I posted in another thread the team performance this season was both inspiring and disappointing all at the same time. The thing I am most disappointed with however is our fans. Our attendance was pitiful. The weather was not too bad. Sure, the opponents could have been more intriguing, but even so only drawing 12,000 to 15,000 a game (even on the weekends) for a team that has consistently won for us is embarrassing. I know the people reading this board are likely part of the few that do show up. NIU has nearly a quarter of million alumni within reasonable driving distance. How 20,000+ don't show up for each game is confounding. This team works too hard and produces results that deserve much better. I wish I had answers as to why they don't get the support they deserve. Who knows - maybe the team would not have been so flat against Ohio if more people cared enough to show up.

(12-05-2015 01:03 AM)Cowboy95 Wrote:  I posted in another thread the team performance this season was both inspiring and disappointing all at the same time. The thing I am most disappointed with however is our fans. Our attendance was pitiful. The weather was not too bad. Sure, the opponents could have been more intriguing, but even so only drawing 12,000 to 15,000 a game (even on the weekends) for a team that has consistently won for us is embarrassing. I know the people reading this board are likely part of the few that do show up. NIU has nearly a quarter of million alumni within reasonable driving distance. How 20,000+ don't show up for each game is confounding. This team works too hard and produces results that deserve much better. I wish I had answers as to why they don't get the support they deserve. Who knows - maybe the team would not have been so flat against Ohio if more people cared enough to show up.

I know already - this has been rehashed a million times. Just making a statement that people are quick to criticize the coach and team but we should also point the finger at the fans (or lack thereof).

Don't talk bad about NIU or their fans, don't you know that you are just trolling then?

In all seriousness though, NIU doesn't get fans to games because no one wants to see NIU play MAC teams. The media and college football has made the MAC a meaningless conference, and it shows with attendance. if none of the games truly matter, why would fans attend? It's the sad state of college football today.

+1000
Better opponents better attendance.

(12-05-2015 01:18 AM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  +1000
Better opponents better attendance.

I sure hope so. We have some better opponents coming in over the next few years (not next year). The problem is NIU remains in the same meaningless conference. I'm worried we are caught in the whole chicken/egg conundrum. We need to be in a bigger conference but we need more fans to get into a bigger conference.

We made it to the Orange Bowl in the MAC. Would NIU do that in a bigger conference. I think not. Enjoy having a chance at a New Years Bowl playing in the MAC each year.

(12-05-2015 02:06 AM)mgm86huskiefn Wrote:  We made it to the Orange Bowl in the MAC. Would NIU do that in a bigger conference. I think not. Enjoy having a chance at a New Years Bowl playing in the MAC each year.

I'm a little confused. Say NIU was in the Big 12. You don't think they would be able to recruit better talent to put them in position to play in the New Year's Day Bowls? It is about 100 times easier to get to bowl like the Orange Bowl from a P5 conference than it is from the MAC. NIU making it to the Orange Bowl that year was a minor miracle.

Niu doesnot go to Big 12 and dominate. they tried that inthe 80s going indpendent and thinking they were better than the MAC. Not saying not consider moving up but watch what you wish for

(12-05-2015 02:21 AM)mgm86huskiefn Wrote:  Niu doesnot go to Big 12 and dominate. they tried that inthe 80s going indpendent and thinking they were better than the MAC. Not saying not consider moving up but watch what you wish for

Independent is not the Big 12. Going independent would be a death march, much like it was back then (whoever thought that was a good idea was hopefully fired). I understand the Big 12 is a pipe dream, but if the opportunity is there they would be crazy to pass it up.

Agreed. Hope they go to Boca since Iamdon that way on family vacation at that time andwe will go just as a side note

The guy who decided NIU should leave the MAC and go independent wasn't fired: they named the football field after him.

(12-05-2015 01:18 AM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  +1000
Better opponents better attendance.

MD made a good post a few weeks ago showing who our actual Saturday home opponents were over the last 4 years. It was pretty disgusting, and not appealing for even casual NIU fans. We need to upgrade our OOC home schedule (check) and we need to play some meaningful conference games on Saturday at home (fail - sold out to ESPN).

(12-05-2015 08:45 PM)NIUSox10 Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 01:18 AM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  +1000
Better opponents better attendance.

