Noon, Thu & Fri games SUCK, not the Fans

[CusefanATL]

I didn't say any of those. They are all in-conference games. We won't have any OOC big home games int he near future.

Not sure why that matters. a big game is a big game is a big game.

 

[SmilinBob]

I'm sure SU knows noon games stink attendance wise but they have to weigh that to having a chance of being on TV. No and I repeat no one other than an SU or Toledo fans would be watching SU vs Toledo at 3:30 if it were on.

SU is playing so many noon games because we haven't shown the nation/tv we are worthy yet. I think they have but nation wide too many think of the grob years and it has hurt big time. Then you have fans that don't show up because of excuse whatever and it continues to make it look that way, even our own fans feel that way. I fully understand that people have their reasons but I really don't think you realize how this is effecting a lot of peoples opinions about the program from fans to tv to recruits to the very own players and staff you are fans of.

 

[Rocco]

Rutgers may not be meaningless, but they are not good. Is that better? My point is, we do not play any good teams in the early season to warrant disrupting the entire day for a noon game given all of the other factors I also mentioned. If people don't want to believe that these are the issues, that's fine, but I know they are. I don't get paid to bring more fans to games or find a solution for low attendance, so I could care less.

You are spending more time listing reasons to not go than finding ways to get to the game. I don't know what else to say. Your priorities are set, and SU isn't on the list.

 

[Rocco]

Orangebabe is exactly right and you diehards on this board cannot see that fact because you live and breath SU sports. Many people have busy schedules and cannot sacrifice everything for a football program that has done nothing for the fans. Upgrade the facilities and more fans will come. Schedule games at 4:30 or later and more fans will come. 4:30 is the perfect time for SU to schedule games on Saturdays because fans can tailgate without waking up at the crack of dawn to do so.

At the end of the day, go pound salt.

 

[kingottoiii]

Ignorance like this will not make it better. I have a right to speak and would rather sit in front of my tv than with argumentative fans like you who are living in a dream world of bringing all Cuse fans to their wonderful little bubble when there is life outside of it. Obviously it's not working, so keep trying to think of ways to change it while you sit in there with 20k other fans. I will stay home, and I will laugh when the question keeps being raised as to why attendance is so low. I had season tickets for years during the Coach P era, and there were never this many noon games.

People all over the country have the same issues but show up. BTW in 2001 here is our home schedule...

UCF 12:05 start
Auburn 7:50 start
ECU 1:35 start
Temple 1:35 start
WV 12:05 start
BC 7:00 start

That is a crap home schedule with 4 of 6 starts 1:30 or earlier. Then there is 2003 coming off a 4-8 season the year before...

Louisville 1:35
UCF 12:05
Toledo 6:35
BC 12:05
Temple 1:30
WV 12:05
ND 1:05

That is 6 of 7 games 1:30 or earlier. The one non early start was the least attended game of the year.

 

[Rocco]

Not sure why that matters. a big game is a big game is a big game.

I guess you are missing my context.

 

[HeaterCuse22]

Want some more people there - stop putting every home game on TWCS13 in Syracuse. Just my opinion even though I enjoy being able to watch games I can't get to. There has been some occasions since the GROB era that I and my friends have made the concious decision to just watch the game at a bar since it is on TV and we also wanted to watch other sporting events.

Whoever is in charge of scheduling these games needs to stop putting a good majority at noon, or this attendance issue will never change. The same can be said for Thursday and Friday games.

People in Syracuse do have lives outside of Syracuse football, and in fact, were actually instructed to get a life about 10 years ago by the SU Admin. I know it’s different leadership at the helm now, but I think those types of comments left a bad taste in the mouths of the fans.

During the later years of coach P, people were more inclined to find other things to do besides SU football. After P, there was no reason to go, because the team was not winning. As of now, I know a lot of people in Syracuse have gone from working for businesses that have left the region to working for themselves or for businesses in the contracting industry. These types of jobs require more than Monday-Friday attendance, so they tend to work on Saturday mornings to finish up their work week. If this isn’t the case, they have other things going on with their children such as sports, or they are involved in their own extracurricular activities.

I can also speak for myself by saying that I work all week and also do things after work on Thursdays and Fridays which prevent me from being able to go to a Syracuse Football game on those evenings. Sometimes I am required to make up games on Saturdays that get rained out during the, so Saturday noon games are not an option.

