Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

[Mr_Tibbs]

Re: Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

Would that change things....certainly it would. But how much? Not as much as people would want I'm afraid. I'm not saying I have the solution but winning and losing aren't the main factors in our attendance figure.

I agree with this. Especially when it comes to the students. Very few are there because of how good the team is or our winning percentage. A championship will not change that significantly. We've got 9000 die hard fans that will show up rain or shine if given the chance, and we've got another 7000 who will show up when it's a convenient social opportunity and the weather cooperates.......Just the way it is here.

On the other hand, the exposure that NDSU received because of their championships from ESPN in the form of gameday etc., would probably do a lot to help build the fan base. That type of exposure is "big time", and people might catch on if that kind of exposure followed more success.

Time will tell.

[thumper_76]

Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

Look, there’s some stark realities that need to be faced with this. Everyone wants the stadium to just magically be three times more full than it was last year in the playoffs. Bison fans go LOL EMPTY SEATS or they go but why you’re so good in a patronizing way. The reality is they know damn well why we don’t have great attendance in the playoffs or during late games. Just like most of us do as well. This might get lengthy.

First, IMO the biggest thing to me is when you talk to bison fans up here a lot of times is that their family has been Bison fans for years, they grew up bison fans, etc. They have fans who grew up passionate about the game and that’s where tradition does matter. They don’t have fans who are Huskers first and then SDSU because I went there, or I’ll go if it’s convenient, and on and on. And I’m not bashing people who can’t make every game. I haven’t. I’ve made what I can this year. However, when you are built up like a NDSU or Montana the game becomes an event that everyone goes to. I’ve been trying to get friends of mine (all SDSU grads) to games with me multiple times. They haven’t yet but they are starting to come out to tailgating. Well eventually I bet they end up starting to get into the stadium. These same guys also have started to at least bring up the big games to me without me doing it. It’s a process.

Second, it’s not having every fan go to every game IMO. Growing up in WI it’s not a massive number of guys who go into Lambeau for Packers game every game, but if they are able to they try to make it happen. Eventually you get enough people doing that then you end up with enough people using the tickets that are open due to not being able to make it. You have to have your season ticket holders, but do you think every NDSU game has the same people there every game? Or Nebraska or Wisconsin? Or Montana? No. It’s building your fan base up enough that when someone can’t make it there’s another fan who wants to and is willing to go. That takes time. That takes a generation growing up with SDSU being the big show, being the good team year in year out, deep runs in the playoffs, continual building of the game day atmosphere, having more and more students starting to enjoy tailgating and the games enough that they continue to come after they graduate, and not just because they come to town for Hobo Day. Where making most any game is worth going to, because it’s still fun even when it’s not NDSU.

Thirdly, it’s going to take more for us to draw the people in because we are the only outdoor stadium in the region at our level. Growing up in WI as a Packers and Badgers fan, there’s a large sense of pride in those canvases to embrace the cold and outdoor football. There’s a mentality that doesn’t say “it would be nice to have a dome” it is a mentality that sneers at a dome as sissy football. But it’s easier for them because there’s no domes in the state. The state championships are played outdoors. It’s a culture. Montana embraces the cold. Their fans continually brag about Wa-Griz being loud and COLD. This takes a while to get there, but we have more of an uphill battle because we are the only team without a dome out of our rivals. All the FCS teams in the area have a dome. USD, NDSU, UNI, UND. You can argue that the fact we’re the only outdoor team in the Dakota region should make our fans embrace it more because outdoor football, but when there’s such a large number of domes (and the popular pro team around here is in a dome) it makes it a bit tougher to get that mentality to catch on with the casual fan IMO. Add in the distance from Sioux Falls and higher ticket prices than the CAS days it takes a bigger desire from the fans to want to go.

Another factor is that FCS football still isn’t the big deal in SD. If you listen to sports talk radio in SF (unless it changed in two years) then you hear the local shows talk “big time” sports (NFL, NBA), Huskers, and high school football more than FCS football in general, let alone SDSU. They talk DII schools almost as much as Jacks sports. That tells me there’s a long way to go with getting SDSU out there.

Lastly, the honest truth is we are a basketball school. We were mediocre for a long time at football and a great basketball program for a long time. You can tell with the tone of some folks who post on here during football season. Not to say they aren’t cheering the Jacks on in football as well, but you can tell as the following for football grows there is some trepidation from some of the big basketball folks that football could overtake basketball (just my opinion anyways). I mean, try to get a basketball season ticket vs a football one. Obviously the quantity available is different but it appears to me that the basketball tickets are harder to get your hands on. So some of this takes a bit of a culture shift in our fan base as well.


