UND Fan Posted July 28, 2005 Posted July 28, 2005 We all agree that the Alerus Center can be a pretty intimidating place for visiting teams. It is a good venue for watching a game and tailgating has turned into a big deal and a lot of fun. We draw fairly well but there are usually a few thousand empty seats. If we could get another 1,500-2,000 or more fans at our games, it would assist in many ways: -- The atmosphere would be much more crazy and more difficult for the competition. -- More people mean higher revenue for the Athletic Department (as well as the Alerus and the GF economy). We all know that this is important as the cost of scholarships, travel, etc. continues to increase every year. Whether we eventually move up to DIAA or not, we need to increase revenues. -- A larger crowd is much more influential for recruits (of any sport) to see when they visit UND on a recruiting trip. I live in Florida and only get up to a game every other year or so. My question to those who live in or near GF and attend most games: What could be done to increase attendance at home football games? Let's not get into a debate about the quality of the visiting teams - we have talked about that enough! It is obvious that a schedule full of high quality teams would assist greatly! Let's not complain or whine about certain minor things that might be a pet peeve. Let's simply talk about what UND could do to get more people to games. That would include UND students, local area residents, alumni, the base, local grade and high school kids, etc. Anyone have any constructive ideas?
ESPNInsider Posted July 28, 2005 Posted July 28, 2005 ~High School kids They should definately try to tap into the high schools more! Give them a cheap ticket with their student IDs. I'm talking really cheap. I don't think a lot of high school kids go to the games right now and that could get many more kids out there. ~Beer Garden with View Have a beer garden that can view the game. ~Better opponents ~More kid giveaways. Why not give a couple hundred free tickets out to elementary kids for the lesser games? Their parents are going to have to accompany them. ~Parking Let it be known that the parking is not as much of a fiasco as some people make it out to be. Sure, it may take you a little while to get into/out of the parking lot, but it's not going to be longer then 15-20 minutes. ~Tailgaiting entertainment Get more entertainment out in the parking lot before games. Get some local bands to play, get some games, etc. Just some of my personal thoughts on things that can be looked at. Although, I think they do a pretty good job already with what they have. It's tough to draw more then 10% of the population out for a game against Crook-rock!
Eskimos Posted July 28, 2005 Posted July 28, 2005 ~Parking Let it be known that the parking is not as much of a fiasco as some people make it out to be. Sure, it may take you a little while to get into/out of the parking lot, but it's not going to be longer then 15-20 minutes. thanks for letting it be known, I guess it was just an illusion the last couple of years when we have had to wait 45 mins to leave the parking lot. That is embarassing, because there were only around 10,000 people there. I've been to Nascar events where there is 100,000 people in attendance, and they do not have great traffic routes in and out, but know how to move vehicles. I think the Alerus Center and GF PD need to do a better job of that.
UND92,96 Posted July 28, 2005 Posted July 28, 2005 Regarding the parking, I agree that it's ridiculous to have to wait 30-45 minutes to get out of the parking lot, which has happened to me at least a few times. However, I would certainly hope that people wouldn't use this inconvenience as a reason not to go to football games. The first thing I'd do is aggressively market to all UND hockey season ticket holders who aren't also football season ticket holders. I suppose there are some people who go to UND hockey games who just don't like football, but to me it's inconceivable to be enough of a sports fan to attend 20-something hockey games per year, but not be at least somewhat interested in seeing a perennially strong UND program play the most popular spectator sport in the country six to eight times per year.
