Yep, that was the entire home attendance for Eastern last season. We couldn't even sell out the stadium with all the games combined! To give some perspective, Western Michigan drew more in it's game vs CMU, (26,674). The question is simple, are we going to continue to be the worst fanbase in Division I football or are we going to support a very solid and entertaining EMU team? Last season's fan support was a complete joke.

I don't care if you don't live in the area, buy season tickets if you want to support the team. Give them away if you can't make a game, but we cannot have less than 10,000 for home games. As an EMU alum, that is embarrassing.

Dear Bob,
People have to be convinced that Eastern will continue on its winning ways. People unfortunately, will only follow winners. I have said before, I have many friends, fraternity brothers, relatives, that go to U-M games rather than come to Rynearson. To me, it is being loyal to your school whether they win or lose, and show them support by being in attendance.
It goes back to what I said about winning. During the Boisture era, and the middle of the Harkema era, there were very large/good crowds, because Eastern was winning. After almost twenty seasons of losing football people tend to stay away. I'll be there just like I have been for the last 45 years.

I agree with Ken.

Even last season which was very positive was still 6 - 6.

Give us two 7 - 5 or 8 - 4 seasons and let's revisit.

Even this season, a win over BSU, IL. State and Purdue would set the stage for maybe doubling the per game attendance from that point forward.

I think EMU's attendance will get better. They just need some signature wins for help. Students also need to take initiative. Once a class goes through EMU, and for 4 years EMU is decent you can judge. But three seasons ago EMU was the 2nd worst team in NCAA. The pyramids weren't built in a day...

Another thing is, how many College D1 teams are located within 5 miles of another HUGE program and school? EMU already has scUM right down the road. Other MAC schools are generally in towns that their team is #1. EMU is #2 in Ypsi. If the Eagles can make a name for themselves, they will come...

I've been going to EMU home games for the last 13 years. I haven't missed a home game in 6 years. Some of those teams were hard to watch. But now with our team being competitive last year EMU has to build on the momentum. If the football team comes out this year and goes 4-8 or 5-7 the fan support won't return. If Eastern could scratch out a 7-5 and make a bowl game I think you will see the average attendance climb in 2013. As for this year I expect maybe a few more fans at games against Toledo and Central Michigan and Army. The real issue is always scheduling a game on the friday after Thanksgiving, this is the 3rd or 4th year in a row where Eastern schedules a game on a Friday. It's usually bitterly cold, the University is closed for the Holiday and people are speding time with family. Not to mention shopping and all that jazz.

Will there be more fans for Army, CMU, and Toledo because the EMU fans care more about those bigger games? Or because we travel better than other visitors?

(06-17-2012 01:48 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Will there be more fans for Army, CMU, and Toledo because the EMU fans care more about those bigger games? Or because we travel better than other visitors?

CMU won't bring 1K fans.

Army might be good for 2K.

UT might bring 2 - 3K.

Those would be my guesses.

CMU is drawing poorly in Mt. p.

Army might be .500 and won't bring that many.

UT is the sleeper if EMU and UT are in divisional competition. Maybe 3 - 5K?

I think Army will bring closer to 3,000.

I certainly will be attending more home games this season.

I'll be there for every game this year! But I'm only one person. I could be loud though.

Guys let me share a view that may make some people upset and this is not my intention. Let me start out saying I am still a follower and have support of Northwestern University for 25 years and have gone thru many, many  losing years of watching and supporting a bad football team.. Let me share with you the steps NU did to get fans in the stands. We were the laughing stock of the Big-Ten and had a fan base of 2000-3000 fans per home game and visiting team hated to come there because it was like attending a high school football game.. 
NU started with marketing the program by:
Landing a big time coach.. 
Winning
Committing to recruiting local kids that touched the state of IL. 
Winning
Having football camps to draw kids.. 
Winning
Offering a great education.
Winning
Building a supporting coaching staff.
Winning
Marketing the coach winning abilities
Winning
Reaching out to the community.
Winning
Have  a player as the face of the football program.
Winning
Marketing the program via TV and radio.
Winning
 
This will get cheeks in the seats...

Dear NUPudge,
I would agree with every thing you have outlined, and the emphasis on winning is what will bring people into Rynearson. I also think Coach English and his staff have tried to reach out in the ways you have mentioned. Eastern's winning will bring about better marketing via television and radio.

