Alerus/Canad Complex

[fightingsioux4life]

You better go out and buy another set of season tickets! We need all the fans possible at our games!

I second this. It is a disgrace that our home games are not better attended. An even bigger disgrace are the excuses people come up with as to why people don't come (hunting season, people are at "the lake", blah, blah, blah! ). A program as accomplished as ours deserves better support than it gets. Now that the games are indoors, the weather is no longer an excuse. If we can get rid of all the other excuses, I think we'll draw much better.

[Siouxstudent1]

I second this. It is a disgrace that our home games are not better attended. An even bigger disgrace are the excuses people come up with as to why people don't come (hunting season, people are at "the lake", blah, blah, blah! ). A program as accomplished as ours deserves better support than it gets. Now that the games are indoors, the weather is no longer an excuse. If we can get rid of all the other excuses, I think we'll draw much better.

Some of the reason the games arent more well attended is who wants to watch a game where UND is up by 50 at halftime. Its boring.......we destroyed the competition until the playoffs, it was the same game every week. UND 50 Opponent 7 or 3.

[fightingsioux4life]

Some of the reason the games arent more well attended is who wants to watch a game where UND is up by 50 at halftime. Its boring.......we destroyed the competition until the playoffs, it was the same game every week. UND 50 Opponent 7 or 3.

That is true....however, we have had competitive match-ups that did not draw very well when they should have. Homecoming and Potato Bowl always draw well, but some other home games have not drawn well when they should. The fact that we have had some powerful teams over the past several years should encourage people to check it out, not stay home. Why should the program be penalized for playing too well? I go to every home game (whether we are playing Augustana or Grand Valley State) and some road games whenever I can make it. When NDSU was in it's heyday back in the 1980's, did fans choose not to attend games if they didn't involve a nationally ranked opponent or did they pack Dacotah Field for each and every home game? I think the answer was closer to the latter than the former and I think we should shoot for this level of consistency in our fan base. The move up to Division I will help with the quality of opponents and then there will be no more excuses.

[Sioux-cia]

Working in AZ this past year made it hard to attend any home football games. When I was home, I attended every home game. 50-3 scores rock!!! I got to drink beer, eat what ever I wanted and lost the calories by jumping up and down, screaming and cheering when we scored. Everytime!!!

If I'm home for any home games this fall, I'll buy general admission. By selling my season tickets to a buddy and not turning them in, I still have them when I'm home for good.

[SiouxMeNow]

If I can interrupt the bickering and get back to the topic (Alerus/Canad Complex) for just a second?

Thank you.

Now that I have everybody's attention, I think that the new Canad Inn and related businesses will be a big boost to the Alerus Center and the Center's bottom line. The biggest problem with the Al so far has been the convention center portion running a big deficit that cancels out the surplus earned by the arena portion. That is the biggest difference between the Al and the Fargodome; the Dome is just a big arena while the Al is an arena/convention center. The Al might now have a chance to break even or even earn a small profit on an annual basis.

I really hope UND Football makes a long-term commitment to the Al, because I really think all this "new on-campus stadium" talk is tied to some future plan to go to the BCS level (or whatever it's called now) in football. That would be a big mistake. We can compete at the FCS level, but not the BCS level. In any event, I am looking forward to the season starting.

thanks - tried this 15 posts ago - glad it finally "took"

[siouxfbfan]

Speaking of facilities i've heard rumors that memorial stadium is in the process of getting field turf. However it apparently was supposed to be started by now so we will see if that is going to happen or not. I'm sure that would be a welcome upgrade for the players because of the current shape of memorials turf. Plus it would look a lot nicer!

[DukeWoods]

Just paid for my suite today, nickleback was great, can't wait for football, hope we can run the table, didn't drink at the tavern, drank at Overtime, great to see the danner boyz sweating their ass off!!!!!!! Go Sioux!!!!!!!!!

