Student Section Rules

[Fear this America]

Ok guys thank you all for you feed back it will be prinnted out and reviewed at Wednesday's 5:00 Pm meeting In tommyEvans Lounge. If any of you would like to come please do. Can some one do a recap post of every thing that went down and the issuses that you feel need to be solved so I can work on finding the proper soltions for them. It's 4:48 Am and I have been studing like mad for my tests this week. This topic has taken many of twist and turns. Can some one please take the time to do that for me it would mean the world. Thanks and go zips

[Jalapeño Zippy]

From what I hear they are releasing five games at a time to purchase the seats downstairs without having to pay the million $$ donation.Also the seats that seem to be open behind the visiting team bench are not. Those seats are given to the visiting team to use as they want.

[Bleacher Bum]

So what's the news from last night's meeting? Anybody make it?

[sgm405]

So what's the news from last night's meeting? Anybody make it?

I cant make it to any meetings...I would love to hear what went on though.

[ZachTheZip]

Yeah, I'd love to know what happened too.

[Valpo Zip]

I was there yesterday, i am not in the board but i decided to accept the open invitation and see what's going on. I didn't comment yesterday because i thought that one of the board members might do a better job than me but since no body did that i will go ahead and try to give you an idea of what was said.1 - I felt that the Rowdies officers are under some heat from people in the Athletic department. Some decisions made at the meeting are to be approved by the AD to become valid... more over, some one at the AD goes to the Rowdies officers before and after the games and goes: why did you do this and why didn't you do that? 2 - one of the WSSU coaches claimed that he heard obscenities from the rowdies at the South end and according to one of the board members, such incidents can be troublesome (legally speaking).3 - One of the board members wanted to make it clear that they are all students and that they are not willing to look like the bad people in front of the University Administration... therefore a zero tolerance policy should be used to remove any Rowdy who says any profenity or obscenity.4 - Following (3), the board decided to remove any rowdy who appears to be under influence of alcohol during the game.5 - The incident on saturday, (the guy who was removed because he didn't have a shirt) received an extended discussion. a-in order to reserve the limited seating to the registered rowdies who have their shirts, no one without a shirt is allowed down there in the beginning. Only at the 16th minute mark (4 minutes after tip off), in case there are empty seats in the rowdies sections, other people will be allowed in.6 - Following a question, the president pointed out that the contract that all the rowdies signed states that all rowdies should have their shirts unless otherwise noted. The president explained that people who paint their chests or dress up for toga nights etc...would go under otherwise noted. 7 - The band is staying in the rowdies seats for the whole season... (I let them know that i didn't like that but it seems to be an AD decision).8 - Increase the participation of the rowdies in the time out, half time promotions to give them chances to win stuff.9 - The board suggested using the money raised to create promotions (pizza, wings etc...) for the rowdies. I suggested that this money would be better used if invested in organizing trips for aways games. This suggestion doesn't seem to fly because there isn't any indication that a significant # of rowdies is willing to travel and chip in to help defray the cost.10 - the rowdies should help picking their leftovers after the game (pom poms, flyers etc...) because the board members are having hard times cleaning after us.After the meeting, although i didn't necessarily agree with everything the board decided, i think that the board members deserve the credits for taking the time out of their schedules and putting the effort to help organizing the rowdies for no personnal benefit.

[ZachTheZip]

Thanks skhorbotly.It sounds like the Athletic Department is being pretty overbearing. I am willing to go along with it for now, but if I catch wind of them changing rules and stuff to be more restrictive than they already are, I might just have to create my own cheering section in the GA seats. The only requirements woiuld be that you wear blue/gold and that you help make the section the loudest in the JAR. Alternatively, everyone here going to a game could agree to sit in the same section, and we could compete with the Rowdies, thus making more noise and generating a bit of excitement. Just an idea.

[RowdyZip]

Thanks skhorbotly.It sounds like the Athletic Department is being pretty overbearing. I am willing to go along with it for now, but if I catch wind of them changing rules and stuff to be more restrictive than they already are, I might just have to create my own cheering section in the GA seats. The only requirements woiuld be that you wear blue/gold and that you help make the section the loudest in the JAR. Alternatively, everyone here going to a game could agree to sit in the same section, and we could compete with the Rowdies, thus making more noise and generating a bit of excitement. Just an idea.