I know some people will not like this, but a true fact is that most people, including myself, do not want to get up at 6-7 a.m. on a Saturday to trek up to the Dome to watch a team that is 2-18 at noon playing against teams that don’t mean anything, i.e. Rhode Island, Toledo, Rutgers, etc. Lastly, fall is the grand finale for nice weather in Syracuse, before the snow starts flying. Syracusans do not want to sit inside a steaming hot dome, when we can enjoy the beautiful weather outside and finish up some season-ending chores such as closing our pools, winterizing boats, etc.

With this all being said, if SU wants fans to fill the seats, they need to start scheduling games at 3:30 or later on SATURDAYS. They need to avoid having noon games or the Thursday & Friday night games which interfere with work and family/personal functions.

Whoever is in charge of scheduling these games needs to stop putting a good majority at noon, or this attendance issue will never change. The same can be said for Thursday and Friday games.

People in Syracuse do have lives outside of Syracuse football, and in fact, were actually instructed to get a life about 10 years ago by the SU Admin. I know it’s different leadership at the helm now, but I think those types of comments left a bad taste in the mouths of the fans.

During the later years of coach P, people were more inclined to find other things to do besides SU football. After P, there was no reason to go, because the team was not winning. As of now, I know a lot of people in Syracuse have gone from working for businesses that have left the region to working for themselves or for businesses in the contracting industry. These types of jobs require more than Monday-Friday attendance, so they tend to work on Saturday mornings to finish up their work week. If this isn’t the case, they have other things going on with their children such as sports, or they are involved in their own extracurricular activities.

I can also speak for myself by saying that I work all week and also do things after work on Thursdays and Fridays which prevent me from being able to go to a Syracuse Football game on those evenings. Sometimes I am required to make up games on Saturdays that get rained out during the, so Saturday noon games are not an option.

I know some people will not like this, but a true fact is that most people, including myself, do not want to get up at 6-7 a.m. on a Saturday to trek up to the Dome to watch a team that is 2-18 at noon playing against teams that don’t mean anything, i.e. Rhode Island, Toledo, Rutgers, etc. Lastly, fall is the grand finale for nice weather in Syracuse, before the snow starts flying. Syracusans do not want to sit inside a steaming hot dome, when we can enjoy the beautiful weather outside and finish up some season-ending chores such as closing our pools, winterizing boats, etc.

With this all being said, if SU wants fans to fill the seats, they need to start scheduling games at 3:30 or later on SATURDAYS. They need to avoid having noon games or the Thursday & Friday night games which interfere with work and family/personal functions.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

whining about 12 noon starts is so absured, they are part of college football every where.. SEC, ACC, Pac 10, etc. People act as if a noon start only happens at Syracuse

 

[All4SU]

I don't think the "Fans suck." I think the fans are great. I see them at every game -- noon, 3pm, 7pm, Thursday, Friday. Doesn't matter. The fans are there. There just aren't enough of them.

The folks that don't go because of a noon start are not fans to the degree that the University needs them to be. They have their own priorities, and they are entitled to them. They are "casual fans" at best. They will turn out when the team is winning. Until then, it doesn't matter what time the game is. If SU makes a game at Noon, a percentage of them say "I have my kids' soccer games." If they make a game at 7pm, a different percentage say "I have dinner plans." If they make a game at 3pm, they say "I have to rake the leaves."
The fact is, you just can't accommodate everyone, and their individual preferences. Fans show up for games. Casual fans show up when it is convenient.

 

[Moontan]

Fans elsewhere don't play in a Dome and have to inside on a beautiful fall day. If it were later in the day, then more fans would be inclined to go. It's ignorance like this that keeps attendance down. Facts are facts, and noon games will not work.

7 Saturdays a year. Actually only 4 this year. Do those in November count as "beautiful fall" days as well?

Luckily for you there's only one more home Saturday game left. That's November 26th vs. Cincinnati. The bad news is that this will likely be another noon kickoff. I guess you'll be spending that beautiful fall day doing something else outdoors as well. Enjoy the rest of your football free Saturdays. I'm sure those two Friday night games are inconvenient as well.

In your world, everyone would be playing in that 3:30/4:00 Saturday time slot. Everyone would only be able to attend or watch a single game live per week. If you happen to have more than one favorite team (or you have friends that like another team that you like to watch games with) you are SOL.

