(06-27-2015 06:17 PM)NBPirate Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 04:45 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 10:37 AM)Indiana Bones Wrote:  Fan support is the best thing going at ECU & this article touches on one incident that has helped make the fan base so loyal and passionate. It's something that the powers that be simply can't marginalize.

Hasn't ECU attendance fallen about 10% the last few years, from 50k to 45k?

And? Attendance nationally has fallen. It's due to the advent and improvement in HD broadcasts.

It hasn't fallen everywhere. A 10% drop doesn't look good for ECU during an expansion situation. USF's big drop doesn't look good either, FWTW.

(06-27-2015 10:20 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 10:05 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 09:17 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 09:08 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 08:41 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  ECU has a lot going for it right now, if they can keep this going for when the next big realignment occurs then they can be primed for being a top candidate for expansion. That's a big IF though... hardly anything in CFB is dependable (except for Saban being a whiney twat and UofI being afraid to play NIU)

Even NIU I give a better shot at a P5 berth than ECU.

Idk man they have an absurd amount of fan support but we have a better market. They have better facilities (which NIU is admittedly working on but wont be ECU's) and we have a (slightly) better football product

You are both very far down everyone's list.

Not as far as a lot of MAC haters would like to believe...

I like the MAC, but NIU still screams "small time". The Big 12 won't be calling unless they are absolutely desperate for a warm body. You'd probably be about 10th on their wish list for G5 schools, maybe further down than that.

(06-28-2015 08:11 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 06:17 PM)NBPirate Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 04:45 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 10:37 AM)Indiana Bones Wrote:  Fan support is the best thing going at ECU & this article touches on one incident that has helped make the fan base so loyal and passionate. It's something that the powers that be simply can't marginalize.

Hasn't ECU attendance fallen about 10% the last few years, from 50k to 45k?

And? Attendance nationally has fallen. It's due to the advent and improvement in HD broadcasts.

It hasn't fallen everywhere. A 10% drop doesn't look good for ECU during an expansion situation. USF's big drop doesn't look good either, FWTW.

The season is right around the corner now so we'll see how we do this year. A lot of it is contingent upon how we do against Towson. I think we'll have close to 50k because it's been a while since people could catch a game and it's not on basic cable. The next home game after that is VT which will sell out. I think if we can survive our early schedule and be at least 3-3 we will have about 45k against Tulsa but if we are 4-2 we will be close to a sellout & if 5-1 or undefeated (dream come true start) it would be a likely sell out. USF & UC should be decently attended down the stretch particularly if we're in the hunt for the East because we haven't played those teams in Greenville in some time. Also, we will have less games on ESPN this year perhaps and we only have 1 non-Saturday game which is huge for our fan base so attendance should improve for the 2nd year in a row.

Either way, besides BYU, we are in better shape than any other G5 program because we don't depend on a stellar on the field product to average 43-50k every year. Last year, every ECU game was on national tv and we still increased our attendance by 2% from our last season in C-USA. Moreover, while we haven't been winning 10+ games every year we have averaged about 8 wins a year over our last 9 seasons (including 2 conference championships) & we've only missed 1 bowl game in that span notwithstanding playing one of the hardest OOC schedules year in and year out over the last decade. We play a harder conference schedule and a harder OOC schedule than teams like NIU so I wouldn't say that their on the field product is necessarily better than ours. Obviously, we average more than twice as much attendance wise and our facilities are much better (there was a reason we were able to hire their AD the year after NIU made their Orange Bowl run).

Some predict a slight drop off this year (due to losing #Cardy) but I think most people that really study football realize that ECU has the potential to be better this year than last season & we should keep the momentum going (on the field and attendance wise) because we return one of the most experienced teams in the nation.

http://www.philsteele.com/Blogs/2015/JUN...une15.html

(06-28-2015 08:13 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 10:20 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 10:05 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 09:17 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 09:08 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Even NIU I give a better shot at a P5 berth than ECU.

Idk man they have an absurd amount of fan support but we have a better market. They have better facilities (which NIU is admittedly working on but wont be ECU's) and we have a (slightly) better football product

You are both very far down everyone's list.

Not as far as a lot of MAC haters would like to believe...

I like the MAC, but NIU still screams "small time". The Big 12 won't be calling unless they are absolutely desperate for a warm body. You'd probably be about 10th on their wish list for G5 schools, maybe further down than that.

Would NIU upgrading to 42,000 seats change that perception?

(06-28-2015 11:32 AM)Indiana Bones Wrote:  

(06-28-2015 08:11 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 06:17 PM)NBPirate Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 04:45 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 10:37 AM)Indiana Bones Wrote:  Fan support is the best thing going at ECU & this article touches on one incident that has helped make the fan base so loyal and passionate. It's something that the powers that be simply can't marginalize.

