Attendance/Ticket Prices

[skip-zip]

Until we beat someone of some significance, it's not going to change.

Beating someone of significance is almost worthless. It is a nice notch in the belt, but winning championships is what counts.JD is steaming towards his 4th consecutive losing season. That is why there are no butts in the stands. It is as simple as that.Watch the basketball team this season. Now that they've actually won a championship, they will begin filling the JAR with regularity. Humpty made the "million dollar shot." If he missed, the Zips are back to the same old 3k attendance. Now there's NCAA expectations, Zeke, 20-wins, a cake-walk schedule to ensure a fast start...it all comes together this season.Look at the soccer team. Selling out matches?! Why? Because they are winning, and winning consistently over an extended time period. People want to be a part of it.Look at the Cleveland Indians - They sell out when things are rolling...and dodge the tumbleweeds blowing through Progressive Desert when they stink.Look at the Browns -- Sure they technically "sell out." But when you see them on TV at season's end, half the "attendees" are disguised as empty seats? And the other half are rooting for the opposing team.

If our basketball team wins some big games, and gets some NATIONAL ranking...I would expect larger crowds as well. I agree with you.Our soccer team is ranked #1, has beaten some big dogs, and is competing for a NATIONAL championship. We've won MAC championships countless times. Did we have record crowds for those games?When the Browns are doing well, they have a chance to win a Super Bowl title. Agreed....everyone wants to be a part of that.When the Indians are doing well, they have a chance to win a NATIONAL title. Agreed...everyone wants to be a part of that.When Akron football has a good year, they have a chance to win a bottom-feeder conference title, and play in a bowl game that means nothing to the majority of the country.

[Lee Adams]

.....Do you know how tired I am of answering the question "What happen to Akron's QB, I heard he got suspended?" It's embarrassing.

At least they are willing to ask, unlike the old guy and his fat wife that sit behind me, ugh are they annoying.Matt Rodger's fumbles into the endzone..."What did I miss?" "I think he got 'picked off'" really?, really? watch the freaking game you loud mouth morons.

you described part of the problem with the fans around here...there never has been a base of fans...certainly the students never showed up in any number worth speaking of...most people went to the Acme Zip game...that was it...for the rest of this year reduce prices,do a 2for1...get some people out for the bad weather games in november(Can't aside)...next year?

[Dr Z]

Matt Rodger's fumbles into the endzone..."What did I miss?" "I think he got 'picked off'" really?, really? watch the freaking game you loud mouth morons.

you described part of the problem with the fans around here

NEO fan. Does anybody remember attending Tribe games during the sellout years. People around me NEVER paid attention to the game.

[skip-zip]

Zipswatcher, As much as I have attempted to deny it over the years, I have to (silently) agree with you that MAC football just isn't very good. And I do so silently because I am trying to get some somewhat-curious-possible-future-zips-fans to join me for those November games when all of our wives bail out and stay home because it's too cold.

[Spin]

Until we beat someone of some significance, it's not going to change.

That's not going to help. We could beat Big ten teams, get ranked, even make a run for the BCS. Doesn't matter in football, just ask Boise State. Ask Ball State last year. Big time college football is a different culture than any other sport, and only BCS schools matter.In basketball a mid-major who's hot takes on all kinds of excitement. "Is Gonzaga this year's Cinderella"? "I've got Xavier in my Final Four". And if you ever want to get some OSU honks off of you about the Zips, ask them how big Sienna is. DOH.In football, if we don't get playoffs or a BCS conference invite, it's going to take a couple generations of beating BCS schools to become part of the culture. And it has to be the RIGHT BCS conference. Just ask Cincinnati.Personally I prefer a MAC game over watching a top Big Ten team run up 70 on a bottom feeder. Especially knowing full well they don't do that to good MAC teams. I just can't get into 63-7 and "YEAH!!!! WE JUST SCORED ANOTHER TOUCHDOWN!!!!!! O!!! H!!!!" "WOOO WOOOO WOOOOOOO". Crimony.Just opinions.

