9100 Attendance

[K92]

Perhaps kids just don't like fudge any more.

[morris buttermaker]

The real numbers broken down in the ABJ are truely scary 

[ziptrumpet87]

I'm sure the weekly monsoons had something to do with the poor attendance.

[Blue & Gold]

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/despite-winning-football-team-university-of-akron-still-struggled-to-fill-stadium-last-season-1.662353

[Captain Kangaroo]

Of all the vapid, ignorant columns I've read in the ABJ regarding Zips home football attendance, that was the most-recent.

[K92]

"InfoCision Stadium, a sparkling facility that cost $65 million to build, holds about 30,000."

"The total number of fans going through the turnstiles rose 2.3 percent to 32,280 during six home games last season."

"Just make sure you stand behind that Odd Lots barricade."

[kreed5120]

I've seen some questionable ABJ articles in my time, but I actually didn't mind this one. It presented hard numbers so that we could see what attendance really was. I could have used without the long rant on how the stadium is a huge money pit. I feel we all get that at this point. No need to print a new article about it every 2-3 months. At some point you just have to accept it is here and there is little to nothing that can be done about it. The money has already been spent.

[ZippyRulz]

I'll back off from calling it "good" but at least the article includes all the reasons why its own premise is lame (weather, past losing, late surge, etc.). It also contains an optimistic outlook from the AD for next season. The Drexel president should just worry about Drexel.

 

Edited February 17, 2016 by ZippyRulz

[Captain Kangaroo]

The major point of the author is - "Despite the football team having a winning record, attendance did not improve."

 

That is asinine.

 

The weather was a contributing factor. It rained virtually every game. But the author needed Larry Williams to inform him.

 

The team finished 8-5. Winning their last 5 games. So when the season was 60% complete, the Zips were 3-5. The author somehow believes the Zips home attendance should have shown a massive improvement with 2 home games remaining, heading into November with a 3-5 record. That's asinine.

 

The University of Akron constructed a new football stadium and entrusted it to Tom Wistercill. Wistercill could have hired anyone to get the Zips football program rolling, and he chose Rob Ianello. The same Rob Ianello that went 1-11 for two consecutive seasons and essentially took napalm to our football program. The same Rob Ianello that has since been fired at Kansas, and is now a sideline toadie at Buffalo. THAT is the article that should be written. But that takes investigation and effort, and dolts need to write about simple stuff. So it never will be written.

 

Can't wait for that same stupid tripe to be written for the 4th time in about 3 months. Nice job ABJ.

[kreed5120]

44 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

The major point of the author is - "Despite the football team having a winning record, attendance did not improve."

 

That is asinine.

 

The weather was a contributing factor. It rained virtually every game. But the author needed Larry Williams to inform him.

 

The team finished 8-5. Winning their last 5 games. So when the season was 60% complete, the Zips were 3-5. The author somehow believes the Zips home attendance should have shown a massive improvement with 2 home games remaining, heading into November with a 3-5 record. That's asinine.

 

The University of Akron constructed a new football stadium and entrusted it to Tom Wistercill. Wistercill could have hired anyone to get the Zips football program rolling, and he chose Rob Ianello. The same Rob Ianello that went 1-11 for two consecutive seasons and essentially took napalm to our football program. The same Rob Ianello that has since been fired at Kansas, and is now a sideline toadie at Buffalo. THAT is the article that should be written. But that takes investigation and effort, and dolts need to write about simple stuff. So it never will be written.

 

Can't wait for that same stupid tripe to be written for the 4th time in about 3 months. Nice job ABJ.

 

Those are all fair points. I suppose my judgment was clouded by me skimming thru the parts that sounded like a broken record and just reading the parts that I cared about. Have you looked into submitting a letter to the editor in hopes that it would get published? I'd be interested in reading that piece.

[skip-zip]

1 hour ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

The author somehow believes the Zips home attendance should have shown a massive improvement with 2 home games remaining, heading into November with a 3-5 record. That's asinine.

 

Exactly. 

 

Once again, an article that's based on the data that is on the surface, without digging any further into the facts.  Great journalism.  Shameful coming from our HOMETOWN paper, which should be paying attention to how that season transpired. 

[zipsoutsider]

4 hours ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

The major point of the author is - "Despite the football team having a winning record, attendance did not improve."