I actually like this idea and would be willing to try it out for the St. Francis game. Maybe you should post a new thread cuz this one seems to have gotten lost on the bottom. I will, however, be sitting with the rowdies for nevada. I'll do my best to not use profain language.

[Balki Bartokomous]

Ugh, sounds like the administration is at it again. WAH, no one drink, WAHWAH, no one cuss, WAHWAH, wear your shirt, WAHWAH, the band stays, WAHThis new athletic department sucks ass.and what the hell is the legal problem with swearing? If i want to call some one an asshole and tell them to eat shit and die, well the ol' first amendment lets me do that. Course this wouldn't be the first time the U of A thinks it is above the law. (Charles Plinton anyone?)Starting our own group in the GA section is brilliant. We'll be the real student section. Not the AD's puppet section. Freaking nazis. I bet this picture is hanging in their offices.

[Valpo Zip]

So you guys prefer to sit somewhere else, away from the court and disperse the students in different sections just because you do not want to pick your shirt and wear it and because you wanna swear profenities? also you cannot say profenities anywhere in the JAR (not only in the Rowdies section) to start with.To Balki: the AD Mack Rhoades said in the first meeting that he does not want the rowdies to be a disney rated section... but also not an R-rating section. Some where in between.

[sgm405]

With all do respect, it sounds like they basically brought everything up...and said too bad. I guess it's nice that it was at least discussed...I was just hoping for better results. I might sit down low for a few games, but I'd be all for the sitting in GA...I did last game and it was still a good time. If you guys want to get a section together, let me know and I'll be there with some friends.

[Balki Bartokomous]

So you guys prefer to sit somewhere else, away from the court and disperse the students in different sections just because you do not want to pick your shirt and wear it and because you wanna swear profenities? also you cannot say profenities anywhere in the JAR (not only in the Rowdies section) to start with.To Balki: the AD Mack Rhoades said in the first meeting that he does not want the rowdies to be a disney rated section... but also not an R-rating section. Some where in between.

First off. I am not a member of the AK-Rowdies. I'm not going to sign shit so I can go to a basketball game. I have been going to Akron far to long to start getting bitch slapped around by the AD. I'll say what I want, when I want, while wearing what I want. When the rowdies started, i was a huge fan of it. Akron lacked a legit student section for far too long. Now, just like everything else these days, the higher ups feel the need to control everything. It is obvious the U can't market worth a shit, they should just leave the student section to the students. Having to have stuff approved is retarded. Pretty soon you'll have to ask a suit to take a piss. With all the convicts in the dorms and the suits need for control, Akron might as well just come out and say that their whole method is based off of what they saw in the movie the Shawshank Redemption. Why don't they take their fascist ways to the rubber bowl? No swearing? No showing up drunk? there wouldn't be a damn person in the "student section". So, somewhere in between Disney and Rated-R. I don't know if anyone there has seen a movie in the last ... oh 30 years, but a movie doesn't have to be rated R to have profanity in it. Its not just the swearing. Where is the line drawn? "Oh don't say someone sucks. thats not PC." kiss my ass. You don't come into the RA talking that smack, you'll get your ass kicked. Teams should know they are in for a fight when they come here. Pretty soon we will wind up like that HS in Wisconsin that kicks students out of games for chanting air ball. In true Akron form, we will never be anything special because the people running things are dumb asses. I could go off for 2 hours about how shitty things are. They are better than they used to be, but things should be a TON better then they are. Someone get me a flux capacitor. I'm going to create an alternate 2006 where things aren't retarded.

[FearTheRoo]

I'll apologize on behalf of Balki. Every so often he shows his ignorance. He obviously has a bit of an issue with following rules.Look, it's a club. Clubs have rules and some sort of organization. Overall what everyone is trying to do is positive. Balki doesn't like it because he would rather be a rude, obnoxious, drunk, cussing SOB. No one is asking/forcing you to join the Rowdies. You obviously don't like anything about them, you expressed your opinion, so let it go...... Now back on topic......I think the 16:00 min rule is a fair compromise. Give those who agreed to the rules and follow them, and if there are still empty seats, then fill them in with others. The drunk rule makes sense.Creating a section in GA isn't bad. As long as it doesn't pull steam away from the Rowdies in their infancy. Why not have a non-student/alumni informal area?Go Zips!

