Student Attendance & Marketing

[skip-zip]

1 hour ago, AyYo said:

Yes, all sports, including football.

 

I guess if you count the 5,000 students who showed up last year for a tuition giveaway for one half, and those who've been walking through the gates to get free shirts, hats, and bobbleheads before heading back to their dorms, then I guess you can boast that football attendance has increased.  But, I think all of us have witnessed that they aren't at the games...visually...when there's actually football being played on the field.  

 

But there's no way you can skew the numbers to show soccer student attendance.  That's WAY down.  

[Balsy]

2 hours ago, skip-zip said:

 

I guess if you count the 5,000 students who showed up last year for a tuition giveaway for one half, and those who've been walking through the gates to get free shirts, hats, and bobbleheads before heading back to their dorms, then I guess you can boast that football attendance has increased.  But, I think all of us have witnessed that they aren't at the games...visually...when there's actually football being played on the field.  

 

But there's no way you can skew the numbers to show soccer student attendance.  That's WAY down.  

 

Soccer compared to 5 years ago.  It really dropped off after porter left.  So I'd wager that the "increase in attendance" is talking about over those couple of years it has increased after that drop off.

 

There are more students at games, and longer.  That is one observation I've made in 2 games thus far this season.  Remember when there were like 2 students in the stands next to the band?  And hey...coming into the stadium to get free stuff is still better than in the icoach years where they had the 10,000 Zippy bobblehead giveaway and so few people came they were giving those things away as prizes for the next couple of years.  I think they still are...

 

Baby steps skip, baby steps.  

[zzx]

Some college football programs have hired professional DJ's to increase student attendance at home games.

[skip-zip]

8 hours ago, Balsy said:

 

Soccer compared to 5 years ago.  It really dropped off after porter left.  So I'd wager that the "increase in attendance" is talking about over those couple of years it has increased after that drop off.

 

There are more students at games, and longer.  That is one observation I've made in 2 games thus far this season.  Remember when there were like 2 students in the stands next to the band?  And hey...coming into the stadium to get free stuff is still better than in the icoach years where they had the 10,000 Zippy bobblehead giveaway and so few people came they were giving those things away as prizes for the next couple of years.  I think they still are...

 

Baby steps skip, baby steps.  

 

LOL

 

Let me just say this.  At the last 2 home football games, I sat with a group of people on the press box side, and we kept looking across to see where the students were sitting.  During the first game, we noticed that a small group of them had moved along with the band to the fieldhouse side of those stands.  Maybe 50 people or so?  But by Game 2, we couldn't identify a group of them at all in the same section that they were in Game 1.  We couldn't actually identify any group of students at all anywhere, actually.    

 

Please, help me out here.  If this student attendance is "UP", you certainly don't see it or hear it.  I would contend that they are nearly nonexistent, or maybe scattered here and there among the crowd.  It's pretty bad.     

 

 

[skip-zip]

I just wanted to share this.  I know I'm critical of many of the excuses that are thrown out on here about why students aren't attending football games.  But at least from one study of FBS schools in a major newspaper, this was the conclusion.  It appears that the explanation is actually very simple.

 

— Personal errands, hanging out with friends and family and using the internet were the biggest competing interests in deciding whether students attended three or more games.

 

What I find interesting about this is that TWO of those (hanging out with friends and using the internet) is still something that they can do AT the sporting event. 

[Balsy]

1 hour ago, skip-zip said:

 

LOL

 

Let me just say this.  At the last 2 home football games, I sat with a group of people on the press box side, and we kept looking across to see where the students were sitting.  During the first game, we noticed that a small group of them had moved along with the band to the fieldhouse side of those stands.  Maybe 50 people or so?  But by Game 2, we couldn't identify a group of them at all in the same section that they were in Game 1.  We couldn't actually identify any group of students at all anywhere, actually.    

 

Please, help me out here.  If this student attendance is "UP", you certainly don't see it or hear it.  I would contend that they are nearly nonexistent, or maybe scattered here and there among the crowd.  It's pretty bad.     

 

 

 

Ianello years there were 0 of those students.  The area is mostly students, which would empty out at halftime 3 years ago.  The students by the band, well theres a big standing group (the AK-Rowdies) and then the others who are not part of the AK-Rowdies.  Walk around the Stadium, they aren't just sitting in the "student" sections.  My friends and I never sat in the student section. 

