2014 Dome Attendance Spike?

[OrangePA]

With bowl win, Shafer's outstanding local PR, positive recruiting news, ACC effect, Jameis Winston coming to town and apparent love for Terrel Hunt, will we average over 40,000 or 45,000?

 

[OrangeFreek]

No

 

[MattyL]

I think we could see solid growth with attendance but SU needs to get creative with marketing. I'm no expert, but running football commercials starting mid-August isn't going to cut it. I hope SU takes a real hard look at ways to get more people in the seats. Hell, I've seen threads on this board over the years that was full of great ideas.

 

[TexanMark]

Villanova 35k
Maryland 42k
Lousiville 41k w/o Bridgewater 44k with
NCSt 40k
FSU 47k
Duke 40k

I'm going to say about 41k. Obviously if we get off to quick start that will boost the numbers. Really hard to predict due to the bandwagon nature of the CNY fan and Fall Leaf Raking schedule.

 

[Orangetradition44]

7-6 just won't cause much of a bump I'm afraid. We need a 8-9 win season with a solid returning core to really have an impact. Sad, but true. I know that as soon as the bowl game ended, I could not wait for next season

With bowl win, Shafer's outstanding local PR, positive recruiting news, ACC effect, Jameis Winston coming to town and apparent love for Terrel Hunt, will we average over 40,000 or 45,000?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

You want to average 45,000 next season?

SU better be a pre-season Top 15 team and picked to win the ACC Atlantic.

Otherwise, there are leaves that have to be raked.

 

[Stern]

It didn't really spike after either Pinstripe Bowl win. Don't see it having a spike after this.

The FSU game will be sold out. If Bridgewater stays that game will be sold out. Every other game will be "typical" SU home games.

 

[TexanMark]

It didn't really spike after either Pinstripe Bowl win. Don't see it having a spike after this.

The FSU game will be sold out. If Bridgewater stays that game will be sold out. Every other game will be "typical" SU home games.

You realize you are saying it will spike? Two sellouts brings the average up 3-4k.

 

[Stern]

You realize you are saying it will spike? Two sellouts brings the average up 3-4k.

The L'ville being a sellout is a BIG "IF" though cause I think Bridgwater is gone. We will see. I mean it might go up some, but I don't expect it. We will see

 

[OttoForLife]

Lather, wash, repeat. The fans will give the team the benefit of the doubt in game 1. After that, they need to win for people to show up.

Same as the last 20 years.

 

[FreakTalksAboutSU]

You want to average 45,000 next season?

SU better be a pre-season Top 15 team and picked to win the ACC Atlantic.

Otherwise, there are leaves that have to be raked.

Yeah...Small steps. If we can average 40K...have multiple games with Clemson-like crowds...and begin drawing at least low 30K's for the worst games on our schedule...I would be very happy with 2014.

45K average would be, sadly, probably the result of MULTIPLE seasons like you describe, Xtreme...

 

[FreakTalksAboutSU]

I tend to agree that FSU will sellout, but I dont know if I will fully believe in an FSU sellout until I see it.

The Clemson push was about as big as I have ever seen and there were still a decent number of seats avail.

I almost feel like we need 2 or 3 things working at the same time for FSU to sellout...like the FSU name, PLUS a legitimate chance we can win that game...

 

[Orangejet]

SU Marketing needs to bring excitement to the Dome similar to what NW has done. During TV timeouts, Cuse should give away a vehicle if someone can kick a 40 yd FG or one year free tuition if a student/fan can throw a pass through a car tire from 30 yds out. NW football has increased attendance over 10k per game in last three years due to improved football marketing.
Lastly, SU needs to redo its marching band by increasing size with more brass, improving song selection and starting the Orange Girls similar to the Mizzou Golden Girls. There are too many flutes and chunky flag twirlers just don't cut it anymore...

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Why would it spike? We went 8-5 last year and it did not. Start 3-0 attendance will spikespike

 

[FreakTalksAboutSU]

SU Marketing needs to bring excitement to the Dome similar to what NW has done. During TV timeouts, Cuse should give away a vehicle if someone can kick a 40 yd FG or one year free tuition if a student/fan can throw a pass through a car tire from 30 yds out. NW football has increased attendance over 10k per game in last three years due to improved football marketing.
Lastly, SU needs to redo its marching band by increasing size with more brass, improving song selection and starting the Orange Girls similar to the Mizzou Golden Girls. There are too many flutes and chunky flag twirlers just don't cut it anymore...

I think they are making strides in this direction...but there is work to do. They miss some layups. Small example is that very cool opening video when the team comes out. Really high quality video in which someone in the marketing department missed an obvious item...why do they have the team storm onto the field at the beginning of the video and not at the end when the actual team does? Is very anticlimactic as it currently exists.

Little things like this. I feel like they get the need to step it up...but are having some growing pains on the way there.

 

[Statesman1]

The only thing more constant than the lackluster support of the SU football fan is the apathy of the SU football student section. They're gone by halftime in a two score game. We didn't sell out regularly when #5 was in town--. If we want to fill up the Dome for a football game they should get JimmyB and the boys to hoop it up at intermission.

