An idea that should be considered to make traveling to weeknight games easier would be a shuttle buses from major malls directly to the stadium. Yorktown in Lombard or the Schaumburg Transportation Center near Woodfield both have abundant free parking.

Have a 515pM bus leave for 630 games or a 530 for 7pm start times. Some fans will come to night midweek games if they dont' have to drive and can park their cars in a place near their homes. Have to believe lots of fans live near Woodfield and or Yorktown. How much can a couple of shuttle busses cost.

What's the advantage of taking a bus instead of just driving? If it's a boozey bus, maybe. Also as somebody who works across the street form Lombard, 515 for a 630 start would be cutting it super close.

(08-08-2017 12:31 PM)Policiious Wrote:  An idea that should be considered to make traveling to weeknight games easier would be a shuttle buses from major malls directly to the stadium. Yorktown in Lombard or the Schaumburg Transportation Center near Woodfield both have abundant free parking.

Have a 515pM bus leave for 630 games or a 530 for 7pm start times. Some fans will come to night midweek games if they dont' have to drive and can park their cars in a place near their homes. Have to believe lots of fans live near Woodfield and or Yorktown. How much can a couple of shuttle busses cost.

Not a bad idea except this year we have 2 and possibly 3 6:00 pm games. Buses would have to leave at 4:15 or most likely earlier with traffic. Not to mention fans having to leave work even earlier to get to the buses. What about those that work downtown?

(08-08-2017 12:44 PM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote:  Not a bad idea except this year we have 2 and possibly 3 6:00 pm games. Buses would have to leave at 4:15 or most likely earlier with traffic. Not to mention fans having to leave work even earlier to get to the buses. What about those that work downtown?

It also requires those people to stay for the entire game to catch the shuttle back...we all know what the attendance looks like on a November midweek game in the 4th quarter

(08-08-2017 12:51 PM)armour248 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 12:44 PM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote:  Not a bad idea except this year we have 2 and possibly 3 6:00 pm games. Buses would have to leave at 4:15 or most likely earlier with traffic. Not to mention fans having to leave work even earlier to get to the buses. What about those that work downtown?

It also requires those people to stay for the entire game to catch the shuttle back...we all know what the attendance looks like on a November midweek game in the 4th quarter

They should have a bus leave after the 1st quarter and at halftime.

(08-08-2017 01:40 PM)PrideinthePack2 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 12:51 PM)armour248 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 12:44 PM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote:  Not a bad idea except this year we have 2 and possibly 3 6:00 pm games. Buses would have to leave at 4:15 or most likely earlier with traffic. Not to mention fans having to leave work even earlier to get to the buses. What about those that work downtown?

It also requires those people to stay for the entire game to catch the shuttle back...we all know what the attendance looks like on a November midweek game in the 4th quarter

They should have a bus leave after the 1st quarter and at halftime.

Have any of you who think this is a good idea checked on the cost of providing this shuttle bus?.....let alone having the addition of a "bus leave after the 1st quarter and at halftime" plus the end of the game? Plus are you incorporating a full-priced ticket, discount ticket, drinks, sandwiches, etc.? How many folks would you need signed up just to break even?
Long-term future solution: NIU and the rest of the MAC dictate the limits on these foolish midweek games.

(08-08-2017 02:32 PM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 01:40 PM)PrideinthePack2 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 12:51 PM)armour248 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 12:44 PM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote:  Not a bad idea except this year we have 2 and possibly 3 6:00 pm games. Buses would have to leave at 4:15 or most likely earlier with traffic. Not to mention fans having to leave work even earlier to get to the buses. What about those that work downtown?

It also requires those people to stay for the entire game to catch the shuttle back...we all know what the attendance looks like on a November midweek game in the 4th quarter

They should have a bus leave after the 1st quarter and at halftime.

Have any of you who think this is a good idea checked on the cost of providing this shuttle bus?.....let alone having the addition of a "bus leave after the 1st quarter and at halftime" plus the end of the game? Plus are you incorporating a full-priced ticket, discount ticket, drinks, sandwiches, etc.? How many folks would you need signed up just to break even?
Long-term future solution: NIU and the rest of the MAC dictate the limits on these foolish midweek games.