 

You're looking for an increase of like hundreds...I'm not saying hundreds.  You're making it look as if they're lying about student attendance not being up, and I'm merely pointing out that it probably is factual beyond just giveaways, and those that do come are staying longer.  I will personally take a count next time of how many students are there....give or take because I'll probably be drinking.  

 

Why you don't hear it, perhaps your hearing is starting to go?  (I'm kidding)  But even when student involvement is higher at basketball games you really don't hear it (with the exception of the additional 20 or so AK-Rowdies).  So to bring this back to the larger topic of culture and increasing student attendance, what are WE going to do to change the culture?  We can bitch and complain about students not attending, but what are we going to do to change it?  Complaining about it hasn't done anything.  

Edited October 1, 2016 by Balsy

[skip-zip]

9 minutes ago, Balsy said:

Why you don't hear it, perhaps your hearing is starting to go?  (I'm kidding)  But even when student involvement is higher at basketball games you really don't hear it (with the exception of the additional 20 or so AK-Rowdies).  So to bring this back to the larger topic of culture and increasing student attendance, what are WE going to do to change the culture?  We can bitch and complain about students not attending, but what are we going to do to change it?  Complaining about it hasn't done anything.  

 

Balsy, you always entertain me.  My wife does think that my hearing is starting to fade in my 50s.  Maybe she's right.  I blame it on cranking the stereo in my car when I was young.  

 

You're right.  Lets get to the most important part.  What CAN we do to change it?  But like every solution we seek, whether it be in business, society, or anything else......you have to be able to put a finger on the problem.  

 

It's just such a frustrating problem.  And that's why I think people find this to be an acceptable outlet to vent about it.  How we can have a University this big, with this little student athletic event participation, really defies mathematical logic.  Particularly with free admission.  

 

[Balsy]

17 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

It's just such a frustrating problem.  And that's why I think people find this to be an acceptable outlet to vent about it.  How we can have a University this big, with this little student athletic event participation, really defies mathematical logic.  Particularly with free admission.  

 

Agreed.  Hell, how can we have a university this big with 6000 or so students graduating every year, and not have more alumni involvement with the university in general?  I think it would be interesting (I don't think it's possible) to see what the age distribution for people at the games are.  It seems to me that most are older (like you and your wife) middle-to later in life (in your 50s your middle-aged right? We've got 50-years or more left of skip-zip fandom  ).  Young people are at a premium at Zips games, and god bless those young families who bring their children.  What happened culturally to UA over a several decade period that would have eliminated the involvement of a lot of potential fans?  That does impact the here and now, because whatever it was that decimated UA culturally is still in play.  Is it decades of neglect?

Edited October 1, 2016 by Balsy

[skip-zip]

34 minutes ago, Balsy said:

 

Agreed.  Hell, how can we have a university this big with 6000 or so students graduating every year, and not have more alumni involvement with the university in general?  I think it would be interesting (I don't think it's possible) to see what the age distribution for people at the games are.  It seems to me that most are older (like you and your wife) middle-to later in life (in your 50s your middle-aged right? We've got 50-years or more left of skip-zip fandom  ).  Young people are at a premium at Zips games, and god bless those young families who bring their children.  What happened culturally to UA over a several decade period that would have eliminated the involvement of a lot of potential fans?  That does impact the here and now, because whatever it was that decimated UA culturally is still in play.  Is it decades of neglect?

 

This is really good.  I also think that there's tons of "middle aged" or older people at our games.  So, what changed?  Why are "old" alums from Akron obviously more interested in being involved and loyal to their alma mater than younger alums?

 

It's sickening, isn't it?  Six thousands grads per year, and very few of them ever come back to be supporters.  Like I said, mathematically it seems impossible.  But, it's true.  

 

Let me throw this out there....

 

Is it possible that it's "not cool" to be a Zips fan when you are in your 20s or 30s (when peer pressure has more influence on your life), but it starts to become more important to support your alma mater as you grow older?

 

But if that were true, the middle-aged and older audience would continue to grow and grow.  And that doesn't really seem to be happening over the year either.  Although, it may just be that the old people die and are replaced.  It would certainly be interesting to see if this could all be measured statistically.  That might answer a lot of questions, and possibly lead us to a solution.  

Edited October 1, 2016 by skip-zip
edit

[LZIp]

I think the student section attendance (not passion) has been slightly better compared to years past, not that it is saying much though. It was mostly full for the first half of the home opener and then cleared out a half time as usual. App State section was definitely weaker. The Athetlics Department is doing something I believe we have suggested before on here that helps keep them there. They are giving the promotional items out at halftime rather than the beginning of the game.

