Coach Stig!

[91jack]

He made a comment that he wished the SDSU fans were like the NDSU fans. I'm not going to say our fans are like their's but it's like comparing apples to oranges. Their fans should be louder. They play in a dome. Our team has the cold weather as an advantage but it's not as fan friendly. Some of their fans are selling their tickets to our game(look at another thread) because they don't have a chance at the playoffs. I'm sure there's another excuse but I'm sure that kindof plays into it. It's in a dome, against "the rival" but they still might not show up because they won't make the playoffs. I know they have more die hard fans than SDSU but they still waver when they don't win. I don't understand the 2nd to last game with no fans showing up but comparing dome fans to outdoor fans is funny(in my opinion).
If the team had a normal schedule, they would be in the playoffs. That would get a few more fans. Plus, TV games and other things.
Even though NDSU is the rival, the 2 teams don't have the same agenda. SDSU could have the Cereal or Beef bowl in November if they're so worried about getting fans there later in the year. Why don't they do that? They don't want to do that to the fans they're trying to get there but they complain about fans. They finally have the band(or at least drum line) there in November. That's a step in the right direction. I'm not happy to say it but some fans might be there for the band.
No band, no dome, cold weather are some of the reasons you can't compare the fans. Stig is a good coach and coaches want fans to show up but comparing the 2 fan basis is funny(in my opinion).

[propar80]

Re: Coach Stig!

Here's TV's blog where Coach Stig's Quote came from:
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...Id=personaDest


IMO, he's right. We have a "Early Season" fanbase for football, let's face it. I'm not sure what's going to change that. When you've got 12,000 students and 400 show up for a November home game, that's not going to cut it.
SDSU plays outside, which is the way college football should be played, IMO, but November gets cold up here and playing outside is going to be a disadvantage as far as getting any fair-weather Jackrabbit fans to CAS.

Question...If the Dakota Marker game was this coming Saturday at CAS with nothing on the line but the Marker, how many fans do you think would be there? My guess is we'd be lucky to get 8,000 and the student section wouldn't be full. Probably fewer if it was on KSFY.

Don't get me wrong, that's two times if not three times as many as we would've gotten if the same game was played on Nov. 22nd against NDSU in the D-II days with nothing on the line, but we're not D-II anymore.

Bottom line, is we need more Season Ticket holders and those season ticket holders need to show up to all 5 or 6 home games a year. And we need to get more students at the games.(Telling students they can't waive flags and have a good time isn't helping)
But I have a feeling that until an SDSU football team goes DEEP into the playoffs or even plays on ESPN a couple of times for a National Championship, November will always be light on fans at CAS.

We have a gameday atmosphere that rivals almost any in the nation at CAS, especially the FargoDome...just not in November.

Go Jacks!!

[EQguy]

Re: Coach Stig!

There is no excuse for a nice day with playoffs still possible facing Cal Poly going from 15K to 7K. I can understand attendance for cold weather games going down but the Bison would have had 7K or 8K minimum for the last 2 games even at Dakota Field.

Part of it is the team performing. They have been doing that in the past few years and attendance has started to climb. Five years ago there wouldn't have been 800 in the stands for the Ill St game (and no band at all).

I also think you also have to look a little deeper than just the surface of that comment. Have you ever seen what Teammakers raises for Bison programs? Jackrabbit fans just don't understand what it takes as far as giving YET. (not all fans but the largest part of them). It takes so much more than just buying tickets to games, that can't be all fans are willing to do to support the program.

Stig has to be a bit careful with the comments as he could stand to lose the fringe people right now that are starting to get on board. But I kind of like that he is out there expecting as much from us as he is his players.

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: Coach Stig!

It's getting better every year. Winning is what fuels it.

Wouldn't it be great to have the tradition that NDSU has? Their fans are apathetic right now because they are not only used to being in the playoffs but making a run at national championships.

This being in the hunt for conference titles at the end of the year is a new thing for us. If we can continue to improve and really start our own tradition then I think late season attendance will take care of itself. If the game was in Brookings this weekend and a spot in the playoffs was on the line CAS would be full. Part of that would be a large contingent of NDSU fans but it would be full.

Winning Saturday would be just another notch up in growing the interest in SDSU Football.

GB, GB, GJ!

SUPERBUNNY

[SD-STATE]

Re: Coach Stig!

