Give hockey a shot (no pun intended).

(07-28-2015 10:37 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Give hockey a shot (no pun intended).

Who is going to start the programs?

I'd rather try to get Arizona State in our hockey conference, and talk the NCHC into adding Bowling Green in to level out the numbers, so both of our fellow MAC hockey playing schools are in the same conference.

(07-28-2015 10:06 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  Is there any other sport than football?....

Yeah, actually there is. If you draw a blank, you might ask your fellow CUSA class of 2005 member UTEP, they probably know the answer. If they won't tell you, there's probably some former CUSA schools in the AAC that can clue you in.

(07-28-2015 06:45 PM)GalliaCat Wrote:  

(07-23-2015 12:54 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  NIU doesn't really have a school the next town over, WMU is the closest at 3+ hours away from DeKalb (at least), the others are all farther. Someone else already mentioned that the MAC prefers exposure on TV to attendance, by putting all the big games on Tuesday nights in November, the coldest time of the football season.

NIU has also had some piss poor OOC scheduling for over a decade, though our new AD is rectifying that.

This is why NIU should advocate for Illinois State to join the conference. It would set up a great in state rivalry that would be more likely to draw a crowd late in the season and on a bad weather day. But every time anyone brings ISU up NIU fans lose their minds in protest.

I would actually love ISU to join the MAC purely from a rivalry stand point. However, what i DONT love is some snot nosed little jerk running around claiming NIU is a worse school in: football, academics, research funding, and national perception. All while masquerading as an Illness fan cuz he's too ashamed to even put his real school down...

Also he makes up facts then ignores the ones you present.

(07-28-2015 11:14 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 10:37 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Give hockey a shot (no pun intended).

Who is going to start the programs?

Wasn't suggesting that anyone would start a new program, I was just directing my comment towards MUHERD, who implied that football was the only sport to follow.

(07-28-2015 05:32 PM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 04:06 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 02:50 PM)Bull_In_Exile Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 12:31 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 11:00 AM)perimeterpost Wrote:  you're insane if you don't schedule an FCS team every year. Its a near guaranteed win and wins are much more important than attendance.

NIU's ADs ran with that concept for 8 of the last 11 years. Its gotten us a bump in wins but not in attendance other then our instate FCS games.

After this year its expected that, under our current AD, NIU will not schedule a FCS team unless its absolutely needed to have a 6th home game. I am not sure on his stands of in state FCS teams. It seems that he likes to schedule weak FCS teams for the guarantee win rather than good FCS teams and risk the loss.

The math works like this..

If you have a payday game then you need an FCS game for 6.

NIU does have 1 money game in 17, 18, and 21 but not a single FCS game. No FCS teams are scheduled after this year...though I am thinking we will have one next year to fill in our schedule after our AD couldn't work any more magic this close to the next season.

If you want six home games and you have one pay day game you need an FCS game to fill in the difference.. There is a chance your 1:1's will fall in such a way to let you get away with it but that just creates a home game debt later.

I get what you are saying now.

Ya some years the schedule looks great and other years well we will see how they fill out.

(07-28-2015 10:06 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 06:57 PM)GalliaCat Wrote:  

(07-25-2015 11:03 AM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  If I were Mac commissioner....

Schools that are not keeping up with the 15K minimum regularly would be gone. Make it part of your bylaws that any conference affiliated schools have to keep the 15K minimum attendance to remain a member. For those that don't, let them go and bring in schools that have invested in athletics and has a vision to improve year after year. North Dakota State, JMU, Delaware and a few others would be nice improvements that have good upside and is committed to having a good program.

Marshall fans care about one sport and one sport only and that's football. Based on the results of its other sports it shows. Conferences do have other sports. Perhaps CUSA fans should worry about its warts and not warts of other conferences.

Is there any other sport than football?....

This is why Marshall is a one trick pony. Your others programs struggle to be competitive. When Marshall was in the MAC your other sports lived at the bottom of the standings. Men's basketball was somewhat competitive for a couple years and even then you guys brought virtually no fans to the MAC Tournament in Cleveland. As for football Marshall had a ton of success. Of course we now know Bobby was cheating like crazy to get all those props with the "Mops for Props" program.

As for attendance I have been to late season games at The Joan when Marshall had nothing on the line and there were less than 10,000 in the place. You didn't even come remotely close to filling The Joan for the CUSA championship game and a home game vs. Virginia Tech. You only fill the place when WVU come to town.

