What's Needed At The Alerus?

[UNDBIZ]

I love the idea of going back to campus.  However, if UND just puts another dome there, I think that would be a waste of money.  If UND is going to play in a dome, the Alerus Center is more than fine.  It just needs some tweaks; natural sunlight, merchandising, a bar, and a plan to increase seating in the future.  UND and the City could split those costs over time, and use the millions of dollars saved for other projects.  And I'm saying this as someone who would love to see UND play on campus again.  I just don't like the idea of putting a dome there.  If they have the funds, obviously a retractable roof would be really cool, but I think that's a pipe dream.  

I might be in the minority, but I like the idea of an outdoor stadium on campus.  Obviously attendance late in the season would be a major concern.  Is it possible to design an outdoor stadium in such a way to reduce wind impact and utilize infrared heaters to at least make spectators a little bit more comfortable than they would otherwise be on a cold day?  I notice some stadiums utilize this, but perhaps it's only effective during mildly cold temperature and wouldn't work in Grand Forks when it gets really cold.  Anyone have experience with this?  http://www.schwankgroup.com/products/stadium-heaters/

I believe they have similar heaters at Target Field.  I don't think you could have enough of them in an outdoor stadium for Grand Forks in a bad November/December. 

[Siouxperfan7]

There is a reason that UND and NDSU were strongly in favor of their respective cities building multi purpose arenas that the football team could play in.  I don't see either schools building an outdoor stadium in this climate (weather and financial).

[mksioux]

There is a reason that UND and NDSU were strongly in favor of their respective cities building multi purpose arenas that the football team could play in.  I don't see either schools building an outdoor stadium in this climate (weather and financial).

College football is really a game that needs to played outside, in my opinion.  As to weather, sure Grand Forks is a little colder, but Brookings and Minneapolis aren't exactly tropical.  It looks like attendance in Brookings is hit and miss at the end of the year, but I bet very few of their fans want a dome.  And TCF has been good for the Gophers.  I've not heard of anyone longing for the days of playing in the Metrodome.  (I acknowledge FBS is differently situated than FCS as there are no home December games to consider.) Despite the potential for some late season stinkers, I have a feeling the same thing would happen if they built a new outdoor stadium on campus at UND - nobody would be longing for the days of playing at the Alerus Center.  But if they're going to stay in a dome, they might as well stay where they are.

 

[siouxfan512]

College football is really a game that needs to played outside, in my opinion.  As to weather, sure Grand Forks is a little colder, but Brookings and Minneapolis aren't exactly tropical.  It looks like attendance in Brookings is hit and miss at the end of the year, but I bet very few of their fans want a dome.  And TCF has been good for the Gophers.  I've not heard of anyone longing for the days of playing in the Metrodome.  (I acknowledge FBS is differently situated than FCS as there are no home December games to consider.) Despite the potential for some late season stinkers, I have a feeling the same thing would happen if they built a new outdoor stadium on campus at UND - nobody would be longing for the days of playing at the Alerus Center.  But if they're going to stay in a dome, they might as well stay where they are.

 

Don't forget that playing outdoors can affect recruiting. Hard to win some of the recruiting battles when you are trying to tell a kid he could be playing in below zero temps.

[airmail]

I think our tailgating scene has had a negative impact on game attendance, and I also believe major changes need to happen ASAP.

One of the biggest reasons our tailgating scene sucks is that it is being used as a parking lot, and is managed completely wrong, IMO. A few years back, I excused myself from a group that I had tailgated with since the Alerus first went to reserved spots. Why? Because out of 6 tailgating spots, 4 of them were (and still are) consumed by their vehicles because they were not willing to pay the $5 parking fee for the game. As unfortunate as that is and was, I am seeing even more of it the past few years, and it has affected our tailgating atmosphere in the worst way.

I hoped it was a unique situation, but as I looked across the tailgating area last weekend I saw two things consistently:

• Tailgating spots are being used as "preferred" parking spaces.
• Many tailgating spots that are reserved for the season are not being utilized (corporate?) and it ends up being an open (dead) space in the tailgating area.