 

Student attendance isn't good, but it is also not as bad as it looks. I'd wager that probably twice as many students sit on the hill instead of the student section. Give the students 2 sections right next to each other (it may be that now, I don't know), and force ALL students to sit in those. Don't let anybody sit on the grass until there is actually a need for it, which will probably be never. It will look better, and I'd imagine what little energy the student section has will begin to rub off onto others and make it a more fun environment for all. Make it an event that's fun to go to. Sometimes you gotta force it.

Edited October 1, 2016 by LZIp

[zipsoutsider]

24 minutes ago, LZIp said:

Student attendance isn't good, but it is also not as bad as it looks. I'd wager that probably twice as many students sit on the hill instead of the student section. Give the students 2 sections right next to each other (it may be that now, I don't know), and force ALL students to sit in those. Don't let anybody sit on the grass until there is actually a need for it, which will probably be never. It will look better, and I'd imagine what little energy the student section has will begin to rub off onto others and make it a more fun environment for all. Make it an event that's fun to go to. Sometimes you gotta force it.

I don't know, I hate to ruin the experience for anyone coming to the game at this point. I think the kids sitting on the hill give the game a little personality.

[LZIp]

16 minutes ago, zipsoutsider said:

I don't know, I hate to ruin the experience for anyone coming to the game at this point. I think the kids sitting on the hill give the game a little personality.

It's definitely something that would need considered. I'd imagine some sort of cost/benefit analysis would be smart to do. The cost of alienating/potentially driving away a few fans to create a better environment for all, which could lead to more first time attendees from word of mouth, students staying longer, and more people coming back. I wouldn't figure many people who sit in the grass are anything other than occasional at best attendees anyways. You're really not apart of the atmosphere at all sitting over there.

 

I don't like getting too much into these issues because they are what they are. I know we have talked on here regarding segregation of students at basketball games and efforts to make a single student section. I think the University has mostly moved that way. There are a lot more hurdles to deal with at a G5 University. Half of our seats at any stadium are GA, which really lets students sit wherever, which by default makes the student section look worse in size and energy, which makes it a less enjoyable atmosphere for all. But you can't get rid of the GA seats because that's where most of the walk up sales come from, they're the cheapest, and are good value for the price.

[zipsoutsider]

1 hour ago, LZIp said:

It's definitely something that would need considered. I'd imagine some sort of cost/benefit analysis would be smart to do. The cost of alienating/potentially driving away a few fans to create a better environment for all, which could lead to more first time attendees from word of mouth, students staying longer, and more people coming back. I wouldn't figure many people who sit in the grass are anything other than occasional at best attendees anyways. You're really not apart of the atmosphere at all sitting over there.

 

I don't like getting too much into these issues because they are what they are. I know we have talked on here regarding segregation of students at basketball games and efforts to make a single student section. I think the University has mostly moved that way. There are a lot more hurdles to deal with at a G5 University. Half of our seats at any stadium are GA, which really lets students sit wherever, which by default makes the student section look worse in size and energy, which makes it a less enjoyable atmosphere for all. But you can't get rid of the GA seats because that's where most of the walk up sales come from, they're the cheapest, and are good value for the price.

One solution would be to put bleachers there and move the band there. That isn't uncommon and would put the band part of the way between the home side and student section.

[ZachTheZip]

I know a lot of students don't like sitting next to the band. It's way too loud to hold a conversation.

[tpsjugglerdude]

As someone who graduated with the last 5 years, I'all give my perspective why my fellow recent alumni are absent from games. 

 

1) A big majority of the students never attended an athletic event when they were students, so why start when they have to start paying to attend a game?

 

2) Many friends from the AK Rowdies now live out of state (myself included). So out of the few diehard students who put up with the Ianello years, many of them can't make the games now, even though I know most of them still actively follow the Zips. 

 

3) Recent grads have to start paying back student loans and it makes them sour towards the Akron brand. I've heard many people say "I'm never giving Akron a dime, I already owe them too much". 

 

I was in DC this weekend for the Browns game and ran into many Browns fans that made the trip during the weekend. Many of them were Akron or Kent alumni (sadly my wife went to that other school). On Saturday anytime we talked to one of them they were completely clueless that the Wagon Wheel game was going on. It's hard to compete to get people's attention when they are willing to travel 6 hours to see a probable winless team and not even know there is good football at their alma mater. 

