Just read this thread, kind of shocked where it went. Time is the only way to settle argument. I'm guessing BDK was not at the WVU game. Number of the JMU fans I spoke with hadn't been to a JMU game since college (if ever). Perception is reality.

I really hope we don't see another 10% decline in attendance this year. If we do, we could be relegated to FCS for a long time. No one in the administration is going to interpret a drop in attendance is due to opponents. They are going to view it as general disinterest for JMU football.

Changes is always hard folks. Don't let the old timers on the board fool you into thinking not doing anything different isn't changing.

(08-01-2013 06:16 AM)CharlestonDuke Wrote:  Just read this thread, kind of shocked where it went. Time is the only way to settle argument. I'm guessing BDK was not at the WVU game. Number of the JMU fans I spoke with hadn't been to a JMU game since college (if ever). Perception is reality.

I really hope we don't see another 10% decline in attendance this year. If we do, we could be relegated to FCS for a long time. No one in the administration is going to interpret a drop in attendance is due to opponents. They are going to view it as general disinterest for JMU football.

Changes is always hard folks. Don't let the old timers on the board fool you into thinking not doing anything different isn't changing.

Yep. I met a friend at the wvu game that came down from the Philly area. She had told me point blank in the past that she "loves JMU but couldn't care less about its football team". I was shocked to see her show up 2.5 hours away, with her die hard penn state alum boyfriend in tow, overpriced tickets and an obvious blowout looming. If she showed up, anyone would. Seriously,

(07-31-2013 03:54 PM)jmu82 Wrote:  Awesome. $3.00 ticket giveaways is certainly no indication of attendance issues, right? Yes, a whole lot of stupid going on.

I don't think you can say we have "attendance issues" because we are running a promotion. Heck the first year of the renovated BFS they gave away for free two tickets to the first game to every season ticket holder that purchased by the priority date. If there was no need to run promotions and every game was sold out before the season, it would mean that JMU did not expand enough. I think that 90% of FCS would love to have our "attendance issues".

(07-31-2013 12:26 PM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(07-31-2013 12:14 PM)DolleyMadison Wrote:  

(07-31-2013 10:04 AM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  tuesday/wednesday/thursday games <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Saturday games.

there's just no comparison. none. at all.

Saturday football is fun when people care about it.

I came to a JMU game back in 2001, before all the hype over football, and while the game was on Saturday, no one cared. If at the end of the day we stay CAA, people are going to slowly not care about going as much. Its won't be because they dont love JMU any less but its hard to buy into a water downed FCS product.

I am all about not playing during the week but I will take the OCCASIONAL weekday game (lets not be over dramatic and pretend like week day games become the norm) vs. staying in the CAA and watch our attendance numbers slowly drop to around sub-12,000 fans.

Talk about being overdramatic. The only way JMU's attendance drops to under 12k fans is if JMU turned in multiple 0 to 4 win seasons in row.

JMU could stay in IAA and if were 7+ wins every season and making the playoffs
every season attendance would stay above 20k.

While I agree with you, keep in mind that we aren't that far gone from back to back 6-5 seasons.

I'm not saying we are going to drop below 12K in attendance, but if we keep playing ~.500 football at an FCS level, while both our "peers" and our in-state friends move up to FBS, you'd be crazy to not expect a drop in attendance.

Also, keep in mind that JMU had the perfect storm. I got to JMU in 2002 and I can attest that no one on campus cared about the football games. Football got popular on campus sometime during the 2004 season when a) we started winning and b) tailgating got crazy. Then we won the national championship and had some successful seasons to follow, tailgating got even crazier, and the interest continued to grow.

Present day, we aren't winning as much (not much to brag about since 2008), and tailgating has flattened out (particularly for students, being relegated to the tiny convo lot).


All that being said, anyone else realize that from here until the Super Bowl, there will be some type of football on TV every weekend? Thank you football gods!

(08-01-2013 06:31 AM)Potomac Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 06:16 AM)CharlestonDuke Wrote:  Just read this thread, kind of shocked where it went. Time is the only way to settle argument. I'm guessing BDK was not at the WVU game. Number of the JMU fans I spoke with hadn't been to a JMU game since college (if ever). Perception is reality.

I really hope we don't see another 10% decline in attendance this year. If we do, we could be relegated to FCS for a long time. No one in the administration is going to interpret a drop in attendance is due to opponents. They are going to view it as general disinterest for JMU football.

Changes is always hard folks. Don't let the old timers on the board fool you into thinking not doing anything different isn't changing.