(06-18-2012 07:57 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear NUPudge,
I would agree with every thing you have outlined, and the emphasis on winning is what will bring people into Rynearson. I also think Coach English and his staff have tried to reach out in the ways you have mentioned. Eastern's winning will bring about better marketing via television and radio.

I think coach English could do more. He has a dynamic personality and his mere presence around town and on campus would easily attract more fans to Rynearson. If he has aspirations of coaching a big program down the road, presidents and AD's surely will look at attendance figures as well as wins. I have been following EMU football since the Harkema days and we've never had a guy like Ron English before to stir up this sleeping fanbase. The winning is going to happen this year--it's bowl game or bust, he needs to get out there and sell it.

(06-18-2012 08:29 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(06-18-2012 07:57 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear NUPudge,
I would agree with every thing you have outlined, and the emphasis on winning is what will bring people into Rynearson. I also think Coach English and his staff have tried to reach out in the ways you have mentioned. Eastern's winning will bring about better marketing via television and radio.

I think coach English could do more. He has a dynamic personality and his mere presence around town and on campus would easily attract more fans to Rynearson. If he has aspirations of coaching a big program down the road, presidents and AD's surely will look at attendance figures as well as wins. I have been following EMU football since the Harkema days and we've never had a guy like Ron English before to stir up this sleeping fanbase. The winning is going to happen this year--it's bowl game or bust, he needs to get out there and sell it.

since I'm hundreds of miles from campus, I really can't speak well of what is happening on campus.

I do know Ben Braun used to visit dorms and sell the team.

Maybe a football rally at the Student Union before the 1st home game?

Maybe a 'Meet the Coach' luncheon at some dorms like Hoyt?

Steve, I love those ideas! How about the coaching staff and players meeting and greeting the incoming freshman at orientation. It's alot easier to root for the people you know and I really think this team is worth knowing.

(06-18-2012 09:32 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  Steve, I love those ideas! How about the coaching staff and players meeting and greeting the incoming freshman at orientation. It's alot easier to root for the people you know and I really think this team is worth knowing.

That is a GREAT idea.

The idea is that EMU athletics is part of the EMU experience.

Football has something to sell this year!!

Dear Bob and emu steve,
Both of you have come up with some great ideas! In Coach English's first year they had luncheons before every home game, and had Eastern won some that year, I'm sure attendance would have grown. However, as we all know, without a win that season, attendance at the luncheons fell off. I still think that is a good way to go because you got to ask questions, and Coach English seemed to answer to the best of his ability.

How about meet the coach at Prey Herold.

Have him and a few players in an open area greeting students between a couple a.m. classes?

(06-18-2012 11:24 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(06-18-2012 09:32 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  Steve, I love those ideas! How about the coaching staff and players meeting and greeting the incoming freshman at orientation. It's alot easier to root for the people you know and I really think this team is worth knowing.

That is a GREAT idea.

The idea is that EMU athletics is part of the EMU experience.

Football has something to sell this year!!

Give away an autographed football every 15 minutes during the orientation.

or an EMU FB jersey.

Don't have to spend thousands and thousands of dollars but give some nice FB-related prizes.

If any local church is having a bazaar on a Saturday/Sunday afternoon in August, get coach invited and give away EMU FB merchandise.

Public outreach.

I think those are all good ideas but EMU really needs to reach out to its current students and alumni. As a somewhat younger fan (31) who started attending games as a freshman at EMU in 1999 I can tell you that EMU has a problem selling itself. It hasn't helped that the football team and basketball team hasn't been much fun to watch in the last decade but with the basketball team playing better than expected this year and the football team actually having expectations for the first time in maybe forever Eastern has to go all out this year. I don't know if it will make much of a difference but as someone who lives in the area and still talks to quite a few friends from college its amazing to see how little our alumni care for EMU. I watch time and time again as friends by season tickets to UofM games and will sit home and watch Michigan rather than going to see EMU in person. I know a lot of people in this state grew up with Michigan tradition but if that is there only connection to the UofM its pathetic. Most of EMU's graduates stay in in South Eastern Michigan after graduation where as recent studies show that more than half of MSU and UofM graduates leave the state. Our alumni need to get over the Huron fiasco, stop blaming Eastern for the sins of the past and start supporting a great institution. This football program and these kids have a top notch coach and they bust their butts, they deserve the chance to play in front of a home crowd that isn't embarrasing. I hope they get that chance.