Student attendance thoughts and How to Fix it

[UND-FB-FAN]

I can tell you we took a step back in terms of fixing this problem with yesterday's performance.....

[watchmaker49]

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.

Last night U of Arizona was upsetting USC and there was a lot of empty seats at that game and it was beautiful outside. So who knows why people are not going to games. Here is a possible thought as to why. Could it be that it has to be "cool" and the "in thing" that attracts people to games? Look at the attendence of hockey games because it is the "cool" thing to go and see and be seen, like fashion, music, hair cuts, et al. This goes for students as well as the rest of the fans.

[goyotes]

You can go to virtually any FCS message board, a few exceptions such as Montana, App State,etc., and find many of the same concerns about student attendance. In my opinion one of the main reasons is the television effect. ESPN and others make so many BCS games available that a lot of students who are avid football fans at FCS schools are more concerned about the BCS team they happen to follow. The network talking heads don't give FCS football its due and to many FCS school students buy in to this line of thinking. They would rather stay in their apartment, dorm room or local pub and watch the Gators, Sooners, Irish etc than watch their school's team in person. (I don't understand or agree with their line of thinking, but it is the way it is for many).

For the non avid fan, if the game they are attending, all the TV timeouts have resulted in most games now taking close the 3 hours to complete. That is too long, especially for the non avid fan.

[The Sicatoka]

I agree with "goyotes" and I saw the problem driving away from REA last night:

I looked through the wide open front window of a home near REA. In it was at least a 55" television and a half dozen people (looked like students, guessing minors) consuming "beverages" and/or using their phones. I was stopped in traffic for about two minutes and watched them surf at least four sports events.

For them I'm guessing the question is why go to a game when you can sit at home in luxury like that?

[SWSiouxMN]

I agree with "goyotes" and I saw the problem driving away from REA last night:

I looked through the wide open front window of a home near REA. In it was at least a 55" television and a half dozen people (looked like students, guessing minors) consuming "beverages" and/or using their phones. I was stopped in traffic for about two minutes and watched them surf at least four sports events.

For them I'm guessing the question is why go to a game when you can sit at home in luxury like that?

Cause odds are they A) never got season tickets because they weren't the lucky ones that got picked by tickemaster (if there were "minors" as you say, most likely freshies and sophs, their chances of getting season tickets are much lower than upperclassman/grad students or B) AA does move the needle for them to get tickets or C) protesting the new student seating arrangements

Last night U of Arizona was upsetting USC and there was a lot of empty seats at that game and it was beautiful outside. So who knows why people are not going to games. Here is a possible thought as to why. Could it be that it has to be "cool" and the "in thing" that attracts people to games? Look at the attendence of hockey games because it is the "cool" thing to go and see and be seen, like fashion, music, hair cuts, et al. This goes for students as well as the rest of the fans.

For the most part I acually will agree with this, but I want to play the devil's avocate role in this. With more of these fans, the atmosphere will more than likely go stale because they will be more concerned about getting on camera, or getting their pictures on camera, or being on their phones, not pay attention to the game, or complain about standing, or get lost on whats going on. A few good ones from last night leaving the REA was "I told my parents we dance after scoring a goal, I think that's stupid" or "That thing they do with the opposing goalie after we score is dumb", "why does the camera go on the same people over and over again?"

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.

That to me is stunning, I would think those tickets would be harder to get than Green Bay Packer season tickets after winning a title

[Cratter]

It appears apathy has set in with the program.

[Oxbow6]

It appears apathy has set in with the program.

Call me crazy but losing 4 of 5 with 2 total a××kickings might have something to do with it?

[andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!!]

I would even argue that today's students have apathy towards anything that requires a big commitment. Look at the numbers in youth sports, they keep declining. Same for kids participating in activities like fishing. I think the problem of getting students to games is part of a larger problem of getting kids to commit to anything that takes some amount of effort and time. Its just too easy to sit back and play video games/ flip through sports channels/ etc.

[gfhockey]

why would i want to watch an uncompetitive product?

FYI i will not be buying a tailgating spot this weekend and tickets..

[andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!!]

why would i want to watch an uncompetitive product?

FYI i will not be buying a tailgating spot this weekend and tickets..

Because it is your school, your team. At least those are some of my reasons. I will be loyal whether we win or lose (notice how I used we? I am a part of UND, a part of the tradition, and I will not disown the football team when times are bad).

As for tailgating, that is fun no matter the outcome of the game.

