MACtion

[johnnyzip84]

Are we really having another attendance discussion?

Don't you think the on-the-field circumstances have changed just a bit since our last discussion? I think it's a perfectly reasonable discussion to have now that the program looks to have begun to right the ship.

[Balsy]

For those concerned about attendance, take a look at this stat: The Big Dialer has been open for five seasons now (09, 10, 11, 12, 13). And attendance has been (of course) rather lax. However 2013 is the best average attendance of home games since the stadium was built.

AVERAGE ATTENDANCE PER YEAR

2009: 17,382.

2010: 10,184

2011: 15,734

2012: 9,275

2013: 17,850

Now I know this doesn't translate into "butts in seats"...or if these numbers are even real...but I do think they hold value in the amount of support that we're receiving from the community. From being at games since 2009, I'd have to say that an increase in attendance was visible. More games appeared to have more involvement (and were thus somewhat more fun) from my modest student seating.

There are two things I can think of that would increase attendance: Schedule more late afternoon/evening games early in the season. Schedule bigger name opponents (and actually beat them) And schedule the Can't v Akron game earlier in the season.

Lets be honest: if Joe Akron is not going to come to a noon or 1:00 or 2:00 Saturday afternoon game. Joe Akron is going to be watching State Ohio or other Saturday afternoon business. Our best chance is to catch Joe Akron when both of those things would be close to being done.

[GP1]

There are two things I can think of that would increase attendance: Schedule more late afternoon/evening games early in the season. Schedule bigger name opponents (and actually beat them) And schedule the Can't v Akron game earlier in the season.

You are over complicating the issue. More winning will increase attendance at games.

Starting times are frequently determined by the television networks so we don't have much of a say in that. Besides, the networks now pile on good games at prime time because America wants to watch. If America wants to watch games at home or in a bar at prime time, don't compete against it. I love live football in the afternoon AND watching a game at home on prime time. We are the MAC. Our games should be starting no later than 3:30. Saturday night games are a guaranteed loser if attendance is important.

Schedule bigger opponents? We play Pitt and PSU next year. Pitt will make a return trip to Akron. How many more big opponents do we need to schedule?

[Balsy]

Schedule bigger opponents? We play Pitt and PSU next year. Pitt will make a return trip to Akron. How many more big opponents do we need to schedule?

What I'm saying is: that's a good thing. However, we're not going to see the increase in attendance until those years. Appalachian St. Good big name. Marshall, good big name. Pitt, good big name. Next year I'm actually anxious to see the attendance because we stand a good chance of starting 1-0, something I've never seen since I've been following the Zips.

From a student's perspective: Evening games to late afternoon games are better for student attendance. And the attendance numbers show that explicitly. Less students attend the early games.

[legendofzippy]

Just because someone is an Akron alumni doesn't mean they're going to care about the football team. People enroll at Akron for the education - that doesn't mean they have to become a sports fan.

The average college fb fan is going to be much happier sitting at home watching a variety of games from the power conferences than going out and buying a ticket to the Zips.

[GP1]

From a student's perspective: Evening games to late afternoon games are better for student attendance. And the attendance numbers show that explicitly. Less students attend the early games.

I see this at Wake Forest games as well. Since they have been so bad recently, they get more noon games and very few students come. I wonder if this is a problem throughout college football.?.?

[Zipmeister]

You are over complicating the issue. More winning will increase attendance at games.

Starting times are frequently determined by the television networks so we don't have much of a say in that. Besides, the networks now pile on good games at prime time because America wants to watch. If America wants to watch games at home or in a bar at prime time, don't compete against it. I love live football in the afternoon AND watching a game at home on prime time. We are the MAC. Our games should be starting no later than 3:30. Saturday night games are a guaranteed loser if attendance is important.

Schedule bigger opponents? We play Pitt and PSU next year. Pitt will make a return trip to Akron. How many more big opponents do we need to schedule?

