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Attendance for Saturday


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Its not like the general public is waiting in line for tickets either. Don't point fingers at the students only.

For what its worth, season ticket holders pay a lot of "athletics fees" too.

I'm simply asking that the student sections be reduced in size or moved over a few sections. I'm quite certain either one of those moves wouldn't make student attendance any worse.

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For what its worth, season ticket holders pay a lot of "athletics fees" too.

I'm simply asking that the student sections be reduced in size or moved over a few sections. I'm quite certain either one of those moves wouldn't make student attendance any worse.

But what are you looking to accomplish by doing that? Like I said, Grand Forks isn't exactly lining up at the doors to get tickets, so those sections will be just as unfilled as before.

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All he wants to do is "make it look better for tv." All he cares about.

 

Sort of a different topic, and kind of sad that it needs to be examined at all, but I often try think of how to make the Alerus look better on TV. 

 

It would really be pretty simple.  Move the team, the Champions Club members, and all the season ticket holders to the west side of the arena.  That would look way better on TV.  Of course, hopefully the place will be full in 3 or 4 years so it won't matter.

 

Regarding where the students sit, when we were DII they had to move from directly behind the opposing bench during playoffs to outside the 35 yard lines per NCAA rules.  So when we start hosting playoff games in a year or two, they will have to move for the last 3 games each year.  Might as well move them now so they are used to it.  I remember they used to really whine about it during the DII playoffs.

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Sort of a different topic, and kind of sad that it needs to be examined at all, but I often try think of how to make the Alerus look better on TV.

It would really be pretty simple. Move the team, the Champions Club members, and all the season ticket holders to the west side of the arena. That would look way better on TV. Of course, hopefully the place will be full in 3 or 4 years so it won't matter.

Regarding where the students sit, when we were DII they had to move from directly behind the opposing bench during playoffs to outside the 35 yard lines per NCAA rules. So when we start hosting playoff games in a year or two, they will have to move for the last 3 games each year. Might as well move them now so they are used to it. I remember they used to really whine about it during the DII playoffs.

Very good points and they support moving the student section.

As for looking good on tv, I do appreciate that to a certain degree. In fact, having a good college football atmosphere includes having a good looking football venue in terms of attendance. That "look" affects recruiting, believe it or not. Recruits want to play for a school where the fans support the student-athletes, and when they see a bunch of empty seats at the 50 yd line where the student section is, well, that's not good.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Average attendance for the season ended up being 7,485 which is the lowest season average since the Alerus opened.  The best attended game was the opener against Robert Morris.

 

On one hand, not surprising given the poor product that has been on the field the last several years.  On the other hand, I actually thought we would have had a bit of an increase over last year with the coaching change and the fact that fans were treated to some pretty entertaining home games all year except for the Weber game.

 

There was actually an 11% drop in attendance this season.  Not a good trend.  Need to right the ship and start winning to get the fans back.  I think we are on the right track.

 

Robert Morris.............9,118

Stony Brook...............7,030

Montana.....................9,025

Portland St.................7,894

Weber St....................5,932

Northern Arizona........5,916

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A loud roar went up last night when the football score was announced at REA - it's a shame more folks around town didn't actually attend the game. A drop-off of over 3,000 since the Montana game? Wow!

I can't give enough credit to the coaches and players for their effort yesterday. Playing for pride is a tired cliché and everyone deserves big kudos for being ready to play...and WIN...yesterday.

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At least their AD isn't trying to find ways to get less students to the games.

"They’re a big part of the energy in the facility,” Larsen said. “If anything, we need to get more creative, find out why they’re not coming and figure out some things we can do.”

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At least their AD isn't trying to find ways to get less students to the games.

"They’re a big part of the energy in the facility,” Larsen said. “If anything, we need to get more creative, find out why they’re not coming and figure out some things we can do.”

That quote would never belong to Faison or Kelley. Shame UND athletics is being led with no direction.

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How is Faison NOT one of the best Athletic Directors that UND has ever had?

