(03-01-2013 08:28 PM)Rocket A Wrote:  That schedule is awful as far as I am concerned!!!

4 of the first 5 on the road.

No MAC home Games in September.

One MAC Home Game in October.

Three MAC Home Games in November.

Back to back weekday night home games, in November.

The only positive, that I can come up with is 9 Saturday games.

4 of the first 5 on the road is the price you pay for playing with the big boys the first two which will always be on the road. You cant join them if you dont play them. It is what it is.

(03-01-2013 08:28 PM)Rocket A Wrote:  That schedule is awful as far as I am concerned!!!

4 of the first 5 on the road.

No MAC home Games in September.

One MAC Home Game in October.

Three MAC Home Games in November.

Back to back weekday night home games, in November.

The only positive, that I can come up with is 9 Saturday games.

A schedule like that certainly isn't going to threaten any home attendance records, for sure.

(03-01-2013 11:22 PM)Pappylizard Wrote:  4 of the first 5 on the road is the price you pay for playing with the big boys the first two which will always be on the road. You cant join them if you dont play them. It is what it is.

Yup, good point. I love the content, hate to logistics. This is a tough schedule. The road schedule is just a bear.

(03-02-2013 12:06 AM)T-Town Wrote:  

(03-01-2013 08:28 PM)Rocket A Wrote:  That schedule is awful as far as I am concerned!!!

4 of the first 5 on the road.

No MAC home Games in September.

One MAC Home Game in October.

Three MAC Home Games in November.

Back to back weekday night home games, in November.

The only positive, that I can come up with is 9 Saturday games.

A schedule like that certainly isn't going to threaten any home attendance records, for sure.

Without a doubt. It will be tough to even average 20,000 I'm sure.

I know that there has been a lot of displeasure among the Rocket faithful in regards to the MAC's scheduling of weeknight ESPN games. I totally understand this displeasure. It would be awesome to have a packed Glass Bowl for a Saturday night showdown with Northern Illinois for the West Division title. The attendance numbers for Saturday games would surely be better than weeknight games. The caveat to that, however, is Toledo would receive little to no national exposure by not playing any weekday ESPN games. As passionate fans of this program, we so strongly desire for Toledo to reach the mid-major power status of Boise State and TCU. We want our team to be recognized nationally as one of the best programs in the country. The problem is, if they don't play on ESPN, no one outside of the MAC will know much about them. It's a tradeoff. If they play all of their games on Saturdays, the likelihood of them having any games on ESPN is very slim.There are just too many other teams from the BCS conferences playing on Saturdays that there won't be any room on the ESPN schedule for a MAC game. So it's either a packed Glass Bowl on Saturdays or national exposure during the week. I know it's not fair and it's not the way it should be, but it's the reality. Whatever the schedule is, let's cheer on our Rockets to many MAC Championships in the future!

I've rethought it. I don't like the wait to see the Rockets play, but that really is a great schedule. Saturday games, means I'll actually get to see the end of the games. Home NAVY!!! Can't imagine how my urge to vent made me miss that.

I agree the delayed home games and BG away will probably sour the attendance BUT if someone at UT actually starts listening to some of us on the boards trying to explain what people in this town are looking for... Huntington fills up for hockey not because they win, because the fans are kept involved. They FEEL like Walleye, not someone there to watch a game on a 3-D tv. Concerts to aging rockers fill up for the same reasons. Those rockers know how to make people feel like rockers themselves.

TRADITION: TEACH the ones you got and make up new ones that would be fun. Fuzzy hat night. Mask-outs.... The talent to accomplish these things is there, just look at the videos. It's simply a matter of planting enough bodies throughout the stadium to lead the cheers until they are learned. Using the video board and the announcer to teach and invite people to sing the alma mater (whether they went there or not)..... Game atmosphere should start before the game starts but can't count on the local paper for that. Still, people should feel the game as soon as they hit the parking lots. Those people that go there just to "watch" a game will still go. A few of those fan planners will start to trickle down to better seats making room for new fan planners. Students will hang around a bit longer because what is happening at the game is more fun than what is happening at the dorm or bar.

Keep the fireworks. Those are still nice.

I agree, Eastisbest...and the Walleye haven't even been very good (missed the playoffs the past 2 seasons and look like they're trying to find a way to just miss them again this year as we head down the stretch). But it's the fan-focused environment that brings families & makes new fans.

I've said before, in addition, the football program needs to reach out more intentionally to the community--both students and non. We have a young coaching staff that, in the off season, could help make more connections that might pay off during the season. We don't really feel like we "own" our Rocket athletes (with the notable exception of the Lady Rockets bball team).

