Alerus Design Affecting Attendence?

[watchmaker49]

To the football fans here a question. How much of the design of the building do you feel may take away from the atmosphere? It kind of seems like there are almost two seperate groups there with one group on each side of the field. Somewhat like there is no continuity to the place. Can you really create a football atmosphere inside a building like this? It seems like it takes away from the mental images one would have of a college football game on a Saturday afternoon. What are your thoughts on this?

PS: I am not trying to be a smart aleck with this question. When curious I like to ask people that have knowledge on the subject I am curious about. Who would be better to ask than die hard UND football fans?

[homer]

In my opinion no. When the fans get into a game in that building you will be hard pressed to find anything louder. I am also a big fan of the skywalks in the endzone. I can bring the kid to a game and when he starts to get restless I can take him up there, let him run and still have a great view of the game. The view from up there is actually probably better than from most of the seats.

[Siouxperfan7]

The design is not optimal. Sure it would be nice to have seating around the entire building. But history has shown that the Alerus can be a loud and intimidating place for opposing team. the atmosphere has been great in the past when the place is packed and people are cheering loud! So to answer your question whether you can create a football atmosphere in a building like this....the answer is YES!! I have experienced it. It is possible!

[geaux_sioux]

To the football fans here a question. How much of the design of the building do you feel may take away from the atmosphere? It kind of seems like there are almost two seperate groups there with one group on each side of the field. Somewhat like there is no continuity to the place. Can you really create a football atmosphere inside a building like this? It seems like it takes away from the mental images one would have of a college football game on a Saturday afternoon. What are your thoughts on this?

PS: I am not trying to be a smart aleck with this question. When curious I like to ask people that have knowledge on the subject I am curious about. Who would be better to ask than die hard UND football fans?

Didn't seem to bother attendance five years ago and before that. The product on the field drove fans away to watch paint dry and rake leaves because those were more entertaining. It'll change.

[jdub27]

I almost wish they would turn one of the end zones into reserved spots. Put up a drink rail and people can purchase that spot. Twofold reason - 1)There is obviously a demand as the ends are almost always full and 2)The people currently in the end zones have seats which sit empty and make attendance look worse than it is. Not all that different from the drink rails in the club seating at the Ralph.

At this point in time, I don't think the idea is necessary, but at some point, it would be a way for them to sell some more seats and get a better price than a SRO ticket would command. Again, attendance is a long way off from needing this, but an idea nonetheless. I hesitate to suggest doing this on both ends for the reason homer describes, sometimes people want/need to get up and it allows them to still see the game.

[Oxbow6]

Didn't seem to bother attendance five years ago and before that. The product on the field drove fans away.

This...^^^^^^^

[CMSioux]

The conversation always comes up during tailgating. Most agree it's nice to know you will be walking into a nice warm building, some regrets on the really nice days, but a couple hours in the sunshine tailgating usually meets the need. I've never heard big complaints about the building from people who are fans of the team. As far as the building keeping people aways - there's always an excuse, it's a matter of priorities.

[Uncle_Rico]

The Alerus Center used to have an amazing atmosphere and can have it again. Read the arcticle below. I believe this was Mussman's first game as head coach. I love the part were the opposing head coach says the crowd yelled "Home of the Sioux" during the National Anthem and it felt like thunder went off in the building. If I remember they stayed in the locker room for the nation anthem for whatever reason.

http://www.caller.com/news/2008/sep/04/a-sound-beating-for-javs/?commentprinter=1/

[Siouxperfan7]

The Alerus Center used to have an amazing atmosphere and can have it again. Read the arcticle below. I believe this was Mussman's first game as head coach. I love the part were the opposing head coach says the crowd yelled "Home of the Sioux" during the National Anthem and it felt like thunder went off in the building. If I remember they stayed in the locker room for the nation anthem for whatever reason.

http://www.caller.co...mmentprinter=1/

Proof that the Alerus can be a great homefield advantage for the team!!!

"You couldn't hear anything, and they knew your names. It's something we should be used to, but some guys weren't used to it at all," said receiver Clavens Charles, whose 56-yard pass to Damian Couthren on a flea flicker set up A&M-Kingsville's first score. "It kind of got to the point where we couldn't understand what was going on, we couldn't get the signals to get the plays in. It was just a lot of mental errors and a lot of penalties that cost us."

[Siouxperfan7]

The Alerus Center used to have an amazing atmosphere and can have it again. Read the arcticle below. I believe this was Mussman's first game as head coach. I love the part were the opposing head coach says the crowd yelled "Home of the Sioux" during the National Anthem and it felt like thunder went off in the building. If I remember they stayed in the locker room for the nation anthem for whatever reason.

http://www.caller.co...mmentprinter=1/

"The noise ... I mean, I've been to outdoor pretty big-time Division I football games that weren't that loud. Over 11,000 people in a confined area is pretty loud," Javs coach Bo Atterberry said.

​I think that the design of the building having the metal walls and ceiling make it even louder.

[watchmaker49]

Didn't seem to bother attendance five years ago and before that. The product on the field drove fans away to watch paint dry and rake leaves because those were more entertaining. It'll change.

