(12-12-2017 05:07 PM)Rocco Wrote:  I'm not sure how you can say I'm being a contrarian when I'm saying they should sell alcohol at games. I'm simply disagreeing with it doing all that much to either make money or grow the fanbase. It's a nice thing to have. There are deeper structural problems. The product is most important, and that's what is lacking now as compared to when most of us were at W&M.

Surprise! I totally disagree with you!

In 1976, the team was 1-A, played before a full student section, had a tailgate lot behind the west stands that was glorious, had a marching band, you got a cup with your RC that was sold by vendors in the stands, re-entry galore, the frats had kegs in the stands, the halftime at Homecoming was something else, and students never had to wait in a long line to enter the stadium. Oh, and the team was 7-4.

In 2017, the team is 1-AA, plays before an empty student section, the tailgate lot is gone, the marching band is gone, the vendors and cups are gone, the frats are "gone", the kegs are gone, re-entry is gone, halftime at Homecoming was a shell of its former self, and students had to wait in line at Homecoming, and many didn't get in until the second quarter. Oh, and the team was 2-9.

Think the atmosphere had anything to do with W's and L's in 1976? In 2017?

If you want to prioritize the team, and not the atmosphere, be my guest. The deep structural problems lie in the atmosphere, and are exhibited by all of the things that were there in 1976, and were not there in 2017. The nice shiny new stands, unfortunately, are masking the atmosphere issues.

Yes, cups, t-shirts, and alcohol are small things, but in the scheme of things, sometimes it's the small things that are most important.