(03-02-2013 09:27 AM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  I agree, Eastisbest...and the Walleye haven't even been very good (missed the playoffs the past 2 seasons and look like they're trying to find a way to just miss them again this year as we head down the stretch). But it's the fan-focused environment that brings families & makes new fans.

I've said before, in addition, the football program needs to reach out more intentionally to the community--both students and non. We have a young coaching staff that, in the off season, could help make more connections that might pay off during the season. We don't really feel like we "own" our Rocket athletes (with the notable exception of the Lady Rockets bball team).

Interesting, that. no question that Tricia cullop is an amazing coach and person but the women's program has been "owned" by the people since nearly its inception. Traditions and activities surrounding the program have come and gone but by and large the program has continued to thrive through good times and bad. I don't hear or see Coach K or Campbell out in the community like I do Tricia. I swear she has several clones. Fan tunnels, clubs, trips, etc all build that feeling of "our team" as opposed to just "let's go see a game". I think the community outreach is the key but I don't really know that fennely or the guy after him (God my memory sucks) did much of that.

Win! Win the MAC West! Win the MACC! Win the Bowl game! Beat some good OOC opponents! Do it consistently and the Glass Bowl with be packed-whether it's a midweek or Saturday game.

There's a lot to learn from the women's program simply because how it has faired, fan interest wise relative to other women's programs.

Women's team had a generally winning program and with women's attendance, everything is relative. They didn't "fill" the place. What is different with the Cullop era, and it may be her doing or that of someone else, is that it's a fun place to be even before the game.

Football is harder without great expenditure, isn't it? The challenge is to do it with sweat equity, the things already in place. The team and the coaches DO go out in the community, to schools and to hospitals. That doesn't necessarily translate to tickets or to things to do pre-game or post game (when post game isn't 2am).

It seems like people in this town have forgotten how to have fun. They might need someone to show them.

How do you get that football atmosphere out into the public? A camera feed to the internet (or even CH13-2 type stations) showing the tail-gating. I really would hope they can find a way to promote tail-gating, getting people to the games early. I would love to see people pouring out of the Old Orchard neighborhood, heading to the game. I'd recruit fans like crazy in that neighborhood. They are the ones with most potential for ownership.

I like the idea of that new outdoor video board running consistently during tailgating, showing pump-up videos. I like (my :) ) idea of a "call to game," so that the stadium stands are full and chanting BEFORE the players come out. Break the band into small groups to lead the various tail-gates to the game? The band does a lot of work already but they and the various cheer groups are the most visible.

Sounds, smells and sights.

People walking up to the stadium to see a gauntlet of the Hall of Famers' posters instead of under that dreary stands/concession area but that's $$$.

Pump em up to get there. Pump em up on their way there. Pump em up once they are there. Send them home weary.

(03-02-2013 10:11 AM)eastisbest Wrote:  There's a lot to learn from the women's program simply because how it has faired, fan interest wise relative to other women's programs.

Women's team had a generally winning program and with women's attendance, everything is relative. They didn't "fill" the place. What is different with the Cullop era, and it may be her doing or that of someone else, is that it's a fun place to be even before the game.

Football is harder without great expenditure, isn't it? The challenge is to do it with sweat equity, the things already in place. The team and the coaches DO go out in the community, to schools and to hospitals. That doesn't necessarily translate to tickets or to things to do pre-game or post game (when post game isn't 2am).

It seems like people in this town have forgotten how to have fun. They might need someone to show them.

How do you get that football atmosphere out into the public? A camera feed to the internet (or even CH13-2 type stations) showing the tail-gating. I really would hope they can find a way to promote tail-gating, getting people to the games early. I would love to see people pouring out of the Old Orchard neighborhood, heading to the game. I'd recruit fans like crazy in that neighborhood. They are the ones with most potential for ownership.

I like the idea of that new outdoor video board running consistently during tailgating, showing pump-up videos. I like (my :) ) idea of a "call to game," so that the stadium stands are full and chanting BEFORE the players come out. Break the band into small groups to lead the various tail-gates to the game? The band does a lot of work already but they and the various cheer groups are the most visible.

Sounds, smells and sights.

People walking up to the stadium to see a gauntlet of the Hall of Famers' posters instead of under that dreary stands/concession area but that's $$$.

Pump em up to get there. Pump em up on their way there. Pump em up once they are there. Send them home weary.

COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER!!!!!! PAINT YOUR FACE BE LOUD AND PROUD!!!!!!!! GO ROCKETS!!!!!