Hasn't ECU attendance fallen about 10% the last few years, from 50k to 45k?

And? Attendance nationally has fallen. It's due to the advent and improvement in HD broadcasts.

It hasn't fallen everywhere. A 10% drop doesn't look good for ECU during an expansion situation. USF's big drop doesn't look good either, FWTW.

The season is right around the corner now so we'll see how we do this year. A lot of it is contingent upon how we do against Towson. I think we'll have close to 50k because it's been a while since people could catch a game and it's not on basic cable. The next home game after that is VT which will sell out. I think if we can survive our early schedule and be at least 3-3 we will have about 45k against Tulsa but if we are 4-2 we will be close to a sellout & if 5-1 or undefeated (dream come true start) it would be a likely sell out. USF & UC should be decently attended down the stretch particularly if we're in the hunt for the East because we haven't played those teams in Greenville in some time. Also, we will have less games on ESPN this year perhaps and we only have 1 non-Saturday game which is huge for our fan base so attendance should improve for the 2nd year in a row.

Either way, besides BYU, we are in better shape than any other G5 program because we don't depend on a stellar on the field product to average 43-50k every year. Last year, every ECU game was on national tv and we still increased our attendance by 2% from our last season in C-USA. Moreover, while we haven't been winning 10+ games every year we have averaged about 8 wins a year over our last 9 seasons (including 2 conference championships) & we've only missed 1 bowl game in that span notwithstanding playing one of the hardest OOC schedules year in and year out over the last decade. We play a harder conference schedule and a harder OOC schedule than teams like NIU so I wouldn't say that their on the field product is necessarily better than ours. Obviously, we average more than twice as much attendance wise and our facilities are much better (there was a reason we were able to hire their AD the year after NIU made their Orange Bowl run).

Some predict a slight drop off this year (due to losing #Cardy) but I think most people that really study football realize that ECU has the potential to be better this year than last season & we should keep the momentum going (on the field and attendance wise) because we return one of the most experienced teams in the nation.

http://www.philsteele.com/Blogs/2015/JUN...une15.html

Question in regards to the belief that ECU has a better product on the field than NIU... if they were to play this season on a neutral site, who do you honestly think wins? And i hope you go off more than the Marshall debacle, which was a showcase of NIU's injuries and some of the worst executions of defense I've seen from the Huskies in quite some time. No doubt your facilities are top notch in comparison, but as was stated NIU is going through with a 180mil dolllar renovation to our facilities and stadium as well as the campus overall. Attendance is isn't even a comparison with ECU blowing us outta the water, but NIU has the potential to draw from the Chicago market with the talks of extending the Metra rail lines out to Dekalb and the serious upgrade in scheduling. I'm just saying if all it took was fan support you all would be P5 already, but it doesn't. So I believe it remains to be seen who will get the call up, but I personally dont think it happens to ANYONE (sorry UC) for a few years. NIU needs to position themselves stronger and build on what they've got going and ECU needs to stay the course and I think it'll be a tough choice for P5 commissioners to choose between the two

Are ECU's facilities that good?

Do they have an Indoor Practice Facility or weight room as nice as NIU's?

(06-28-2015 12:13 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Are ECU's facilities that good?

Do they have an Indoor Practice Facility or weight room as nice as NIU's?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7rBvupXtz8

Word on the street is ECU is about to announce a bevy of new upgrades to the stadium including state of the art press box & additional club level seating.

http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/ECU-T...18931.html

(06-28-2015 12:13 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Are ECU's facilities that good?

Do they have an Indoor Practice Facility or weight room as nice as NIU's?

Football stadium is very nice, a diamond in the rough for sure, even though the press box is desperately in need of an upgrade. Basketball arena is terribly mediocre.

No IPF but they did put a million into our outdoor practice fields a few years ago. I would say that a walk through the Murphy Center and our new Basketball facility would impress anyone. They are very, very nice buildings. Olympic Sports Complex is also a new and very nice area as well.

(06-28-2015 12:35 PM)PiratePanther189 Wrote:  

(06-28-2015 12:13 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Are ECU's facilities that good?

Do they have an Indoor Practice Facility or weight room as nice as NIU's?

Football stadium is very nice, a diamond in the rough for sure, even though the press box is desperately in need of an upgrade. Basketball arena is terribly mediocre.

No IPF but they did put a million into our outdoor practice fields a few years ago. I would say that a walk through the Murphy Center and our new Basketball facility would impress anyone. They are very, very nice buildings. Olympic Sports Complex is also a new and very nice area as well.

NIU has an IPF.

