(09-08-2009 03:32 PM)ColoradoEagle Wrote: I posted this thought on GMG, but figure more people will see it here. I'm not trying to disrespect TS-SM, but how would the school draw fans to gameday if and when the move to FBS came about? Trying to pull from Austin is a no win situation, and if and when UT-SA gets their program into FBS, will the Bobcats draw at all from SA?
San Marcos is such a small town, and kind of in between a rock and a hard place when it comes to luring casual fans. Just my honest opinion, it feels like UT-SA has more of an upside.
You make an excellent point. Texas State is both blessed and cursed by our location. The Austin media market has always been and will continue to be controlled by the University of Texas. They are the 'pro' team for Austin's 1.2 Million person metro area. They have a storied history, and they are nationally competitive in nearly every sport they compete in.
San Antonio's metro population is now over 2 Million people. They have a variety of entertainment options, including several minor league teams, and the Spurs. They have been starving for an NFL or an FBS team that they can call their own for decades. If UTSA can manage to get themselves in that position, Texas State may have a hard time gaining a large foothold in that community.
This is why I am less concerned with Austin and San Antonio proper, and more interested in the inbetweeners along the I-35 corridor. These two cities are growing together at a feverish pace and San Marcos (located on the Interstate, 30 minutes from Austin / 45 minutes from NE San Antonio) can benefit from this.
What we need to do is win the fight at home, and spread the message outward. San Marcos' estimated population is just over 50,000 people. Combine this with 30,000 students and you have enough to fill the some of the larger stadiums in the country. However, lets face it, not everyone is going to attend Bobcat Stadium.
Next, look at Hays County (San Marcos' home), which is quickly becoming the bedroom community for those who want to escape Austin's chaos. Hays' population is greater than 100,000 residents and increasing like crazy. Neighboring Comal and Guadalupe Counties are doing the same thing for people who work in San Antonio, but hate the city. Comal's population is over 80,000 residents and Guadalupe is greater than 90,000.
People travel fairly fluidly between these cities / counties on a regular basis, and so there is no reason to believe that they wouldn't travel to the games if they adopted the team. If I am a fan from this mid-cities area, I see Texas State being able to offer the College game experience that is 30 minutes from home that does not have the excessive costs of a UT game, and does not have the traffic/urban issues that one experiences trying to get into downtown Austin or San Antonio.
If done correctly, Texas State's fanbase could target Austin and San Antonio but would not necessarily need it (except for media coverage). Which we are already getting from Austin and San Antonio affiliates. News 8 Austin, has an office in San Marcos currently and KSAT San Antonio has one in New Braunfels (Comal County). Right now they cover Bobcat athletics whether it is a 700 person basketball game or a sold-out crowd at Bobcat Stadium. They recognize when their reader/viewer base is turned on to something. If we can get significant buzz about our sports, we will get increased presence.
However, there in lies the rub, we have to get excitement around the program before fans and the media start to take interest. If maintain a winning tradition, we will sell tickets, this will cause more sellouts, and we can expand the stadium, again sell more tickets, and it builds upon itself.