9100 Attendance

[a-zip]

What a  joke!

[lance99]

That can't be right! Does anyone have any images?

If that is true, the only reason would be that there was the Browns game as direct competition, but that is still no excuse!

[Balsy]

It was an awfully small crowd. I'm not sure it was that low (9100)...but the surrounding NE Ohio community is pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.

[Buckzip]

If a Browns pre season game is the reason, that is beyond sad.

[a-zip]

My bad…..announced attendance was 9104 North Alabama's attendance was better than that. I have heard so many excuses through the years for attendance it is now just flat out comical….the weather, losing streaks, that stadium sucks, the seats give me splinters. Why would TB stay here with such a pathetic, lame, POS fan base.

[a-zip]

The song "My City was Gone" keeps ringing in my ear.

"Ay, oh, where did you go, Ohio?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W1PnI7QGS8

[g-mann17]

My bad…..announced attendance was 9104 North Alabama's attendance was better than that. I have heard so many excuses through the years for attendance it is now just flat out comical….the weather, losing streaks, that stadium sucks, the seats give me splinters. Why would TB stay here with such a pathetic, lame, POS fan base.

So you are mad that a team that is 9-43 in the last 4 season drew under 10,000 for a Thursday night game against a nobody school.

The team is still perceived a loser.

It takes time, if the Marshall game has the same pathetic attendance then I would complain, but Bowden isn't going anywhere because only 9000 people showed up for a but kicking of the esteemed Howard University.

[a-zip]

So you are mad that a team that is 9-43 in the last 4 season drew under 10,000 for a Thursday night game against a nobody school.

The team is still perceived a loser.

It takes time, if the Marshall game has the same pathetic attendance then I would complain, but Bowden isn't going anywhere because only 9000 people showed up for a but kicking of the esteemed Howard University.

Dude. Attendance for our basketball team is pathetic too and they are NOT "perceived losers". Our football team has won 5 of the last 6, it was a beautiful night, beautiful stadium, no competitive games against us…….c'mon man!

I bet if Lebron announced he was going to take a dump at the Info today….the place would be packed!!!

[akzipper]

This team really hasn't done anything to prove things have turned around. As far as football in NE Ohio, people only care about the Browns and Buckeyes. As far as the Zips they really don't consider them a "real" football team.

[GP1]

Why is anyone surprised we have low attendance during a weeknight game? It's the story of the MAC.

This is going to turn out to be a good team. If nobody wants to go watch them, then screw them. If they want to stay at home and watch the Browns play out QB Controversy 600, then fine. Browns fans have a unique way of never giving up that abuse. They need to make it a good experience for those who go. I hope everyone who went had a good time and you all have a good time the rest of the season.

[GP1]

I bet if Lebron announced he was going to take a dump at the Info today….the place would be packed!!!

If they were giving out bobble head dolls consisting of 20% Lebron fecal matter, they would pack it in as well. Hell, people are so stupid they would go to a game if they were giving out bobble head dolls made of cancer cells.

[uhgrad2002]

After looking at the schedule with three weeknight games (plus a road game I go to on a weeknight), I was beginning to regret renewing season tickets. Then sitting in the stands as game time approached (though had there been a decent size crowd I am sure I would not have made it from work in time for kickoff), I thought I was glad to have renewed. This morning, after waking up for work at 5 am and feeling terrible (no alcohol last night, either), I would say the chances of renewing next year are going down fast. One game a year on a weeknight might be tolerable but this sort of schedule is ridiculous. Makes me long for Saturday nights at the Rubber Bowl.

[g-mann17]

Dude. Attendance for our basketball team is pathetic too and they are NOT "perceived losers". Our football team has won 5 of the last 6, it was a beautiful night, beautiful stadium, no competitive games against us…….c'mon man!

I bet if Lebron announced he was going to take a dump at the Info today….the place would be packed!!!

Yes, it is, especially since we constantly have nobodies come in to play. And that was my main point. You have a us, who have been bad since the stadium was built, and then throw in a crap team on Thursday night, what do you expect?