Now all those things can be seen as excuses and all, but I think those are things that once they are overcome will make our fan base really special when they buy in. It possible for SDSU to take over the state IMO, and become maybe not quite what Montana does or NDSU, but I think a Montana State is certainly attainable.

A couple things that need to happen IMO for us to really continue to grow our fan base. First is some sort of billboards in Sioux Falls advertising Jacks games. Not just football. Year round. In Fargo here on Main St they have a video billboard that has ads for their different upcoming sports events year round. In the off season it’s season tickets. And it’s one that changes the add from basketball to wbb to football to wrestling and on and on. Nevermind the NDSU billboards all over town. In the town they are located in! They are much more aggressive in advertising the school than we are IMO. Put one of those on 41st by the mall and one on 12th on the way downtown. It would do wonders for growing just awareness to our alumni base in Sioux Falls who might go but just are unaware there’s even a game. Tweets and YouTube videos only go so far.

Another thing that NDSU does well that I wish we could figure out a way to do is have at least a SDSU dedicated daily radio show on a sports talk station. Not the local schmucks that have maybe two ten minute spots where they do an interview with Stig and Zim and walk it “coverage”. Guess what, the people that listen to sports radio like I do don’t just change the station because they aren’t huge into the team being talked about if there’s some interest in what they are talking about. If I will sit through the bison propaganda machine to catch tidbits of SDSU and FCS info and interviews I have to think that there would be enough at least passing interest in SDSU that people would listen, and eventually become more invested in SDSU athletics because they have more info and knowledge about it. I’m sure plenty of us became bigger fans when we started to read this site, and then even more when we started to post and participate. The Argus does a good job of coverage mostly thanks to Zim and the fact that they get the most readership from SDSU fans, but your average Joe likely doesn’t even really read the newspaper anymore, let alone hunt down how SDSU did. They give it a passing glance. A radio show breaking down the previous game, the upcoming game, playoff picture, rankings, and on and on builds the knowledge of the fan base to they realize when ISUr comes to town it’s a big game, that a game vs SIU could have huge playoff implications, that there is NFL talent all over the field, that the playoffs are on X day if this happens or X day if were a seed. Plus the radio station for NDSU is making them big money in advertising money.

Another idea that people have brought up is setting up a tailgate bus (or several) from Sioux Falls with the purchase of a certain level of ticket or whatever. If we want to win the Sioux Falls market we have to act like it darn it. And we have to win it decisively if we want to have our fan base get where all of us wish it would be.

Lastly, make the damn tailgating student friendly. Don’t be hunting for underaged drinking. Have a presence but make it fun for them. I go to NDSU tailgates when we have a road game if I can before I go home to watch the Jacks (I know, I’m a traitorous bastard) and one thing I notice every time is the amount of people (a lot of students) that just tailgate and leave because it’s fun. Don’t give me this the university can’t endorse underage drinking garbage. That’s being purposefully obtuse and completely twisting what people are saying when they say don’t unleash the entire might of UPD on underage drinking. You build and continue your loyal fans from their college experience. To do anything to alienate that had better be due to some pretty drastic things. Other schools can do it, we need to figure it out. We can’t afford to have entire generations of students going through school thinking that going to the game sucks because of how it’s run. We can stomp our feet and say students should just want to go because they don’t have to buy a ticket and yada yada but that’s not going to fix the problem.



The TLR looks like thumper wrote another novel version:

Attendance will suck on Saturday, there’s no way we only draw 4K less than Hobo Day but people need to calm down and realize this is a process. A natty would help a whole hell of a lot. I’ll be there, I’ll be loud, and I’ll have a blast. Go Jacks. Rambling over.


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[thumper_76]

Re: Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

Also, I know if anyone actually manages to trudge through reading that monster post will notice that I am advocating we do a bunch of things NDSU does. Well if I see how the really successful guys do it, why they he’ll wouldn’t I do it too?


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[Gojacks2487]

Re: Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

I wouldn't say that we never will. If we win a championship, that will certainly change things.

I think that would change a lot look what a couple of NAIA titles did for USF

[Hartford108]

Re: Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

Good post Thumper. I agree with most of what you said. The idea for tailgate buses is excellent. Would make it easier for a lot of folks who don't want to put in the work that is required to do a good tailgate.

I also agree that tailgating was more fun when the students were around. They did cut their own throats though. And as usual the response was over the top.

