How to (start) to improve attendance

[Toga]

I agree with this.

I think some people find it easier to pay the money to park their car. They may like the atmosphere of the lot and can potentially tailgate. They also may feel that their car is safer to park in a specific spot rather than on a main street or some random side street. Everyone spends their money differently though and I'm relatively frugal. However, if I can help save someone $20-$25 and maybe have them attend more games than they normally would, then I'm all for it.

What we used to do was park on a side street next to Manley. The side streets are Harriette, Ruth, or Lorraine ave. They always had readily available parking, and we would either walk to Manley and take the shuttle, or just simply walk to the dome. If you cut through the cemetery, it's even faster. One downside to this is that it's odd/evening parking. So, if you go to a 7:00 pm basketball game, and you park your car at say, 5:00 pm, you might get a little concerned about getting a ticket. 3:30 football games are also a difficult one.

We were ESF students, and we had a Standart lot pass. Often times we would park up there early for class and keep our car in Standart for free. They close the lot and make people pay to park ~2 hours before game time. They make you pay even if you're a student and having a parking pass for the lot. I actually found this to be ridiculous when trying to exit the lot. We spent ~40 minutes trying to get out of the Standart lot on a few occasions.

Another option is to just go to ESF. If you're a student (even non-matriculated), you can park on on-campus after 5 pm for free. You need a parking pass for this, but the pass is free. The only exception is that you aren't allowed to park up there during football games (at least this is what I've heard). But, for all basketball games, you're good to go. You can literally park right next to the dome.

There's also a cheap lot, which is actually MLK's school parking lot. They charge $5 I believe, but that's only for bigger games. I actually don't even know if it's a legal operation, because I've seen a very sketchy set up there before charging $5.

MLK lot was fine. A bit of a climb to the Dome but not too bad.

 

[HeaterCuse22]

not looking forward to 85 degrees on saturday

only 50% humidity. Should make it better than that steamhouse on opening day. LOL

 

[HeaterCuse22]

Great post. It certainly seems that there is a lot of work for SU to do in making things right with long-term supporters like yourself and many on this board. I would say that SU has done a good job this year reaching out to fans. Fanfest & staff like Dan Bartlett are good signs. The issue appears to be infinitely complicated. They've ticked off those that have supported the program for a long time and have lost a lot of their market at the same time. I'm among the 32% of the population that left CNY during the economic struggles of the last 50 years. The region has had to absorb a lot of underutilized homes, businesses, infrastructure, and long-term maintenance expenses for entities that had been developed when the area thrived but were left to be supported by a much smaller group of people. The poverty rate spiked partially because the more affluent folks were able to relocate. The less successful SU sport suffered in finding support among a population that was shrinking and becoming less affluent as a whole. The weather doesn't help the football cause either. Upstate New Yorkers have a limited outdoor season in one of the most beautiful areas of the country. It's easier to commit to a consistently successful sport during a season when hiking, boating, wine-touring, swimming, fishing, vacationing, don't compete for weekend time. I'm hoping to be a football regular for at least this year and next. I have more CNY projects than I can complete this year. As JB says, CNY is the most beautiful place in the world 6 months a year.

I think SU has a number of good options to get more people to the dome for football. Personally, I think free student tickets would help create a new generation of football fans, help make attending games more affordable for local families, and demonstrate that SU is serious about making football a community event. Giving free tickets to veterans or deeply discounting them would do the same. SU talks a lot about veterans and they could make a great statement of gratitude and increase attendance at the same time. Veterans have families. There is also a large population of snowbirds that migrate from CNY to the south and back with the changing seasons. It seems that packages that include early home games and later road games in the south could be good products. Atlanta, Raleigh, Charlottesville, Louisville, and other ACC cities are places we'd like to have some home field advantage, and do. SU could help that along. I think SU is working hard to improve the football program which will sell itself once SU can engage prospective fans, but they need to reach out to the demographics in the region. In order to fill the dome, SU needs to put about 10% of the population in the seats. Until they consistently have a better product, they'll need to be a better value for more families.

Really this is not true.

Edit. I mean dan has done a great job, but for community outreach - terrible.

 

[Shenexon]

Really this is not true.

I know a lot of people feel the way you do, so think SU has a lot of work to do especially with long-term supporters. This year is the first I've been in CNY during FB season in decades and have been happy with SU football outreach. Part of it is that I'm so psyched to be here but SU has made it easy for me to participate.

 

[Cuseregular]

Really this is not true.

Edit. I mean dan has done a great job, but for community outreach - terrible.

think he's mostly referring to fanfest which was SO well done and such a good time that it can qualify as "reaching out to the fans". Might need to add current fans or as I refer the ones already invested. The OP though was made so that, yes, they need do a better job of reaching out the fence sitting disaffected fans in the way I hope they do and then the more tangible ways, no doubt.

 

[HeaterCuse22]

I know a lot of people feel the way you do, so think SU has a lot of work to do especially with long-term supporters. This year is the first I've been in CNY during FB season in decades and have been happy with SU football outreach. Part of it is that I'm so psyched to be here but SU has made it easy for me to participate.

But imagine if you weren't here on this board. Or lets say a BIG fan, but a casual supporter.