Marshall will bring 4-5000 fans to Athens this year and claim that it was something like 15,000 + fans. Then they will complain about the Ohio video board being to small while they still have not been able to build a baseball facility. A few years ago my daughters volleyball team went to a Marshall volleyball game. Everyone was complaining at how hot it was only to find out the arena was not air conditioned.

Comparing CUSA to the MAC is truly bragging about who is the tallest midget. Both leagues and its members have struggles. I watch CUSA games all the time and I see tons of empty seats and similar attendance struggles.

PS. I borrowed the tallest Midget comparison from a fan on another board.

(07-28-2015 10:06 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 06:57 PM)GalliaCat Wrote:  

(07-25-2015 11:03 AM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  If I were Mac commissioner....

Schools that are not keeping up with the 15K minimum regularly would be gone. Make it part of your bylaws that any conference affiliated schools have to keep the 15K minimum attendance to remain a member. For those that don't, let them go and bring in schools that have invested in athletics and has a vision to improve year after year. North Dakota State, JMU, Delaware and a few others would be nice improvements that have good upside and is committed to having a good program.

Marshall fans care about one sport and one sport only and that's football. Based on the results of its other sports it shows. Conferences do have other sports. Perhaps CUSA fans should worry about its warts and not warts of other conferences.

Is there any other sport than football?....

This is why Marshall is a one trick pony. Your others programs struggle to be competitive. When Marshall was in the MAC your other sports lived at the bottom of the standings. Men's basketball was somewhat competitive for a couple years and even then you guys brought virtually no fans to the MAC Tournament in Cleveland. As for football Marshall had a ton of success. Of course we now know Bobby was cheating like crazy to get all those props with the "Mops for Props" program.

As for attendance I have been to late season games at The Joan when Marshall had nothing on the line and there were less than 10,000 in the place. You didn't even come remotely close to filling The Joan for the CUSA championship game and a home game vs. Virginia Tech. You only fill the place when WVU come to town.

Marshall will bring 4-5000 fans to Athens this year and claim that it was something like 15,000 + fans. Then they will ***** about the Ohio video board being to small while they still have not been able to build a baseball facility. A few years ago my daughters volleyball team went to a Marshall volleyball game. Everyone was complaining at how hot it was only to find out the arena was not air conditioned.

Comparing CUSA to the MAC is truly bragging about who is the tallest midget. Both leagues and its members have struggles. I watch CUSA games all the time and I see tons of empty seats and similar attendance struggles.

PS. I borrowed the tallest Midget comparison from a fan on another board.

(07-28-2015 11:29 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 06:45 PM)GalliaCat Wrote:  

(07-23-2015 12:54 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  NIU doesn't really have a school the next town over, WMU is the closest at 3+ hours away from DeKalb (at least), the others are all farther. Someone else already mentioned that the MAC prefers exposure on TV to attendance, by putting all the big games on Tuesday nights in November, the coldest time of the football season.

NIU has also had some piss poor OOC scheduling for over a decade, though our new AD is rectifying that.

This is why NIU should advocate for Illinois State to join the conference. It would set up a great in state rivalry that would be more likely to draw a crowd late in the season and on a bad weather day. But every time anyone brings ISU up NIU fans lose their minds in protest.

I would actually love ISU to join the MAC purely from a rivalry stand point. However, what i DONT love is some snot nosed little jerk running around claiming NIU is a worse school in: football, academics, research funding, and national perception. All while masquerading as an Illness fan cuz he's too ashamed to even put his real school down...

Also he makes up facts then ignores the ones you present.

They wouldn't improve our attendance much if at all because the late season games are on weekday nights. They aren't going to drive up here on a weeknight any more than people from Chicago will.

Don't think ILL State would be garnered exposure right away unless they came in relatively competitive.

I am still going to say that DeKalb needs to connect to the Metra. But thats just my 2 cents that gets knocked down.

(07-29-2015 09:59 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 11:29 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 06:45 PM)GalliaCat Wrote:  

(07-23-2015 12:54 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  NIU doesn't really have a school the next town over, WMU is the closest at 3+ hours away from DeKalb (at least), the others are all farther. Someone else already mentioned that the MAC prefers exposure on TV to attendance, by putting all the big games on Tuesday nights in November, the coldest time of the football season.

