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NIU schedules 2025 Opener
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Dog Fan Offline
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Post: #21
NIU schedules 2025 Opener
I think before NIU takes over Chicago State, we should work on joining the Big 12.
04-26-2020 05:25 PM
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HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Offline
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Post: #22
RE: NIU schedules 2025 Opener
(04-26-2020 05:15 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  
(04-25-2020 03:21 PM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  
(04-25-2020 02:02 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  
(04-25-2020 01:40 PM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  Welp..another nothing burger that’s right up there with Cal Poly.

If you’re going to do FCS, make it a regional opponent to put fannies in the seats.

Yep. And if no nearby FCS bites, take a regional buy game on the road. Or start a G5 H&H.

I remember the 2014 Presbyterian Thursday opener in the rain. There weren’t 2k people there for the 2nd half.

I mean... Presbyterian and Holy Cross? Are synagogues next?

Liberty will be next. If Liberty is willing to play a university that's only 20 years old.

Played them in 1992 and won 27 - 21.
04-26-2020 05:42 PM
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IWokeUpLikeThis Offline
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Post: #23
RE: NIU schedules 2025 Opener
(04-26-2020 05:12 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  
(04-25-2020 05:56 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  
(04-25-2020 04:24 PM)Big Red Wrote:  
(04-25-2020 04:19 PM)NIU75 Wrote:  “We’re really excited to add Northern Illinois to our future schedule,” said Blossom. “This game will be very beneficial to our admissions and recruiting efforts in the Chicago area as well as provide a great opportunity for our many loyal alumni in the region to see their Crusaders compete against a really good FBS opponent.”

We would be lucky to get 100 Holy Cross loyal alumni fans to this game. Compare that to the WIU, ISU and EIU fans that showed up for their game. SF will be long gone before Holy Cross comes to DeKalb.

It's a sad state of affairs when you HAVE to rely on rival fans from around the state to fill up your stadium because bringing in a top team like Utah simply isn't good enough to move the needle.

Utah I strongly believed would have moved the needle had scheduling issue not been neglected for the past 12 to 15 years. When NIU football is as out of sight and mind as it is now with the ESPN contract and poor scheduling, a one and done good game is not going to bring back many fans. You have to have sustainability in better, more fan friendly and attractive scheduling to bring fans back in my opinion. It would be like a place of business treating customers like crap for a decade and then having a really good one day sale. People are not going to come back right away, word has to circulate and a proof of commitment to customer service has to be established over a period of time before people return. That is where we lack in ledership, we do not have a leader willing to commit to that.

Even then we had somewhat better attendance for the Utah game, even though they are far enough away to not bring many fans. I agree, one teaser after a decade of mismanagement isn't going to create miracles.

IIRC, either 88 or 355 was down to one lane for quite a few miles (plus the blowout loss the previous week). That won’t discourage anyone here, but it impacts walk-up sales from casual fans.
04-26-2020 05:55 PM
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pvk75 Offline
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Post: #24
RE: NIU schedules 2025 Opener
Just a curiosity, but what's with the "thing" about NE FCS schools? Looked over the o-o-c for the next few years, and we have Rhode Island (2020), Maine (2021), and now Holy Cross (2025). Aren't there FCS teams a little closer? And if not available, why from the NE?
(This post was last modified: 04-26-2020 07:01 PM by pvk75.)
04-26-2020 07:00 PM
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Dog Fan Offline
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Post: #25
NIU schedules 2025 Opener
(04-26-2020 07:00 PM)pvk75 Wrote:  Just a curiosity, but what's with the "thing" about NE FCS schools? Looked over the o-o-c for the next few years, and we have Rhode Island (2020), Maine (2021), and now Holy Cross (2025). Aren't there FCS teams a little closer? And if not available, why from the NE?


Perhaps it costs less to bring in a NE FCS school? Otherwise, it doesn’t make much sense. It’s 5 years away and there are so many FCS schools in the Midwest. It must be that the teams they are scheduling will cost them the least.
04-26-2020 09:06 PM
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NILAW Offline
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Post: #26
RE: NIU schedules 2025 Opener
I deleted several posts in this and another thread.

Reminder from the civility thread:

Acceptable Use Policy
In the Dog Pound you are expected to abide by the following without exception:
1. You are expected to be civil.
3. You are expected to focus on the debate, not the poster.

If you don't like what a particular poster says then put him or her on ignore.

Thanks
04-26-2020 09:19 PM
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pvk75 Offline
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Post: #27
RE: NIU schedules 2025 Opener
Sorry for length, but I'm in a mood ...

I agree with Dog Fan ... why is NIU making these FCS deals so far ahead? And why do we have to find out from a board member who happened to check the future schedules website? Where was the big announcement ... or any announcement?

I know a few long-time fans, like myself, and my conclusion is the same as theirs when it comes to why long-time fans are getting disgusted ... as time went on, NIU athletics became more and more introverted. They don't engage fans because they don't want our input, so we get cut off. Imo, that explains at least part of why Northern's dedicated fanbase is dwindling. It's not all because of budget cuts and weekday night games, the "standby excuses."

