(01-06-2021 10:35 AM)ODUwildman Wrote: (01-06-2021 09:48 AM)Gilesfan Wrote: Obviously Football is way better off in CUSA than CAA. And I don't think its safe to assume we would have more fans in the stands with CAA football.
We sold out every game in FCS. I think we'd still be in the top 5-10 nationally if still in FCS and winning keeps butts in the seats. Sure, FBS might be better quality of football and a higher level of player, but in Hampton Roads, you don't get people in the stands if you don't win.
Not a great comparison, but level-wise, we saw this with the Admirals. They were stuffing Scope in one of the lower levels of hockey when winning. The attendance drain was significant with the move to the AHL. Higher level hockey, fewer seasons where it was the place to be due to winning. Ticket prices also impacted this to some degree.
If still FCS, I don't think the winning subsides nearly as much. Still looking at conference championships and runs against schools we have rivalries with. Are you arguing with your coworker from North Texas or your coworker from William & Mary?
With us, it's about winning and losing, not about the level of play. I can't validate this with anything concrete, but I believe a 5-5 FCS team vs. W&M would outdraw a 5-5 FBS team vs. Rice at Ballard. Winning, Local Interest and then Quality of play are the three factors that, in my experience, impact ODU attendance across all sports.
Things were new in FCS. Its not uncommon for teams to draw well at the early stages of a new program or a new stadium.
We don't know how much winning would have continued but I think its safe to assume we could have kept up a good program.
Yes, W&M and JMU fans are fun to "debate" with but that is only 2 of the schools in the conference (maybe Richmond, but I don't know any Richmond football fans). Im not doing that with any Albany, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Stony Boork, Villanova, Elon is a big yawn from me. And we all have different experiences but I could never convince friends to go to an ODU game vs. Delaware (for example).
Who are you defining as what it matters to (used "us"). While I know plenty that dont care about UTEP, but many feel hatred for teams like FAU, MTSU, etc....teams that they recongnize and see on TV.
I know that if we were to hypothetcially drop back down to CAA, I would give up my season tickets. While, i enjoy going to the games, I have to make some sacrifices to do so. Maybe I'm willing to make those sacrifices vs. JMU but Im not doing so vs. Elon and that group. I just don't have any interest in FCS football anymore and I don't think I'm alone in that regard. FBS football in interesting.
I certainly have more interest in the MTSU, WKY, FAUs of the world than I do the Stony Brooks of the world. I think there is a reason most fans (it seems like most) of JMU would take playing in FBS than FCS.