9100 Attendance

[Dr Z]

This is at halftime Saturday, so I'm sure some students left their seats for a restroom break, but here are some attendees.

[Staton14]

Marketing SUCKS worse than Can't State. At least Can't State exists (for whatever reason the world will never know), but UA athletics marketing became extinct 2 or 3 AD's ago.

That's due to budget.

[Staton14]

You're bound to get angry at student attendance if you are looking at the wrong sections. Students sit on the left side of the band (looking from across the field). I don't know why they decided to move the band one section over from last season, but it pushed the students over one section as well, and left a void in the sections near the hill. Also doesn't help that the band requires the front three rows of that empty section roped off so they can get onto the field for their halftime lullaby. The students would happily move on that side if they were allowed to sit near the field.

Why do these student attendance problems always trace back to the band forcing students out of their sections? Same thing in basketball.

Most students sit on the other side of the band.

EDIT: I quoted the wrong post. I agree with you, Zach.

[Staton14]

Marketing was very good with Brad Swanson but he left for Illinois. I don't think they have a replacement yet.

A replacement was hired but not until the week before the semester started. Puts him in a very tough spot.

[GP1]

Listening to a guy scream into a microphone gets me excited as watching an NFL player do a TD dance...it doesn't. It's stupid and is entertaining for only the smallest of minds. A university is supposed to be about big things and ideas. We've lost sight of what the games and sports exist for...to help develop young adults into productive citizens.

If a video was presented about a player from any sport winning an award for public service, I would have a sense of pride about the school. This sort of thing brings out the better nature in people. They could also have videos about alumni members who have spent years supporting various programs.

Use the entire day to market. Start with areas where players from various sports sit and meet the public. Specifically, have some items for the players to sign for kids and take pictures with them. During media time outs, have the players from one sport at a time stand on the field and do a little presentation about them and then let people know where they can buy tickets. During another media time out, do it with another sport, etc. Announce their names so people can put a name to a face early in the year. This really isn't that hard.

Going back to the public service award. Let's say a member of the WBB team wins a public service award or is just given public recognition. Give her a plaque at the end of when they do the presentation on the WBB team. Set it up so she will have her photo taken with her coach, the AD and even her parents if they can make they game. I think it would be nice for a young girl who is interested in basketball to meet one of the Lady Zips, have her picture taken with her and then see her stand on the field with her teammates getting an award for something. Might even inspire that girl to ask her parents to take her to some games. It can be about selling tickets, or it can be about much more.

What I outline in the three paragraphs above are the basics for what goes on at most other schools. Almost every weekend in the fall, I go to a college football game somewhere. This Saturday I am going to go to the Syracuse vs. Wake Forest football game. They will do exactly what I outline above. I've been to games at Duke, they do the same things. I've been to games at NC State, they do the same things. I've been to games at Clemson, they do the same things. I've been to games at South Carolina, the do the same things. One can sense the pride the alumni in the stadium feel when they watch a video of a basketball player going to a local hospital to sign autographs for kids who have serious illnesses.

So, is it really about attendance, or is it about reminding people in the stands exactly what the event is really for and then paint an even bigger picture for that person about what the Athletic Department is doing to stand out? A guy yelling at me to stand up and cheer makes me want to sit down an boo (always doing the opposite)...in fact, it makes me feel like I am sitting at a minor league baseball game and I hate minor league anything. A person getting an award for volunteering makes me want to stand up and cheer.

Again, tradition is built on pride of the accomplishments of the school and people in and around the school. Let's shout that out to people instead of shouting out orders to stand up and cheer.

[skip-zip]

That's due to budget.

It doesn't matter. Billboards, newpaper ads, etc., that announce the game time with a "buy your tickets now" tagline is not going to get people too excited.

[K-Roo]

OK gotta put my two cents in.

Akron has always been 2nd best, settled for.

Not one student ever dreams of growing up and going to Akron. Most survey the landscape and decide Akron is acceptable-- mainly for economical reasons.

That's what I did in 1984.Nobody cared then either.

My wife and I sat at an empty Rubber Bowl every Fall Saturday and watched the Zips play EKU or Salem College or Northern Arizona, Morehead State etc, etc. Ocassionally Toledo, EMU, CMU and always Can't and YSU.

We sucked or at best were .500. We played no one of interest in a decrepit stadium.

We were irrelevant.

Now, we have a great facility and we play Howard, Morgan State, VMI etc and MAC. We are just starting to win in the MAC against awful teams. But we are still irrelevant.

