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(01-12-2018 05:20 PM)Doggone Wrote: [ -> ]HuskieWire

Weekday games single handidly wiped out alot of die hard fans/alumni . Marketing and experience can always be better, but when there’s more games on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday than games on Saturday..... you’re going to lose people. Marketing should be to blame for the lack of students in the stands. If your a professor at NIU you should give extra credit to those that attend sporting events. Incentive the Greek system to show up to games(not just tailgating)The student body and teachers have no excuse to miss home games. Create some pride in the student body. Lol
I think more students would go to those weeknight games if they didn't freeze their ass off. I wish we had a big donation to get a small dome built.
I feel so bad for the local businesses with these damn weeknight games. I am but one small example, but I do not attend weeknight games. For the Saturday games, we make a full day of it, and with meals and shopping, we always drop at least a couple hundred dollars, and often a lot more.

If there are 2 or fewer Saturday games again this year, I am dropping my 4 season tickets after many, many years. It makes absolutely no economic sense, especially with the seat premiums no longer tax deductible. I'll make the donation to a specific sport(s), and it will all be deductible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
(01-12-2018 06:26 PM)BDB5yp Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-12-2018 05:20 PM)Doggone Wrote: [ -> ]HuskieWire

Weekday games single handidly wiped out alot of die hard fans/alumni . Marketing and experience can always be better, but when there’s more games on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday than games on Saturday..... you’re going to lose people. Marketing should be to blame for the lack of students in the stands. If your a professor at NIU you should give extra credit to those that attend sporting events. Incentive the Greek system to show up to games(not just tailgating)The student body and teachers have no excuse to miss home games. Create some pride in the student body. Lol

And if they dont go as students, they definitely dont go as young alum or as adults with families. I think someone last summer posted details of a nice package buffalo offers to their young alum.

Also, what the hell happened to the Red Riot and why does athletics ignore the power of a student-led group of super fans?
(01-12-2018 07:39 PM)Dog Fan Wrote: [ -> ]I feel so bad for the local businesses with these damn weeknight games. I am but one small example, but I do not attend weeknight games. For the Saturday games, we make a full day of it, and with meals and shopping, we always drop at least a couple hundred dollars, and often a lot more.

If there are 2 or fewer Saturday games again this year, I am dropping my 4 season tickets after many, many years. It makes absolutely no economic sense, especially with the seat premiums no longer tax deductible. I'll make the donation to a specific sport(s), and it will all be deductible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I couldn't agree more. I have had 2 season tickets for over 40 years and have had chairbacks for as long as they have been around. Two or fewer Saturday games and I will not be renewing.
(01-12-2018 07:42 PM)NIUSox10 Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-12-2018 06:26 PM)BDB5yp Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-12-2018 05:20 PM)Doggone Wrote: [ -> ]HuskieWire

Weekday games single handidly wiped out alot of die hard fans/alumni . Marketing and experience can always be better, but when there’s more games on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday than games on Saturday..... you’re going to lose people. Marketing should be to blame for the lack of students in the stands. If your a professor at NIU you should give extra credit to those that attend sporting events. Incentive the Greek system to show up to games(not just tailgating)The student body and teachers have no excuse to miss home games. Create some pride in the student body. Lol

And if they dont go as students, they definitely dont go as young alum or as adults with families. I think someone last summer posted details of a nice package buffalo offers to their young alum.

Also, what the hell happened to the Red Riot and why does athletics ignore the power of a student-led group of super fans?

This is true. If they’re trying to create more die hard fans, you have to get the students to the games. Raffles are not enough. It has to come from top to bottom. Starting at the president, to the professors/ staff, to the students. Same for the basketball team.
(01-12-2018 08:42 PM)BDB5yp Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-12-2018 07:42 PM)NIUSox10 Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-12-2018 06:26 PM)BDB5yp Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-12-2018 05:20 PM)Doggone Wrote: [ -> ]HuskieWire

Weekday games single handidly wiped out alot of die hard fans/alumni . Marketing and experience can always be better, but when there’s more games on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday than games on Saturday..... you’re going to lose people. Marketing should be to blame for the lack of students in the stands. If your a professor at NIU you should give extra credit to those that attend sporting events. Incentive the Greek system to show up to games(not just tailgating)The student body and teachers have no excuse to miss home games. Create some pride in the student body. Lol

And if they dont go as students, they definitely dont go as young alum or as adults with families. I think someone last summer posted details of a nice package buffalo offers to their young alum.

Also, what the hell happened to the Red Riot and why does athletics ignore the power of a student-led group of super fans?

This is true. If they’re trying to create more die hard fans, you have to get the students to the games. Raffles are not enough. It has to come from top to bottom. Starting at the president, to the professors/ staff, to the students. Same for the basketball team.

