Few Thoughts for Attendance (Not Including On Field Performance)

[CuseHulk]

which is obvious. Just speaking as a Non-Season Ticket Holder (I try my best to be able to get to and afford to go to as many games Football/Basketball)

Syracuse University Students Tickets should be free period. Include special deals for students at other Colleges (Young people, get some young energy into the Carrier Dome) Senior Citizens should be free also (I believe kids under certain age get in free)

The big one though is Concessions (Especially when it comes to Beer and Alcohol) or maybe have specials (For least certain games) in the Carrier Dome I know this could some trouble and tricky. I can't speak to food because I rarely get food once in the Carrier Dome (Usually eat before or after at The Varsity for example, or hit some place like Tully's, Chili's, or Applebees) I know the Syracuse Chiefs do something like Dollar "Thursdays" or someday I believe.

Thoughts, I am sure this has been talk about over and over on this Board and elsewhere. Just adding some thoughts of my own.

 

[upperdeck]

I dont think food pricing is all that bad , its just something people want to complain about. its cheaper than going to a movie and getting popcorn and a soda.

 

[phil77]

I don't think the students will show up even if it is free. I am sure more than the 500 or students that showed bought tickets. It was a Friday Night ESPN game and they couldn't be bothered. I doubt giving them tickets will change that. The only thing that will change attendance is the product on the field. The product on the field either has to be winning or be exciting to watch by exciting to watch I mean putting up points. We have neither won big games or put up big points and that is why the attendance of the students are down. I know you said not including on the field performance but that is all it comes down too IMO.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Pay students to attend Noon games. Give them a $5 food credit.

 

[elimunelson]

attendance isn't the issue everyone wants to make it out to be. I was at Syracuse during the supposed "Salad" days of 94-98 (multiple bowl teams, mcnabb, etc) and same issues were around then. A few sell outs, a few crap crowds, and a bunch of in between sized crowds. And students back then were hungover for noon starts and bored by the third quarter. This isn't anything new. I think the issue is there wasn't a message board back then to complain about it.


If they make them free, same kids will go to the games.

 

[Rocco]

The issue is we are in a community that does not value college football like most other P5 schools. It is what it is.

There are more than enough people in a 100-150 mile radius to absolutely pack that place every game, but it simply does not happen.

 

[Scooch]

Concessions at the Dome are a steal. When I was up for the Maryland game I couldn't get over how relatively well-priced things are.

As a comparison, I went to a Bruins-Islanders pre-season game in CT last weekend. Bought 2 orders of chicken tenders and fries, a cheeseburger and a cheese steak, with 2 waters... $48. Dome would've been just over half of that.

 

[CuseHulk]

Concessions at the Dome are a steal. When I was up for the Maryland game I couldn't get over how relatively well-priced things are.

As a comparison, I went to a Bruins-Islanders pre-season game in CT last weekend. Bought 2 orders of chicken tenders and fries, a cheeseburger and a cheese steak, with 2 waters... $48. Dome would've been just over half of that.

Well, I could't really comment on Carrier Dome food or food prices. Would you agree for Beer and Beer prices 6.25 could be lower ?

I guess that was my thing with Concessions.

 

[Millhouse]

the median home offensive points against BCS/P5 teams since 2009 is 17

the average home defensive points against BCS/P5 teams since 2009 is 28

68% of the time, they scored less than 21 pts since 2009

i used the median because people wonder what the odds of seeing a giant clunker are

average points for vs bcs/p5 is 22. That's good for 102nd in the country in 2013

they need to start scoring at home someday

 

[Doctor44]

The challenge for me hinges on a couple of issues:

1. Pride. People will travel great distances and pay higher prices to be a part of something special that they take pride in. This is the basis of SEC football/ tailgating. I think another great example is the Green Bay Packers - A small town team, that the whole state travels to come be a part of. Unfortunately, as long as Syracuse is not special at football, people don't feel like they are a part of something special and won't travel.

This is also why Syracuse basketball is thriving right now. the absolute numbers of support for basketball and football are similar, though football in general is the bigger sport. Basketball fans travel to NYC, georgetown, Duke etc. Our traveling football fanbase is small.

