9100 Attendance

[K92]

1 hour ago, LZIp said:

You just HAD to bump this thread, didn't you @K92

Blame SiriusXM & Paul Finebaum.

[zippy5]

Sounds like it's right back on track if you ask me

[ZippyRulz]

3 hours ago, Cykron said:

Iowa State is one of the teams that is going against the trend.  In fact, we were recently recognized as the "most loyal fans," based on an objective analysis of attendance divided by wins over 3 years.  We routinely get 50,000+ for mid- to late-season games even though we are sitting on only 1 or 2 wins.  

 

https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/05/08/iowa-state-fans-most-loyal-college-football/22076229/

 

Cue the "nothing else to do in Iowa" jokes, but it is only partly true.  The fact is that we love our Iowa State teams, especially football and tailgating.  We recently spent $60 million to bowl in our south endzone and add more than 10,000 seats, including 2500 fairly pricey ones.  

 

If we start the season beating in-state rivals UNI and Eastern Iowa University (the EIU that plays in the Big 10), then the Akron road game may take on a bowl-like feel for us and I would expect a ton of fans to make the trip.  Plus, with so many of the football coaches and staff being from northeast Ohio, they will bring lots of family and friends.  

 

It's almost as if there aren't 7 other FBS progrums, including a perennial national champ contender, to compete with in Iowa (kidding, and at the same time not kidding).

 

If we win our first 2 games of the season also, it will definitely be a bowl-like feel for this game

Edited June 21, 2017 by ZippyRulz

[kreed5120]

2 hours ago, skip-zip said:

But since we know that "quality of opponent" is a factor, where do you think that your 50,000 attendance would be if you played a MAC Schedule vs. a Big 12 Schedule ?  

 

I show up to games with the hope of watching a good game and hoping to see my team win. Losing to TCU by 40 at home doesn't sound fun to me.

[Dr Z]

3 hours ago, K92 said:

C'mon, Doc.  You can't be comparing getting out of your recliner to go around the corner and pour a delicious craft brew to standing up from your piece of aluminum to ask everyone else between you and the aisle to stand up so you can squeeze by to go down to the concession stand to buy a Yuengling.  

I'm probably in the minority, because I'd rather be at a Zips football game than doing most things, it's not hard to get me to a home game. I don't need wifi, beer, scrolling tickers, flashing lights, dancing bears, etc. I'm most interested in the game. I'll take a good opponent and decent weather. Those two factors increase my entertainment value. There has only been one thing (a head coach) in the history of me watching Zips football that made me think of not coming to a home game, and that guy is long gone. I'm pumped for this season, I wish it were here this weekend. ?

[a-zip]

11 hours ago, K92 said:

Sugar coat?  Our attendance blows.  See what you want to see, though.

You are the one sugar coating.  Talking about wifi and other things as being a reason for our low attendance.  I listed FCS and Division II schools with higher attendance than us.  

[skip-zip]

24 minutes ago, Dr Z said:

I'm probably in the minority, because I'd rather be at a Zips football game than doing most things, it's not hard to get me to a home game. I don't need wifi, beer, scrolling tickers, flashing lights, dancing bears, etc.  I'm most interested in the game. 

 

Like I'll always say, we need about 10,000 more people just like YOU.  

 

And just to put this into perspective, that's only roughly 1.5% of the entire population of the County.  That seems like such a reasonably attainable number.  

 

You're not in the minority on this forum.  But you're certainly infinitely in the minority in this town.  Sad.  

[K92]

28 minutes ago, a-zip said:

You are the one sugar coating.  Talking about wifi and other things as being a reason for our low attendance.  I listed FCS and Division II schools with higher attendance than us.  

I was speaking of reasons for decreased attendance across the entire spectrum of college football.  I make no excuses for our pi$$ poor attendance and never have.  You must have me confused with a Kool-Aid drinker.  Everyone (except you, I guess) knows I'm a Drano chugger.

Edited June 21, 2017 by K92

[skip-zip]

46 minutes ago, K92 said:

Everyone (except you, I guess) knows I'm a Drano chugger.