Let'sGoHawks! Posted July 28, 2005 Posted July 28, 2005 I too wish more Grand Forks area people would attend games. I just moved back to the area, so I will be at most games, but when I lived 6 hours away, I made the trek back for a good share of games. I want the people of GF to make the 6 MINUTE drive to see some top quality football. I like the ideas presented above to make the games more interesting to some people. Advertise the events like tailgating concerts, etc.
teamsioux Posted July 28, 2005 Posted July 28, 2005 One fact that I know that holds attendance down is the price of everything at the Al. I know quite a few people with 2-3 young ones that don't go as often as they like to is because they can't afford it. Concessions for everyone is quite a chunk of change. It also seems the marketing of UND sports, not hockey, has really taken a downward spin. Less promotions for one thing. I also know the availability of things like the poster/magnetic/pocket schedules seems less and less each of the past few years. I realize its a budget thing but....in the late 90's they were all over in town, everywhere you turned they would be in your face. I think they really help remind people that Sioux sports are not far away even though it is 90 degrees out. There really hasn't been a reminder that fb season in now less than one month away. UND has a top 5 team and no one is really talking about it.
airmail Posted July 28, 2005 Posted July 28, 2005 Interesting point, UND92,96, on the Sioux Hockey ticket holders. Especially since it's well known in the southern part of the state that we have to buy football tickets to get hockey tickets. Getting back to the point, I wasn't really interested in Sioux FB either... mainly a hockey fan. (other than taking in a few "bigger games" over the course of the season) When they opened the Alerus, I said what the heck and purchased my allotted 4 seats. I can seriously say that I now enjoy the football season as much as (pushing more than?) the hockey season. My family and I have truly become Fighting Sioux Football fans in every sense. I have no doubt that other hockey fans would "come around" as I did, after giving it a fair look. Yet another plus, it's the only place my wife will let me go to drink beer and eat brats at 10am on a Saturday.
ESPNInsider Posted July 28, 2005 Posted July 28, 2005 Oh and one more idea: Build a light rail from the Alerus to the Student Union and then the REA. It should also make stops at Dagwoods, the El Roco and Downtown. About one hour before games make all trains go to the Alerus and shut off the power. People will be stuck there and might as well buy a ticket. That should get a few more people there! For real though, do they still give shuttle rides from Memorial?
Let'sGoHawks! Posted July 28, 2005 Posted July 28, 2005 Interesting point, UND92,96, on the Sioux Hockey ticket holders. Especially since it's well known in the southern part of the state that we have to buy football tickets to get hockey tickets. Getting back to the point, I wasn't really interested in Sioux FB either... mainly a hockey fan. (other than taking in a few "bigger games" over the course of the season) When they opened the Alerus, I said what the heck and purchased my allotted 4 seats. I can seriously say that I now enjoy the football season as much as (pushing more than?) the hockey season. My family and I have truly become Fighting Sioux Football fans in every sense. I have no doubt that other hockey fans would "come around" as I did, after giving it a fair look. Yet another plus, it's the only place my wife will let me go to drink beer and eat brats at 10am on a Saturday. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I agree that UND football is often more fun than hockey, in a different way. Tailgating is awesome, drink beer or pop and eat at 10 a.m. or earlier, hang out. What else is there to do on a saturday in GF in the fall?
ESPNInsider Posted July 28, 2005 Posted July 28, 2005 What else is there to do on a saturday in GF in the fall? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> This actually brought up a good point. Hunting probably hurts BIG TIME!
Let'sGoHawks! Posted July 28, 2005 Posted July 28, 2005 This actually brought up a good point. Hunting probably hurts BIG TIME! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> True, but i said, "in Grand Forks". You always have the population of hunters gone.
ESPNInsider Posted July 28, 2005 Posted July 28, 2005 True, but i said, "in Grand Forks". You always have the population of hunters gone. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I know, but I think a lot of the same people that are hunters are the same kind of guys who like football. A lot of people try to hunt and get back in time for the game so maybe later games would help? Just thinking... I'm not sure that there are other things "in GF" that are really pulling people away from going.
Smoggy Posted July 28, 2005 Posted July 28, 2005 Are you able to sit and have a few beers after the game, or do they force everyone to leave? That would allow the traffic to thin a little.
