Dr. Gross on the NJ Games

[orangehomer]

the attendance is bad because the team has stunk. they can blame the locals all they want. put a decent team on the field and people will go. do we need to rehash the home record against bcs teams in the last decade?

 

[javadoc]

the attendance is bad because the team has stunk. they can blame the locals all they want. put a decent team on the field and people will go. do we need to rehash the home record against bcs teams in the last decade?

With apologies to Yoda: That (attitude) is why we fail.

 

[Cuseman78]

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.

And this post is exactly the reason why next weekend a game will be played 3.5 hours from campus. If CNY shows up on a regular basis, the bellyaching MAY be justified. Unfortunately, some are going to actually need to hit the road and enjoy the NYC area for a weekend once a fall. Tough break.

 

[rrlbees]

And this post is exactly the reason why next weekend a game will be played 3.5 hours from campus. If CNY shows up on a regular basis, the bellyaching MAY be justified. Unfortunately, some are going to actually need to hit the road and enjoy the NYC area for a weekend once a fall. Tough break.

Yea tough break. Too bad the metro NYC fans/alum fell on their faces and has made the current tixs sales abysmal.

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[kcsu]

Syracuse will recieve more national exposure for the met life game than any other game this year unless they go on a major winning streak. There is zero argument that this is a good move unless you have no understanding of marketing. I have six season tickets for the home games and our group will be bringing about 10 to nyc for the game with many of us flying in for it. If you are from Syracuse get your arse on the train and head down to the city for the game if you can afford it as it might just end up being our bowl game this year.

 

[SUOrange44]

Syracuse will recieve more national exposure for the met life game than any other game this year unless they go on a major winning streak. There is zero argument that this is a good move unless you have no understanding of marketing. I have six season tickets for the home games and our group will be bringing about 10 to nyc for the game with many of us flying in for it. If you are from Syracuse get your arse on the train and head down to the city for the game if you can afford it as it might just end up being our bowl game this year.

One could argue that the exposure of an upset in The Carrier Dome (where the team is more likely to spring it) would give them ten times the exposure of a loss of any type in The Meadowlands.

SUOrange44

 

[kcsu]

Of course it would but that is a pretty big assumption and an apple to orange comparison. A win over the number one team in the country will always bring more exposure than a loss. The point is all things being equal a loss or win, the exposure in NYC is much greater for this game. Imagine if we win in NYC now that would be exposure.

 

[texascpa]

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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lol, I have a new word in my everyday dictionary: squadoosh

 

[MadNY3]

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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If not one Syracuse fan bought a ticket to the USC game, the program would still pocket a very solid six-figure check.

The financial dynamics do not mirror a bowl game. Gross had a couple years of football attendance fun on the hill before he did this. And in a world where the University HAS to market $10 seats for a home opener against a Big X school, I think we should send him a bottle of wine to congratulate him on the deal.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

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.

Thank you. A sane person amongst the lunatics.

 

[JeffCuse]

My biggest complaint is starting price of tix. I live in NJ and will not be attending, specifically because I cannot afford the tix right now. Was expecting some cheap seats in the $50 range. Nope. Oh well.

 

[Cuseman78]

Yea tough break. Too bad the metro NYC fans/alum fell on their faces and has made the current tixs sales abysmal.

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Did they fall on their face in the Pinstripe Bowl? It remains to be seen what 9/8 will look like. As I said, if we beat NW, I think you may be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Cuseman78]

My biggest complaint is starting price of tix. I live in NJ and will not be attending, specifically because I cannot afford the tix right now. Was expecting some cheap seats in the $50 range. Nope. Oh well.

Stubhub. You can find a cheap ticket. If you live in NJ, there is ZERO reason to not be going to this game if you care about this program

 

[SUinNYC]

Stubhub. You can find a cheap ticket. If you live in NJ, there is ZERO reason to not be going to this game if you care about this program

yep. Check StubHub and Craig's List. Definitely will be seats in the $50 range if not cheaper. You can't miss a game like this if you live in the NYC metro area.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Yea tough break. Too bad the metro NYC fans/alum fell on their faces and has made the current tixs sales abysmal.

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Bingo, this has been a disaster for SU's NYC fans.

 

[JeremyCuse]

And this post is exactly the reason why next weekend a game will be played 3.5 hours from campus. If CNY shows up on a regular basis, the bellyaching MAY be justified. Unfortunately, some are going to actually need to hit the road and enjoy the NYC area for a weekend once a fall. Tough break.

Yeah the problem is the attendance for that game 3.5 hours right now looks abysmal and 95% of the locals are laughing at the last sentence as there simply not going to go.

