Poll: 2009 average home attendance

[BostonZip]

All the talk about the end zone grass seating area not being available for this season made me wonder: What are the chances it really will be needed? I mean, I want every game to sell out as bad as the rest of you, but Akron has never even approached 20,000 average home attendance in its history. Was the distant location of the Rubber Bowl a factor? Absolutely. But what kind of attendnace bump do you think the new stadium will bring?Here are the Zips' average home attendance figures for the last 30 years:1979: 16,3191980: 16,1381981: 12,3141982: 12,7931983: 12,0741984: 11,3061985: 18,1371986: 16,6061987: 12,7471988: 8,8411989: 17,0551990: 11,1641991: 13,9491992: 10,4121993: 17,7411994: 9,1741995: 9,3601996: 7,4181997: 11,4201998: 8,4851999: 8,2762000: 10,6372001: 13,4792002: 11,6002003: 13,2732004: 15,8482005: 10,8932006: 16,1322007: 9,0132008: 14,342

[scottditzen]

Those are some very sobering numbers...For me, getting more people to attend is a personal crusade. I'm making sure to invite everyone I know down to campus for game days. It's the place to be. Even if they're not exactly Akron fans, how could anyone not appreciate a day of tailgating and D-1 football in a great, brand new stadium.

All the talk about the end zone grass seating area not being available for this season made me wonder: What are the chances it really will be needed? I mean, I want every game to sell out as bad as the rest of you, but Akron has never even approached 20,000 average home attendance in its history. Was the distant location of the Rubber Bowl a factor? Absolutely. But what kind of attendnace bump do you think the new stadium will bring?Here are the Zips' average home attendance figures for the last 30 years:1979: 16,3191980: 16,1381981: 12,3141982: 12,7931983: 12,0741984: 11,3061985: 18,1371986: 16,6061987: 12,7471988: 8,8411989: 17,0551990: 11,1641991: 13,9491992: 10,4121993: 17,7411994: 9,1741995: 9,3601996: 7,4181997: 11,4201998: 8,4851999: 8,2762000: 10,6372001: 13,4792002: 11,6002003: 13,2732004: 15,8482005: 10,8932006: 16,1322007: 9,0132008: 14,342

[Blue & Gold]

What would account for some of those seemingly random and drastic rises and falls in attendance?

[BostonZip]

What would account for some of those seemingly random and drastic rises and falls in attendance?

Sometimes it had to do with a push to boost attendance in order to maintain Division I status.One of the requirements for Football Bowl Subdivision teams is they must average 15,000 people in actual or paid attendance per home game once every two years.One year, and I can't remember if this was at Akron or another MAC school, a company bought all the tickets to one game and then gave them away, in order to help the school meet the attendance requirement average. Not even sure if you can do that any more.

[HOLLYWOODZIPPY]

I wonder if the spike last season was partially due to people buying the season ticket package that included tickets to the rubber bowl last season and Info this season? I know a friend of mine, who is an alumni and 25 year season ticket holder to suckeye state, did that just cause he wanted tickets to the new stadium. In fact he told me last night that he is planning to skip the osu game at Browns Stadium to come to the Indiana game at Info. I was floored when he said that.

[BostonZip]

What would account for some of those seemingly random and drastic rises and falls in attendance?

Sometimes it had to do with a push to boost attendance in order to maintain Division I status.

2006 was one of those years when Akron (and K.S.U.) needed to hit the 15,00 mark:http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/foo...ance-woes_x.htmRelated article:http://tinyurl.com/m4fkm6

[Dr Z]

Wasn't it in 2006 that they painted the bathrooms at the RB?

[Zipmeister]

Wasn't it in 2006 that they painted the bathrooms at the RB?

You are correct. As I recall the athletic department, in an attempt to boost attendance that year, also started a rumor that a door had been installed on one of the men's room stalls.

[RowdyZip]

I voted for 20k-30k. The sad thing is, so much depends on the weather. A huge step for Zips football will be when it moves from being something to do when it's nice out to THE thing to do on Sat.

[Captain Kangaroo]

I voted 20k - 30k. But Hunter's calculation says 18k.The best thing about predicting 18k is, when you average 24k you can boast that you exceeded goals by THIRTY THREE PERCENT! No one ever put on their resume that they set their expectations 33% too low.If JD's team lays an egg this year, Marketing is off the hook for any bad attendance blame. If the Zips are winning, and the stadium is filled to anything less than 90% of capacity, Marketing will, and should take a beating.People watch football in bad weather all the time. With an on-campus stadium I don't see bad weather making a huge attendance impact. I see it as an excuse...but not a real cause.