Had we beat Michigan last year and Pitt/Penn State this year.. we would be fighting for seats -- because we would be relevant.

NIU had a dream season a few yrs ago.. even knocked off Alabama. That's the kind of splash we need to make,

I love my school and the Zips and come out to every game I can.

But Joe Akron will only support us when we become consistently relevent.

Not because the weather is nice,,,

ps. I am pretty sure that most MAC schools reach attendance requirements with Tickets Sold. Not butts in seats anyway. So we are arguing over nothing,

[a-zip]

What's your point with your whole attendance diatribe? We all know it stinks so far, no one is arguing

My point is that it is the community that needs to respond and show support in order for things to get better. All anyone does is make excuses and they are excuses I simply do not understand. There is no reason for the population that surrounds Akron to not be able to put at least 20K in this beautiful stadium. Somebody recently mentioned that Akron needs to do something on a national level to gain support……..well, we did! We won the National Championship in soccer.

I feel the school is doing its part. There comes a point when someone is going to say……why did we build this stadium? why did we build this indoor facility? why should we build a new basketball arena? why should we spend money bringing in big name coaches? If nobody supports the programs it will be easy to lure TB or even KD away.

We are sooooo lucky to have the coaches we have but mark my words if there is no support…….I promise you they will be gone. And then everyone can go back to bitching about having an iCoach, Crawford or some young hotshot that will only stay 2-3 years. That is what is going to happen and you know what……..maybe that is all NE Ohio deserves.

[Balsy]

Dambrot isn't going anywhere anytime soon and Bowden will retire as a coach of the Akron Zips, after passing the torch to someone he hand selects to succeed himself.

[zippy5]

Winning a soccer championship doesn't put butts in seats at a football game.

[Zipgrad01]

OK gotta put my two cents in.

Akron has always been 2nd best, settled for.

Not one student ever dreams of growing up and going to Akron. Most survey the landscape and decide Akron is acceptable-- mainly for economical reasons.

That's what I did in 1984.Nobody cared then either.

My wife and I sat at an empty Rubber Bowl every Fall Saturday and watched the Zips play EKU or Salem College or Northern Arizona, Morehead State etc, etc. Ocassionally Toledo, EMU, CMU and always Can't and YSU.

We sucked or at best were .500. We played no one of interest in a decrepit stadium.

We were irrelevant.

Now, we have a great facility and we play Howard, Morgan State, VMI etc and MAC. We are just starting to win in the MAC against awful teams. But we are still irrelevant.

Had we beat Michigan last year and Pitt/Penn State this year.. we would be fighting for seats -- because we would be relevant.

NIU had a dream season a few yrs ago.. even knocked off Alabama. That's the kind of splash we need to make,

I love my school and the Zips and come out to every game I can.

But Joe Akron will only support us when we become consistently relevent.

Not because the weather is nice,,,

ps. I am pretty sure that most MAC schools reach attendance requirements with Tickets Sold. Not butts in seats anyway. So we are arguing over nothing,

Last time I checked, we are 8-3 in our last 11 games. We gave Michigan a scare when nobody thought we had a chance. We played right with Penn State and beat Pittsburgh. We have the most talented team that we have ever had and next year looks to be even better. We have Terry Bowden and Chuck Amato as coaches. We have the most beautiful stadium and facilities in the conference and they can stand up to almost anyone's in the country. My family and I have a blast every game tailgating in lot 9 with a small group of the best and most loyal fans that I wouldn't trade for any other group in the country. I tout these things to everyone I meet when the topic of college football pops up.

For me, things are bright! I will continue to bring friends to meet the great people in lot 9. I have never brought anyone that didn't have a great time tailgating with them. Lord willing they get to follow that up by watching a fun product on the field. That is all that I can control as an alumni and fan and that is what I will continue to do. I will continue to put my faith in coach Bowden and staff because I believe that the sky is the limit for this program.

This thread is completely depressing. All I hear is doom, gloom and defeatism. I want to put a different spin on this so people can see why we can truly be thankful! Many alumni and Akronites will eventually hop on board with continued success. It is their loss for the one's that don't. In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy the ride with coach Bowden and enjoy every gameday.

[LZIp]

You're bound to get angry at student attendance if you are looking at the wrong sections. Students sit on the left side of the band (looking from across the field). I don't know why they decided to move the band one section over from last season, but it pushed the students over one section as well, and left a void in the sections near the hill. Also doesn't help that the band requires the front three rows of that empty section roped off so they can get onto the field for their halftime lullaby. The students would happily move on that side if they were allowed to sit near the field.

