Craig Bohl's comments on NDSU's popularity

[FargoBison]

I suppose they do down in Waterlow Iowa, or some god awful place south of here.

In my opinion Division 1 AA football is nothing more than an over glorified Division two

league.

IAA football=NCAA Hockey.

Total Attendance

IAA football- 5,436,122, average per game 8,521(2005)

NCAA hockey-3,617,107, average per game 3,655(03-04)

As for TV coverage IAA football had 126 games on tv networks(Fox Sports, ESPNU, CSTV, ESPN2, NBC). I have no clue how many hockey games were on tv but I doubt it would be much more if not less.

I don't know which is team bigger in the state but I would say it is pretty close. I don't think I would say NDSU football is going to pass UND hockey but the two will pretty much always be equal unless NDSU goes IA then all bets are off.

[jloos]

I'd say there's no question Minnesota's football team is more popular than it's hockey. I didn't have much to say about the recent basketball vs hockey debate because both have similarly sized fan bases in Minnesota, but football blows both out of the water.

Big Ten football is the biggest sport at every Big Ten school, nothing else comes close. Even the traditionally subpar Gophers draw about 50,000 a game. That a bad football team can so outdraw good hockey and basketball teams is further evidence of how football is in an entirely different league, IMHO.

I would disagree with this to a point. I have been to a few Gopher football games and the only ones that come close to 50,000 fans are when they play Iowa or Wisconsin. Those games probably draw 60,000+ fans, of which about 25,000-40,000 of them are from Iowa or Wisconsin. Football attendance is not a good way to judge the popularity of the program IMO. They have what, five or six home games - the one game against IA or WI they play every year drives up the average.

Except when the Gophers travel to AA or Tech, they pretty much have every game on MSC. The Gopher football team is rarely televised.

[FargoBison]

I would disagree with this to a point. I have been to a few Gopher football games and the only ones that come close to 50,000 fans are when they play Iowa or Wisconsin. Those games probably draw 60,000+ fans, of which about 25,000-40,000 of them are from Iowa or Wisconsin. Football attendance is not a good way to judge the popularity of the program IMO. They have what, five or six home games - the one game against IA or WI they play every year drives up the average.

Except when the Gophers travel to AA or Tech, they pretty much have every game on MSC. The Gopher football team is rarely televised.

Every game the Gophers played last year was on tv, the games were either on ABC, ESPN, or FSN. The Gophers averaged 50,000 fans last year so I think it is safe to say Gopher football is bigger then Gopher hockey and if the Gophers ever get their new stadium then football may really start to take off at Minnesota.

[BisonFanofSiouxHockey]

Funny Topic......I think my screen name allows me to speak to this point.

This weekend I was offered tickets to the Sweet Sixteen in the Metrodome. Now that is BIG TIME athletics.

I didn't hesitate to turn them down cuz I am going to the UND game.

I am a big fan of all Bison athletics....and Craig Bohl.

That being said......I would rather go to a Sioux Hockey game than ANY other sporting event in the area.

People that don't support Sioux Hockey have probably never been to a game.

GO SIOUX!!!!!!

Rob

[LuvState]

I'd say there's no question Minnesota's football team is more popular than it's hockey. I didn't have much to say about the recent basketball vs hockey debate because both have similarly sized fan bases in Minnesota, but football blows both out of the water.

Big Ten football is the biggest sport at every Big Ten school, nothing else comes close. Even the traditionally subpar Gophers draw about 50,000 a game. That a bad football team can so outdraw good hockey and basketball teams is further evidence of how football is in an entirely different league, IMHO.

There is no question that in Minnesota UM football and basketball have a much larger following than hockey. The majority of schools in Minnesota do not even have a hockey team. While I really like hockey, I feel that the "hardcore" hocky fan lives in somewhat of a box and does not see the large picture. They live and die hockey. Just look at TV ratings and the fact that the UM did not even sell all of their tickets for the Frozen Four when they played out in Albany, NY.