MD made a good post a few weeks ago showing who our actual Saturday home opponents were over the last 4 years. It was pretty disgusting, and not appealing for even casual NIU fans. We need to upgrade our OOC home schedule (check) and we need to play some meaningful conference games on Saturday at home (fail - sold out to ESPN).

The last 4 years? More like a decade of crap scheduling.

NIU and the MAC decided to get in bed with ESPN and tv...I can't say if it works out financially, I don't have the info. Decent opponents on Saturdays would help....but the problem is only going to get worse in my eyes. Once you lose the tradition of going to games, it's easier to stay away.

(12-05-2015 10:02 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  NIU and the MAC decided to get in bed with ESPN and tv...I can't say if it works out financially, I don't have the info. Decent opponents on Saturdays would help....but the problem is only going to get worse in my eyes. Once you lose the tradition of going to games, it's easier to stay away.

True dat

(12-05-2015 09:25 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 08:45 PM)NIUSox10 Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 01:18 AM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  +1000
Better opponents better attendance.

MD made a good post a few weeks ago showing who our actual Saturday home opponents were over the last 4 years. It was pretty disgusting, and not appealing for even casual NIU fans. We need to upgrade our OOC home schedule (check) and we need to play some meaningful conference games on Saturday at home (fail - sold out to ESPN).

The last 4 years? More like a decade of crap scheduling.

I am not afraid to blame the NIU athletic department for decisions which I disagree with, however I cannot believe that they are so bad that they deliberately scheduled poor teams if better teams were available.

I have to believe that after NIU beat a ranked Maryland in 2003 no other good team wanted to goto Dekalb anymore, not because our stadium is of poor quality but because they do not want to lose to NIU.

(12-05-2015 10:07 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 09:25 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 08:45 PM)NIUSox10 Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 01:18 AM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  +1000
Better opponents better attendance.

MD made a good post a few weeks ago showing who our actual Saturday home opponents were over the last 4 years. It was pretty disgusting, and not appealing for even casual NIU fans. We need to upgrade our OOC home schedule (check) and we need to play some meaningful conference games on Saturday at home (fail - sold out to ESPN).

The last 4 years? More like a decade of crap scheduling.

I am not afraid to blame the NIU athletic department for decisions which I disagree with, however I cannot believe that they are so bad that they deliberately scheduled poor teams if better teams were available.

I have to believe that after NIU beat a ranked Maryland in 2003 no other good team wanted to goto Dekalb anymore, not because our stadium is of poor quality but because they do not want to lose to NIU.

Teams that are good want to make money and win. Coming to Dekalb is a double negative on that. Thus the soldier field games.

(12-05-2015 10:10 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 10:07 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 09:25 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 08:45 PM)NIUSox10 Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 01:18 AM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  +1000
Better opponents better attendance.

MD made a good post a few weeks ago showing who our actual Saturday home opponents were over the last 4 years. It was pretty disgusting, and not appealing for even casual NIU fans. We need to upgrade our OOC home schedule (check) and we need to play some meaningful conference games on Saturday at home (fail - sold out to ESPN).

The last 4 years? More like a decade of crap scheduling.

I am not afraid to blame the NIU athletic department for decisions which I disagree with, however I cannot believe that they are so bad that they deliberately scheduled poor teams if better teams were available.

I have to believe that after NIU beat a ranked Maryland in 2003 no other good team wanted to goto Dekalb anymore, not because our stadium is of poor quality but because they do not want to lose to NIU.

Teams that are good want to make money and win. Coming to Dekalb is a double negative on that. Thus the soldier field games.

Have to agree. Most NIU alumni in Chicago seem to prefer Soldiers field to DeKalb.

Is it because easier access with public transport and Uber?
Not having to waist 3-4 hours of travel time?
Chicago is far more cosmopolitan than DeKalb?
Museum of science and Industry in Chicago is perhaps slightly better than DeKalb's barbed wire museum?
Maybe Chicago is slightly more of a fun city than DeKlab?

Wait! If we build skyboxes the alumni will come???
Sorry athletic Department, this is not heaven or Iowa.(Remember Field of dreams!)
Soldier fields is far better than Huskie Stadium even if someone donated ten Million $ for upgrades.

