The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Now that I'm done putting my foot in mu mouth, I do want to give respect for Athletics for this weekend's game. I've given a lot of criticism for a while, but the sensory-friendly game was very respectfully done. It was a good way to market the team while students are not on campus. It was a good pilot and starting point to build the event on in future years. I was also pleased to see a survey in my inbox this morning.

I think Kent has always done well with that type of marketing. That helps market the school not necessarily the team playing. They get twice the crowd for the pink gymnastics meet but does it improve attendance for the other four meets? Filling the bleachers with 5th graders at a women’s weekday afternoon game helps market Kent but again does it increase attendance at other games. Having a female kick extra points helps market Kent but not the football team. That’s what Kent concentrates on (and probably rightfully so). I’m not sure too many people under 40 care about attending the traditional sporting events. The students I talk to seem to despise the football and basketball teams. They think their free rides are a joke.

Dang. The last two sentences are harsh. I would like to sit down and listen to the reasoning behind such a negative mindset.

(12-24-2019 02:32 PM)fallsdog Wrote:  Dang. The last two sentences are harsh. I would like to sit down and listen to the reasoning behind such a negative mindset.

The exact words were every blade of grass on the field has to be perfect for the football team. The inference was way too much attention is being paid to non-academic issues and they didn’t want to be a part of it. They hated they had to help pay for it through fees. Amazingly enough both had been high school athletes (women’s soccer and men’s swimming). I have no idea if they are typical.

I don't think the current Kent students understand how good they have it when it comes to Academic focus that the university has had over the past 20 years. The amount of renovations and newly built buildings go unnoticed. I have brought up the $1 billion 10 year master plan and students had no clue it was going on. For Spring 2020 my general fee is $809 and according to the bursar website roughly 34% of that goes to athletics, which is around $275. That is less than one credit hour extra a semester per student. I don't think students know the actual breakdown to see how little goes to athletics.


https://www.kent.edu/bursar/allocation-i...neral-fees

(12-24-2019 07:08 PM)burden Wrote:  

(12-24-2019 02:32 PM)fallsdog Wrote:  Dang. The last two sentences are harsh. I would like to sit down and listen to the reasoning behind such a negative mindset.

The exact words were every blade of grass on the field has to be perfect for the football team. The inference was way too much attention is being paid to non-academic issues and they didn’t want to be a part of it. They hated they had to help pay for it through fees. Amazingly enough both had been high school athletes (women’s soccer and men’s swimming). I have no idea if they are typical.

I find those thoughts more typical of athletes from those types of sports than the student with no athletic background at all. Athletes of the so-called non-revenue sports tend to be jealous of the attention paid to these teams. I also don’t think the average student spends much thought on the fees because they’re oblivious to what Mom & Dad are paying for them to be there.

(12-24-2019 09:14 PM)Polish Hammer Wrote:  

(12-24-2019 07:08 PM)burden Wrote:  

(12-24-2019 02:32 PM)fallsdog Wrote:  Dang. The last two sentences are harsh. I would like to sit down and listen to the reasoning behind such a negative mindset.

The exact words were every blade of grass on the field has to be perfect for the football team. The inference was way too much attention is being paid to non-academic issues and they didn’t want to be a part of it. They hated they had to help pay for it through fees. Amazingly enough both had been high school athletes (women’s soccer and men’s swimming). I have no idea if they are typical.

I find those thoughts more typical of athletes from those types of sports than the student with no athletic background at all. Athletes of the so-called non-revenue sports tend to be jealous of the attention paid to these teams. I also don’t think the average student spends much thought on the fees because they’re oblivious to what Mom & Dad are paying for them to be there.

As a former athlete from one of those non-revenue sports, I cheer for the football and basketball teams and go to as many games as possible. I went crazy during the 2002 elite 8 run and scheduled my day around the Frisco bowl game. As far as being jealous, I don’t think so. Nobody can match the success of the Golf and Baseball teams. Yes a college World Series is like a college football playoff or final 4. Golf teams finishing in the top 5. I’ll take that over a 2nd rate bowl victory. We cheer for all the teams as Kent alums. Jealous, Not a chance. Proud of my school, yes

It’s been my experience that at almost every university (there are some very few exceptions) only a very small percentage of students ever even go to any game during their entire undergraduate tenure. College sports just aren’t on students’ radars as they have many other interests and pastimes, sometimes even academics! I know it’s hard for us diehard sports fans to fathom, but most college students everywhere don’t care about college sports. It’s not a KSU phenomenon. Even at a school line OSU, sure, thousands of students attend football and basketball games, but that’s out of an enrollment of 63,000 students. The vast majority pay little attention to the revenue sports, except that they make getting around campus a total pain.

I agree 100%, axeme. That is even true at most high schools, although to a somewhat lesser extent.

(12-25-2019 11:30 AM)axeme Wrote:  It’s been my experience that at almost every university (there are some very few exceptions) only a very small percentage of students ever even go to any game during their entire undergraduate tenure. College sports just aren’t on students’ radars as they have many other interests and pastimes, sometimes even academics! I know it’s hard for us diehard sports fans to fathom, but most college students everywhere don’t care about college sports. It’s not a KSU phenomenon. Even at a school line OSU, sure, thousands of students attend football and basketball games, but that’s out of an enrollment of 63,000 students. The vast majority pay little attention to the revenue sports, except that they make getting around campus a total pain.

That’s more or less my point. Why bother marketing to get these students to attend when the vast majority aren’t interested. However I am concerned the student section (in basketball) has dwindled over the 30+years I have been attending. Let’s face it the NCAA isn’t the public’s favorite organization. There is a difference between apathy and dislike.

(12-24-2019 08:37 PM)ilovegymnast Wrote:  I don't think the current Kent students understand how good they have it when it comes to Academic focus that the university has had over the past 20 years. The amount of renovations and newly built buildings go unnoticed. I have brought up the $1 billion 10 year master plan and students had no clue it was going on. For Spring 2020 my general fee is $809 and according to the bursar website roughly 34% of that goes to athletics, which is around $275. That is less than one credit hour extra a semester per student. I don't think students know the actual breakdown to see how little goes to athletics.


https://www.kent.edu/bursar/allocation-i...neral-fees

That’s $2200 over 4 years. If you don’t like the idea that’s a big enough number to upset you (especially when your 20 years old). I also think the fact that athletes don’t pay tuition annoys them a lot more than the fee.

It’s funny. I went to games throughout my academic career and BC era of my life because I liked basketball, was loyal to my school and loved socializing prior to and/or during games.

There’s a fan out there, who may well be on this board and who I am sure has since kicked the habit, that I used to love talking to at halftime over a heater. Shoot, we just loved hoops and loved KSU.