[oldralph]

IAA football=NCAA Hockey.

Total Attendance

IAA football- 5,436,122, average per game 8,521

NCAA hockey-3,617,107, average per game 3,655

As for TV coverage IAA football had 126 games on tv networks(Fox Sports, ESPNU, CSTV, ESPN2, NBC). I have no clue how many hockey games were on tv but I doubt it would be much more if not less.

I don't know which is team bigger in the state but I would say it is pretty close. I don't think I would say NDSU football is going to pass UND hockey but the two will pretty much always be equal unless NDSU goes IA then all bets are off.

Hello....there's a small fact being missed here. Hockey arena's hold much fewer people than Football staudiums. Of course they can cram more into a football stadium. Even considering that many of the NCAA venues for hockey hold only a couple thousand (the WCHA & some others being the exceptions, but still much smaller) I think the fact that NCAA hockey draws 2/3 of what IAA football does is amazing.

As far as Bison football being big in this state....I'd say no bigger than it ever was....and certainly no bigger than the Sioux's program. What's the average crowd of Division II football? About 10,000 at UND.

[FargoBison]

Hello....there's a small fact being missed here. Hockey arena's hold much fewer people than Football staudiums. Of course they can cram more into a football stadium. Even considering that many of the NCAA venues for hockey hold only a couple thousand (the WCHA & some others being the exceptions, but still much smaller) I think the fact that NCAA hockey draws 2/3 of what IAA football does is amazing.

As far as Bison football being big in this state....I'd say no bigger than it ever was....and certainly no bigger than the Sioux's program. What's the average crowd of Division II football? About 10,000 at UND.

Well there were 349 more hockey games then football games so that should be taken into consideration and most of the football stadiums seat 12k and under so it's not like we are talking huge stadiums. Bison football is getting bigger, attendance has gone up every year which good since NDSU is playing just for pride(no playoffs unitl 08). How many fans would UND football bring in if you couldn't make the playoffs and were playing pretty much for pride? And NDSU does have the biggest football program in the state(being IAA is only making the gap bigger), NDSU averaged about 14,200 fans and UND averaged about 10,000 fans.

[skateshattrick]

IAA football=NCAA Hockey.

Total Attendance

IAA football- 5,436,122, average per game 8,521(2005)

NCAA hockey-3,617,107, average per game 3,655(03-04)

As for TV coverage IAA football had 126 games on tv networks(Fox Sports, ESPNU, CSTV, ESPN2, NBC). I have no clue how many hockey games were on tv but I doubt it would be much more if not less.

I don't know which is team bigger in the state but I would say it is pretty close. I don't think I would say NDSU football is going to pass UND hockey but the two will pretty much always be equal unless NDSU goes IA then all bets are off.

Anyone can manipulate statistics to support their argument. The fallacy of this analysis is that the comparison is made of all 1AA football programs and all DI hockey teams (and hockey is for 03-04, not current). Why not a comparison between UND, UW or UM hockey with the Bison football team? The Sioux average over 11,000 per game, the Gophers over 10,000, and Wisconsin is even higher. The Bison probably do not average that much for a home football game. However, just assume that the Bison drew 20,000 per game, which is "pie in the sky." They play 5-6 home games per year for an unrealistic total of 20k x 6=120,000. The Sioux play on average 20 games per year with an average of 11,000. That is 20 x 11k=220,000. The numbers are not even close. Plus, realistically, the Bison probably average 10-15k per game, even with its skewed attendance figures. Add it TV viewership and its not close---MANY more people will watch the Sioux v. Gophers or Sioux v. Wisconsin than the Bison v. anyone. Common sense tells you that---unless you are a Bison tool with rose-colored glasses.

[The Sicatoka]

Coach Bohl is basically admitting that NDSU football is not as popular as UND hockey.

Yup, but again,

Mr. Bohl must not have gotten the official Bison memo on the subject:

Nobody cares about hockey.

So why bring it up in comparison?

Me thinks the green-eyed monster named Jealousy may have a shaved head as well.