 

[upperdeck]

how much would making a bowl have changed the energy around the program this year.. seasons would probably have gone up a tick instead of down and the energy about playing USC would have as well.. A solid game vs NW may also create some decent last second interest.

 

[TexanMark]

Yeah the problem is the attendance for that game 3.5 hours right now looks abysmal and 95% of the locals are laughing at the last sentence as there simply not going to go.

I think pricing was a real issue with many fans...but I don't see how they would ever get more than 55k with SU at its' current status.

 

[JeremyCuse]

I think pricing was a real issue with many fans...but I don't see how they would ever get more than 55k with SU at its' current status.

I think the pricing plays a part but really the casual fan probably wasnt going regardless. For diehards who follow the program it wasnt a question but for others I have talked to they see no reason to go. Some feel the game shouldn't have been moved from the Dome so there not going, others cant afford the cost of tickets, transportation, lodging etc, and most will be content to simply watch it on T.V. People dont realize that a majority of the locals are going to "suck it up" and make the trip there just not going period.

 

[ElwoodJBlues]

Advertising for the game on WFAN this morning, interesting.

 

[rrlbees]

If not one Syracuse fan bought a ticket to the USC game, the program would still pocket a very solid six-figure check.

The financial dynamics do not mirror a bowl game. Gross had a couple years of football attendance fun on the hill before he did this. And in a world where the University HAS to market $10 seats for a home opener against a Big X school, I think we should send him a bottle of wine to congratulate him on the deal.

The game was billed as being at the Dome. Just one more reason why we do have to sell $10 tixs. 6 figures is not as great as it sounds either. We do that for a game in the Dome. Long run.

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[GoSU96]

The game was billed as being at the Dome. Just one more reason why we do have to sell $10 tixs. 5 figures is not as great as it sounds either. We do that for a game in the Dome. Long run.

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I doubt the guarantee is less than $1M.

 

[Rocco]

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

We need to continue stomping on WVU at the Dome, not in NJ.

 

[mountaincuse]

I think the pricing plays a part but really the casual fan probably wasnt going regardless. For diehards who follow the program it wasnt a question but for others I have talked to they see no reason to go. Some feel the game shouldn't have been moved from the Dome so there not going, others cant afford the cost of tickets, transportation, lodging etc, and most will be content to simply watch it on T.V. People dont realize that a majority of the locals are going to "suck it up" and make the trip there just not going period.

This is the same thing that happens for home games though, there is always an excuse and locals don't "suck it up" to go to home games as it is.

Oh, we are playing team X - they are really good and we are going to get crushed, I'm not going. Oh, we are playing team x - they stink and we are going to kill them, I'm not going. Oh, I don't feel like dealing with traffic/parking/walking, etc. I'm not going. Oh, my leaves need raking/house needs painting/dog needs grooming. I'm not going. I could go on and on.

I don't know what the exact issue is, though there has been plenty of speculation but I am hoping we can fix it somewhow. We probably need to have a magical undefeated season (regardless of who we play) with a chace at the BCS Championship one year to start getting people to want to come. And then we would need to pretty much repeat the same thing the following year. Until the Football team has continued success and excitement around it (like the basketball team) I don't know if there is anything we can do for people to stop making excuses.

That being said - Let's Go Orange! WDO. I can't wait until Saturday in the Dome and until next Saturday in NYC.

 

[kingottoiii]

We have no FB fans anywhere. It is sad but true. And it is silly for CNY to complain about support from NYC when the % of SU fans going to the MetLife game will be much higher than at the Dome. There are two things I think SU can do. One is to truly become NY's FB team by playing all over the place. SU should have 5 real teams on the schedule every year. So go ahead and play a game in Buffalo, a game in Albany, a game in NJ, and a game in LI. That will leave one real game plus 1-2 cupcakes for Syracuse. Or the other thing would be to reduce capacity so the tickets are not so easy to get in the Dome. What incentive do people have to get season tickets when they can pick the game they want to attend and still get great seats. Fact is SU is a private school. Lets act like it and stop the charade. Reduce seating to 36k where we really belong. There would still be three Big 5 conference schools below SU. And if we averaged a sell out at 36k then you can add an additional 3 more schools that we would beat in attendance. If you compare that to what we actually pulled in last year, guess what? There was only one more team in addition to those 6 that we beat out. So going from 49k to 36k would have moved SU down ONE spot in the Big 5 attendance rankings. That isn't a big deal. It will also reduce our capacity for BBall to about 25k but that shouldn't be too big a deal. That is still the largest in all the land. People will have to just go to more games like NC St since they can't all get into the UNC game.