To be fair, a JMU student is paying 2x what a Charlotte student is paying to watch the football game.

(10-28-2014 12:48 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  ...

A band helps a ton and I mean it in a different way than you may think. Just about every band member has family who come to the games, thus band = more people. As evidence, I have a couple sitting next to me, who have a son in the MRD, who purchase 4 season tickets and bring different people with them each week. They have said that once he graduates, they will most likely stop getting the tickets.

...and another MRD family will step in to take their place. And some families will get hooked on the whole experience and continue to support JMU football (and the MRDs) long after their kid graduates.

Anyone who doubts BleedingPurple regarding the impact that a large band has on attendance, stick around for the post-game MRD performance and watch the East stands fill up. Not all of those folks have a direct connection to the MRDs, but many do.

(10-28-2014 12:11 PM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  What's the buzz on why students don't show to games when it seems pretty clear there is a decent alumni demand for Charlotte football?

Its not really that the students "don't show". We are still getting atleast 5-6000 students per game. Its just that we reserve 7500 for them, which is wayyy too many so people see its not 100% full all the time and say "why aren't students showing up?" when really there are more there than most schools I think.

(10-28-2014 02:42 AM)bulldogg Wrote:  

(10-28-2014 01:23 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(10-27-2014 01:28 AM)bulldogg Wrote:  OK, your predictions are 5-3, and I am 4-4. Does that make you football Jesus?

Wrong. You are comparing 2 different things.
Your predictions you have had JMU 1-7, and are 4-4.
My predictions have had JMU 5-3, and am 6-2. The only 2 games I picked wrong were UD (picked JMU to win) and Albany (picked JMU to lose). (And FWIW on Lyric's CAAChallenge site as anyone can see I am 7-1 on JMU games, as I did pick JMU over Albany).

No, not football Jesus. That's for Notre Lame. I use the Goldilocks Principle on here- not too pessimistic like yourself, not too optimistic like a few koolaid drinkers on here (like 1 who claimed JMU was going to run the table 8-0 after the VU loss). But just right..

WRONG! You are 5-3 in your predictions thus far. I am 4-4. You seem to think that is a big difference.

hahahaha this is so funny. Bulldogg you are the best

(10-28-2014 01:18 PM)POTUS#4 Wrote:  

(10-28-2014 12:48 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  ...

A band helps a ton and I mean it in a different way than you may think. Just about every band member has family who come to the games, thus band = more people. As evidence, I have a couple sitting next to me, who have a son in the MRD, who purchase 4 season tickets and bring different people with them each week. They have said that once he graduates, they will most likely stop getting the tickets.

...and another MRD family will step in to take their place. And some families will get hooked on the whole experience and continue to support JMU football (and the MRDs) long after their kid graduates.

Anyone who doubts BleedingPurple regarding the impact that a large band has on attendance, stick around for the post-game MRD performance and watch the East stands fill up. Not all of those folks have a direct connection to the MRDs, but many do.

Absolutely on all points.

The most passionate jmu fans i know are former band geeks.

I say that in the most affectionate way possible. Ive also learned to hate the drumline through their example.

You mention that some MRD parents get hooked on the whole football thing. Happened in my case (note user name!!).

Never used to watch college football at all. Older daughter started at JMU in fall 2006 and joined the MRD's (Actually one of her requirements for a college was a strong marching band!!) We bought the family pack season tickets figuring we would come down a couple times, watch the band and visit with the daughter. Two things happened. One was that I really got hooked on the MRD's as I noted they were really good and that everyone seemed to be having a great time. Number 2 is that I started to enjoy and appreciate the Dukes on the football field. Started coming to every game, making some road trips etc. Daughter graduated in 2010 and we kept coming. Also started to watch and enjoy the Lady Dukes WBB since the daughter played in the Pep Band also, mostly at the WBB games. In fall 2011 the younger daughter started at JMU, is a member of the MRD's and we still come. The wife and I enjoy the days we spend at Bridgeforth, through the highs and lows, enjoy the fans, the valley etc. When younger daughter graduates in May 2015 we will still come.

The school that the wife and I attended had little if any in the way of watchable collegiate sports, don't even think they were Div III at that time. So we had no college sports experience at all, did not know anything about it. It was the MRD's that got us involved in the JMU sports scene!! So as several posters mentioned above, never discount the impact a GOOD (emphasis on good) marching band can have on a sports community. I say good as we have been to a number of schools with mediocre or worse bands and that add nothing, and in some cases were a down right embarrassment to the school. Many kudos to the JMU MRD's, their leaders etc for putting such a fine product on the field and being such great ambassadors for the school!!

Brian

(10-28-2014 03:14 PM)Centdukesfan Wrote:  The most passionate jmu fans i know are former band geeks.

I say that in the most affectionate way possible. Ive also learned to hate the drumline through their example.