I mean, no **** on the long term solution, but the MAC is locked into that contract for another decade. Can't really be pissed about attendance and such and your best solution is, "well, stop playing weekend games."

Here's something I honestly have no idea why it doesn't happen. Why is corn fest the weekend before the Boston College game? This administration has really put an emphasis on "communiversity" which is great, but why isn't corn fest on the same weekend as the opener?

The red river rivalry (Texas-Oklahoma) is played at the Cotton Bowl every year during the Texas State fair. Corn fest is the biggest event in Dekalb every year. I don't see why DeKalb and NIU can't pair together to make sure cornfest is the same weekend as the home opener. Do giveaways, etc. for each.

Does that solve attendance at weeknight games? Maybe not, but I can tell you I fell in love with NIU by attending the Maryland game. All it took was one game.

(08-08-2017 02:41 PM)7 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 02:32 PM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 01:40 PM)PrideinthePack2 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 12:51 PM)armour248 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 12:44 PM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote:  Not a bad idea except this year we have 2 and possibly 3 6:00 pm games. Buses would have to leave at 4:15 or most likely earlier with traffic. Not to mention fans having to leave work even earlier to get to the buses. What about those that work downtown?

It also requires those people to stay for the entire game to catch the shuttle back...we all know what the attendance looks like on a November midweek game in the 4th quarter

They should have a bus leave after the 1st quarter and at halftime.

Have any of you who think this is a good idea checked on the cost of providing this shuttle bus?.....let alone having the addition of a "bus leave after the 1st quarter and at halftime" plus the end of the game? Plus are you incorporating a full-priced ticket, discount ticket, drinks, sandwiches, etc.? How many folks would you need signed up just to break even?
Long-term future solution: NIU and the rest of the MAC dictate the limits on these foolish midweek games.

I mean, no **** on the long term solution, but the MAC is locked into that contract for another decade. Can't really be pissed about attendance and such and your best solution is, "well, stop playing weekend games."

Here's something I honestly have no idea why it doesn't happen. Why is corn fest the weekend before the Boston College game? This administration has really put an emphasis on "communiversity" which is great, but why isn't corn fest on the same weekend as the opener?

The red river rivalry (Texas-Oklahoma) is played at the Cotton Bowl every year during the Texas State fair. Corn fest is the biggest event in Dekalb every year. I don't see why DeKalb and NIU can't pair together to make sure cornfest is the same weekend as the home opener. Do giveaways, etc. for each.

Does that solve attendance at weeknight games? Maybe not, but I can tell you I fell in love with NIU by attending the Maryland game. All it took was one game.

Good points on the community connection, that is something NIU has lost completely. That Maryland game would have succeeded any day of the week, there was quite a bit of hype for that NIU team going into 2003. Plus, it was the first rise up to the top after years and years of being miserable. That initial ascension always seems to garner more mania, hype, and support which I think is why for many Huskie fans that 2003 team was even more special than 2012. You also had a top 15 ranked Maryland team coming to town, it was really a perfect storm of conditions for the success of that game.

The Maryland game was played on a beautiful Thursday evening, at a decent hour when the students were on campus.
Could it also have benefitted from the "PJ" effect? Just his mere presence may have added to the mystique.

(08-08-2017 04:12 PM)HappyHuskie Wrote:  The Maryland game was played on a beautiful Thursday evening, at a decent hour when the students were on campus.
Could it also have benefitted from the "PJ" effect? Just his mere presence may have added to the mystique.

Bar none, that was the most exciting sporting event I ever attended. Needless to say, I got zero sleep that night and was full of energy the next day.

(08-08-2017 05:52 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 04:12 PM)HappyHuskie Wrote:  The Maryland game was played on a beautiful Thursday evening, at a decent hour when the students were on campus.
Could it also have benefitted from the "PJ" effect? Just his mere presence may have added to the mystique.

