average for six home games.. 14,889
behind FL. Atlantic, Kent State, WESTERN KENTUCKY, North Texas, San Jose St..
negative news.. yes. expected, yes. so the question is, how can we solve this??
interesting note, NCAA still has Huskie Stadium as 31K, yet we magically changed to 24K
http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/2009/Internet/a...NDANCE.pdf
(11-24-2009 02:38 AM)DSniu41 Wrote: [ -> ]
average for six home games.. 14,889
behind FL. Atlantic, Kent State, WESTERN KENTUCKY, North Texas, San Jose St..
negative news.. yes. expected, yes. so the question is, how can we solve this??
interesting note, NCAA still has Huskie Stadium as 31K, yet we magically changed to 24K
http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/2009/Internet/a...NDANCE.pdf
BOGO? Cut ticket prices? More ticket options?
Not losing to Idaho at home would be a start
Bring more interesting opponents than Idaho to Huskie Stadium
Put a dome over Huskie Stadium - weather was just awful this year
Avoid having 3 straight home games that include an 11 AM game on Halloween and then a 6:30 Thurs game and a 5 PM Thurs game.
The on-field product is more important than anything, so win more games
How about more interesting football. Lets throw the ball down the field, get some 4.3-4.5 40s WRs who are super fast and can bring some excitement to the game between the runs. A super Special Teams who can return kicks and lay heavy hits on opponents. Excitement brings fans to a stadium in any weather!!!
No.. it doesn't. People come to see wins. Win games against real opponents, with winning records and people will come. Winning against EMU and WIU doesn't do much for fan morale. Losing to Toledo, Ohio & Idaho don't help the cause much either.
We had no trouble filling the stadium against Maryland on a Thursday night game with an offense led by a power running back. People will make the necessary arrangements to get to a game if they think it's worth watching. You get good players who win against decent opponents and it won't matter how they do it.
Ohio State could not play a more boring style of football and they don't have any trouble filling up their stadium.
(11-24-2009 02:58 AM)rabidawg900 Wrote: [ -> ]Not losing to Idaho at home would be a start
Bring more interesting opponents than Idaho to Huskie Stadium
Put a dome over Huskie Stadium - weather was just awful this year
Avoid having 3 straight home games that include an 11 AM game on Halloween and then a 6:30 Thurs game and a 5 PM Thurs game.
The on-field product is more important than anything, so win more games
You nailed the big one right there, followed by a very close second on ridding the weeknight games.
(11-24-2009 02:58 AM)rabidawg900 Wrote: [ -> ]Not losing to Idaho at home would be a start
Bring more interesting opponents than Idaho to Huskie Stadium
Put a dome over Huskie Stadium - weather was just awful this year
Avoid having 3 straight home games that include an 11 AM game on Halloween and then a 6:30 Thurs game and a 5 PM Thurs game.
The on-field product is more important than anything, so win more games
Weather for the Thursday night games in Novemeber was actually better than the weather for the Saturday afternoon games in October. It was beautiful those nights.
There was only one foul weather day this season, homecoming.
It's what a football season should be for godsakes. Weather does not seem to dampen BT attendance played in like or even worse conditions many weekends.
NOVEMBER 7TH, 14TH & 21ST HAD AWESOME WEATHER.
Guess what - NIU did not have ever ONE home game on these Saturdays!
The MAC is being ridiculous playing these weeknight games.
(11-24-2009 10:56 AM)cyberdawg Wrote: [ -> ]There was only one foul weather day this season, homecoming.
It's what a football season should be for godsakes. Weather does not seem to dampen BT attendance played in like or even worse conditions many weekends.
There you go. NU would have the same if not worse attendance then NIU if it played MAC teams on a Thursday, it is just how it is. If NIU played even the lower level non-Illinois big ten teams like Indiana, Minnesota etc.. on a saturday then the stadium would be full.
