To increase attendance to home games and seeing only about

[Bayside44]

They're not shown on TV much. For some reason we shoot the opposing sideline and get a constant view of non-student seating silver.

I don't see any demand for those prime seats. There are thousands between the 40s that go unsold every week.

That's always bugged me.

FWIW considering the crowd was light on Saturday the pictures actually looked pretty ok. Seems that a rational seating price setup is helping at least that.

 

[TexanMark]

They're not shown on TV much. For some reason we shoot the opposing sideline and get a constant view of non-student seating silver.

I don't see any demand for those prime seats. There are thousands between the 40s that go unsold every week.

Part of the problem is alumni don't show either.

 

[SWC75]

The students were in diapers the last time we were good in football. I don't blame them for not showing up.

We are #101 in the country 2002-2016:
I-A Winning Percentage 2002-2016

I count 6 power conference teams who have been worse.

We were #10 from 1987-2001: I-A Winning Percentage 1987-2001

 

[Scooch]

Part of the problem is alumni don't show either.

Correct.

Every segment of the fan base is not attending: locals, alumni, students and out-of-town fans.

Which is exactly why I don't see the point in people trashing the students. The program continues to be down and no one wants to endure 4-hour losses.

 

[xc84]

Correct.

Every segment of the fan base is not attending: locals, alumni, students and out-of-town fans.

Which is exactly why I don't see the point in people trashing the students. The program continues to be down and no one wants to endure 4-hour losses.

There is too much reliance on locals...non alumni who have no affiliation to the school other than living in the region. Alumni and students should support much, much more than they do. If that is "trashing" them, so be it. Of those who go, I'd guesstimate that 75% are not alumni or students.

 

[TheCusian]

Get the winning part right first. I don't think attendance as an outsized role in wins when you're starting where we are.

There are tons of the things the AD can do to make attending games more fun and less of a drag. But honestly, if you don't win it's all uphill.

 

[Bayside44]

There is too much reliance on locals...non alumni who have no affiliation to the school other than living in the region. Alumni and students should support much, much more than they do. If that is "trashing" them, so be it. Of those who go, I'd guesstimate that 75% are not alumni or students.

The alumni thing is different than most of these other schools. It's not driving to a game it's a weekend.

 

[Scooch]

There is too much reliance on locals...non alumni who have no affiliation to the school other than living in the region. Alumni and students should support much, much more than they do. If that is "trashing" them, so be it. Of those who go, I'd guesstimate that 75% are not alumni or students.

SU is a small school by P5 standards and has a 50K seat stadium. There is no way that alums - the vast majority of which move hundreds of miles away after graduation - are ever going to be a majority presence in terms of attendance. And certainly not given the current state of the program. It's not reasonable to expect tons of alums to travel 300+ miles every Saturday to see a team that hasn't been ranked in 16 years.

It's notable that alums turn out pretty darn well when SU plays in their home region (Boston, Raleigh, Atlanta, etc). So there is interest, just not enough sustained program performance to motivate people to travel that far.

Look, I'll gladly rip alums and students if they're not showing up when SU is reeling off 9+ win seasons again. But to expect massive turnout when the high-water mark of this program in SIXTEEN years is winning 3rd tier bowls around Christmas is just not realistic.

 

[TexanMark]

Correct.

Every segment of the fan base is not attending: locals, alumni, students and out-of-town fans.

Which is exactly why I don't see the point in people trashing the students. The program continues to be down and no one wants to endure 4-hour losses.

Low hanging fruit.

They have to wake up by 2pm and walk under 1/2 mile in most cases

 

[xc84]

The alumni thing is different than most of these other schools. It's not driving to a game it's a weekend.

Really? Does anyone know the % of alumni that live within 130 miles (that's what I drive each way each week)?

 

[TexanMark]

Really? Does anything know the % of alumni within 130 miles (that's what I drive each way each week)?

xc you need to come by the Fine Lot

 

[Bayside44]

Really? Does anyone know the % of alumni within 130 miles (that's what I drive each way each week)?

I don't but sure it could be found out. Someone threw out a super high number in one of these threads.

 

[xc84]

I don't but sure it could be found out. Someone threw out a super high number in one of these threads.

Ok...would be great to see but if true, it sort of blows this up: "It's not driving to a game it's a weekend."

 

[Bayside44]

Ok...would be great to see but if true, it sort of blows this up: "It's not driving to a game it's a weekend."

Well draw a circle 130 miles from Syracuse. It doesn't touch NYC, Boston, Philly, DC, etc...

 

[shandeezy7]

Really? Does anyone know the % of alumni that live within 130 miles (that's what I drive each way each week)?

This doesn't give the full number, but it does say 29,000 in the Syracuse area:

Syracuse University alumni continue to pursue careers outside central New York, emulating statewide trend

 

[TexanMark]

The Dome renovation appears to be talking seating around 40-44k. I used to be against that, not anymore

Hopefully some seating can be modified to improve BB sightlines.

 

[shandeezy7]

Btw the Cal-Ole Miss game from this past weekend just came up on replay on ESPNU. Two 2-0 teams, night game, SEC team in the house. The stadium is half empty (or half-full, depending on your outlook on things. Either way, it's crappy). Official attendance was 37,125 for a 63,000 seat stadium. It's not like little old Syracuse is the only place experiencing attendance issues.

 

[Scooch]

Low hanging fruit.

They have to wake up by 2pm and walk under 1/2 mile in most cases

Win more than 5 games a year and I bet more students show up. *That's* the low hanging fruit.

Well, check that, since we've only won more than 5 games THREE times in the past TWELVE years, perhaps it's not so low hanging after all.

Let that stat wash over you, everyone. Three times in twelve years. That is the entirety of this attendance "debate"

 

[xc84]

Well draw a circle 130 miles from Syracuse. It doesn't touch NYC, Boston, Philly, DC, etc...

Right. But you said a high number live within 130 miles of Syracuse.

 

[xc84]

Win more than 5 games a year and I bet more students show up. *That's* the low hanging fruit.

Well, check that, since we've only won more than 5 games THREE times in the past TWELVE years, perhaps it's not so low hanging after all.

Let that stat was over you, everyone. Three times in twelve years. That is the entirety of this attendance "debate"

While I agree... it does not negate the obligation of students and alumni to support the team better.

 

[xc84]

This doesn't give the full number, but it does say 29,000 in the Syracuse area:

Syracuse University alumni continue to pursue careers outside central New York, emulating statewide trend

Thanks...and that is CNY...add Rochester, Buffalo, Albany and Bing. to the mix and I bet it is a lot more.

 

[Bayside44]

Right. But you said a high number live within 130 miles of Syracuse.

No I didn't. Another poster said he made a 130 mile drive. I said people scatter out much further than that.

 

[xc84]

No I didn't. Another poster said he made a 130 mile drive. I said people scatter out much further than that.

You: "The alumni thing is different than most of these other schools. It's not driving to a game it's a weekend."

Me: "Really? Does anyone know the % of alumni within 130 miles (that's what I drive each way each week)?"

You: "I don't but sure it could be found out. Someone threw out a super high number in one of these threads."

 

[Scooch]

While I agree... it does not negate the obligation of students and alumni to support the team better.

Obligation? I disagree with that. This is sports, no one has any obligation to do anything, and I say this as a rabid fan who spends wayyyyy too much time on this site.

 

[xc84]

Obligation? I disagree with that. This is sports, no one has any obligation to do anything, and I say this as a rabid fan who spends wayyyyy too much time on this site.

I know. That's the crux of this particular argument. Some (like me) think they have an obligation and some (like you) don't think there is an obligation.