[sgm405]

I guess I just still don't get it. What is required for a good student section? I think there are only three things that you need:1) The student section to be filled2) The students in the student section to be wearing clothing somehow associated with their team (shirts, hoodies, school colors, etc)3) The student section needs to be loud and crazy, giving the team a home court advantage. Why is it so hard to just go with that? Why does it have to be mandatory to wear a certain shirt? Why do we need 20 different chants? Why does anyone need to sign a contract? Show up...support the team...be loud and proud - expect that and only that and you'll have the best student section Akron's ever seen.

[FearTheRoo]

Overall, I agree with that. Keep it simple. I never was a fan of the gold shirt only rule, but other than that....just get your arsses into the seat and make sure you have no voice for 8:00 Calc the next day!!

[Balki Bartokomous]

I'll apologize on behalf of Balki. Every so often he shows his ignorance. He obviously has a bit of an issue with following rules.Look, it's a club. Clubs have rules and some sort of organization. Overall what everyone is trying to do is positive. Balki doesn't like it because he would rather be a rude, obnoxious, drunk, cussing SOB. No one is asking/forcing you to join the Rowdies. You obviously don't like anything about them, you expressed your opinion, so let it go...... Now back on topic......I think the 16:00 min rule is a fair compromise. Give those who agreed to the rules and follow them, and if there are still empty seats, then fill them in with others. The drunk rule makes sense.Creating a section in GA isn't bad. As long as it doesn't pull steam away from the Rowdies in their infancy. Why not have a non-student/alumni informal area?Go Zips!

Don't apologize on my behalf. Jesus Christ. Sorry If I don't like having the AD try and control everything. I never said I wanted to be a drunk cussing SOB. I just don't want some suit telling me what I can and can not do. It's obvious you think I'd just show up at a game, shit ass plastered, spitting in kids faces, calling them fucktards. Oh tell hell with it. I'm done debating this shit here. Maybe I'll just go off and start my own zips web site so I can do what ever I want with out having to worry about Zips Nation people complain ... oh wait, someone already tried that.

[AK-Zips]

I guess I just still don't get it. What is required for a good student section? I think there are only three things that you need:1) The student section to be filled2) The students in the student section to be wearing clothing somehow associated with their team (shirts, hoodies, school colors, etc)3) The student section needs to be loud and crazy, giving the team a home court advantage. Why is it so hard to just go with that? Why does it have to be mandatory to wear a certain shirt? Why do we need 20 different chants? Why does anyone need to sign a contract? Show up...support the team...be loud and proud - expect that and only that and you'll have the best student section Akron's ever seen.

Isn't this how it was last year and look how it grew during one season! Iiiii like it!

[sgm405]

I guess I just still don't get it.  What is required for a good student section?  I think there are only three things that you need:1) The student section to be filled2) The students in the student section to be wearing clothing somehow associated with their team (shirts, hoodies, school colors, etc)3) The student section needs to be loud and crazy, giving the team a home court advantage.  Why is it so hard to just go with that? Why does it have to be mandatory to wear a certain shirt?  Why do we need 20 different chants?  Why does anyone need to sign a contract?  Show up...support the team...be loud and proud - expect that and only that and you'll have the best student section Akron's ever seen.

Isn't this how it was last year and look how it grew during one season! Iiiii like it!

Yeeeep. That's what I don't get. Over the course of last season, the Ak-Rowdies grew so much to the point that people were waiting in line outside for that last Can't game. So what do we do? Change everything

[Jalapeño Zippy]

What student wants to have follow 7500 rules to come and watch a basketball game???? None that I know of. I will be in GA with AK-Zips, RowdyZip and Balki! I bet we can make more noise then the rowdies! In fact I bet some of the rowdies join us by the end of the game. Wear Akron gear, be loud, help the team win, that is the goal, those should be the rules! They say Rome wasn't built in a day, but it appears that it can be desrtoyed in one!