Oh, did I forget to mention their child/student is in the drumline???

JMU Student fees to subsidize athletics - $1365 per student

Charlotte Student Fees to subsidize athletics - $735 per student

(10-28-2014 04:00 PM)Dukeman Wrote:  JMU Student fees to subsidize athletics - $1365 per student

Charlotte Student Fees to subsidize athletics - $735 per student

as has been pointed out NUMEROUS times, you can not compare Virginia state school athletic fees to any other state.

North Carolina allows athletic fees to be rolled up into tuition, as do most other states.

(10-28-2014 08:28 AM)jmufan2008 Wrote:  

(10-28-2014 02:42 AM)bulldogg Wrote:  

(10-28-2014 01:23 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(10-27-2014 01:28 AM)bulldogg Wrote:  OK, your predictions are 5-3, and I am 4-4. Does that make you football Jesus?

Wrong. You are comparing 2 different things.
Your predictions you have had JMU 1-7, and are 4-4.
My predictions have had JMU 5-3, and am 6-2. The only 2 games I picked wrong were UD (picked JMU to win) and Albany (picked JMU to lose). (And FWIW on Lyric's CAAChallenge site as anyone can see I am 7-1 on JMU games, as I did pick JMU over Albany).

No, not football Jesus. That's for Notre Lame. I use the Goldilocks Principle on here- not too pessimistic like yourself, not too optimistic like a few koolaid drinkers on here (like 1 who claimed JMU was going to run the table 8-0 after the VU loss). But just right..

WRONG! You are 5-3 in your predictions thus far. I am 4-4. You seem to think that is a big difference.

You're confusing two different stats:
1) WHAT you are predicting, aka JMU's record this year, game-by-game, in the predictions thread for each game:
BDK: 5-3
Bulldogg: 1-7 (you have only predicted them to win 1 game this year in the weekly prediction thread)

2) ACCURACY of your predictions
BDK: 6-2
Bulldogg: 4-4

Thanks- you explained it better than I did. I did point out the only 2 games I was wrong on. Didn't think it was that hard to see (accuracy wise) I was 6-2.

(10-28-2014 08:28 AM)jmufan2008 Wrote:  

(10-28-2014 02:42 AM)bulldogg Wrote:  

(10-28-2014 01:23 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(10-27-2014 01:28 AM)bulldogg Wrote:  OK, your predictions are 5-3, and I am 4-4. Does that make you football Jesus?

Wrong. You are comparing 2 different things.
Your predictions you have had JMU 1-7, and are 4-4.
My predictions have had JMU 5-3, and am 6-2. The only 2 games I picked wrong were UD (picked JMU to win) and Albany (picked JMU to lose). (And FWIW on Lyric's CAAChallenge site as anyone can see I am 7-1 on JMU games, as I did pick JMU over Albany).

No, not football Jesus. That's for Notre Lame. I use the Goldilocks Principle on here- not too pessimistic like yourself, not too optimistic like a few koolaid drinkers on here (like 1 who claimed JMU was going to run the table 8-0 after the VU loss). But just right..

WRONG! You are 5-3 in your predictions thus far. I am 4-4. You seem to think that is a big difference.

You're confusing two different stats:
1) WHAT you are predicting, aka JMU's record this year, game-by-game, in the predictions thread for each game:
BDK: 5-3
Bulldogg: 1-7 (you have only predicted them to win 1 game this year in the weekly prediction thread)

2) ACCURACY of your predictions
BDK: 6-2
Bulldogg: 4-4

You forgot to mention that I was right about three of our losses. 1-7, my ass! Enough already. We will see how the season plays out. Go Dukes!

fine, i'll pat myself on the back.

49erlew and i were closest this week, being off by 5 total points. unless i missed someone's prediction. in which case, i apologize.

(10-23-2014 10:03 AM)Jay M. Youix Wrote:  still picking a JMU win, but it might be ugly.

JMU 45
UNCC 42

(10-22-2014 12:41 PM)49erlew Wrote:  JMU 45
Charlotte 38

(10-28-2014 06:03 PM)bulldogg Wrote:  You forgot to mention that I was right about three of our losses. 1-7, my ass! Enough already. We will see how the season plays out. Go Dukes!

Nope, nobody forgot that part. That's why he said your accuracy for the season was 4-4....

(10-28-2014 03:14 PM)Centdukesfan Wrote:  The most passionate jmu fans i know are former band geeks.

I say that in the most affectionate way possible. Ive also learned to hate the drumline through their example.

This made me laugh out loud. You have been taught well.

(10-28-2014 03:14 PM)Centdukesfan Wrote:  The most passionate jmu fans i know are former band geeks.

I say that in the most affectionate way possible. Ive also learned to hate the drumline through their example.

Hey now...

Drumline is definitely the worst.