Basketball draws numbers for big games Ohio, Can't, VCU, those were sell out crowds. People want to be entertained, and until we consistently win and make it known that a Zips football game is the place to be regardless of opponent, attendance is going to be pretty bad.

People are still leery of this team too, 5 of 6, 4 wins in a row, but against who and when, the end of the season against 1 team, that had something to play for.

I'm not happy that I go to the stadium and see all the bleachers empty in the upper deck, but this team has to earn the crowd by winning more.

[skip-zip]

1) I totally agree. Pathetic. But, I'm convinced that the Thursday Night deal in August just doesn't cut it. We only had 12k for the Central Florida game 2 years ago.

2) What was even more disturbing to me is that probably 1/2 of the people went home at halftime. In my opinion, if you were a REAL Zips fan, you would have enjoyed a 21-0 lead, and would have been aching for more.

3) I wonder how much #2 was impacted by the fact that it was almost 9PM by the end of the 1st half....on a work/school night. Being on ESPN3, where they sell commercials, makes the games just as long as a major national telecast. It's not worth it at all.

[a-zip]

I just don't get you people in NE Ohio. This school has done everything to provide a great game day experience. We have the "First Family" of college football, an amazing staff, new uniforms, a 4 game winning streak, a beautiful stadium, beautiful campus, amazing weather.

I came up from Washington DC with some friends (Howard grads) to show off my school and former team…….I was embarrassed……getting my balls busted the whole ride home (even though we kicked the sh*&t out of them on the field). I have no explanation for them….I guess the excuse of the day is now that it was a Thursday game. LOL

[Dave in Green]

For perspective, Northern Illinois -- a MAC team with a winning pedigree that in recent years qualified to play in the BCS Orange Bowl -- drew all of 12,398 fans to see their team beat up on Presbyterian (55-3) on the same Thursday night as the Zips drew 9,104 and the Chicago Bears were playing the Cleveland Browns.

[Dr Z]

This is going to turn out to be a good team. If nobody wants to go watch them, then screw them. They need to make it a good experience for those who go. I hope everyone who went had a good time and you all have a good time the rest of the season.

Good tailgating. Perfect weather. Short beer lines. Short restroom lines. Easy to get to your seat. Easy to walk around the beautiful stadium and take in the sites. No traffic. Zips look good on offense and defense. Win. Cover. How could you not have a great time last night?

I understand a-zip's frustration when you try to host, and the atmosphere is less than stellar. It is embarrassing. Winning big games will change the attendance, and Zip fans will stop trying to find reasons why the stands aren't full. Then we can start complaining about standing in long lines, and traffic.

Go Zips!

[zen]

No intent to troll.... just to throw up a different perspective.
Just because you want everyone to be fans of this team doesn't make it so. You think something is wrong with them. They probably think conversely.

If this team ever got good enough to start beating up on BCS teams, all those people who thought you were a bit off for being a zips fanataic would be sitting right next to you in the stands with a growing nose saying they were here the whole time. Nothing you can do about it.

[Captain Kangaroo]

If Dambrot was in Year #3 after taking over for Hipsher, and had a sub.300 win percentage to begin his season, how packed would the JAR be if he opened the season against Howard hoops?

The JAR is packed because the Zips win. It was 30% full when they lost.

Zips football has done nothing but lose for 25 years. They haven't earned a decent home crowd.They've earned a 30% full stadium.

Opportunity #1: Beat Penn State. Beat Marshall. Beat Pitt. A win against any of those 3 turns some heads and get the attendance ball rolling.

Opportunity #2: Compete well over the remainder of the OOC schedule, and follow that up by making a legit run at the MAC title game. If we have a chance to win a title in November, InfoCision will exceed 50% "full" for our final home games. We'll bring 8,000 fans to K.e.n.t if we're in the hunt.

If we are out of contention, InfoCision will be 15% full. And no one should complain.

You reap what you sew, and 25 years of neglecting the garden isn't overcome by simply buying a shiny new rototiller. Bowden will get it done, and long as UA let's him do his thing. But grousing over last night's attendance is silly. It was right where it deserved to be.