I gotta say President Freeman has actually done a lot better than doug the thug did. At the 2016 huskie kick off, all I remember hearing doug talk about is a book everyone should read. This year, the entire event was more focused on football, with President Freeman encouraging everyone to go, and even an appearance from hot rod carey himself! (Even though is was the most unoriginal, unenthusiastic script ever...) Professors also casually mention an upcoming game from time to time, but they themselves couldn't name the opponent for the week.

Students do get a weekly email with a calendar of events for the week. If the game is on a Tuesday it might be high enough on the list to catch their eyes... The only way to get an email from athletics directly about a game is if you're registered on the Red and Black Rewards app which 2% of the student body has. (Is that still a thing or did they forget to take it off of the PA script for this year?) Red Riot? Might as well forget about it. I checked today and they have a hold on the organization for whatever reason which basically means it can't do anything until it is lifted. /thing sadly won't change until athletics treats every game as important as the BC game.
(01-12-2018 08:21 PM)HuskieDave Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-12-2018 07:39 PM)Dog Fan Wrote: [ -> ]I feel so bad for the local businesses with these damn weeknight games. I am but one small example, but I do not attend weeknight games. For the Saturday games, we make a full day of it, and with meals and shopping, we always drop at least a couple hundred dollars, and often a lot more.

If there are 2 or fewer Saturday games again this year, I am dropping my 4 season tickets after many, many years. It makes absolutely no economic sense, especially with the seat premiums no longer tax deductible. I'll make the donation to a specific sport(s), and it will all be deductible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I couldn't agree more. I have had 2 season tickets for over 40 years and have had chairbacks for as long as they have been around. Two or fewer Saturday games and I will not be renewing.
I agree and dropped mine for just this reason, after 25 years.
It is going to get worst. The lost generation is not filling in the gaps as us senior folks move on to other things. The season ticket base is getting old very fast.
(01-13-2018 11:23 AM)NIU75 Wrote: [ -> ]It is going to get worst. The lost generation is not filling in the gaps as us senior folks move on to other things. The season ticket base is getting old very fast.


Absolutely true. My basketball section is all people my age or older. There are also a ton of seniors at the football games.
(01-13-2018 02:32 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote: [ -> ]There are always interesting responses across various outlets every time an article like this comes out and the growing consensus among the fan base always seems to be consistently centered around three things: Bring back a more traditional Saturday schedule, leave the MAC / find a better conference, and make a coaching change.

It is unfortunate but it seems it has finally gotten to the point where the long time diehards, which are basically your last line, have started to drop off and that is not good for the long term prospectives of this proud program.

Dome the stadium and enhance the premium areas to cater to experience. A domed stadium could also be used for events around the calendar year.
This article is in today's Chronicle with a front page photo. Athletics is either clueless or won't admit the real reason (though it is mentioned). The midweek games and short home schedule tell the fans that they are not important. Therefore, they should not be surprised at the sparse attendance.

I already told the people we attend games with that we will not be renewing our season tickets. They told me they were surprised that we've kept them this long with only attending 1 to 3 games a year.
The only way NIU is going to get back to Saturday football is to leave the MAC. The conference contract with ESPN goes for another 10 years and we have seen what has happened the past 10 years; because NIU is one of the most marketable MAC programs Huskie games are shown frequently during MACtion in October and November.

Going back to 2008 of NIU"s 40 conference road games 29 have been on a weekend only 11 TU, WED Or Thurs.For the past 5 seasons the numbers have been 13 road weekend games to 7 midweek road games. I am including the Friday after TDay road and home games as weekend games since that Friday is a day most have off from work.

From 2008 through 2017 NIU has played 24 weekend home games to 16 midweek home games, for the past 5 years it's even 10 weekend to 10 midweek.

Of the 10 seasons, 3 of them NIU has not played a single midweek road game (09,10 & 12) 3 more it has played jujst one (13,16, 17)

NIU has played at least 1 midweek home game every season ( 1 earch for 08,10,11,12 and 14) 2 each for 09,13,14 and 16 while playing 3 in 17,

With the losses the Horizon League has taken the past couple years (Valpo & Loyola) I would bet they would take on NIU for basketball and Olympic Sports in a heart beat.
Only sport where NIU would have to find a home for would be wrestling.

With NM ST and soon Liberty joining the Indepedent ranks and needing to fill out their schedules, a round robin schedule with as many Indepedents as possible wouuld take the place of a traditional 8 game conference schedule (BYU, NM ST, UMASS & Liberty) If BYU only wants 1 game a year NIU could try scheduling with Army. Add in an FCS home game and that leaves 4-5 open dates a year to fill which can be done by continuing to schedule nearby P5 programs Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas(who NIU has played in the recent past) and Minnesota with PJ Fleck taking over the Gopher program. Other possible reasonably distanced P5's if there are openings include Missouri, Kentucky and Indiana.