I know that there are MANY that will disagree with me, but I still see nothing wrong with the first come/ first served mentality with tailgating. If someone wants to get there at o-dark-30 to get the best spot in the house, why not let them. They are obviously the types of fans that we want to establish a great tailgating atmosphere. And all of these rabid fans will be together, and not separated by 20 vehicles. Voila - you have a tailgating atmosphere. But instead, we have a number of great tailgating groups separated from each other by vehicles and no-show spots reserved for others. Sorry, but the reserved tailgating spot has been the death of our formerly great atmosphere, even if it has padded the coffers of whomever gets the dough. It has to go, and soon. Doesn't the Alerus and Alumni office realize that people will come for the party, and they will also stay for the game? Tailgating has a HUGE impact on game attendance.

I think vehicle parking should not be prohibited altogether, but it should definitely be limited. And as far as the open spaces are concerned, they are killing whatever atmosphere the dispersed groups are trying to create. Instead of one big UND tailgate, it's 50 crappy little tent parties spread out across the entire parking lot. (with ALL DUE RESPECT to those actually trying to create a good atmosphere - it isn't their fault at all) Maybe non-attending groups can transfer their spot to another - maybe they should get spanked if they leave their spot unused?

I don't know how to fix it, but when we were lined up at 6:00am waiting for the spots, we had the BEST tailgating atmosphere in the state. Trust me - I was there every weekend. Now it just plain sucks. Like I said - people will come for the party and stay for the game. We need to make it an event again. 

Start the party.

 

[siouxfan512]

I think our tailgating scene has had a negative impact on game attendance, and I also believe major changes need to happen ASAP.

One of the biggest reasons our tailgating scene sucks is that it is being used as a parking lot, and is managed completely wrong, IMO. A few years back, I excused myself from a group that I had tailgated with since the Alerus first went to reserved spots. Why? Because out of 6 tailgating spots, 4 of them were (and still are) consumed by their vehicles because they were not willing to pay the $5 parking fee for the game. As unfortunate as that is and was, I am seeing even more of it the past few years, and it has affected our tailgating atmosphere in the worst way.

I hoped it was a unique situation, but as I looked across the tailgating area last weekend I saw two things consistently:

• Tailgating spots are being used as "preferred" parking spaces.
• Many tailgating spots that are reserved for the season are not being utilized (corporate?) and it ends up being an open (dead) space in the tailgating area.

I know that there are MANY that will disagree with me, but I still see nothing wrong with the first come/ first served mentality with tailgating. If someone wants to get there at o-dark-30 to get the best spot in the house, why not let them. They are obviously the types of fans that we want to establish a great tailgating atmosphere. And all of these rabid fans will be together, and not separated by 20 vehicles. Viola - you have a tailgating atmosphere. But instead, we have a number of great tailgating groups separated from each other by vehicles and no-show spots reserved for others. Sorry, but the reserved tailgating spot has been the death of our formerly great atmosphere, even if it has padded the coffers of whomever gets the dough. It has to go, and soon. Doesn't the Alerus and Alumni office realize that people will come for the party, and they will also stay for the game? Tailgating has a HUGE impact on game attendance.

I think vehicle parking should not be prohibited altogether, but it should definitely be limited. And as far as the open spaces are concerned, they are killing whatever atmosphere the dispersed groups are trying to create. Instead of one big UND tailgate, it's 50 crappy little tent parties spread out across the entire parking lot. (with ALL DUE RESPECT to those actually trying to create a good atmosphere - it isn't their fault at all) Maybe non-attending groups can transfer their spot to another - maybe they should get spanked if they leave their spot unused?

I don't know how to fix it, but when we were lined up at 6:00am waiting for the spots, we had the BEST tailgating atmosphere in the state. Trust me - I was there every weekend. Now it just plain sucks. Like I said - people will come for the party and stay for the game. We need to make it an event again. 

Start the party.