Why do these student attendance problems always trace back to the band forcing students out of their sections? Same thing in basketball.

Thats odd. I was at the Marshall game and the student section was indeed exactly where Keener was claiming (I was in it). The University need to get it figured out. I'm tired of it changing every single year for football and basketball.

[zipsfan33]

Not one student ever dreams of growing up and going to Akron. Most survey the landscape and decide Akron is acceptable-- mainly for economical reasons.

You are wrong on this point. I grew up going to the Rubber Bowl with my dad and to this day I still savor those fall nights (when they actually played night games) watching fireworks, bands, parades, skydivers, etc. I couldn't wait to go to Akron U and grow up and go to games on my own. Now that I have my own kids I want to take them ( little young yet almost 2 years old) but I cant wait for another couple years. I have 2 degrees from Akron (thinking about a third) and have had season tickets since 1987! I saw Alcorns Acme Zip winning 55 yard FG, I saw Leftwhich get carried down the field, I saw Pennington, Roethlisberger beat us (3 times), I saw Frye elude about 6 guys and throw a 45 yard TD pass, Ive watched Getsy to Hixon in person and I attended every Ianello debacle. So please, don't tell me not one student dreams of it. I did and I keep coming back!

[K92]

Perhaps things are different today, but when I was in high school, I didn't know anyone who "dreamt" of attending any school. We were mostly clueless about anything that mattered. Maybe there were a couple of kids who were going to attend an institution with family or church ties, but (as far as I can remember) no one was head over heels that they got accepted at their "dream school".

I applied to and was accepted by 3 universities: Ohio State, Cincinnati, and Akron. I chose to come to Akron. While at the U, I never heard another student complain that they wished they had been accepted elsewhere or that they made the wrong decision. Maybe I had a much different experience than most.

[Staton14]

Perhaps things are different today, but when I was in high school, I didn't know anyone who "dreamt" of attending any school. We were mostly clueless about anything that mattered. Maybe there were a couple of kids who were going to attend an institution with family or church ties, but (as far as I can remember) no one was head over heels that they got accepted at their "dream school".

I applied to and was accepted by 3 universities: Ohio State, Cincinnati, and Akron. I chose to come to Akron. While at the U, I never heard another student complain that they wished they had been accepted elsewhere or that they made the wrong decision. Maybe I had a much different experience than most.

You had a very similar experience to the one I am almost done with. I applied to Akron, YSU, and Ohio State. I got accepted to all three and chose Akron for various reasons. I am now in my fifth (and final) year and know I made the right decision.

[BirdZip]

I hope that many of the people here commenting on attendance don't run a business. If so, you might want to start stashing some cash away for when your business fails. I envision a guy making battery operated toothpicks or something like that. People aren't buying them, but instead of deciding to try something else, he/she just keeps making the toothpicks and marketing them the same way, complaining all the time about how the potential customers are just stupid and, if they were smart, they'd be buying the Pick-O-Matic.

It is the right of each individual to decide whether or not they attend an athletic competition. It is the job of the Marketing and Athletic Departments to make them decide to come. If what you're doing isn't working, maybe consider trying something else. If that isn't working, try something else. Don't get caught in the entitlement mindset that UA deserves people to come. Earn it.

For those that say that 8-3 in our last 11 should be enough to fill the stadium, in 2012 when K-ent was 10-1, did you attend their game vs. Ohio? If not, why not. They were 10-1--it's a requirement to attend at that point.

I live in Chardon. I used to drive an hour each way with the whole family to every home game and an away game every once in a while. Not for a huge amount of time but we were really getting into it for a few years. Then we went 1-11 twice, then UA raised the prices. I dropped the season tickets. Now that they're getting good again, I need to decide whether or not to go. Saturday afternoon and weekday games make that decision for me. I watch at home on ESPN3. You can say all you want that I'm an idiot and a horrible fan, but I don't care. It's my money and my time. The challenge for UA is to figure out how to get my money. It is their right to continue to do the same thing and just hope it works. If they do, I'll continue to do the same thing as well.

[g-mann17]

Then we went 1-11 twice, then UA raised the prices. I dropped the season tickets.

UA has not raised ticket prices since moving to Infocision Stadium. In fact the second year of 1-11 they started the "buy a season ticket get a $5 concession voucher and free parking". So they increased the value of what you are buying, unfortunately they are only just now increasing the value of what you are seeing.