Kentucky has a 2 for 1 with Eastern Michigan. Florida State whom the Huskies are playinig this year would be another attractive opponent to schedule regularly. Scheduling the Seminoles would also help the Huskies recruiting in Florida and southern states.

Playing

4-5 P5 programs a year should also help draw in better recruits and pay alot of bills as those road games often net G5 teams nearly a $1M. Indiana, Minnesota, Kansas and Nebraska are teams that NIU should compete with if not beat. Missouri has also has also slide the past few years and COlumbia is a shorter drive than many MAC opponents.

This is the only way to get back to Saturday mostly football and escape where NIU is now.
The University of Denver, my grad school alma mater, recently drew 4,600 fans for a woman's gymnastics meet. They have fewer than 6,000 undergrads. I don't get why NIU cannot draw well for football or basketball these days.

Oh well, I hope the school does not give up trying. Perhaps we can find the secret sauce and for football it will have to mean more Saturday games. The MAC signed a deal with the devil when selling their soul to ESPN.
(01-12-2018 07:39 PM)Dog Fan Wrote: [ -> ]I feel so bad for the local businesses with these damn weeknight games. I am but one small example, but I do not attend weeknight games. For the Saturday games, we make a full day of it, and with meals and shopping, we always drop at least a couple hundred dollars, and often a lot more.

If there are 2 or fewer Saturday games again this year, I am dropping my 4 season tickets after many, many years. It makes absolutely no economic sense, especially with the seat premiums no longer tax deductible. I'll make the donation to a specific sport(s), and it will all be deductible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Very valid points as to revenue for town, your spending $ there on weekends, spending time in DeKalb. I feel the same way. I had a friend who dropped his tickets due to weekends. I would go with him a couple games, but I could not commit to weekdays nor could anyone he knows. He wrote a lengthy letter and the person who read it was shocked he was so gracious. He just said he couldn't justify the money for 2-2 weekend games he could make living 2 hrs away, getting up for 5am radio show.

And when they discount the tickets to $20 or less mid-season, even when they are good, what does it matter? You can decide then. Heck, I even got 6 tickets for BC last year for $95, incl fees.
I would like to see some research about parents attending games on weekends vs. weekdays. How many of them are/were season ticket holders. I wonder how many would come up to games later in year vs.1st couple weekends when fall sports are kicking in.

I really think the kick of throwing kids in every sport/extracurricular activity is a reason, locally and overall. I know a guy his 8th grade kid plays 4 sports year round and I am pretty sure he isn't very good at any of them. Sorry to say, I know he isn't. He even played on some supposed "all-star" team in New Orleans over CHRISTMAS! Who does that? Drives almost 2000 RT and PAY to play in a game for a sweatshirt?

When I was in grade school, I played basketball and baseball. And that was like 8 months a year. In fact, I even didn't not play football so I could go with my family to U of I games football games from just before my brother attended there throughout his time there in early/mid 80's.
(01-16-2018 03:05 PM)bikechuck Wrote: [ -> ]The University of Denver, my grad school alma mater, recently drew 4,600 fans for a woman's gymnastics meet. They have fewer than 6,000 undergrads. I don't get why NIU cannot draw well for football or basketball these days.

Oh well, I hope the school does not give up trying. Perhaps we can find the secret sauce and for football, it will have to mean more Saturday games. The MAC signed a deal with the devil when selling their soul to ESPN.

University of Denver is right in the middle of a metropolitan area with 2.5 mil people. there's part of your answer.
(01-16-2018 04:48 PM)thehappyhuskie Wrote: [ -> ]
(01-16-2018 03:05 PM)bikechuck Wrote: [ -> ]The University of Denver, my grad school alma mater, recently drew 4,600 fans for a woman's gymnastics meet. They have fewer than 6,000 undergrads. I don't get why NIU cannot draw well for football or basketball these days.

Oh well, I hope the school does not give up trying. Perhaps we can find the secret sauce and for football, it will have to mean more Saturday games. The MAC signed a deal with the devil when selling their soul to ESPN.

University of Denver is right in the middle of a metropolitan area with 2.5 mil people. there's part of your answer.

That's not the entire answer though because NIU basketball consistently sold out in the early 70s. Of course those were talented teams which is part of the equation as well.

If NIU ever does get back to Saturday football they should heavily market the program to the Fox River Valley. Batavia, Geneva, St Charles and North Aurora have a ton of residents. Add in Naperville and Aurora and you have a nice fan base when combined with DeKalb and Sycamore and the campus community.
In 1979 or 1980 NIU mens gymnastics drew over 6000,full house at chick evans for a meet with Indiana State and Kurt Thomas. We won on the last apparatus. It was an awesome and crazy crowd.
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