 

Take some tips from NDSU. My in-laws say that their tailgating used to be horrible. They wanted it to be like UNDs was. Now NDSUs tailgating has taken off (yes all the winning helps) but it also managed well. Sounds like UND's is going the wrong way. Take some notes from NDSU's tailgating, and Win games!

I still say bring it back to campus too.

[Cratter]

I think our tailgating scene has had a negative impact on game attendance, and I also believe major changes need to happen ASAP.

One of the biggest reasons our tailgating scene sucks is that it is being used as a parking lot, and is managed completely wrong, IMO. A few years back, I excused myself from a group that I had tailgated with since the Alerus first went to reserved spots. Why? Because out of 6 tailgating spots, 4 of them were (and still are) consumed by their vehicles because they were not willing to pay the $5 parking fee for the game. As unfortunate as that is and was, I am seeing even more of it the past few years, and it has affected our tailgating atmosphere in the worst way.

I hoped it was a unique situation, but as I looked across the tailgating area last weekend I saw two things consistently:

• Tailgating spots are being used as "preferred" parking spaces.
• Many tailgating spots that are reserved for the season are not being utilized (corporate?) and it ends up being an open (dead) space in the tailgating area.

I know that there are MANY that will disagree with me, but I still see nothing wrong with the first come/ first served mentality with tailgating. If someone wants to get there at o-dark-30 to get the best spot in the house, why not let them. They are obviously the types of fans that we want to establish a great tailgating atmosphere. And all of these rabid fans will be together, and not separated by 20 vehicles. Viola - you have a tailgating atmosphere. But instead, we have a number of great tailgating groups separated from each other by vehicles and no-show spots reserved for others. Sorry, but the reserved tailgating spot has been the death of our formerly great atmosphere, even if it has padded the coffers of whomever gets the dough. It has to go, and soon. Doesn't the Alerus and Alumni office realize that people will come for the party, and they will also stay for the game? Tailgating has a HUGE impact on game attendance.

I think vehicle parking should not be prohibited altogether, but it should definitely be limited. And as far as the open spaces are concerned, they are killing whatever atmosphere the dispersed groups are trying to create. Instead of one big UND tailgate, it's 50 crappy little tent parties spread out across the entire parking lot. (with ALL DUE RESPECT to those actually trying to create a good atmosphere - it isn't their fault at all) Maybe non-attending groups can transfer their spot to another - maybe they should get spanked if they leave their spot unused?

I don't know how to fix it, but when we were lined up at 6:00am waiting for the spots, we had the BEST tailgating atmosphere in the state. Trust me - I was there every weekend. Now it just plain sucks. Like I said - people will come for the party and stay for the game. We need to make it an event again. 

Start the party.

 

Totally agree and tailgate in the "closest open spots" they assigned me. Only to be way in the back by only a couple other groups with large amount of space between me and everyone else that was a no show.

Part of your post doesn't make sense as a tailgate spot is $15 vs $5 for general parking. As I have pointed it I think its a little pricey to tailgate. I know you can divide it up, but some people don't want to say "hey give me money and you can come." And who wants to just tailgate in one spot? I like to pull my trailer (takes up two spots) and park my truck next to it using the engine and power inverter for electricity. $45 per game just to tailgate, and that doesn't even give me one open spot to hang out.... (I know I could get lower prices for a "season tailgate pass.")

Edited September 29, 2015 by Cratter

[SIOUXFAN97]

I think our tailgating scene has had a negative impact on game attendance, and I also believe major changes need to happen ASAP.

One of the biggest reasons our tailgating scene sucks is that it is being used as a parking lot, and is managed completely wrong, IMO. A few years back, I excused myself from a group that I had tailgated with since the Alerus first went to reserved spots. Why? Because out of 6 tailgating spots, 4 of them were (and still are) consumed by their vehicles because they were not willing to pay the $5 parking fee for the game. As unfortunate as that is and was, I am seeing even more of it the past few years, and it has affected our tailgating atmosphere in the worst way.

I hoped it was a unique situation, but as I looked across the tailgating area last weekend I saw two things consistently:

• Tailgating spots are being used as "preferred" parking spaces.
• Many tailgating spots that are reserved for the season are not being utilized (corporate?) and it ends up being an open (dead) space in the tailgating area.