[Dr Z]

I think the some of the problem is being addressed. IMO the best way to build a fan base at the University is to get the students to the game. A percent of the students will then become Alumni fans. Now that we have the on campus stadium and future dorms next to the stadium, they will eventually produce future fans. This will obviously take time. Students not going to the Rubber Bowl for years has created a void. This is only one way that we are building a fan base. The high school football games at Info also help sell to the people that are area football fans by showing off Akron's home stadium. Marketing is a hard job when you have a crummy product to sell. Having a good product obviously gives a better marketing opportunity. We desperately need that product.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Zipswatcher, As much as I have attempted to deny it over the years, I have to (silently) agree with you that MAC football just isn't very good. And I do so silently because I am trying to get some somewhat-curious-possible-future-zips-fans to join me for those November games when all of our wives bail out and stay home because it's too cold.

Here in lies the problem -- It is not that MAC football is not good. It CAN be good. It HAS been been good. BAD MAC football is not good. Good MAC football is good, exciting, capable of garnering national attention and Top 25 rankings, capable of selling-out stadiums, etc.Few people want to watch BAD MAC football. People WILL watch good MAC football.When BG is rolling, they sell out. When Toledo is rolling, they sell out. When CMU is rolling, they sell out. When a MAC program merits it, they get a Top 25 ranking. The Zips cannot control Eastern Michigan...K.e.n.t. State, etc. But they can control themselves. The Zips need to stop being a BAD MAC football team. They need to be a GOOD MAC football program.No one wants to watch Matt Rodgers lob passes into opponents arms. No one wants to watch Alex Allen over the left guard for 1 yard. No one wants to watch repeated 3-and-outs. No one wants to watch the home team get waxed 75% of the time, where JD's recent home win percentage hovers.Just because the Zips lose as they have, doesn't mean they are relegated to losing forever. Zips fans now have every possible reason to expect GOOD...even GREAT football. They are now paying top-dollar, the facilities are hands-down the best in the MAC and the University has made the $$ commitment to win.Now we need a coach that can win.Cincinnati was a sorry-ass program as recent as recently as 10 years ago. Now they're ranked above Ohio State!? If, back in 1999, someone would have suggested that Cincinnati would be ranked ahead of a 1-loss Ohio State team at mid-season they'd have been laughed out of the country! I repeat - Just because the Zips lose as they have, doesn't mean they are relegated to losing forever. What it does mean is -- someone's not doing their job. There are no longer any excuses.At halftime of the OU game, the Zips showed their "First Half Highlights" on the big screen. The first one was a Rodgers swing pass to Tuzze for no gain. That speaks volumes for where the Zips presently reside..."no gain" is a highlight. I refuse to believe that a good/great Zips football team will not sell out InfoCision with regularity. I already know that a bad Zips football program will not.It is up to Tom Winsrtcill to prove me correct.

[Zipmeister]

Until we beat someone of some significance, it's not going to change.

Beating someone of significance is almost worthless. It is a nice notch in the belt, but winning championships is what counts.JD is steaming towards his 4th consecutive losing season. That is why there are no butts in the stands. It is as simple as that.Watch the basketball team this season. Now that they've actually won a championship, they will begin filling the JAR with regularity. Humpty made the "million dollar shot." If he missed, the Zips are back to the same old 3k attendance. Now there's NCAA expectations, Zeke, 20-wins, a cake-walk schedule to ensure a fast start...it all comes together this season.Look at the soccer team. Selling out matches?! Why? Because they are winning, and winning consistently over an extended time period. People want to be a part of it.Look at the Cleveland Indians - They sell out when things are rolling...and dodge the tumbleweeds blowing through Progressive Desert when they stink.Look at the Browns -- Sure they technically "sell out." But when you see them on TV at season's end, half the "attendees" are disguised as empty seats? And the other half are rooting for the opposing team.

