Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

[ivandrago]

This may be a little off base, but this has bothered me ever since the Division I switch, and even moreso lately....the whole "why aren't we on television?" question.
Earlier this year, with the rumblings that next week's game might be on TV, people went nuts. Everybody thought that SDSU had to allow this game to be televised, and most were shocked when it wasn't.
Well folks, this is why. The Jacks clinch a winning season, and basically secure a berth in the GWFC championship game at home. And how many came? Fewer than the population of Milbank.
And it's the same for the attendance at the women's game Friday.
Until people show up consistently, we're going to look second rate to outsiders, and we're never going to get the television coverage we all desire. I love SDSU as much as the next alum, but unfortunately this is how things are.
And I don't pick on those who live states away, as I do, or those who have family situations. It's those, including students, who simply don't show up for no good reason, and then don't understand why they have to pay to listen to games online and can't watch every SDSU event on FSN or KELO.

Oh, and one final note about Saturday's game.
Northern State has had more people attend two separate football games than what we had today. If that isn't a shot of cold water down our backs, I don't know what is.

[RowdyRabbit]

Re: Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

My brother and I showed up at CAS today at 12:05...55 min to kickoff...the main parking lot was 3/4 empty, the lot NW of the CAS lot had 5...yes FIVE (I was the Fifth) vehicles in it.

We walked right up to the ticket booth..no line, got 2 reserved seats in Section J Row 22.

30 min to kickoff....

I had to pee and eat....walked down from our seats, didn't pass ANYONE on my way down the bleachers....walked into the bathroom, no line for the urinal...which, actually I was alright with.....decided I wanted a dog and hot chocolate....no line for food.

As we were eating our fine game day meal, I was distraught over how quiet it was under the west bleachers....I could have counted on my hands and feet how many people were in my sight at that moment.

PATHETIC.

[State_fan]

Re: Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

I agree with you, the fan support was/is terrible. There are a dozen different excuses for the poor crowd, but as they say, excuses are like *ssh*les, everyone has one and they all stink.

The heart of the problem is the lacking of larger SDSU following. This is something that hopefully will grow in time with SDSU's continued success at the DI level.

The issue at hand is what do we do to increase the fan base? People jump on this lack of fan support as an example to why we just can't have games on TV, its gonna hurt the gate too much. Well, ok, I'll go along with that right now. But what are we and the university/athletic department doing to increase the fan base? When's the last time you saw at the least an advertisement on TV for particular SDSU games? SDSU athletics are a product of the university. If you have a business and you don't advertise your product, you don't sell anything. Same scenario here. A billboard or two on the interstate doesn't cut it. You have to be proactive about solving the problem, which is acquiring new fans. People need to know about the events beforehand or else they won't show up.

The articles in the Argus Leader are a good thing, but its obviously not enough to stir up interest. There needs to be a steady flow of information through television to sell the games to the people.

Right now, having live broadcasts of every game may not be the best idea. But I think its not a bad idea to have the replaying of games sometime after the live event to show people what their missing. For every football game replayed, its almost like a 3 hour long advertisement for the university and the athletic program.

So the question is, which came first, the chicken or the egg? Perhaps the equation should read 'No TV Coverage = Lack of Attendance'.

[BTownJack]

Re: Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

I agree with you, the fan support was/is terrible. There are a dozen different excuses for the poor crowd, but as they say, excuses are like *ssh*les, everyone has one and they all stink.

The heart of the problem is the lacking of larger SDSU following. This is something that hopefully will grow in time with SDSU's continued success at the DI level.

The issue at hand is what do we do to increase the fan base? People jump on this lack of fan support as an example to why we just can't have games on TV, its gonna hurt the gate too much. Well, ok, I'll go along with that right now. But what are we and the university/athletic department doing to increase the fan base? When's the last time you saw at the least an advertisement on TV for particular SDSU games? SDSU athletics are a product of the university. If you have a business and you don't advertise your product, you don't sell anything. Same scenario here. A billboard or two on the interstate doesn't cut it. You have to be proactive about solving the problem, which is acquiring new fans. People need to know about the events beforehand or else they won't show up.

The articles in the Argus Leader are a good thing, but its obviously not enough to stir up interest. There needs to be a steady flow of information through television to sell the games to the people.

Right now, having live broadcasts of every game may not be the best idea. But I think its not a bad idea to have the replaying of games sometime after the live event to show people what their missing. For every football game replayed, its almost like a 3 hour long advertisement for the university and the athletic program.

So the question is, which came first, the chicken or the egg? Perhaps the equation should read 'No TV Coverage = Lack of Attendance'.

I disagree...we don't deserve to have our games televised when we can't get 4000 people to a game like this. That is simply pathetic. People just don't know what they are missing.

