(09-07-2018 05:27 PM)cmett003 Wrote: Yes we are down right now. But I don’t think I will ever be numb like you all are because of a few down years. ODU needs loyal supporters that don’t give up. Not fair weather fans
To me, that's a "sounds good, feels good" kind of a statement. It tends to make one feel loyal and virtuous and a little heroic for "sticking through the dark times." But it has little to do with reality.
In reality, the vast majority of fans are not going to support a continual also-ran or loser. They won't buy tickets, they won't buy gear and they won't pledge money. That's an indisputable fact. One that is evident in our declining BB attendance trends the past couple of years. Most fans accept a down year or two as long as they sense a commitment from the school to improving. Many of us don't get that sense from the current ODU administration.
Basketball has been irrelevant on the national stage for too long. Now it seems football is headed in the same direction. ODU fancies itself as an FBS school, but it is no where near competitive with even middle-of-the-road FBS programs. The Liberty beat-down illustrated that all too clearly. I'm really apprehensive about what's going to happen during the VT game.
To me, unconditional support leads to a fan base being taken for granted. If there are no consequences for continual under-performance, there are no incentives to change. Stimulus-response; cause-and-effect; whatever you want to call it, ODU competes in the broader entertainment & sports world for eyeballs, dollars and "meats in the seats". They need to get better, or they will cease to be relevant.
To reiterate my original post, I've been an ODU fan for 35 years, so I don't think I can be called a "fair weather fan". Rather, I'm a formerly passionate fan that is rapidly losing interest. And I don't think I'm the only one. ODU should care about that.
PS: Embarrassing losses and sub-par performance will also kill any hope of building an active, engaged student body. And today's students are tomorrows fans and donors.