Sounds like you may be backing off that recent 7-5 prediction just a tad.

[Bull_In_Exile]

Someone mentioned that people are not able to pay their electric bills and they can't afford the ticket prices. First, it is horrible that someone can't pay an electric bill. Second, going to a football game is the least of the problems this person has and probably isn't high on their priority list.

Quite right, if I can't pay my electric bill and you reduce tickets 10$ should I then use my 'spare 10$' to go to a game? 20$ is very reasonable..

[Captain Kangaroo]

Until we beat someone of some significance, it's not going to change.

Beating someone of significance is almost worthless. It is a nice notch in the belt, but winning championships is what counts.JD is steaming towards his 4th consecutive losing season. That is why there are no butts in the stands. It is as simple as that.Watch the basketball team this season. Now that they've actually won a championship, they will begin filling the JAR with regularity. Humpty made the "million dollar shot." If he missed, the Zips are back to the same old 3k attendance. Now there's NCAA expectations, Zeke, 20-wins, a cake-walk schedule to ensure a fast start...it all comes together this season.Look at the soccer team. Selling out matches?! Why? Because they are winning, and winning consistently over an extended time period. People want to be a part of it.Look at the Cleveland Indians - They sell out when things are rolling...and dodge the tumbleweeds blowing through Progressive Desert when they stink.Look at the Browns -- Sure they technically "sell out." But when you see them on TV at season's end, half the "attendees" are disguised as empty seats? And the other half are rooting for the opposing team.

Sounds like you may be backing off that recent 7-5 prediction just a tad.

NEVER!

[skip-zip]

Until we beat someone of some significance, it's not going to change.

That's not going to help. We could beat Big ten teams, get ranked, even make a run for the BCS. Doesn't matter in football, just ask Boise State. Ask Ball State last year. Big time college football is a different culture than any other sport, and only BCS schools matter.In basketball a mid-major who's hot takes on all kinds of excitement. "Is Gonzaga this year's Cinderella"? "I've got Xavier in my Final Four". And if you ever want to get some OSU honks off of you about the Zips, ask them how big Sienna is. DOH.In football, if we don't get playoffs or a BCS conference invite, it's going to take a couple generations of beating BCS schools to become part of the culture. And it has to be the RIGHT BCS conference. Just ask Cincinnati.Personally I prefer a MAC game over watching a top Big Ten team run up 70 on a bottom feeder. Especially knowing full well they don't do that to good MAC teams. I just can't get into 63-7 and "YEAH!!!! WE JUST SCORED ANOTHER TOUCHDOWN!!!!!! O!!! H!!!!" "WOOO WOOOO WOOOOOOO". Crimony.Just opinions.

Well, I can't take a poll of college football fans nationwide to see if anyone gives a damn about Boise State, but we know for sure that the sportswriters and coaches certainly do. They're the #5 team in the country, and if they run their schedule, they'll play in a major bowl game, and possibly even for a national title.I'd give anything to be in that position.

[jaycevs]

As far as ticket prices, I have not had a problem with the prices here, and I just graduated from the University, and still don't have a full time job yet. For the value, to be able to come over here on campus, see a football game, tailgate, and park for 5 bucks, it really is not a huge burden. I know a lot of us hear the Can't State ads, 2 or 10, or football basically free if you buy basketball tickets. They have their own problems and I dont think discounted football makes anyone really want to see Can't football, but I also looked at going to Buffalo last night, and the only tickets they were showing on their site were 28.00. I think our future tickets will driven by the traditions we start now, by the current fans that have supported this team, and the current students that take more interest in UA football from now on. You can tell right away when the announcers have to prod people to make noise that we need to start those traditions ourselves, even at that first game those casual fans that filled the place up were sitting there silently from the kickoff on, I agree with the one post we need to make this a home field, on third downs, and be better football fans and help this team along. It does not have to happen overnight. I watched a show about Ohio Stadium on PBS last night, and it was the same thing there, they averaged maybe 30-40K in Ohio Stadium for over 20 years before it started to become the place it is today. In closing, I think our 17-18000 real fans can be louder than the 30000 observers on opening day.