How many commercials have you heard about the game this week?
Did you know it was children's day?
Other than syr.com talking about how bad the attendance is this week and how we should be cautiously optimistic, who have you heard talking about the game?

 

[HeaterCuse22]

think he's mostly referring to fanfest which was SO well done and such a good time that it can qualify as "reaching out to the fans". Might need to add current fans or as I refer the ones already invested. The OP though was made so that, yes, they need do a better job of reaching out the fence sitting disaffected fans in the way I hope they do and then the more tangible ways, no doubt.

Man there was like 500 people there. How is that outreach?

 

[OttoMets]

Just out of curiosity, how much do they charge to park at the Convention Center garage or the garage next to the AXA plaza on game day? Back in the day we'd park in the MONY garage and hike uphill. I'm thinking of doing something similar when we come up later this fall so we're not far from Armory Square after the game. (Yeah, the Big Six-Oh has come and gone but I can still walk up a hill daily and there's always an umbrella for rainy days).

Some friends park at the convention center garage now and again for games. I think it's $8-$10?

 

[HeaterCuse22]

I always am trying to look at this from the standpoint of a non diehard. LOL

 

[Cuseregular]

Man there was like 500 people there. How is that outreach?

he said reaching out to the fans, not outreach if we can quibble on words. After years and years and years of effectively doing nothing for seasons tickets holders I personally felt they were "reaching out" to this fan to show they actually finally give a . Now as to outreach in the way I've been saying they need to do I'm in 100% lockstep agreement with your position.

That's how bad its been. It's been pathetic not only with respect to community outreach in general but toward their fanbase that actually goes, until now. And then historically they've been holier than thou up on the great hill, with an occassional insult or two thrown in. The latter appears to be behind us thankfully. BUT as you accurately note there's a LONG way to go (which again the OP was in reference to).

 

[HeaterCuse22]

he said reaching out to the fans, not outreach if we can quibble on words. After years and years and years of effectively doing nothing for seasons tickets holders I personally felt they were "reaching out" to this fan to show they actually finally give a . Now as to outreach in the way I've been saying they need to do I'm in 100% lockstep agreement with your position.

That's how bad its been. It's been pathetic not only with respect to community outreach in general but toward their fanbase that actually goes, until now. And then historically they've been holier than thou up on the great hill, with an occassional insult or two thrown in. The latter appears to be behind us thankfully. BUT as you accurately note there's a LONG way to go (which again the OP was in reference to).

Not trying to be argumentative. Agree with all of this stuff.

 

[Shenexon]

he said reaching out to the fans, not outreach if we can quibble on words. After years and years and years of effectively doing nothing for seasons tickets holders I personally felt they were "reaching out" to this fan to show they actually finally give a . Now as to outreach in the way I've been saying they need to do I'm in 100% lockstep agreement with your position.

That's how bad its been. It's been pathetic not only with respect to community outreach in general but toward their fanbase that actually goes, until now. And then historically they've been holier than thou up on the great hill, with an occassional insult or two thrown in. The latter appears to be behind us thankfully. BUT as you accurately note there's a LONG way to go (which again the OP was in reference to).

A lot of what I've heard from long-term fans that I respect is that SU communicates poorly, has a poor vision of SU as a sports business, and lacks appreciation for the importance of the regional community, at least on the administrative level. I've been involved this year for the experience, not for the relationship that SU needs to build with those of you that have suffered for those same decades I've been elsewhere.

I got to go to the spring game, fanfest, have been toodling around SU a good bit, spent some time in the SU Library Archives, have a glorious season ticket for football this fall, and have been greatly enjoying my time in CNY, but I'm a poor example for the purpose of this discussion. Dan, if you're reading this, take back a message that SU has done some promising things but needs a significant effort to re-engage disgruntled locals, including things as simple as better communication and more difficult things that would make attending games more affordable and beneficial for real supporters of the program. SU is an institution of higher education, but a big part of SU is as much a sports business as anything at this point. I think Syverud & Coyle get it and will either improve the program significantly and/or make it right with you guys that are the core of program support.

I'm hoping to continue my sabbatical in CNY next summer and fall as well. This year has been wonderful. One of the best things so far is that Mrs. ReedNY and I celebrated our birthdays during the Wake Forest victory. I guess SU could have made that better by offering a: "Birthdays In A Box" promotion and set up birthday celebrants in box seats or other premium seats. Maybe next year.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Can't do it for HS players, NCAA violation.

Pop Warner, then.

 

[MaxwellCuse]

Some friends park at the convention center garage now and again for games. I think it's $8-$10?

Thanks. Sounds like a decent price. Do you happen to know if they run shuttles up to the Dome from that area?

 

[OttoMets]

Thanks. Sounds like a decent price. Do you happen to know if they run shuttles up to the Dome from that area?

Don't believe so - pretty quick walk, though.

 

[SWC75]

What if SU gave a local HS team free or discounted tickets, and one of the 9th graders on the team became NYS Player of the Year?

That would go over really well.

Would the fact that the program was done for a class of people - high school football players- rather than an individual make it allowable under NCAA rules. After all, they play high school games in the Dome. is that a 'benefit' to the star player of a particular team?