Yep. I met a friend at the wvu game that came down from the Philly area. She had told me point blank in the past that she "loves JMU but couldn't care less about its football team". I was shocked to see her show up 2.5 hours away, with her die hard penn state alum boyfriend in tow, overpriced tickets and an obvious blowout looming. If she showed up, anyone would. Seriously,

Your argument here is because you saw someone at the WVU game who doesn't normally attend JMU games (shocker), that means if we don't go I-A people who do normally attend JMU games will stop coming?

You should work on your argument.

Here's one, I root fer Dukes. I'm going to keep rooting fer Dukes no matter what. The rest of you who only conditionally root if the program is doing what they think they should can shove off and get back to your God complex.

We all root for the dukes... Telling a largely untapped fan base to shove it because they don't like FCS football is moronic. At least be the guy with the chip on his shoulder who can claim to have been a fan before we were FBS.

(07-31-2013 07:16 PM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(07-31-2013 04:50 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  I just looked up the Mount Union Raiders, 11 NCs and a winning percentage that is top in the nation. Largest crowd in history of program, 8,900. They must have allowed people to stand on the track b/c their stadium is about 25 seats tall between the 30 yard lines. Average attendance not listed...best not to highlight disinterest...

Who you play matters, if you think remaining fcs wont cause a huge hit in attendance you're living in denial.

Making a comparison with a small, private, non scholly Div III with 2200 undergrads..

And you need to learn quote function (see your post above). Had to go back and edit to fix the quotes so you can tell who is quoting who and what...

Another poster said winning is all that matters at ANY level. I provided an example of a program with a very high winning percentage and little support then you criticize me for making the comparison between a large public and a small private...until Alger communicates his expectations of JMU athletics, let us all continue to cross examine every word of coaches/fans/commissioners/news paper reporters/ESPN analyst/JMU profs/ADs and most importantly, each other.

(08-01-2013 07:46 AM)CharlestonDuke Wrote:  We all root for the dukes... Telling a largely untapped fan base to shove it because they don't like FCS football is moronic. At least be the guy with the chip on his shoulder who can claim to have been a fan before we were FBS.

Yep. As much as I wanted to, I don't sit there and say "where've you been?! You fake fan you!". I thank them for coming to our tailgate, help them have fun, and hope they come back in the future.

The talk around JMU the last 10 years (after the national championship, increase in attendance, and the new stadium) has been when will JMU move up. The bad PR over the last 2 years had made JMU look like they werent prepared for conference realignment and that they would only consider a move as a last resort. We are now at that last resort. If we don't move up now, I don't know if we ever will. And your average JMU fan (not the people on these boards) will lose interest in JMU committing to a lower level of competition after all that has been invested in the program. People who think we will continue averaging over 20k after all the apathy that has taken place among the fan base, and watching schools that dont have half of our potential leap frog us, is kidding themselves.

(08-01-2013 08:58 AM)fanofallthatisjmu Wrote:  This thread has gotten derailed, so I am going to help it continue down that path...

with the addition of the UNCC game, I am seriously considering not going to the SFU game. I am planning on going to the UD game and possibly the Akron game. That would be quite a lot of weekends in a row to be traveling. The least interesting game to me is that SFU matchup which is why it is on the chopping block. In addition, that weekend is the TexA&M v Bama game. Honestly, I would rather sit at home and watch that game then watch JMU play SFU. The only thing that has me going back to games is the tailgating with my friends and the overall atmosphere. Playing 3 cupcakes (CCSU, SFU, and UNCC) does not interest me. In the end, I probably will end up going but this is the first time I have seriously considered not going to a JMU home game if I could make it.


I love, love, love college football. I have always tuned into the Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday games, much to my wife's chagrin. Basically, I am a crack addict for it. I love watching it on tv and I love attending the games in person. JMU moving up will not change how much I love the sport and need my fix. But my fix (dealer) has usually been JMU football. If they start putting out an inferior product (by continuing playing teams that are so overmatched or that noone cares about) that i have to travel 2 hours for versus getting a better product, and can get a lot more of it from my own living room; its something that I will think long and hard about.

Don't say "not going", simply say that you will be giving that game's tickets to a friend. That's what I will be doing. I have four and will give the St. Francis tickets to a friend who has a family of four. Great way to keep them as your friend. Its actually a good game to take kids to, you can leave early due to the score.

I'm starting to get this feeling that that St. Francis game is going to be a dud. Likely a weak crowd and a blowout to boot.

