(05-07-2020 08:56 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote: I count 8 FCS schools with under 2K in average attendance? Why do these teams even exist?
Delaware St
Duquesne
Robert Morris
Georgetown
Marist
Stetson
Jacksonville
Presbyterian
Jacksonville was smart and closed up shop—the rest should too.
If they want to have football and be D-I in everything else, they have to be D-I FCS, even if it's woefully underfunded. They can't be D-II or D-III in football and run a D-I athletic program in every other sport.
(05-07-2020 08:14 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote: Iowa St #21
Jackson St 33k lapping nearly the entire FCS and would put them among G5 leaders.
Look at their home attendance in 2017 & 2018, not very impressive. Maybe they were excited about their new coach last year?
Jackson State led FCS in attendance in 2018 too. They benefitted last year from having a home slate with Southern, Alabama State, Grambling, and Alcorn which all draw well.
(05-07-2020 08:56 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote: I count 8 FCS schools with under 2K in average attendance? Why do these teams even exist?
Delaware St
Duquesne
Robert Morris
Georgetown
Marist
Stetson
Jacksonville
Presbyterian
Jacksonville was smart and closed up shop—the rest should too.
If they want to have football and be D-I in everything else, they have to be D-I FCS, even if it's woefully underfunded. They can't be D-II or D-III in football and run a D-I athletic program in every other sport.
Dropping football would be in their best interest to remain Div 1.
(05-07-2020 08:24 PM)Stay Cool Wrote: Welp, we made it. Bottom of the G5 in average attendance. Ugh, couldn't even average 9k for the year
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What in the world has happened with NIU and their fans? They used to be near/at the top of the MAC with their records and even made a BCS/NY6 game before. They were often in the discussion for addition to the AAC in previous years. What is going on up there in Northern Illinois?
(05-07-2020 08:24 PM)Stay Cool Wrote: Welp, we made it. Bottom of the G5 in average attendance. Ugh, couldn't even average 9k for the year
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What in the world has happened with NIU and their fans? They used to be near/at the top of the MAC with their records and even made a BCS/NY6 game before. They were often in the discussion for addition to the AAC in previous years. What is going on up there in Northern Illinois?
It's a multitude of issues. Our AD has continually made our high profile games at sites that are not the NIU home stadium (guaranteed rate field where the White Sox play, bridgestone arena where the Chicago Fire used to play is the most recent one). There's also a growing discord between the town and the university for some reason and our marketing team and athletics hasn't seemed to really push that extra mile to engage the current students in order to make fans after graduation. Couple that with NIU's declining enrollment and the growing opinion of NIU as a commuter school and here we are. It's very, very hard to watch as a fan
(05-07-2020 08:24 PM)Stay Cool Wrote: Welp, we made it. Bottom of the G5 in average attendance. Ugh, couldn't even average 9k for the year
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
What in the world has happened with NIU and their fans? They used to be near/at the top of the MAC with their records and even made a BCS/NY6 game before. They were often in the discussion for addition to the AAC in previous years. What is going on up there in Northern Illinois?
It's a multitude of issues. Our AD has continually made our high profile games at sites that are not the NIU home stadium (guaranteed rate field where the White Sox play, bridgestone arena where the Chicago Fire used to play is the most recent one). There's also a growing discord between the town and the university for some reason and our marketing team and athletics hasn't seemed to really push that extra mile to engage the current students in order to make fans after graduation. Couple that with NIU's declining enrollment and the growing opinion of NIU as a commuter school and here we are. It's very, very hard to watch as a fan
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Ouch I didn't know it had gotten so bad and declining enrollment too? Wow. What do you think is causing this decline. I can see agreeing to play at a larger stadium like the White Sox or Soldier Field stadiums in order to lure a big opponent, but playing in the old MLS stadium? Why on earth would they try that? Also, I remembered hearing a few years back that NIU was looking to expand their current stadium to ~40k seats or thereabouts in an effort to attract larger name opponents to play at home. I'm guessing this idea was shelved indefinitely?
(05-07-2020 08:24 PM)Stay Cool Wrote: Welp, we made it. Bottom of the G5 in average attendance. Ugh, couldn't even average 9k for the year
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
What in the world has happened with NIU and their fans? They used to be near/at the top of the MAC with their records and even made a BCS/NY6 game before. They were often in the discussion for addition to the AAC in previous years. What is going on up there in Northern Illinois?
