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We are all different. Each of us have our own values and ideals, goals, dreams and frustrations. Likewise our comments and actions are as varied as the former. We are all Zips fans though and we are the sniping-est bunch of fans ever. We are the MAC version of the Bickering Bills. I am personally ok with the back and forth because I am an active participant in it and I still have respect for the rest of you guys even though our opinions differ. . . Because you are advocates for the University. You all are family to me even though I have never met face-to-face with a lot of you. A lot of you, I have. The entire shebang revolves around the social aspect of attending these games. If it weren't for that, I would be a TV Zips fan. It was not watching the game in person that brought me to Infocision Stadium on a ass-biting cold blizzard night to watch the Zips play the hapless UMass Minutemen in 2014, it was the shared experience with my buddies. I know that the key to getting people to the games is the party experience at the tailgate. You can watch at home but you have to be there to tailgate. Primetime programs have hordes of people tailgating outside the stadium that never go into the game. They are there for the party. I have tried to promote tailgating. I created a Facebook Zips tailgating page that has really sputtered. It is an easy interface to share pictures, if nothing else but no one but me was posting pictures. I stopped posting because I figured the members that we have on that page were sick of seeing me and my friends' ugly mugs on there. It's still up and active and every year when the season is about to start, I make another plea on this forum to join and use it, but it has gone nowhere fast. I have added to my tailgating setup every year to make it better and accommodate more people. Last year, I bit the bullet and purchased a tailgating trailer. ZG01 bought a 87 foot long land yacht of a RV to tailgate out of. There are people over in Lot 10 who have made a large financial investment in their tailgating gear. Every year the Phi Psis put on one helluva tailgate for homecoming. Efforts are being made by a lot of people to encourage attendance through tailgating but it's a tough go. A 25-year co-worker of mine who is a good friend has a son that is coming back this fall as a Sophomore. Last summer, I primed this kid to come over and tailgate with us. We are just a short walk from his dorm. I promised to feed him well. Do you think he bothered to come over and even just snoop around even once? Nope. There is no incoming student that had any more priming for Akron Football than this kid, trust me. This is a kid who is a football fan and who was a high school all-star player. What does his total lack of interest tell you? If the whole premise of this 9100 thread is to shine a light on the embarrassment that our attendance is and how to increase it, perhaps we should lower our sights a little bit. Maybe we should be discussing what can be done to maintain 9100 because I think we are dangerously close to having season ticket holders who NEVER miss a game pack it in and be done with it. There are is a certain contingent, myself included, who buy season tickets for the assurance of a preferred parking pass. If I was not assured a Lot 9 pass, I would not be buying season tickets any longer. I would walk up purchase on the dates I wanted to attend, which sure as Hell ain't all 6. The schedule being such a complete travesty has brought me to the point of actually deliberating if it is worth it. The two best home opponents are on Tuesday nights in November. Saturday tailgates are for a FCS, Iowa State, Ball State & Buffalo. That is not a sked that excites even the most die-hard of Akron football fans. This is a sad state of affairs. We can go on and on and on and I feel after reading what I just wrote that this post is mostly rehash, too. Skip Zip is right. What we need is an injection of 10,000 people just like the folks who already care. NOW. Wishful thinking. . .

I thought you of all people would be pro bussiness. LeBron is First and Foremost a Businessman. What's going to get more sales, LeBron James Buckeye gear...or LeBron James Zips gear? There were these a couple of years ago... And then they did these give aways... And then did this advertising... Even after all that...you're acting as if he hasn't been involved with UA at all. I will admit, I was in your position a couple of years ago...wishing he'd support UA more. But it HELPS his image to be pro State Ohio University, especially since he's back in Cleveland. It HELPS his business. And you think for a moment if they produced a Zips JAMES football jersey it would sell anywhere near as much as a Suckeyes one would? Business is Business. And I think he's been as involved with a university he didn't graduate from, than some alumni have been of their own alma-mater. You can call be a hypocrite, because I've turned 180 on this issue. But viewing this more objectively, I have to say I've changed my stance.

Yeah LZ they do do these things. Almost every sport offers some nights/days and multiple times for organizations to attend and compete, with banners, attendance numbers, spirit nights, etc. Marketing may not do a great job as far as we see outside the campus, but remeber they are mostly grad students or students themselves, and they don't "think" this through as savy as a seasoned sports marketing person would. No excuses, just been around a lot fo them and they are still just kids. They do promote their assigned sport, and they are very disappointed when they can't find people to attend, or even for their time-out or halftime competitions for our entertainment. The students just don't give a . Hell, even they night at football they were giving away thousands of $$$ in scholarship and housing money there couldn't have been 1,000 studnets in attendance, so what's that tell you? You can't buy their love!

It's one of the reasons I try an appeal to the wallet. Get your friends to go, get attendance up so school doesn't have to buy tickets to reach D1 standards & save yourself $1,100 dollars a year. Go, it's free, have fun & create a culture that it becomes the standard

I have 2 kids going to Akron, every time there is 20 or 30 kids over here for a big game or bomb fire I preach they are charging everyone of you $1,100 dollars a year to pay for the tickets to achieve minimum standards to stay D1, you get in free with Zips card so round up your friends & go. I think I am donating a 30 foot camper to start their group to start tailgating & hopefully it grows To me the way to grow attendance is through the student base. The University has done its part with great facilities. Now how do we get students to go enjoy the day. Get the student base up & the environment gets more exciting & word gets out about crowds & excitement others will come. All you here is people complain about attendance. I know everyone is going to laugh but instead of bitching when you talk to someone tell them what a great stadium & experience, you really need to go instead of it's a shame, what great facilities & only 5k in attendance, I know people who go tailgate & never go to games, so team needs to help as well I want to see my alma mater succeed, let's spread good news instead of negativity

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Funny, comments are made about stopping the bitching and finding solutions. I posted some ideas (LBJ being one) and I get slammed. Did I say it was the answer NO. It was a thought/idea around using high profile names to help attendance....you guys get all sensitive about him promoting OSU, you resent him for it and forget what he could do for us. Unreal. Probably feel the same way about Tressel now to because he was former OSU coach and now YSU president. Listening to the thin skinned responses from Akron 'Fans" on ZNO does give me insight to things. IMHO - if Lebron was all about money and selfish, he would have never come back to the Cavs. He is a good dude and loves where he came from. C'mon he left this https://www.google.com/search?q=lebron+james+south+beach+house&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_h7moh-LUAhVGcz4KHaXeBT4Q_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=638

If you think he's part of the problem, you're part of the problem.

No one here gives a crap about Ohio State's team, attendance, television ratings, ranking, recruiting...whatever. So if everyone would keep their comments and observations related to the Zips it would be greatly appreciated. The Moderators