Only 7,000 at the Al for a home playoff game?

[fightingsioux4life]

I was at the game yesterday and couldn't believe all the empty seats at the Alerus Center. This is a first-round playoff game, not another laugher against UM-Crookston. There is absolutely no excuse for a 13,500 seat arena to have that many empty seats in it. And I don't want to hear a word about the freaking hunting season, either!

At least the people that were there were into it, but when you are one of only 16 teams in D-II still playing, you deserve more than a half-full house. I think we shouldn't televise ANY playoff games unless ticket sales reach 10,000+. That might solve some of our attendance problems.

Any other thoughts?

[CoteauRinkRat]

I was there and was embarassed by the showing. My sister, who lives in the cities, drove up for the game and we both couldn't believe the lack of people.

[Bisonfan1234]

They'll televize it...they make too much money with advertisements to not.

[fightingsioux4life]

They'll televize it...they make too much money with advertisements to not.

If people don't come to the game, you lose money on ticket sales and concessions. After all, how can people spend their hard-earned money on $2.00 cups of coffee and $4.00 hot dogs if they watch it on TV?

Seriously though, we need a much better showing by the fans next Saturday. Granted, it's Thanksgiving weekend, but there have to be some people who would love to top off their Thanksgiving celebrations with another Sioux win. I maintain that it shouldn't be televised unless ticket sales reach or exceed 10,000. Or only televise it outside the Greater Grand Forks area so that local fans have no choice but to get their butts off the couch and go. It's the playoffs, we need everyone we can get.

[Smoggy]

Not sure how many students went this past weekend, but it'll be a lot smaller next weekend with Thanksgiving break. The sad part is that there wasn't any home hockey this past weekend either. No excuses for the fans to not show up. I think people forget how good the grand forks area has it as far as Sioux sports are concerned.

[Verk62]

Does anyone know when the UND Thanksgiving break officially starts?

If the students are off Mon - Fri this weak many would have hit the road before the game against Pitt State was played. It sucks if thats the reason, well... it really sucks that people didn't show anyway.

I would love to be there but it just doesn't work out for me (distance)

[TheSiouxFan]

The other midwest playoff game had 3,000.

[Forksguy]

I was at the game too and was surprised at the empty seats. Remember the game against Cal-Davis 2 yrs ago when the crowd made such a difference? I'd love to see that again.

I think the game being on TV hurt attendance.

I would hope they wouldn't televise the next game for 2 reasons:

(1) bigger crowd

(2) the TV timeouts were VERY ANNOYING. They were after every punt (of which there were many and after every score. They seemed like they were more than a minute. It's sad that the flow of the game has to be stalled by advertising timeouts! I guess it's just MONEY that is important.

I think the Sioux play calling is sometimes too timid. For example, they run the ball 10-11 yds for a first down, then go to the pass for the next three plays. Glad to see they had some success running. And, I think Joe Wilson is a very good quarterback. I hope he starts this week.

[Diggler]

It wasn't the students who weren't there as the student section was pretty full. It was the general admission sections that were empty. I think that Turkey break starts on Turkey day.

[Smoggy]

It is imperative that we fill the Al this weekend. Grab your families and go to the game. The cheering won't only help for this game, but IF we win it will hopefully secure homefield for the next round. We have one advantage because we play in a dome and therefore no weather problems. But if the tickets don't sell the NC$$ will put the game elsewhere.

Did I hear correctly that the midwest plays the south? Interesting enough that means the next game could be in Florence.

Edited November 24, 2003 by cheeringsiouxfromsmoggycali

[Wilbur]

I know for a fact that some students bought tickets, but when they heard the game was going to be on TV they just decided to forget the five bucks and watched it on TV. I heard something about how they sold like 8,000 tickets and then decided to broadcast the game or something like that, but I'm not certain about that. I agree that its a great idea to show the game on the fighting sioux network this weekend! Black it out in Grand Forks so people who are in the Grand Forks area who don't like Ed Schultz, and won't listen to the radio broadcast will attend the game. As for me, I'll be home in Minot for Turkey day, and if they don't televise it I'll have Eddy at my side.

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Seriously though, we need a much better showing by the fans next Saturday. Granted, it's Thanksgiving weekend, but there have to be some people who would love to top off their Thanksgiving celebrations with another Sioux win. I maintain that it shouldn't be televised unless ticket sales reach or exceed 10,000. Or only televise it outside the Greater Grand Forks area so that local fans have no choice but to get their butts off the couch and go. It's the playoffs, we need everyone we can get.

I would have loved to be there saturday...I had a TON of work to do, so I watched it on TV. Why should I miss the game because teachers decided to make everything due on Monday and Tuesday?

This Saturday, I have to work until 330...How am I supposed to see the game at work if it's not telelvised?

[Verk62]

This Saturday, I have to work until 330...How am I supposed to see the game at work if it's not telelvised?

Switch shifts with somebody else! Depending on where you work this is done on a regular basis.