[skateshattrick]

Yup, but again,

So why bring it up in comparison?

Me thinks the green-eyed monster named Jealousy may have a shaved head as well.

Exactly! I have never seen a bigger case of penis envy than Bison fans!

[teamsioux]

Like I have said all along, if UND didn't have an ultra successful DI hockey program full of tradional.....NDSU wouldn't have made the jump to DI yet.

[Goon]

This all stems from NDSU's agreement to play UofM in football next year. So let's ask this question? Is U of M football more popular than U of M Hockey? I think not. When was the last time U of M football was ranked #1 in the nation? There are many years they aren't #1 in the state.

So Bohl is biased toward football and that should be expected. But his program will not bring home the bacon at 1-AA and will never, ever surpass the popularity of Div 1 hockey at UND or anywhere else...

The Bison Make 300,000 and then they get pumelled. That doesn't on its face mean NDSU deserves more respect.

[FargoBison]

Like I have said all along, if UND didn't have an ultra successful DI hockey program full of tradional.....NDSU wouldn't have made the jump to DI yet.

NDSU moving up had a lot to do with the state of DII football and make-up of the division as whole. Plus NDSU had outgrown DII and it was time to move on, NDSU had been talking about DI since 1980 it was bound to happen eventually.

[BigGreyAnt41]

NDSU moving up had a lot to do with the state of DII football and make-up of the division as whole. Plus NDSU had outgrown DII and it was time to move on, NDSU had been talking about DI since 1980 it was bound to happen eventually.

Yup, 1980, and 1987, and 1997, and 2000, right?

Sorry....just had to.

[southpaw]

i agree that the state of d2 football has declined... but that never stopped the bison from not winning recent championships.

[FargoBison]

Anyone can manipulate statistics to support their argument. The fallacy of this analysis is that the comparison is made of all 1AA football programs and all DI hockey teams (and hockey is for 03-04, not current). Why not a comparison between UND, UW or UM hockey with the Bison football team? The Sioux average over 11,000 per game, the Gophers over 10,000, and Wisconsin is even higher. The Bison probably do not average that much for a home football game. However, just assume that the Bison drew 20,000 per game, which is "pie in the sky." They play 5-6 home games per year for an unrealistic total of 20k x 6=120,000. The Sioux play on average 20 games per year with an average of 11,000. That is 20 x 11k=220,000. The numbers are not even close. Plus, realistically, the Bison probably average 10-15k per game, even with its skewed attendance figures. Add it TV viewership and its not close---MANY more people will watch the Sioux v. Gophers or Sioux v. Wisconsin than the Bison v. anyone. Common sense tells you that---unless you are a Bison tool with rose-colored glasses.

I am not manipulating anything, my arguement was IAA footbal vs hockey and which is bigger(somone said nobody cares about IAA football). I know UND will always have a higher total attendance number but the people attending the games are pretty much the same 10 thousand people so I wouldn't say that is great arguement as to why UND hockey is more popular then NDSU football. I am not wearing rose colored glasses the two are pretty much equals in the state and I don't see one surpassing the other.

[FargoBison]

i agree that the state of d2 football has declined... but that never stopped the bison from not winning recent championships.

I never said that it did but a lot of the old DII football powers have left DII and most of the schools that are left are pretty unattractive to play against and really nothing like NDSU. IAA is much better fit since NDSU is with most of the old powers of DII and NDSU fits in with IAA alot more then it does with DII. From the schedules to the competition IAA is much better and it is probably a much better fit for UND as well.

[tnt]

Maybe, this was the wrong time to bring up this topic, especially if it takes the focus off a great tournament we have coming up this weekend. Go Sioux! Beat Michigan!