[xu9697]

To improve attendance:Winning is #1.Bringing in BIG NAME TEAMS is #2 (yeah, Indiana has a name, but not in football. NE Ohio sports fans are smarter than that). Having an EXCITING product is #3. That product can include just a player that many want to see (typically a QB or a RB, Nicely could help that..however, great QB USUALLY leads back to #1 anyway).Having some "built in traditions" or making something "an event" helps. Playing Can't, say, the day after Thanksgiving every year (as an example) might help. Obviously, having reasonable prices helps too (and we have that right now)Other ideas to improve (but none matter that much if 1 through 3 are not there):Get rid of General Admission. It is bush league/high school like. Keep them at whatever price is deemed reasonable, but make them assigned seats.Sell alcohol to ALL. Blew this already, but chairbacks help for comfort. Stay longer in comfort, can still do the chairback rental that so many places do.North Endzone= make that a "party zone". Better beer, different food, etc. Perhaps even charge a different price. Maybe even an after-the-game band plays there...keep people at the game...party right there afterwards!!!And yeah, undoubtedly, getting in a better conference and being good in that better conference would help. UC is the example that I and so many others have alluded to over the last few years.I think it was Dr. Z that mentioned building the fanbase= so true. Students who go now will be more likely to go later..but wins, good teams, fun product has to be there.

[g-mann17]

As far as ticket prices, I have not had a problem with the prices here, and I just graduated from the University, and still don't have a full time job yet. For the value, to be able to come over here on campus, see a football game, tailgate, and park for 5 bucks, it really is not a huge burden. I know a lot of us hear the Can't State ads, 2 or 10, or football basically free if you buy basketball tickets. They have their own problems and I dont think discounted football makes anyone really want to see Can't football, but I also looked at going to Buffalo last night, and the only tickets they were showing on their site were 28.00. I think our future tickets will driven by the traditions we start now, by the current fans that have supported this team, and the current students that take more interest in UA football from now on. You can tell right away when the announcers have to prod people to make noise that we need to start those traditions ourselves, even at that first game those casual fans that filled the place up were sitting there silently from the kickoff on, I agree with the one post we need to make this a home field, on third downs, and be better football fans and help this team along. It does not have to happen overnight. I watched a show about Ohio Stadium on PBS last night, and it was the same thing there, they averaged maybe 30-40K in Ohio Stadium for over 20 years before it started to become the place it is today. In closing, I think our 17-18000 real fans can be louder than the 30000 observers on opening day.

*slow clap*Those are very good points

[Captain Kangaroo]

I think it was Dr. Z that mentioned building the fanbase= so true. Students who go now will be more likely to go later..but wins, good teams, fun product has to be there.

I went to a BG / UA game at the Rubber Bowl 15 years ago. Homecoming. 70 degree, sunny October day. There were MAYBE 500 people in attendance.People have no clue how far game day attendance has come since Mike Thomas rolled into town and changed logos, started the AK-Rowdies, got rid of the bush-league vendors and team gear, got the stadium off the ground...etc.People want to plant a tree on Monday, and begin picking fruit on Thursday. It doesn't work that way. The AK-Rowdies of today won't pay dividends for several years. But they will pay off. It is the new AD's job to take the Program to the next level. The groups preceding him did.

[g-mann17]

...People want to plant a tree on Monday, and begin picking fruit on Thursday. It doesn't work that way. The AK-Rowdies of today won't pay dividends for several years. But they will pay off. ...

Maybe we need more Timken graduates then. They are already fruit bearing trees.

