The unofficial online home for fans of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(08-04-2019 08:40 PM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 07:48 PM)doss2 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 06:50 PM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  Skip the both of those and go to the good Oktoberfest in Minster, Ohio this year. Same weekend as the Friday night UCF game.

What is special about Minster Oktoberfest?

Beer served in half gallon milk jugs.

That reminds me of some times back in the day that I attended the Northwest Ohio "famed" Jenera Oktoberfest. I believe the annual event ceased in the 90s. Talk about beer served cheap and only by the pitcher. What a drunken stupor that was...

(08-04-2019 04:59 PM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 09:30 AM)BearcatsUC Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 08:35 AM)Def Berkkat Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 02:59 AM)BearcatsUC Wrote:  

(08-03-2019 07:21 AM)Def Berkkat Wrote:  Let's see...

USF - no
Houston - about like us
SMU - hail no
BC - draw "well" ? ... maybe
USC, UCLA - perhaps, but they only recently joined the club again
Pitt - not if you're going to count living, breathing human beings
Miami - the Dolphins don't even draw there
Washington - OK
Temple - LOL
Minnesota - if they're decent, but not regularly

Am I forgetting anyone? I didn't include the proximity cases like Stanford, Arizona St., Colorado, etc.

Why would you not include proximity cases? Ann Arbor is fairly small - you don’t think they draw significantly from the millions in a Detroit less than an hour away?

Ever been to Manhattan, Kansas? I have. It’s small. They draw from nearby Kansas City and compete with their pro teams.

Miami Fl drew 61k per game last year.

IU draws 40k and sits a short drive from Indy.

Purdue draws 50k per game and competes with both Indy and Chicago.

TCU drew 42k per game last year.

UCLA and USC drew over 50k in 2018, and LA is loaded with competition.

Northwestern drew 44k per game in Chicago.

Tempe is 11 miles from Phoenix. Why wouldn’t you include them? ASU drew 59k.

The 49ers play in Santa Clara, not far from Palo Alto. Stanford only drew 38k, but that’s about a quarter better than UC.

Cal Berkley drew 43k.

GA Tech, 43k.

Washington, 69k.










http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_r...e/2018.pdf

Well, the first thing is that you have to draw the line somewhere.

The next thing I notice in your argument is that you apparently consider the whole state of Indiana as a "pro market". That's not accurate.

And all these 40K range programs aren't that much better than ours. They would hardly meet the "needle mover" standard that most hold as consideration as a good attendance program.

I included IU and Purdue because they sit in small cities and rely on attendance from nearby pro cities. Neither are football schools yet they significantly outdraw UC.

Couple points:

1. iU, Purdue, Northwester play in the B10. Their fans get to see the likes of tOSU, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin every other year.
2. Those schools travel very well. Wife is OSU grad- went to game in Bloomington about 10 years with friends of ours who are IU alums. If I were a betting man my guess would be half the people in the stadium were OSU fans. That happens at Northwestern and Purdue also.

Critical points when evaluating attendance. Schools do play fast and loose with what they report. But there is no question that the B10 top tier populates the stadia of the bottom feeders. Check out fans in the stands on TV when an Eastern Michigan visits Illinois or Indiana.

UC was the beneficiary of this in those early Big East years when WVU and Louisville would come to town. This was before many of our students and fans realized they were going to see BCS 6 football. UC soon started filling Nippert for the best Big East opponents with more folks in the red and black. There is no substitute for quality, regional opponents and for all the strides the American has made competitively, this remains a major challenge for UC with the closest teams in Philly and Memphis. On the flip side, if we can consistently fill Nippert against AAC opponents, imagine the potential for attendance growth if ACC teams came calling?

I tried to make this point earlier in this thread...but I'll try again

UC does not need help with game day attendance. While the number is debatable, I am of the opinion they're already only a clue thousand away from Max capacity with average attendance. Winning and quality opponents take care of the difference. But Nippert does not have a 40K capacity.

If you guys would rather have a discussion about improving game-day experience...it's more than fair and worth the post. But a post about lacking attendance is nonsense

(08-05-2019 07:33 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 08:40 PM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 07:48 PM)doss2 Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 06:50 PM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  Skip the both of those and go to the good Oktoberfest in Minster, Ohio this year. Same weekend as the Friday night UCF game.

What is special about Minster Oktoberfest?

Beer served in half gallon milk jugs.

That reminds me of some times back in the day that I attended the Northwest Ohio "famed" Jenera Oktoberfest. I believe the annual event ceased in the 90s. Talk about beer served cheap and only by the pitcher. What a drunken stupor that was...

If we are going this route, I gotta talk about bryan adams concert at legend valley in 1985. It was the live aid day and he had just played Philadelphia, but that is not what made it special. At legend valley, they let you bring into the venue gallon milk jugs of beer. The good old days.