Big Sky, NCHC, High Performance Center, doormat volleyball team turned perennial power, unprecedented television coverage for every non-hockey sport, etc....

It's because he's fat and old and speaks softly with a little arrogance.
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How is Faison NOT one of the best Athletic Directors that UND has ever had?

Big Sky, NCHC, High Performance Center, doormat volleyball team turned perennial power, unprecedented television coverage for every non-hockey sport, etc....

Brian seems to have an arrogance about him that may not be what he intends to portray but he walks by people whom he has met, has had dinner with, and taken checks for thousands of dollars in donations and doesn't say hello. If he doesn't even acknowledge those donors how does he interact with students and fans who maybe are very loyal but don't have the ability to give? The AD must understand the importance of social interaction and have the social skills to make the students and casual fans feel as important as the donors. Unfortunately I'm afraid that is what he does, he ignores them too. By now he should have noticed the inactive scoreboards at the Alerus. By now he should have realized we need to improve student attendance at all of our athletic events including hockey. By now he should understand that today's fans especially students want to be entertained beyond the game on the ice, the court or the field. He needs to understand he can play a role helping the Champions Club folks raise the money needed to fully fund scholarships for all sports, men's and women's. He needs to understand the urgency in completing both phases of the new facility. Does this mean he isn't any good? No, he has been part of the move to Div. 1. The jury is still out on the success of the new hockey league. If we get ASU admitted then that creates momentum to grow the league with schools and programs that can attract better media contracts. I don't see the media coverage as good as it had been. Our local cable used to broadcast every home FB and hockey as well as many home MBB and WBB. He has his strengths and weaknesses like all of us, I would like to see him improve both. Not sure he is best we ever had.
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I don't claim Faison is the best ever, but I think he has done a stellar job, and would be right up at the top of the list IMO.  I've enjoyed the handful of conversations I've had with him, and yes I usually have to re-introduce myself when I do run into him.  But I give him credit for always taking the time to visit with me when I run into him, he always answers my emails, and once he even sent me a hand written note in response to a question I posed to him.  I appreciate little things like that.

 

I'm not real sure how he should be expected to interact with the students.  Buning used to sit in the student section at hockey and do push-ups on the sidelines at football and he was criticized for that.

 

The IPF is alot farther along now than it was before he got here.  I've been hearing about this IPF for years and years.  I was beginning to think it was like Bigfoot until recently. 

 

The NCHC is a far better alternative to the WCHA post Big Ten Hockey, that is all I meant by that comment.  By all accounts he spear headed that.

 

I don't like the Midco TV deal personally because I can't access it since they blocked FTA.  But there are far more games on now for all sports than there ever has been.  The most recent addition is FSNorth, which is a significant deal. 

 

I also like that he has shown a willingness to dismiss coaches that don't produce:  Mussman, Parsons, Gaye, off the top of my head.

 

He may be arrogant, or he may be confident, or he may be stubborn, or some combination of all.  One of the best examples of his demeanor was when he called a press conference to basically announce that the commissioner of the Summit League is a lying sack of crap.  That was classic.

 

The one thing he has done that I strongly disagree with is the football games with NDSU.  I don't know how much of role Bubba played in that process, but it is a bad deal IMO.

 

I guess my point is I like the job he's done.  Others are free to feel otherwise.

 

Back to the topic of attendance, start winning and it'll come around.  Everyone loves a winner, especially Grand Forks.

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  • 1 month later...

Beating NDSU would be the single most important thing that UND can do to make it football program relevant.  I'm not saying that it can't happen without it, but it will happen much faster with it.  If it doesn't happen in the regular season, we should be hoping to meet them in the FCS playoffs, otherwise the next chance isn't until 2019.  I'm guessing Bubba knows it, but September 19, 2015 will probably be the biggest football game of his life.  I think all of us fans agree that Bubba has a vision to dethrone the powers of FCS, and is executing it the way we would want him to.

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