[GeauxSioux]

Just paid for my suite today, nickleback was great, can't wait for football, hope we can run the table, didn't drink at the tavern, drank at Overtime, great to see the danner boyz sweating their ass off!!!!!!! Go Sioux!!!!!!!!!

You just paid for your suite at the Canad or the Alerus? If it is the Alerus, can I be your new best friend?

[bincitysioux]

I second this. It is a disgrace that our home games are not better attended. An even bigger disgrace are the excuses people come up with as to why people don't come (hunting season, people are at "the lake", blah, blah, blah! ). A program as accomplished as ours deserves better support than it gets. Now that the games are indoors, the weather is no longer an excuse. If we can get rid of all the other excuses, I think we'll draw much better.

I think our attendance does pretty well considering football isn't the main sport at UND, we're located in a city of only ~50,000, and the school is located in such close proximity to another school that is arguably the most accomplished program in the history of DII (eh, I feel dirty after saying that ). Having said that, the attendance at last year's playoff game was pretty pitiful, and I think a school with a program and facility like UND, we should be up around at least 11,000/game every week. I think we'll get there and surpass it in the next few years.

Something I find surprising is the apparent lack of advertising being done prior to this upcoming football season. We are less than 30 days away from the opener, and I haven't seen, heard, or read one commercial on TV, radio, or in the paper. I live 100 miles away, so I don't know if there are any promotions going on in GF, but I've seen alot of NDSU ads on TV and radio and even heard a couple Mary plugs on the radio, but nada for UND.

More on topic, I wonder if the Canad and UND/Alerus would consider working a promotion together. Something like show your game ticket and recieve a discount off your stay at the Canad, or the reverse of that. Or show your game ticket and get a discount at one of the establishments in the Canad or at the water park. Something like that could entice people to check out the new hotel or UND football.

[GF_siouxfan]

I am jealous of how awesome you are.

Truly the (DIRTY DIGGLER) has finaly seen the light

[GeauxSioux]

Alerus Center to charge for parking

Grand Forks' Alerus Center will begin charging for parking at major events starting with the first UND football game Aug. 23, the center's commission agreed today.

It's a move that the commission hopes will boost the center's bottom line. At the same time, it could encourage carpooling and use of shuttle buses, relieving the congestion in the parking lot and on nearby streets during major events.

For those of us who are used to parking to go see an event this is no big deal. I'm sure there will be some that won't like it.

[Stromer]

Alerus Center to charge for parkingFor those of us who are used to parking to go see an event this is no big deal. I'm sure there will be some that won't like it.

As long as UND continues to run shuttles and they don't suffer a huge overload, everything should be fine. Riding a bus packed with Sious fans is a great way to start gameday. Plus they drop you off at the door and you get out of the Fritz lot a lot earlier than you do at the Al. Another advantage is that the shuttles don't leave until the game is over. Fans leaving early has been a problem recently, due to the type of competition. By forcing fans to either pay 5 extra bucks or stay till the end of the game, maybe it will increase attendance through the whole game. I will never forget watching fans start leaving at the end of the 3rd in 2005 when we led UNO by only 19 or so. The atmosphere went flat and we lost the game. Maybe this will prevent future results.

[siouxjoy]

As long as UND continues to run shuttles and they don't suffer a huge overload, everything should be fine. Riding a bus packed with Sious fans is a great way to start gameday. Plus they drop you off at the door and you get out of the Fritz lot a lot earlier than you do at the Al. Another advantage is that the shuttles don't leave until the game is over. Fans leaving early has been a problem recently, due to the type of competition. By forcing fans to either pay 5 extra bucks or stay till the end of the game, maybe it will increase attendance through the whole game. I will never forget watching fans start leaving at the end of the 3rd in 2005 when we led UNO by only 19 or so. The atmosphere went flat and we lost the game. Maybe this will prevent future results.