NIU has also had some piss poor OOC scheduling for over a decade, though our new AD is rectifying that.

This is why NIU should advocate for Illinois State to join the conference. It would set up a great in state rivalry that would be more likely to draw a crowd late in the season and on a bad weather day. But every time anyone brings ISU up NIU fans lose their minds in protest.

I would actually love ISU to join the MAC purely from a rivalry stand point. However, what i DONT love is some snot nosed little jerk running around claiming NIU is a worse school in: football, academics, research funding, and national perception. All while masquerading as an Illness fan cuz he's too ashamed to even put his real school down...

Also he makes up facts then ignores the ones you present.

They wouldn't improve our attendance much if at all because the late season games are on weekday nights. They aren't going to drive up here on a weeknight any more than people from Chicago will.

(07-29-2015 11:11 AM)rocketinchitown Wrote:  Don't think ILL State would be garnered exposure right away unless they came in relatively competitive.

I am still going to say that DeKalb needs to connect to the Metra. But thats just my 2 cents that gets knocked down.

(07-29-2015 09:59 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 11:29 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 06:45 PM)GalliaCat Wrote:  

(07-23-2015 12:54 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  NIU doesn't really have a school the next town over, WMU is the closest at 3+ hours away from DeKalb (at least), the others are all farther. Someone else already mentioned that the MAC prefers exposure on TV to attendance, by putting all the big games on Tuesday nights in November, the coldest time of the football season.

NIU has also had some piss poor OOC scheduling for over a decade, though our new AD is rectifying that.

This is why NIU should advocate for Illinois State to join the conference. It would set up a great in state rivalry that would be more likely to draw a crowd late in the season and on a bad weather day. But every time anyone brings ISU up NIU fans lose their minds in protest.

I would actually love ISU to join the MAC purely from a rivalry stand point. However, what i DONT love is some snot nosed little jerk running around claiming NIU is a worse school in: football, academics, research funding, and national perception. All while masquerading as an Illness fan cuz he's too ashamed to even put his real school down...

Also he makes up facts then ignores the ones you present.

They wouldn't improve our attendance much if at all because the late season games are on weekday nights. They aren't going to drive up here on a weeknight any more than people from Chicago will.

I've been piping the metra revival for weeks. Someone should bring it up at the town meeting

Its beneficial all around. there are tons of NIU alum in Chicago- who might not have cars any longer.

Not an NIU alum, but I'd consider other NIU games like NIU/Western or NIU/Big name opponent because I enjoy college football but without a car-- its extremely difficult to get to Dekalb.

(07-29-2015 11:49 AM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(07-29-2015 11:11 AM)rocketinchitown Wrote:  Don't think ILL State would be garnered exposure right away unless they came in relatively competitive.

I am still going to say that DeKalb needs to connect to the Metra. But thats just my 2 cents that gets knocked down.

(07-29-2015 09:59 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 11:29 PM)Stay Cool Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 06:45 PM)GalliaCat Wrote:  This is why NIU should advocate for Illinois State to join the conference. It would set up a great in state rivalry that would be more likely to draw a crowd late in the season and on a bad weather day. But every time anyone brings ISU up NIU fans lose their minds in protest.

I would actually love ISU to join the MAC purely from a rivalry stand point. However, what i DONT love is some snot nosed little jerk running around claiming NIU is a worse school in: football, academics, research funding, and national perception. All while masquerading as an Illness fan cuz he's too ashamed to even put his real school down...

Also he makes up facts then ignores the ones you present.

They wouldn't improve our attendance much if at all because the late season games are on weekday nights. They aren't going to drive up here on a weeknight any more than people from Chicago will.

I've been piping the metra revival for weeks. Someone should bring it up at the town meeting

Obviously winning helps, and beating "name" programs bring attention. But what would help and yes, is easier said than done, but the MAC needs improved Media Relations. How do we get more coverage on ESPN.com, Fox websites etc.. on their college football pages and more local news coverage?? People like to go see who is popular, people/institutions they recognize and top of mind awareness.

The MAC brand is better, but that's where it starts. The MAC brand needs to improve its perception as a league that is at the top of the collegiate level. The league needs to put forth that a WMU is on the same "field" as Michigan State, that Miami can compete for the same titles as Ohio State or NIU is steps ahead of Northwestern and Illinois etc...and not just football but all sports.