When should the NFL play their games? 1:00 or 4:00 on Sundays? No Thursday night game, no Sunday night game, no Sunday double-header, no MNF. It almost sounds like you don't like football, or that you can only take a very small dose of it at one exact time every week.

 

[OttoMets]

Fans elsewhere don't play in a Dome and have to inside on a beautiful fall day. If it were later in the day, then more fans would be inclined to go. It's ignorance like this that keeps attendance down. Facts are facts, and noon games will not work.

By later in the day you mean 3:30, when it is still a beautiful fall day?

You're right, that is ignorance. Or empty excuse-making.

Forecast calls for rain and cool temperatures this Saturday, so people probably won't be raking leaves or winterizing boats. Shall we expect a full house?

 

[ImperialOrange]

I guess I probably am not a fan then because you said so. If you only knew

Ok, I inderstand prior obligations but then to come back with you'll sit in front of your TV and laugh at attendence issues and then claim a fan hood of "if you only knew" is a bit scattered.

I'm not taking cheap shots at you I guess I just dont understand but I'd like to. You seem to represent the "swing" fans pretty well. Basketball first, likes football but not to the same extent because they aren't nationally prominent like the hoops team? Noon kick offs do suck but if it was a noon tip off for a Georgetown game would you somehow make it work? When Syracuse is in the ACC and it's FSU, Clemson, Va Tech, Miami, etc. that TV dictates a noon kick off would you be more likely to make it? In order from least likely to attend to most likely how would you rank Thursday night, Friday night, or Saturday noon kickoffs?

 

[OttoMets]

I will stay home, and I will laugh when the question keeps being raised as to why attendance is so low.

That's nice. You must be a real treat at parties. And quite the super-fan, too.

 

[dollarbill44]

LOL, it's not just me, and it's ignorance like that that will keep the attendance down. Syracuse will never see attendance above 30k on Saturdays at noon playing the likes of Toledo, Rutgers, Rhode Island, etc. in early fall. As the temps get colder, maybe. I'm saying these early season game-times need to change.

I don't think the attitudes on this board are what's keeping attendance down. It is a lack of dedicated fans. Like it or not, you fit into this category. I remember as a kid having a hockey game canceled because SU was in the Final4 (1975). What if it rains this Saturday? Will you go then since your makeup games will be called? Or will there be some other reason to not go. Please enlighten us, the ignorant ones.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I don't think the attitudes on this board are what's keeping attendance down. It is a lack of dedicated fans. Like it or not, you fit into this category. I remember as a kid having a hockey game canceled because SU was in the Final4 (1975). What if it rains this Saturday? Will you go then since your makeup games will be called? Or will there be some other reason to not go. Please enlighten us, the ignorant ones.

Agreed, I may bitch about the program at times, but I also support it. I tell everyone that I come in contact with ona regular basis as I become the sounding board for everything SU Football on a Saturday afternoon, phone calls, texts, e-mails. Don't bitch unless you contribute in some way shape or form to the program and that is as siimple as season tickets

 

[orangebabe]

Come on! Suck it up and organize your day a little differently on Saturday.
You sound like one of those blue hairs who asks people to sit down and be quiet.

LOL, no that wouldn't be me; but yes, I do have a life outside of SU football.

 

[orangebabe]

You are spending more time listing reasons to not go than finding ways to get to the game. I don't know what else to say. Your priorities are set, and SU isn't on the list.

I guess that's it then Rocco. You must be right, maybe I just subconsciously don't want to go.

 

[mountaincuse]

I do have a life outside of SU football.

So do we all, but we still go whenever possible (go out of our way to do so) and dont make lame excuses for not being there

 

[dollarbill44]

I guess that's it then Rocco. You must be right, maybe I just subconsciously don't want to go.

Your not wanting to go doesn't sound subconscious at all, rather it is clearly on the forefront of your thoughts.

 

[Orangepace]

Ignorance like this will not make it better. I have a right to speak and would rather sit in front of my tv than with argumentative fans like you who are living in a dream world of bringing all Cuse fans to their wonderful little bubble when there is life outside of it. Obviously it's not working, so keep trying to think of ways to change it while you sit in there with 20k other fans. I will stay home, and I will laugh when the question keeps being raised as to why attendance is so low. I had season tickets for years during the Coach P era, and there were never this many noon games.

You're speaking of sitting at home watching the games.. thought you had a busy life that was too busy to allow you to get to the Dome? Something is amiss...