[Blue & Gold]

Here's an update from today's ABJ on the Lebron James Family Foundation's I Promise Institute at The University of Akron.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/education/lebron-james-family-foundation-to-set-up-a-home-base-at-ua-for-i-promise-participants-1.718886

 

For this thread, I thought this to be relevant:

"The I Promise Institute will be located in InfoCision Stadium in an undeveloped space on the south end of level 3.

...The First class of the Lebron James Family Foundation students are in the eighth grade and will graduate from high school in 2021 and arrive on The University of Akron's campus."

 

Concerning future athletics attendance, here's a group of future students we need to start reaching out to right now.  Get them excited and proud to be from Akron.  Don't be typical self-loathing Akronites.

[skip-zip]

13 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

Here's an update from today's ABJ on the Lebron James Family Foundation's I Promise Institute at The University of Akron.

 

http://www.ohio.com/news/education/lebron-james-family-foundation-to-set-up-a-home-base-at-ua-for-i-promise-participants-1.718886

 

For this thread, I thought this to be relevant:

"The I Promise Institute will be located in InfoCision Stadium in an undeveloped space on the south end of level 3.

...The First class of the Lebron James Family Foundation students are in the eighth grade and will graduate from high school in 2021 and arrive on The University of Akron's campus."

 

Concerning future athletics attendance, here's a group of future students we need to start reaching out to right now.  Get them excited and proud to be from Akron.  Don't be typical self-loathing Akronites.

 

I've seen the story.  It's was on the Cleveland TV stations this morning too.  

 

I'll take any connection we can get between LeBron and Akron Athletics.  Since the location of the institute is in Infocision Stadium, they were all mentioning the stadium.  It's free publicity that we would have never gotten otherwise.  You always love that.  

 

Who knows if any of this will result in a significant number of local kids growing up with pride in the University.  But since we already know that so many kids are "raised" to show loyalty to the other program down South in the state, maybe this will start to alter that detrimental cycle.

 

And as I type this message......the story is being talked about on WKYC Again !!  Footage is showing the University and the Stadium, and talking about the institute.  It might be a big story all day locally.  That's great for us.  

Edited October 13, 2016 by skip-zip
edit

[zipsoutsider]

We had better attendance a couple of years ago when the LJFF kids got free tickets to the game. I hope we see that, again. Honestly, I think the team needs to build a partnership with that program. It would be great to see some our successful players mentoring and volunteering with the program as they do with the elementary school in Tallmadge and for them to continue to get free tickets.

[g-mann17]

On 10/1/2016 at 9:58 AM, LZIp said:

Student attendance isn't good, but it is also not as bad as it looks. I'd wager that probably twice as many students sit on the hill instead of the student section. Give the students 2 sections right next to each other (it may be that now, I don't know), and force ALL students to sit in those. Don't let anybody sit on the grass until there is actually a need for it, which will probably be never. It will look better, and I'd imagine what little energy the student section has will begin to rub off onto others and make it a more fun environment for all. Make it an event that's fun to go to. Sometimes you gotta force it.

As of 2016, the north half of the eastern stands is designated as the student section.  Anyone can sit on the hill, and I don't like the idea of forcing anyone, especially students, to a specific spot.

 

I have noticed the last two games that they are being very strict on seating.  You can't even get into a section on the west stands without your ticket.

 

There was another point mentioned regarding student loans and the "not wanting to pay the University another dime".  I get that, boy do I get that.  We are in our 30's, have loans we are paying back, but we are still season ticket holders, going back to the last year at the Rubber Bowl.  Before that we would go to at least two games a year.  There have been years that I have been close to dropping out, especially this year when they were considering getting rid of the concession vouchers.  But we keep sticking with it.  We have a lot of fun, our section is great, and I know a few of you on here sit by me and don't even know.

 

But it's about tradition, we created a tradition, and we have stuck with it, and I will pass it to my sons.  Some people have no experience with it, no emotional connection.  That is where it has to start, invite a friend, drag them to the game.

 

My biggest complaint besides attendance, is no one get's rowdy, no shouting, no cheers.  People don't seem to know what to do on 3rd down when we are on defense.  People don't even know the fight song.  Atmosphere and gameday experience is bolstered by people who show up all the time actually being excited about what is going on.  People get swept up in that excitement.  Sitting on our hands is not exciting.  Getting looks for standing and cheering for a big play is not exciting.  Imagine going to a concert and everyone just sat there and enjoyed the music with no show of emotion.  You would think the band sucked no matter how good they are.

 

Oh and band parents, quit leaving after halftime for crying out loud.

