Poor STUDENT support....

[Hilltopper]

Sorry, for 98% of the student body, it's just a place they take classes at. They have no school pride so they wouldn't know what it is, let alone show it off...

+10

[ziptrumpet87]

Sorry, for 98% of the student body, it's just a place they take classes at. They have no school pride so they wouldn't know what it is, let alone show it off...

Sadly, the same can be said for most Akronites re civic pride.

[johnnyzip84]

Student apathy has been a problem forever at UA. I don't see it changing overnight, but maybe in subtle ways over time as the program continues to grow.

On a side note, I saw numerous people leaving that basketball game during the overtime period with the outcome still in doubt. What is up with that?

[Captain Kangaroo]

I think the same AK Rowdies have been at the JAR for 8 or more years? What happens when those guys finally graduate?

[plowerman78]

lol who knows.....ive only been here 5 and a half some already have graduated, some are in grad school....they just like rooting for the Zips....as for me i should be graduating this year who knows after that

[wadszip]

I won't get too much into the student section crowd, because it's already been well stated on this thread ... that's it apathetic. Sad, but true. Part of it probably is due to Akron still being overwhelmingly a commuter school, and part of it probably has to do where the students are seated. Both are real problems that have to be dealt with, and there is no easy solution. The school, while making strides, is still a long way off from being a true "college campus". The easy solution is to move the students to the center of the court (best seats in the house) to get that attendance up. However, while some of the traditional basketball schools can do that because the alums/average Joes will still buy lesser seats up, that's not the case at Akron. The non-students who follow the Zips want those seats, but they are the seats being sold for profit. There just isn't the demand right now to alienate the paying public by shuffling them off to a different part of a sub-par arena.

Personally, I think the university is doing as good of job as possible, under these circumstances.

Anyway, as far as overall attendance, these first two games were encouraging. I'll spare the details, but the crowds that this team has gotten for the first two games of the year are right on par with last year (which was the best in the Dambrot era). Yes, having less than 3,000 is hardly ideal, but past history shows that it doesn't really matter who (realistic schools) comes to the JAR, those games aren't going to be well-attended. Go through the "big name mid-majors" that have come through the JAR early season ... Nevada (3,302), Temple (2,309), Dayton (4,059), Valpariaso (2,825), VCU (3,993), etc.. None of them draw well. Add Middle Tennessee State to that. Hell, Malone drew 3,300 a couple of years ago, for an example. Don't get me wrong, these types of games should be sold out (especially in a 5,500 arena), but realistically, Akron just isn't at that level. The most important thing to improve that draw is to not just be competitive in the MAC, but win a game or two in the NCAA tournament, something that has yet to happen. Until that happens, you can't entirely blame the students/general public for not buying in more.

Overall, it does seem like people locally are slowly starting to buy back into this program. Drawing close to 3,000 on a Monday against a D3 team and on a Sunday (going up against the Browns) against MTSU is actually encouraging. There were years past that those types of games would be more around the 2,200 mark. Plus, the schedule shapes up nicely for the Zips to have a record year for attendance. ... and would be even better if, like the Middle Tennessee State game, two of the marquee upcoming OOC games weren't on Sunday's going up against the Browns.

I give the school a pass on the Middle Tennessee Game since there was a good chance the Akron soccer team would be playing on Saturday (of course, it didn't happen, but no problem with the school being proactive). But scheduling the Cleveland State game on the same day the Browns are playing the Broncos is mind-boggling. Even though that game is at Denver and is a 4 p.m. start, you'll still see even less people willing to attend that as the MTSU game ... and this is a big regional rivalry. Put that game a day earlier, and it probably gets 4,000 or so. Even worse, the Princeton game the following week is heads up against Browns-Steelers. Who thought that was a good idea in this pro football mad area where 90 percent of the people root for 1 of those 2 teams ... and they are huge rivals? Those are actually two of the better OOC home games the Zips will get, but both will have attendances cut by 1,500 due to the date.

Beyond that, however, it isn't that bad. In league play, the Zips will get Can't, Ohio, Bowling Green and Buffalo all at home on Saturday. I can see all of those games being close to sold out (Can't and OU for sure) ... maybe not Buffalo and BG. But last year, even NIU and EMU on a Saturday drew 4,300. You would think that Buffalo and BG will do better than that. Even Miami and Ball State mid-week should do reasonably well. CMU and WMU won't draw well, though maybe WMU won't be that bad if they keep winning (though that means maybe 3,500). Still better than the 2,500 mid-week Western draws from the past.

The bottom line is this team has to win. The fan interest seems to be at the level when Dambrot first took over (and there was renewed optimism), but it can't just settle for making the MAC finals anymore. We saw what effect that had on attendance from 2008-10. This program has to do better than that to draw more, especially since you are playing at a sub-par arena like the JAR.

