9100 Attendance

[Balsy]

I agree with you guys, a big game in person is much better than on TV.  I've gone to a lot more bad weather games where we've lost than where we've won.  So if it's bad weather, a weekday game, and I work the next day...it's definitely going to be a factor in me going to the game.  Sorry, but it is.  There's nothing like being tortured both on the field, and with the weather, when you have to work the next day.  But that's the unfortunate thing about the Zips fandom.  None of us can afford to "take a day off" as it were, because then the stadium is effectively empty (well...more empty), unlike the bigger fanbases, if there is someone who doesn't go...there will be someone else to take their place.  

 

At any rate, I will be there Tuesday.  And I am bringing 4-5 people.  One is a Kent grad, but we can forgive her because she's my sister.  

[skip-zip]

6 hours ago, a-zip said:

Funny.....as I rewind the list of excuses that generally come up.... regardless of whether it is football, basketball or soccer....a meaningful game or a meaningful opponent always comes up.  This game has both with the convenience of the opponent being 15 miles away.  I bet if Lebron said he was going to take a dump on the 50 yard line at the Info on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday next week...there would be 35K and a waiting line to watch 

 

That's funny, and so true.   You can bet that weather, weekday, etc., would not be a factor, if that was the event.  

 

Just wait.  I'm sure some of the same people who said "People thought we'd lose to OU" will also say "People expected us to beat Kent" if the crowd is weak again next Tuesday.  

 

I'm definitely one of those people who will contend that the big difference maker is the meaningfulness of the opponent.  And this won't be that ranked or high-profile opponent that we'd need to get a significant interest.   But it is a Kent game, and I'm just hoping that "We'll win the MAC East" is enough to get the interest of a few thousand more people than we would have gotten if we weren't playing for a division title.   

 

Weather is still looking like 50 degrees and no rain.  That will hopefully help a little bit too.  

 

 

[RowdyZip]

I bleed blue and gold and I didn't go last Tuesday because two reasons:  I figured we'd be blown out, and it was a Tuesday night when I have to be up at 5am the next day for work. 

 

I'm going Tuesday next week because 3 reasons:  MAC East title is on the line, we should beat Kent, and work production on Wednesday before Thanksgiving is minimal.

[Blue & Gold]

2 minutes ago, RowdyZip said:

I bleed blue and gold and I didn't go last Tuesday because two reasons:  I figured we'd be blown out, and it was a Tuesday night when I have to be up at 5am the next day for work. 

 

I'm going Tuesday next week because 3 reasons:  MAC East title is on the line, we should beat Kent, and work production on Wednesday before Thanksgiving is minimal.

This is completely level-headed and understandable. I hate the midweek games. I went last week (and scrapped up two friends to come with me) but I really tempered my friends’ expectations before we went. 1. I was expecting to get blown out by OU. 2. It was a cold Tuesday night - I didn’t get home till 11:30. And 3. The TV timeouts have made the games less enjoyable to watch.  I don’t blame anyone for just watching the games from the comfort of their own home.  

 

Somehow... someway... we’ve got to turn the games into “events.”  Have them be “the place to be.”

 

p.s. I was watching last night’s USF -v- Tulsa game. USF is located in St. Petersburgh, FL (i.e. great weather) & their record is 8-1... they may have had 1000 more people at their game than we had at ours. Maybe.

[zipsoutsider]

I am sneaking out of an all day off site meeting and driving 3 hours to be there on Tuesday. I am anticipating the same type of fun atmosphere that we had when we beat Buffalo to claim bowl eligibility in 2015. #GoZips

[LZIp]

Sort of along the same lines as my idea.....Lane Kiffin knows whats up!

 

Edited November 17, 2017 by LZIp

[LZIp]

I'll admit I felt like turning around on my way to Akron last week when I heard on the radio that Kato would be the starter, because I thought we'd get blown out. Boy am I glad I went and was wrong!