[Spin]

Well, I can't take a poll of college football fans nationwide to see if anyone gives a damn about Boise State, but we know for sure that the sportswriters and coaches certainly do. They're the #5 team in the country, and if they run their schedule, they'll play in a major bowl game, and possibly even for a national title.I'd give anything to be in that position.

On a nationwide scale, and in Idaho, I agree with you.But in NEOhio, where you're engrained (sp?) from birth to be a tOSU fan, because it's "Ohio's team", because it's "What we do", it's a different culture. You even mention another Ohio school to a board full of honks and you get annihilated and called stupid. This is the culture I'm referring to.tOSU could go 2-10 and charge $300 a seat and still draw 80,000 every week. Ak could run the table, blow the crap out of OSU and WIsconsin and two other BCS teams, and you bring them up and 99% of the state will say "Arkon? Seriously dude? They'll never be anybody." "Get that crap out of here, you got lucky. We were looking PAST you to a real opponent."And they won't show up of you paid them to (unless you showed the tOSU game on the screen).That's IMHO what Akron is up against in gaining respect. This generation, who's been burned by the Browns for 20 years, and go 150 miles south to compensate for it, needs to die off before the culture will change.

[Zip_ME87]

I think it was Dr. Z that mentioned building the fanbase= so true. Students who go now will be more likely to go later..but wins, good teams, fun product has to be there.

I went to a BG / UA game at the Rubber Bowl 15 years ago. Homecoming. 70 degree, sunny October day. There were MAYBE 500 people in attendance.People have no clue how far game day attendance has come since Mike Thomas rolled into town and changed logos, started the AK-Rowdies, got rid of the bush-league vendors and team gear, got the stadium off the ground...etc.People want to plant a tree on Monday, and begin picking fruit on Thursday. It doesn't work that way. The AK-Rowdies of today won't pay dividends for several years. But they will pay off. It is the new AD's job to take the Program to the next level. The groups preceding him did.

I know folks on here don't like hearing about Columbus State, but I just saw a PBS program about the building of Ohio Stadium...When it was first built, I think capacity was 60k +; first game they had standing room only. For the next several years, they had crowds of 25k or less in a 60k + stadium. It doesn't happen over night.

[g-mann17]

Well, I can't take a poll of college football fans nationwide to see if anyone gives a damn about Boise State, but we know for sure that the sportswriters and coaches certainly do. They're the #5 team in the country, and if they run their schedule, they'll play in a major bowl game, and possibly even for a national title.I'd give anything to be in that position.

On a nationwide scale, and in Idaho, I agree with you.But in NEOhio, where you're engrained (sp?) from birth to be a tOSU fan, because it's "Ohio's team", because it's "What we do", it's a different culture. You even mention another Ohio school to a board full of honks and you get annihilated and called stupid. This is the culture I'm referring to.tOSU could go 2-10 and charge $300 a seat and still draw 80,000 every week. Ak could run the table, blow the crap out of OSU and WIsconsin and two other BCS teams, and you bring them up and 99% of the state will say "Arkon? Seriously dude? They'll never be anybody." "Get that crap out of here, you got lucky. We were looking PAST you to a real opponent."And they won't show up of you paid them to (unless you showed the tOSU game on the screen).That's IMHO what Akron is up against in gaining respect. This generation, who's been burned by the Browns for 20 years, and go 150 miles south to compensate for it, needs to die off before the culture will change.

I normally save this for GP1 but...WRONG!The fact is, Ohio front runs. For historical reference find out how many people were Michigan, FSU, or Miami fans in the 80's and 90's. Look at the odd number of Steelers fans that are popping up since 99.Ohio goes with the winner, it's always been that way, it will always be that way. Right now if OSU were to lose a couple of games, and Cinci keeps winning, watch how much Bearcat merchandise you start seeing.The "general fan" as you are so keen to talk about, roots for the winner, and that is it. It doesn't matter if it's Cinci, Boise St, Ohio St they root for who wins. (But don't win too much or be smug about it, because then you draw the "haters" ask Lebron and Tebow about that)*edit: you are right about the attendance at OSU however, but that is because they have roughly a million + living alumni that care about the university, so yes they would still have large crowds

[Zip_ME87]

Well, I can't take a poll of college football fans nationwide to see if anyone gives a damn about Boise State, but we know for sure that the sportswriters and coaches certainly do. They're the #5 team in the country, and if they run their schedule, they'll play in a major bowl game, and possibly even for a national title.I'd give anything to be in that position.