I for one am glad that Stig said it like it is. Attendance late in the year is a sad situation. People should be more supporting, but at the same time SDSU football needs to win and win consistently. Six or seven wins a year is mediocre. Want more die-hard fans, win more games, make the playoffs, win in the playoffs. Their is a reason why Montana and NDSU have don't have alot of trouble filling their places. Montana is no dome either. They win, have won, and have won playoff games. We can talk about the schedule all we want, it being too tough, but the fact of the matter is if we want to build fan support like that of other programs we have to win those games, because they will be the same type of teams we would need to beat to win in the playoffs. No matter how Saturday turns out, to me this is still a dissapointing season. We had chances to turn the corner, but were not able to capitalize on them. The blame is on both the fans and the football program. I am not saying we don't have great fans, we certainly do. And I am not saying we don't have great coaches or players, again I certainly think we do. Ending, hopefully not incoherent, rant, ALL THOSE INVOLVED NEED TO STEP UP.

[BTownJack]

Re: Coach Stig!

Put me on board as one that likes the fact Stig is calling out the fans. I'm not saying our fan base is poor, it just has the potential to be SO MUCH BETTER and Stig realizes that!

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Coach Stig!

I disagree, I don't believe the drop in attendence is due to a lack of a winning tradition. IMHO I just think there is around 3,000 hardcore fans who will show up at the game regardless of the opponent, which hunting season has kicked off and the weather conditions. For SDSU to get a big crowd all of the stars have to be aligned (special event, weather,opponent etc). Because of the small size of the Brookings regional market game attendence is always predicated on several thousand people to plan in advance and drive a relatively considerable distance to get to the game. There are several factors late in the football season that alter those plans such as road conditions. I do think a prolonged tradition and expectation to win will have some impact. I hate Domes and hope we never go that route, but they do provide guaranteed comfort to those who are not passionate enough about the product to sit in the stands when it's 30 degrees and 35 mph wind. I was one of those driving to the last game and turned around due to icy roads! I respect Stig for calling out the fans as the coaching staff and players should have expectations that people will show up for the games. Continued enhancement to Coughlin and the game day experience will also help.

[76Rabbit]

Re: Coach Stig!

I think it's kind of interesting that we have a very similar conversation going on here as they do on one of the OU boards. Bob Stoops called out the Sooner fans during this weeks press conference. Not so much for not showng up but for not being loud. Not sure how 85,000 fans can not be loud but I guess it's all relative.

[joeboo22]

Re: Coach Stig!

I agree with his point.... Some of it is scheduling though and I think that will clear up in future years, don't schedule a home game after a bye week on pheasant opener.... I think that will help a lot, right now its where we have contracted games at are place so we play them when we can not when we want to....... I also think some of it will help when we get to know some of these teams we play year in and year out....

[lcbison]

Re: Coach Stig!

I think it's kind of interesting that we have a very similar conversation going on here as they do on one of the OU boards. Bob Stoops called out the Sooner fans during this weeks press conference. Not so much for not showng up but for not being loud. Not sure how 85,000 fans can not be loud but I guess it's all relative.

The ESPN gameday crew always says the loudest crowd is Oregon....50,000 fans.....think it depends alot on stadium.

[Nidaros]

Re: Coach Stig!

I think when we get to week 10 and we are eliminated from a conference title or for playoff hopes, then its tough to get the crowd out in cold weather. When the Great West Title is on the line and a large group wearing John Deere colors comes south, you get a record crowd. I dont think we would do as well this year as last in drawing a record crowd.

I still contend that 8 or more wins will push the progression towards larger attendence. I respect Coach Stig for calling us out on attendence, but I tend to also agree with JackguyII comment about a hard core group of maybe 3000. This group would increase with more success, and whether Brookings grows more or not, is not really an issue. You can have a population of 150k like Fargo-Moorhead, and you will find people who hardly know that NDSU exists, and those that live close to the campus detest the students and their partying, I know as a close friend is in that category. So I think its the product on the field that does drawing of sellout crowds and will continue to build the hard core group.
Having 7 national banners also helps even if they are from the days of D2.

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: Coach Stig!

For what it's worth, Stig also called out all the almuni football players in his weekly letter, as well. He basically stated that, if anyone, we should feel a responsibility to be at the games making noise only because we experienced it when we played. I have to admit it made me feel a little guilty about the lack of games I have attended and made a personal vow (one that was echoed to the better half) that I am making at least 2 home games next year.

I don't think scheduling has much to do with it. If scheduling a team like Cal Poly, who we have had great games against in the past and who is a perenial power in the FCS, results in a drop of fans, what else can we do? There needs to be a feeling of "I'm going to miss something really special if I don't go this weekend" associated with SDSU football. We're getting there, but are a long ways off if we continue to see a significant drop in attendance after Hobo Day.

[rabbits64]

Re: Coach Stig!