 

Regarding weather talk......I think the announced temp at the game was 28 degrees. Most of us grew up in Ohio so we should know how to dress. I wasn't too uncomfortable at all. I don't put much stock in just temperature as an excuse. Now if it were pouring down rain, or winds of 30 mph, or a blizzard/ice storm on top of that, then its understandable to not want to come. Just my opinion.

[kreed5120]

25 minutes ago, LZIp said:

Sort of along the same lines as my idea.....Lane Kiffin knows whats up!

 

$20 unlimited craft beer 

[skip-zip]

37 minutes ago, LZIp said:

.I think the announced temp at the game was 28 degrees.

 

Holy Cow.  It felt a little cold out there, but you must have heard the announcement incorrectly. 

 

High on Tuesday was 47, and the overnight low by Wednesday morning only went down to 31

 

It looks like we will get a very similar day and night next Tuesday, but I am crossing my fingers that those temps bump up a bit.  

[skip-zip]

2 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

Somehow... someway... we’ve got to turn the games into “events.”  Have them be “the place to be.”

 

I'm glad you mentioned this.  Over the last few decades, as I have ventured to other stadiums across the country......including several MAC and Sun Belt games.....I hear the same thing from those who have done a good job of attracting higher than expected amounts of fans, even if they are not a P5 program.  And this especially applies to the Students and other younger people.  If it becomes "cool" to be at an Akron football game, more people will be there.   But, don't ask me what it takes to make the event "cool".  I'm in my mid-50's.  

 

2 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

p.s. I was watching last night’s USF -v- Tulsa game. USF is located in St. Petersburgh, FL (i.e. great weather) & their record is 8-1... they may have had 1000 more people at their game than we had at ours. Maybe.

  

I wonder how many people would have been there if the opponent was a Top-25 team?

 

I say this because I think your post illustrates that we've all exhausted just about every other excuse on this board over the years for the reason that Akronites don't go to Akron football games.  Maybe we can finally cross "weather" and "record" off of the list, based on this USF example?  I don't know for sure.   But, I can guess that 99% of the residents in Summit County have no idea what Akron's record is right now anyway.  

[ZipsVoice]

14 hours ago, feetg10 said:

I agree. I am 34. Not sure if that is young or not. I like watching sports in person. It's 10 times better than watching at home.  

Oh trust me!  THAT'S YOUNG!

[Blue & Gold]

1 hour ago, skip-zip said:

 

Holy Cow.  It felt a little cold out there, but you must have heard the announcement incorrectly. 

No, he heard correctly. I also heard it announced at 28-degrees. I then checked my phone and the weather app said it was 32. But none-the-less.

 

But because there was no wind I was fine.

[skip-zip]

Maybe someone needed to shake the mercury in that thermometer up in the press box.  

 

But still, I can't believe it slipped from the high of 47 all the way down to 32 by game time.   It obviously was dropping faster than I realized. 

[Blue & Gold]

5 hours ago, skip-zip said:

Maybe someone needed to shake the mercury in that thermometer up in the press box.  

 

But still, I can't believe it slipped from the high of 47 all the way down to 32 by game time.   It obviously was dropping faster than I realized. 

I think Keith Kennedy announced it was 28 during the 4th quarter. 

[ZipsVoice]

6 hours ago, skip-zip said:

Maybe someone needed to shake the mercury in that thermometer up in the press box.  

 

But still, I can't believe it slipped from the high of 47 all the way down to 32 by game time.   It obviously was dropping faster than I realized. 

Stat sheet showed “kickoff - 7:05 pm, partly cloudy - 42 degrees”...

[a-zip]

7 hours ago, ZipsVoice said:

Oh trust me!  THAT'S YOUNG!

What I wouldn't give to be 34 again 

[skip-zip]

2 hours ago, ZipsVoice said:

Stat sheet showed “kickoff - 7:05 pm, partly cloudy - 42 degrees”...

 

That sounds more like it to me.  

[ZachTheZip]

 

[zipsoutsider]

I saw that Matt Wilson was doing a giveaway to watch the game in his suite, with him for students. I really like this guy. He gets that his job is about students.