Cratter Posted July 29, 2005 Posted July 29, 2005 Are you able to sit and have a few beers after the game, or do they force everyone to leave? That would allow the traffic to thin a little. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> They let you drink for a while....say 40-60 minutes, before they start to force you to get out of the parking lot. I guess that's why I never noticed the traffic problem before.
EdtheFred Posted July 29, 2005 Posted July 29, 2005 I dont know, with NDSU football as big as it is there isnt really any place for us to grow. Maybe NW Minnesota where our hockey rep is ok? Otherwise, I dont think our football attendance is that good.
star2city Posted July 29, 2005 Posted July 29, 2005 I dont know, with NDSU football as big as it is there isnt really any place for us to grow. Maybe NW Minnesota where our hockey rep is ok? Otherwise, I dont think our football attendance is that good. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hmm - so now EdtheFred refers to himself as a Sioux fan? Kind of JBB-esque statements, if you ask me.
star2city Posted July 29, 2005 Posted July 29, 2005 Attendance would increase if the home games were not televised on the FSSN/cable. But a more strategic goal of the Athletic Department is to increase interest in Sioux football statewide - which FSSN helps accomplish at the expense of attendance.
Diggler Posted July 29, 2005 Posted July 29, 2005 Do you really want 13,000 people in The Alerus for a playoff game? Everyone would go deaf with an extra 4000 people at one of those games.
EdtheFred Posted July 30, 2005 Posted July 30, 2005 Hey, you guys do alright. Really, good team and everything. When NDSU moves outside to 35.000 seats you guys could rent out the Fabulous Fargo Dome for your really big games, otherwise you have the perfect stadium. Yes, it is me, but I just want to fit in ok? haahahahaha
snaggles Posted July 30, 2005 Posted July 30, 2005 35,000 wouldn't be to bad. I remember the bison announcing the crowd at about 18,000 at there old outside stadium when it only held around 10,000. The ag school just has to find the same guy who counted the attendence back in the old days and they could probably get close to 80,000.
ESPNInsider Posted July 30, 2005 Posted July 30, 2005 Hey, you guys do alright. Really, good team and everything. When NDSU moves outside to 35.000 seats you guys could rent out the Fabulous Fargo Dome for your really big games, otherwise you have the perfect stadium. Yes, it is me, but I just want to fit in ok? haahahahaha <{POST_SNAPBACK}> 35,000? Seems low. Aren't you guys joining the Big 10? I would think you would draw better then that for those huge conference games. And besides why would we have to rent the Fargo Dome, when we own it?
bincitysioux Posted July 30, 2005 Posted July 30, 2005 Attendance would increase if the home games were not televised on the FSSN/cable. But a more strategic goal of the Athletic Department is to increase interest in Sioux football statewide - which FSSN helps accomplish at the expense of attendance. The FSSN is a great asset. I'm sure the cost would be too high, but I think it would be great if FSSN/WDAZ televised away conference games. Perhaps run the livestar struck to at least the closer schools, i.e. St Cloud, Duluth, Augustana. Especially when the team is having success, watching an away game on TV could really make alot of folks want to go to the home game the next weekend. I'd rather see them televise zero home games and 2 or 3 road games rather than the one home game per year that they do now. I also like the beer garden idea. Something like a small scale club lounge like in the Ralph. It would be easy enough to do, just a minor remodel to sequester off 1/3 to 1/2 of the concourse above each endzone. More advertising would be great as well. It is too bad Fighting Sioux sports broadcast rights are owned by KFGO/Clear Channel. It's nice that games can be heard all over the state, but since the rights to the two major universities in the state are owned by huge Fargo stations, the sioux receive little air time. NDSU gets alot of talk on WDAY on Primetime Sports. Sportsnight with Derek Hanson on KFGO rarely mentions the Sioux other than the day after a game, and that is our flagship station. It would be nice if they devoted more time to our beloved Sioux. Or put a local sports show on in the evening on 1440 KKXL in Forks, with a host that is actually in Grand Forks. Or even if 1310 KNOX had the rights.
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