Facilities Master Plan

[darell1976]

If NDSU builds another football stadium it won't be a dome, cost is just too much. But really we are 15-20 years at least from even talking about this, the school needs to build up demand and the economy needs to rebound in a big way. There is no way Fargo voters will foot the bill for anything else, especially when you look at how much is going into flood protection.

I am surprised they haven't been crying to leave the Fargodome. Only 1 playoff game ever since moving out of Dacotah Field. UND flipped their situation around from leaving Memorial into the Alerus and winning a national title in its first season inside. I just think the Fargodome is preventing NDSU from making more money they could have if they played in a 25-30k stadium. Now fitting people that size outside into our weather that may be a stretch. And I agree there are more important money issues in Fargo like flooding, but if UND starts their "new" stadium remodel down the road and Fargo is still dragging its feet (due to flooding) people are going to wonder 2 things....where is all this flood money going (new sales tax) and how come UND has a IPF, and a new stadium when (to quote Bison fans) hockey is king, and NDSU has more interest on all the "minor" sports like track where "football is king".

[MplsBison]

Money is tight right now, I'm sure Gene Taylor would love to have the facility you are talking about but Saul Phillips can only wait so much longer for the facility that he absolutely needs. The track has to come first, the BSA is used by so many teams that it is vital to have that space up and running for when the rest of the BSA is gutted. So it isn't like NDSU can sit around wait for another $5-10 million to come when they are already waiting for 5-10 million to finish what they have planned. An indoor practice facility is a luxury at this point and it isn't like in a few years it couldn't be added, I'm sure it would be much cheaper to build minus the seats and 300 meter track.

How do you know the dome has a problem with NDSU using it's facility? Last time I checked the school pays rent and the dome makes a good deal of money on NDSU's games. Obviously they aren't going to cancel concerts/trade shows to let NDSU practice but it isn't like the dome is jam packed with events, especially during football season. Plus I don't think Bohl has any issue with practicing outside on his nice new sprinturf practice field.

I'm not advocating taking money away from completing the new basketball practice facility or making the updates to the BSA basketball arena seating. Those updates have to be done as the top priority. But my point is that they should only take around $15 million.

That leaves $17 million from the total $32 million that is being raised. So my point is that the next projects should be to spend $12 million on a true indoor facility (like the Youngstown facility) and then the rest of the $5 million can go for the new weight room and training room addition to the BSA.

The other upgrades can wait.

NDSU has an agreement with the Fargodome, the specifics of which I am not privy. But I'm pretty certain that it requires the Fargodome only to prepare the main arena floor with the football turf for the 6 home football games and a limited number of practice dates - the whole year!

It's not like Bohl can just call up the dome manager willy nilly and say "Set the floor up, a lightning storm just rolled in and we have to practice today!". Doesn't work like that.

And there are times when NDSU need an indoor place to practice.

[Bison Dan]

I'm not advocating taking money away from completing the new basketball practice facility or making the updates to the BSA basketball arena seating. Those updates have to be done as the top priority. But my point is that they should only take around $15 million.

That leaves $17 million from the total $32 million that is being raised. So my point is that the next projects should be to spend $12 million on a true indoor facility (like the Youngstown facility) and then the rest of the $5 million can go for the new weight room and training room addition to the BSA.

The other upgrades can wait.

NDSU has an agreement with the Fargodome, the specifics of which I am not privy. But I'm pretty certain that it requires the Fargodome only to prepare the main arena floor with the football turf for the 6 home football games and a limited number of practice dates - the whole year!

It's not like Bohl can just call up the dome manager willy nilly and say "Set the floor up, a lightning storm just rolled in and we have to practice today!". Doesn't work like that.

And there are times when NDSU need an indoor place to practice.

Each school has different needs. With Dacotah field having the new turf and with most of all our sports located around the same location the need for a fb indoor practice faclity doesn't make grade. There are only a few times in the spring that it would actually be needed. Better to practice outside where most of their games will be played anyway. When it's all done NDSU will have one of the best setups in FCS all at a central location.