[Zip N' Dots]

I guess I just still don't get it.  What is required for a good student section?  I think there are only three things that you need:1) The student section to be filled2) The students in the student section to be wearing clothing somehow associated with their team (shirts, hoodies, school colors, etc)3) The student section needs to be loud and crazy, giving the team a home court advantage.  Why is it so hard to just go with that? Why does it have to be mandatory to wear a certain shirt?  Why do we need 20 different chants?  Why does anyone need to sign a contract?  Show up...support the team...be loud and proud - expect that and only that and you'll have the best student section Akron's ever seen.

Isn't this how it was last year and look how it grew during one season! Iiiii like it!

AK-Zips is right! Don't complicate things. The main goal of the board should be to make sure that students are having fun.The athletics department shouldn't even be involved! Student run is student run! I am hopeful that the athletics department has better things to do than worry about the AK-Rowdies if not then that is the ultimate problem right there!

[ZachTheZip]

As soon as the Zips hit the big-time when they play Nevada, and once MAC play starts, a whole bunch of student fans will come out of the woodwork. What are they supposed to do when they can't get into the student section because they don't have a specific shirt? Or what if people in the Rowdies invite their friends, but can't sit with them because of the "rules"? We need more fans before we start making up stupid stuff like that. The athletics department really needs to get its head out of its ass and figure out that nobody is showing up to the games and it's their fault, with their lack of marketing/sales. I had the same thing happen to me back in high school. The football program and the men's and women's basketball teams started having consistant success and the administration saw an oppurtunity to flex their administrative muscles. Soon a whole bunch of stupid rules were made up to make our public image "look better", and the whole experience of going to the games lost its magic.I think that we will start seeing tons of complaints about the Rowdies' rules once the community (especially the students) realise just how good their team is, and they start going to the games on a consistant basis. I can't wait to see the AD's response will be when students complain about being informed that it is too late to join the Rowdies, and that they will have to sit somewhere else because of a stupid t-shirt. We all know it will happen eventually, probably around the end of January when the students return from break and MAC play starts.

[sgm405]

I think what bothers me is that it seems like an overwhelming majority of students/fans wants to go back to how it was in regards to the student section...it's not like it's a 50/50 argument. The old way (proven to be successful) is supported, the new way (failing so far) is not. Are we wrong? If not, will the leadership admit their mistakes and revert back to old, proven ways if we continue to have problems? Is this going to be an issue that hurts as as a whole fan base?

[Valpo Zip]

As soon as the Zips hit the big-time when they play Nevada, and once MAC play starts, a whole bunch of student fans will come out of the woodwork. What are they supposed to do when they can't get into the student section because they don't have a specific shirt?

Exactly, when the number of rowdies exceeds the number of available seats, the seats should be given to loyal students who show up for all the games not only Nevada and Can't.I can tell you from a personnal experience... last year, i attended every single home game (literally) and few away games. At home games, i sat in the south side with the rowdies. The last home game (Can't) few people decided to be rowdies (in the last game) and guess what, i stood up in line for 2 hours before the game to be told in the end that i do not have a seat and that i have to watch the game on TV. Once again, is it so freaking hard to sign up and pick your shirts and be regular members? Other than that, if i feel that the AD people are being too controling and that they are inserting their noses in our business than i will be the first one to rebel and go sit in the GA but so far i do not see the need for that.

[FearTheRoo]

I agree partially with a lot of what many are saying here:Sure, it isn't hard to sign up and pick up a damn shirt. As for Balki's comments above: Um, the athletic department created the Rowdies into an official section/club AND they have given and will continue to give funding, therefore they get say in what happens. They could sell those seats for a lot of money and don't. So there needs to be a COMPROMISE here not cursing, drunken stupidness.I don't like seeing people turned away, but I don't have a problem when there is an overflow of allowing gold-shirted fans priority.Other than that, what is the big deal??! Oh, and Balki, learn the difference between a website and a message board.

[zipsbandman]

Ya, splitting the student section is a stupid idea. It's bad enough that the Rowies have to sit on two ends of the court but now we want another section. It's no wonder we are the joke of the ncaa in fan support. Nobody wants to work together. I agree that the rules could be a little more leniant and I sometimes wonder whether this administration knows what they are doing, but splitting apart is not going to do a thing. How hard is it to wear a shirt?Before the rowdies, the student section was a complete joke.....complete joke.