Spring Ball

[geaux_sioux]

14 minutes ago, Stockdamhockey said:

Seriously?  Saying, "It drew 300 because there was a spring game or because the fans wanted Mussman fired?" Means you thought the last Alerus Spring Game was under Mussman. Why twist words or deny it. Sucks being caught being inaccurate. Should be used to it by now.

No it doesn’t, it means I mixed up my spring games. I was at the first one Bubba had.

[Stockdamhockey]

2 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

No it doesn’t, it means I mixed up my spring games. I was at the first one Bubba had.

Whatever dude? Here come the mods, I'm out.

[jdub27]

Muss
2011 - Alerus - No estimate, poor weather, but there was a cook-off that was done in the snow and people had a blast.
2012 - Alerus - estimated attendance 2,000
2013 - Alerus - No estimate

Bubba
2014 - Alerus - estimated attendance 1,100
2015 - Memorial (Saturday morning) - estimated attendance 700
2016 - HPC (scheduled for Memorial, moved to due to weather) - estimated attendance 1,200
2017 - HPC - estimated attendance 1,1100
2018 - HPC - no estimate

I think it is fine to do at the HPC, especially with the new bleachers. That being said, even if they keep the practice portion the same, I wish they would make a little more of an event out of it, such as having it on Saturday and doing some sort of tailgating.

[the green team]

I'll be perfectly honest.  I've never been interested in attending any spring game.  There is absolutely nothing they could do to make me want to go.  I am a passionate fan on Saturday's in the fall, and will go to all the games and stay to every bitter end,  maybe do some tailgating etc...  I've even gone to a few road games over the last 3 decades.  But it's spring and I like many of my neighbors who I attend games with, we are glad to be out of winter, and can think of a million other things to do with our time than go to a spring game, like open up the lake place or yard work or just about anything.  I don't think that should make us bad fans.

I certainly understand that to the most devoted rabid fan, a spring game is the nourishment that they require.  I can very much respect that.  But I have no interest in taking it in, and if I'm going to be honest, I think there are far more of fans like me, who love gameday(s) in the fall, but just don't find any sort of spring game/practice whatever, as a draw at this time of year.  There is no amount of give aways or free stuff or tailgate food competition that is going to lure me out. So my advice would be for marketing to emphasize what will really make a difference to this team, and that is to  focus their limited resources to the games in the fall.  Yes, for certain schools spring football is some sort of draw (it wouldn't be for me, even if I cheered for them)...but my guess would be that it would be far far fewer than the majority.  The reality is, the fan base on Saturdays will grow with one  thing, and one thing only: wins.  Not what was done on a day or night in the spring.   

I'll see everyone August 31st.

[MafiaMan]

2 hours ago, geaux_sioux said:

Bubba needs to pull his head out of his ass with spring ball. Our program needs hype anywhere it can find it and a fun spring game could be a great celebration of the future of the program. Instead we get this pile of meh.

 

I’m sorry, but those grey uniforms are a hot mess and don’t match anything in relation to the helmet.  A grey uniform for the sake of having a grey uniform.

[geaux_sioux]

Just now, MafiaMan said:

I’m sorry, but those grey uniforms are a hot mess and don’t match anything in relation to the helmet.  A grey uniform for the sake of having a grey uniform.

I wish they had gone black. 

[MafiaMan]

2 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

I wish they had gone black. 

That would have made better sense.  Can you imagine NDSU busting out a grey alternate instead of the yellow ones?

[Sioux94]

10 minutes ago, MafiaMan said:

I’m sorry, but those grey uniforms are a hot mess and don’t match anything in relation to the helmet.  A grey uniform for the sake of having a grey uniform.

I think if they are able to add a white helmet at some point, the grey jerseys and white helmet could look really good.  The grey jerseys as they are right now though, I agree with you. They wear the grey jerseys a fair amount, I wonder if the players like them for some reason?   It seems like they almost wear them more than the green. 

[geaux_sioux]

4 minutes ago, Sioux94 said:

I think if they are able to add a white helmet at some point, the grey jerseys and white helmet could look really good.  The grey jerseys as they are right now though, I agree with you. They wear the grey jerseys a fair amount, I wonder if the players like them for some reason?   It seems like they almost wear them more than the green. 

We have a sweet silver helmet in our past too.

[Shawn-O]

The new Jets uniforms would have been a good look, with gloss green helmets and a forward-looking hawk on each side.   

[MafiaMan]

12 minutes ago, Sioux94 said:

I think if they are able to add a white helmet at some point, the grey jerseys and white helmet could look really good.  The grey jerseys as they are right now though, I agree with you. They wear the grey jerseys a fair amount, I wonder if the players like them for some reason?   It seems like they almost wear them more than the green. 

