Attendance

duckunder53 · Post by **duckunder53** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 3:56 pm

I was just thinking about how attendance seems to be an issue. My suggestion here will far from solve the problem, but it can't hurt. If everyone that goes to the games would invite a person or two to come along, then it would raise attendance and possibly produce a bigger fan base. I'm going to make a valiant effort to get a group of people to go to the games with me on Saturdays. I'm even going to encourage my players at the high school to attend games.

Class of 61 · Post by **Class of 61** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 4:35 pm

duckunder53 wrote:I was just thinking about how attendance seems to be an issue. My suggestion here will far from solve the problem, but it can't hurt. If everyone that goes to the games would invite a person or two to come along, then it would raise attendance and possibly produce a bigger fan base. I'm going to make a valiant effort to get a group of people to go to the games with me on Saturdays. I'm even going to encourage my players at the high school to attend games.

DU-53,
I "hit' the Cleve. Alumni group with the idea of a bus trip back to campus for a NON-HOMECOMING game... especially the OU game as a possible.... Seems as if they only want to do the bar scene for their get togethers...which frankly, doesn't appeal to me very much.(They said they'd "bring it up" for discussion at next exec. bd. meeting in August)...we'll see.

I had also suggested when we were asked several months back that ALL alum groups, especially those in Ohio, Mich, Ind. etc. do the same; If they all focused on ONE game, it could really bring in a lot of people, including alums who hadn't been back on campus for eons. Other focus could be the same, only split the home game schedule so that at least 3-4 alum groups could target a particular game. Having a tent available, a before and/or aftergame party etc. would make the day special IMO.

orangeandbrown · Post by **orangeandbrown** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 4:56 pm

This is an excellent idea. Their lukewarm reaction speaks to our marketing challenges in general.

BGSU33 · Post by **BGSU33** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 5:35 pm

Funny enough, according to the attendance totals listed in Phil Steele's magazine, BG finished fifth out of all MAC schools overall and is third for those schools in the MAC this season with an average attendance of 17,423 for 2004.

Not bad, but it kind of burns me up to see a school such as NIU average nearly 10,000 more fans a game than we do! If NIU can average that many, why can't BG? (insert answer here).

I know NIU isn't too far from Chicago, but those fans living there still have to make a trip to go to a game. DeKalb is about the same size as Bowling Green, NIU's enrollment is about the same as BG's, both schools are in college towns, both are very successful football programs.....heck, both schools essentially get the same type of weather systems for that matter. My guess is, those fans don't turn away from cold, windy or rainy days.

But I would love to see us average at least 20,000 again this season though. Here are the attendance figures listed for 2005 MAC schools from last year (with Temple, Marshall and Central Florida included for comparison):

1. Northern Illinois - 27,052
* Marshall - 25,933
2. Toledo - 23,954
* Central Florida - 19,952
3. Bowling Green - 17,423
* Temple - 16,456
4. Eastern Michigan - 16,060
5. Western Michigan - 15,997
6. Ohio - 15,979
7. Akron - 15,849
8. Miami - 15,742
9. Central Michigan - 15,043
10. Ball State - 14,300
11. Kent State - 12,877
12. Buffalo - 12,185

Pete Segaard · Post by **Pete Segaard** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 7:21 pm

DU 53, I bought 4 season passes in the hopes that I could get people to come to the game with me. I brought different people to games since 2003 and everybody loves it when I bring them its just they won't come to the games without me bringing them. I have one friend that moved back to Dayton, Miami(oh) Redskin Alum that is starting to hook me up with seats at Yager at least, and we will switch games every year.

UK Peregrine · Post by **UK Peregrine** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 7:48 pm

Threads like this are always preaching to the choir. Everyone should already be doing this. It's always more fun anyways to watch the game with friends and family than by yourself.

kdog27 · Post by **kdog27** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 7:56 pm

BGSU33 wrote: Not bad, but it kind of burns me up to see a school such as NIU average nearly 10,000 more fans a game than we do! If NIU can average that many, why can't BG? (insert answer here). I know NIU isn't too far from Chicago, but those fans living there still have to make a trip to go to a game. DeKalb is about the same size as Bowling Green, NIU's enrollment is about the same as BG's, both schools are in college towns, both are very successful football programs.....heck, both schools essentially get the same type of weather systems for that matter. My guess is, those fans don't turn away from cold, windy or rainy days.

I thought that NIU's enrollment was closer to 30,000 and they were the biggest school in the MAC.

kdog27 · Post by **kdog27** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 8:04 pm

I just found NIU's total enrollment is about 26,000. That has to be one of the biggest in the MAC. I don't know much about Buffalo, they might be up there.

BGSU-Ph.D. · Post by **BGSU-Ph.D.** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 8:37 pm

kdog27 wrote:I just found NIU's total enrollment is about 26,000. That has to be one of the biggest in the MAC. I don't know much about Buffalo, they might be up there.

Buffalo's total enrollment is over 27,000.

always a falcon · Post by **always a falcon** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 11:14 pm

Northern Illinois is in the God forsaken middle of nowhere. It does not have Ohio State, Michigan and Toledo right in its backyard. The townspeople really turn out for the games and they have a rabid alum base(some of whom we have met) that follows them.

NIUBro · Post by **NIUBro** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 1:17 pm

We have Wisconsin Badgers and Northwestern about a two hour drive from DeKalb. We fight the media in Chicago for space competing primarily against Northwestern and U of Ill. Rockford Il, about 150,000 population is about 45 minute drive from DeKalb and we do get some fans from there.
A large part of our alum live in the surrounding suburbs of Chicago and can get to DeKalb in about one hour to one and 1/2 hours drive.
The student support has been great with the stadium within walking distance of the dorms.
I am always amazed at your attendance figures given the success of your program. It is a shame. How active is your marketing?
You mentioned the weather. We had 27,000 approx. for a midweek night game with very cold and windy conditions. Us diehard fans were surprised at that figure.

JoeFalcon · Post by **JoeFalcon** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 2:08 pm

Hold on now...you're telling me that you manage to compete attendence-wise with football powerhouses like *Northwestern* and *Illinois*? And both are "only" a two hour drive away?

Yeah, that's just like being stuck between Ohio State and Michigan...

duckunder53 · Post by **duckunder53** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 6:35 pm

Class of 61 - Before I stopped volunteering at the Univ., I took that idea to one of the marketing guys. Contacting the different alum chapters and getting them back on campus. I figured with the price of gas these days, this would be a huge hit. It must not have stuck if the marketing dept. hasn't pursued it already.

We have a BGSU Football poster with the schedule now posted in our locker room. There is no Michigan or Ohio State poster, just BGSU!!!

BGSUFootballFan · Post by **BGSUFootballFan** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 10:33 am

PU is at an all-time high in season ticket sales for this point in the season, its 228 dollars for 6 games

and those games are Akron, Iowa, ND, Penn St, MSU, Illini

thats a pretty crappy line-up considering... and yet they have sold 44,000 season tickets already? sickening

BGSUVA · Post by **BGSUVA** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 11:20 am

how big is Purdues stadium? I thought they had a relatively small one, but they hold 44K for seats for season ticket holders? UVA's sold out their season ticket orders this year, second in a row, and only have 39K seats reserved for season ticket holders, and Scott holds 61,500 (though we've gone beyone capacity like 4 or 5 times, got in over 64K for Miami last year I believe)

Attendance

Attendance

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