[IrishSiouxFan]

For the love of God can we please stop talking about NDSU and how horrible there facilities are. Take it over to Bisonville.

[bincitysioux]

I just think the Fargodome is preventing NDSU from making more money they could have if they played in a 25-30k stadium.

How?

15,000 in a 19,000 seat stadium brings in the same revenue as 15,000 in a 30,000 seat stadium....................

Same goes for North Dakota..........If we had this 30,000 seat stadium that many are dreaming of, it doesn't make us any more revenue than our current 13,000 seat arena does when only 8,500 people are coming to games.

And I'm quite skeptical about how well the fans of either North Dakota or NDSU would welcome a move back outdoors after spending decades in a climate controlled environment. I'd go, but I wouldn't be happy about it, and I am die-hard.

As far as the "FBS-readiness" of either school (a path I hope that North Dakota certainly never goes down), both are in fine shape IMO. If Idaho's Kibbie Dome seats 15,000...........than so does the Alerus. The all time attendance record at the Alerus is "officially" 13,500...................like many schools already do, North Dakota could come up with a creative way to at the very least issue 1,500 more tickets than that for games.

I hope this Indoor Practice Facility gets off the ground in the near term. It could be a boon for multiple North Dakota sports. Something that sets it apart from the rest and could be a real asset. But let's not pretend it is some sort of silver bullet. Apparently, Youngstown has perhaps the nicest one in FCS.................and they've been pretty mediocre for the better part of a decade.

I'd rather challenge for a Big Sky title over the next several years than worry about where in the world North Dakota is going to play football in the remote chance that we ever join the WAC..........

[IrishSiouxFan]

How?

15,000 in a 19,000 seat stadium brings in the same revenue as 15,000 in a 30,000 seat stadium....................

Same goes for North Dakota..........If we had this 30,000 seat stadium that many are dreaming of, it doesn't make us any more revenue than our current 13,000 seat arena does when only 8,500 people are coming to games.

And I'm quite skeptical about how well the fans of either North Dakota or NDSU would welcome a move back outdoors after spending decades in a climate controlled environment. I'd go, but I wouldn't be happy about it, and I am die-hard.

As far as the "FBS-readiness" of either school (a path I hope that North Dakota certainly never goes down), both are in fine shape IMO. If Idaho's Kibbie Dome seats 15,000...........than so does the Alerus. The all time attendance record at the Alerus is "officially" 13,500...................like many schools already do, North Dakota could come up with a creative way to at the very least issue 1,500 more tickets than that for games.

I hope this Indoor Practice Facility gets off the ground in the near term. It could be a boon for multiple North Dakota sports. Something that sets it apart from the rest and could be a real asset. But let's not pretend it is some sort of silver bullet. Apparently, Youngstown has perhaps the nicest one in FCS.................and they've been pretty mediocre for the better part of a decade.

I'd rather challenge for a Big Sky title over the next several years than worry about where in the world North Dakota is going to play football in the remote chance that we ever join the WAC..........

I respectfully disagree with most of your statement. Attendance for football has suffered mainly due to the quality of teams on the schedule mixed in with the disappointing performance of our team. Things are starting to look up at UND in terms of football, we are recruiting higher end players and with the possibility of a state of the art IPF our recruiting classes will get better and better. I'm originally from the south (Tennessee) and have lived in Grand Forks for about five years now and have no idea why people here wouldn't want to have an outdoor football stadium, the weather doesn't get cold till around November and the below zero climate doesn't arrive until mid to late December. I am very impressed with the new outdoor facilities that North Texas and and Florida Atlantic have built (seats 30,000) for UND $80 million, there is no reason we couldn't do something like that here. Bottom line is UND's football attendance will go through the roof once we start playing in the BSC, regardless if we stay or try to move up to FBS play we have to start planning for a future in another stadium, we are about to hit a huge growing spurt.