(08-04-2019 06:50 PM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  

(08-03-2019 11:14 PM)doss2 Wrote:  

(08-03-2019 09:15 PM)rosewater Wrote:  By this logic, I assume that you have never been to Octoberfest. Just go have a picnic.

Actually I have been to Octoberfest in Zinzinnati and in Munich.

The one thing I disliked about the real one is all the smoking in the beer tents.

When I go to Octoberfest I go for the fest when I go to a football game the game is primary.

Skip the both of those and go to the good Oktoberfest in Minster, Ohio this year. Same weekend as the Friday night UCF game.

The way you talk this up every year makes me want to check it out.

(08-05-2019 07:49 PM)GoCats1994 Wrote:  I tried to make this point earlier in this thread...but I'll try again

UC does not need help with game day attendance. While the number is debatable, I am of the opinion they're already only a clue thousand away from Max capacity with average attendance. Winning and quality opponents take care of the difference. But Nippert does not have a 40K capacity.

If you guys would rather have a discussion about improving game-day experience...it's more than fair and worth the post. But a post about lacking attendance is nonsense

I misworded the heading - it's not how to improve attendance at Nippert, but rather "how to improve the experience and make it the hottest ticket in town. It was brought upon because the topic was raised on twitter, with attendance falling at most every school (especially those with larger, 80k+ seat stadiums.) and what can be done around the country to get college football fans off the couch and into the stadium.

UC's situation isn't similar to schools like Tennessee, UCLA, USC, Maryland etc. (other fanbases have mentioned astronomical hotel costs, parking costs, travel distance, stadium convenience, length of the game..) but it can still be discussed on how to get casual fans coming back for more and how to make the overall experience better. food prices, music production, tailgating, etc.

(08-05-2019 07:49 PM)GoCats1994 Wrote:  I tried to make this point earlier in this thread...but I'll try again

UC does not need help with game day attendance. While the number is debatable, I am of the opinion they're already only a clue thousand away from Max capacity with average attendance. Winning and quality opponents take care of the difference. But Nippert does not have a 40K capacity.

If you guys would rather have a discussion about improving game-day experience...it's more than fair and worth the post. But a post about lacking attendance is nonsense

Bolded, UC has made great strides in attendance the past decade plus, but there were plenty of empty seats remaining for multiple games last season. Until you sell out for the season--or realistically sell out games such as UCLA and UCF weeks ahead, you have quality inventory going unused. More importantly, it doesn't send the right signal to recruits in attendance or a national TV audience looking in on the Cincinnati game when they see gaping holes in sections of the stadium.

How many seats does Nippert have? Who knows. The stadium will be among a handful of the very smallest when UC gets called up to the P5. If needed, it could be expanded at that time. But it looks terrific on TV--especially night games when the place rocks. I think that will impress P5 presidents and TV executives a lot more than a 50,000 seat capacity stadium with 10,000 empty seats. So does it really make a difference if it holds 37,542 or 40,000 when the cameras pan the crowd and the announcers pump their audience about SRO in Cincy?

If the Nip is packed in for a televised game the network announcers aren't going to say the attendance is 37,426. They're going to say it's a capacity crowd of 40,000 ready to cheer their Bearcats on to victory. And then the TV cameras will scroll through the 2/3rds full stadium right b4 kickoff...

(08-06-2019 08:31 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  If the Nip is packed in for a televised game the network announcers aren't going to say the attendance is 37,426. They're going to say it's a capacity crowd of 40,000 ready to cheer their Bearcats on to victory. And then the TV cameras will scroll through the 2/3rds full stadium right b4 kickoff...

… and then the blimp zeroes in on the parking lot, catching the other 1/3 chuggin down one last beer, standing up, scratching their ass and then start to fold up their camp chairs.

(08-06-2019 08:36 AM)Def Berkkat Wrote:  

(08-06-2019 08:31 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  If the Nip is packed in for a televised game the network announcers aren't going to say the attendance is 37,426. They're going to say it's a capacity crowd of 40,000 ready to cheer their Bearcats on to victory. And then the TV cameras will scroll through the 2/3rds full stadium right b4 kickoff...

… and then the blimp zeroes in on the parking lot, catching the other 1/3 chuggin down one last beer, standing up, scratching their ass and then start to fold up their camp chairs.

I'll bet more than a few are posters on Bearcat Banter. Bunch 'o soused lushes...

(08-05-2019 08:16 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 06:50 PM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  

(08-03-2019 11:14 PM)doss2 Wrote:  

(08-03-2019 09:15 PM)rosewater Wrote:  By this logic, I assume that you have never been to Octoberfest. Just go have a picnic.

Actually I have been to Octoberfest in Zinzinnati and in Munich.

The one thing I disliked about the real one is all the smoking in the beer tents.