On a nationwide scale, and in Idaho, I agree with you.But in NEOhio, where you're engrained (sp?) from birth to be a tOSU fan, because it's "Ohio's team", because it's "What we do", it's a different culture. You even mention another Ohio school to a board full of honks and you get annihilated and called stupid. This is the culture I'm referring to.tOSU could go 2-10 and charge $300 a seat and still draw 80,000 every week. Ak could run the table, blow the crap out of OSU and WIsconsin and two other BCS teams, and you bring them up and 99% of the state will say "Arkon? Seriously dude? They'll never be anybody." "Get that crap out of here, you got lucky. We were looking PAST you to a real opponent."And they won't show up of you paid them to (unless you showed the tOSU game on the screen).That's IMHO what Akron is up against in gaining respect. This generation, who's been burned by the Browns for 20 years, and go 150 miles south to compensate for it, needs to die off before the culture will change.

BS! Look at the other nationally ranked team in Ohio before you draw conclusions...http://www.wlwt.com/news/21160824/detail.htmlAnd by the way, guess where some of the folks who are responsible used to work...UA.UC Attendance Mirrors Football Team's SuccessAverage 2009 Attendance Highest In UC HistoryMatt Knochelman, WLWT.comPOSTED: 1:06 pm EDT September 30, 2009UPDATED: 1:58 pm EDT September 30, 2009[bUZZ: UC Attendance Mirrors Football Team's Success] [DELICIOUS: UC Attendance Mirrors Football Team's Success] [DIGG: UC Attendance Mirrors Football Team's Success] [FACEBOOK: UC Attendance Mirrors Football Team's Success] [REDDIT: UC Attendance Mirrors Football Team's Success] [RSS] [PRINT: UC Attendance Mirrors Football Team's Success] [email: UC Attendance Mirrors Football Team's Success]CINCINNATI -- What a difference a decade makes.The University of Cincinnati football team looks nothing like it did at the start of the new millennium. The stands at Nippert Stadium, the Big East’s smallest football stadium, look nothing like they once did either.Rather than being a mediocre program that always took second fiddle to the likes of Ohio State and Notre Dame, the Bearcats have emerged as a power all their own.Since UC’s recent string of success, fans have begun to continuously Nippert Stadium. People almost always support a winner, and Cincinnati is no different.Expanding the seating at Nippert Stadium has even been discussed, which is a notion that would have been laughed at only four years ago.During the 2000 season, head coach Rick Minter led the Bearcats to a 7 -5 record. The average attendance was 18,575 fans per game. The season’s highest attendance of 32,924 people came for a 45-15 stomping of Miami (Ohio) on Oct. 28. The lowest, 17,647 fans, came for a 48-31 win over Houston on Oct. 7.In 2001 the Bearcats had a 7-5 record and averaged 23,055 fans per game. In the home opener, 35,097 people set a Nippert Stadium attendance record when 25th-ranked Purdue beat the Bearcats19 to 14.The next season, Minter led the Bearcats to a 7 -7 record and a share of the Conference USA title, averaging 21,696 fans per game. The lowest attendance of the season was for Nov. 30 win over the University of Alabama Birmingham. The 9,606 people present also marks the last time Nippert Stadium failed to attract at least 10,000 fans for a Bearcat home game. The highest attendance at Nippert Stadium, 31,478 people, was for an Oct. 5 loss to Miami (Ohio).The Bearcats also drew 66,319 fans to a 23-19 loss to sixth-ranked Ohio State at Paul Brown Stadium. However, many people at the game were fans of the Buckeyes, who went on to defeat Miami (Fla.) for the national championship.The ‘Cats went 5-7 in 2003, averaging 21,827 people per game.Coach Mark Dantonio was hired the following season, leading the Bearcats to a 7-5 record. However, attendance slightly fell, to an average of 21,255 fans per game.In 2005, the 4-7 Bearcats averaged 22,423 people per game.2006 was Mark Dantonio’s last season before leaving for a seemingly better opportunity at Michigan State University. The lowest attendance of the season was for the season opener, when 18,792 people saw UC shut out Eastern Michigan 31-0. UC averaged 20,373 fans per game during the season.UC’s biggest win was for the Nov. 18 home finale. 