[darell1976]

I respectfully disagree with most of your statement. Attendance for football has suffered mainly due to the quality of teams on the schedule mixed in with the disappointing performance of our team. Things are starting to look up at UND in terms of football, we are recruiting higher end players and with the possibility of a state of the art IPF our recruiting classes will get better and better. I'm originally from the south (Tennessee) and have lived in Grand Forks for about five years now and have no idea why people here wouldn't want to have an outdoor football stadium, the weather doesn't get cold till around November and the below zero climate doesn't arrive until mid to late December. I am very impressed with the new outdoor facilities that North Texas and and Florida Atlantic have built (seats 30,000) for UND $80 million, there is no reason we couldn't do something like that here. Bottom line is UND's football attendance will go through the roof once we start playing in the BSC, regardless if we stay or try to move up to FBS play we have to start planning for a future in another stadium, we are about to hit a huge growing spurt.

I also think being in transition and in a minor league conference with only a conference title to play for is a reason for attendance woes. Just look at our attendance in 2001-2003 at the Alerus they were through the roof. Yes playing NDSU helped but UND had great crowds (minus playoffs against Winona St.). Also the last Sioux game to be cancelled due to weather was back in 90 or 91 against Northern Colorado due to a blizzard where UNC couldn't make it in. UND needs out of the Alerus if and when they explore the FBS. But we still have like 8 years to go on the lease so lets talk FBS next decade.

[IrishSiouxFan]

I also think being in transition and in a minor league conference with only a conference title to play for is a reason for attendance woes. Just look at our attendance in 2001-2003 at the Alerus they were through the roof. Yes playing NDSU helped but UND had great crowds (minus playoffs against Winona St.). Also the last Sioux game to be cancelled due to weather was back in 90 or 91 against Northern Colorado due to a blizzard where UNC couldn't make it in. UND needs out of the Alerus if and when they explore the FBS. But we still have like 8 years to go on the lease so lets talk FBS next decade.

But lets spend that 8 years left on the lease doing some serious fund raising for a new stadium.

[UNDvince97-01]

But lets spend that 8 years left on the lease doing some serious fund raising for a new stadium.

100% agreed.

[darell1976]

But lets spend that 8 years left on the lease doing some serious fund raising for a new stadium.

Exactly. I think UND is taking the correct steps. #1 secure a conference, #2 IPF, #3 raise money for an outdoor stadium, #4 FBS. And if people are worried about attendance look at hockey we went from 6,067 to 11,700.

[IrishSiouxFan]

Exactly. I think UND is taking the correct steps. #1 secure a conference, #2 IPF, #3 raise money for an outdoor stadium, #4 FBS. And if people are worried about attendance look at hockey we went from 6,067 to 11,700.

and that number would have been much higher if the REA was larger or had the ability to expand. We could easily sell out 15,000 to 20,000 tickets for certain games.

[bincitysioux]

I'm originally from the south (Tennessee) and have lived in Grand Forks for about five years now and have no idea why people here wouldn't want to have an outdoor football stadium, the weather doesn't get cold till around November and the below zero climate doesn't arrive until mid to late December. I am very impressed with the new outdoor facilities that North Texas and and Florida Atlantic have built (seats 30,000) for UND $80 million, there is no reason we couldn't do something like that here.

Personally I have no problem with outdoor football in this region, and as I said I would still be there. But I froze my ass off enough as a student at North Dakota before the Alerus was built and at other NCC venues to know that the climate controlled confines of the Alerus are a great asset. Now that I am older, I am sure I am not the only father that would think twice about bringing a 3 year old and 6 year old to a late October or early November game outside when it is 45 degrees with a 20+ mph wind......................and when I am 65 and crabby about my arthritic knees, I'll bet I won't want to sit my butt on an aluminum bleacher next to some 33 year old father that dragged his 3 and 6 year old kids to the game that started whining about being cold after the first quarter.

Bottom line is UND's football attendance will go through the roof once we start playing in the BSC.................

