Townies v. Alumni

[HRE Otto IV]

Depends on what you mean by “loyal”.

If we’re talking about filling the Dome, then it’s locals, hands down.

If we’re talking about supporting the athletics programs financially, I suspect it’s relatively even, although I don’t know the sourcing of fundraising.

If we’re talking about simply being diehard fans, it’s also pretty even.

My experience is that SU alums love SU and follow the teams rabidly. They just don’t get back to the Dome all that often.

It is hard to get back to the Dome for many. Which is why IMO we should use our OOC schedule to play Northeast teams. It should help keep alumni more engaged as they have a game they can easily attend, it helps recruiting having local games, and townies don't have far to go to attend. Directional Michigan schools are a hike for townies, player families, and alumni. Purdue does nothing to advance the program.

IMO we need to rotate:

P5: Notre Dame (required), Maryland, Penn State, Rutgers, West Virginia
G5: Army, Navy, Temple, UConn
G5: either Ohio MAC or Florida

It would also help if we played at Miami and at GA Tech more than once every 12 years and in VA more than twice every 12 years. We really need to push redoing the divisions (swap SU/FSU for VA Tech/Miami) or getting rid of them entirely.

I think the same issue exists for BBall. We need to get a game in either Philly/DC, and a game in NYC every year, and a 3rd game in the Northeast (Newark, Piscataway, Providence) every other year. We have that this year, which is good. Although I would try to get one of those games during our ACC bye (2/15) so it is later in the year. People aren't in BBall mode yet.

 

[jgeorge322]

I live two hours away, am I still considered a townie?

Yes, I’ll give you townie, but only if you want the responsibility

 

[storange]

Oswego St grad and Townie, Although I picked Oswego so I could still get to football home games. Daughter has Masters in Ed. from SU. Interestingly her advisor was Jeff Mangram, some of you may remember him from happier times. I remain in the "Dino Camp"

 

[David321]

Yes, I’ll give you townie, but only if you want the responsibility

I’m getting season tickets so count me in!

 

[Atlcuse44]

Ex-townie who lives in GA and went to RIT. Some of my fondest memories are going to football and basketball games with my Dad back in the 80s and 90s. I was there for Michael Owens two point conversion against WV in 87. Kirby Dar Dar's return reverse for a TD against Florida in 91. Pearls half court shot against BC in 84. I could go on and on. I have been in GA now for 27 years, longer than I lived in Syracuse but I will be a SU fan until the day I die. I follow UGA and pull for them but Syracuse is my team and I proudly wear my SU gear here in the South.

 

[jgeorge322]

Ex-townie who lives in GA and went to RIT. Some of my fondest memories are going to football and basketball games with my Dad back in the 80s and 90s. I was there for Michael Owens two point conversion against WV in 87. Kirby Dar Dar's return reverse for a TD against Florida in 91. Pearls half court shot against BC in 84. I could go on and on I have been in GA now for 27 years, longer than I lived in Syracuse but I will be a SU fan until the day I die. I follow UGA and pull for them but Syracuse is my team and I proudly wear my SU gear here in the South.

Amen. And once a townie, always a townie. I moved out years ago. It’s still home.

 

[TexanMark]

I live two hours away, am I still considered a townie?

Yes, but a special type: someone willing to travel to games outside the magical 90 mile ring of local fan.

 

[SUDadx2]

It is hard to get back to the Dome for many. Which is why IMO we should use our OOC schedule to play Northeast teams. It should help keep alumni more engaged as they have a game they can easily attend…

If the objective is to keep alumni engaged, I ask where are the largest groups of alumni located?

I’ve been told the second largest alumni base, outside of the tri-state area (NYC), is in Southern California. If that’s accurate, why not schedule a football and basketball series against UCLA? Football in the Dome and the Rose Bowl, and basketball in the Dome and Pauley Pavilion.

 

[David321]

Yes, but a special type: someone willing to travel to games outside the magical 90 mile ring of local fan.

And because I work Friday and Saturday nights, I lose sleep for it a bit and have to burn a vacation day for each game. Worth it.

 

[TexanMark]

If the objective is to keep alumni engaged, I ask where are the largest groups of alumni located?

I’ve been told the second largest alumni base, outside of the tri-state area (NYC), is in Southern California. If that’s accurate, why not schedule a football and basketball series against UCLA? Football in the Dome and the Rose Bowl, and basketball in the Dome and Pauley Pavilion.

LA? Didn't realize that.

I'd figure the NCR, ATL, SFL or CNY

 

[NJneer12]

Let's look at this a different way:

Are the majority of fans calling for Dino's head alums or locals?