 

That is asinine.

 

The weather was a contributing factor. It rained virtually every game. But the author needed Larry Williams to inform him.

 

The team finished 8-5. Winning their last 5 games. So when the season was 60% complete, the Zips were 3-5. The author somehow believes the Zips home attendance should have shown a massive improvement with 2 home games remaining, heading into November with a 3-5 record. That's asinine.

 

The University of Akron constructed a new football stadium and entrusted it to Tom Wistercill. Wistercill could have hired anyone to get the Zips football program rolling, and he chose Rob Ianello. The same Rob Ianello that went 1-11 for two consecutive seasons and essentially took napalm to our football program. The same Rob Ianello that has since been fired at Kansas, and is now a sideline toadie at Buffalo. THAT is the article that should be written. But that takes investigation and effort, and dolts need to write about simple stuff. So it never will be written.

 

Can't wait for that same stupid tripe to be written for the 4th time in about 3 months. Nice job ABJ.

It didn't just rain, it poured for almost every one of them. I have sat through a lot of wet football games in my life, but the Pitt game was by far the worst. And how many people like to sit through rainy games in November? I don't remember one sunny, pleasant home game this year.

[Blue & Gold]

I had group outings planned for both the Pitt and Ohio games and cancelled both due to weather.

[akron4ever]

I get that our attendance isn't great. Here's my problem with this article. The title is pretty much saying that even though we had a good team, fans weren't coming. What it failed to take into account is that of the six home games played in Akron, only one of those games featured an Akron team with a winning record. Below is a list of Akron's home games, and Akron's record at the time of the kickoff:

 

Pittsburgh: 0-1

Savannah State: 0-2

Ohio: 2-2

Central Michigan: 3-4

Buffalo:5-5

Kent State: 6-5

 

Next year's attendance will be a better barometer of the state of the program.

[Balsy]

That Drexel president is right; the focus of every University should be providing the best education.  I'd really like to see what plans the administration has to build a robust student and alumni community that would be willing to support things like sports during, and after their time at Akron.  Still waiting for that Scar.

[Lee Adams]

Having had two season tix for years,including at the Bowl this all looks like'the more things change,the more they stay the same'. The situation with Infocision and historically support for the football program goes beyond what happens on the field. There never has been a groundswell of consistently good attendance either pre or post  Info. 

I recall that the University seemed to 'assume' that by building a new on campus stadium that attendance would significantly improve. Hasn't happened consistently. The students just haven't been interested in any significant numbers. The fact that until last season the program has been losing for years hasn't helped. But I have spoken with students who  have little interest in football who resent the fact that they pay high fees  so the University can buy its own tix and pay off the bill on the stadium. Whether those attitudes would change with a consistent winner,who knows? 

I also think that the AD has done a really poor job of marketing. Frankly,they need to stop trying to cater to 18-21 year olds,it hasn't worked. Maybe try to get the attention of us older folks who might have money to attend games on a consistent basis and,who have a legit interest in football. But,I noticed that the AD is already trying to up the ante on season ticket holders for next year. Something as seemingly minor as not offering those $5.00 concession vouchers to some season ticket holders who got them in previous years is not the way to garner support after 1 winning season. 

Hopefully,Bowden can put another winner on the field in 2016. As far as attendance is concerned,I think the jury is still out. 

[Captain Kangaroo]

1 hour ago, Lee Adams said:

Having had two season tix for years,including at the Bowl this all looks like'the more things change,the more they stay the same'. The situation with Infocision and historically support for the football program goes beyond what happens on the field. There never has been a groundswell of consistently good attendance either pre or post  Info. 

Why do you think support has been low? What has been consistent with Akron football for the past 25 years, and does that consistency lead to increased attendance? 

 

Quote

I recall that the University seemed to 'assume' that by building a new on campus stadium that attendance would significantly improve. Hasn't happened consistently.

What new stadium in the history of mankind, has yielded a packed house when it's occupants lose 70+ percent of their games, over a decade?

 

Quote

The students just haven't been interested in any significant numbers. The fact that until last season the program has been losing for years hasn't helped.

Until the final month of the 2015 season, that has been nothing provided for a UA student to get interested in Zips football. 1 month of good football doesn't overcome 25 years of ineptitude.