(11-24-2009 09:08 AM)RitzHuskie Wrote: [ -> ] (11-24-2009 02:58 AM)rabidawg900 Wrote: [ -> ]Not losing to Idaho at home would be a start
Bring more interesting opponents than Idaho to Huskie Stadium
Put a dome over Huskie Stadium - weather was just awful this year
Avoid having 3 straight home games that include an 11 AM game on Halloween and then a 6:30 Thurs game and a 5 PM Thurs game.
The on-field product is more important than anything, so win more games
Weather for the Thursday night games in Novemeber was actually better than the weather for the Saturday afternoon games in October. It was beautiful those nights.
Most people have jobs or lives that they cannot get to the night games on weeknights.
I would have loved to go to either of those game but I was traveling on the 6:30 game and working and no way to make the 5:00 game.
Not to mention that even if I could make it I can't bring my kids to the games they love to go to because you don't make it back home till after 10:00.
As I have said in the past there is a dead time on Saturdays at 5:30 to start games. The 2:30 games have ended and the 7:00 games have not started. There are NO GAMES at this time in college football right now and the MAC wouldn't compete against anyone.
It goes beyond just winning. The athletic department has some serious work to do.
The fact is we are spoiled. Not us per se, but those casual fans and students. It doesn't make it right and it doesn't make it fair, but it is true.
Point: Our typical winning ways (decent enough seasons) and bowl invitations have become old news. When this whole "up" trend started (with Joe), we craved any attention, coverage, bowl hype and the potential of the MAC crown...not to mention the upset of a BCS team. It's now been there done that...aint sexy to the moderates. We have been ranked, we have beaten the big-boys, we are on t.v., we have NFL players, we go to bowl games...ect. Logic would have it that our support increases but quite the contrary is evident.
Yes, we now need to win AND become more creative in our fan outreach...the university must. Again, aint fair, aint right.. but if it's the fans we want...and we do...we now must do more than win.
Solid weather for the opener and homecoming gets us nice crowds, period. Other than the improbable opponent or massive win streak...NIU must put on their thinking caps. I agree the mid-week ESPN attempts are part of the problem...but a smaller part.
NIU has a great game day experience. I'm sorry...if one can't enjoy all that we have to offer on game day..fuc-k em. Most do. Job #1 is to create the environment that lures folks in. This can be done, but it takes work. All worth it for the university.
Who didn't know a problem existed when we beat Purdue and the following week we couldn't draw. Don't blame the lack of opponent (who ended up beating us)...5 years ago a win at Purdue would have packed our stadium the following week ..no matter that HC was on the horizon.
(11-24-2009 03:10 PM)blackhawk Wrote: [ -> ]The fact is we are spoiled. Not us per se, but those casual fans and students. It doesn't make it right and it doesn't make it fair, but it is true.
Point: Our typical winning ways (decent enough seasons) and bowl invitations have become old news. When this whole "up" trend started (with Joe), we craved any attention, coverage, bowl hype and the potential of the MAC crown...not to mention the upset of a BCS team. It's now been there done that...aint sexy to the moderates. We have been ranked, we have beaten the big-boys, we are on t.v., we have NFL players, we go to bowl games...ect. Logic would have it that our support increases but quite the contrary is evident.
Yes, we now need to win AND become more creative in our fan outreach...the university must. Again, aint fair, aint right.. but if it's the fans we want...and we do...we now must do more than win.
Solid weather for the opener and homecoming gets us nice crowds, period. Other than the improbable opponent or massive win streak...NIU must put on their thinking caps. I agree the mid-week ESPN attempts are part of the problem...but a smaller part.
NIU has a great game day experience. I'm sorry...if one can't enjoy all that we have to offer on game day..fuc-k em. Most do. Job #1 is to create the environment that lures folks in. This can be done, but it takes work. All worth it for the university.
Who didn't know a problem existed when we beat Purdue and the following week we couldn't draw. Don't blame the lack of opponent (who ended up beating us)...5 years ago a win at Purdue would have packed our stadium the following week ..no matter that HC was on the horizon.
+1 well said
Winning a MAC Championship is the first step. We've never won one in the modern era. It's getting kind of old.