 

Please, read carefully before resuming this behavior.  

 

 

[K92]

7 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

 

Please, read carefully before resuming this behavior.  

 

 

You could have enlarged that a little.  I'm an old Drano chugger.

[skip-zip]

16 minutes ago, K92 said:

You could have enlarged that a little.  I'm an old Drano chugger.

 

Me too.  I can't read it either.  

[Balsy]

2 hours ago, skip-zip said:

 

Like I'll always say, we need about 10,000 more people just like YOU.  

 

And just to put this into perspective, that's only roughly 1.5% of the entire population of the County.  That seems like such a reasonably attainable number.  

 

You're not in the minority on this forum.  But you're certainly infinitely in the minority in this town.  Sad.  

 

Doesn't that account for the the 9100 who are already always there?  Like...we don't need 10,000 more like Dr. Z...he (and the rest of us) are ALREADY there.  We need the OTHER 10,000 non-Dr. Z's there who might reasonably follow/go to a Zips game.  What does it take to get THEM there?

[skip-zip]

30 minutes ago, Balsy said:

 

Doesn't that account for the the 9100 who are already always there?  Like...we don't need 10,000 more like Dr. Z...he (and the rest of us) are ALREADY there.  We need the OTHER 10,000 non-Dr. Z's there who might reasonably follow/go to a Zips game.  What does it take to get THEM there?

 

I see what you're saying.  And I guess you'd be right if everyone who's in attendance is always from the group of the most avid fans.  

 

Without listing every other type of attendee that could be in that stadium on any given night, let me just give you this as an example...

 

 I will never forget when I was walking up and down the hallway up in the Suites 2 years ago, on the night that Michigan State beat OSWho in Columbus.  I'd take a rough guess and say that 90% of the people cared far more about what was happening to Ohio State.  If you had looked inside every door of nearly every Suite, everyone was standing in the lounge area, sulking while gluing themselves to the TV.  They would have barely even been able to see what was going on in our stadium from where they were standing. 

 

Those people would not have been the Dr. Z's of  our City.  

 

And sadly enough, it was on the same night that we clinched our first bowl eligibility in a decade.  

 

 

Edited June 21, 2017 by skip-zip

[kreed5120]

People like myself will always come up with reasons for not attending. The only way to get guys like me to commit to attending more than the 1-2 games that I typically do is make the game day experience good enough that it outweighs any reason to not attend. That's why people pay the prices they do and spend the time that they do attending live sporting events instead of just watching it at home where they'll save money, time, and get a better view of the game in a more comfortable seat. I don't know what they could do to change it but 9,100 fans sitting staring at their phones in a 30k seat stadium just isn't entertaining.

 

Edit: I'm not really a soccer fan, but I went to a Columbus Crew game a few years back and had a hell of a good time as the fans were into the game and the tailgating was top notch. Now anytime my buddy asks me if I want to go down for a game, I almost always say yes.

Edited June 21, 2017 by kreed5120

[LZIp]

Didn't the U do some kind of advertising campaign with the ABJ a few years ago? Can't remember the reason, but I am pretty sure they had some ad insert included with the newspaper.

 

We all debate the reasoning attendance sucks. Probably all of our reasoning play a part. We are all big fans, hence the reason we are on this site. Maybe we aren't in tune with "Joe Akron"?

 

Here is an idea. Send one of those ads out again to ABJ subscribers. Put a survey on there with 5 or so options with space for a write in. Ask Akron residents what it would take for them to want to come to an Akron Zips football game. Make that thing self-addressed and stamped. We have an alumni network. Send out emails, send more paper mail. Ask our alumni what it would take for them to come to a game. Whatever the majority of people say....do your best at doing that! I mean it probably would be a consistently winning program but if that were easy everyone would do it...

 

Mr. Williams - If you are reading this, I am available for hire for the right price.

[Balsy]

44 minutes ago, LZIp said:

Didn't the U do some kind of advertising campaign with the ABJ a few years ago? Can't remember the reason, but I am pretty sure they had some ad insert included with the newspaper.

