Dr. Gross on the NJ Games

[javadoc]

You mean the terrible SU team in year 4 under Grob that got buried by 50? Yeah I can't believe the place wasn't sold out. :bang:

Irrelevant, of course, to a fan that supports the program.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Irrelevant, of course, to a fan that supports the program.

For diehards like us yes, for the casual fan and the regular person its very relevant especially when Gross and SU are trying to bring in the casual fan and the regular person who might not follow SU.

 

[JPS]

Don't think it's a bad decision. There are 10 games at neutral sites this year. Well 9, since the cocktail party is every year between GA and FL.

See the link from bleacher report: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...anticipated-neutral-site-matchups-this-season

It's been gaining momentum (these neutral site games) and it's far better to be a part of it and get the exposure, than not at all. This years schedule did not work out as planned. I agree it stinks the game is not in the dome. However, it's a great chance for the team to go and play on a big stage. We need to embrace it and move on. Right or wrong, we need to support these guys.

 

[rrlbees]

For diehards like us yes, for the casual fan and the regular person its very relevant especially when Gross and SU are trying to bring in the casual fan and the regular person who might not follow SU.

This ball got rolling when Buzz told people to get a life. That turned off some of the casual fans who never came back because the program has not won and has done nothing to try to bring them back (cheap seats don't do it for many former fans).

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[Bayside44]

That casual fan will have a heartly slate of ACC schools to choose from.

This deal was made in a different time. USC will bring plenty of fans and eyeballs, so it people don't take the train (and cannot blame them, that ride stinks) we'll get a check and life will go on.

 

[rrlbees]

That casual fan will have a heartly slate of ACC schools to choose from.

This deal was made in a different time. USC will bring plenty of fans and eyeballs, so it people don't take the train (and cannot blame them, that ride stinks) we'll get a check and life will go on.

So cancel the rest of the deal. And usc isn't bringing squadoosh to the game. The people that say life goes on seem to be out of towners.

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[JPS]

So cancel the rest of the deal. And usc isn't bringing squadoosh to the game. The people that say life goes on seem to be out of towners.

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Would USC have ever played this game in the Dome?

 

[retro44]

This ball got rolling when Buzz told people to get a life. That turned off some of the casual fans who never came back because the program has not won and has done nothing to try to bring them back (cheap seats don't do it for many former fans).

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i would pay to see a MMA cage match fight between sandusky and buzz. now that would be an espn classic

 

[stlorange]

I think the bottom line is that USC (as well as probably all national powers) will not play a game in the Dome anymore, at least until we are more of a national player. It boils down to: would you rather watch us play a middle or low-tier BCS team (or worse) at home (of which we already play several) or a national power on the road? I'd rather play the national power and I bet the team and coaches would also.

 

[RICuse44]

I dont disagree, the days of a packed Dome ended in 1998 we have hit the mid 40's a couple times but that was usually for an opener or if we gave away or basically gave away 10K tickets.

Excellent point. Atleast we are not Rutgers. Still, the fairweather nature of the typical Cuse fan must drive you all crazy, no? Even at basketball games you can have 30,000 people there and it sounds like a morgue. How does that happen? Don't these people want to live? Don't they want to feel something? It drives me crazy.

 

[JeremyCuse]

That casual fan will have a heartly slate of ACC schools to choose from.

This deal was made in a different time. USC will bring plenty of fans and eyeballs, so it people don't take the train (and cannot blame them, that ride stinks) we'll get a check and life will go on.

I dont disagree Bayside, obviously a fan in the know like those on this board can see an ACC schedule brings in good teams ie FSU, Miami, CLemson, Va Tech, Ga Tech etc etc. The problem, those not local dont realize that the casual fan and really the regular person SU needs to draw, still wont care about an ACC schedule. I dont know how it started but there seems to be this feeling/sentiment by some that the ACC schedule will somehow get the fans that left during the P era and those who havent followed the program for years back on board or spark some new interest in those who have never known a winning SU team to come out for the first time. There will be a bump to start like everything in Syracuse but by the followign year when the novelty wears off things will be right back to where they started. The best hope is that SU has a good year next year and we can carry over some of those new fans. Unfortunately as Bees and I have noted theres a % of the fan base that left under P that is never coming back and were losign more current fans to attrition then we are gaining.

 

[jcuse44]

Usc had scheduled a home and home with us to begin with yes. They fully intended to play one game out there and one game in The Dome until the Dr. Changed it to metlife and screwed the loyal local fans.

 

[upperdeck]

the football budget is somewhere around 8-12 million. Met life has 80k seats avg price is somewhere between the $55 and the $125 so make it $75. so if they guessed they would sell 40K + parking + concessions could they even have hoped to bring in more than 5-6 million?

now you could also look at as they offer SU a two million cut for each game, 6 million would be close to a 70% of the budget for this year.. There is also a good chance they sell many more tickets for the ND games. when the kickoff classic started teams got close to a million each so 2-3 million is probably a close bet now. what is the TV money for this game

 

[JeremyCuse]

Excellent point. Atleast we are not Rutgers. Still, the fairweather nature of the typical Cuse fan must drive you all crazy, no? Even at basketball games you can have 30,000 people there and it sounds like a morgue. How does that happen? Don't these people want to live? Don't they want to feel something? It drives me crazy.