Most of all, I think the tradition just isn't there. SDSU was never good at D2. At least not consistently. However, if you put SDSU in Sioux Falls the story changes dramatically. That is an excuse but I think there is a lot of merit to that. I am always discouraged at the playoff games when I look around the stands and see so many empty seats. But as always we will be just as loud on Saturday as if there were 18,000 in the stands. I love the bye, but it makes for a long 2 weeks. Can't wait for tomorrow!

[slosho]

Re: Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

Good post Thumper. I agree with most of what you said. The idea for tailgate buses is excellent. Would make it easier for a lot of folks who don't want to put in the work that is required to do a good tailgate.

I also agree that tailgating was more fun when the students were around. They did cut their own throats though. And as usual the response was over the top.

Most of all, I think the tradition just isn't there. SDSU was never good at D2. At least not consistently. However, if you put SDSU in Sioux Falls the story changes dramatically. That is an excuse but I think there is a lot of merit to that. I am always discouraged at the playoff games when I look around the stands and see so many empty seats. But as always we will be just as loud on Saturday as if there were 18,000 in the stands. I love the bye, but it makes for a long 2 weeks. Can't wait for tomorrow!

Do you live by me in hartford?

[SoDakJack]

Re: Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

Another thing that NDSU does well that I wish we could figure out a way to do is have at least a SDSU dedicated daily radio show on a sports talk station. Not the local schmucks that have maybe two ten minute spots where they do an interview with Stig and Zim and walk it “coverage”. Guess what, the people that listen to sports radio like I do don’t just change the station because they aren’t huge into the team being talked about if there’s some interest in what they are talking about. If I will sit through the bison propaganda machine to catch tidbits of SDSU and FCS info and interviews I have to think that there would be enough at least passing interest in SDSU that people would listen, and eventually become more invested in SDSU athletics because they have more info and knowledge about it. I’m sure plenty of us became bigger fans when we started to read this site, and then even more when we started to post and participate. The Argus does a good job of coverage mostly thanks to Zim and the fact that they get the most readership from SDSU fans, but your average Joe likely doesn’t even really read the newspaper anymore, let alone hunt down how SDSU did. They give it a passing glance. A radio show breaking down the previous game, the upcoming game, playoff picture, rankings, and on and on builds the knowledge of the fan base to they realize when ISUr comes to town it’s a big game, that a game vs SIU could have huge playoff implications, that there is NFL talent all over the field, that the playoffs are on X day if this happens or X day if were a seed. Plus the radio station for NDSU is making them big money in advertising money.

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There used to be a very, very good local sports show on 910am. It was hosted by Brad Debeer and Scotty Kwas. Then, when Scotty left, Tyler took over as the second half. They would have SDSU coaches from all of the sports come in and talk about the program every week. I believe that Stig came in on Monday to recap the weekend after every game. Once Brad stepped away the show lost a little of it's excitement and I am unsure as to if it is even still on the air. I think that the station changed its format from Sports to Classic Country.

I would love to see SDSU take advantage of the Jackrabbit Network a bit more. A pre-produced syndicated talk show similar to the Jackrabbit Insider that they could air on the weekend or throughout the week where they answer questions that are emailed in throughout the week. Perhaps a weekly podcast that has some fun that we could download from the station website or GoJacks.com

I think that would change a lot look what a couple of NAIA titles did for USF

But..again...they are IN Sioux Falls. If we want to them to drive, we have to make it worth their time, not just stand out in the grass tailgating.

Another idea that people have brought up is setting up a tailgate bus (or several) from Sioux Falls with the purchase of a certain level of ticket or whatever. If we want to win the Sioux Falls market we have to act like it darn it. And we have to win it decisively if we want to have our fan base get where all of us wish it would be.

I think that this should be done from Cubby's and BWW in Brookings as well. Call it the "Jackrabbit Round-Up." People can "tailgate" at their favorite sports bar and then get dropped off right at the gates of the stadium.

[CappinHard]

Re: Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

Also, I know if anyone actually manages to trudge through reading that monster post will notice that I am advocating we do a bunch of things NDSU does. Well if I see how the really successful guys do it, why they he’ll wouldn’t I do it too?


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Very good post. SDSU does have billboards and other advertisements all over Sioux Falls, however they are all related to recruiting students academically. This is obviously a big priority, but if SDSU is interested in growing their fan base and subsequently profits from athletics and likely donor money, they need to get serious about advertising their sports. What's really a shame is they have a perfect opportunity in front of them with the success that multiple sports have had lately and the high quality of student athletes that are playing at SDSU right now. Honestly it feels like they look around Brookings and say "everyone already loves SDSU athletics, we don't need to do much to try to get more people interested".