(07-28-2015 11:14 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 10:37 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Give hockey a shot (no pun intended).

Who is going to start the programs?

I'd rather try to get Arizona State in our hockey conference, and talk the NCHC into adding Bowling Green in to level out the numbers, so both of our fellow MAC hockey playing schools are in the same conference.

(07-28-2015 10:06 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  Is there any other sport than football?....

Yeah, actually there is. If you draw a blank, you might ask your fellow CUSA class of 2005 member UTEP, they probably know the answer. If they won't tell you, there's probably some former CUSA schools in the AAC that can clue you in.

Football drives the bus. Always has and always will.

(07-29-2015 09:34 AM)GalliaCat Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 10:06 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 06:57 PM)GalliaCat Wrote:  

(07-25-2015 11:03 AM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  If I were Mac commissioner....

Schools that are not keeping up with the 15K minimum regularly would be gone. Make it part of your bylaws that any conference affiliated schools have to keep the 15K minimum attendance to remain a member. For those that don't, let them go and bring in schools that have invested in athletics and has a vision to improve year after year. North Dakota State, JMU, Delaware and a few others would be nice improvements that have good upside and is committed to having a good program.

Marshall fans care about one sport and one sport only and that's football. Based on the results of its other sports it shows. Conferences do have other sports. Perhaps CUSA fans should worry about its warts and not warts of other conferences.

Is there any other sport than football?....

This is why Marshall is a one trick pony. Your others programs struggle to be competitive. When Marshall was in the MAC your other sports lived at the bottom of the standings. Men's basketball was somewhat competitive for a couple years and even then you guys brought virtually no fans to the MAC Tournament in Cleveland. As for football Marshall had a ton of success. Of course we now know Bobby was cheating like crazy to get all those props with the "Mops for Props" program.

As for attendance I have been to late season games at The Joan when Marshall had nothing on the line and there were less than 10,000 in the place. You didn't even come remotely close to filling The Joan for the CUSA championship game and a home game vs. Virginia Tech. You only fill the place when WVU come to town.

Marshall will bring 4-5000 fans to Athens this year and claim that it was something like 15,000 + fans. Then they will ***** about the Ohio video board being to small while they still have not been able to build a baseball facility. A few years ago my daughters volleyball team went to a Marshall volleyball game. Everyone was complaining at how hot it was only to find out the arena was not air conditioned.

Comparing CUSA to the MAC is truly bragging about who is the tallest midget. Both leagues and its members have struggles. I watch CUSA games all the time and I see tons of empty seats and similar attendance struggles.

PS. I borrowed the tallest Midget comparison from a fan on another board.

You sir, are a liar. Aside from our two straight division championships in football and most recent CUSA championship, Marshall was in the men's CUSA basketball championship (2012-13 season) along with being in the CUSA championship game for baseball in 2010. On the ladies side, the Women just won the CUSA softball championship game in 2013 and was again in the Championship game in 2014. But yet you want to claim that Marshall's other sports haven't been competitive and that we are a one trick pony?...LMAO. You say we didnt remotely come close to filling the Va Tech game at home?...Seriously? Why does this photo say otherwise?




As for Marshall playing Ohio in Athens...you are correct. We will bring 10K to the high school stadium in Athens and we fill it up for your Superbowl. As for your attendance talk....Our smallest crowd of the year was bigger than your largest crowd you had all year long. But yet you want to talk about attendance?..

(07-29-2015 09:30 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  ... Marshall was in the men's CUSA basketball championship (2012-13 season)... But yet you want to claim that Marshall's other sports haven't been competitive and that we are a one trick pony?...LMAO.....

When appearing in a championship game is considered a high point in a program's history you might want to take a look at your definition of being "competitive".

(07-30-2015 02:23 AM)perimeterpost Wrote:  

(07-29-2015 09:30 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  ... Marshall was in the men's CUSA basketball championship (2012-13 season)... But yet you want to claim that Marshall's other sports haven't been competitive and that we are a one trick pony?...LMAO.....

When appearing in a championship game is considered a high point in a program's history you might want to take a look at your definition of being "competitive".

Seriously? So you are trying to convince me (and everyone else) that winning and playing for Championships is not your definition of being "competitive". Please explain to all of us what you consider being "competitive". I'd love to hear it...

You said championships. That's plural. That means more than one.

Also being competitive usually means year in and year out with above 500 records consistently. Looking at past schedules, Marshall is usually around the .400 record.