27,804 people watched as the Bearcats stunned seventh-ranked and undefeated Rutgers 30-11. This game was the start of UC’s emergence into the national spotlight.The game’s attendance was somewhat distorted, however. UC had a large lead at halftime, and UC students scrambled to the stadium to rush the field after the game. Students used to be able to swipe their student I.D. at the gate to enter any game. However, due to UC’s success, a limit was put on student tickets, making only 3,884 student tickets available 10 days prior to any home game.Dantonio left shortly after the regular season ended, and Brian Kelly was hired shortly after. On Jan. 6, 2007, in his first game as head coach, Kelly led the ‘Cats to a 27-24 International Bowl win over Western Michigan.The beginning of the 2007 season was similar to previous years, with just over 20,000 people in attendance to see the Bearcats crush Southeast Missouri State 59-3 in the home opener.The Bearcats started the season 6-0, beating Oregon State and Marshall in front of over 25,000, and 35,000 fans, respectively.The team’s first loss came Oct. 13 in a 28-24 loss to Lousiville in front of a sell-out crowd at Nippert Stadium. The Nov. 17 game against West Virginia also sold out; where fans saw the fifth-ranked Mountaineers squeak by the Bearcats 28-23 in the home finale.All-in-all, the ‘Cats finished the season 10-3, including a 31-21 win over Southern Mississippi in the Papajohns.com Bowl. The Bearcats also beat three top 25 teams in 2007, with victories over 21st-ranked Rutgers and 20th-ranked South Florida on the road, and 16th-ranked Connecticut at home.Higher attendance followed the team’s success, with an average of 30,246 fans per game.The success carried over to the 2008 season, where UC went 11-3, including a Big East Conference championship and a 20-7 loss to Virginia Tech in the FedEx Orange Bowl.The lowest attendance of the season was during the home opener, where 26,913 people saw the ‘Cats beat Eastern Kentucky 40-7. The highest was a stadium record of over 35,098 on November 22 against Pittsburgh, which was essentially for the conference championship.The’Cats beat Pitt, and followed up the next week by beating Syracuse 30-10 on front of 34,603 fans. After the game, UC claimed the Big East Championship trophy.UC also attracted over 30,000 fans for home wins over Miami (Ohio) in September and against both Rutgers and 23rd-ranked South Florida in October.The Bearcats again averaged 31,965 fans per game, beating the previous year’s mark.If the 10th-ranked Bearcats (4-0) keep winning, this should be the first year that at least 30,000 people attend every single UC football game at Nippert Stadium.30,421 people saw the Bearcats crush Southeast Missouri State 70-3 in this season’s home opener, compared to 20,233 people who saw the ‘Cats beat the same team in the 2007 home opener.32,910 people attended the Fresno State game and the West Virginia game on Nov. 7 has already sold out.The Bearcats have also defeated Rutgers and Oregon State on the road.Remaining home games against Louisville on Oct. 24, Connecticut on Nov. 7 and Illinois on Nov. 27 are also likely to reach the 30,000 fan mark.Only time will tell if high attendance will continue at Nippert Stadium. As long as the Bearcats keep winning, people are likely to continually fill Nippert Stadium, making the need for a seating expansion increasingly more pressing.---Attendance Statistics: http://www.gobearcats.com/sports/m-footbl/...tbl-archive.htm