 

 

[ZippyRulz]

6 hours ago, ZachTheZip said:

 

 

I like that. I've never heard of a stadium "floor" selling out.

 

[Hilltopper]

17 minutes ago, ZippyRulz said:

 

I like that. I've never heard of a stadium "floor" selling out.

 

5th floor is the Club level.

[Balsy]

On 11/17/2017 at 9:33 AM, skip-zip said:

 

I'm glad you mentioned this.  Over the last few decades, as I have ventured to other stadiums across the country......including several MAC and Sun Belt games.....I hear the same thing from those who have done a good job of attracting higher than expected amounts of fans, even if they are not a P5 program.  And this especially applies to the Students and other younger people.  If it becomes "cool" to be at an Akron football game, more people will be there.   But, don't ask me what it takes to make the event "cool".  I'm in my mid-50's.  

 

Without wanting to rehash the old "culture" debate/discussion.  I still think this is the #1 problem, above all the weather...opponent, record etc.  Those other factors are what affect the loyal fans like you and me.  If it's raining and 41 degrees, we loyal fans are less likely to show up.  The other "maybe" fans (like current students, football fans in the local area) still won't show even before those excuses.

 

I have all juniors this year so I'll tell you what, I'll pick their brains a bit and see what their opinion is on what would get them to a college football game for their colleges and anything they tell me I'll relay to you guys.  Not saying it'll be groundbreaking...but they are pretty thoughtful young folk.

 

I still think it's the culture.  From top-to-bottom.  From the moment new kids step on campus to the moment of graduating.

[skip-zip]

12 hours ago, ZippyRulz said:

 

I like that. I've never heard of a stadium "floor" selling out.

 

 

This happens from time to time at certain games, because of some of the special events that are scheduled.   Plus, there aren't many available seats up there to start with, especially after other commitments are fulfilled.

 

If you recall, it happened once earlier this year, and our ABJ reporter was all over the story 

[skip-zip]

1 hour ago, Balsy said:

 

Without wanting to rehash the old "culture" debate/discussion.  I still think this is the #1 problem, above all the weather...opponent, record etc.  Those other factors are what affect the loyal fans like you and me.  If it's raining and 41 degrees, we loyal fans are less likely to show up.  The other "maybe" fans (like current students, football fans in the local area) still won't show even before those excuses.

 

I have all juniors this year so I'll tell you what, I'll pick their brains a bit and see what their opinion is on what would get them to a college football game for their colleges and anything they tell me I'll relay to you guys.  Not saying it'll be groundbreaking...but they are pretty thoughtful young folk.

 

I still think it's the culture.  From top-to-bottom.  From the moment new kids step on campus to the moment of graduating.

 

Thanks for your additional input.  I don't think it's the #1 problem, but like I said, I have talked to the locals in places that have similar challenges like Akron, and some of them do a good job of surrounding the game with experiences that do increase their draw.  

 

This actually reminds me of a couple of my earliest experiences with special attractions.  Back in the early 80's, I went to a game at Eastern Michigan (in crappy Ypsilanti, MI) where the place was PACKED for a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader halftime show.   Then several years later, we did the same thing for that Thursday Night ESPN game (1986) against Murray State, and our place was packed as well.   For those who remember, that's when people were throwing seat cushions around, beer balls were rolling down the steps at the Bowl, etc.  What a wild night.

 

Anyway, The cheerleaders are not the draw that they were at the time, but people get creative in many other ways to turn these games into "cool events".   I know we've tried some things (ZipsFest, Bands at the track/field venue, etc.).   They obviously just haven't worked.  

 

Edited November 19, 2017 by skip-zip

[Balsy]

3 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

 

Anyway, The cheerleaders are not the draw that they were at the time, but people get creative in many other ways to turn these games into "cool events".  

 

 

Totally like this idea though.  I wonder what in 2017 would  drive generate that kind of interest.