(08-01-2013 08:58 AM)fanofallthatisjmu Wrote:  This thread has gotten derailed, so I am going to help it continue down that path...

with the addition of the UNCC game, I am seriously considering not going to the SFU game. I am planning on going to the UD game and possibly the Akron game. That would be quite a lot of weekends in a row to be traveling. The least interesting game to me is that SFU matchup which is why it is on the chopping block. In addition, that weekend is the TexA&M v Bama game. Honestly, I would rather sit at home and watch that game then watch JMU play SFU. The only thing that has me going back to games is the tailgating with my friends and the overall atmosphere. Playing 3 cupcakes (CCSU, SFU, and UNCC) does not interest me. In the end, I probably will end up going but this is the first time I have seriously considered not going to a JMU home game if I could make it.


I love, love, love college football. I have always tuned into the Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday games, much to my wife's chagrin. Basically, I am a crack addict for it. I love watching it on tv and I love attending the games in person. JMU moving up will not change how much I love the sport and need my fix. But my fix (dealer) has usually been JMU football. If they start putting out an inferior product (by continuing playing teams that are so overmatched or that noone cares about) that i have to travel 2 hours for versus getting a better product, and can get a lot more of it from my own living room; its something that I will think long and hard about.

JMU will still play cupcakes after we move up, its just what we classify as a cupcake might change from SFU/CCSU to W&M/Liberty. But we'll still have to pad that win column if we want a shot at bowl games.

(08-01-2013 10:44 AM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  I'm starting to get this feeling that that St. Francis game is going to be a dud. Likely a weak crowd and a blowout to boot.

Blowout? Great!!! That's wonderful...I sincerely hope that prediction holds true.

I want Bird and the team to have a chance to work out some of the bugs in the new O, and for the D to jell with the second string guys getting some real-game experience as subs so JMU develops some depth (and confidence) at positions like CB and DT, and most importantly, that JMU escapes with a W and without injuries.

And will I enjoy the heck out of the first game day festivities (tailgating, seeing the new intro, the MRDs in their new unis, the fireworks)...and hopefully, the final score!!!

There will be plenty of future games that will really challenge the Dukes, and I hope to enjoy those contests too...but you can be dam# sure that anytime the Dukes play at home I'll be there to enjoy the experience of supporting my team.

(PS..Fan you'd stay home to watch A&M? Johnny FB vs. 'Bama? meh ..."aggies"...just the sound of that nickname makes me retch. The only good thing that ever came out of College Station was Lyle Lovett...one of the more "handsome" aggies at that).

(08-01-2013 10:42 AM)fanofallthatisjmu Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 10:36 AM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  Don't say "not going", simply say that you will be giving that game's tickets to a friend. That's what I will be doing. I have four and will give the St. Francis tickets to a friend who has a family of four. Great way to keep them as your friend. Its actually a good game to take kids to, you can leave early due to the score.

Good catch as that is what I would be doing

Isn't there also a program through the ticket office where they'll give your tickets to a servicemember family or youth group? No guarantee of use there, but a better chance than if you just leave them sitting on the coffee table.

I'm pretty sure any game featuring JMU is the marquee game of the weekend. Everything else takes a back seat.

(08-01-2013 04:50 AM)Mad victory Wrote:  

(07-31-2013 03:34 PM)DolleyMadison Wrote:  Sorry, my assumption was based on the other 97% of FCS schools that are averaging below 20,000 fans.

Some of you sound like JMU basketball fans in the 80's and 90's scoffing at anyone that would ever dare suggest JMU basketball would only average 2-3k fans a game.

The more FBS gets watered down with these schools moving up, the even less FCS schools will be respected nationally. On top of that, we now have 3 FBS schools (soon to be 4 with Liberty) competing for time in the media spot light.

Maybe 12,000 was to low (maybe it wasn't) but it won't be long until we are backing to averaging under 15k if we stay in the CAA.

The assumption you made is based on schools that have never hit 20,000, never will hit it, and don't even have the capacity for it. The only schools you should make comparisons to are schools like app state and Montana that have maintained FBS sized crowds for years because of great fan bases and continued success in FCS. We lost basketball fans because we lost basketball games, and for no other reason. I would like to see us make a change, but to say we will lose half our fans if we continue to win in our conference is crazy, and I don't think you would be able to find an example of this happening anywhere.

+1

(08-01-2013 06:16 AM)CharlestonDuke Wrote:  Just read this thread, kind of shocked where it went. Time is the only way to settle argument. I'm guessing BDK was not at the WVU game. Number of the JMU fans I spoke with hadn't been to a JMU game since college (if ever). Perception is reality.

