Student attendance thoughts and How to Fix it

[JohnboyND7]

So you are basing your statement on what "some" of the hockey fans on here do? Because those hockey fans are a great representative of what many of the UND hockey fans have towards other sports at UND? I know you like to come here and stir the pot, but it gets really old when you throw out crap all the time just looking for an argument.

I was simple building on what geaux_sioux said and some things a few of my friends from UND have said. I wasn't looking for an argument, and I doubt many people here would disagree with what I said regarding students especially. If I was looking for an argument I'd have said something along the lines of, "UND students will never care about non-hockey sports." I don't believe that though, so I didn't say that.

[watchmaker49]

Football had great energy and attendance a little over 5 years ago, so why couldn't it ever be like that again? Also, marketing and in-game atmosphere changes are noticed and do help (see NDSU entrance), so dont say that nothing will work and the attendance this year is a preview of the way things will always be!!

You're lost so why don't you get lost.

How am I lost? All I have said it needs to take on a life of it's own on it's own. Ask yourself why did the attendence drop amongst the students over the last 5 years? By the way how many degrees do you have from UND? YOU ARE GOING TO LIKE UND FOOTBALL AND ATTEND THE GAMES IF YOU LIKE IT OR NOT! Give them a wagon to jump on and maybe they will or maybe they will not. That is their choice to make and not yours. By the way how much has the Gopher student attendence gone up since they moved back on campus?

[darell1976]

Why is the audio so bad in the Alerus? Its worse when its from the video board. Some of it gets too loud and you can't understand it. That needs to be fixed for next season. Maybe little things like that, plus UND needs to get the Greater Grand Forks area involved in the school. Yard signs, banners, UND the town. I drive through Fargo-Moorhead (and West Fargo) and in residential areas all you see is Herd signs in their yards. Billboards throughout the city has NDSU on it, is there any in GF? Not only is the students not showing up, the public isn't showing up. Get the state involved in UND sports stick some billboards along Hwy 2 and I-29. Stick some in Fargo for us UND fans living here. Adverstise, advertise, advertise.

[UNDBIZ]

By the way how many degrees do you have from UND?

Does having a doctorate from UND make someone more of an expert on the athletics department than a person with a bachelor's degree? I know several doctors who I consider to be idiots.

[UNDBIZ]

Why is the audio so bad in the Alerus?

HORRIBLE acoustics.

[UND-FB-FAN]

How am I lost? All I have said it needs to take on a life of it's own on it's own. Ask yourself why did the attendence drop amongst the students over the last 5 years? By the way how many degrees do you have from UND? YOU ARE GOING TO LIKE UND FOOTBALL AND ATTEND THE GAMES IF YOU LIKE IT OR NOT! Give them a wagon to jump on and maybe they will or maybe they will not. That is their choice to make and not yours. By the way how much has the Gopher student attendence gone up since they moved back on campus?

I could have a doctorate from Harvard and I'm sure I wouldn't be as credible as you, so I digress [verbal irony].

In terms of attendance, the state of North Dakota has a lot of football fans. They are passionate and will follow whichever team is doing well; after all, fans and people in general love a winner. Right now, North Dakota State has captured the interest of most North Dakotans whom will follow all North Dakota sports, not just hockey; exclusive-hockey fans tend to be from Minnesota. If North Dakota begins to win football games, coupled with game-day experience changes, the people of North Dakota will respond and show up passionately. This may be a bit cliché but let’s look into the past to predict the future. If UND wins and produces a positive state-wide reputation, fans - including students - will show up and support the team like they did before the transition.

[zonadub]

I always found that argument of going D1 caused us to drop the nickname interesting. As you already know division 2 is still NCAA...we may have been able to get away with it a bit longer but it would have been gone either way; people who think that was the reason are not comprehending the facts.

More than likely would not have made a difference. Since hockey was already D-I and had the Bennet Brien logo on the front of the jersey, the Fighting Sioux would have been in the NCAA's crosshairs whether the rest of the teams were D-I or D-II (or even D-III)

[homer]

I was simple building on what geaux_sioux said and some things a few of my friends from UND have said. I wasn't looking for an argument, and I doubt many people here would disagree with what I said regarding students especially. If I was looking for an argument I'd have said something along the lines of, "UND students will never care about non-hockey sports." I don't believe that though, so I didn't say that.