I know that there are MANY that will disagree with me, but I still see nothing wrong with the first come/ first served mentality with tailgating. If someone wants to get there at o-dark-30 to get the best spot in the house, why not let them. They are obviously the types of fans that we want to establish a great tailgating atmosphere. And all of these rabid fans will be together, and not separated by 20 vehicles. Viola - you have a tailgating atmosphere. But instead, we have a number of great tailgating groups separated from each other by vehicles and no-show spots reserved for others. Sorry, but the reserved tailgating spot has been the death of our formerly great atmosphere, even if it has padded the coffers of whomever gets the dough. It has to go, and soon. Doesn't the Alerus and Alumni office realize that people will come for the party, and they will also stay for the game? Tailgating has a HUGE impact on game attendance.

I think vehicle parking should not be prohibited altogether, but it should definitely be limited. And as far as the open spaces are concerned, they are killing whatever atmosphere the dispersed groups are trying to create. Instead of one big UND tailgate, it's 50 crappy little tent parties spread out across the entire parking lot. (with ALL DUE RESPECT to those actually trying to create a good atmosphere - it isn't their fault at all) Maybe non-attending groups can transfer their spot to another - maybe they should get spanked if they leave their spot unused?

I don't know how to fix it, but when we were lined up at 6:00am waiting for the spots, we had the BEST tailgating atmosphere in the state. Trust me - I was there every weekend. Now it just plain sucks. Like I said - people will come for the party and stay for the game. We need to make it an event again. 

Start the party.

 

Too bad Hadju is currently mowing Hak's still unsold mansion to read this and maybe look into this...one of the best longer posts in a while...

[jdub27]

Too bad Hadju is currently mowing Hak's still unsold mansion to read this and maybe look into this...one of the best longer posts in a while... 

Alex Kroke would be the contact in the Athletic Department with any tailgating suggestions. They've been responsive to e-mails sent in the past, probably wouldn't hurt to pass along ideas/comments/concerns. They want tailgating to be as big of an event as the fans do.

[dagies]

Too bad Hadju is currently mowing Hak's still unsold mansion to read this and maybe look into this...one of the best longer posts in a while...

Isn't he the Sports Information Director?   is he in charge of tailgating and game day atmosphere?

[SIOUXFAN97]

Isn't he the Sports Information Director?   is he in charge of tailgating and game day atmosphere?

on the old job pyramid he was directly below Dave Hakstol...now I'm not sure who he reports to?

[Mama Sue]

They have vision and balls. The is a great recipe for success. I'd like to see more of this type of thinking from UND. We need to see more success first though, SDSU has been very good since moving up. We also have some football alums who are very successful. You'd think our university could make it happen with a mix of big private donations student fees state dollars etc.

Vision and balls make you go far in areas other than football.

I miss going back to the Expedition, turning the heat on full blast, and putting on warm dry socks at half time. Toilet seats are rather cool in the Alerus so what is the difference?

[UND-FB-FAN]

The team needs to win in order to draw sellout numbers (10,000+), and that is the largest factor; however, the Alerus Center needs to do their part as well. The Alerus Center and UND need to do their best to turn football games into an "event"; that seems kind of intuitive to me, but it may not for most. Its been said before, but there is some truth to it: what does the REA do that could be transferred over to the Alerus? 

Here's a list that comes to mind:

1) Bar on concourse (maybe even on endzones platforms) for pregame and halftime. Playmakers and Tavern United are nice, but they are not for "in-game" action. 

2) More pictures, memorabilia, etc.around the concourse. Need to make the Alerus Center look more like the home of UND football. 

3) More in-game interactive features and music. During the game, when "dead moments" hit, there needs to be more music and features on the video boards (I like the inclusion of the 'dance cam' or whatever its called). Also, pump up the crowd a bit more with a half-way decent team entrance presentation (lights off, pump up music, video board/pyrotechnic usage, etc.). These things may seem minor, but they keep the neutral crowd involved, and most importantly, from leaving prematurely.