Beating ISU, Minnesota & Illinois next year would do the trick as well. In relative terms, all those teams are going to suck.
Boise, Utah & TCU have spoiled the fun for just being above average for all of us. Time for that next level.
(11-24-2009 03:10 PM)blackhawk Wrote: [ -> ]The fact is we are spoiled. Not us per se, but those casual fans and students. It doesn't make it right and it doesn't make it fair, but it is true.
Point: Our typical winning ways (decent enough seasons) and bowl invitations have become old news. When this whole "up" trend started (with Joe), we craved any attention, coverage, bowl hype and the potential of the MAC crown...not to mention the upset of a BCS team. It's now been there done that...aint sexy to the moderates. We have been ranked, we have beaten the big-boys, we are on t.v., we have NFL players, we go to bowl games...ect. Logic would have it that our support increases but quite the contrary is evident.
Yes, we now need to win AND become more creative in our fan outreach...the university must. Again, aint fair, aint right.. but if it's the fans we want...and we do...we now must do more than win.
Solid weather for the opener and homecoming gets us nice crowds, period. Other than the improbable opponent or massive win streak...NIU must put on their thinking caps. I agree the mid-week ESPN attempts are part of the problem...but a smaller part.
NIU has a great game day experience. I'm sorry...if one can't enjoy all that we have to offer on game day..fuc-k em. Most do. Job #1 is to create the environment that lures folks in. This can be done, but it takes work. All worth it for the university.
Who didn't know a problem existed when we beat Purdue and the following week we couldn't draw. Don't blame the lack of opponent (who ended up beating us)...5 years ago a win at Purdue would have packed our stadium the following week ..no matter that HC was on the horizon.
I think that the mid-week games KILLS us. The casual fan will not go to those games. Also - how many people don't buy season tickets because they know they won't be able to make them? Then those same people will miss a weekend game if something comes up because they don't have a ticket yet.
The other issue is that people just get tired of the crap that comes into Huskie Stadium year-in year-out. Yes Idaho had a very good team this year, but they are not on the radar of many people at all. There really isn't much we can do about this since we are in the MAC and big name teams won't come to DeKalb anymore.
I think that NIU needs to put together seasons like Boise, TCU, Utah, etc etc if they want to build a true base and get people coming every year. This would have been a perfect year to go undefeated - the only real good teams they play are CMU & Wisconsin.
I would take a MAC Championship though - it is a joke that we haven't won the worst conference in D1A football. (I know 2nd worst - but the SunBelt seems like D1AA)
I think the university does a bad job grabbing the attention and loyalty of freshman and keeping them. My philosophy is if the freshman dont enjoy themselves the first few times they attend a game, they wont come back unless we are on a hot streak or are playing a big name opponent.
They wont come bak the rest of their freshman year
sophmore year
junior year
senior year -- im a senior and 95% of the people i know dont go to the games, and could careless
The University needs to give freshman free NIU fan t-shirts the week before the 1st game, organize groups to go to the games based on dorm floors--+ it may bring them together sooner.
--Many of us have posted plenty of these ideas before.. is it falling on deaf ears?
And you may ask.. ok wheres all this money coming from 8110? Well my response is cut the stupid commercials, and spend the money more wisely. The commercials are bringing just about as many fans to the games as my grandma doing a strip tease show. You think students are seeing those commercials and saying.. oh yea Huskie football looks fun lets go to the game. Dilusional
And by the way those freshman will become alum in 4-5 years, and if you even want a shot at getting them to come back and pay for a ticket you better get them into the games while they are students.
(11-24-2009 09:08 AM)RitzHuskie Wrote: [ -> ] (11-24-2009 02:58 AM)rabidawg900 Wrote: [ -> ]Not losing to Idaho at home would be a start
Bring more interesting opponents than Idaho to Huskie Stadium
Put a dome over Huskie Stadium - weather was just awful this year
Avoid having 3 straight home games that include an 11 AM game on Halloween and then a 6:30 Thurs game and a 5 PM Thurs game.