When I go to Octoberfest I go for the fest when I go to a football game the game is primary.

Skip the both of those and go to the good Oktoberfest in Minster, Ohio this year. Same weekend as the Friday night UCF game.

The way you talk this up every year makes me want to check it out.

I can confirm, Octoberfest in Minster, OH is legit. My family goes almost every year.

The only issue is you probably need to camp if you are not local. There isn't anything else around, and you are gonna be drunk.

(08-06-2019 08:45 AM)Billy Bob Bearcat Wrote:  

(08-05-2019 08:16 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 06:50 PM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  

(08-03-2019 11:14 PM)doss2 Wrote:  

(08-03-2019 09:15 PM)rosewater Wrote:  By this logic, I assume that you have never been to Octoberfest. Just go have a picnic.

Actually I have been to Octoberfest in Zinzinnati and in Munich.

The one thing I disliked about the real one is all the smoking in the beer tents.

When I go to Octoberfest I go for the fest when I go to a football game the game is primary.

Skip the both of those and go to the good Oktoberfest in Minster, Ohio this year. Same weekend as the Friday night UCF game.

The way you talk this up every year makes me want to check it out.

I can confirm, Octoberfest in Minster, OH is legit. My family goes almost every year.

The only issue is you probably need to camp if you are not local. There isn't anything else around, and you are gonna be drunk.

I was just going to have Bruce set me up a room.

(08-06-2019 08:45 AM)Billy Bob Bearcat Wrote:  

(08-05-2019 08:16 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 06:50 PM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  

(08-03-2019 11:14 PM)doss2 Wrote:  

(08-03-2019 09:15 PM)rosewater Wrote:  By this logic, I assume that you have never been to Octoberfest. Just go have a picnic.

Actually I have been to Octoberfest in Zinzinnati and in Munich.

The one thing I disliked about the real one is all the smoking in the beer tents.

When I go to Octoberfest I go for the fest when I go to a football game the game is primary.

Skip the both of those and go to the good Oktoberfest in Minster, Ohio this year. Same weekend as the Friday night UCF game.

The way you talk this up every year makes me want to check it out.

I can confirm, Octoberfest in Minster, OH is legit. My family goes almost every year.

The only issue is you probably need to camp if you are not local. There isn't anything else around, and you are gonna be drunk.

I had to look up where Minster is because I'm intrigued by this Oktoberfest.. realized it's out basically in the middle of BFE, airbnb's would be limited and inflated, and the best hotel options would be a 45 min drive down to the north parts of Dayton. Then noticed it's by Fort Loramie which is where they hold that big country music/camp fest every year and camping would probably be the most logical option.

(08-06-2019 10:02 AM)dubcat14 Wrote:  

(08-06-2019 08:45 AM)Billy Bob Bearcat Wrote:  

(08-05-2019 08:16 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(08-04-2019 06:50 PM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  

(08-03-2019 11:14 PM)doss2 Wrote:  Actually I have been to Octoberfest in Zinzinnati and in Munich.

The one thing I disliked about the real one is all the smoking in the beer tents.

When I go to Octoberfest I go for the fest when I go to a football game the game is primary.

Skip the both of those and go to the good Oktoberfest in Minster, Ohio this year. Same weekend as the Friday night UCF game.

The way you talk this up every year makes me want to check it out.

I can confirm, Octoberfest in Minster, OH is legit. My family goes almost every year.

The only issue is you probably need to camp if you are not local. There isn't anything else around, and you are gonna be drunk.

I had to look up where Minster is because I'm intrigued by this Oktoberfest.. realized it's out basically in the middle of BFE, airbnb's would be limited and inflated, and the best hotel options would be a 45 min drive down to the north parts of Dayton. Then noticed it's by Fort Loramie which is where they hold that big country music/camp fest every year and camping would probably be the most logical option.

It seems they do Octoberfest in October. That is so wrong!

I know that typing the letters "P-Doc" around here strikes a nerve, but I'll give credit where credit is due. This little comment is from his TML today while writing about the Bengals. Not that his words will move the needle, but at least the local fish wrap seem to be finally jumping on the UC bandwagon with comments like these amongst other things:

"Bleacher Report’s preseason power rankings have the Bengals 32 of 32. I don’t think they’re that bad. My Redskins Who Suck clearly are worse. And there’s always the Jets. But, man, if I were you, I’d be buying Bearcats tickets."

(08-06-2019 11:23 AM)Cat-Man Wrote:  I know that typing the letters "P-Doc" around here strikes a nerve, but I'll give credit where credit is due. This little comment is from his TML today while writing about the Bengals. Not that his words will move the needle, but at least the local fish wrap seem to be finally jumping on the UC bandwagon with comments like these amongst other things:

"Bleacher Report’s preseason power rankings have the Bengals 32 of 32. I don’t think they’re that bad. My Redskins Who Suck clearly are worse. And there’s always the Jets. But, man, if I were you, I’d be buying Bearcats tickets."