Edited October 13, 2016 by g-mann17

[ZachTheZip]

I actually do like the idea of forcing students to sit in a designated area. You could have at least one section of the stadium full, then. It helps students get involved in cheering when the whole section is doing it. It's hard to be rowdy and excited when you're the only ones in your section making noise, and everyone else is bored parents or random people who don't know how to cheer,

 

As for the band and their parents, this is a big issue I have, and one that I have had for a long time that also applies to basketball. Every game, multiple times a game, the students will try to start a cheer, and then the band will begin playing over them. Other times, the team will get a first down and instead of playing the first verse of the fight song like normal, the band won't play anything at all because the band moms have passed out apples or something and they're all too busy eating. The band acts like they're the reason people show up to the games, with no regard for the actual event they're only there to provide some atmosphere to. The band parents act this way, too. A handful of the band parents aren't just indifferent, they actively disparage the football team and really bring negative energy to the stadium.

 

Why do the student section and band have to be adjacent? I hate it. They should be on opposite ends of the stadium. This year, the band got moved to the north end of the visitors stands, to avoid the problem of the band and the visiting team crossing each other at half time with the band trying to get on the field and the team trying to get to the locker room. That makes sense. But why did the student section, such that it is, get moved along with them? It made sense to have the students next to the grass hill, and next to the visiting tunnel, and right inside from where they have their tailgate. So now that the student tailgate was moved to Lot 9b because people complained that the tailgate was too far from the student entrance, they went and moved the student section so that you still have to walk the length of the stadium to get to your seat. There's no communication between various groups involved in gameday stuff at UA, and this is a prime example.

[WD UA 2015]

On 10/13/2016 at 1:19 PM, g-mann17 said:

My biggest complaint besides attendance, is no one get's rowdy, no shouting, no cheers.  People don't seem to know what to do on 3rd down when we are on defense.  People don't even know the fight song.  Atmosphere and gameday experience is bolstered by people who show up all the time actually being excited about what is going on.  People get swept up in that excitement.  Sitting on our hands is not exciting. 

This is the reason my wife and I watch the games at home now. We got tired of cheering loud only to have people look back and stare at us. I prefer to stay at my house and cheer where we will not be judged. 

[Balsy]

On 10/13/2016 at 1:19 PM, g-mann17 said:

My biggest complaint besides attendance, is no one get's rowdy, no shouting, no cheers.  People don't seem to know what to do on 3rd down when we are on defense.  People don't even know the fight song.  Atmosphere and gameday experience is bolstered by people who show up all the time actually being excited about what is going on.  People get swept up in that excitement.  Sitting on our hands is not exciting.  Getting looks for standing and cheering for a big play is not exciting.  Imagine going to a concert and everyone just sat there and enjoyed the music with no show of emotion.  You would think the band sucked no matter how good they are.

 

My girlfriend and I sat in two different sections yesterday (for the hell of it) first we sat over on the General Admission (visitor's side) top about 50-yardline.  Nice conversation with a few people, but her and I were the most vocal when cheering for the team.  Good lord you can't hear the band for crap on that side.

 

We then moved to section 112/114 where our actual tickets are, and we liked it much better over there.  Sitting in a group of Zips fans made it more fun, though I'm pretty sure her and I were (again) one of the only animated/vocal people over there.  We got some looks by other people like "stop standing up every 5 seconds".  I personally love the ritual of standing and shouting and standing and clapping, and standing and cheering whenever something happens.  More fun.  Zips fans are quite 

[morris buttermaker]

I noticed the listed attendance at 3 of the 4 home games is nearly identical  11,061 11,094 and 11,321 with App State drawing an announced crowd of 15,381.

 

I have not not made it to a game yet this yr-- will only be going to the BG game this yr.  What are the guesses on the true attendance this yr---any progress in fan interest?

[Balsy]

5 hours ago, morris buttermaker said:

I noticed the listed attendance at 3 of the 4 home games is nearly identical  11,061 11,094 and 11,321 with App State drawing an announced crowd of 15,381.

 

I have not not made it to a game yet this yr-- will only be going to the BG game this yr.  What are the guesses on the true attendance this yr---any progress in fan interest?

 

I'd say that we have the same attendance at everygame this year.  The difference this year, is the fans are staying later than they in previous years.  I've had a lot of fun at the games this year myself.  Good weather improves everything!

[zipsoutsider]

58 minutes ago, Balsy said:

 

I'd say that we have the same attendance at everygame this year.  The difference this year, is the fans are staying later than they in previous years.  I've had a lot of fun at the games this year myself.  Good weather improves everything!

+1 for the weather.