 

7 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

We have a sweet silver helmet in our past too.

That's a decent set using grey...

[Shawn-O]

2 minutes ago, MafiaMan said:

 

That's a decent set using grey...

The matte grey would be a good look, but no interlocking ND to go with it.  The current matte green with the Sesame Street number font on one side is atrocious.  

[SIOUXFAN97]

said this before...move to spring game to a town out west...bismarck, dickinson, minot, harvey, stanley....outside...on grass...bus in early play the game and sign autographs after and then bus home.

[UND-FB-FAN]

2 hours ago, geaux_sioux said:

Bubba needs to pull his head out of his ass with spring ball. Our program needs hype anywhere it can find it and a fun spring game could be a great celebration of the future of the program. Instead we get this pile of meh.

 

I agree. Many will cite what they see as practical issues, such as the Alerus Center not being available, but these things are merely poor excuses. If UND and Bubba ACTUALLY wanted to make UND Spring Football an event to build hype - such as a Spring Game at the Alerus Center with tailgating, halftime entertainment with the band, etc. - they certainly could do it with advanced planning. Instead, UND football tends to settle for second fiddle.

[northernraider]

7 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

said this before...move to spring game to a town out west...bismarck, dickinson, minot, harvey, stanley....outside...on grass...bus in early play the game and sign autographs after and then bus home.

Does UND still do the caravan every summer? I remember a few years ago a group of coaches and UND athletic staff would go to various communities throughout North Dakota and part of Minnesota for fan greetings, golf outings, or whatever. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

2 hours ago, Stockdamhockey said:

 When you aren't drawing a crowd, best to keep it low profile and get some work done. Not to mention budget issues. Do you think the Alerus Center let's UND Football use the facility out of the goodness of their heart. The head that needs pulling out of one's backside might be your own.

When you aren't drawing a crowd, do something then to actually draw a crowd. Again, UND settles for second fiddle. Your low expectations and apathy in defense of this says it all. 

[MafiaMan]

12 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

said this before...move to spring game to a town out west...bismarck, dickinson, minot, harvey, stanley....outside...on grass...bus in early play the game and sign autographs after and then bus home.

Yep, it's gonna take a grass roots campaign to renew interest in UND football.  If the Bison boarded a bus for a practice in Dickinson, I bet the crowd would fill the Beisiot Activities Center -- and then some.  

[SIOUXFAN97]

6 minutes ago, northernraider said:

Does UND still do the caravan every summer? I remember a few years ago a group of coaches and UND athletic staff would go to various communities throughout North Dakota and part of Minnesota for fan greetings, golf outings, or whatever. 

not sure...if they are it shows that no one knows that they are even doing it.

[The Sicatoka]

1 hour ago, jdub27 said:

I think it is fine to do at the HPC, especially with the new bleachers. 

Correct. 

1 hour ago, jdub27 said:

... I wish they would make a little more of an event out of it, such as having it on Saturday and doing some sort of tailgating.

Correct ... just about. The problem is the HPF is on campus so no alcohol at tailgating; Alerus is off campus.

[geaux_sioux]

Just now, The Sicatoka said:

Correct. 

Correct ... just about. The problem is the HPF is on campus so no alcohol at tailgating; Alerus is off campus.

And it’s not a full 120 yard field.

[UND-FB-FAN]

57 minutes ago, MafiaMan said:

I’m sorry, but those grey uniforms are a hot mess and don’t match anything in relation to the helmet.  A grey uniform for the sake of having a grey uniform.

 

56 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

I wish they had gone black. 

Grey instead of black for the University of North Dakota was just dumb. Another Bubba mistake. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

22 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

said this before...move to spring game to a town out west...bismarck, dickinson, minot, harvey, stanley....outside...on grass...bus in early play the game and sign autographs after and then bus home.

I respectfully disagree. Should be at the home of UND football: the Alerus Center. 

[The Sicatoka]

1 minute ago, geaux_sioux said:

And it’s not a full 120 yard field.

For the controlled walk-thru that is the recent spring games the HPF field is more than adequate. 

[SIOUXFAN97]

14 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

I respectfully disagree. Should be at the home of UND football: the Alerus Center. 

not saying every year...maybe 1 in 4 so every freshman gets to see a little of rural america and visit the old main street cafes.

and maybe sell a few season tix packages along the way.

[UNDColorado]

It sounds like there is no web stream like there has been in the past. It has been nice to watch in the past to see who has noticeably improved.