 

We all debate the reasoning attendance sucks. Probably all of our reasoning play a part. We are all big fans, hence the reason we are on this site. Maybe we aren't in tune with "Joe Akron"?

 

Here is an idea. Send one of those ads out again to ABJ subscribers. Put a survey on there with 5 or so options with space for a write in. Ask Akron residents what it would take for them to want to come to an Akron Zips football game. Make that thing self-addressed and stamped. We have an alumni network. Send out emails, send more paper mail. Ask our alumni what it would take for them to come to a game. Whatever the majority of people say....do your best at doing that! I mean it probably would be a consistently winning program but if that were easy everyone would do it...

 

Mr. Williams - If you are reading this, I am available for hire for the right price.

 

I like the drive, but I don't think surveys have the power they once did.  We're drowning in surveys today...after we talk to customer service, in our emails, phone calls...and it's surveys are already inherently flawed as data gathering tools:  1) it relies on self reporting, 2) they're only taken by those who gave-a-damn enough to fill them out and, 3) can't filter BS answers from real ones.

Not to sound like a broken drum, but they've got to make the games a community event, make the community have a stake in what's going on at Infocision stadium.  I don't know how to do that...but however we do that, perhaps that's where we start? 

Hell I'll take the Ohio State loving bastards in my stadium as well.  

[kreed5120]

2 hours ago, Balsy said:

Hell I'll take the Ohio State loving bastards in my stadium as well.  

 

Never understood why some Akron fans try to shame fans wearing OSU gear to games. Driving away people who are actually attending games is the last thing we need.

[a-zip]

9 hours ago, K92 said:

I was speaking of reasons for decreased attendance across the entire spectrum of college football.  I make no excuses for our pi$$ poor attendance and never have.  You must have me confused with a Kool-Aid drinker.  Everyone (except you, I guess) knows I'm a Drano chugger.

K92 – I think you and I are on the same side.  I started this post after convincing some Howard alum to drive 7 hrs to Akron for our home opener (they actually thought they might win).  I told them about our new stadium, strong finish to the previous season, Bowdenball, etc.

 

The weather was great, we kicked their asses but for 7 hours on the drive home they could not believe how empty this beautiful stadium was.  I had no answer and was embarrassed.

 

Since I originally posted this I have read about excuses from weather to wifi.  I say BS.  I just posted attendance for teams in lower conferences to support my original post.  They have crappy stadiums that also don’t have wifi…….nothing close to the Info.  We have been recognized year after year for having the worst attendance and the worst game day atmosphere.  

 

Joe Akron/UA fans are pathetic for ANY sport.  It doesn’t matter if you have a winning program (evidenced by our Bball) or who you bring in to play.  It is just pathetic and anyone trying to justify a new arena for Bball is insane.  THAT is why KD left – I promise you.

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI0oprAf6xE

[Balsy]

8 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

 

Never understood why some Akron fans try to shame fans wearing OSU gear to games. Driving away people who are actually attending games is the last thing we need.

 

I mean, I do find it kinda pathetic on their part... but I wear Akron stuff to an State Ohio University game...there's just more of them than there are of me.  I'll take 17,000 Ohio State wearing fans in the stands if it means filling that place up, and then focus on getting them Akron gear, then not having them there at all.  Hell, wear steelers, Browns, who-ever gear and be at the stadium.  If we could get game day to have the look/feel off the following pictures I'd be ecstatic vs what we have now.  To hell with having the right colors or not.  1) Fill the Damn thing up.  2) Make it fun/worth while 3) Market something uniquely cool/Akron to go along with the fun/worthwhile.

[LZIp]

Good points by all. I get annoyed by people who wear OSU/other gear to games, but hell at least they are there. Get fans there and then worry about what they wear afterwards.

 

A-Zip- If there is anything we know about getting new stadiums, its that it isn't guaranteed to change anything.