The attitude toward fans is just like the attitude toward students. And this inward direction hurts students. Imagine if STF had announced, back in 2017, that tight finances and budget cuts meant anything not strictly sports had to go, like the cheerleaders, that athletics would be willing to supply cost info to help fans contribute to support them. Would they need a GoFundMe effort three years later just to survive?

Here's what I suspect: athletics didn't want any money going to cheerleaders that fans might contribute to athletics. That's why they also took away the cheerleaders' means of raising money at athletic events, to keep it for athletics.

Here's one more bit of speculation: since the time I first attended NIU, students were treated as headcount. The resulting attitude is "I paid my bills, got my degree, now leave me alone while I go to work. I don't need you any more." Maybe that's why special effort is needed to try to attract those 160,000 Chicago-area alumni, like the (maybe not) BYU game at SeatGeek. Alumni don't feel a connection.

Hey, NIU, here's a thought: students become alumni, and they will remember ... or just forget.

Ok, off the soapbox.
(This post was last modified: 04-27-2020 10:27 AM by pvk75.)
04-27-2020 02:03 AM
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Dog Fan Offline
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Post: #28
NIU schedules 2025 Opener
Bravo! You got it all right and said it well. This is how many long time fans and donors feel. I know because I have talked to many at the football and basketball games. Athletics has lots of problems. But, maybe, rather than stick their heads in the sand, they should look in the mirror.
04-27-2020 06:41 AM
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NIU007 Offline
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Post: #29
RE: NIU schedules 2025 Opener
My brother went to U of I and in the dorms they tried to charge him for some damage that was done to the outside of the door, by someone else. He had to take time out to go to the admin office and defend himself.

To my knowledge, he's never donated a dime to the university, as a result.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if many NIU students were treated the same way, in one way or another, and it would be very difficult to turn any of them into fans or donors.
04-27-2020 07:34 AM
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pvk75 Offline
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Post: #30
RE: NIU schedules 2025 Opener
New day, new soapbox ... but NIU007 gives a good example of the old saying: if someone does something FOR you, you will remember them for a year; if they do something TO you, you will never forget. (And a little thing to them might be big thing to you.)

Imo, if anyone in the a.dept. reads this board, and the criticisms, my guess is they dismiss it as just a bunch of whiners like you find on some other social media.

Bad mistake. The background and observations in some of the comments prove that many of us hold a deep interest in the Huskies, and have more knowledge about how things work than a bunch of garden-variety whiners.

But if it's money they want, how about a little basic math? I've said this before too ... 10,000 fans giving $100 each is the same $1 million as 100 fans giving $10,000 each ... but 10,000 fans fill more seats. (Also spend more money, create stronger home court/field advantage, etc etc.)

How is it such simple logic escapes the elitists?

One more observation: any business that ignores its customers' opinions and just relies on their continuing loyalty will keep losing customers. Loyalty is a two-way street.

Northern needs a reset. This Covid-19 crisis might be a good time, since it provides an excuse to say "we've decided on a new sense of engagement ... " Or ............. maybe they're not that smart.
(This post was last modified: 04-27-2020 10:38 AM by pvk75.)
04-27-2020 10:29 AM
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Dog Fan Offline
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Post: #31
RE: NIU schedules 2025 Opener
(04-27-2020 10:29 AM)pvk75 Wrote:  New day, new soapbox ... but NIU007 gives a good example of the old saying: if someone does something FOR you, you will remember them for a year; if they do something TO you, you will never forget. (And a little thing to them might be big thing to you.)

Imo, if anyone in the a.dept. reads this board, and the criticisms, my guess is they dismiss it as just a bunch of whiners like you find on some other social media.

Bad mistake. The background and observations in some of the comments prove that many of us hold a deep interest in the Huskies, and have more knowledge about how things work than a bunch of garden-variety whiners.

But if it's money they want, how about a little basic math? I've said this before too ... 10,000 fans giving $100 each is the same $1 million as 100 fans giving $10,000 each ... but 10,000 fans fill more seats.

How is it such simple logic escapes the elitists?

One more observation: any business that ignores its customers' opinions and just relies on their continuing loyalty will keep losing customers. Loyalty is a two-way street.

Northern needs a reset. This Covid-19 crisis might be a good time, since it provides an excuse to say "we've decided on a new direction ... " Or .......maybe they're not that smart.

Yes, absolutely correct. I just sent in my HAF donation and season ticket renewal for this year. As I was painfully writing out the big check, I kept saying to myself, "Why?" Because of the way we are treated (or lack thereof), it get more difficult each year to justify the big check I send them. I wanted to reduce my donation, but felt that this is not a good time. I just hope that if this season is cancelled or curtailed, I can use my donation and ST renewal for next year.

Things will get better once we get a new AD who knows how to interact with donors. Who knows when that will happen? Until then, all we can do is press on.
(This post was last modified: 04-27-2020 10:49 AM by Dog Fan.)
04-27-2020 10:48 AM
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