[phil]

And Akron does such a poor job of marketing the team.

All of the concession stands on the upper level were closed on Sunday!

The line to get food at half was about 15 deep when I went to downstairs to get a drink.

Nothing at half to entertain the fans who were there. (rubber ducks do not count)

Did not see any advertising for this game or the team. (has anyone seen any advertising for this team?)

[VAZip]

Sorry, for 98% of the student body, it's just a place they take classes at. They have no school pride so they wouldn't know what it is, let alone show it off...

Became a big ZIP fan when my daughter left for UA, 400 miles from home. Love everything about the school, except what drives this issue. The place is a ghost town on the weekend. Even the students that choose to live on campus probably live within an hour of home. Virtually everyone is a commuter in some form. Why latch on to the college spirit thing when your probably still attached to your high school 20 min away. As for me....I drove 8 hrs to see the ZIPS play Coastal Carolina. First chance to see them and loved it. GO ZIPS

[MontrealExposloveZippy]

If you want a spike in attendance and rowdiness for our team- here's the answer.... $1 PBRs ... That is all

[Zipmeister]

I think the same AK Rowdies have been at the JAR for 8 or more years? What happens when those guys finally graduate?

Stop worrying about the impossible and concentrate your considerable intellect on viable ways to get more people in the JAR.

[Dr Z]

Has anyone seen any advertising for this team?

No, but I do see a Ken+ basketball or football advertisement every week in the Twinsburg paper. I also just peaked at Ken+s schedule, no Sunday (NFL day) games at Memorial A & C Center. Smart.

Internet streaming, off-the-court distractions, one-and-done players, lack of student interest, or a combination of these factors????

Digital Distance Fan Hurts Attendance

When the regular season has become overexposed and overshadowed — and overpowered in the fall by college football and the NFL— what do you do? Start play in January instead of November. It's a radical proposal that former coach, athletics director and NCAA basketball committee chairman C.M. Newton has long championed.

"You'd have to have April Madness instead of March Madness. What's the big deal?" he asks.

[tpsjugglerdude]

I think the marketing department should set up a table inside the Union to give away "free" tickets to the game with a zip card. Yes, I know its already free but many students I talk to still don't understand that concept. With the ticket they can actually walk through the main gates (solves some griping here), and if they don't come, I'm sure it can still count towards attendance as tickets sold or whatever that loophole is.

[taxpayer]

GameChanger44 stated it seems the students and general Akron community are interested in the opponent as opposed to Akron's team. I believe that hits the nail on the head. Back in the day, at another university, our team was middle of the pack, however, we students saw the games as entertainment and a release from studying. The games were a place to go, blow off steam, laugh with your friends and root for the guys representing us. Sometimes our guys won, sometimes they lost but we sure had a blast attending, making noise, making some new friends and relaxing. It was actually fun being part of something bigger than ourselves....6-7,000 students having fun and supporting our team. From what I've observed, it seems Akron students think of UA as "A" school, not "THEIR" school.

The JAR's design and decisions related to where the students will sit don't help but if this discussion is accurate it's the lack of student community/spirit/pride that's at the heart of this issue.

[Hilltopper]

No, but I do see a Ken+ basketball or football advertisement every week in the Twinsburg paper. I also just peaked at Ken+s schedule, no Sunday (NFL day) games at Memorial A & C Center. Smart.

Internet streaming, off-the-court distractions, one-and-done players, lack of student interest, or a combination of these factors????

Digital Distance Fan Hurts Attendance

When the regular season has become overexposed and overshadowed — and overpowered in the fall by college football and the NFL— what do you do? Start play in January instead of November. It's a radical proposal that former coach, athletics director and NCAA basketball committee chairman C.M. Newton has long championed.

"You'd have to have April Madness instead of March Madness. What's the big deal?" he asks.

That second link says it all. There are so many games available to watch on TV and the net, it's just easier to stay home and watch from the comfort of your own couch.

[akzipper]

I think the marketing department should set up a table inside the Union to give away "free" tickets to the game with a zip card. Yes, I know its already free but many students I talk to still don't understand that concept. With the ticket they can actually walk through the main gates (solves some griping here), and if they don't come, I'm sure it can still count towards attendance as tickets sold or whatever that loophole is.

Honesty if students don't understand what free means, then they should not have graduated high school. I don't see how the athletic department would benefit from having it's employees sit in the union all day handing out pointless tickets to an event that is already free. Just more work than it's worth, and students have their own entrance for a reason.

