MAC attendance article

[jpfalcon09]

http://www.bsudailynews.com/football-an ... t46evKi2So

Good read on what some teams do to meet the NCAA's 15,000 attendance requirement, it includes a few quotes from GC and Clawson.

[Falcon Commander]

"It's a great question," Christopher said. "I've never given it a second thought."

Comments?

[footballguy51]

"It's a great question," Christopher said. "I've never given it a second thought."

Comments?

Nice. Now, do you want to include the context? Here is everything leading up to it:

Little about NCAA bylaw 20.9.7.3 is clear. Its past is shrouded in mystery, its language full of the legalese that fills the pages of the NCAA rulebook. Not even every athletic director fully understands where the rule came from, and some question why it exists at all. Football is the only sport the NCAA sets a minimum attendance mark for and failing to meet the standard triggers some of the harshest penalties the organization has at its disposal.

Simply, the rule says that at least once in a two-year rolling period, each FBS member must have an average attendance of at least 15,000 at its home games. The first time a school comes up short of the minimum, it enters a 10-year probationary period. If the rule is violated again during the next 10 years, the school receives a one-year bowl ban. If its attendance is still beneath the threshold, the school is dropped to the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division I-AA.

With schools facing perhaps the harshest penalty since the NCAA gave the death penalty to Southern Methodist, forcing its 1987 season to be cancelled, it would seem to be in their best interest to understand the rule. But Kent State athletic director Joel Nielsen and Bowling Green athletic director Greg Christopher both admitted to unfamiliarity regarding the rule.

"I don't know where the number came from or how it was devised," Nielsen said. "I've had my head down just trying to sell tickets."

"It's a great question," Christopher said. "I've never given it a second thought."

In other words, he's never given it a second thought as to where the number came from or why the rule was ever devised. As an athletic director, I wouldn't be either. I would just know it was a rule I was responsible for adhering to.

[Falcon Commander]

That Ball State Reporter seems like he did some work and investigation. It is a good article.

If I were in charge, I would want to know everything I could about all the NCAA Rules - maybe there is some one in the Athletic Dept who does?
It's gotta to be a pain, since the rules seem vague and ambiguous but, they hold the (you know what) in their hands.

Plus, it was noted that BG missed attendance figures in 2009 and 2010. I hope the Administration is concerned about that and have plans to correct that but, who knows?

It gets back into the old arguments of Scheduling (teams & game times), Marketing, Ticket & Parking Costs, Winning, Poor concessions, etc, etc.

From the article it sounds like EMU and Ball St made plans to deal with their attendance, I didn't read anything about BG and have not witnessed too much promotion either.

Maybe they've got it all handled and do not feel there are any issues?

[factman]

Like I've said all along......this administration seems to be very reactive rather than proactive. Not a good way to do things. Hopefully Dr. Mazey can change that!

[TG1996]

Plus, it was noted that BG missed attendance figures in 2009 and 2010.

Apparently not true.

There's a string of explanations from Jason Knavel here:
https://twitter.com/jknavel

Specific reference here:
https://twitter.com/#!/jknavel/status/1 ... 8051328000

Has to do with "day of game" reporting and the numbers the university actually reports to the NCAA.

[Drago]

Bottom line, the NCAA really needs to investigate how the MAC programs make the attendance. GC has no problem just wasting more money buying tickets to our own games so he can make attendance. In reality we didn't average more than 8 or 9000. If BGSU and the rest of the MAC can't make attendance legitimately, then they should drop to 1AA.

[factman]

Drago.....Drago......Drago........with another AD, we might make the attendance figure!!

I could name you 5-10 people right now, that don't go to games, either because of him or his policies.

[Warthog]

Drago.....Drago......Drago........with another AD, we might make the attendance figure!!

I could name you 5-10 people right now, that don't go to games, either because of him or his policies.

yep, and we are making missing the attendance mark by 5-10 people every year.

[Drago]

Factman I agree....between the awful marketing and community people fed up with GC we could greatly improve the numbers.

[Falcon137]

Does someone have attendance numbers under Christopher compared to other ADs at BG?

Some people on here make it sound like we should draw 24,000 on Wednesday night during a 5-7 season and the reason we don't is because of him.

I think 3 or 4 people blow the Christopher thing out of the water. Outside of a few people on this board, I have literally never heard his name brought up by any alumni, fans, or season ticket holders.

[Warthog]

My love or hate for an AD would have no impact whatsoever on whether I attend a game or not.

[factman]

I have season tickets for three sports, but it definitely has an effect on many people. If I know 5-10, there are a helluva lot more that I don't know.

[Ydfalcon]

I don't attend games because of factman & Drago and their policies. And if I'm not, then you know there's a helluva lot more that are doing it for the same reason.

[factman]

Ahhhhhhh...........c'mon yd falcon, if you give me a little notice, you can even use one of my seats for a men's bb game, and find out what a good guy I really am!

p.s. They are GOOD seats too!