The on-field product is more important than anything, so win more games
Weather for the Thursday night games in Novemeber was actually better than the weather for the Saturday afternoon games in October. It was beautiful those nights.
Yeah, but a 5:00 game is even difficult for those in the far Western suburbs to make. I barely made it on time and I live in south Naperville - threw the boys in the car as soon as they got off the school bus, and just made it with 5 minutes to spare. Although student turn-out for that game was pretty weak as well.
(11-24-2009 04:24 PM)NIU Chicago Wrote: [ -> ] (11-24-2009 03:10 PM)blackhawk Wrote: [ -> ]The fact is we are spoiled. Not us per se, but those casual fans and students. It doesn't make it right and it doesn't make it fair, but it is true.
Point: Our typical winning ways (decent enough seasons) and bowl invitations have become old news. When this whole "up" trend started (with Joe), we craved any attention, coverage, bowl hype and the potential of the MAC crown...not to mention the upset of a BCS team. It's now been there done that...aint sexy to the moderates. We have been ranked, we have beaten the big-boys, we are on t.v., we have NFL players, we go to bowl games...ect. Logic would have it that our support increases but quite the contrary is evident.
Yes, we now need to win AND become more creative in our fan outreach...the university must. Again, aint fair, aint right.. but if it's the fans we want...and we do...we now must do more than win.
Solid weather for the opener and homecoming gets us nice crowds, period. Other than the improbable opponent or massive win streak...NIU must put on their thinking caps. I agree the mid-week ESPN attempts are part of the problem...but a smaller part.
NIU has a great game day experience. I'm sorry...if one can't enjoy all that we have to offer on game day..fuc-k em. Most do. Job #1 is to create the environment that lures folks in. This can be done, but it takes work. All worth it for the university.
Who didn't know a problem existed when we beat Purdue and the following week we couldn't draw. Don't blame the lack of opponent (who ended up beating us)...5 years ago a win at Purdue would have packed our stadium the following week ..no matter that HC was on the horizon.
I think that the mid-week games KILLS us. The casual fan will not go to those games. Also - how many people don't buy season tickets because they know they won't be able to make them? Then those same people will miss a weekend game if something comes up because they don't have a ticket yet.
The other issue is that people just get tired of the crap that comes into Huskie Stadium year-in year-out. Yes Idaho had a very good team this year, but they are not on the radar of many people at all. There really isn't much we can do about this since we are in the MAC and big name teams won't come to DeKalb anymore.
I think that NIU needs to put together seasons like Boise, TCU, Utah, etc etc if they want to build a true base and get people coming every year. This would have been a perfect year to go undefeated - the only real good teams they play are CMU & Wisconsin.
I would take a MAC Championship though - it is a joke that we haven't won the worst conference in D1A football. (I know 2nd worst - but the SunBelt seems like D1AA)
I agree 100%. My 11 year old son asked me if NIU ever played any well known football teams. I had to tell him, "well, not at home." If an 11 year old knows the teams they play at home suck, how do we expect your average fan to pay to see the crap that comes into Huskie Stadium. It cost me $50 in tickets for a Thursday game against Ball State for me and my two grade school kids. That is a TERRIBLE value given what's on the field. NIU needs to lower ticket prices, especially for grade school kids (should be no more than $5 in my opinion - especially for weekday games - until the stadium starts getting close to sellouts). Then, expand the crappy vending options and you'll more than make up the difference.
Why aren't Huskie goods (T-shirts, hats, cups, etc.) sole INSIDE the stadium during the game??? Why isn't there at least a few more food choices than pizza or hot dogs??? All this equals lost revenue. Empty seats are worthless. Better to fill them up cheaply and make up the difference and more on sales inside the stadium. Don't we have a great business school? No one can figure this out???? Isn't this all pretty obvious - and it doesn't cost much money. I'd even be happy (as much as it annoys me in many ways) if they went to tiered pricing - charging more for premier games and much less for the crappy games. Again, this would seem obvious to most undergrad students, but for some reason it eludes the NIU athletic department.