I also think being in transition and in a minor league conference with only a conference title to play for is a reason for attendance woes.

It is easy to blame our mediocre attendance on the transition. We've played some poor teams at home, and have sometime played poorly against them. But the reality is that of the 5 former NCC schools to move to DI, North Dakota is the only one that has experienced a drop in attendance rather than an increase over the course of the transition....................

Why you ask? A combination of things, but the biggest reason is because sports fans in Grand Forks and the surrounding area are a fickle bunch and alot of them border on not being very knowledgable about the level of college football that UND competes at. Everyone loves a winner. I'm convinced that a good portion of people that are inclined to buy tickets to North Dakota football games don't really care who they play, they just want to see a convincing win, with alot of points and hear the fireworks go off and high-five Loyal Janke as he trots around the arena. Evidence of this is the fact that North Dakota set its all time attendance record in 2008 with perhaps the worst home schedule in the modern history of the program. Every DII and DIII game on the schedule that year outdrew Cal Poly the following year which was ranked #16 at the time, and was perhaps the best football team that has ever come into the Alerus.

So while I honestly hope that you are right about attendance going through the roof when we start Big Sky play (and I'm sure it will get a boost) , I don't think it will be the silver bullet that some make it out to be.....................unless UND wins. People will be intrigued by Montana of course, but unless we are playing good football and the Herald articles are about how we're in the top 3 of the standings in the conference, the average Sioux football attendee won't care if it is defending national champion Eastern Washington or Black Hills St..........................

And if people are worried about attendance look at hockey we went from 6,067 to 11,700.

I love hockey, I'm there every weekend, but football in Grand Forks will always take a back seat to hockey, at every level of play. It is apples and oranges.

[bisonh8er]

Personally, I hate the Alerus. A retractable roof stadium would be the ultimate prize for the school right now, although that might be a pipe dream. No matter if they build an indoor or outdoor stadium, attendance will at least double in my opinion. UND would have facilities second to none at the FCS level and even better than the majority or FBS teams. That helps sign better recruits, which makes a better team, which creates more interest from fans. I think a new stadium easily sells out anywhere from 13,000 to 20,000 a game. Wouldn't surprise me one bit to be able to fill a 20,000-25,000 seat stadium if a team like NDSU or Montana is in town. Football might always take a back seat to hockey, but if UND is fighting for championships they will have no problems finding fan support.

If you build it, they will come. Just ask Kevin Costner.

[darell1976]

Personally I have no problem with outdoor football in this region, and as I said I would still be there. But I froze my ass off enough as a student at North Dakota before the Alerus was built and at other NCC venues to know that the climate controlled confines of the Alerus are a great asset. Now that I am older, I am sure I am not the only father that would think twice about bringing a 3 year old and 6 year old to a late October or early November game outside when it is 45 degrees with a 20+ mph wind......................and when I am 65 and crabby about my arthritic knees, I'll bet I won't want to sit my butt on an aluminum bleacher next to some 33 year old father that dragged his 3 and 6 year old kids to the game that started whining about being cold after the first quarter.

It is easy to blame our mediocre attendance on the transition. We've played some poor teams at home, and have sometime played poorly against them. But the reality is that of the 5 former NCC schools to move to DI, North Dakota is the only one that has experienced a drop in attendance rather than an increase over the course of the transition....................

Why you ask? A combination of things, but the biggest reason is because sports fans in Grand Forks and the surrounding area are a fickle bunch and alot of them border on not being very knowledgable about the level of college football that UND competes at. Everyone loves a winner. I'm convinced that a good portion of people that are inclined to buy tickets to North Dakota football games don't really care who they play, they just want to see a convincing win, with alot of points and hear the fireworks go off and high-five Loyal Janke as he trots around the arena. Evidence of this is the fact that North Dakota set its all time attendance record in 2008 with perhaps the worst home schedule in the modern history of the program. Every DII and DIII game on the schedule that year outdrew Cal Poly the following year which was ranked #16 at the time, and was perhaps the best football team that has ever come into the Alerus.