 

Quote

But I have spoken with students who  have little interest in football who resent the fact that they pay high fees  so the University can buy its own tix and pay off the bill on the stadium. Whether those attitudes would change with a consistent winner,who knows? 

Students have the right to bitch when their general fees are being used to bail out bungling ineptitude. They have less of an arguement when the teams are winning, and they can actually enjoys what should be a really cool part of being a college student.

 

Quote

I also think that the AD has done a really poor job of marketing.

 

It's his own fault. You reap what you sew, and when you sow 1-11 teams, your have nothing to Market. And you need only to look in the mirror to see why.

 

Quote

Frankly,they need to stop trying to cater to 18-21 year olds,it hasn't worked.

I can't see where UA is going overboard to cater to the students. They give away fee hats, some pizza, and a free year at school (which a UA janitor's kid gets too...it doesn't break the bank).

 

Quote

 

Maybe try to get the attention of us older folks who might have money to attend games on a consistent basis and, who have a legit interest in football.

But,I noticed that the AD is already trying to up the ante on season ticket holders for next year. Something as seemingly minor as not offering those $5.00 concession vouchers to some season ticket holders who got them in previous years is not the way to garner support after 1 winning season. 

 

I hate those stupid vouchers. People hand them out like Confederate money at games...it's just a way to tack on $5.00 per ticket to your fee, where they hope you don't use them so they make $5.00 extra per attendee. Most people I know tailgate before the game, and don't want crappy pizza and hot dogs during it.

 

Quote

Hopefully,Bowden can put another winner on the field in 2016. As far as attendance is concerned, I think the jury is still out.

Again I will state - 1 month of good football doesn't overcome 25 years of ineptitude. Like shampoo, you need to lather, rinse and repeat.

 

I hope Bowden creates a winner here too. I think he will.

 

One thing is proven - There are only about 3,000 idiots like you and me that will consistently show up for bad football. 

 

What isn't proven is - How many smart people will give Zips football a fresh look if they start consistently putting W's in the win column?

[a-zip]

1-11 seasons were THREE YEAR AGO with a different coach....HE IS GONE.  

Now we have Terry Bowden who has been working his ass off to make things happen - using tape and glue to put competitive teams together to play in front of 3,000 people

In the last 30 games we are 17 W - 13 L.

Of the 13 losses, 4 of those came against ranked/marquis teams - Penn State, Marshall, Oklahoma and Pitt (and some good MAC teams)

We made it to a bowl game and WON!

 

You all can keep blaming bad Rubber Bowl splintering seats, iCoach, TW, Scarborough, losing seasons, etc etc.  That was a long time ago, success hasn't change anything and likely never will (which is why our b-ball team can't take the next step).  

 

Proenza is the one that made the bad move sinking so much money into a stadium without doing proper analysis to justify it.

 

 

 

 

[skip-zip]

I'll comment on a few things here...

 

1) Yes, I think the University DID feel that a New Stadium would be a solution to some of the attendance problem.  Why?  Because they listened to the people's excuses.  All of the people who complained about the concessions, the bathrooms, the seats, the drive to the Rubber Bowl, etc.  These things might have been problems that they cited, but it obviously was far from the REAL reasons why people historically don't support this program.  I'll continue to say that if people cared what was going on, and Akron was accomplishing something significant enough for them to care, they'd pack a dungeon with crappy bathrooms and crappy seating.

 

2) I understand the idea of catering to Students, to an extent.  They can create atmosphere.  That's what can make it fun again.  But if you are in Akron's situation, the much larger benefit is going to come from people who can buy more tickets and donate more money. 

 

3) As always, the significance of wins is going to mean far more than "just winning".  Look no further than our perennially successful basketball program, where we are still a long, long way away from packing an arena that only has 5,500 seats. 

 

 

[Blue & Gold]

Unless we become a Boise State type of program in the MAC, I think averaging 15,000 a game would be near topping out.

 

I invited a few friends to the Akron -v- Ke.n.t basketball game and they didn't know K.e.n.t was even a D-1 school and thought that was "funny."  I think they only realize Akron is D-1 because I talk about them all the time.

 

People around here are just really ignorant (and I mean that literally, not derogatorily) about MAC sports.

Edited February 23, 2016 by Blue & Gold

[skip-zip]

Maybe that's Mission #1.  It's funny the number of semi-knowledgeable sports fans, right in Akron, who think that Akron is a "small school" that plays in some "lower division".