Since I first heard of the plan to charge for parking, I have been trying to figure out what my best plan of action is. I have season tickets, and intend to be at every game (like every year). I am all for shuttles, but the bummer is that I live near the mall, so I will end up driving past the Alerus on my way to campus to avoid paying for parking. It seems inefficient. I don't know if any establishments plan on running shuttles, but I will probably end up spending more than $5 there, and would be better off just paying for each game.

I would like to see an opportunity to get a paid pass that covers all football games so I don't have to find $5 each game (I don't usually carry a lot of cash). That might be wishful thinking, though.

Any brilliant ideas?

[HockeyMom]

I haven't been to the Alerus since attending a football game there last year. Sounds like it's going to be a blast to go there early before and stay late after a football game. Almost sorry now that I sold my season tickets to a deserving good buddy!!

Hey! I'm glad you did those are good seats.

[UND92,96]

O.K., this has nothing to do with the Alerus/Canad complex, but since there has been some discussion of football attendance in this thread, I thought I'd post this here--what is the deal with the almost complete lack of a marketing effort to sell football season tickets? I've seen something like two billboards in Grand Forks, but nothing on TV, the radio or in the Herald.

[GeauxSioux]

For some reason I'm thinking a lot of questions will be answered in the next week regarding football promotions for this year, as well as years to come.

UND Football Executive Committee strategize future of football program

The group was able to outline several strategic goals, which will be defined in a report highlighting the weekend. That report will be presented to the public on July 29 at the UND Football Letterwinners Golf Tournament in the Twin Cities. More than 200 football alumni, former and current coaches are expected to be present to hear the report

[Bison Dan]

O.K., this has nothing to do with the Alerus/Canad complex, but since there has been some discussion of football attendance in this thread, I thought I'd post this here--what is the deal with the almost complete lack of a marketing effort to sell football season tickets? I've seen something like two billboards in Grand Forks, but nothing on TV, the radio or in the Herald.

Hard to get too excited about the opening game with Humboldt State - Aug 23rd Thursday game - Will the students be back?

[Diggler]

Hard to get too excited about the opening game with Humboldt State - Aug 23rd Thursday game - Will the students be back?

Same could be said about NDSU opening against Stephen F. Austin but there has been advertising for the the Bison. That is the first week students are back I believe.

[Let'sGoHawks!]

Hard to get too excited about the opening game with Humboldt State - Aug 23rd Thursday game - Will the students be back?

I'm really excited for the season to start...I don't care who it is against. The night game will be interesting also, adds a bit of a new flavor. I can't remember ever attending a night Sioux football game. Back to the thread topic also...I will either be tailgating or at a Canad bar for this one. I hope the students and community come out in droves.

[Stromer]

Hard to get too excited about the opening game with Humboldt State - Aug 23rd Thursday game - Will the students be back?

School starts fully on the 21st. What could be better than going to a Thurs night game and going out and partying after it?

[greenwinger_13]

I'm really excited for the season to start...I don't care who it is against. The night game will be interesting also, adds a bit of a new flavor. I can't remember ever attending a night Sioux football game. Back to the thread topic also...I will either be tailgating or at a Canad bar for this one. I hope the students and community come out in droves.

Not to give myself a bad image or anything like that... but i am very excited to drink alot... ps, the italian moon is cool, the alerus is cool... that fight a little ways back was intense

[Diggler]

I think you've already had enough to drink.

[Sioux_Yeah_Yeah]

Not to give myself a bad image or anything like that... but i am very excited to drink alot... ps, the italian moon is cool, the alerus is cool... that fight a little ways back was intense

Yeah me too, I'll finally be able to buy my own alcohol! Woohoo!

[Big A HG]

Yeah me too, I'll finally be able to buy my own alcohol! Woohoo!

You beat me by a few days....

[westsidebison]

Hard to get too excited about the opening game with Humboldt State - Aug 23rd Thursday game - Will the students be back?

Holy crap!! That's the earliest start date I can remember. That's over two weeks before SU!