 

[OrangeDW]

If we don't start 0-2 for like the 20th year in a row, it will spike. If we start 0-2 like always, it will be like it has been.

From looking at who we play, there's no reason we shouldn't actually start 2-0 for once, which should help attendance.

 

[OrangeDW]

The only thing more constant than the lackluster support of the SU football fan is the apathy of the SU football student section. They're gone by halftime in a two score game. We didn't sell out regularly when #5 was in town--. If we want to fill up the Dome for a football game they should get JimmyB and the boys to hoop it up at intermission.

Incredibly, students do that at many places. College kids having ADD and not really knowing/caring about sports is not unique to SU.

And I know they weren't official sellouts, but the Dome usually looked full to me in the McNabb era. The VT and Miami games, Tennessee, UNC, WVU, etc. Nobody can tell me there were empty seats at those games because I was there. I have no idea how they weren't "official" sellouts.

 

[Trueblue25]

Marketing better get its head out of its..

 

[Statesman1]

I hate to say it but there were empty seats during Mcnabb's run- I was there too. From 94-'98 the average attendance figures were: 47,746; 43,276; 48,177; 45,865; and 47,898. Shoot the '87 team averaged 44,490 and the highest average was back in 1989 with 48,885. Good crowds yes but not full. Imo if MacDonald can get his version of a high flying, wide open and entertaining offense implemented, along with some more W's, we can get back to those days when the Dome was close to full and rocking again.

 

[OrangePA]

I think we could see solid growth with attendance but SU needs to get creative with marketing. I'm no expert, but running football commercials starting mid-August isn't going to cut it. I hope SU takes a real hard look at ways to get more people in the seats. Hell, I've seen threads on this board over the years that was full of great ideas.

In Syracuse its winning.

 

[Chip]

7-6 just won't cause much of a bump I'm afraid. We need a 8-9 win season with a solid returning core to really have an impact. Sad, but true. I know that as soon as the bowl game ended, I could not wait for next season

Yeah, agree. There's just a big difference between overall fanbase, and the way those of us here feel about the program.

I think it's just too hard for a good # of SU fans to reconcile having a hoops team that's on top of its sport and could be favored to beat anyone in that Dome, to a football team who will be a close to 30 point underdog to FSU, and everyone feels that the spread, at worst, is just about right. The good news is that the fans still pay attention, watch the games on TV, but too many just aren't ready to invest in the gameday experience. Maybe we get a push for FSU to be like Clemson in the Dome.

A good step in the right direction would be to get a legit 40k+ in the building for the non-Villanova portion of the schedule.

 

[Rocco]

I don't think we will ever average 45k, unless we go on a Top 25 run for multiple seasons. Syracuse Football fans are the epitome of "fair weather" fans. The diehards will always show up and maybe they can get a couple thousand extra to buy season tickets over time. The walk-up crowds will only come for the Clemson-type of games.

 

[Cuseregular]

I tend to agree that FSU will sellout, but I dont know if I will fully believe in an FSU sellout until I see it.

The Clemson push was about as big as I have ever seen and there were still a decent number of seats avail.

I almost feel like we need 2 or 3 things working at the same time for FSU to sellout...like the FSU name, PLUS a legitimate chance we can win that game...

my "likes" for those posts of yours are for that great pic avatar! (though I'm sure the post contents were solid too )

 

[Stern]

Yeah, agree. There's just a big difference between overall fanbase, and the way those of us here feel about the program.

I think it's just too hard for a good # of SU fans to reconcile having a hoops team that's on top of its sport and could be favored to beat anyone in that Dome, to a football team who will be a close to 30 point underdog to FSU, and everyone feels that the spread, at worst, is just about right. The good news is that the fans still pay attention, watch the games on TV, but too many just aren't ready to invest in the gameday experience. Maybe we get a push for FSU to be like Clemson in the Dome.

A good step in the right direction would be to get a legit 40k+ in the building for the non-Villanova portion of the schedule.

Agree with everything yous said, but a lot of the "attendance problems" could be fixed with some basic marketing and some easy and in-expensive gameday atmosphere things done around the Dome on gamedays. They have 6 home games a year, they need to plan 6 "events" a year. Make those 6 Saturday's something special. They already have the money of the "die-hard football fans"...now its time to expand and get the money of the "casual fan" and the locals who like "events" by catering to them. The price of going to a game at SU is great...can't get any cheaper. Season tickets are cheap and you can get single game tickets even cheaper on the street or with specials like 4 for $44. But make the overall experience more than just a game to draw in people who don't know a football from a wristwatch.

A lot of it is "winning"...win more and more people will show up. But a big part of it is the University's inability to realize that they are in the "ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS" on those 6 Saturday's and they need improve everything around the actual game on those 6 days a year. I had season tickets for 30 or so years, I gave them up, but I still go to every game. But I interact with so many people in my every day life who just don't have SU football on their radar. You get them to get SU football on their radar from making the atmosphere on those 6 Saturday's "FUN"...its FUN whether SU wins or loses. Those people don't want to go to a game, they want to go to a local EVENT and socialize and party. It should be a state fair like atmosphere around the Dome on those 6 Saturday's. Tents and Vendors selling shirts, hats, variety's of food...the whole thing. Make it an all day event.