The reason the MAC has weeknight games in Novemeber is because the MAC attendance plummets in November when the weather turns. Might as well schedule for TV and get some exposure. I do not believe fans would come out significantly more for a game on Saturday in November to justify the tradeoff of lack of exposure

I hate the week night games too. But, it must be helpful financially or the MAC wouldn't do it. It probably is beneficial for recruiting also. I see other conferences play weekday games in front of packed stadiums. The real question is what is wrong with UT's fan base.

(03-02-2013 10:54 AM)indianasniff Wrote:  The reason the MAC has weeknight games in Novemeber is because the MAC attendance plummets in November when the weather turns. Might as well schedule for TV and get some exposure. I do not believe fans would come out significantly more for a game on Saturday in November to justify the tradeoff of lack of exposure

No offense but I think you are wrong! I bet there will be more people in Nov on Sat vs EMU than weeknight at 8pm vs NIU. Try taking a younger kid to the game that starts on a weeknight at 8. Try traveling from Akron, Pitt or the Nati for weeknight game. Atmosphere just stinks! Sitting in an empty lot 10 three hours before a weekday game is a total buzz kill.
I understand having one home game for TV and one road game but back to back games at home is not acceptable and this is where the MAC needs to stand up and tell ESPN NO!!! Im sure Buffalo on Sat Oct 12th would draw 5-8K more than it will in the middle of the week in Nov.
If we only had one weekday home game i'm sure people would be much happier. If the Toledo vs. Buffalo game is a repeat of last years game I doubt it does us any good for exposure anyway.

(03-02-2013 01:34 PM)UTCHARGER73 Wrote:  

(03-02-2013 10:54 AM)indianasniff Wrote:  The reason the MAC has weeknight games in Novemeber is because the MAC attendance plummets in November when the weather turns. Might as well schedule for TV and get some exposure. I do not believe fans would come out significantly more for a game on Saturday in November to justify the tradeoff of lack of exposure

No offense but I think you are wrong! I bet there will be more people in Nov on Sat vs EMU than weeknight at 8pm vs NIU. Try taking a younger kid to the game that starts on a weeknight at 8. Try traveling from Akron, Pitt or the Nati for weeknight game. Atmosphere just stinks! Sitting in an empty lot 10 three hours before a weekday game is a total buzz kill.
I understand having one home game for TV and one road game but back to back games at home is not acceptable and this is where the MAC needs to stand up and tell ESPN NO!!! Im sure Buffalo on Sat Oct 12th would draw 5-8K more than it will in the middle of the week in Nov.
If we only had one weekday home game i'm sure people would be much happier. If the Toledo vs. Buffalo game is a repeat of last years game I doubt it does us any good for exposure anyway.

I think it depends on the opponent and the magnitude of the game. Do, I like the weeknight games, as a college student yes but now as an alum, no. It sucks because Saturday is a day for football. I don't know how much extra it pays off that a game will be on national tv or not for the league. As far as national exposure and NIU, I think before the Orange Bowl those weeknight games were good for us and they may be bigger now since more people know of us. It definitely hurts attendance being in the cold, late at night, and people having obligations the next day. As far as atmosphere, as I said it has to do with opponent and magnitude of game. The Toledo/NIU game wasn't well attended, and it was brutally cold. Attendance was just under 18k but I thought the atmosphere was great. Loud student section, good tailgating and a bunch of NIU fans who rlly dislike Toledo. Now I can use a reference from going to the NIU at WMU game, I thought the atmosphere sucked. It was a beautiful day, and there wasn't anyone there. I drove in to town and the first tailgate lot had all NIU flags waving. We went to the bar, couldn't have been 20 people in there and it was right across the street. Only 12-13k at the game and WMU fans weren't loud. Like I said, it has a variety of factors. I bet 20k go to the late season NIU weeknight game and it will be cold, crappy out, but your fans will be into it. But I bet the Buffalo game will lack the bang you want on national tv. I highly doubt more people go to the EMU game than the NIU one though.

Jambulance may be up for sale soon...

(03-02-2013 01:55 PM)RangerRocket Wrote:  Jambulance may be up for sale soon...

WHAT NO WAY???

Hope the Navy game is a Saturday afternoon.

The MAC will get it's national exposure from weekday games. It will help recruiting. It will help the bottom line with dollars. When they get to their goal (whatever that is), the fan base will be gone.

(03-01-2013 03:16 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  4 of the first 5 on the road. Then 5 of 6 at home (with the 1 road game @ bgSUCKS). So the team won't truly travel anywhere for about 2 months.

You have a great SOS(wish NIU had something comparable) and if you do well in the first 5 weeks you should get ranked during the season.
If Toledo loses early, the season could go South, and your fan attendance during the week games could suffer greatly.
This made for TV schedule really hurts fan attendance.
Hopefully the NIU game against Toledo will feature two ranked teams.