(07-30-2015 08:27 AM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  

(07-30-2015 02:23 AM)perimeterpost Wrote:  

(07-29-2015 09:30 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  ... Marshall was in the men's CUSA basketball championship (2012-13 season)... But yet you want to claim that Marshall's other sports haven't been competitive and that we are a one trick pony?...LMAO.....

When appearing in a championship game is considered a high point in a program's history you might want to take a look at your definition of being "competitive".

Seriously? So you are trying to convince me (and everyone else) that winning and playing for Championships is not your definition of being "competitive". Please explain to all of us what you consider being "competitive". I'd love to hear it...

(07-30-2015 08:27 AM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  

(07-30-2015 02:23 AM)perimeterpost Wrote:  

(07-29-2015 09:30 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  ... Marshall was in the men's CUSA basketball championship (2012-13 season)... But yet you want to claim that Marshall's other sports haven't been competitive and that we are a one trick pony?...LMAO.....

When appearing in a championship game is considered a high point in a program's history you might want to take a look at your definition of being "competitive".

Seriously? So you are trying to convince me (and everyone else) that winning and playing for Championships is not your definition of being "competitive". Please explain to all of us what you consider being "competitive". I'd love to hear it...

last conference championship- 1988 (SoCon)
last conf tourn championship- 1987 (SoCon)
last NCAA win- never
last NIT win- 1967

about that "winning" part....

(07-29-2015 08:59 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  Football drives the bus. Always has and always will.

Never say never, young man ... remember that hubris comes before the fall. The current share of athletic revenues from football is a national high water mark, and the much larger share of FB revenue coming to conference than BBall revenue is also an accident of history. Both of them are subject to change.

(07-30-2015 08:27 AM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  Seriously? So you are trying to convince me (and everyone else) that winning and playing for Championships is not your definition of being "competitive". ...

As already noted, "playing for and losing A championship" is not equal to "playing for and winning championships.

So, in between the last MAC FB championship and the past CUSA Divisional FB Championship ... how many championships in any sports, including divisional championship in divisional sports, has Marshall won? And how many have fellow CUSA schools won in that time?

After all, its easy to find out from the Wikipedia machine that there are a six CUSA schools that have snared multiple championships this past year alone ... LA Tech (FB, BBall), UNT (Women's RS Soccer, Men's XCountry), Rice (Womens' Soccer Tourney; Baseball RS, Tourney, Men's Golf, Women's Tennis), WKU (W Volleyball W Div RS, Tourney; Women's BBall; Men's Indoor T&F), UTSA (W Volleyball East RS; Men's Outdoor T&F), Tulsa (Softball RS, Tourney; M Tennis).

Football may drive the bus, but there doesn't seem to be as many seats for other riders at Marshall as there are at many Go5 schools. Indeed, without dedicated facilities for the baseball or women's track teams, we might say there are both relatively few riders taken onboard and even fewer seats available.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And none of this has anything to do with improving attendance in the MAC. That is, in this list, one of these things are not like the others:

(1) $5 away tickets for season ticket holders.
(2) Proclaim the supremacy of Marshall.
(3) Band Days
(4) In some cases, improved transport ... eg, free game day shuttles for NIU ticket holders from the end of the Metra West line in Elburn to Dekalb

It might be just me, but I am thinking that 1, 3, and 4 are kind of on-topic, and 2 is kind of off topic.

At the very least there needs to be dedicated bus service from the current end of the line (Sugar Grove) to DeKalb, which I believe are only 15 miles apart. For weekend home games, the Metra Weekend pass is only $8 which gives you round trip train travel on almost all routes. Shuttle busses from Sugar Grove to DeKalb for football games should be an easily implemented deal. It would absolutely put more fans in the stands.

For NU home games I have multiple options for getting to Evanston without driving

1) Dedicated Roundtrip shuttle that leaves Sburg 3 hours before game time, goes direct to the stadium, picks up from stadium and retuns to Sburg Transit Center which has free parking. Only $6 RT

2) RTA Gold Road bus which leaves Sburg every 45 minutes. More stops than the Dedicated bus but runs more often and only $1.75 each way

3) Metra Trains from Sburg & other stops to Union Station and either a North Bound train or L to Evanston.

Making it convenient for fans to get to you event without driving will drive attendance and ease traffic congestion in and out of the stadium as well