You have been on this board telling UND fans who have attended every game this season what is wrong with every game this season. It gets old. I know student turnout at FU isn't perfect. I know they face the same challenges for your own schools main sport so the finger pointing at UND from you followed by the "I wasn't trying to start anything act" gets old.

[watchmaker49]

I could have a doctorate from Harvard and I'm sure I wouldn't be as credible as you, so I digress [verbal irony].

In terms of attendance, the state of North Dakota has a lot of football fans. They are passionate and will follow whichever team is doing well; after all, fans and people in general love a winner. Right now, North Dakota State has captured the interest of most North Dakotans whom will follow all North Dakota sports, not just hockey; exclusive-hockey fans tend to be from Minnesota. If North Dakota begins to win football games, coupled with game-day experience changes, the people of North Dakota will respond and show up passionately. This may be a bit cliché but let’s look into the past to predict the future. If UND wins and produces a positive state-wide reputation, fans - including students - will show up and support the team like they did before the transition.

So it is safe then to assume you did not graduate from UND. So if the team wins then maybe people will go to games. People do love a winning team to cheer for. In the early 90's, at least until Dean came back, hockey attendence dropped off the map. We kept going to games anyhow. What I do find funny is that people who would tease us for still going to the games are now season ticket holders. What brought back the fans? A winning team brought back the crowds. It was not bells and illusions that drew the fans it was natural. Which has been my argument here all along.

[Siouxperfan7]

What is disappointing is we heard all summer long how the marketing for UND football was going to be better. Looking around town and from what students have said around campus, it is very little. We all know that you don't really need to market UND hockey to students and the rest of the community. People will sell out the place no matter what. UND need to step up their promoting of the football team. Billboards, yard signs, posters in the dorms/dining halls/union/etc.

[geaux_sioux]

You have not even lived in GF for how many years? You have attended how many games in the last 20 years?

Born raised and currently residing. GFY

[watchmaker49]

Born raised and currently residing. GFY

When did you move back from Florida? I know you were born and raised there but just a couple of months ago you were still in Florida.

[geaux_sioux]

When did you move back from Florida? I know you were born and raised there but just a couple of months ago you were still in Florida.

I'm assuming you've got the wrong guy. I haven't been to Florida since I was about 11 on a vacation. Other than five years spent at the ol AC getting a second degree I've lived in GF.

[watchmaker49]

I'm assuming you've got the wrong guy. I haven't been to Florida since I was about 11 on a vacation. Other than five years spent at the ol AC getting a second degree I've lived in GF.

I confused you with GeauxSioux.

[watchmaker49]

Born raised and currently residing. GFY

But did you graduate from UND?

[geaux_sioux]

But did you graduate from UND?

I did. Psychology.

[NYSioux]

I did. Psychology.

Not only that, but I believe you played, if I remember correctly from another conversation.

[David Primus]

Trying to get in a few responses before I hit the hay tonight...apologize for the formatting

For geaux_sioux:

- loudness at Alerus: my understanding it's a speaker issue, but that doesn't stop me from pushing it to be turned up. It won't be loud enough for me until I get complaints from fans that it's too loud.

- Great ideas on intro video - agreed that we took a step forward, but still more work to be done

- Love the UND side to side idea - reminds me of something done at Wyoming football when I was a kid - something we will certainly try

- tough part with things like "Jump Around" is that it almost has to be spontaneous to catch on - and can come across forced and not authentic or unique to UND. If the students came up with something (en masse) they wanted to do, we'd be all over it.

- leave and re-entry at halftime: If I'm not mistaken that is an Alerus Center/Alerus Commission policy

- Agreed on Opening Drive (hard knocks). Major kudos to Matt Schill on that. Hoping that the addition of more interns might give us a chance to expand series like that in the future.