[mnjackrbt]

Re: Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

A couple things that need to happen IMO for us to really continue to grow our fan base. First is some sort of billboards in Sioux Falls advertising Jacks games. Not just football. Year round. In Fargo here on Main St they have a video billboard that has ads for their different upcoming sports events year round. In the off season it’s season tickets. And it’s one that changes the add from basketball to wbb to football to wrestling and on and on. Nevermind the NDSU billboards all over town. In the town they are located in! They are much more aggressive in advertising the school than we are IMO.

Agree with this. A few years ago I was stuck in traffic in downtown Minneapolis somewhere near the Target Center. Guess what was staring at me and every other person on the road? A very fancy video billboard showing NDSU and 5 National Championship Trophies. I lived in the Twin Cities from 2013-2015 and saw A LOT of NDSU billboards during that time, and I really can't recall seeing a single SDSU billboard. When talking with people around the Twin Cities about SDSU, they commonly ask, "are they the same as Mankato or Winona or St. Cloud?" and my reply (after trying to explain D1 vs D2, FCS vs FBS, etc., and then leaving them even more confused) is that "they are the same as NDSU, and really just as competitive as NDSU is."

[filbert]

Re: Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

One of the takeaways from this thread should be that it does no good to browbeat people for *not* attending SDSU football games. That just alienates potential fans. What needs to be done is find ways (thumper_76, take another bow) to make the SDSU football experience interesting, unique, and most of all ***fun*** for the legendary and much-prized "casual fan."

It's about developing a culture. Cultures don't pop into existence overnight. Long-lasting, positive cultures take years to create. We're still very, very early in the process of developing a solid football culture surrounding SDSU football.

Part of it would be developing a tradition of people going in as groups to buy season tickets---four, six, eight people go in to buy two tickets for instance. They work out which games each person in the group will go to, and how to determine who gets first claim on playoff tickets. The hardest part is getting the group of people together, but all it really takes is one fired up and persuasive Jackrabbit fan and a bunch of his/her willing friends. That's grassroots marketing at its best. (It also takes the pressure off of people to go to every single game, reduces the Opening Hunting Weekend Problem, and makes it a bit easier to pay the ever higher price of tickets.)

(Somebody in the Athletic Department is, hopefully, taking notes on the ideas offered in this and other threads . . . )

[SoDakJack]

Re: Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

(Somebody in the Athletic Department is, hopefully, taking notes on the ideas offered in this and other threads . . . )

Although I think this was partially said in jest, I would second it. Listening to the fan base is the best way to grow it. There are certainly times when they should ignore our rable-rousing and discontent, but I think that there are often very solid ideas coming from being crowd-sourced. What better way to get a pulse on what is, and isn't working, than by listening to the people that experience it everyday?

[Justwin]

Re: Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

Although I think this was partially said in jest, I would second it. Listening to the fan base is the best way to grow it. There are certainly times when they should ignore our rable-rousing and discontent, but I think that there are often very solid ideas coming from being crowd-sourced. What better way to get a pulse on what is, and isn't working, than by listening to the people that experience it everyday?

are we an accurate description of the fan base?

[SoDakJack]

Re: Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

are we an accurate description of the fan base?

I would say that, much like Olympic judging, you have to throw out the highest and lowest scores.

I would say that most of the posters on here are the ones that care about the program and where SDSU football is headed. Are there moments when you just have to shake your head? Sur. We've all had those posts that were made out of pure emotion, but I would much rather have that over a group of folks that couldn't give a holy nutmeg. Even in the infamous "Time to Move On?" topic I think that there were genuine critiques of the program. Perhaps those could have been presented in a better manner, but that doesn't make them any less legitimate.

[Justwin]

Re: Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

I would say that, much like Olympic judging, you have to throw out the highest and lowest scores.

I would say that most of the posters on here are the ones that care about the program and where SDSU football is headed. Are there moments when you just have to shake your head? Sur. We've all had those posts that were made out of pure emotion, but I would much rather have that over a group of folks that couldn't give a holy nutmeg. Even in the infamous "Time to Move On?" topic I think that there were genuine critiques of the program. Perhaps those could have been presented in a better manner, but that doesn't make them any less legitimate.

Here is the deal. People need to talk and Listen to people that don't go to games! They already have us hooked.

[filbert]

Re: Game Week: UNI rd 2 (2017 playoffs)

are we an accurate description of the fan base?

Define "fan base."

Some of us are talking about attracting new, non-fans into the "fan base." Others are talking about making sports fans who aren't SDSU fans into SDSU fans. Others are talking about making not-particularly-intense SDSU fans into more intense SDSU fans. Others are talking about making more intense SDSU fans into rabid SDSU fans.

And then there are the rabid fans that start posting here.