Lastly, and again, just win. 

[Alec Johnson]

Hey guys, 

You may know me as Alec J., UND Intern on different forms of UND Media, but I wanted to just share some thoughts quick with this post.

Jayson would not be the person to report to for multiple reasons. First, he is the sports information director/media relations person for men's hockey, not football. That would be Ryan Powell. However, neither of them would be the person to contact regarding tailgating questions. If you would like to contact someone from UND Athletics, I would recommend talking to someone from our marketing department, such as Jason Namanny. However, this may be a situation where it is out of our control and it is up to the Alerus, I honestly do not know. 

As for the in-game features...we are working really hard to try and make the Alerus Center the most intimidating place to play in the FCS and eventually, all of college football so we appreciate your comments on how we can improve. However regarding the lights off request, the Alerus Center has decided to no longer continue with that due to the length of time it takes to turn the lights back on to full brightness. At the REA, we are not actually shutting the lights off, but covering them with individual blinds that fit over each light. Therefore, we aren't actually turning the lights on and off, just covering them. The Alerus, does not yet have this function available, so we must work with what we have. The intro video was an idea of mine and our wonderful video production coordinator, David Folske. I chose the song with the thoughts of the words "Ready or not, here I come" being a good representation of the steps UND Football is hoping to take in the next coming seasons. Basically saying that the Big Sky better be ready because here comes UND. I also got the idea from the St. Louis Blues and their playoff video they used this past season. The location of the fireworks are just for a safety precaution as well as the easiness for our worker to light them off. 

I hope this at least can answer some of your questions for right now. As a UND student, intern, and fan, it's great to see the passion of UND sports come out on this forum. I also appreciate all of you that are supporting all of our athletic teams from attending the games, following on social media, watching or listening on UND Insider, and posting on here. The fans are part of what makes this internship (and hopefully this job) so rewarding. 

Hope to see you all at the games, 

Alec J., UND Intern

GO UND!  

Edited September 30, 2015 by Alec Johnson

[sioux24/7]

Hey guys, 

You may know me as Alec J., UND Intern on different forms of UND Media, but I wanted to just share some thoughts quick with this post.

Jayson would not be the person to report to for multiple reasons. First, he is the sports information director/media relations person for men's hockey, not football. That would be Ryan Powell. However, neither of them would be the person to contact regarding tailgating questions. If you would like to contact someone from UND Athletics, I would recommend talking to someone from our marketing department, such as Jason Namanny. However, this may be a situation where it is out of our control and it is up to the Alerus, I honestly do not know. 

As for the in-game features...we are working really hard to try and make the Alerus Center the most intimidating place to play in the FCS and eventually, all of college football so we appreciate your comments on how we can improve. However regarding the lights off request, the Alerus Center has decided to no longer continue with that due to the length of time it takes to turn the lights back on to full brightness. At the REA, we are not actually shutting the lights off, but covering them with individual blinds that fit over each light. Therefore, we aren't actually turning the lights on and off, just covering them. The Alerus, does not yet have this function available, so we must work with what we have. The intro video was an idea of mine and our wonderful video production coordinator, David Folske. I chose the song with the thoughts of the words "Ready or not, here I come" being a good representation of the steps UND Football is hoping to take in the next coming seasons. Basically saying that the Big Sky better be ready because here comes UND. I also got the idea from the St. Louis Blues and their playoff video they used this past season. The location of the fireworks are just for a safety precaution as well as the easiness for our worker to light them off. 

I hope this at least can answer some of your questions for right now. As a UND student, intern, and fan, it's great to see the passion of UND sports come out on this forum. I also appreciate all of you that are supporting all of our athletic teams from attending the games, following on social media, watching or listening on UND Insider, and posting on here. The fans are part of what makes this internship (and hopefully this job) so rewarding. 

Hope to see you all at the games, 

Alec J., UND Intern

GO UND!  

I guess that answers everything! I really like the video it just seemed hard to notice with the lights on but I see why that is not a possibility now. Thanks!