So while I honestly hope that you are right about attendance going through the roof when we start Big Sky play (and I'm sure it will get a boost) , I don't think it will be the silver bullet that some make it out to be.....................unless UND wins. People will be intrigued by Montana of course, but unless we are playing good football and the Herald articles are about how we're in the top 3 of the standings in the conference, the average Sioux football attendee won't care if it is defending national champion Eastern Washington or Black Hills St..........................

I love hockey, I'm there every weekend, but football in Grand Forks will always take a back seat to hockey, at every level of play. It is apples and oranges.

And of course like you said its winning. I remember going to hockey games in the 80's and there was always a ticket available and a half empty building (except vs Minny). Now hockey tickets are hard to get. I think football can get that way too if we get some decent opponents (no NAIA or DII crap) and kick some @ss in the Big Sky.

[iramurphy]

UND is a hockey school in the winter. UND is a FB school in the fall. When UND WBB and MBB is playing well we used to get great crowds and will again. When UND finishes the transition and starts competing against the Big Sky, and FCS teams the attendence will go back up for FB but UND will need to be competitive and will need to compete for Conference and National titiles. UND is a hockey school to the hockey fans. To most UND alumni, UND is UND and we tend to be UND fans whether it is FB, baseball, track, swimming, or aviation competition. We have a good number of hockey fans who cheer for NDSU in other sports but drive to GF for hockey. Hockey fans have their own culture special to hockey starting with mites on up to the pros and UND is no different. IF UND hockey loses its edge we will see the attendence drop. I don't see that happening is the near future but its the nature of the beast and the modern fan. The Alerus can be expanded if necessary, the new indoor track and FB indoor practice facility will be a big boost to the program and to recruiting.

[Matt]

NDSU does not control the Fargodome. They have to ask permission to use the space for football practices and if the Dome is hosting an event, obviously it can't be used. It takes more than 30 minutes to set up the field and once the new turf goes in the conversion will take hours. The Fargodome would prefer if no NDSU teams ever practice there, because it takes money away from the Dome and they get no revenue out of it. They only want to host football games and basketball games.No doubt about it, NDSU's outdoor teams would greatly benefit from an indoor field. The building is being built and it is incredibly - stupidly - short sighted not to at least have turf in the infield of the 200m track. Building a 300m building would be far superior and frankly some of the other updates that they have planned for this $32 million can just wait.

This quote shows you don't know what you are talking about, simply stating your opinion. I know several members of the Fargodome admin personnally. Your comments in no way represent their position re:NDSU football.

In case you haven't noticed by the number of booking dates and the resulting effects on the bottom line of facilities, there aren't as many days being utilized anymore. Facilities like to have guaranteed dates from which to plan around. Hypothetically, if a more profitable event opportunity presented itself on a date on which ndsu football had a practice, I've no doubt it would be accomodated. NDSU is an accomodating partner for the dome as much as the reverse is true.

[bincitysioux]

No matter if they build an indoor or outdoor stadium, attendance will at least double in my opinion. UND would have facilities second to none at the FCS level

Take a good look at the FCS venues around the country....................North Dakota probably already has one of the best 25 or so....................

You think simply building a new venue will double attendance? The Alerus is only 10 years old! Attendance didn't double when we moved into it...................

I think a new stadium easily sells out anywhere from 13,000 to 20,000 a game.

Again, the Alerus is basically new, and we struggle to get 10,000 in there, and have only filled it up a handful of times in a decade...............

Wouldn't surprise me one bit to be able to fill a 20,000-25,000 seat stadium if a team like NDSU or Montana is in town

Are you sure even a hated rival like NDSU would generate that much interest? The last time we played them we couldn't even sell out a 12,000+ seat arena, and everyone knew that was going to be the last game between the two. Remember..........Boston College was also in town to play hockey that day. That is how big an impact UND hockey has on UND football...........an early season non-conference game against a team from over 1,000 miles away takes precedence over the final meeting ever against UND's most hated football rival of more than 100 years..................