It's getting a little irritating that everything is being blamed on our marketing people. Our marketing department didn't lose to Coastal Carolina and Oklahoma State. Our Marketing department didn't schedule MTSU, on a sunday when the Browns play. We may have a talented team, but they haven't proved anything yet. Beating ranked opponents does that. Winning streaks do that.

[zippy5]

I think the same AK Rowdies have been at the JAR for 8 or more years? What happens when those guys finally graduate?

Hahaha i know. I was a freshman in 2007, and thought all the guys in charge were seniors. They're still there, I'm buying tickets. Let it go guys.

[LZIp]

OK OK....I am going to really simplify it here..

Our soccer team has probably the best student support in the country. What separates the soccer team from the other sports?

[akzipper]

OK OK....I am going to really simplify it here..

Our soccer team has probably the best student support in the country. What separates the soccer team from the other sports?

[CincyZip]

/thread

[Dave in Green]

So, if the Zips soccer team were to start playing and winning at the same relative level as the basketball team, their loyal student supporters would start ditching them?

[bobbyake]

We have an Athletic Director that's stuck in a job which he thought would advance his career. There's no way Tom Wistrcill gets hired away from Akron for a better place, so he's got no motivation to improve things here. He has made some very poor decisions across several sports during his time at Akron. He is also not from this area and it's doubtful he planned on making Akron his home.

With an unmotivated Athletic Director, nothing is going to improve.

Tom Wistrcill needs to go!!!

We either need to hire a local person that bleeds blue & gold, or find new talent looking to shine.

[Hilltopper]

OK OK....I am going to really simplify it here..

Our soccer team has probably the best student support in the country. What separates the soccer team from the other sports?

Because it only takes around 3000 fans per game to be the top program.

[bobbyake]

OK OK....I am going to really simplify it here..

Our soccer team has probably the best student support in the country. What separates the soccer team from the other sports?

Students have been treated with more respect at soccer events. There's an entire section devoted to students for soccer games. The soccer coach comes over to thank the students. He goes around campus asking them to come to games. He makes you care about the program.

I was a cheerleader for 2 basketball seasons during my time at Akron. I've witnessed some very poor decisions made by UA towards students.

During my time as a cheerleader, 2003-2004, the bottom sections behind the scoreboards were not for students. Students had to sit in the upper area behind the scoreboard. I thought it was ridiculous because we would have 4 to 5 thousand for CSU and Can't State games, but empty seats behind the scoreboards.

I don't believe it was until the Rowdies were formed that students were allowed to sit down below. I believe it was in 2005. If you wanted to sit down below, you had to have an Ak-Rowdies shirt. To get an Ak-Rowdies shirt, you had to sign up and pay to be an Ak-Rowdy. Not all students, myself, wanted to be Rowdies, but would have sat down there cheering.

I believe the Rowdies were allowed it sit down there for all games except for the Can't State game. They moved the students that were down there for the entire season up-top so they could sell those seats to casual fans. Very disrespectful.

I can't blame the students for not showing up.

[LZIp]

So, if the Zips soccer team were to start playing and winning at the same relative level as the basketball team, their loyal student supporters would start ditching them?

It would be a small factor, IMO. But I think Bobbyake summed it up pretty good.

There is more that goes into it, such at Porter going out of his way to recruit students to show up or build relationships with the Rowdies. Hopefully that is maintained with the new coach. The players as well are a factor, which I'm sure reflects back on Porter again. The players are very approachable and friendly. Not self-entitled dbags (sorry) like athletes in other sports. I recall them going into dorms, and knocking door to door to recruit students to come to games.

I also have to argue that what has already been mentioned, the quality of opponent helps attendance as well. People want to see us face WVU, Michigan, OSU, Michigan State, etc. Getting "name"programs is a factor in drawing attendance. However, unfortunately, getting a name program may not be the best for our team, in terms of killing our RPI. I will agree that it is a good point that students should want to come because of our team, and not who we are playing.

All that you have to do is look at the soccer program to realize good student support is possible at UA. It is even more impressive that we are looking at soccer, a sport that is nothing impressive in terms of popularity in the United States.

[Zipmeister]

It would be a small factor, IMO. But I think Bobbyake summed it up pretty good.

There is more that goes into it, such at Porter going out of his way to recruit students to show up or build relationships with the Rowdies. Hopefully that is maintained with the new coach. The players as well are a factor, which I'm sure reflects back on Porter again. The players are very approachable and friendly. Not self-entitled dbags (sorry) like athletes in other sports. I recall them going into dorms, and knocking door to door to recruit students to come to games.

All that you have to do is look at the soccer program to realize good student support is possible at UA. It is even more impressive that we are looking at soccer, a sport that is nothing impressive in terms of popularity in the United States.

I think you have identified why people don't come out and support other winning Akron teams. The rifle team thanks you for not naming names.