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Attendance for the round of 32 matches


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last week, I kept seeing messages ...500 student tickets gone, 250 more gone....100 more available ,

were there 850 students at yesterday's game?

I saw that total attendance was 2,025

Here is how Akron's attendance compared to the other 16 seeds

1) Wake Forest 2,699

2) Clemson 1,941

3) Georgetown 844

4) Akron 2,025

5) N. Carolina 1,036

6) Syracuse 1,120

7) Notre Dame 222

8) Stanford 1,709

9) Ohio State 851

10) Maryland 2,737

11) Seattle 1,100

12) Creighton 2,212

13) Denver 1,103

14) S. Florida 1,105

15) Santa Barbara 2,519

16) Indiana 618

looks like Akron was 5th out of 16....This team is exciting to watch...hope to see 2,500 to 3,000 against SMU

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This is really interesting for analysis. What has happened? In 2009 and 2010, with equivalent high seeded teams, we beat that number by thousands, didn't we? And I am sure we had equally poor conditions. And no students? WOW. What has changed so dramatically in 5 years? And it's not just the playoffs.

People had jumped on a "soccer bandwagon" and finally came back to earth and realized they never liked the sport anyway?

Did the #1 ranking and long winning streaks really make that much of a difference vs. just being really, really good but not being #1 in the country?

Was there more of a connection between some of those players, and their personalities, and our fans?

Now, I am sure the "soccer enthusiasts" are going to jump on me with all kinds of excuses, including that the "Rowdies are disorganized" blah blah blah. But, there's clearly been a major drop-off in interest in our soccer program with local fans, and students.

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Skip-zip....I went back and looked at 2009 and 2010...

2009...rd of 32...vs. s. fla 2,700 ; rd of 16 vs. stanford 2,806 ; qf's vs. tulsa 4,254

2010 ...rd, of 32 vs. w. VA 2,825 ; rd of 16 vs. the hoosiers 3,225 ...qf's vs. California...snow and brutal cold 3,442

I know that the plain dealer gave much better coverage to the soccer team in 2009 and 2010. Their coverage this year has been non existent

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TennZip...maybe we were better off when we were sort of the little "Cinderella" rising to national prominence, rather than the team that's there every year now.

The media loves those stories much better.

Who knows. A lot has changed over the last few year. I already miss the days where 7,000+ would come to a game against the Suckeyes.

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This is really interesting for analysis. What has happened? In 2009 and 2010, with equivalent high seeded teams, we beat that number by thousands, didn't we? And I am sure we had equally poor conditions. And no students? WOW. What has changed so dramatically in 5 years? And it's not just the playoffs.

People had jumped on a "soccer bandwagon" and finally came back to earth and realized they never liked the sport anyway?

Did the #1 ranking and long winning streaks really make that much of a difference vs. just being really, really good but not being #1 in the country?

Was there more of a connection between some of those players, and their personalities, and our fans?

Now, I am sure the "soccer enthusiasts" are going to jump on me with all kinds of excuses, including that the "Rowdies are disorganized" blah blah blah. But, there's clearly been a major drop-off in interest in our soccer program with local fans, and students.

It is partially to blame on the Rowdies and marketing department. And that's coming from someone still actively involved in the rowdies. The effort just isn't there to get people in the gate. The marketing department in athletics is the most inactive in all the years I have been at Akron. Our social media presence has completely diminished. Granted, the interest isn't there either by the General student/fan population which is beyond my understanding to figure out. The ABJ has been doing a decent job late in the season, we have been front page multiple times recently. Not a plain dealer reader but it would be nice to get some coverage outside of the Akron area.

Edited by natethegreat330
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The most recent "Zips Line" makes no mention of the post season.

I still check my Uakron email all the time, and I can't remember the last time I recieved ZipsLine...what do they just stop sending it to Alumni?

Again, I hate to sound like a broken record when I say this, the administration doesn't 'give a damn' about our student body.

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Prior to 2009, the largest crowds we would get were ~1000, with most < 900. Marketing got better because Caleb Porter pushed for it along with his promise to deliver a National Championship with the support of the Athletic Dept. They became more engaged because they agreed to do so. Once the National Championship was accomplished in 2010, the AD support dropped off. Add that the Rowdies have not had a really engaged leader since Ian graduated and LeBron's return to the Cavs, getting fans attention became more difficult.

With LeBron back in Cleveland and folks still committed to the Browns (no matter how dismal the outlook and management), there are no simple answers. I still think that many miss the "gem" that we have in our Mens Soccer program. However, with all of that said, the crowds that we draw are still respectable. Just not what they should/could be.

Edited by Zip_ME87
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They can do Jason Taylor and Charlie Frye bobbleheads. How about Darlington Nagbe or DeAndre Yedlin bobbleheads for the first 5,000 through the gate?

Maybe they could do a National Champions bobblehead series or a Zips in the Pros series.

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I thought people didn't come to Akron sporting events because we don't win enough - oh, wait a minute we are ranked #3 and a #4 seed in post season tourney

No, wait a minute its because the Rubber Bowl was horrible, the JAR is a glorified HS gym - oh, wait a minute Cub Cadet is really nice

I thought is was because we don't play marquis teams - wait a minute isn't Rutgers ranked and in the Big 10

I thought it was because of TW - wait a minute, he is not here

I thought it was because is because we have conflict with Buckeyes football - wait a minute, the soccer game was on Sunday

Now its because we are not a Cinderella team and people don't like soccer (the most popular game in the world) :rofl::rofl:

EXCUSES EXCUSES

5 goals in 18 minutes is amazing and exciting. A lot of people in Akron missed out on something very rare.

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You are right a-zip. I'm as frustrated as anyone. I know how hard our team works to do what they do, and they deserve better. They are a team of which we can all be proud. These guys are great on and off the field and definitely represent "This Is Akron" well. Go Zips. Let's get that 2nd star!

Happy Thanksgiving all!

EDIT: I still want Darlington Nagbe, DeAndre Yedlin, Caleb Porter, et al bobbleheads!

Edited by Zip_ME87
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Bobbleheads, while fun, would only help boost attendance for individual matches. What we need a promotion that would boost attendance for all matches across all sports, both men's and women's. For years, I had an idea for a Zips sticker book, similar to ones Panini produces for the World Cup, MLB, NFL and various cartoons. You may have seen these for sale at Wal-Mart and Target. The albums would be available for sale (and/or given away at the first match) and fans would receive a sticker of a particular player each match. To complete your album, you would need to attend every match. Perhaps the first x number of fans who complete their albums would receive a prize. The albums would also have a spot to write in the scores for each match; serving as a yearbook for the season. Certainly the logistics and cost will need worked out.

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