[ditchrider1]

I stated 15-20,000the lack of marketing and advertising has been embarrasing. Everyone should be fully aware of the new stadium by this time and know when the opening game is. What else goes on in this city? People should be chomping at the bit for opening day.

[BostonZip]

Wasn't it in 2006 that they painted the bathrooms at the RB?

You are correct. As I recall the athletic department, in an attempt to boost attendance that year, also started a rumor that a door had been installed on one of the men's room stalls.

Acutally, back in 2006, some of the more thoughtful members of this very board offered some good marketing ideas to boost attendance and meet the requirement. Not sure any were implemented, but you can reminisce here [insert broken record sound track]:http://zipsnation.org/forums//index.php?showtopic=3316

[flipthezip]

I voted 20-30, but I think the better break down question would be 20-25 or 25-30.I figure Morgan St and Indiana are 30,000 games.Ohio (Homecoming) and Can't draw 20,000 min and could approach 25,000Temple may get a draw being on Friday night but the success of the season to that point will determine if it is 20,000 or 15,000.Eastern Michigan - "Black Friday" will take on a whole new meaning. No students on campus. 15,000 at best if the game means anything for the post season.So 30 + 30 + 20 + 20 + 15 + 10 = 125/6 = 20+But 30 + 30 + 25 + 25 + 20 + 15 = 24+ *with a little Akron attendance adjustment call it 25

[xu9697]

I voted for 20k-30k. The sad thing is, so much depends on the weather. A huge step for Zips football will be when it moves from being something to do when it's nice out to THE thing to do on Sat.

Or a Friday or a Wednesday or a Tuesday.

[Quickzips]

Too many variables in all of this to make an accurate prediction. Will the weather cooperate? Will the performance of the team be enough to draw in more fans? Will we see more visiting fans willing to attend a sparkly new stadium than they were the dilapidated Rubber Bowl? Heck even the current economic situation is a variable that we can't predict.That said, I would be kind of disappointed with anything under a 20K average this year. I would be VERY disappointed with a 15K or lower average.

[freddiecoffey]

Anyone know what the single season record for a MAC team's home attendance? Do we have any shot of getting that high?

[Blue & Gold]

<br />Anyone know what the single season record for a MAC team's home attendance? Do we have any shot of getting that high?<br /><br /><br />

<br /><br /><br />My guess would be Marshall during their hayday, and I would say, with our lack of a winning tradition and marketing, we wouldn't have much of a chance @ breaking it this year. Especially since our marketing department is aiming for the stars with a goal of 18,000. Roll eyes.

[BostonZip]

Anyone know what the single season record for a MAC team's home attendance? Do we have any shot of getting that high?

Here are the top 10 home attendance marks by per-game average, through 2007, according to the 2008 MAC Football Media Guide:1. 30,014, Toledo, 20012. 28,858, Toledo, 20073. 28,674, Marshall 19994. 27,789, Marshall, 20025. 26,578, Marshall, 20016. 26,401, Marshall, 19977. 25,567, Toledo, 19948. 25,136, Northern Illinois, 20079. 24,788, Marshall, 199810. 23,601, Northern Illinois, 2003I’m not sure how accurate these figures are; for example, the NCAA website shows Toledo averaged 32,012 per home game in 2001. Maybe it uses a different method of counting than the MAC.Whatever, this gives you an idea of where the bar has been set.

[Zipmeister]

Wasn't it in 2006 that they painted the bathrooms at the RB?

You are correct. As I recall the athletic department, in an attempt to boost attendance that year, also started a rumor that a door had been installed on one of the men's room stalls.

Acutally, back in 2006, some of the more thoughtful members of this very board offered some good marketing ideas to boost attendance and meet the requirement. Not sure any were implemented, but you can reminisce here [insert broken record sound track]:http://zipsnation.org/forums//index.php?showtopic=3316

Well whoever suggested counting invisible people as part of the attendance figure, which occurred a lot towards the end of that season, is a marketing genius.

[Z.I.P.]

Too many variables in all of this to make an accurate prediction. Will the weather cooperate? Will the performance of the team be enough to draw in more fans? Will we see more visiting fans willing to attend a sparkly new stadium than they were the dilapidated Rubber Bowl? Heck even the current economic situation is a variable that we can't predict.That said, I would be kind of disappointed with anything under a 20K average this year. I would be VERY disappointed with a 15K or lower average.