Really curious about this now

 

[GeauxSU]

LA? Didn't realize that.

I'd figure the NCR, ATL, SFL or CNY

Oh, yeah. I'd say 70-75% of Newhouse grads end up in Southern Cal.

 

[Chip]

Grew up a townie (Oswego). Went to SU, graduated, hung around the Big O for about a year. Then got the hell out of there forever during the 96 football season.

CNY winters and lake effect snow were never for me. For years, whenever it would snow in DC people would say 'oh you must be used to it'. Yeah, no. I hated it. My leaving forced my family to get a snow blower. The cheap labor had left town.

 

[Orangejet]

Went to Cuse as a student-athlete from NJ. Now live in Chicagoland and attend one home game and one road game, sometimes two, each year. Love CNY and wish I could get up there more. Go Townies!

 

[orangetom]

I've bled orange ever since I went to SU and graduated in 1973. I've had SU football season tickets (and traveled from the Albany area) since 1980, the first year of the Dome. I even had basketball season tickets for Manley (the only way to get tickets at the time) but stopped one year after the Dome opened. I'm diehard SU.

 

[Trueblue25]

Someone asked me this question today, who are the more loyal fans—townies or alumni. It got me thinking what the breakdown is of fans on this board. I am both, grew up in Syracuse and graduated in 07.

Townies.

The Orange is a regional identity

I appreciate those who paid the tuition, stuck around and donated after. There’s few people capable of that.

 

[orangepassion]

Youre the ultimate fan then. What got you hooked?

My father went to SU Law School and indoctrinated me at a young age.

 

[orangedave]

Born and grew up in Syracuse. Graduated in 1959. Have had season tickets in both sports for as long as I can remember. Missed 1 season of football thanks to the national guard sending me to San Antonio but I still had the tickets and let some friends use them. I guess that makes me a townie.

 

[Geode]

Right or wrong the Syracuse brand represents not only the school but it's become part of the regional identity. I left CNY when I graduated HS (undergrad the SUNY route and post-grad in the midwest, but I have multiple family members who attended SU/SUNY Update/Crouse) and have lived all over the USA since. I cannot tell you how many folks say something, sometimes as brief as a 'Go 'Cuse', sometimes they want to tell you their whole life connection to Syracuse. When you're in a far off land (sometimes only as far an PA or OH) and you see the blue and orange, it tends to bring out those who can relate.

My wife always tells our kids "If there's a toothless Syracuse fan in Timbuktu, your Dad will find them and they'll be best buds within 5 mins"

 

[Scooch]

Yea i had a tough time answering the question. I said townies because id gather that townies are more diehard—like cuse losing ruins your day diehard.

Townie or alum, every experience is different. I'm an alum, and of all my close SU friends only a few grew up in the area. Everyone else came from somewhere else, and left CNY when they graduated. All of us are diehards -- however, most of us were in either the marching band or pep band (or both). So you'd probably expect us to be diehards given that commitment in our undergrad years. The SU alums I come across in the sports and media biz are also all diehards. So, selection bias and all, but I encounter a ton of alumni diehard fans. I'm sure there are many alums who aren't though.

 

[Bayside44]

LA? Didn't realize that.

I'd figure the NCR, ATL, SFL or CNY

Maybe that might require research. DMV is filthy with SU grads. Barely a day goes by where I don't see SU stickers on cars.

 

[cusefan88]

I'm both but I identify first and foremost as a townie. It's a spicy take but i think townies are bigger fans especially since most grew up here in CNY with Cuse as the "pro" team

 

[Cusefan69]

Speaking of Townie...how is the ole curmudgeon doing? Anyone know? Have not seen the "real " Townie on here in some time.

 

[supp]

Yea i had a tough time answering the question. I said townies because id gather that townies are more diehard—like cuse losing ruins your day diehard.

Wait a minute I'm confused now. How were we supposed to answer the poll? Were we supposed to click on who we are (what I did) or who we think are the diehard fans? tbh, I'd like to know who we are. My guess would be that this board is 2:1 in favor of townies and former townies.

 

[jgeorge322]

Wait a minute I'm confused now. How were we supposed to answer the poll? Were we supposed to click on who we are (what I did) or who we think are the diehard fans? tbh, I'd like to know who we are. My guess would be that this board is 2:1 in favor of townies and former townies.

Who we are. The debates for the comments. The results of the poll may inform the answer though. You have to be some lunatic fan to spend as much time on here as I do and many of you do.