[kreed5120]

2 hours ago, Balsy said:

 

I mean, I do find it kinda pathetic on their part... but I wear Akron stuff to an State Ohio University game...there's just more of them than there are of me.  I'll take 17,000 Ohio State wearing fans in the stands if it means filling that place up, and then focus on getting them Akron gear, then not having them there at all.  Hell, wear steelers, Browns, who-ever gear and be at the stadium.  If we could get game day to have the look/feel off the following pictures I'd be ecstatic vs what we have now.  To hell with having the right colors or not.  1) Fill the Damn thing up.  2) Make it fun/worth while 3) Market something uniquely cool/Akron to go along with the fun/worthwhile.

 

One of my most fond game day experiences at Infocision was the 41-0 Morgan State game. The packed stadium and packed tailgate lots made it exciting despite the game itself being a snoozer. For 1 game Zips football felt big time.

 

I think what a lot of people lose track of is many of these kids who walk around campus with OSU gear were OSU fans for ~10 years before even deciding to attend Akron. I personally didn't watch an Akron game until I was on campus as a freshman and that's true for 95% of the campus. Over time their fandom will grow if they have enjoyable experiences.

Edited June 22, 2017 by kreed5120

[skip-zip]

2 hours ago, LZIp said:

Good points by all. I get annoyed by people who wear OSU/other gear to games, but hell at least they are there. Get fans there and then worry about what they wear afterwards.

 

I'll tell you this.  I have had friends from as far away as Tennessee and Florida come to visit us during football season, and have come to games with us at INFO.  The very first thing they notice is that so many people come into that stadium wearing whatever they pulled out of their closet that morning.  One of them once told me "look around", and I saw their point.  

 

Some people might not understand that this does NOT happen at other D-1 football stadiums.  Some of these people graduated from some pretty low level D-1A schools, and they've proven to me that this is definitely a problem that's pretty unique to Akron.  No pride in this town.    

[LZIp]

56 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

 

I'll tell you this.  I have had friends from as far away as Tennessee and Florida come to visit us during football season, and have come to games with us at INFO.  The very first thing they notice is that so many people come into that stadium wearing whatever they pulled out of their closet that morning.  One of them once told me "look around", and I saw their point.  

 

Some people might not understand that this does NOT happen at other D-1 football stadiums.  Some of these people graduated from some pretty low level D-1A schools, and they've proven to me that this is definitely a problem that's pretty unique to Akron.  No pride in this town.    

I don't buy it that this is a problem exclusive to Akron for one second. Yeah it isn't going to happen at Tennessee or Florida and I know you didn't say that is who they are fans of, but just where they are from. I guarantee it happens at about every other G5 school that has to compete for fans and attendance with an instate P5 school.

[skip-zip]

1 hour ago, LZIp said:

I don't buy it that this is a problem exclusive to Akron for one second. Yeah it isn't going to happen at Tennessee or Florida and I know you didn't say that is who they are fans of, but just where they are from.

 

I said "low level" D-1A for a reason.  I'm talking Sun Belt.   They've all pointed it out to me immediately.  And I've been to games at some of their schools over the years as well.  The fans even all stand to chant the fight song at those schools along with the band (like they do at OU).  It would pee you off.  The pride here among the fans who do attend our games sucks.  

Edited June 22, 2017 by skip-zip

[Cykron]

On 6/21/2017 at 9:50 AM, skip-zip said:

 

I'd like to see 50,000 for a SEASON here in Akron.  That would be an accomplishment.  

 

I get the idea that people connect with your team.  We definitely don't have that here.  But since we know that "quality of opponent" is a factor, where do you think that your 50,000 attendance would be if you played a MAC Schedule vs. a Big 12 Schedule ?  

 

We have great crowds for early non-conference games with teams like San Jose State last year, as well as late season conference games when we have 3 wins, so I think we would have a big crowd no matter what.  The huge crowd and great tailgating was a big part of what got Matt Campbell's interest a few years ago when we played his MAC team.  

 

The early season in-state games have been great for getting the season off to a good start in terms of tailgating and attendance.  I think the absence of a pro team within 3 hours probably helps a great deal.  And we have such a great in-state rivalry with Eastern Iowa University (Chicago's own college team).