[darell1976]

Hey guys, 

You may know me as Alec J., UND Intern on different forms of UND Media, but I wanted to just share some thoughts quick with this post.

Jayson would not be the person to report to for multiple reasons. First, he is the sports information director/media relations person for men's hockey, not football. That would be Ryan Powell. However, neither of them would be the person to contact regarding tailgating questions. If you would like to contact someone from UND Athletics, I would recommend talking to someone from our marketing department, such as Jason Namanny. However, this may be a situation where it is out of our control and it is up to the Alerus, I honestly do not know. 

As for the in-game features...we are working really hard to try and make the Alerus Center the most intimidating place to play in the FCS and eventually, all of college football so we appreciate your comments on how we can improve. However regarding the lights off request, the Alerus Center has decided to no longer continue with that due to the length of time it takes to turn the lights back on to full brightness. At the REA, we are not actually shutting the lights off, but covering them with individual blinds that fit over each light. Therefore, we aren't actually turning the lights on and off, just covering them. The Alerus, does not yet have this function available, so we must work with what we have. The intro video was an idea of mine and our wonderful video production coordinator, David Folske. I chose the song with the thoughts of the words "Ready or not, here I come" being a good representation of the steps UND Football is hoping to take in the next coming seasons. Basically saying that the Big Sky better be ready because here comes UND. I also got the idea from the St. Louis Blues and their playoff video they used this past season. The location of the fireworks are just for a safety precaution as well as the easiness for our worker to light them off. 

I hope this at least can answer some of your questions for right now. As a UND student, intern, and fan, it's great to see the passion of UND sports come out on this forum. I also appreciate all of you that are supporting all of our athletic teams from attending the games, following on social media, watching or listening on UND Insider, and posting on here. The fans are part of what makes this internship (and hopefully this job) so rewarding. 

Hope to see you all at the games, 

Alec J., UND Intern

GO UND!  

Thank you Alec for answering a lot of questions and referring us to the proper people. Please continue to post as changes are met, or if changes are coming in the future. 

[bincitysioux]

Hey guys,

You may know me as Alec J., UND Intern on different forms of UND Media, but I wanted to just share some thoughts quick with this post.

Jayson would not be the person to report to for multiple reasons. First, he is the sports information director/media relations person for men's hockey, not football. That would be Ryan Powell. However, neither of them would be the person to contact regarding tailgating questions. If you would like to contact someone from UND Athletics, I would recommend talking to someone from our marketing department, such as Jason Namanny. However, this may be a situation where it is out of our control and it is up to the Alerus, I honestly do not know.

As for the in-game features...we are working really hard to try and make the Alerus Center the most intimidating place to play in the FCS and eventually, all of college football so we appreciate your comments on how we can improve. However regarding the lights off request, the Alerus Center has decided to no longer continue with that due to the length of time it takes to turn the lights back on to full brightness. At the REA, we are not actually shutting the lights off, but covering them with individual blinds that fit over each light. Therefore, we aren't actually turning the lights on and off, just covering them. The Alerus, does not yet have this function available, so we must work with what we have. The intro video was an idea of mine and our wonderful video production coordinator, David Folske. I chose the song with the thoughts of the words "Ready or not, here I come" being a good representation of the steps UND Football is hoping to take in the next coming seasons. Basically saying that the Big Sky better be ready because here comes UND. I also got the idea from the St. Louis Blues and their playoff video they used this past season. The location of the fireworks are just for a safety precaution as well as the easiness for our worker to light them off.

I hope this at least can answer some of your questions for right now. As a UND student, intern, and fan, it's great to see the passion of UND sports come out on this forum. I also appreciate all of you that are supporting all of our athletic teams from attending the games, following on social media, watching or listening on UND Insider, and posting on here. The fans are part of what makes this internship (and hopefully this job) so rewarding.

Hope to see you all at the games,

Alec J., UND Intern

GO UND!