The biggest change they can make, they've been making...winning with exciting football.

Marketing has to be more than Zips Win! on the electronic bill board. They should already be marketing the Bowling Green Blackout, but they aren't.

It should be "Come see your Akron Zips Tuesday November 4th fight for their share of the MAC!" with the secondary tag of "Watch them take on the Bobcats on ESPN3 10-18". But there is barely anything.

You can't generate interest if you aren't even generating awareness.

[lance99]

My point is that it is the community that needs to respond and show support in order for things to get better. All anyone does is make excuses and they are excuses I simply do not understand. There is no reason for the population that surrounds Akron to not be able to put at least 20K in this beautiful stadium. Somebody recently mentioned that Akron needs to do something on a national level to gain support..well, we did! We won the National Championship in soccer.

I feel the school is doing its part. There comes a point when someone is going to saywhy did we build this stadium? why did we build this indoor facility? why should we build a new basketball arena? why should we spend money bringing in big name coaches? If nobody supports the programs it will be easy to lure TB or even KD away.

We are sooooo lucky to have the coaches we have but mark my words if there is no support.I promise you they will be gone. And then everyone can go back to bitching about having an iCoach, Crawford or some young hotshot that will only stay 2-3 years. That is what is going to happen and you know what..maybe that is all NE Ohio deserves.

So in other words: you want them to fail?

[Balsy]

"Road to Detroit begins" vs EMU. "Road to Detroit continues" vs all other opponents. I will say I do like the posters this year...the tagline TNT (Today Not Tomorrow) and "Time To Shine". The only thing I would make different is don't have two tag lines...have one.

[Balsy]

I watch at home on ESPN3. You can say all you want that I'm an idiot and a horrible fan, but I don't care. It's my money and my time. The challenge for UA is to figure out how to get my money. It is their right to continue to do the same thing and just hope it works. If they do, I'll continue to do the same thing as well.

Without the fans coming to the game, Akron (and subsequently the MAC) are making a decision on how to make more money: scheduling those awful weekday games. Fans already aren't going to show up, so what do they have to lose?

As for Saturday afternoon games...when else is there going to be a game?

[Dave in Green]

Would attendance really skyrocket if the Zips went 12-1 and made it all the way to the Orange Bowl?

Why Can’t NIU Football Draw A Crowd In DeKalb?

[Dr Z]

Would attendance really skyrocket if the Zips went 12-1 and made it all the way to the Orange Bowl? Why Can’t NIU Football Draw A Crowd In DeKalb?

Article written Dec 2012. Games following the orange bowl in 2013 were: 23,595 (sellout) - 23,595 (sellout) - 20,185 - 18,290 and 17,679. (Capacity: 23,595)

They had 20,000 last week against Central. That's 3,595 short of a sellout.

Skyrocket? I'm not sure how you define that. If you replace the word "skyrocket" with "increase", I would answer, yes.

[zippy5]

“A lot of students do frequently go home on weekends, but I feel the problem is with alums who did the same thing,” Murphy explained. “Undergrads who frequently went home didn’t establish the connection with the university that they would have if they stuck around.

“Many used NIU as a means to an end – getting an education and leaving it at that. Once they graduate and get on with their lives, they lose touch with NIU. And ‘suitcase students’ who had little connection with the school as undergrads get further out of touch once they enter the real world."

Sounds familiar. That's my argument for giving UA students better seats at the JAR. They're the future season ticket holders.

[a-zip]

So in other words: you want them to fail?

HuH? Pretty bizarre deduction lance

[a-zip]

From the NIU article…...

"Earlier this month, Northern Illinois coach Dave Doeren left DeKalb for North Carolina State and said that his biggest regret was that the team with the nation’s longest home winning streak didn’t sell out one home game while he was on the sideline. “We play a very good brand of football that doesn’t get watched in person enough,” Doeren told the Chicago Sun-Times a few days before taking the N.C. State job. “That’s not just here. That’s across the landscape of mid-major conferences. But to have all the streaks we have and not sell it out is probably the biggest disappointment I have.”

Above…..​is my fear with TB……and this has been my point!! I said years and years ago, the key to success is getting and keeping a great coach. We have a great coach and I want to keep him. If I didn't care, I wouldn't comment on anything.

AND NO LANCE I am not hoping they fail (that has to be one of the most bizarre comments I have seen on here).