I'd like to see someone (can't get up the nerve to do it myself) put this same poll up for the Morgan State game alone. I just can't see it drawing over 20k. MORGAN STATE? You've gotta be kidding me. And if you think 25,000 people will show up just for an "event", and not care about the opponent, then why don't we still have the Acme Zip Game? This shows just how wily Hunter is. Hunter knows.

[g-mann17]

Too many variables in all of this to make an accurate prediction. Will the weather cooperate? Will the performance of the team be enough to draw in more fans? Will we see more visiting fans willing to attend a sparkly new stadium than they were the dilapidated Rubber Bowl? Heck even the current economic situation is a variable that we can't predict.That said, I would be kind of disappointed with anything under a 20K average this year. I would be VERY disappointed with a 15K or lower average.

I'd like to see someone (can't get up the nerve to do it myself) put this same poll up for the Morgan State game alone. I just can't see it drawing over 20k. MORGAN STATE? You've gotta be kidding me. And if you think 25,000 people will show up just for an "event", and not care about the opponent, then why don't we still have the Acme Zip Game? This shows just how wily Hunter is. Hunter knows.

You really don't think an event will draw more than 20? The first game, in a brand new stadium? Ok, I don't understand your logic. The ACME Zip game went away because the University didn't make anything off of it, not because attendance numbers dropped. ACME made all the money, donated a measily amount to the school and smiled all the way to the bank. The opponent isn't going to matter one bit for the first game of a brand new stadium.

[ZachTheZip]

You really don't think an event will draw more than 20? The first game, in a brand new stadium? Ok, I don't understand your logic. The ACME Zip game went away because the University didn't make anything off of it, not because attendance numbers dropped. ACME made all the money, donated a measily amount to the school and smiled all the way to the bank. The opponent isn't going to matter one bit for the first game of a brand new stadium.

Is UA making anything of the grand opening of the stadium?

[Captain Kangaroo]

Too many variables in all of this to make an accurate prediction. Will the weather cooperate? Will the performance of the team be enough to draw in more fans? Will we see more visiting fans willing to attend a sparkly new stadium than they were the dilapidated Rubber Bowl? Heck even the current economic situation is a variable that we can't predict.That said, I would be kind of disappointed with anything under a 20K average this year. I would be VERY disappointed with a 15K or lower average.

I'd like to see someone (can't get up the nerve to do it myself) put this same poll up for the Morgan State game alone. I just can't see it drawing over 20k. MORGAN STATE? You've gotta be kidding me. And if you think 25,000 people will show up just for an "event", and not care about the opponent, then why don't we still have the Acme Zip Game? This shows just how wily Hunter is. Hunter knows.

Barring a lightning storm or tornado, if the opening of the new stadium doesn't sell-out, heads will roll.

[Dr Z]

I'd like to see someone (can't get up the nerve to do it myself) put this same poll up for the Morgan State game alone. I just can't see it drawing over 20k.

I see where you are coming from. I think they will sell out opening day, it would be an embarrassment if they don't.I was thinking of putting a poll up for just the OU game before this poll went up. Seems kind of pointless now.

[Zipmeister]

Too many variables in all of this to make an accurate prediction. Will the weather cooperate? Will the performance of the team be enough to draw in more fans? Will we see more visiting fans willing to attend a sparkly new stadium than they were the dilapidated Rubber Bowl? Heck even the current economic situation is a variable that we can't predict.That said, I would be kind of disappointed with anything under a 20K average this year. I would be VERY disappointed with a 15K or lower average.

I'd like to see someone (can't get up the nerve to do it myself) put this same poll up for the Morgan State game alone. I just can't see it drawing over 20k. MORGAN STATE? You've gotta be kidding me. And if you think 25,000 people will show up just for an "event", and not care about the opponent, then why don't we still have the Acme Zip Game? This shows just how wily Hunter is. Hunter knows.

You really don't think an event will draw more than 20? The first game, in a brand new stadium? Ok, I don't understand your logic. The ACME Zip game went away because the University didn't make anything off of it, not because attendance numbers dropped. ACME made all the money, donated a measily amount to the school and smiled all the way to the bank. The opponent isn't going to matter one bit for the first game of a brand new stadium.

OK Ricky, you got some splaining to do. Exactly how did Acme make money sponsoring the Acme Zip game?