Thank you for the insight.  The intro video is great, there is no problem with that.  I still will question the decision not to have the lights off during the intro though.  It seems they have done it for three years prior and has worked fine.  In fact, I really thought the way they powered them back up during the National Anthem was great and actually added to that part of the event as well.  It also seems to give plenty of time for them come back on.  It may seem like a small thing, but UND/Alerus has really struggled over the past several years with the pregame intro for football.  I thought they finally solved it two years ago when they picked Welcome to the Jungle as their run-out song with a dark building and a solid intro video.  There is a huge regression in that area this year.  I'm a middle aged guy that has been a season ticket holder for hockey for about 10 years now.  I still get goosebumps every night when the REA goes dark and the pregame build up starts.  I would imagine the average 20-something year old college student gets even more amped up during that.  There is no reason this can't go on for football.  There are few FCS venues that are as well equipped as the Alerus is to put on a high quality pregame display, yet for some reason, it is something that continues to be overlooked.

I know I am being redundant, but UND would do well to pick an entrance song and stick with it for the long term.  I was hoping they had done that with Welcome to the Jungle.  I can't hear the song Thunderstruck come on the radio and not think of NDSU's pregame dog and pony show.  I can't hear Enter Sandman come on the radio and not think of Virgina Tech's run-out. 

Many of us often point out that there are 3 problems with gameday atmosphere for UND football: the product on the field, tailgating, and the in-game production.  Bubba seems to be doing his part to improve the area that he controls.  It is now up to the Alerus and UND to do their part.  And there is plenty they could easily do..............

[Wildfan]

I know in past years the entrance video was put online, is it this year?

[mksioux]

Thank you for the insight.  The intro video is great, there is no problem with that.  I still will question the decision not to have the lights off during the intro though.  It seems they have done it for three years prior and has worked fine.  In fact, I really thought the way they powered them back up during the National Anthem was great and actually added to that part of the event as well.  It also seems to give plenty of time for them come back on.  It may seem like a small thing, but UND/Alerus has really struggled over the past several years with the pregame intro for football.  I thought they finally solved it two years ago when they picked Welcome to the Jungle as their run-out song with a dark building and a solid intro video.  There is a huge regression in that area this year.  I'm a middle aged guy that has been a season ticket holder for hockey for about 10 years now.  I still get goosebumps every night when the REA goes dark and the pregame build up starts.  I would imagine the average 20-something year old college student gets even more amped up during that.  There is no reason this can't go on for football.  There are few FCS venues that are as well equipped as the Alerus is to put on a high quality pregame display, yet for some reason, it is something that continues to be overlooked.

I know I am being redundant, but UND would do well to pick an entrance song and stick with it for the long term.  I was hoping they had done that with Welcome to the Jungle.  I can't hear the song Thunderstruck come on the radio and not think of NDSU's pregame dog and pony show.  I can't hear Enter Sandman come on the radio and not think of Virgina Tech's run-out. 

Many of us often point out that there are 3 problems with gameday atmosphere for UND football: the product on the field, tailgating, and the in-game production.  Bubba seems to be doing his part to improve the area that he controls.  It is now up to the Alerus and UND to do their part.  And there is plenty they could easily do..............

I like the idea of sticking with an intro song from year to year.  Consistency is a very important thing for fan experience in college athletics.  Getting students (and others) to know the traditions and routines is key.  Things like the intro song, the cheers and chants, or something like Wisconsin football does with "Jump Around" are all very important to developing the fan experience. Consistency leads to people recognizing it, knowing it, and eventually participating in it. The routine then becomes a tradition and they get passed down to the new students and it keeps going.  

[sioux24/7]

What's the name of the DB in the intro video destroying the guy from a while back?

[Northcountry]

Donnie Riendeau

[tnt]

Donnie Riendeau

Craig was football, Donnie hockey.

[UND-FB-FAN]

Hey guys, 

You may know me as Alec J., UND Intern on different forms of UND Media, but I wanted to just share some thoughts quick with this post.