It's a multitude of issues. Our AD has continually made our high profile games at sites that are not the NIU home stadium (guaranteed rate field where the White Sox play, bridgestone arena where the Chicago Fire used to play is the most recent one). There's also a growing discord between the town and the university for some reason and our marketing team and athletics hasn't seemed to really push that extra mile to engage the current students in order to make fans after graduation. Couple that with NIU's declining enrollment and the growing opinion of NIU as a commuter school and here we are. It's very, very hard to watch as a fan
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Ouch I didn't know it had gotten so bad and declining enrollment too? Wow. What do you think is causing this decline. I can see agreeing to play at a larger stadium like the White Sox or Soldier Field stadiums in order to lure a big opponent, but playing in the old MLS stadium? Why on earth would they try that? Also, I remembered hearing a few years back that NIU was looking to expand their current stadium to ~40k seats or thereabouts in an effort to attract larger name opponents to play at home. I'm guessing this idea was shelved indefinitely?
The state budget issue also hit NIU pretty drastically, if we're being honest.
(05-07-2020 08:24 PM)Stay Cool Wrote: Welp, we made it. Bottom of the G5 in average attendance. Ugh, couldn't even average 9k for the year
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
What in the world has happened with NIU and their fans? They used to be near/at the top of the MAC with their records and even made a BCS/NY6 game before. They were often in the discussion for addition to the AAC in previous years. What is going on up there in Northern Illinois?
It's a multitude of issues. Our AD has continually made our high profile games at sites that are not the NIU home stadium (guaranteed rate field where the White Sox play, bridgestone arena where the Chicago Fire used to play is the most recent one). There's also a growing discord between the town and the university for some reason and our marketing team and athletics hasn't seemed to really push that extra mile to engage the current students in order to make fans after graduation. Couple that with NIU's declining enrollment and the growing opinion of NIU as a commuter school and here we are. It's very, very hard to watch as a fan
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Ouch I didn't know it had gotten so bad and declining enrollment too? Wow. What do you think is causing this decline. I can see agreeing to play at a larger stadium like the White Sox or Soldier Field stadiums in order to lure a big opponent, but playing in the old MLS stadium? Why on earth would they try that? Also, I remembered hearing a few years back that NIU was looking to expand their current stadium to ~40k seats or thereabouts in an effort to attract larger name opponents to play at home. I'm guessing this idea was shelved indefinitely?
The state budget issue also hit NIU pretty drastically, if we're being honest.
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Oh, I see, well that will do it. I've always liked NIU even dating back to UCF in the MAC days, so I'm hopeful the Huskies can turn it around and develop a real following and loyal fanbase. I know mid-week MACtion doesn't help either, for local attendance, but with sustained success the brand can be grown and the fans will come.
(05-07-2020 08:24 PM)Stay Cool Wrote: Welp, we made it. Bottom of the G5 in average attendance. Ugh, couldn't even average 9k for the year
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
What in the world has happened with NIU and their fans? They used to be near/at the top of the MAC with their records and even made a BCS/NY6 game before. They were often in the discussion for addition to the AAC in previous years. What is going on up there in Northern Illinois?
Playing on Tuesday/Wednesday nights makes it impractical for many of us working in Chicago to get to the game. I get off work 5-530, have to battle rush hour just get *out* of Chicago, and then drive 65 miles to DeKalb. That’s a 1.5-2 hour drive during rush hour.
This has inevitably eroded our season ticket base over the years, as only a handful of fans can actually make the weeknight games, and when they do it’s often 15-30 degrees. (Last year, I made it to the EMU game and there was *1* car in the grass lot directly east of the stadium. This is the second best lot and it’s literally feet from the stadium.)
Our crowds were so much better before MACtion took its toll. This is the game I fell in love with NIU football.
(05-08-2020 01:57 PM)texoma Wrote: A lot of misleading figures. Many are announced attendance, which can be about anything the school wants to announce.
Often they include tickets distributed, including free ones, deeply discounted, toys for tots etc.
Weeknight game in crappy November weather in the Midwest is an attendance killer. It doesn’t help when the narrative coming from the media is your game does not matter.
(05-08-2020 02:24 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote: [quote='texoma' pid='16810411' dateline='1588964266'] A lot of misleading figures. Many are announced attendance, which can be about anything the school wants to announce.
Isn't there one of those Ohio MAC schools that buys 5,000 of their own tickets each year to stay above the 15,000 mark?
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2019 Football Attendance Report
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