Balsy

+1.

It'd bother me a lot. We're not Ohio State. Ohio Stat is a Farm School centered in Columbus. We're The University of Akron. Both schools were established in 1870.

Thanks Skip! I correct enough people when they say "Akron University"...people out there, it's THE University of Akron

We both know that's not going to happen. But then there'd be a difference between OSU and OSU-A...OSU-A potentially has worse of a connotation than just UA by itself does IMO...

Glad we're running off a mentality of nearly a decade ago. #TeamOhio!

Just look at OU. They've had 3 coaches in 5-years, which has finally had an impact on no-only recruiting, but also on-court success.

...than absorb NeoMed, but keep the name UA. Doesn't it devalue our Degrees if our University changes it's name?

The University of Akron, Toledo, Bowling Green, Ohio University, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Can't State, Miami, Youngstown...I'm short 3 so I'm going to say Cleveland State, Columbus State...can't think of a 12th...

Way to early prediction time. Weigh in everyone. QB, RB, biggest problems. Whatever pre-season thoughts. Most importantly what are our expectations for the season? I’m a big Bowden supporter, however this year I’m willing to put a number on it: 7-5. Anything less than that I am officially off the Bowden defense squad and will begin to re-evaluate. However I think, with this schedule, we can do better than that. QB: Tra’Von Chapman Expectation: 7-5, But I wouldn’t mind 9-3. Biggest Problem: WRs. (Preseason this is what I think our biggest problem is. Some of the young guys, and those still on the roster, are going to need to step up and fill the gap left by D'Orazio and Smith). History: I think the Zips are going to make history this year (again) and win the most games at Infocision Stadium. @ Oklahoma Prediction: Loss vs. Pittsburgh Prediction: Win vs. Savannah St Prediction: Win @ Lousiana Prediction: Loss vs. Ohio Prediction: Win @ E. Michigan Prediction: Win @ Bowling Green Prediction: Loss vs. C. Michigan Prediction: Win @ UMass Prediction: Win @ Miami Prediction: Win vs. Buffalo Prediction: Win vs. Can't Prediction: Win

That guy looks like he's some fun to watch

Bobkitten faithful are comparing stats of they're players to ours (of course each player the cherry-picked has better stats than us). The only Stat that matters is 70-58. Here's to hoping we play them again in the Tourney, all-time stands at 37-37. I'd hate for this rivalry to go into the off season without one of the teams owning it.

The president is thinking of renaming the University? Link? Horrible Idea.

I will never understand why we can't have the Akron/Can't game earlier in the year. I understand that it makes for good football story lines when you have two rivalry teams playing each other when the MAC-C visit is on the line...but when was the last time that happened? I don't remember what it was like to have early season rivalry games so someone please chime in and explain the difference in atmosphere... But on sheer Arkon vs Can't and the weather alone...it should be the best attended game... No excuse for why that game isn't in September or October.

#TeamOhio #TeamAkron?

I didn't realize it was nationally televised...cool! Should draw a decent crowd, but still below average. This season is about 200 people below the average.

Usually spring practice begins a month before the spring game. Last year the Spring Game was April 18th, Spring Camp started on around March 17th.

Football games, have it earlier in the season...first game of the year perhaps? Zips should pull out all the stops for the first home game of the year...promotions, specials, whatever. Get that place as packed as we can, make a fun and engaging atmosphere that some might actually want to come back for. Work with Relay for Life students on campus, to have a "Relay Week" where the teams can gain points towards Relay For Life competitions for how many members attend the game...points for attending double points for staying the whole game.

You do realize I'm an alum right? I don't need to defend myself; I wouldn't be wasting my time trying to make this point if I didn't care about The (you forgot to capitalize the T btw)...THE University of Akron, or have some ridiculous level of pride in the institution I attended. I'm not saying students should be catered too (even though they kinda should be because there would be no athletics without the students paying $800 a year against their will to support it), I'm saying they should be sought after and included on the discussion on how to increase attendance at games. Sitting in the ivory tower asking questions towards the sky of "why...oh why won't the students come?" isn't productive. The same ol' marketing that's been done for decades isn't productive. Making the students out as if they're the bad guys for not attending, isn't productive.

Here is a couple of good articles about understanding millennials. Hate us or love us, it's reality. And the sports world from college to the pros should be doing everything possible to understand us.

Don't take this as an attack at you Skip, more just the concept But this is the attitude that leads to students not caring about Zips athletics. The marketing/promotions acts like and assumes it should be like the "good old days", and throws up it's hands saying "I don't know why they're not coming!?". This type of attitude is deaf to reality. We've got to adjust to the times, not get the students to adjust to old times. Student attendance averages as well as average attendance are dropping every year, across all sports, including the big programs. I'm not saying that I have the answers on how to change it, but I don't get paid $$$ to come up with those answers. I'd hope that a marketing/promotions department who gets paid to do it would be, but they're failing to do so across the country. It's my observation, that student attendance is best at programs that have longstanding traditions (which we don't have) have prime seating for students (which we don't have), and treat their students like they belong there...not as if they're children. Hindsight is 20/20. I'm not sure how far back student attendance records go, but record student attendance happened just TWO years ago this year? There are plenty of students who WANT to be there, and are there (I was one of them) but they're shoved all over the place you'd never know they are there.

Though I agree students should show up to games in higher numbers...this thought process is part of the problem. Why should students be expected to show up? Student's should be catered towards not have expectations made of them. Because it's the 22,000 student's $800 a year that make our athletic department, not our donations or ticket buying. I don't know what would bring them out either, that's why I'm saying go and engage them. From a recent student's perspective: what is promotions/marketing doing to make students want to sit in uncomfortable wooden bleacher seats, in a high-school-esque stadium, where you change where the student section is ever couple a years, where a guy shouts at you through a microphone that you're in the wrong section and you need to move to the "new" section (embarrassing, making UA feel like a community-college, and did happen a couple of years ago), to watch your team beat up on 80% of the opponents who visit. What exactly makes students want to come? Has anyone in marketing/promotions actually asked the students?

One season of good marketing/promotions/engagement doesn't make up for years and years of not good marketing/promotions/engagement. For my time on campus there was maybe one year that we really had good marketing/promotions/engagement...and it wasn't my first three years on campus. You breed the culture you want. UA has improved (a little) in trying to change the culture since my freshman year on campus...but it's got a long, long way to go. Just an observation of mine.

Well...when you're treated like you matter...

How much you wanna bet students + student groups were included on orchestrating this? Like, idk...treated like adults and approached as if they were valued members of the university? Freakin awesome! Also: Look how close the students are to the court? Take note Akron Athletics. Take note.

+1.