[Wildfan]

It will get better, well hopefully. I went to the Gophers hockey game today and that rink was maybe 3/5 full with a empty 1 of 2 student section, while other was half full. So its possible for any team to have times of less attendance. But if it just isn't a program that is exciting to watch or performs well then they won't come.

[UND Fan]

why would i want to watch an uncompetitive product?

FYI i will not be buying a tailgating spot this weekend and tickets..

I am curious - do you kick your dog in both the morning and evening or just in the morning?

[UNDvince97-01]

I am curious - do you kick your dog in both the morning and evening or just in the morning?

C'mon, he's just being a "model" UND fan.

[mg2009]

I would even argue that today's students have apathy towards anything that requires a big commitment. Look at the numbers in youth sports, they keep declining. Same for kids participating in activities like fishing. I think the problem of getting students to games is part of a larger problem of getting kids to commit to anything that takes some amount of effort and time. Its just too easy to sit back and play video games/ flip through sports channels/ etc.

even getting kids to go to the bars is getting harder.

[Fetch]

1/2 price beer for students

[JohnboyND7]

Winning.

[UNDBIZ]

Winning.

History proves this cures all ills (other than best buy thefts and rampant petition fraud..... but you get the point ).

[108498]

I know it is only one night in football, but stop having classes at night.

[jdub27]

I know it is only one night in football, but stop having classes at night.

Night classes are essential to a lot of students, particularly non-traditional ones. I would venture to guess the effect of night classes, particularly since all hockey games and all but one football game are on the weekend, is minimal at best.

[Fetch]

yrs ago Central HS Booster had prizes for students who attended stuff & I think they had to stay until the end to sign up - many businesses donated really nice prizes (even a nice used car) I think at the end of the year they had drawings to see who won - so the more u attended the more chances u had

[geaux_sioux]

yrs ago Central HS Booster had prizes for students who attended stuff & I think they had to stay until the end to sign up - many businesses donated really nice prizes (even a nice used car) I think at the end of the year they had drawings to see who won - so the more u attended the more chances u had

I don't want und to do anything that devalues the product like giveaways and gimmicks. If the teams is entertaining and winning like the hockey team they'll show up. Remember how packed the student section was when we ruled d2. It's not just the students that aren't showing up, it's the casual fans as well. Both will show up when we start winning.

[Bison06]

I don't want und to do anything that devalues the product like giveaways and gimmicks. If the teams is entertaining and winning like the hockey team they'll show up. Remember how packed the student section was when we ruled d2. It's not just the students that aren't showing up, it's the casual fans as well. Both will show up when we start winning.

I don't necessarily think you need to view giveaways or gimmicks as devaluing the product. I would view it as a loss leader in a way. Spend some money(take a hit on profit) to introduce people that otherwise wouldn't know or care to your product and show them a great time by winning.

If tailgating becomes a great experience, many of these casual fans will begin to attend games simply for the pre-party.

It becomes a self generating cycle, but it begins with getting butts in the seats. What's the old saying? People go where people go? If you have a newby showing up for their first UND football game and there is 7k there, do you think they'll be excited, or ever come back? Not likely. What if that same person showed up to a game where 7k paid for their tickets and 6k were given away, but it was packed? Much better experience and maybe they come back and pay for a ticket next time.

[UNDColorado]

I don't necessarily think you need to view giveaways or gimmicks as devaluing the product. I would view it as a loss leader in a way. Spend some money(take a hit on profit) to introduce people that otherwise wouldn't know or care to your product and show them a great time by winning.

If tailgating becomes a great experience, many of these casual fans will begin to attend games simply for the pre-party.

It becomes a self generating cycle, but it begins with getting butts in the seats. What's the old saying? People go where people go? If you have a newby showing up for their first UND football game and there is 7k there, do you think they'll be excited, or ever come back? Not likely. What if that same person showed up to a game where 7k paid for their tickets and 6k were given away, but it was packed? Much better experience and maybe they come back and pay for a ticket next time.

Good points.

I remember taking a friend to the Cal Poly game in (I think 09). They were ranked 23rd at the time and we won but there were only like 6000 people there because it was a night game on halloween. point is I don't think that person has been to a game since...

[Fetch]

so all D1 has done for us is lose the name

[westsidesioux]

so all D1 has done for us is lose the name

We were going to lose the nickname regardless...it's time to stop using this arguement. We were D2 when it all started.