[xu9697]

UC totally fits the 3 things that are important: winning, more name teams (who also happen to have fans that travel), exciting product.IF UC was just average in the Big East, they would still do better than some of those early 2000 years b/c of name teams like Pitt, WVU (who brought TONS of fans to that 2007 game...I was there, I know) and to some extents Rutgers, Louisville (who was good and would bring fans) and Syracuse (not good now, but will most likely be again...argument could be made either way).I (and others) have for years said UC is the model for this program for so many reasons that have been mentioned before.

[Captain Kangaroo]

ME_87 - You rule. :rock:One of my favorite quotes:"There are those who look at things as they are and ask "Why?". And there are those who look at things that aren't and ask "Why not?"Until I see a UA Athletic Director that has a "Why not Akron?" attitude, I will never believe collegiate athletic success cannot be had at The University of Akron.Too many sad sacks have graced our campus with the "Woe-is-me...we can't compete for the public's affection because of <insert excuse here>." Rosa Parks stood up one day and said "F-you, I ain't sitting in the back of that bus again." I want an AD that is tired of sitting in the back of the bus. It happened at Gonzaga. It happened at Boise State. It happened at Cincinnati. It isn't easy being Rosa Parks. It's damn difficult...that's why it took until 1955 for someone to step up and defy the system. But that's the attitude we need at Akron if we're ever going to reach our potential.God Bless Gonzaga...Cincinnati...Boise State...South Florida...they have sacked-up. I'm not jealous of ohio state. I'm jealous of them.

[tbozeglav]

I know folks on here don't like hearing about Columbus State, but I just saw a PBS program about the building of Ohio Stadium...When it was first built, I think capacity was 60k +; first game they had standing room only. For the next several years, they had crowds of 25k or less in a 60k + stadium. It doesn't happen over night.

The problem there is that 7 years after Ohio Stadium opened, Black Thursday happened.

[g-mann17]

I know folks on here don't like hearing about Columbus State, but I just saw a PBS program about the building of Ohio Stadium...When it was first built, I think capacity was 60k +; first game they had standing room only. For the next several years, they had crowds of 25k or less in a 60k + stadium. It doesn't happen over night.

The problem there is that 7 years after Ohio Stadium opened, Black Thursday happened.

Yeah and? prior to that (and during the time frame mentioned) it was the roaring 20's people had tons of money to spend.

[ZachTheZip]

ME_87 - You rule. :rock:One of my favorite quotes:"There are those who look at things as they are and ask "Why?". And there are those who look at things that aren't and ask "Why not?"Until I see a UA Athletic Director that has a "Why not Akron?" attitude, I will never believe collegiate athletic success cannot be had at The University of Akron.Too many sad sacks have graced our campus with the "Woe-is-me...we can't compete for the public's affection because of <insert excuse here>." Rosa Parks stood up one day and said "F-you, I ain't sitting in the back of that bus again." I want an AD that is tired of sitting in the back of the bus. It happened at Gonzaga. It happened at Boise State. It happened at Cincinnati. It isn't easy being Rosa Parks. It's damn difficult...that's why it took until 1955 for someone to step up and defy the system. But that's the attitude we need at Akron if we're ever going to reach our potential.God Bless Gonzaga...Cincinnati...Boise State...South Florida...they have sacked-up. I'm not jealous of ohio state. I'm jealous of them.

Yes! This is the attitude we need here. No more excuses, no more blaming the system, no more accepting mediocrity.It's time to say F-you to the BCS, the NCAA, the nay-sayers, and anybody associated with the university who accepts our current situation. It's time to man up. This goes for all sports.