A 10,000 seat basketball arena that was built in 2002.

Baseball facilities I'm sure ECU is ahead of NIU there but in FB/BB NIU appears to have the edge.

Here's a video from last year but it still shows some cool stuff.

ECU does have the basketball practice facility with hall of fame kudos to that.

No IPF though. Odd when almost every school has one now.

NIU just redid their entire playing surface for the field, looks great and helps to foster the communiversity feel with Dekalb and reinforce our association with the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago

(06-28-2015 12:53 PM)Indiana Bones Wrote:  Here's a video from last year but it still shows some cool stuff.

That's actually pretty damn cool, the olympic facilities look good

Build up your program and build up the American. That is your best hope, IMHO.

(06-28-2015 12:50 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(06-28-2015 12:35 PM)PiratePanther189 Wrote:  

(06-28-2015 12:13 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Are ECU's facilities that good?

Do they have an Indoor Practice Facility or weight room as nice as NIU's?

Football stadium is very nice, a diamond in the rough for sure, even though the press box is desperately in need of an upgrade. Basketball arena is terribly mediocre.

No IPF but they did put a million into our outdoor practice fields a few years ago. I would say that a walk through the Murphy Center and our new Basketball facility would impress anyone. They are very, very nice buildings. Olympic Sports Complex is also a new and very nice area as well.

NIU has an IPF.

A 10,000 seat basketball arena that was built in 2002.

Baseball facilities I'm sure ECU is ahead of NIU there but in FB/BB NIU appears to have the edge.

Dude, ECU has way nicer facilities. We're not in Illinois so we don't really need an IPF. Our weight room is one of the nicest in the country.

(06-28-2015 02:09 PM)NBPirate Wrote:  

(06-28-2015 12:50 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(06-28-2015 12:35 PM)PiratePanther189 Wrote:  

(06-28-2015 12:13 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Are ECU's facilities that good?

Do they have an Indoor Practice Facility or weight room as nice as NIU's?

Football stadium is very nice, a diamond in the rough for sure, even though the press box is desperately in need of an upgrade. Basketball arena is terribly mediocre.

No IPF but they did put a million into our outdoor practice fields a few years ago. I would say that a walk through the Murphy Center and our new Basketball facility would impress anyone. They are very, very nice buildings. Olympic Sports Complex is also a new and very nice area as well.

NIU has an IPF.

A 10,000 seat basketball arena that was built in 2002.

Baseball facilities I'm sure ECU is ahead of NIU there but in FB/BB NIU appears to have the edge.

Dude, ECU has way nicer facilities. We're not in Illinois so we don't really need an IPF. Our weight room is one of the nicest in the country.

Does it never rain in your state? Ever? You never have any inclement weather whatsoever? I find that hard to believe... my family has a beach house on the OBX we drive to every year, i know now the carolinas can get.

And it's debatable who has better facilities, especially with the renovations underway

(06-27-2015 09:17 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 09:08 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(06-27-2015 08:41 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  ECU has a lot going for it right now, if they can keep this going for when the next big realignment occurs then they can be primed for being a top candidate for expansion. That's a big IF though... hardly anything in CFB is dependable (except for Saban being a whiney twat and UofI being afraid to play NIU)

Even NIU I give a better shot at a P5 berth than ECU.

Idk man they have an absurd amount of fan support but we have a better market. They have better facilities (which NIU is admittedly working on but wont be ECU's) and we have a (slightly) better football product

ECU has a better football stadium. ECU's basketball arena is not as nice as NIU's.

(06-28-2015 02:09 PM)NBPirate Wrote:  

(06-28-2015 12:50 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(06-28-2015 12:35 PM)PiratePanther189 Wrote:  

(06-28-2015 12:13 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Are ECU's facilities that good?

Do they have an Indoor Practice Facility or weight room as nice as NIU's?

Football stadium is very nice, a diamond in the rough for sure, even though the press box is desperately in need of an upgrade. Basketball arena is terribly mediocre.

No IPF but they did put a million into our outdoor practice fields a few years ago. I would say that a walk through the Murphy Center and our new Basketball facility would impress anyone. They are very, very nice buildings. Olympic Sports Complex is also a new and very nice area as well.

NIU has an IPF.

A 10,000 seat basketball arena that was built in 2002.

Baseball facilities I'm sure ECU is ahead of NIU there but in FB/BB NIU appears to have the edge.

Dude, ECU has way nicer facilities. We're not in Illinois so we don't really need an IPF. Our weight room is one of the nicest in the country.

I was going to ask, how's the weather in the region? Overall, looks like ECU are doing it right. I watched that video and thought, thank goodness he's no longer NIU's AD. NIU's new AD, Sean Frazier is the man!