I really hope we don't see another 10% decline in attendance this year. If we do, we could be relegated to FCS for a long time. No one in the administration is going to interpret a drop in attendance is due to opponents. They are going to view it as general disinterest for JMU football.

Changes is always hard folks. Don't let the old timers on the board fool you into thinking not doing anything different isn't changing.

You would be guessing wrong.

I know its tooting my own horn here, but I might have the longest football games attended streak on this board. Gone to 12 straight- starting off with @ NDSU, and that included @ URI and @ Maine last yr. Last one I missed was @ EKU...

(08-01-2013 12:55 PM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 06:16 AM)CharlestonDuke Wrote:  Just read this thread, kind of shocked where it went. Time is the only way to settle argument. I'm guessing BDK was not at the WVU game. Number of the JMU fans I spoke with hadn't been to a JMU game since college (if ever). Perception is reality.

I really hope we don't see another 10% decline in attendance this year. If we do, we could be relegated to FCS for a long time. No one in the administration is going to interpret a drop in attendance is due to opponents. They are going to view it as general disinterest for JMU football.

Changes is always hard folks. Don't let the old timers on the board fool you into thinking not doing anything different isn't changing.

You would be guessing wrong.

I know its tooting my own horn here, but I might have the longest football games attended streak on this board. Gone to 12 straight- starting off with @ NDSU, and that included @ URI and @ Maine last yr. Last one I missed was @ EKU...

There was a single digit poster that has been to 29 consecutive if I remember correctly. Your streak is longer than mine, but I did go to 9 of 11 last year. Hopefully 11 of 12 this year, we'll see.

Last year I missed at uri and at Maine, this year no unh game, just too far.

(08-01-2013 01:02 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 12:55 PM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 06:16 AM)CharlestonDuke Wrote:  Just read this thread, kind of shocked where it went. Time is the only way to settle argument. I'm guessing BDK was not at the WVU game. Number of the JMU fans I spoke with hadn't been to a JMU game since college (if ever). Perception is reality.

I really hope we don't see another 10% decline in attendance this year. If we do, we could be relegated to FCS for a long time. No one in the administration is going to interpret a drop in attendance is due to opponents. They are going to view it as general disinterest for JMU football.

Changes is always hard folks. Don't let the old timers on the board fool you into thinking not doing anything different isn't changing.

You would be guessing wrong.

I know its tooting my own horn here, but I might have the longest football games attended streak on this board. Gone to 12 straight- starting off with @ NDSU, and that included @ URI and @ Maine last yr. Last one I missed was @ EKU...

There was a single digit poster that has been to 29 consecutive if I remember correctly. Your streak is longer than mine, but I did go to 9 of 11 last year. Hopefully 11 of 12 this year, we'll see.

Last year I missed at uri and at Maine, this year no unh game, just too far.

Hum. Wonder who that is? There was only about 3 doz of us @ NDSU and @ Maine last season. Maybe around 50-100 or so @ URI last season. I remembered scanning faces at the Maine game and not remembering anyone from the URI game, but I certainly could be missing someone...

(08-01-2013 11:00 AM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 10:44 AM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  I'm starting to get this feeling that that St. Francis game is going to be a dud. Likely a weak crowd and a blowout to boot.

Blowout? Great!!! That's wonderful...I sincerely hope that prediction holds true.

I want Bird and the team to have a chance to work out some of the bugs in the new O, and for the D to jell with the second string guys getting some real-game experience as subs so JMU develops some depth (and confidence) at positions like CB and DT, and most importantly, that JMU escapes with a W and without injuries.

And will I enjoy the heck out of the first game day festivities (tailgating, seeing the new intro, the MRDs in their new unis, the fireworks)...and hopefully, the final score!!!
There will be plenty of future games that will really challenge the Dukes, and I hope to enjoy those contests too...but you can be dam# sure that anytime the Dukes play at home I'll be there to enjoy the experience of supporting my team.

(PS..Fan you'd stay home to watch A&M? Johnny FB vs. 'Bama? meh ..."aggies"...just the sound of that nickname makes me retch. The only good thing that ever came out of College Station was Lyle Lovett...one of the more "handsome" aggies at that).

Longhorn, you didn't say it, but you're leading me to think you believe St. Francis to be the first game. Maybe, I read too much into your post, if I didn't, FYI: CCSU is the first game. I don't think there will be a problem having a decent crowd for that first game, but like last year's game against Alcorn State, it was a pretty weak crowd as it was the 2nd home game. Many on here are questioning going to that Sept. 14th game this year as well. However, last years crowd was reduced due to the weather as they delayed the kick-off for an hour.