Back in the good old days, late 60s -70s, most home games were Saturday evening games. My fading memory recalls most home games were Saturday evening games, winning percentage was good, band was great, and attendance was much better than it is now (even without doors on the restroom johns).

[K92]

I see this at Wake Forest games as well. Since they have been so bad recently, they get more noon games and very few students come. I wonder if this is a problem throughout college football.?.?

They were giving away donuts to lure Michigan students to the noon kickoff vs. the Zips. Evidently, college students must like staying up late to consume alcohol on Friday nights making sleeping in on Saturday morning attractive. Who'd a thunk it?

[Dave in Green]

A realistic goal for the Zips is to be #1 in home attendance in the MAC and #3 in Ohio behind tOSU and Cincinnati, which have larger stadiums. Last season OU led the MAC in home attendance with an average of 21,844. That's paid attendance, not butts in seats. Assuming the Zips' average paid home attendance this season of 17,850 posted by @Balsy, the OU number should be easily in reach with a winning season or two. Fans are more likely to invest in a winning program than a losing program, and it's getting clearer to everyone that Coach Bowden is a winner. The more the Zips win, the more season tickets will be sold and the more likely fans will be to actually use the tickets they bought. If the Zips can be consistent winners and put on good, exciting shows for the fans, word will get around and more seats will actually be filled with butts.

[LZIp]

You are over complicating the issue. More winning will increase attendance at games.

Starting times are frequently determined by the television networks so we don't have much of a say in that. Besides, the networks now pile on good games at prime time because America wants to watch. If America wants to watch games at home or in a bar at prime time, don't compete against it.

Does having every game on ESPN3 really constrain us as to when we can play our games? Not like its ESPN2 where only 1 game can be played at a time.

I personally love the 6 o'clock start times. I believe we had a few this year. ANYTHING but the noon start times if you want to have anything above terrible attendance.

[Zipgrad1990]

A realistic goal for the Zips is to be #1 in home attendance in the MAC and #3 in Ohio behind tOSU and Cincinnati, which have larger stadiums. Last season OU led the MAC in home attendance with an average of 21,844. That's paid attendance, not butts in seats. Assuming the Zips' average paid home attendance this season of 17,850 posted by @Balsy, the OU number should be easily in reach with a winning season or two. Fans are more likely to invest in a winning program than a losing program, and it's getting clearer to everyone that Coach Bowden is a winner. The more the Zips win, the more season tickets will be sold and the more likely fans will be to actually use the tickets they bought. If the Zips can be consistent winners and put on good, exciting shows for the fans, word will get around and more seats will actually be filled with butts.

Winning has worked for me as I will get season tickets next year after dropping them a couple of years ago during the iCoach period! I am more excited about next year's football than this year's basketball team.

[Ham]

I've been away from the area for a looong time, but back in the 60's, if you wanted student involvement, you got the Greeks involved. Perhaps a punt, pass, and kick completion including Greeks and housing complexes. Qualifiers could be held at every home game culminating at the finally. Involve the student leaders to help devise a prize structure the would excite the students. The completion should be held on the field. If it couldn't be squeezed in the time right before kickoff, something would need to be going on to keep the students involved right up to kick off. I realize this would not appeal to every student, but the ones with a bit of athletic completion in their blood are the ones the we would have a chance to get out for games. This could help create a fun atmosphere that would rub off on Joe & Jane NE Ohioan. When they find out that they can have just as much fun at a Zip game as the sheep in Columbus, Tickets will become a hot item. Lot 9 is doing a good job showing fans entering that side of the stadium what fun can be had. The tailgating needs to spread to the lot on the other side of the stadium.

[Balsy]

Just because someone is an Akron alumni doesn't mean they're going to care about the football team. People enroll at Akron for the education - that doesn't mean they have to become a sports fan.