Bengals go from an above average coach to a complete unknown. They also don't have AJ Green at least for a while. There are scenarios where they are really bad.

(08-06-2019 11:27 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(08-06-2019 11:23 AM)Cat-Man Wrote:  I know that typing the letters "P-Doc" around here strikes a nerve, but I'll give credit where credit is due. This little comment is from his TML today while writing about the Bengals. Not that his words will move the needle, but at least the local fish wrap seem to be finally jumping on the UC bandwagon with comments like these amongst other things:

"Bleacher Report’s preseason power rankings have the Bengals 32 of 32. I don’t think they’re that bad. My Redskins Who Suck clearly are worse. And there’s always the Jets. But, man, if I were you, I’d be buying Bearcats tickets."

Bengals go from an above average coach to a complete unknown. They also don't have AJ Green at least for a while. There are scenarios where they are really bad.

We know him all too well...

(08-06-2019 11:23 AM)Cat-Man Wrote:  I know that typing the letters "P-Doc" around here strikes a nerve, but I'll give credit where credit is due. This little comment is from his TML today while writing about the Bengals. Not that his words will move the needle, but at least the local fish wrap seem to be finally jumping on the UC bandwagon with comments like these amongst other things:

"Bleacher Report’s preseason power rankings have the Bengals 32 of 32. I don’t think they’re that bad. My Redskins Who Suck clearly are worse. And there’s always the Jets. But, man, if I were you, I’d be buying Bearcats tickets."

There do seem to be more positive vibes from Cincinnati.com of late about the Bearcats. I applaud the effort but will remain cautiously optimistic that last year's #23 ranked team will get its fair share of coverage come September.

Small sample size, but I've spoken with more than one Bengals fan locally who is resigned to the belief that the franchise will wallow in mediocrity until the lease is up and then take their franchise to an NFL starved city elsewhere. I don't see that as a good scenario for our metro, but it is a plausible one.

(08-06-2019 12:41 PM)OKIcat Wrote:  

(08-06-2019 11:23 AM)Cat-Man Wrote:  I know that typing the letters "P-Doc" around here strikes a nerve, but I'll give credit where credit is due. This little comment is from his TML today while writing about the Bengals. Not that his words will move the needle, but at least the local fish wrap seem to be finally jumping on the UC bandwagon with comments like these amongst other things:

"Bleacher Report’s preseason power rankings have the Bengals 32 of 32. I don’t think they’re that bad. My Redskins Who Suck clearly are worse. And there’s always the Jets. But, man, if I were you, I’d be buying Bearcats tickets."

There do seem to be more positive vibes from Cincinnati.com of late about the Bearcats. I applaud the effort but will remain cautiously optimistic that last year's #23 ranked team will get its fair share of coverage come September.

Small sample size, but I've spoken with more than one Bengals fan locally who is resigned to the belief that the franchise will wallow in mediocrity until the lease is up and then take their franchise to an NFL starved city elsewhere. I don't see that as a good scenario for our metro, but it is a plausible one.

I find it weird that the Bearcats could be ranked #23 and the Bengals could be #32 and the Bengals would still get more coverage.

(08-06-2019 12:46 PM)bearcatdp Wrote:  

(08-06-2019 12:41 PM)OKIcat Wrote:  

(08-06-2019 11:23 AM)Cat-Man Wrote:  I know that typing the letters "P-Doc" around here strikes a nerve, but I'll give credit where credit is due. This little comment is from his TML today while writing about the Bengals. Not that his words will move the needle, but at least the local fish wrap seem to be finally jumping on the UC bandwagon with comments like these amongst other things:

"Bleacher Report’s preseason power rankings have the Bengals 32 of 32. I don’t think they’re that bad. My Redskins Who Suck clearly are worse. And there’s always the Jets. But, man, if I were you, I’d be buying Bearcats tickets."

There do seem to be more positive vibes from Cincinnati.com of late about the Bearcats. I applaud the effort but will remain cautiously optimistic that last year's #23 ranked team will get its fair share of coverage come September.

Small sample size, but I've spoken with more than one Bengals fan locally who is resigned to the belief that the franchise will wallow in mediocrity until the lease is up and then take their franchise to an NFL starved city elsewhere. I don't see that as a good scenario for our metro, but it is a plausible one.

I find it weird that the Bearcats could be ranked #23 and the Bengals could be #32 and the Bengals would still get more coverage.

Follow the money. Most of the corporate dollars in town are thrown at the Bengals (and Reds). If we are being honest the Bengals have a larger following than UC FB. The NFL, in general, has a larger following than college football.

I've long said most UC fans are also Bengal fans. Most Bengal fans are not UC fans.