Syracuse is a lot of things, a great city a frustrating city, and an above average place to live in my opinion. The problem is Syracuse also is fickle and and has issues other College cities/towns dont. First of all Syracuse has one of the worst anti-home town biases that I have ever seen. You see them everywhere, people raised here there whole lives that absolutely hate SU athletics and rag on them every chance they get. I have several friends just like that who just laugh at people who support SU and never go to a game or spend a dime on SU athletics unless they get free tickets to a game so they can wear there FSU, or Penn State or whatever gear to the game. I know this type of fandom happens in every college town/city but its an epidemic here and getting worse.

Also Syracuse has a % of people who just don't go to games or spend money on the program. That might be fans that might even go to Rosies or a Tullys to watch SU play but goin to the dome or getting season tickets doesnt even register in there heads Whatever the reason they just simply dont consider going to games or getting seasons as an option, they will watch in on TV and even talk SU sports with you but thats the end of it for them. They would rather DVR the game or catch in on TV if they remember but they act like actually going to a game is some sort of novelty.

Those two groups are a big enough headache but Syracuse's biggest problem is a large % of the population just doesn't care. They dont follow SU and they certainly dont get season tickets or head down to the meadowlands. These are the type of fans that if SU ever starts winning consistently again they maybe able to turn. Right now there the fans that the Kaiser hates, the type that instead of tailgating on a Saturday or Friday night up on the hill before a game is at the mall, out of town on vacation, at there camps, pumkin patch, apple orchard, wine trail, yard work, working etc etc etc. Thats the base SU should target, that has to be at lesast 50-60% of the current Syracuse Onondaga County population.

 

[SUinNYC]

My handle gives my bias away...

But the fact of the matter is, people want to see a winning team. And the football team ain't winning. In the past 20 years, we've played the following football teams in the Dome...

Ohio State
Texas
Tennessee
Oklahoma
Notre Dame
Miami
Florida State
Penn State
Washington
BYU
Virginia Tech
Michigan
Auburn

Can anyone tell me how many of those games were sellouts? Two? Three? If we can't draw for those teams, the opponent isn't the problem.

And don't tell me we don't have local fan support. If we can sell 33,000 seats for tiny parochial schools from DC and Philly for hoops (with some of those seats barely in view of the court), I don't buy we can't rustle up 15,000 more for football powerhouses like those listed above.

I'm guessing that these off-site games don't happen if the Dome is selling out. And I'm also guessing that the Dome would sell out if our football team had the same win % as our basketball team.

 

[SUOrange44]

What is our guarantee and did we have to buy X tixs? He also probably alienated locals even more by putting the onus on locals for attendance there. When it comes out that SU did diddly with tixs sales, I am sure the locals will be blamed.

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I have to say that I am really surprised that someone who fancies himself as "public-relations" savvy invokes JFK in this fashion.

I am thrilled to be a season ticket holder and have held them since my freshman year at SU (1989) no matter where I have lived in the state. However, in a time of nearly 9% unemployment in CNY, a fan base that has shown more apathy then passion due to the state of the program, he really should holster comments like that.

I understand the thought process behind the games at The Meadowlands. I certainly would have preferred USC to come here if for nothing more than the Dome field advantage and the fact that I believe it would give us a better chance at springing a program direction changing upset. Nevertheless I understand the thought process.

What I do have a concern with is the cavalier approach towards the loyals. It is enough for some of our season ticket holders to schlep up to The Dome, get parking, etc. let alone issuing a missive about them traveling to NJ.

I really would have like to have seen a concerted effort by the University to extend an olive branch by at least chartering a bunch of busses to travel from Syracuse to the game. Basically, an option where with the purchase of the ticket you could also sign up for a "free" ride on a chartered bus to and from the game with a bunch of fellow SU fans.

Not saying to pay for a hotel or even a cheap meal...just the transportation as a way to say "folks, we realize your concerns but we have a reason for farming these games out. However, we still value you and are going to help you if we can see your hometown team in person".

Sure it would have cost a few thousand but I really think it was worth as shot...

SUOrange44

 

[TexanMark]

i was heading up to mark's camp and i called mark to tell him that gross was on the radio. gross for sure said it was 80-90% of the operating budget. maybe he just means the coaching staffs pay and not scholarships.

those were "his"remarks

what is syracuse getting paid for the appearance down there?

TGD did say it on the radio...it might mean 80-90% of operating costs but he did say it as Retro stated.

 

[TexanMark]

That casual fan will have a heartly slate of ACC schools to choose from.