Jayson would not be the person to report to for multiple reasons. First, he is the sports information director/media relations person for men's hockey, not football. That would be Ryan Powell. However, neither of them would be the person to contact regarding tailgating questions. If you would like to contact someone from UND Athletics, I would recommend talking to someone from our marketing department, such as Jason Namanny. However, this may be a situation where it is out of our control and it is up to the Alerus, I honestly do not know. 

As for the in-game features...we are working really hard to try and make the Alerus Center the most intimidating place to play in the FCS and eventually, all of college football so we appreciate your comments on how we can improve. However regarding the lights off request, the Alerus Center has decided to no longer continue with that due to the length of time it takes to turn the lights back on to full brightness. At the REA, we are not actually shutting the lights off, but covering them with individual blinds that fit over each light. Therefore, we aren't actually turning the lights on and off, just covering them. The Alerus, does not yet have this function available, so we must work with what we have. The intro video was an idea of mine and our wonderful video production coordinator, David Folske. I chose the song with the thoughts of the words "Ready or not, here I come" being a good representation of the steps UND Football is hoping to take in the next coming seasons. Basically saying that the Big Sky better be ready because here comes UND. I also got the idea from the St. Louis Blues and their playoff video they used this past season. The location of the fireworks are just for a safety precaution as well as the easiness for our worker to light them off. 

I hope this at least can answer some of your questions for right now. As a UND student, intern, and fan, it's great to see the passion of UND sports come out on this forum. I also appreciate all of you that are supporting all of our athletic teams from attending the games, following on social media, watching or listening on UND Insider, and posting on here. The fans are part of what makes this internship (and hopefully this job) so rewarding. 

Hope to see you all at the games, 

Alec J., UND Intern

GO UND!  

Although it is hard for me to say this, I must admit that I am very impressed by the football in-game features presented 70 miles south; it just shows that it is possible to put on a great show for FCS football within an indoor facility. Winning is the ultimate atmosphere builder (as I can imagine it also positively affects the imagination of athletic production staff); however, it certainly is not the only thing that contributes to the gameday experience. 

The lights need to go off for the introduction video and there needs to be suspense/"build-up" for the team's entrance. Using the lights (that is, the lights turned off) along with an introduction video and a long-term entrance song is the perfect way to build that suspense and excitement for kickoff. Music needs to be played before kickoff to get the whole crowd into the game, so that by the time the game is ready to begin, the whole crowd is standing and ready to go just as both teams are. There is a trick to building college football atmosphere, and once perfected, it will bring the Alerus Center crowd to their feet and improve the gameday atmosphere tremendously. Furthermore, there are dull moments throughout the game that need to be addressed in order to maintain a positive atmosphere. In particular, during delays or timeouts, music needs to be played and the video boards need to be utilized for more than a single "dance cam", perhaps by doing several "dance cams" or some regular showings of highlight reels of past UND football action (not just reserved for pregame). Lastly, I believe the PA announcer needs to do their part in exciting the crowd; for example, get the fans up for kickoffs and third downs. Also, following wins, the PA announcer could perhaps say a cue that gives attention to a highlight reel of UND's recent win to be played on the video boards. 

I certainly appreciate your desire to turn the Alerus Center into the ultimate home-field advantage for UND football, because that is what the UND coaches, players, and fans ultimately want. However, for that to happen, I feel there needs to be a commitment to excellence and a willingness to try new things by both UND and the Alerus Center. NDSU and the Fargodome work together and produce a great atmosphere. UND and the REA work together and do it. Of course, both of those circumstances involve significant emphasis, and I think its time to also place an emphasis on UND football. Turn UND football games into an event that will be looked forward to by both the hardcore fans and neutral spectators alike. Football is the most popular sport in America, and as a result, I believe the potential is here in Grand Forks and the surrounding area, it just needs to be embraced and tapped into. 

[jdub27]

Turning the lights out for pre-game intro is an absolute must, period. It might require having to adjust the timing or whatever but leaving the lights on flat out kills what the intro is trying to accomplish. I liked having them slowly starting to come on during the National Anthem in the past, added a little bit of unintended aura to to it.

[Cratter]

Is the PA no longer allowed to say: "On your feet UND fans....Its third down!!"?