People want to be a part of something, to have an identity with something. If you have piss-poor alumni who aren't active, who don't care about being active, it spawns piss-poor students who don't care to be apart of it. I'm not saying all Alumni need to be active, but those who care (or at least pretend to care), do need to be.

[Zipmeister]

I've been away from the area for a looong time, but back in the 60's, if you wanted student involvement, you got the Greeks involved. Perhaps a punt, pass, and kick completion including Greeks and housing complexes. Qualifiers could be held at every home game culminating at the finally. Involve the student leaders to help devise a prize structure the would excite the students. The completion should be held on the field. If it couldn't be squeezed in the time right before kickoff, something would need to be going on to keep the students involved right up to kick off. I realize this would not appeal to every student, but the ones with a bit of athletic completion in their blood are the ones the we would have a chance to get out for games. This could help create a fun atmosphere that would rub off on Joe & Jane NE Ohioan. When they find out that they can have just as much fun at a Zip game as the sheep in Columbus, Tickets will become a hot item. Lot 9 is doing a good job showing fans entering that side of the stadium what fun can be had. The tailgating needs to spread to the lot on the other side of the stadium.

The contest should be held at halftime to keep the students present for at least half the game.

Although I have never witnessed this type of contest I like this idea because it will involve twice as many students as similar events.

If the receiver/catcher fails to catch the ball, or catches it off the field, does this eliminate the team from the contest or just count as zero yards towards the total score?

[Ham]

The contest should be held at halftime to keep the students present for at least half the game.

Although I have never witnessed this type of contest I like this idea because it will involve twice as many students as similar events.

If the receiver/catcher fails to catch the ball, or catches it off the field, does this eliminate the team from the contest or just count as zero yards towards the total score?

get them there before the game for "prelims", then final qualifier determined at half time. If punt, pass, and kick is too kids stuff, set up a stage in the open end, bring in a local rock band, and have it a dance contest. It could be a costume contest making little "Zippys" that could be on the side lines all game to help get the crowd into the game. How about getting these student groups organized in a couple empty sections on the visitors side to put on a card display. Get the ROTC units to march in the pregame, halftime, and post game for our home date closest to 11/11. We could a whole battalion present the colors before each game and give them a section next to the regular student section. Then conduct a cheering contest at various breaks. That could even include ex-military joining in from regular seating. Or we could invite a company or two national guard troupes to sit with the ROTC students to help them out. Sixty or so free seats would be a small price to pay if we get some new fans from those reserves. With the program turning around, I'm confident the team would put on a show that would get many of the new butts in the seats to return for more fun.

[Zips Win!]

OSU is what they are due to many years of success, which builds school pride.

Playing easy schedules for decades made many years of success possible. Just ask the Browns.

Difficult schedules year in and year out have the Browns nowhere even approaching the .500 mark and what do you know, NE Ohio is flooded with Steeler fans.

We can talk about recruiting, recruiting, recruiting. Winning in college football is scheduling, scheduling, scheduling....

[LZIp]

Playing easy schedules for decades made many years of success possible. Just ask the Browns.

Difficult schedules year in and year out have the Browns nowhere even approaching the .500 mark and what do you know, NE Ohio is flooded with Steeler fans.

We can talk about recruiting, recruiting, recruiting. Winning in college football is scheduling, scheduling, scheduling....

we play in the MAC. Every opportunity is there for us to win. There is more to it than that.

[Zipmeister]

get them there before the game for "prelims", then final qualifier determined at half time. If punt, pass, and kick is too kids stuff, set up a stage in the open end, bring in a local rock band, and have it a dance contest. It could be a costume contest making little "Zippys" that could be on the side lines all game to help get the crowd into the game. How about getting these student groups organized in a couple empty sections on the visitors side to put on a card display. Get the ROTC units to march in the pregame, halftime, and post game for our home date closest to 11/11. We could a whole battalion present the colors before each game and give them a section next to the regular student section. Then conduct a cheering contest at various breaks. That could even include ex-military joining in from regular seating. Or we could invite a company or two national guard troupes to sit with the ROTC students to help them out. Sixty or so free seats would be a small price to pay if we get some new fans from those reserves. With the program turning around, I'm confident the team would put on a show that would get many of the new butts in the seats to return for more fun.

