Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

[NightHawk78]

I know that this thread is going to invite smack and ridcule from the MavBots and the 'yote fans, but this smack is well-deserved, especially after the pathetic attendance at the football game tonight.

Apparently a lot of people think that Hobo Day signifies the end of football season because it seems that no one shows up to the games afterwards. This is an issue that has been around for years; it doesn't matter what day it is, the opponent, or even the weather.

We got nearly 15,000 to show up for Texas State, an unranked team that had never played in SD. Four weeks later, a ranked team, with which we have played three exciting contests with in the last three years, comes to town and about 6500 show up?

I know that the pheasant opener was today, but most of the hunters (unless you were out by Winner) could have been out of the field by 3 or 4 and made it to Brookings in time for kickoff.

On Nov. 17, I am almost certain that there will be more NDSU fans at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium than SDSU fans. The only that will not happen is if a blizzard closes I-29 or if 10,000+ SDSU fans wake up and come to CAS.

[CatchEmAll]

Re: Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

I made a sarcastic post in the Poly game thread about how to get a better fan base, but the fact of the matter is this - until this program proves to be a consistent winner and takes attention away from the basketball programs fans will still consider Hobo Day the end of the season. NDSU has built a foundation for their success dating back 30+ years. They have an advantage in having a larger fan base, larger city, and larger pocket books to work with, BUT there are schools all over the country at our level who have created a groundswell of support over the years even though they didn't have deep pocketbooks. There's no identity to SDSU's football program. NDSU - fans still talk about the Rocky Hagar years with great pride. Name one SDSU FB coach who has that kind of following. Basketball is easy - Nagy has been the golden boy in the past and everyone wants to remember the glory years of the mid-90's, AJ has created a dynasty and turned many into WBB fans, and those are just ones of recent memory. I remember hearing stories from older alums about the BB teams of the 60's and early 70's, but never anything about the FB program.

If we were to ride shotgun with NDSU in the transition we needed to emulate what they've done...which is nearly impossible. Now they are moving ahead in the major sports and will soon have an identity nationally (if they don't already), while we'll be known as that other Dakota school with the good WBB team.

We have a very Blue Collar fan base that gives financially what it can and sticks to their guns in terms of attendance to games. It gets expensive to attend games with a family and when the history and tradition isn't there people would rather listen on the radio or just read the write up in the Argus rather than spend $50+ to go to one more football game when basketball season is on the horizon. At NDSU fans go because they don't want to miss out. SDSU fans as a majority could really care less.

Personally, I can't justify the expense of driving 200+ miles one way multiple times a year and miss out on time with my family (2 year old with one on the way ) when I can park in front of a computer and watch or listen (family road trips are not an option either). And personally, it's pretty well known I have issues with the "identity" of the FB program and have a hard time even watching some of these games when I feel it should be A LOT better product on the field.

Oh, and IF we're playing NDSU for the GWFC championship their fan base will travel very well. If we stumble before then neither fan base will show up because the game will be for the most part meaningless.

Does that help?

[Nidaros]

Re: Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

I understand Catchem's position, and were it not that I was a single guy with nothing to do, I would not have driven about 250 miles from Nebraska to Brookings one way for maybe two decades to watch often a 7-4 Jack Rabbit team. I guess it was the loyality in me that made me do it. I think everyone has priorities and often,attendance of football games is low in priority. I think we should respect that.

I think we still need to find additional ways to promote each home game but above all I think winning consistently will probably be the determining factor. Just think with a few breaks, the Jacks could have been 7-0 at this point in time. Close counts only in horse shoes and hand gernades and I do think this affected attendance more than hunting. I do think if we had been undefeated, the attendence would have been much better than it was.

I do feel bad for our coaches and players who have worked their butts off this season. They deserve bigger and more active crowds. I dont have an answer, but the past D2 rivalries with Augie and USD are not that much of a factor. Augie-USD drew 5500 so maybe the 6500 number is just a bit better especially if that extra 1000 bought tickets prior to the game. Thats maybe $13,000 extra in revenue for the future operations.

[joeboo22]

Re: Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

Here is what I think needs to happen

1. try to schedule the bye week for pheasant opener I know that it won't always work out but at least try the kids want to go shoot a pheasant and you are never going to get a lot of fans to attend.
2. I think that the Beef Bowl should be after Hobo Day.... the Beef Bowl is always well attended and I think that putting it after Hobo Day would better use the day....
3. Try to avoid games that start after dark... I know that it was pheasant opener but in my opinion you loose a lot of the students and the elderly by doing that...
4. Better promotion... I know Terry does a great job and it is tough to promote a team from California on pheasant opener after a bye week but it just has to be promoted like said above maybe moving the beef bowl or something like that could be an idea.....