Stig is dead on. NDSU, as a whole, have better fans than SDSU. I have been going to games since I was 8 years old, I played for the Jacks, and I can say their fans are better. How many fans were at the Dakota Marker game last year 16K+? How many of there were NDSU fans, I would guess almost 1/2. Our fans have always been apathetic when it comes to football. SDSU should consistently put 8-10K in the stands, so it is annoying when we put only 3k in there late in the year (even in good weather).
As for NDSU I don't believe their Dome has anything to do with the number of fans at the game. When they played at old Dakota Field, they still packed the stadium late in the year. I think we have a great core group of fans that will show up anywhere in any weather condition. The difference is that our core fans is about 2000-3000, NDSU has about 20,000 of those fans.
I think one of the major factors of why the fans the way they are is the City of Brookings. Instead of embracing the tailgating, the college football experience, the university, it seems as if the city would rather not have it at all. Brookings Police look to arrest anyone at the drop of a hat, and patrol the back yard like it is a prison yard instead of people looking to have fun. Look at Ames, Iowa City, Madison, WI, Lincoln, these towns have the police there to ensure that nobody gets hurt, but all the while let people have fun, and are not there to harrass the fans.
SDSU has come a long way though. 10-15 years ago there was under 50 people that were tailgating, and those were mostly parents of the players who wanted a beer before the game. So to see thousands in the back yard is good to see. It would be nice if they could keep up the excitement all year long.
I think Fred and the University are working hard to make it an "experience" where people want to come every week, but we still have a long way to go.

[jackmd]

Re: Coach Stig!

Stig is dead on. NDSU, as a whole, have better fans than SDSU. I have been going to games since I was 8 years old, I played for the Jacks, and I can say their fans are better. How many fans were at the Dakota Marker game last year 16K+? How many of there were NDSU fans, I would guess almost 1/2. Our fans have always been apathetic when it comes to football. SDSU should consistently put 8-10K in the stands, so it is annoying when we put only 3k in there late in the year (even in good weather).
As for NDSU I don't believe their Dome has anything to do with the number of fans at the game. When they played at old Dakota Field, they still packed the stadium late in the year. I think we have a great core group of fans that will show up anywhere in any weather condition. The difference is that our core fans is about 2000-3000, NDSU has about 20,000 of those fans.
I think one of the major factors of why the fans the way they are is the City of Brookings. Instead of embracing the tailgating, the college football experience, the university, it seems as if the city would rather not have it at all. Brookings Police look to arrest anyone at the drop of a hat, and patrol the back yard like it is a prison yard instead of people looking to have fun. Look at Ames, Iowa City, Madison, WI, Lincoln, these towns have the police there to ensure that nobody gets hurt, but all the while let people have fun, and are not there to harrass the fans.
SDSU has come a long way though. 10-15 years ago there was under 50 people that were tailgating, and those were mostly parents of the players who wanted a beer before the game. So to see thousands in the back yard is good to see. It would be nice if they could keep up the excitement all year long.
I think Fred and the University are working hard to make it an "experience" where people want to come every week, but we still have a long way to go.

I agree, I think A LOT more could be done to enhance the gameday experience thereby increasing interest and attendance. Have a couple of big games early in the year and impress the casual fair weather fan with an experience they won't want to miss. I think the investment would be well worth it. Get the city and its businesses involved. Its Jackrabbit Gameday, banners, promotions, parties, etc... Continue to upgrade CAS and be agressive about it, if we can find the money. Enhance the tailgate experience!!! Its been a HUGE boost to attendance. Consider providing large tents like the alumni association did for other groups.

I'd also like to see some alumni get together either with the association or independently and form a group like the "teammakers". Groups could sponsor and the athletic department could provide incentives (appropriate incentives) for fundraising. Who wants to bet the ball rolling?

[MHDBisonfan]

Re: Coach Stig!

just my two cents: I wish you well in developing a larger fan base that shows up to every game - i think the potential is definitely there. I thought the game as CAS last year was a fantastic atmosphere - you need to get some "big" games early on at home to make it so that people would want to return to something like that. Tailgating is definitely a big part of it as well - make gameday a full day long experience - as an example, for tomorrow's 6 PM game, we'll be getting ready to tailgate by noon, and there will be tons of people in line well before us, so its pretty much an all day affair. You need to get on TV! I know thats slowly coming, but you need to get people to watch your university play - thats how the casual people become fans - they watch the team play on a regular basis and get to know names, faces, etc. I love this friendly rivalry which on game day/week can be very intense, but most other weeks, I'm definitely pulling for SDSU to do well - I could never say the same about our uxd - i wanted them to lose every game in every sport! You guys getting your football team to play in front of 15,000 every game will do nothing but enhance the school, your town, the league, and our rivalry. you guys keep building and building. Good luck (except for tomorrow )