[Captain Kangaroo]

9 hours ago, a-zip said:

1-11 seasons were THREE YEAR AGO with a different coach....HE IS GONE.  

Now we have Terry Bowden who has been working his ass off to make things happen - using tape and glue to put competitive teams together to play in front of 3,000 people

In the last 30 games we are 17 W - 13 L.

Of the 13 losses, 4 of those came against ranked/marquis teams - Penn State, Marshall, Oklahoma and Pitt (and some good MAC teams)

We made it to a bowl game and WON!

 

You all can keep blaming bad Rubber Bowl splintering seats, iCoach, TW, Scarborough, losing seasons, etc etc.  That was a long time ago, success hasn't change anything and likely never will (which is why our b-ball team can't take the next step).  

 

Proenza is the one that made the bad move sinking so much money into a stadium without doing proper analysis to justify it.

I type the following only on the off-chance someone might read your post and accidentally think it had any value.

 

Following the three consecutive 1-11 seasons (not all with a different coach - the last one was with Bowden), we went 5-7, 5-7. 

 

To twist Akron's won/lost record over the 2009 - 2014 seasons (this isn't ancient history, it is all in InfoCision), and act like the Zips are some sort of winning program is beyond laughable. The cold hard facts are the Zips have openened InfoCision with a sparkling 16 - 56 record. 

 

You write the Zips were 17W - 13L. The truth is - the Zips were 5-7 & 5-7 in 2013 + 2014. And in 2015, were 3-5 going into November. And, as some have difficulty in comprehending, of course I'm only referring to the ABJ here...you can't use 2015 as a reference for stating "winning didn't help attendance." It's flat-out stupid.

 

Losing wasn't "a long time ago." It was BIG TIME losing, and it held steadfast until as recently as last year. Does anyone realize that, rolling into November 2015, the Zips were 19- 61 since 2009? 19W-61L...yet some want to spin this as "a long time ago." Unbelievable.

 

I will agree with you regarding one point: "Success", as you define it, will not change anything. If the Zips successfully go 19W - 61L over the next 5+ seasons, the stadium will be empty.

[kreed5120]

9 hours ago, a-zip said:

Proenza is the one that made the bad move sinking so much money into a stadium without doing proper analysis to justify it

 

The Rubber Bowl was nearly 70 years old and in disrepair. An independent engineering company estimated that the cost of fully renovating it would cost nearly $60 million. Sure we could have continued to play there for a few more years, but at some point we would have been forced to make a change. I suppose we could have built a new stadium at a slightly lower cost, but it's not like we spent lavishly on it. The below article is from 2014 and lists 7 stadiums that were built in the last 10 years. Akron's was the 2nd cheapest. Since that article was written 2 more stadiums were built and both were more expensive than Akron's.

 

Perhaps the correct business thing to do would have been to disband the football team or drop down to FCS and build a cheap $20 million stadium that wouldn't meet FBS guidelines. Either of which would have forced us to leave the MAC.

 

http://www.coloradoan.com/story/sports/college/csu/football/2014/04/11/college-football-stadiums-built-in-the-last-decade/7439649/

[Captain Kangaroo]

21 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

 

The Rubber Bowl was nearly 70 years old and in disrepair. An independent engineering company estimated that the cost of fully renovating it would cost nearly $60 million. Sure we could have continued to play there for a few more years, but at some point we would have been forced to make a change. I suppose we could have built a new stadium at a slightly lower cost, but it's not like we spent lavishly on it. The below article is from 2014 and lists 7 stadiums that were built in the last 10 years. Akron's was the 2nd cheapest. Since that article was written 2 more stadiums were built and both were more expensive than Akron's.

 

Perhaps the correct business thing to do would have been to disband the football team or drop down to FCS and build a cheap $20 million stadium that wouldn't meet FBS guidelines. Either of which would have forced us to leave the MAC.

 

http://www.coloradoan.com/story/sports/college/csu/football/2014/04/11/college-football-stadiums-built-in-the-last-decade/7439649/

Why do you perform better research for a message board post than an ABJ writer does for a feature column?

[ZachTheZip]

Perception usually takes around a decade to change, and only then in the minds of those who first started paying attention near the beginning of the change.