[southpaw]

I never said that it did but a lot of the old DII football powers have left DII and most of the schools that are left are pretty unattractive to play against and really nothing like NDSU. IAA is much better fit since NDSU is with most of the old powers of DII and NDSU fits in with IAA alot more then it does with DII. From the schedules to the competition IAA is much better and it is probably a much better fit for UND as well.

i'm just saying if the competition is that much better... what was stopping the almight ndsu from winning a national championshp recently?

it's gotta be tough knowing that since the #1 sport at ndsu won a championship, UND has won two in their #1 sport and another one in the #2 sport. seems like bohl realizes that ndsu has already taken a back seat to UND hockey. anybody notice that nobody from UND is comparing the popularity of the two sports?

it's like miller lite commercials v bud light commercials... as the #2 beer, a lot of miller light's commercials compare it with bud light, but almost all of bud light commericals make no mention of miller light.

[skateshattrick]

I am not wearing rose colored glasses the two are pretty much equals in the state and I don't see one surpassing the other.

Pretty much equals?? What color is the sky in your world? Keep telling yourself that Alice and you and Toto will be home from Wonderland and back in Kansas soon!! The Bison are irrelevant to every Sioux fan and to every D1 program outside of Fargo. The Sioux are discussed by every team on every message board from Maine to Boston College to Michigan to Wisconsin to Minnesota etc. Do us a favor and PLEASE go away and stop trying to convince us that any of us care about the Bison.

[jimdahl]

it's like miller lite commercials v bud light commercials... as the #2 beer, a lot of miller light's commercials compare it with bud light, but almost all of bud light commericals make no mention of miller light.

Woah there... If this thread has gotten so ugly that people are comparing Bud Light favorably to Miller Lite, it has lost all touch with reality and is nearing a lockdown

[teamsioux]

NDSU moving up had a lot to do with the state of DII football and make-up of the division as whole. Plus NDSU had outgrown DII and it was time to move on, NDSU had been talking about DI since 1980 it was bound to happen eventually.

Notice, I said yet! I didn't say they would never have made the jump. UND had moved into these new arenas, had won 6 Naional titles the last decade plus another 5 runner-ups in the title games. NDSU has had one runner-up(in the major spectator sports) during that time frame. I believe they were needing a boost to the programs and that was the way to do it, it's alright, just admit that maybe things were sped up a little bit because of the rivalry. UND chose to see what the NCAA is/was going to do with scholarship limits and reclassification of divisions. UND has much less pressure to move because the great success being enjoyed by fb,wbb and hockey. Fans will put up with playing a poor non-conference schedule when the teams are going deep into the playoffs most years.

[southpaw]

Woah there... If this thread has gotten so ugly that people are comparing Bud Light favorably to Miller Lite, it has lost all touch with reality and is nearing a lockdown

whoa... if youre saying that miller light is better than bud light, then i guess i'll buy you all the crappy miller light at that ndsu playoff game next year.

[MafiaMan]

The Sioux are discussed by every team on every message board from Maine to Boston College to Michigan to Wisconsin to Minnesota etc.

But isn't the Bison football team discussed on every message board from Hofstra to Cal Poly to James Madison to Stephen F. Austin?

[redwing77]

We're getting all worked up about a Fargo based coach getting interviewed by a Fargo based reporter on a topic whose main marketing base is Fargo.

I do think that it is indeed foreseeable that NDSU football will be more popular than UND hockey in the Fargo-Moorhead (and surrounding) areas. They May be able to ring in parts of Western ND too, since football is played out there and is, therefore, more popular than hockey (which in the west basically holds to certain areas). Will NDSU football be the most popular sport in North Dakota? Nope. Why? Because every population base will have an opinion on it and will either agree or disagree. There's going to be a wide variation on that opinion. I have no doubt that NDSU football or any athletics will never be popular in Grand Forks. The same thing will be largely true of UND athletics in Fargo. Yeah, there is a large following of UND hockey in Fargo, but it really is apples and oranges between UND and NDSU because NDSU doesn't have a hockey program outside of the club team.

Let Bohl say what he wishes about it. Let this reporter say what he wishes. It's triviality meant to rev up the NDSU boosters and the NDSU fundraising efforts. It's basic marketing. That's all.