- We did have a pep rally of sorts for the first time this year, but it was specifically for the Freshmen during Welcome Weekend. Went off well and we'll likely continue it - great chance to teach them the tradition of UND Athletics and get them involved

- "big time" perception - that's what we're going for. An opportunity to make the playoffs/Big Dance is a big part of that - something we'll continue to try and impress upon students. Happy with the bump in students at Football - now need to transition that to basketball.

For bincitysioux,

- "better in-game at REA": REA has their own video production staff, Alerus has 0 staff for that - we hire the gameday video staff for Football. Agreed that the intro is too long - and we'll shorten and improve for next season. Glad we've finally figured out the PA clarity issue!

- I only recently became aware of the fireworks and will look into that

- touchdown/scoring "horn": with fear of replicating/"knocking-off" hockey, what should that sound like? I like the idea (Wyoming has an old military cannon fire after touchdowns). Happy to field ideas that would add entertainment, but still differentiate football from hockey

- Coaches show: a detail I missed - and will be correcting

- Band caps/national anthem - I think this is pretty common among bands at college football. It's not something I've paid attention to before, but I don't believe any band remove their hats for the national anthem. Good question - not something I've thought of before.

Couple other things:

- I do have a staff of student interns who help to get schedule cards/posters around town to businesses (among other things). I've heard we've done a better job of that this year than previous years...hope that's actually the case.

- those who claim students don't care about Football because of Hockey, the numbers don't show it. First 4 games, the avg attendance was more than the number of student seats at REA (which they never fully fill).

- darrell1976 - working on plans similar to what you described about dressing up the town. Hoping to get good buy in from community entities. I was part of a project with similar goals at Wyoming.

Big weekend ahead, hope everyone comes out to support the Women's Hockey team against the top-ranked Gophers. Olympic quality Hockey, a great rivalry and certainly no lack of intensity between teams. Not to mention $1 tickets Saturday.

Keep the ideas coming - always welcome to send them to me via email as well (just give me some time to respond - this is our busiest time of year with all 6 ticketed sports running at once).

[nodak651]

Thanks for the replies David.

One of the biggest things I've noticed is a general lack of awareness/presence of anything UND football, on campus. Something like a huge poster spanning over a couple levels of the parking ramp would do wonders... or putting football graphics on our school buses like Bucks and other businesses do on city buses.

[UNDBIZ]

- I only recently became aware of the fireworks and will look into that

- touchdown/scoring "horn": with fear of replicating/"knocking-off" hockey, what should that sound like? I like the idea (Wyoming has an old military cannon fire after touchdowns). Happy to field ideas that would add entertainment, but still differentiate football from hockey

Perhaps combine these 2. Use fireworks similar to those used at the end of hockey wins in REA. Set one off after each UND score or maybe save a little $$ and just do it after each touchdown.

[watchmaker49]

"tough part with things like "Jump Around" is that it almost has to be spontaneous to catch on - and can come across forced and not authentic or unique to UND. If the students came up with something (en masse) they wanted to do, we'd be all over it."

What I have been saying all along.

[UND Fan]

David - we appreciate your openness to new ideas and your obvious desire to improve the game-day experience and attendance at UND athletic events.

[CMSioux]

tough part with things like "Jump Around" is that it almost has to be spontaneous to catch on - and can come across forced and not authentic or unique to UND. If the students came up with something (en masse) they wanted to do, we'd be all over it.

Time to come up with something new for the new era - I noticed that the song that the band plays just before every kick off would really lend itself to having the fans chant "We are North Dakota" while it is playing. Listen at the final home game and see what you think. As was shared, things like this need to catch on spontaniously but have to start somehow.

As far as the sound that is played when we score - it might need to be something general for now and change in a few years once the new nick name is selected or if we go with just "North Dakota" as our name just something loud - dynamite, thunder clap.

[Siouxperfan7]

Whatever happened to the band playing right in front of the student section side right before the kickoff? They would always stop there on their way back to their seats and play "Fight on Sioux" as the team was taking the field for the kickoff...right up until the ball was kicked. That always got the crouwd into it.

[sultan]

The problem with student attendance isn't just at UND. Gene Taylor was on the radio yesterday talking about the lack of students showing up for games at the Fargodome. I guess it doesn't matter whether you win or lose. I don't know the answer to the problem.