This deal was made in a different time. USC will bring plenty of fans and eyeballs, so it people don't take the train (and cannot blame them, that ride stinks) we'll get a check and life will go on.

I doubt USC brings 7-8k fans...most of them will be east coast alumni...This game should be scheduled for only Notre Dame, Penn St, Michigan, Ohio State and WV...teams that can travel at least 15-20k+ to MetLife

 

[OrangeCrush22]

I think the bottom line is that USC (as well as probably all national powers) will not play a game in the Dome anymore, at least until we are more of a national player. It boils down to: would you rather watch us play a middle or low-tier BCS team (or worse) at home (of which we already play several) or a national power on the road? I'd rather play the national power and I bet the team and coaches would also.

USC was in for a home and home deal. Gross moved it to Metlife after USC agreed to the Dome.

 

[rrlbees]

Would USC have ever played this game in the Dome?

That was the original deal as announced by SU.

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[rrlbees]

I think the bottom line is that USC (as well as probably all national powers) will not play a game in the Dome anymore, at least until we are more of a national player. It boils down to: would you rather watch us play a middle or low-tier BCS team (or worse) at home (of which we already play several) or a national power on the road? I'd rather play the national power and I bet the team and coaches would also.

Don't buy it. They are playing other non power teams like UConn and rutgers.

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[Cusefan95]

This ball got rolling when Buzz told people to get a life. That turned off some of the casual fans who never came back because the program has not won and has done nothing to try to bring them back (cheap seats don't do it for many former fans).

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...and the problem now is that, after an administration that tried to do everything possible to alienate the fanbase (which they succeeded spectacularly at), we replaced it with one that took a half-hearted (at best) effort at "winning back the fans", didn't see immediate results and threw in the towel to try to "broaden their appeal" because they have no discipline to stay with a plan for more than 30 seconds. So SU decided to chase after the fool's gold that is the NYC market for college football. Not shockingly we're not even to kickoff of the first **king game in NYC and our ADD AD is already throwing in the towel on that, too. Unfortunately Gross is doing it in a way that will only further alienate the local fans. Yea!

 

[sufan]

http://www.syracuse.com/poliquin/index.ssf/2012/08/the_morning_orange_daryl_gross.html

To be attractive to recruits, sure. He gives away the game and it's all about resources. Bottom line: CNY fans don't support the program (not any one year's team - the program) enough to get us the $ we need. Season ticket holders have to suck it up and do even more heavy lifting, by traveling to see the team near NYC, or forego those games. And it's not their fault. Blame the schlubs around you in the grocery store.

I like SU playing a high profile, televised game at the Meadowlands every 2 years:

1) guaranteed financial payout
2) NYC regional media coverage
3) partnership with MetLife
4) proximity to NYC area alumni, students, parents, recruits, donors, potential students
5) motivating the team, recruits, staff with challenge of playing nationally ranked team in high profile game
6) publicity that may attract additional student applications
7) SU branding as a national University and the only major football program in the state that plays other great Universities beyond the conference
8) leveraging the support that SU has built up over the years in the NYC metro region by the play of the BB team
9) with respect to ACC, I doubt the ACC invited SU simply to gain the Syracuse market
10) with respect to leaving the Big East, without periodic games against RU and to a lesser extent UConn, SU needs a game every 2 years in the NY metro region: where better to play than the Meadowlands?
11) central NY fans can watch a great game on TV, or they can consider the game as an attractive opening season bowl game, at a very attractive location.

Downside possibilities:
1) poor turnout
2) embarrassing loss

As SU gains increased ACC financial payout and gains benefit of a stable coaching staff, my guess is the team continues to attract better recruits and is more competitive.

Still trying to understand how this is not a great decision by the University.

 

[JeremyCuse]

I like SU playing a high profile, televised game at the Meadowlands every 2 years:

1) guaranteed financial payout
2) NYC regional media coverage
3) partnership with MetLife
4) proximity to NYC area alumni, students, parents, recruits, donors, potential students
5) motivating the team, recruits, staff with challenge of playing nationally ranked team in high profile game
6) publicity that may attract additional student applications
7) SU branding as a national University and the only major football program in the state that plays other great Universities beyond the conference
8) with respect to ACC, I doubt the ACC invited SU simply to gain the Syracuse market
9) with respect to leaving the Big East, without periodic games against RU and to a lesser extent UConn, SU needs a game every 2 years in the NY metro region: where better to play than the Meadowlands?
10) central NY fans can watch a great game on TV

Downside possibilities:
1) poor turnout
2) embarrassing loss

As SU gains increased ACC financial payout and gains benefit of a stable coaching staff, my guess is the team continues to attract better recruits and is more competitive.

Still trying to understand how this is not a great decision by the University.

Because your points 2-9 go out the window if we get blasted by 40+ in front of 40,000 people.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

The symphony went belly up, so it's not just the football team the community won't/don't support.