[22jack]

Re: Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

I am guessing that in the future SDSU will not schedule Hobo Day so early in the year.

[NightHawk78]

Re: Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

I am guessing that in the future SDSU will not schedule Hobo Day so early in the year.

The "choices" for Hobo Day this year were Sept. 29, Oct. 20, and Nov. 10. Yesterday (10/20) was the pheasant opener and Nov. 10 is a time when the weather can be too unpredictable AND falls on a three-day weekend due to Veteran's Day. Hence, a Sept. 29 Hobo Day was practically a no-brainer.

Having a regular conference schedule should keep Hobo Day in October (and not during the pheasant opener) for the forseeable future...

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

Here is what I think needs to happen

1. try to schedule the bye week for pheasant opener I know that it won't always work out but at least try the kids want to go shoot a pheasant and you are never going to get a lot of fans to attend.
2. I think that the Beef Bowl should be after Hobo Day.... the Beef Bowl is always well attended and I think that putting it after Hobo Day would better use the day....
3. Try to avoid games that start after dark... I know that it was pheasant opener but in my opinion you loose a lot of the students and the elderly by doing that...
4. Better promotion... I know Terry does a great job and it is tough to promote a team from California on pheasant opener after a bye week but it just has to be promoted like said above maybe moving the beef bowl or something like that could be an idea.....

Hard to schedule the Beef Bowl after Hobo Days for one reason - weather. A large part of the Beef Bowl draw is the events around campus related to the game, the bar-b-que, the all-year football reunion and golf event, etc. Almost all of the events related to the Beef Bowl are outdoor events and need good weather to be successful. Moving the Beef Bowl to Nov or even late Oct greatly increases the risk that the weather will be poor and the Beef Bowl will be a dud.

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

Why not televise the game on pheasant opener every year regardless of cost? Put it on KELO with statewide coverage. I would bet that if it is a decent game, there would be a lot of TV sets tuned in across the state. Plus, it would help to build fan excitement through the rest of the year.

[JimmyJack]

Re: Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

I'm told there's another Beef Bowl-like promotion in the works. Don't know much more than that.

[rjacks21]

Re: Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

I'm told there's another Beef Bowl-like promotion in the works. Don't know much more than that.

Would it be a promotion for this year or something the athletic department is looking at starting next season?

Go State !!!

[JimmyJack]

Re: Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

Would it be a promotion for this year or something the athletic department is looking at starting next season?

Go State !!!

Next season. Don't know what it is.

[jackrabit1]

Re: Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

It'd have to be next season... too late now to get the proper promotion and exploitation!

"I know all about that; I've been exploited all my life!" -Elwood Blues (Dan Akyroyd) "The Blues Brothers (1980)"

[joeboo22]

Re: Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

I'm just floating an Idea out but what about naming some 30 year (or something) all team and invite them all to return.... they named a 100 year team at BHSU for basketball last year and it was attended pretty well.

Would be nice if they could get some of the greats to come in for a day.... if they could work it out when Viniteari either had a week off or played in Minneapolis or Kansas City it could really be something special....

[NDSUstudent]

Re: Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

I understand Catchem's position, and were it not that I was a single guy with nothing to do, I would not have driven about 250 miles from Nebraska to Brookings one way for maybe two decades to watch often a 7-4 Jack Rabbit team. I guess it was the loyality in me that made me do it. I think everyone has priorities and often,attendance of football games is low in priority. I think we should respect that.

I think we still need to find additional ways to promote each home game but above all I think winning consistently will probably be the determining factor. Just think with a few breaks, the Jacks could have been 7-0 at this point in time. Close counts only in horse shoes and hand gernades and I do think this affected attendance more than hunting. I do think if we had been undefeated, the attendence would have been much better than it was.

I do feel bad for our coaches and players who have worked their butts off this season. They deserve bigger and more active crowds. I dont have an answer, but the past D2 rivalries with Augie and USD are not that much of a factor. Augie-USD drew 5500 so maybe the 6500 number is just a bit better especially if that extra 1000 bought tickets prior to the game. Thats maybe $13,000 extra in revenue for the future operations.

Don't worry on Nov 17 we will show up and give you guys some more revenue. We are thinking at least 8,000 worth of tickets.

[Coyote_Fan]

Re: Where are the Fans, for Crying Out Loud?

Interesting how SDSU seems to need to rely on gimmicks such as homecoming, beef bowl, cereal bowl or whatever else you have to draw fans to the stadium. It's proven by your late season attendance. Either that or the fair weather fans (literally) go into hibernation when the weather gets cold and the Jacks find themselves in their annual playoff non contention mode. If you want a nice gimmick show some highlights of USD on your big screen so the fans would have a reason to come to the stadium and see some good football. At least for a few minutes.