GP1

This is concerning for me also. I'd like to know if the University knows why. It's like closing a deal. If you don't close a deal you should know why.

It's less than one percent of overall revenue.

Is this a good or bad? I guess they could have let 1,400 dimwits in and matched YSU.

When TV networks no longer run college athletics. Then a commissioner for college football representing the P5 schools. Then collective bargaining agreement between the players and universities which is what the Supreme Court said in their ruling when they declared restrictions on plays earning money was unconstitutional. It will probably be 3-5 more years before this is accomplished. It really isn't hard, but athletic directors are getting dumber by the day so it will take some time. I have nieces in their 30s who grew up with Taylor Swift and are huge fans. Their fandom made me realize something about myself and my enjoyment of college football. I neither like nor dislike Swift, but I'm not her target audience either so that probably drives my indifference. I'm starting to feel the same way about college football. I'm becoming very indifferent to the product. It's hard to watch. Because analytics is destroying the enjoyment of sports for everyone but degenerate gamblers, everyone does the same thing and it has become boring. The games last over 3.5 hours. At noon on Saturday, the following networks have non streaming games: ABC, CBS, ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN2, Fox, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, BTN, SEC, ACC. That's 10 games....try to find two worth watching. It's a tough task. It's mostly garbage. Speaking of garbage, how about the ESPN and Fox Sports Saturday morning pregame yell and mug shows? They used to be great, now I find them unwatchable. Kirk Herbstreit is really good, but I don't need to hear his voice for seven hours on Saturdays between the yell and mug show and his game broadcast. I don't need to watch grown men over the age of 40 talking over each other and shoving each other in the arm. They increasing behave like morons. However, this is what college football has become. Maybe it's why fans want. Maybe people like me and you and a lot of people on this board are looking at it all the wrong way. Maybe sports are like music. I like a lot of different types of music, but not all. There are some types of music I used to like and now don't. Maybe I'm not the target audience for college football anymore as it appears that audience is now drunks and degenerate gamblers. Maybe there is a massive audience for crappy football and grown men yelling at and mugging each other on pregame shows and I'm not part of the target audience. I've accepted this is probably the case and am spending less time watching college football and engaging in other activities to enjoy myself. There are a ton of things to do in this world.

They are different markets, but that doesn't excuse Akron's failures. Being a benefit to the surrounding community can mean a lot of things. Toledo found a way to do it. Akron doesn't try.

There are no spots bars within walking distance to the stadium. If you have a car and want some waterfront activity, Liberty on Lake Murray is awesome. If you want to stay in the city, The Vista has a ton of good places. https://www.vistacolumbia.com/directory/eat-and-drink

This is the last time I do your work for you. It took me 20 seconds to find this. https://utrockets.com/news/2023/8/18/football-new-family-and-youth-activities-will-enhance-game-day-experience-at-the-glass-bowl-in-2023.aspx

Has anything become more tedious than discussing gambling stats? I'm so over it.

Well you asked for it. I don't have all day, but I'll just provide some highlights of how Akron hasn't benefited the athletes students alumni fans and general community around Akron that would create a successful program. Decades of underfunding athletic scholarships, facilities and services such as training tables. They have made it more difficult for students alumni fans and general community around Akron to attend games by playing on days of the week and times convenient for attendance. Failure to provide a top notch community event on gameday that would drive attendance and highlight the University. Failure to frame the athletic department as a benefit to the community worthy of community support. Toledo does all of this and more. They have more than a good team. They have a good program. It's always good, not just some of the time. Athletes students alumni fans and general community around Toledo know it is a good program and benefit from supporting the program or being part of it. Toledo's success is on purpose. The winning doesn't just happen because they have a good coach or a good player. Lots of coaches win there. They always have good players. They know there is no magic pill. Could anyone say any this about Akron?

You just successfully described every conference. College football is flooded with a lot of bad teams. On Saturdays, there are tons of games on TV at any time and it's difficult to find two watchable games.

Is anyone actually going to this game? If so and you want some recommendations, I'll write some.

Crap. My friends didn't forget.

Toledo really kicked the poop out of them. With the new playoff system, the October 19 Toledo @ NIU game could be huge. Before that, Toledo has to get by a good WKU team this coming weekend. It's amazing what a program can do when they prioritize the athletes students alumni fans and general community around their school. Toledo is a substantiative college football program.

They could induct the stall doors if there were any.

It's like someone blasting a wet fart into a microphone to start a race.

Too many of my season tickets are after 6 PM. I'm simply not interested in that. I'm really struggling to enjoy college this year and maybe the past couple of years. Maybe it's been longer and I was in denial. Regardless, the TV networks are winning. They are trading my time for the time of drunks and degenerate gamblers. I don't know how much longer I can put up with it.

Good read. Thanks for posting. At Miller's age, his departure was no surprise. It's was reasonable concern about whether or not he was the guy to make the cuts.

7:30....sigh.... Had some friends invite me and Mrs. GP1, the luckiest woman in the world, to their tailgate right next to the stadium then the game. I'm hoping they forgot they invited us.

The best scenario would be for Akron to get the dumpster fire of the football program moving in a way that would draw people to the University by making it a benefit to the athletes students alumni fans and general community around Akron. It's a public institution, not an athletic department. It should benefit the citizens of Ohio and it simply isn't.

In recent years, OSU didn't sell out a couple of games. I'm all for taxpayers getting tickets for the remainder.

I hear this a lot. Technically, yes. In reality, the schools and athletic departments could not exist without taxpayer money.

Very spirited post. My perspective is the University is publicly funded up to one third of annual revenues, approximately. Should we be more competitive, of course. I'm of the opinion that the money being spent by the taxpayers of Ohio to fund MAC schools and athletic departments is well spent. I'm not sure every taxpayer would agree with me. Most probably wouldn't. In total, it's a lot of money. Spread out over all of the taxpaying citizens, it isn't. Therefore, the schools need to do something to get ahead the taxpayers discovering this. The taxpayers might feel different if for their tax dollars, they got four free general admission tickets to two MAC events annually. The taxpayers get a benefit and the universities get to show off their schools and make MAC athletics a benefit to the athletes students alumni fans and general communities around their schools.

They will make it all back in television revenues.

Am I wrong to say NIU beating ND in South Bend is the biggest win in MAC history?

Positioning the program for success. One doesn't have to be inside the athletic department to see that.