 

[orangebabe]

I don't think the attitudes on this board are what's keeping attendance down. It is a lack of dedicated fans. Like it or not, you fit into this category. I remember as a kid having a hockey game canceled because SU was in the Final4 (1975). What if it rains this Saturday? Will you go then since your makeup games will be called? Or will there be some other reason to not go. Please enlighten us, the ignorant ones.

Lack of dedicated fans is 100%, and it's crude and ignorant fans like the ones on this board that don't help matters. I'm a little embarrassed actually for the behavior and the lack of respect for ones opinion. Such hostility towards the 70% of Syracuse area fans who have a life. Criticizing them for giving the truth is not going to solve the problem. If you want to promote a product, you don't negatively try to sell it. You cater to your market and factor in what attracts them. I guess the 20k who show up really know more than the 70% of the rest of the SU fans. With that being said, you can all join together at noon on Saturdays eating your Dome dogs and drinking your beers.

 

[Rocco]

Lack of dedicated fans is 100%, and it's crude and ignorant fans like the ones on this board that don't help matters. I'm a little embarrassed actually for the behavior and the lack of respect for ones opinion. Such hostility towards the 70% of Syracuse area fans who have a life. Criticizing them for giving the truth is not going to solve the problem. If you want to promote a product, you don't negatively try to sell it. You cater to your market and factor in what attracts them. I guess the 20k who show up really know more than the 70% of the rest of the SU fans. With that being said, you can all join together at noon on Saturdays eating your Dome dogs and drinking your beers.

I respectfully disagree with your opinion. Don't I have the right to my own opinion of your opinion?

You aren't giving the truth either. You are giving your opinion. Enjoy the leaves!

 

[orangebabe]

You're speaking of sitting at home watching the games.. thought you had a busy life that was too busy to allow you to get to the Dome? Something is amiss...

What I said was most people are too busy early saturdays and find it difficult to get out @ 6-7 a.m., so they can trek up to the DOME only to have nothing left of the day. You must not have read my entire post or perhaps couldn't understand. I do have obligations on Saturday mornings just like others who work during the week or perhaps on Saturday a.m. as I also stated. If it was one game or two, perhaps it wouldn't be an issue, but every SU game is at noon, Thu. or Fri.

Most people (intelligent ones anyway) put their careers, family or other personal activities first before SU football. Apparently if that's the case, then we are not allowed to root for SU, because we don't sacrifice our lives to make it to the DOME.

Being associated with a fan base like some of the people on this board who are so hostile, crude and downright ignorant makes me want to throw up all over myself. I used to be a proud fan, but I actually am kind of embarrassed by the treatment. Hopefully you don't treat your spouses the same way, when they they like something you don't.

 

[All4SU]

If you want to promote a product, you don't negatively try to sell it. You cater to your market and factor in what attracts them.

Not being rude, just continuing the dialogue. SU promotes the product through reasonably consistent advertising. They also get the coaches out into the community. They work with the student groups to try and build support among the underclassmen. They have invested heavily in upgrading facilities (more to come). They have invested in good coaching. They are doing everything possible to put a good, competitive product on the field. They have dressed up the Dome. They have discounted tickets -- as well as given tickets away to youth groups, military and to the SU student population. They are charging $100 for a Season Ticket -- and unheard of price for most of D1. They have instituted the open seating policy for the students. 99% of the time they are completely cooperative with the media to be available at every opportunity for an interview, report or article. They have hosted the Annual Day prior to the start of the season to cater to the kids and fans who might like the opportunity to see the team up close and personal. They have tried to work their schedule around the NYS Fair. They have tried to coop with The Fair to generate additional fan interest. They have frequently scheduled our first game away from the Dome so as not to directly compete with the Fair. The coaches have gone on speaking engagements to parts all over Upstate New York to address potential fans, build interest and awareness in the team. (I'm sure there are other things I am missing.)

What EXACTLY is it you want them to do, that they are not already doing, and which is something they can control -- note: without a huge hit to their ability to make some money on the program?

 

[Eric15]

LOL, no that wouldn't be me; but yes, I do have a life outside of SU football.

What do you have going on that is more fun than tailgating with a bunch of your friends, and then watching your favorite team play football? I'm genuinely curious. Are you attending some out-of-control celebrity-filled party at the Playboy Mansion? If that is it, can I please tag along with you?