[Jacks15]

Re: Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

That is why we need games on t.v. To show people what they are missing. Get some games on statewide tv. The game could be then picked up by FSN North, the same way that usd-uno game was. Just wish we could get our road games on tv first, just like the UC Davis game.

[collegewatcher]

Re: Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

There was a college game in South Dakota yesterday that was broadcast on television across the upper midwest, and yet somehow 8967 people decided to go to the game anyway.

[BitsTD]

Re: Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

There was a college game in South Dakota yesterday that was broadcast on television across the upper midwest, and yet somehow 8967 people decided to go to the game anyway.

Don't let that number fool you. They had a built in crowd with the high school playoffs.

[NightHawk78]

Re: Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

Don't let that number fool you. They had a built in crowd with the high school playoffs.

1) It has been assumed that USD inflates its attendance numbers; yesterday was likely no exception.
2) I'm sure that 'Yotes did draw quite a few attendees from those who attended the h.s. playoffs (SF people beating the traffic or others who stayed around after the 9-man games on Friday).
3) I'm sure USD still gave enough tickets away...

Rep points for you!

[joeboo22]

Re: Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

The attendance was bad but you can't fault the students for going home on a holiday weekend and you can't blame fans for not coming when gas is $3+ I know they are excuses but when you have an 0-9 team this week followed by a now 10-0 team the next week people are going to make the choice to stay home this week and come up next week. Also a lot of people went to Vermillion because of the hs championships, State tournaments are a big deal in South Dakota (bigger then they should be). And I watched parts of the UND USD game.... first of all in the past that game has been a sell out so if it was that dome doesn't fit 10K does it? second of all there was no way there was 8,5000 people there in the main grandstand it looked packed towards the middle but when they showed wider views the crowd was spotty. The dome looked more packed when Roosevelt and Washington played.....

I was disapointed at the attendance but a holiday weekend in south dakota is going to be worse then pheasant opener..... Next week though I hope they pack it in big.... big crowd im going to say 16789

[collegewatcher]

Re: Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

Don't let that number fool you. They had a built in crowd with the high school playoffs.

Spin it any way you like. Just another excuse. And even if USD lied about the attendance, and added 2000 to their attendance, then they only doubled the number from CAS.

[West-River_Jack]

Re: Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

Spin it any way you like. Just another excuse. And even if USD lied about the attendance, and added 2000 to their attendance, then they only doubled the number from CAS.

And I would add, in the spin it any way you like, mode that this game was the game that they hyped all year as the super bowl to end all super bowls. They had hoped that it would be for the conference championship. They knew it would be the last of the once mighty NCC football rivalries. In short, it was to them everything that next Saturday's game in Brookings should be.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

I disagree...we don't deserve to have our games televised when we can't get 4000 people to a game like this. That is simply pathetic. People just don't know what they are missing.

I know this point was made Jacks15, but if people don't know what is going on at the games, how do we inform the general public that is the potential fan base for SDSU? Limit the exposure even more? I am willing to give the AD the benefit of the doubt on how and when to get games on TV, but it needs to be sooner rather than later. The conference admissions/deals have made it difficult to get anything going for this year. By next year the ins and outs of those deals should be known and a limited number of football and mens & womens bb should be broadcast.

However, if I ever get the info the athletic dept has, I am sure it is quite possible that I would put the above paragraph as the dumbest thing ever written.

[NightHawk78]

Re: Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

My two cents:

Once the contracts get straightened out (hopefully by the demise/stillbirth of the infamous America Channel), the following football and basketball games should always be broadcast, preferably on statewide television:

1) Away games
2) Hobo Day (I am certain the 14K+ crowds of the last three years have kept people away)
3) Home games when classes are not in session (students won't be around; but if they see games at home before classes start or during breaks, they may decide to stick around on a regular weekend to watch)

[JimmyJack]

Re: Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

My two cents:

Once the contracts get straightened out (hopefully by the demise/stillbirth of the infamous America Channel), the following football and basketball games should always be broadcast, preferably on statewide television:

1) Away games
2) Hobo Day (I am certain the 14K+ crowds of the last three years have kept people away)
3) Home games when classes are not in session (students won't be around; but if they see games at home before classes start or during breaks, they may decide to stick around on a regular weekend to watch)

I agree about 1 and 2. But 3 will just showcase a bad atmosphere while cutting the already low attendance even further. If I know one thing about our athletic department, they always want to put their best foot forward.

[b1sonmike]

Re: Lack of Attendance = No TV Coverage

I've been critical of SDSU's decision not to televise the game on NDSU's message board. My critisism is pointed more toward your AD and not the fans, as I generally believe that if you had a choice, many of you would want more games televised. I am a firm believer that by putting the game on tv it makes it more of an event and the game becomes the place to be. I think the majority of the people who are going to go to the game are going to go whether it's on tv or not. By televising the games you put your product in front of people who might not have considered going to a game. Just some of my thoughts.