Don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing the hockey base or even saying it is a negative thing at all, just pointing out that that is the way it is Grand Forks....................

I think a big thing is that alot of people point to football at NDSU and their ''healthy" attendance, especially a few years ago when I believe they averaged a sell-out over two consecutive seasons (18,000+) and they think "UND should be able to do that, they've always been just as competetive as NDSU". Well, yes they have been just as competetive on the playing field over the course of 100 years..............but number 1 it is about location. NDSU is located in the most populous area of the state. 3 times the size of the Grand Forks area. Number 2, they don't have to compete with anyone locally for the entertainment dollars. UND football has to compete pretty much directly with another program of its own department for the local entertainment dollars and interest. Not only are they competing against themselves basically, they are competing with what is hands down the most poplular sports entity in North Dakota in Sioux Hockey......................

All I am saying is, be thankful for the Alerus Center as the home venue for Sioux football, it is a great asset. If you don't think so, visit USD, SDSU, Southern Utah, Western Illinois, Georgetown, Northern Colorado, and about 85 other FCS stadiums, and I think you'll change your mind about UND having a subpar facility for football.......................

[darell1976]

Take a good look at the FCS venues around the country....................North Dakota probably already has one of the best 25 or so....................

You think simply building a new venue will double attendance? The Alerus is only 10 years old! Attendance didn't double when we moved into it...................

Again, the Alerus is basically new, and we struggle to get 10,000 in there, and have only filled it up a handful of times in a decade...............

Are you sure even a hated rival like NDSU would generate that much interest? The last time we played them we couldn't even sell out a 12,000+ seat arena, and everyone knew that was going to be the last game between the two. Remember..........Boston College was also in town to play hockey that day. That is how big an impact UND hockey has on UND football...........an early season non-conference game against a team from over 1,000 miles away takes precedence over the final meeting ever against UND's most hated football rival of more than 100 years..................

Don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing the hockey base or even saying it is a negative thing at all, just pointing out that that is the way it is Grand Forks....................

I think a big thing is that alot of people point to football at NDSU and their ''healthy" attendance, especially a few years ago when I believe they averaged a sell-out over two consecutive seasons (18,000+) and they think "UND should be able to do that, they've always been just as competetive as NDSU". Well, yes they have been just as competetive on the playing field over the course of 100 years..............but number 1 it is about location. NDSU is located in the most populous area of the state. 3 times the size of the Grand Forks area. Number 2, they don't have to compete with anyone locally for the entertainment dollars. UND football has to compete pretty much directly with another program of its own department for the local entertainment dollars and interest. Not only are they competing against themselves basically, they are competing with what is hands down the most poplular sports entity in North Dakota in Sioux Hockey......................

All I am saying is, be thankful for the Alerus Center as the home venue for Sioux football, it is a great asset. If you don't think so, visit USD, SDSU, Southern Utah, Western Illinois, Georgetown, Northern Colorado, and about 85 other FCS stadiums, and I think you'll change your mind about UND having a subpar facility for football.......................

2007 (our last year in DII)

vs Humboldt St 10,178

vs Cent. Wash 10,743

vs Augustana 12,148

vs Neb-Omaha 11,563

vs SCSU 9320

Playoff vs Winona St 5370

total Avg 9887 or 10,740 (not including Winona St)

We can fill the Alerus. I mean 12,148 to see Augustana?!? 10,000+ to see Cent Wash and Humboldt St? In fact since 2001 UND has had 25 games over 10,000 in the seats out of 67 games or 37%.

But 5 out of 15 in our transition period that 33% or 38% before. Not great but it shows transition is the #1 reason for attendance woes. Lets just see how attendance does in 2012 and beyond and I bet we rock the house.