Only NIU diehard FB fans would prefer Huskie Stadium over soldiers field.
DeKalb maybe better than AbNormal Illinois maybe able to compete with Rockford as
a boring joint but sucks Big time compare to Chicago.
Not many Illini Alumni travel back to Urbana to a world class stadium where they may play against a ranked teams on a Saturday.

A $10M revamped Huskie stadium will be another major waist of precious recources that will anger more students and Alumni.

(12-05-2015 10:29 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 10:10 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 10:07 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 09:25 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 08:45 PM)NIUSox10 Wrote:  MD made a good post a few weeks ago showing who our actual Saturday home opponents were over the last 4 years. It was pretty disgusting, and not appealing for even casual NIU fans. We need to upgrade our OOC home schedule (check) and we need to play some meaningful conference games on Saturday at home (fail - sold out to ESPN).

The last 4 years? More like a decade of crap scheduling.

I am not afraid to blame the NIU athletic department for decisions which I disagree with, however I cannot believe that they are so bad that they deliberately scheduled poor teams if better teams were available.

I have to believe that after NIU beat a ranked Maryland in 2003 no other good team wanted to goto Dekalb anymore, not because our stadium is of poor quality but because they do not want to lose to NIU.

Teams that are good want to make money and win. Coming to Dekalb is a double negative on that. Thus the soldier field games.

Have to agree. Most NIU alumni in Chicago seem to prefer Soldiers field to DeKalb.

Is it because easier access with public transport and Uber?
Not having to waist 3-4 hours of travel time?
Chicago is far more cosmopolitan than DeKalb?
Museum of science and Industry in Chicago is perhaps slightly better than DeKalb's barbed wire museum?
Maybe Chicago is slightly more of a fun city than DeKlab?

Wait! If we build skyboxes the alumni will come???
Sorry athletic Department, this is not heaven or Iowa.(Remember Field of dreams!)
Soldier fields is far better than Huskie Stadium even if someone donated ten Million $ for upgrades.

Only NIU diehard FB fans would prefer Huskie Stadium over soldiers field.
DeKalb maybe better than AbNormal Illinois maybe able to compete with Rockford as
a boring joint but sucks Big time compare to Chicago.
Not many Illini Alumni travel back to Urbana to a world class stadium where they may play against a ranked teams on a Saturday.

A $10M revamped Huskie stadium will be another major waist of precious recources that will anger more students and Alumni.

ummmmm

(12-05-2015 10:30 PM)DogPoundNorth Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 10:29 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 10:10 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 10:07 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(12-05-2015 09:25 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  The last 4 years? More like a decade of crap scheduling.

I am not afraid to blame the NIU athletic department for decisions which I disagree with, however I cannot believe that they are so bad that they deliberately scheduled poor teams if better teams were available.

I have to believe that after NIU beat a ranked Maryland in 2003 no other good team wanted to goto Dekalb anymore, not because our stadium is of poor quality but because they do not want to lose to NIU.

Teams that are good want to make money and win. Coming to Dekalb is a double negative on that. Thus the soldier field games.

Have to agree. Most NIU alumni in Chicago seem to prefer Soldiers field to DeKalb.

Is it because easier access with public transport and Uber?
Not having to waist 3-4 hours of travel time?
Chicago is far more cosmopolitan than DeKalb?
Museum of science and Industry in Chicago is perhaps slightly better than DeKalb's barbed wire museum?
Maybe Chicago is slightly more of a fun city than DeKlab?

Wait! If we build skyboxes the alumni will come???
Sorry athletic Department, this is not heaven or Iowa.(Remember Field of dreams!)
Soldier fields is far better than Huskie Stadium even if someone donated ten Million $ for upgrades.

Only NIU diehard FB fans would prefer Huskie Stadium over soldiers field.
DeKalb maybe better than AbNormal Illinois maybe able to compete with Rockford as
a boring joint but sucks Big time compare to Chicago.
Not many Illini Alumni travel back to Urbana to a world class stadium where they may play against a ranked teams on a Saturday.

A $10M revamped Huskie stadium will be another major waist of precious recources that will anger more students and Alumni.

ummmmm

Wow the Abilify seems to be working already! Must be a placebo effect.