Has the team really been that bad over the last 5 years? I have never really followed the football team. But then again I never follow football to start with, I don't even watch the Super Bowl. Last Saturday was the first game I have watched in years. It was an exciting game to watch even for a non-football fan. So if more games are like that I would think it might interest me and other non-fans and get the real football fans excited once again. That might bring the students back also.

[geaux_sioux]

Has the team really been that bad over the last 5 years? I have never really followed the football team. But then again I never follow football to start with, I don't even watch the Super Bowl. Last Saturday was the first game I have watched on years. It was an exciting game to watch even for a non-football fan. So if more games are like that I would think it might interest me and other non-fans and get the real football fans excited once again. That might bring the students back also.

We all knew the underlined portion without you posting it just based on your previous 'opinions'

And yes we were playing alot of lower division teams, which will never satisfy fans or make for a good game. Also a few of those classes were pretty devoid of any offensive talent and defensive speed. To go from the high flying burning fast '07 team to the one in '09 was a little hard to see. Had we produced a better product on the field and played more D1 teams during the transition attendance would not have gotten as bad as it was last year. Even NDSU experienced a drop in attendance in their first two years out of the transition as they failed to reach any expectations and had a terrible 3-8 season that sent Fargo reeling. Look at where NDSU is now relative to '09. We can do that with two deep playoff runs the next two years.

[Uncle_Rico]

NDSU from what I understand has a pretty good atmosphere but that took time. I was at the Sam Houston St game in 2007 and was surprised how poor the atmosphere was. Very few people stood on 3rd down let alone made noise. I was pretty shocked given the fact this was NDSU's biggest sport. I asked the Bison fans I went to the game with if this was normal since the last Bison game I attended was in 2000 and they said yes. And yes, at least 1/3 of the students left at halftime and the rest left with about 30 seconds left in the game and missed an incredible finish.

[Siouxperfan7]

Has the team really been that bad over the last 5 years? I have never really followed the football team. But then again I never follow football to start with, I don't even watch the Super Bowl. Last Saturday was the first game I have watched on years. It was an exciting game to watch even for a non-football fan. So if more games are like that I would think it might interest me and other non-fans and get the real football fans excited once again. That might bring the students back also.

Last five years of D2 Era

2003 - 12-2

2004 - 11-3

2005 - 10-3

2006 - 11-2

2007 - 10-2

D1 Era Transition

2008 - 6-4

2009 - 6-5

2010 - 3-8

2011 - 8-3

2012 - 4-4 (to date)

In the last five years of D2, we won double digit games and made the playoffs every one of those years and made it to the championship game and semifinals. So you can obviously see why the attendance and fan atmosphere, support, and excitement was so high. The 5 years folloing the move to D1 there was only 1 year where the team won more than 6 games. And that was last year with 3 D2 or lower schools on the schedule. The problem is clearly not he design of the building or in game videos and promotions as to why the atmosphere is lacking the last 5 years. The team has not been as good as it has been in the past. Blame the recruiting, blame the strength of opponents, blame the play calling. But the fact is UND football has struggled in its transition period. And because of that, attendance and excitement for the team has struggles as well.

The Solution: Win games, make the playoffs, win playoff games, and the people will come. That's it! Just win baby!!!

[watchmaker49]

We all knew the underlined portion without you posting it just based on your previous 'opinions'

And yes we were playing alot of lower division teams, which will never satisfy fans or make for a good game. Also a few of those classes were pretty devoid of any offensive talent and defensive speed. To go from the high flying burning fast '07 team to the one in '09 was a little hard to see. Had we produced a better product on the field and played more D1 teams during the transition attendance would not have gotten as bad as it was last year. Even NDSU experienced a drop in attendance in their first two years out of the transition as they failed to reach any expectations and had a terrible 3-8 season that sent Fargo reeling. Look at where NDSU is now relative to '09. We can do that with two deep playoff runs the next two years.

The difference between you and me is that I observe the group and you observe the individual. I compare the group to another group. You compare the individual to the group. That is what I develope my hypothesis by.

[geaux_sioux]

The difference between you and me is that I observe the group and you observe the individual. I compare the group to another group. You compare the individual to the group. That is what I develope my hypothesis by.

I don't compare people I compare fruits

[darell1976]

Last five years of D2 Era

2003 - 12-2

2004 - 11-3

2005 - 10-3

2006 - 11-2

2007 - 10-2

D1 Era Transition

2008 - 6-4

2009 - 6-5

2010 - 3-8

2011 - 8-3

2012 - 4-4 (to date)

In the last five years of D2, we won double digit games and made the playoffs every one of those years and made it to the championship game and semifinals. So you can obviously see why the attendance and fan atmosphere, support, and excitement was so high. The 5 years folloing the move to D1 there was only 1 year where the team won more than 6 games. And that was last year with 3 D2 or lower schools on the schedule. The problem is clearly not he design of the building or in game videos and promotions as to why the atmosphere is lacking the last 5 years. The team has not been as good as it has been in the past. Blame the recruiting, blame the strength of opponents, blame the play calling. But the fact is UND football has struggled in its transition period. And because of that, attendance and excitement for the team has struggles as well.