[CoteauRinkRat]

OK, let's not even begin blaming the poor showing on the students. There was actually a very good showing from the students, even better than a couple games during the regular season where their tickets were free. There were 6,000 empty seats, so this is not the students showing up, like it is sometimes at the hocky games.

Thanksgiving break doesn't start until wednesday of this week for the students.

[Verk62]

I was just guessing about the attendance because I can't make it from Houston, so I did not see the game.

I tried to watch on Satellite but UND forgot to mention that the game was being transmitted digitally. So the Bar I went to could not show it and I have not found one yet that would have been able too. It takes a 25,000 dollar receiver, and most sports bars don't splurge on things like that.

Just some information that would have been nice to have before the game started. Once again, thanks to the UND Athletic department for doing such a wonderful job.

[mksioux]

I was just guessing about the attendance because I can't make it from Houston, so I did not see the game. 

I tried to watch on Satellite but UND forgot to mention that the game was being transmitted digitally.  So the Bar I went to could not show it and I have not found one yet that would have been able too.  It takes a 25,000 dollar receiver, and most sports bars don't splurge on things like that.

Just some information that would have been nice to have before the game started.  Once again, thanks to the UND Athletic department for doing such a wonderful job.

The issue has been discussed extensively on this board and, I believe, in alumni newsletters.

[UND92,96]

I don't want to hear anything about the television coverage either!!!

The game being televised is no excuse for the poor attendance. It's a playoff game, therefore it must be televised. Has anybody ever heard of a D-1 bowl game not being televised? Of course not. So why keep a D-2 playoff game off the air... because it's only D-2??? Not televising the game would be a way of admitting that the D-2 football playoffs are fairly insignificant. I can't stand these holier than thou D-1 football fans looking down their noses at us lowly D-2 fans. I think the game has to be televised, but at the same time we should have people wishing they could get tickets to a sold-out playoff game.

Your feelings regarding televising games are well-known, but there is absolutely no question that television coverage hurts attendance. It's simply common sense. It doesn't matter if you or anybody else thinks that it shouldn't--it does. It's human nature that a lot of people would prefer to watch the game from their own living room if given a choice in the matter. My feeling is that road games should be televised. I think they should be televised during the regular season, too, but that's another story. Home games should not be televised unless 10,000 tickets or more have been sold by Thursday or Friday.

Not televising a home game with poor ticket sales is hardly unprecedented. Look at the NFL, for example. If a game isn't sold-out 72 hours in advance, it's blacked-out locally.

[CoteauRinkRat]

Your feelings regarding televising games are well-known, but there is absolutely no question that television coverage hurts attendance. It's simply common sense. It doesn't matter if you or anybody else thinks that it shouldn't--it does. It's human nature that a lot of people would prefer to watch the game from their own living room if given a choice in the matter. My feeling is that road games should be televised. I think they should be televised during the regular season, too, but that's another story. Home games should not be televised unless 10,000 tickets or more have been sold by Thursday or Friday.

Not televising a home game with poor ticket sales is hardly unprecedented. Look at the NFL, for example. If a game isn't sold-out 72 hours in advance, it's blacked-out locally.

I agree.

[PCM]

While I agree that televising the football games does have an impact on attendance, you have to wonder why it doesn't have a similar impact on hockey. Could it be because there are more things to do and more things to get done in an afternoon than there are at night? It just seems to me that it's probably easier to find reasons not to attend a daytime event.

I have to commend the UND students at Saturday's game. From the hanging gorilla dolls to the bare-chested lads with "GO SIOUX" spelled on their chests to the fine ladies with "GO SIOUX" spelled on their posteriors (maybe that should be reversed for the next game ) to the non-stop harassment of the PSU bench, the student section was great.

And I could see all that from the opposite side of the field.

[CoteauRinkRat]

to the non-stop harassment of the PSU bench, the student section was great.

I was on the opposite side of the field and saw all the harassing by the student section also, it was really great.

[UND92,96]

I agree that the student section was great on Saturday. It certainly helped that the 40-50 football players who couldn't suit up for the game were in the front few rows.

[Diggler]

The game can't be at 7:00 because it is an NC$$ rule that the games must start at or before 1:00 local time. I gotta remmeber to go early this week so I can get a good seat. I was in the boring section on saturday.

[Smoggy]

The game can't be at 7:00 because it is an NC$$ rule that the games must start at or before 1:00 local time. I gotta remmeber to go early this week so I can get a good seat. I was in the boring section on saturday.

Good luck Diggs. The non playing FB players are let into the stadium way before you and they were the ones down in front.

[Diggler]

Well I got that whole psychotic thing going for me, which is a plus.

I just wanna be in a louder section. I don't really gotta be front row.

[U2Bad1]

The game can't be at 7:00 because it is an NC$$ rule that the games must start at or before 1:00 local time. I gotta remmeber to go early this week so I can get a good seat. I was in the boring section on saturday.

Yeah, that seems like a good rule!!!!