[Balsy]

I guess I have to admit that I was wrong. Thursday attendance was terrible. Students were there in the normal "first game" numbers. This team desperately needs a "big" win. And a streak of competitive fun football.

I sat in the stands with my GF yesterday, I'm the biggest die-hard zips fan, and I was almost not having a good time. A WIN is a WIN, but after scoring 21 in under 5 mins, that almost complete sucked all the fun out of the air. IDK if it was me, but it certainly felt that way. Now if that had been Penn State I'd be entertained to watch the game because of "can they hold on..." "is this really happening". This game I found myself thinking "good lord we scored 21...why aren't we scoring more in the 2nd?" (howard drives the field) "good lord, are we really going to let them come within 14, and go into the locker room with momentum..." etc.

I do have a solution: Freakin schedule the Can't-AKRON game as the first game of the season instead of the last, and freakin beat 'em. Better weather will = more people. Beating your rival = more fun.

[GP1]

Nothing you can do about it.

Good post. Especially this last part. So, since you can't control who goes to games, focus on what you can control. The things you can control for a Zips game include, but are not limited to the following:

1. What time you get to your tailgate.

2. What you drink at your tailgate.

3. What you eat at your tailgate.

4. Who you associate with at your tailgate.

5. What you wear.

6. Do you want to take games to play at the tailgate (ie: cornhole)?

7. Time entering the stadium.

8. What you eat/drink while in the game.

9. What merchandise you buy.

10. And so on...

As long as the University is providing the means and methods for fans to do these things as well as others, it can be a good day for anyone attending. As we can all see from the above "things to think about", fans have enough to think about without worrying about what everyone else does. Just have fun and don't worry about what everyone else does.

Personally, the older I get, the few people I want in the stadium I am in. Why?...The world is full of idiots and the fewer people, the fewer idiots I get exposed to. I've actually gotten to the point where I won't go to an NFL game unless I can sit on the club level because there are much fewer idiots on in the club level than in the general seating. I'm glad to spend the extra money. Also, it's a "been there, done that" thing for me. I've been in full stadiums and I've grown indifferent to the size of crowds at arenas.

Maybe DrZ sees it the same as I do. Fewer people equals less traffic, shorter lines at the bathroom/concessions, ease of moving around the stadium, etc. There is a certain luxury that I've come to appreciate to having a stadium all to yourself.

[Hilltopper]

I had a great time at the game. Got to hang out with my friends at the BB tent and fill up on their awesome food. There was a fantastic funk\blues band playing by the Stiles center. It was a beautiful night. I saw my team beat up on a team they were supposed to beat. Life is good.

[Balsy]

Opportunity #1: Beat Penn State. Beat Marshall. Beat Pitt. A win against any of those 3 turns some heads and get the attendance ball rolling.

How about win against all three.

[akzipper]

How about win against all three.

I think we need to be realistic.

[K92]

Lots of good points made in this thread. Bottom line is this: Until Akron students are proud to be Zips, attendance will always be a problem. Just winning is not going to fill a 30,000 seat stadium. Winning will help to foster UA pride with the student body, which is a good thing but traditions aren't built in a day. The decades of irrelevance cannot be erased by a new stadium and the hope that Bowden is turning the program around. If you are a Zips fan now, enjoy whatever successes the team has in the moment because it could be fleeting.

If you are on this forum, you obviously have love for the Zips. If you are like me, a lot of times you wonder why others don't share the same passion & pride. I work with an engineer alum who you couldn't hog tie to come to a game. Akron is just the place where he got his degree. No school pride whatsoever. This is a huge well documented problem for all the MAC schools and until guys like my engineer colleague become the exception instead of the rule, we are always going to be in the same boat.

I agree with GP1 that focusing on the things you can control yourself is the way to go and I will take it a step further. If you come to the game and enjoy yourself, make it a point to bring a friend along and try to show them the best time possible. If everyone would do this the attendance for Marshall would be at least 18,000. Some people, when exposed to the atmosphere, will come back on their own.