The Solution: Win games, make the playoffs, win playoff games, and the people will come. That's it! Just win baby!!!

That sir is the answer!!!!!

[watchmaker49]

That sir is the answer!!!!!

The answer for the masses but I think a lot of you would still go even if they did not win.

[darell1976]

The answer for the masses but I think a lot of you would still go even if they did not win.

I love football. I love UND football. I went to games in the 80's when UND won 2 or 3 games. I went to every home game in 1993 (my only time doing that). I went to Bemidji to watch UND win 63-0. I went to games when they played non DI teams through the transition, and two games this year (PSU, UM). Winning does put people in the seats. Having something to play for puts people in the seats. I live in Fargo and work on the weekends so its hard for me to take time off and go to the games, if I was in Grand Forks it would be easier. Thats why I don't get why people would stay home on a Saturday and do yard work or watch FBS games on tv than go to the Alerus. Weather doesn't matter anymore (unless you tailgate), so I think the answer is WIN!! When you lose attendance drops, it happened in 2009 when NDSU went 3-8. It happened the years the hockey team was below par and in between championships (1987-1997). If UND can somehow beat MSU then knock off SUU and UNC, finish the year 7-4 and promote during the offseaon, you will see UND's attendance get back to the pre transition days. But if we lose the rest of the year, end up 4-7 it may take more than South Dakota State, and Montana to get fans back. We have a lot of fans that jump on the bandwagon when the team is up and soon as they lose, its hockey time.

[geaux_sioux]

I love football. I love UND football. I went to games in the 80's when UND won 2 or 3 games. I went to every home game in 1993 (my only time doing that). I went to Bemidji to watch UND win 63-0. I went to games when they played non DI teams through the transition, and two games this year (PSU, UM). Winning does put people in the seats. Having something to play for puts people in the seats. I live in Fargo and work on the weekends so its hard for me to take time off and go to the games, if I was in Grand Forks it would be easier. Thats why I don't get why people would stay home on a Saturday and do yard work or watch FBS games on tv than go to the Alerus. Weather doesn't matter anymore (unless you tailgate), so I think the answer is WIN!! When you lose attendance drops, it happened in 2009 when NDSU went 3-8. It happened the years the hockey team was below par and in between championships (1987-1997). If UND can somehow beat MSU then knock off SUU and UNC, finish the year 7-4 and promote during the offseaon, you will see UND's attendance get back to the pre transition days. But if we lose the rest of the year, end up 4-7 it may take more than South Dakota State, and Montana to get fans back. We have a lot of fans that jump on the bandwagon when the team is up and soon as they lose, its hockey time.

You're the reason we lost to Poly and NAU. You need to go to the SUU game so we can win and watch a QB break another passing record.

[darell1976]

You're the reason we lost to Poly and NAU. You need to go to the SUU game so we can win and watch a QB break another passing record.

That would be great. And to watch Hanson pass for over 600 yards was like watching Dan Marino in his old days play. I wish Hanson had more years at UND.

[Oxbow6]

The answer for the masses but I think a lot of you would still go even if they did not win.

A lot means 5500-6000 fans that go to all or most home games regardless of situation or outcomes. You still have to try to capture the other 5000-6000 to fill the Al. Winning games and then continuing to play meaningful games as the season progresses is the only way to accomplish that IMO.

[IrishSiouxFan]

I think the two biggest draw backs of the Alerus is that it it can't grow to meet the needs of the university, and that it just doesn't feel like the home of UND football. I can't fathom why the people of GF would build a $100 million plus facility that cannot be expanded? It boggles the mind as to why they would give such a nice facility such a short life expectancy. The building and the field also feel very alien and not at all like the home of UND football. Look at the field for crying out loud, you have North Dakota in both end zones (which is nice), then two enormous "Alerus" logos, and nothing at mid-field to indicate that this is UND's home. With that said, I do like the addition of the two Big Sky logos. I wish they would have built a facility on par with the Fargo Dome,, or at least with the possibility of eventually being on par.

[zonadub]

The Alerus Center used to have an amazing atmosphere and can have it again. Read the arcticle below. I believe this was Mussman's first game as head coach. I love the part were the opposing head coach says the crowd yelled "Home of the Sioux" during the National Anthem and it felt like thunder went off in the building. If I remember they stayed in the locker room for the nation anthem for whatever reason.

http://www.caller.co...mmentprinter=1/

from this article -

What a great endorsement of the old-style smash mouth football the Fighting Sioux played:

"Also, it was a team that has all their individuals committed to doing it right, no matter how big or small their role is," said Atterberry, whose Javs travel to East Central (Okla.) for Saturday's Lone Star Conference crossover game. "They have some guys that just played special teams or whatever, and they beat everyone. It was like they were the most privileged person in the world just to be running down on a kickoff."

[Cratter]

It seems to affect the attendance in a positive way. . Memorial Stadium was horrible for attendance.