Bar none, that was the most exciting sporting event I ever attended. Needless to say, I got zero sleep that night and was full of energy the next day.

That's when we were PROUD to be a Huskie!

(08-08-2017 06:06 PM)HappyHuskie Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 05:52 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 04:12 PM)HappyHuskie Wrote:  The Maryland game was played on a beautiful Thursday evening, at a decent hour when the students were on campus.
Could it also have benefitted from the "PJ" effect? Just his mere presence may have added to the mystique.

Bar none, that was the most exciting sporting event I ever attended. Needless to say, I got zero sleep that night and was full of energy the next day.

That's when we were PROUD to be a Huskie!

Please no "Make The HUSKIES Great Again".

Sorry to have destroyed the thread.

(08-08-2017 06:06 PM)HappyHuskie Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 05:52 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 04:12 PM)HappyHuskie Wrote:  The Maryland game was played on a beautiful Thursday evening, at a decent hour when the students were on campus.
Could it also have benefitted from the "PJ" effect? Just his mere presence may have added to the mystique.

Bar none, that was the most exciting sporting event I ever attended. Needless to say, I got zero sleep that night and was full of energy the next day.

That's when we were PROUD to be a Huskie!

If you're not proud after one bad year, that's on you.

(08-08-2017 06:42 PM)7 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 06:06 PM)HappyHuskie Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 05:52 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 04:12 PM)HappyHuskie Wrote:  The Maryland game was played on a beautiful Thursday evening, at a decent hour when the students were on campus.
Could it also have benefitted from the "PJ" effect? Just his mere presence may have added to the mystique.

Bar none, that was the most exciting sporting event I ever attended. Needless to say, I got zero sleep that night and was full of energy the next day.

That's when we were PROUD to be a Huskie!

If you're not proud after one bad year, that's on you.

I've been a Huskie fan and supporter for forty years. You think we've only had one bad year?

(08-08-2017 06:37 PM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 06:06 PM)HappyHuskie Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 05:52 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 04:12 PM)HappyHuskie Wrote:  The Maryland game was played on a beautiful Thursday evening, at a decent hour when the students were on campus.
Could it also have benefitted from the "PJ" effect? Just his mere presence may have added to the mystique.

Bar none, that was the most exciting sporting event I ever attended. Needless to say, I got zero sleep that night and was full of energy the next day.

That's when we were PROUD to be a Huskie!

Please no "Make The HUSKIES Great Again".

Sorry to have destroyed the thread.

I'll pretend I didn't see that post. LOL

(08-08-2017 12:44 PM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 12:31 PM)Policiious Wrote:  An idea that should be considered to make traveling to weeknight games easier would be a shuttle buses from major malls directly to the stadium. Yorktown in Lombard or the Schaumburg Transportation Center near Woodfield both have abundant free parking.

Have a 515pM bus leave for 630 games or a 530 for 7pm start times. Some fans will come to night midweek games if they dont' have to drive and can park their cars in a place near their homes. Have to believe lots of fans live near Woodfield and or Yorktown. How much can a couple of shuttle busses cost.

Not a bad idea except this year we have 2 and possibly 3 6:00 pm games. Buses would have to leave at 4:15 or most likely earlier with traffic. Not to mention fans having to leave work even earlier to get to the buses. What about those that work downtown?

Does the AD have any leverage to ask the Conference if game start times can be moved back an hour since no other live programming will likely be broadcast after the football game. A 7PM start would make a huge difference and for fans who wanted to attend and knew they would stay to the end of the game, knowing that they would not have to drive all the way back home from DeKalb after the game may convince some who are "on the fence" to attend.

Not sure about costs, I do know the white sox have Pace shuttle busses for weekend games, the Cubs also have shuttle buses from the Schaumburg Transit Center for all weekend game snd Nortwestern also has a Pace shuttle bus for all home games.

IMO offering fans the opportunity to take a direct bus to the game is going the extra mile to make it as practical as possible to attend mid week games.