[Matt]

2007 (our last year in DII)

vs Humboldt St 10,178

vs Cent. Wash 10,743

vs Augustana 12,148

vs Neb-Omaha 11,563

vs SCSU 9320

Playoff vs Winona St 5370

total Avg 9887 or 10,740 (not including Winona St)

We can fill the Alerus. I mean 12,148 to see Augustana?!? 10,000+ to see Cent Wash and Humboldt St? In fact since 2001 UND has had 25 games over 10,000 in the seats out of 67 games or 37%.

But 5 out of 15 in our transition period that 33% or 38% before. Not great but it shows transition is the #1 reason for attendance woes. Lets just see how attendance does in 2012 and beyond and I bet we rock the house.

You ignored the stat that our regional peers increased attendance during the transition. That would indicate transition isn't the key factor.

[PhillySioux]

You ignored the stat that our regional peers increased attendance during the transition. That would indicate transition isn't the key factor.

Those who had increased attendance throughout the transition were programs that were in the ditch (playoff wise) prior to their respective moves. The transition along with an improved product on the field gave their respective fanbases something to be excited about for the first time in a number of years, thus increased attendance.

UND put a stop to a consistent DII playoff program. They then asked their fans to cool their jets while this transition thing worked itself out. Its a very different scenario and unfortunately it impacted attendance.

[darell1976]

Those who had increased attendance throughout the transition were programs that were in the ditch (playoff wise) prior to their respective moves. The transition along with an improved product on the field gave their respective fanbases something to be excited about for the first time in a number of years, thus increased attendance.

UND put a stop to a consistent DII playoff program. They then asked their fans to cool their jets while this transition thing worked itself out. Its a very different scenario and unfortunately it impacted attendance.

Plus UND has hockey that fans flock too, what does USD and SDSU fans have to flock too that averages over 11,000 a night? Not basketball. Football is the only game in town, same with NDSU. They can't put 11,000 in the BSA.

[UNDvince97-01]

We will see what the attendance will be for this year when the fans have 3 good FCS games (Drake, Poly, USD) and 3 not so good games (Montana Western, Black Hills St and Sioux Falls).

I hope people come out and support the team this year at every game. The Big Sky Conference schedule is on the horizon. Lets send this program out of transition oblivion with a bang and send them into the 2012 recruiting season and Big Sky with some momentum.

Recruits will be at these games guys. Lets not disappoint.

[Matt]

Those who had increased attendance throughout the transition were programs that were in the ditch (playoff wise) prior to their respective moves. The transition along with an improved product on the field gave their respective fanbases something to be excited about for the first time in a number of years, thus increased attendance.

UND put a stop to a consistent DII playoff program. They then asked their fans to cool their jets while this transition thing worked itself out. Its a very different scenario and unfortunately it impacted attendance.

I believe this is the key factor for attendance, inside a transition or out of one.

[MplsBison]

I believe this is the key factor for attendance, inside a transition or out of one.

Sadly, I have to disagree.

Some of the best football teams to ever visit the Fargodome have produced some of the worst attendance. For example, Cal Poly in 2004 was one of the best teams in the nation. I think attendance was something like 12k. Could've been higher and also could've been because of hunting.

It comes down basically to how excited you can get the core fanbase - the ones who will buy season tickets. And the prime motivation for that excitement is not necessarily how talented the players on the field are (again, sadly).

Transitioning from DII to DI itself can generate a lot of excitement in the core fanbase.

[Matt]

Sadly, I have to disagree.

Some of the best football teams to ever visit the Fargodome have produced some of the worst attendance. For example, Cal Poly in 2004 was one of the best teams in the nation. I think attendance was something like 12k. Could've been higher and also could've been because of hunting.

It comes down basically to how excited you can get the core fanbase - the ones who will buy season tickets. And the prime motivation for that excitement is not necessarily how talented the players on the field are (again, sadly).

Transitioning from DII to DI itself can generate a lot of excitement in the core fanbase.

I wasn't referring to the quality of the opponent. The quality of Cal Poly in 2004 is secondary to the quality of ndsu in 2004. It's the quality of the home team which matters, which is what my bolded text was emphasizing.