Bottom line is we have to win. We win, people in the city will be proud of their town and people from watertown, rochester, binghamton and utica will travel to the game. Unfortunately, at this point, i feel like we need a diamond in the rough to lift our team to that level. One of our players has to be a Donovan Mcnabb or Ernie Davis in hiding and be able to put the team on his back.

2. Tailgating. We've talked about this before, we need a better environment. It's tough being on a city college campus. You move the stadium, you get a better experience, but you take away the student's access to games a la Pitt and Miami, which we don't want. However, where the stadium is makes it difficult to tailgate and has other issues. You don't really want a bunch of drunks walking around a college campus.

I don't have a good solution. The university needs to encourage tailgating somehow to improve the game-day experience without increasing the obnoxious drunks on campus. SEC football and Green bay encourage tailgating and have the environment to back it up.

 

[Pat Kelly]

Pay students to attend Noon games. Give them a $5 food credit.

You know that would go national and look bad on the news... And it probably wouldn't make a difference to boot.

 

[Pat Kelly]

Well, I could't really comment on Carrier Dome food or food prices. Would you agree for Beer and Beer prices 6.25 could be lower ?

I guess that was my thing with Concessions.

Beer at Fenway Park is $9 or $9.50 depending if you're getting regular or craft beer. Obviously it's a bigger, more affluent city but this is a big reason why people tailgate and maybe get only one or two once you're actually at the stadium.

 

[elimunelson]

Well, I could't really comment on Carrier Dome food or food prices. Would you agree for Beer and Beer prices 6.25 could be lower ?

I guess that was my thing with Concessions.

6 bucks isn't atrocious for a beer at a sporting event.

The challenge for me hinges on a couple of issues:

1. Pride. People will travel great distances and pay higher prices to be a part of something special that they take pride in. This is the basis of SEC football/ tailgating. I think another great example is the Green Bay Packers - A small town team, that the whole state travels to come be a part of. Unfortunately, as long as Syracuse is not special at football, people don't feel like they are a part of something special and won't travel.

This is also why Syracuse basketball is thriving right now. the absolute numbers of support for basketball and football are similar, though football in general is the bigger sport. Basketball fans travel to NYC, georgetown, Duke etc. Our traveling football fanbase is small.

Bottom line is we have to win. We win, people in the city will be proud of their town and people from watertown, rochester, binghamton and utica will travel to the game. Unfortunately, at this point, i feel like we need a diamond in the rough to lift our team to that level. One of our players has to be a Donovan Mcnabb or Ernie Davis in hiding and be able to put the team on his back.

2. Tailgating. We've talked about this before, we need a better environment. It's tough being on a city college campus. You move the stadium, you get a better experience, but you take away the student's access to games a la Pitt and Miami, which we don't want. However, where the stadium is makes it difficult to tailgate and has other issues. You don't really want a bunch of drunks walking around a college campus.

I don't have a good solution. The university needs to encourage tailgating somehow to improve the game-day experience without increasing the obnoxious drunks on campus. SEC football and Green bay encourage tailgating and have the environment to back it up.

There is no solution for Syracuse to become UGA or Tennessee or Alabama. Is that what you are trying to equate it to? People should just enjoy what it is. A very cool venue for college football when it's full or pretty full. I thought the crowd at the Nova game (which i was at) was awesome for Syracuse. The product on the field was atrocious but that's my issue ultimately b/c I watch these games 85% of the time from my home and don't deal with the Dome or the tailgating.

Be good at what you are and try and improve upon it.

 

[dollarbill44]

I'm thinking 10 cent beer night might be a good idea. What can it hurt???:noidea:

 

[Cheriehoop]

Pay students to attend Noon games. Give them a $5 food credit.

They had that for the Maryland game didn't they and they still didn't show. Lame.

 

[Bayside44]

Well, I could't really comment on Carrier Dome food or food prices. Would you agree for Beer and Beer prices 6.25 could be lower ?

I guess that was my thing with Concessions.

Beers at an MLB are 9 to 10 bucks.

 

[MaxwellCuse]

The issue is we are in a community that does not value college football like most other P5 schools. It is what it is.

There are more than enough people in a 100-150 mile radius to absolutely pack that place every game, but it simply does not happen.

