this puzzle deserves the fattest salary known to any college marketing department.
Motown Bronco Wrote:Job request for any MAC AD or marketing director:
A typical 16-year-old wandering around the mall is wearing an MSU basketball cap (backwards), a UM football jersey, Southern Cal sweatpants, and is gearing up to watch the Duke basketball opener on the tube. He's still a bit stung about the NY Yankees not making the World Series.
I blame Hip-Hop! :D
Quote:How does that feel? I am not sure I'd know it if it happened?
Think basketball season. You'll get it.
Atleast we have one team in the MAC that a lot of fans actaully care about, and thats Toledo. The Buffalo game 2 weeks ago we had a strong attendance of 23,500. I'm pretty sure every home game this year we have had over 20,000+ which is great for the MAC. So keep it coming strong Rockets! I also give credit for NIU for atleast having over 18,000.
Kill attendance and excitement? Dont tell that to Ohio fans.
We are as amped up as ever for our first MAC title in years! Next week's Toledo game will be a sure sell out with an electric atmosphere. After defeating Akron, a its a showdown with Miami for the MAC East title in front of another great crowd with a jam packed student section! We will be storming the field and tearing down the goalposts and partying all night long!!
As for that kid at the mall, he'll be in Peden nest Friday cheering on the green and white to victory!!
Its ashame that all of you fans of other schools are so down and out about this season...oh well, your loss is our gain! See you in Detroit (wait, you won't be in Detroit!!)!!
CMichFan Wrote:Quote:How does that feel? I am not sure I'd know it if it happened?
Think basketball season. You'll get it.
Ohhh, that feeling. It gets lost for about 6 months each year. I get excited for about two weeks in Sept. then realize it's business as usual in Kent and then wake up in December to a new reality. :D
chris4rockets Wrote:Atleast we have one team in the MAC that a lot of fans actaully care about, and thats Toledo. The Buffalo game 2 weeks ago we had a strong attendance of 23,500. I'm pretty sure every home game this year we have had over 20,000+ which is great for the MAC. So keep it coming strong Rockets! I also give credit for NIU for atleast having over 18,000.
Chris,
Toledo has solid support. However, I would argue that given the competitiveness of Toledo over the last 40 years, the size of the city, the location of the school, the facilities, and the fact that there's nothing else in Toledo to compete with the Rockets for people's athletic entertainment dollar, Toledo should average well over 30,000 per game.
IBleedOhioGreen Wrote:Motown Bronco Wrote:chuckwalker Wrote:Why can't the MAC turn its increased national TV exposure into better teams and more fans?
The eternal question.
MAC attendance will ebb and flow, but when every snot-nosed adolescent and teenager in the Midwest is a die-hard UM/OSU/ND fan, you face an uphill battle to get them to "switch" their primary allegiance over to the MAC school they find themselves attending.
For people like us, it was a pretty easy transition to mostly follow the school you attend(ed) because it's natural to get more passionate about it. Our school, our classes, our friends, our memories, our stomping grounds. When we finally win after tough years, it's so much sweeter than simply tossing our hat in with the media darling mega-bandwagon.
But people's egos get in the way. To them, following a 'sexy' team consistently in the Top 15 and the subject of attention on SportsCenter strokes their egos in an "I'm Big by my Association to Something Big" kind of way. It's all about being a part of the huge party and being seen. It's all about going to the office Monday morning, hugging the water cooler, and 'bragging' to co-workers about how they scored tickets to The Game and went with their (generally uninterested about the sport but would kill to be there) wives.
It's disappointing. With the proliferation of cable sports channels, the Internet, and an increase in bowl games for the smaller conferences, you'd think attendance would increase and spread around. But it hasn't.
And there's just something about this area (Midwest) where we have an unusually bigger problem with bcs-bandwagons. As much as we like to rip on CUSA, those guys are generally right when it comes to fans in MAC territory. themselve We have a tougher time filling the stands and our students/alumni are more hard-wired to glues to the beauty pagaent winner.
Sorry for the soapbox, but I tend to go off on this subject. :wave:
Well said. Now, what can we as a conference do to slowly reverse this little by little?
Other than one or two games a year students and alumni are not going to fill the stands, interested people in the area of the school is what will make attendance go up or down.
When i veiw some post it would appear if you did not attend the school your not a real fan, because you must not belong.But I for one go to games because i like football.
and living in northwest ohio i feel lucky there are two good programs in this area and i'v watched some great games.
maybe if you had a gate for the [wish I would/could/have gone to school here] and tarp that section from others seating.so they can be there but not really part of the real crowd....that may fill the stands
