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1-8-2016 vs. Western Michigan


LoyalZIP

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The marketing for this team is nonexistent. They use to have ads in the newspaper and billboards to promote Akron basketball but that is gone. They use to have half time entertainment, that is also gone. (one year they had a female Chinese acrobat that was amazing).

The only way to improve attendance is to bring in some name teams that people would like to see. The VCU game was a sellout several year ago and even though we lost it was an entertaining game and many people would return to see the Zips play. The Can't game is usually a sellout because of the rivalry. The Ohio University team was usually a sellout a couple of years ago because of the rivalry and the 2 teams did not like each other. Really, how many people want to watch Lipscomb, Coppin State, or Bethume Cookman?

I love watching Akron basketball but realize that most of my friends would rather watch the Cavs or Ohio State on TV than go to a Zips game. The only way to change that perception is to get people to the JAR that normally would not attend a game. Since there is no marketing that simply is not happening. I wish they would bring back the bracketbuster since that was our only chance of bringing a good nonconference opponent to the Jar. I hope that we continue winning and that may improve attendance but wish Akron would market this team better.

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1981 Grad. I'd love to see those Bandwagon "I'd rather watch the Suckeyes on TV" guys treat Akron the same way. We're ranked higher than them right now, and probably will be for the remainder of the season.

If they are true Bandwagoners who gravitate to the team that's the best, and they live in within short driving distance of the JAR, they have no excuse anymore.

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Akron students are historically apathetic. It is a shame.

Yes, this is really a huge, huge part of it. I think this is more important than getting average akronites out. How does a school with 20,000+ students get about 20 of them to show up to games? Even if an average amount of students (by most other school's standards) turned up to each game attendance would be soooo much higher. It's so frustrating how little they care about their own school and about the very good product right in front of them.
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Yes, this is really a huge, huge part of it. I think this is more important than getting average akronites out. How does a school with 20,000+ students get about 20 of them to show up to games? Even if an average amount of students (by most other school's standards) turned up to each game attendance would be soooo much higher. It's so frustrating how little they care about their own school and about the very good product right in front of them.

I agree this is a huge problem. If people aren't willing to go to games as undergrads when they are literally a short walk to the stadium, why would they suddenly make the effort as alumni?

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Yeah if we're talking about people who have easy access to the team yet don't go it starts with the students. I don't care if we're a commuter school there's no way only 20 students should be at every game. It's not that they don't know about it they just genuinely don't care

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At the end of the day we're talking about MAC sports. I love the Zips, I want UA to make a run in March Madness every year, I want the Zips to with the National Title, I want them to put players in the NBA, I want the Jar Cupcake Factory sold out every night, I want 5 star recruits, etc.

But the reality is, none of that has happened, is happening and probably never will happen. MAC sports (or most mid major conferences for that matter) for the most part, aren't relevant in the grand scheme of the NCAA business anymore. That's why the "Mid Major Poll" exists, that's why the CBI Tournament exists and that's why there are 40 bowl games in football.

There aren't many people that care about mid-major sports. We do. Some alumni do. Some Students do. Some in the community do. Casual fans would rather watch tOSU because frankly, it's better to watch. I watched parts of the Indiana/OSU game this past weekend, it's way better to watch. Yes, I watch UA but no, I can't watch a random MAC game in which the Zips aren't playing.

Having said all that, I'll be watching or listening to the game tonight (and every other one I can for the rest of the year) and attending the ones that I can.

Eat 'em up, eat 'em up, Go Zips Go!

Edited by Sportsjunkie330
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Sportsjunkie...you just about hit it perfectly. Sports fans, in general, want to watch games that matter. MAC games don't matter. Most years, we're playing for a bottom seed, and a chance to be a nearly forgotten entity in a tournament that we have an insurmountable chance of winning.

We have little chance of changing that dramatically right now. Long winning streaks help, something close to a 30 win season would help, and an occasional appearance in the AP poll helps. But until we show shades of accomplishing the kinds of things that Butler, Wichita State, etc., have accomplished, it's easy for people to brush off what Akron does as being insignificant.

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