(07-29-2022 01:42 PM)Hernando Hills Tiger Wrote:  

(07-29-2022 10:29 AM)Browning Hall Wrote:  

(07-27-2022 11:11 PM)GoDownSwinging Wrote:  

(07-27-2022 10:08 AM)gusrob Wrote:  I hate playing Middle, but we do need to find a way to grow our fan base. Nashville has a largely untapped market. Mostly UTay homers and UK wannabes. There is room to gain a fanbase in Nashville. Nashville has a growing market that's somewhere in the 20s nationwide, as far as tv market.

Unfortunately, it's not going to matter. More people watch Tennessee/Kentucky on the SEC Network, then they watch Memphis on ESPN+ for an 11AM kickoff. The access to watch games on the SEC Network triumphs ESPN+.
People moving into Nashville already have their sport teams. And it's tough falling in love with basketball players nowadays due to the one and done. I always never emotionally attached to Jalen Duren because I always knew he would be a Tiger for 6-8 months. In addition, if a player for the football team performs well, then they're likely to transfer to another college.
As much as I love college athletics, the passion of representing the school, and the passion of the team will start to dwindle over the next few years. That's the toughest part of the whoe new NIL and automatic transfers to me.
In addition, the people in Nashville would much rather drive 3 hours east to Knoxville and spend a weekend in the mountains, than drive 3 hours west to Memphis.
I agreed with what you're thinking, I just it's a tough thing to accomplish. Simply because the opportunities to watch Memphis Tigers athletics just doesn't compare to the SEC schools. Being in the American, obviously, doesn't help.

It’s a short three hour drive to either, and a weekend in Memphis is nothing to sneeze at. Millions do it every year. But I’ve never once followed a sports team based on local tourist attractions.

I've made trips to NOLA for football and basketball games. Been to Baton Rouge for a basketball game as well. The last football game I attended was in Mobile against So. Ala. after a week at the beach.