What you say applies to the students as well. By and large they come from parts of the country that do not value college football like much of the country. Want better student turn-out? Get the admissions office to focus on recruiting a student body from Ohio, Mississippi and Texas.

 

[Scooch]

Well, I could't really comment on Carrier Dome food or food prices. Would you agree for Beer and Beer prices 6.25 could be lower ?

I guess that was my thing with Concessions.

No, I couldn't agree with that actually.

$6 for a beer at a sporting event is a good deal these days.

Like I said, I paid $9 at a pre-season hockey game in Bridgeport, CT last weekend. And I paid $20 to park.

I'm not targeting you specifically, but I don't know that enough people understand the relative value it is to attend an SU game at the Dome. I know the economic situation there is different than in other areas, but $6 for beer and $10 for parking or whatever seems ludicrously low for those of us who pay 2-3X that where we live.

 

[Pat Kelly]

No, I couldn't agree with that actually.

$6 for a beer at a sporting event is a good deal these days.

Like I said, I paid $9 at a pre-season hockey game in Bridgeport, CT last weekend. And I paid $20 to park.

I'm not targeting you specifically, but I don't know that enough people understand the relative value it is to attend an SU game at the Dome. I know the economic situation there is different than in other areas, but $6 for beer and $10 for parking or whatever seems ludicrously low for those of us who pay 2-3X that where we live.

Kind of crazy how different parking can be at different locations. I go to a Pawtucket Red Sox game (AAA) and parking is free. I go to Fenway Park it's usually around $50 to park within a half mile of the stadium. I usually head to a lot about 2 or 2.5 miles away for $15.

 

[RCDICK44]

I know people will raise hell but maybe they should black out home games locally.I'll bet this will get a rise!!!!!!

 

[Ozcuse]

No, I couldn't agree with that actually.

$6 for a beer at a sporting event is a good deal these days.

Like I said, I paid $9 at a pre-season hockey game in Bridgeport, CT last weekend. And I paid $20 to park.

I'm not targeting you specifically, but I don't know that enough people understand the relative value it is to attend an SU game at the Dome. I know the economic situation there is different than in other areas, but $6 for beer and $10 for parking or whatever seems ludicrously low for those of us who pay 2-3X that where we live.

I think there is only value if people believe the entertainment value is worth the cost. It's hard for a lot of people to justify paying anything at all for the football watching equivalent of getting kicked in the balls. The same people will pay without a second's hesitation for SU basketball.

I encourage anyone who attends games to show up early, tailgate with friends and family, and walk campus a bit before and after the game. It will take the sting off the inevitable loss and give you some good memories to associate with the costs.

 

[ClamOtto]

No, I couldn't agree with that actually.

$6 for a beer at a sporting event is a good deal these days.

Like I said, I paid $9 at a pre-season hockey game in Bridgeport, CT last weekend. And I paid $20 to park.

I'm not targeting you specifically, but I don't know that enough people understand the relative value it is to attend an SU game at the Dome. I know the economic situation there is different than in other areas, but $6 for beer and $10 for parking or whatever seems ludicrously low for those of us who pay 2-3X that where we live.

So true. When i tell people they have beer at our basketball games, they can't believe it. When I tell them I can buy Dogfish Head, they're incredibly jealous. When I tell them it only costs 7 bucks, they're ready to move here.

 

[Scooch]

Kind of crazy how different parking can be at different locations. I go to a Pawtucket Red Sox game (AAA) and parking is free. I go to Fenway Park it's usually around $50 to park within a half mile of the stadium. I usually head to a lot about 2 or 2.5 miles away for $15.

Don't get me started on parking. People lose their minds here because it's $10 to park in a garage within a short walk of the Dome. Meanwhile I go to Gillette and pay $50 for the privilege of parking on a hill in a dirt lot where I also have to walk a mile past speeding traffic on Route 1 to get to the stadium.

 

[Chris02M]

the only food prices I think are overpriced is $3.50 for a candy bar that costs $1 at a local grocery store

 

[Orangepace]

Build a freeway direct from NYC to SU. That would likely add another 5-10K in the Dome by cutting at least half the time off the commute. This would be far too costly though.