None of the groups you mention are Veterans; so why 11/11?

Why not 10/10 or 9/9?

How about some kind of ticket deal for Vets around 11/11?

[Ham]

None of the groups you mention are Veterans; so why 11/11?

Why not 10/10 or 9/9?

How about some kind of ticket deal for Vets around 11/11?

That was several run-on-thoughts. I thought the ROTC units could honor the vets on 11/11 ish. Another idea was to have a military theme for every home game. More than one idea could be used for every game.

[pdt1420]

Well, I finally made it from out of town to a game so now I can post here. First off a huge thanks to LibraryMark for the great seats. I did my part of indoctrinating the youth by taking my 3 year old to his first football game ever. He toughed out the cold real well on a diet of Cracker Jacks and Peanut M&M's. I also brought my brother along and he was able to buy the next seat in the aisle about 10 minutes before kickoff... I think that says all it needs to about attendance issues. We were extremely proud of the product on the field and equally saddened by the butts-in-the-seat. We kept commenting on how we'd never miss a game if they had the stadium back when we were students. Its obviously due in part to the past 3 years of terrible football, but I tailgated at the rubber bowl all the time with no idea what our record was. Current students are missing out on the limited opportunity you get to tailgate and walk to an on-campus football game. To illustrate the issue we have with recent alumni, I went to a party Saturday and saw a fraternity brother and his girlfriend. We talked about the Zips winning and how I went to the game, and they made a snarky comment about how sad the attendance turnout is. I asked whether they attended any games this year and was met with blank stares. Even recent alumni who recognize attendance as a problem don't see themselves as part of the problem. They view it like OSU... whether I go or not there should be a full stadium. It doesn't work that way folks.

[Balsy]

Its obviously due in part to the past 3 years of terrible football, but I tailgated at the rubber bowl all the time with no idea what our record was. Current students are missing out on the limited opportunity you get to tailgate and walk to an on-campus football game.

As a current student/soon to be alum, I would like to point out that it was Black Friday. Most students have gone home for the weekend, and that's just a sorry fact. Students are not going to make a trek to the stadium to make a trek back home for the rest of the weekend (like home home). Especially for a 4-7 team. I was surprised as many students showed up as is.

Early season success is key to keeping our students interested. Bottom bowl student sections were filled for the first two home games (J. Madison and ULL). After the ensuing losses, people lost interest. Next year we have a legitimate chance to start strong, and I think students will start coming out of the woodwork.

[footballzip]

Start winning and people will start jumping on the bandwagon.

[a-zip]

Butts in seats, how many high schools in the area have higher attendance? Canton Mckinley? Does the athletic department have to schedule around them too?. Watching the recap of the Toledo game on GOZIPS.com, in the highlights of the game there are a couple of plays where you cannot see a single person in the stands.

[Balsy]

Butts in seats, how many high schools in the area have higher attendance? Canton Mckinley? Does the athletic department have to schedule around them too?. Watching the recap of the Toledo game on GOZIPS.com, in the highlights of the game there are a couple of plays where you cannot see a single person in the stands.

Well they also didn't clear off seats except in certain areas of the stadium...How about we start recruiting Canton McKinley kids and give 'em a reason to come watch the Zips...

[Zipgrad01]

Butts in seats, how many high schools in the area have higher attendance? Canton Mckinley? Does the athletic department have to schedule around them too?. Watching the recap of the Toledo game on GOZIPS.com, in the highlights of the game there are a couple of plays where you cannot see a single person in the stands.

If you had to notice that on gozips.com that means you didnt notice it in person. Were you not there? How can you complain about a games attendance when you didnt even show up?