(08-08-2017 12:44 PM)7 Wrote:  What's the advantage of taking a bus instead of just driving? If it's a boozey bus, maybe. Also as somebody who works across the street form Lombard, 515 for a 630 start would be cutting it super close.

Some people may be too tired after the game to drive 1 1/2 hours home after the end of the game so they just end up sitting at home and watching it or going to a sports bar close to home. If you know that you have a ride going back to Schaumburg or Lombard after the game and you don't have to get on the road at 1030 or 11PM after the game, it might be enough to convince some people to attenda

(08-08-2017 02:32 PM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 01:40 PM)PrideinthePack2 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 12:51 PM)armour248 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 12:44 PM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote:  Not a bad idea except this year we have 2 and possibly 3 6:00 pm games. Buses would have to leave at 4:15 or most likely earlier with traffic. Not to mention fans having to leave work even earlier to get to the buses. What about those that work downtown?

It also requires those people to stay for the entire game to catch the shuttle back...we all know what the attendance looks like on a November midweek game in the 4th quarter

They should have a bus leave after the 1st quarter and at halftime.

Have any of you who think this is a good idea checked on the cost of providing this shuttle bus?.....let alone having the addition of a "bus leave after the 1st quarter and at halftime" plus the end of the game? Plus are you incorporating a full-priced ticket, discount ticket, drinks, sandwiches, etc.? How many folks would you need signed up just to break even?
Long-term future solution: NIU and the rest of the MAC dictate the limits on these foolish midweek games.

That won't change for the next 10 years, trying to come up with ideas to get more fans to attend midweek games now going forward. I believe a 10-15 bus ticket price is not unreasonable.

(08-09-2017 03:00 AM)Policiious Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 02:32 PM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 01:40 PM)PrideinthePack2 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 12:51 PM)armour248 Wrote:  

(08-08-2017 12:44 PM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote:  Not a bad idea except this year we have 2 and possibly 3 6:00 pm games. Buses would have to leave at 4:15 or most likely earlier with traffic. Not to mention fans having to leave work even earlier to get to the buses. What about those that work downtown?

It also requires those people to stay for the entire game to catch the shuttle back...we all know what the attendance looks like on a November midweek game in the 4th quarter

They should have a bus leave after the 1st quarter and at halftime.

Have any of you who think this is a good idea checked on the cost of providing this shuttle bus?.....let alone having the addition of a "bus leave after the 1st quarter and at halftime" plus the end of the game? Plus are you incorporating a full-priced ticket, discount ticket, drinks, sandwiches, etc.? How many folks would you need signed up just to break even?
Long-term future solution: NIU and the rest of the MAC dictate the limits on these foolish midweek games.

That won't change for the next 10 years, trying to come up with ideas to get more fans to attend midweek games now going forward. I believe a 10-15 bus ticket price is not unreasonable.

If I was going to go, I'd drive myself. I don't see any advantage to some bus. You'd still have to get into your car and drive home after getting back on the bus and it would take longer then just driving yourself and going home. Busses not going to happen anyway.
Only solution has been noted. Take back start times and game days. That won't happen either. I've resolved to libe withit and the games I can make, I'll make.

(08-08-2017 02:41 PM)7 Wrote:  Here's something I honestly have no idea why it doesn't happen. Why is corn fest the weekend before the Boston College game? This administration has really put an emphasis on "communiversity" which is great, but why isn't corn fest on the same weekend as the opener?
I don't see why DeKalb and NIU can't pair together to make sure cornfest is the same weekend as the home opener. Do giveaways, etc. for each.
Does that solve attendance at weeknight games? Maybe not, but I can tell you I fell in love with NIU by attending the Maryland game. All it took was one game.

Realize that many on here don't care about the past, but long-time Huskie supporters will remember when the season opener was always Business-Ag Night and featured a corn boil as part of the tailgate. It was successful regardless of the opponent; like Long Beach State (1981 / attend. 27,802), non-conference vs. WMU (1982 / 26,250), or Lamar (1987 / 22,184).