What Do College-Football Fans Today Want?

[orange_in_VA]

I kind of got off topic in my response to you. It's not about food/parking. It's about experience. I think we disagree on our reasons why people our age aren't going to games, but agree on the general theme.

I agree with the variety thing. It's nice seeing some new and exciting happening. Wins count as variety these days! lol

 

[SU68]

Also, I'm 26 for reference.

Young whippersnapper! lol

 

[javadoc]

Here's what I think... people, and that includes millennials, aren't stupid.

Going to a football game takes effort. You have get to it, which for some folks means a long drive, for others it means a shuttle bus, or a long walk.

Going to a football game costs money. Sometimes a lot.

Going to a football game often means sacrificing the better view you get on your 60" HD TV set.

While we're all nutty, diehards here, most people aren't like us. College football is a diversion, an outing, at it's best an event.

And here's the dirty little secret... most games aren't all that compelling. When you're the fan of a really good team, you romp over most of your schedule. When you're then fan of a really bad team, you get crushed repeatedly. When you're the fan of a mediocre team, who knows what you're going to get.

So if you're not a diehard, and the view is better in your living room, and there's no hassle, and it's cheaper... what is the burning incentive to go see your Seminoles pound the crap out of Florida A&M or Wake Forest? Now, when your Seminoles are playing Clemson the stadium fills up, because it's an event, and the experience is worth the hassle and cost.

Basically, when every game is on TV, and watching on TV is cheaper, easier and often better than watching in a stadium, and a good chunk of home games aren't particularly interesting to all but the diehards... why are we surprised less people attend?

I tend to agree with this line of argument. I think it's probably correct to say that if the number of people who were seriously interested in going to the game 20 years ago was 100%, then almost every team (few notable exceptions) now has a realistic ceiling of some percentage of that. 90%? 85%? I think technology has shrunk that pool permanently, irreversibly. At places where that pool was greater than stadium capacity, the effects might not be noticed as quickly.

If you're a private school like Syracuse, with a limited student body, I would focus my efforts on gameday experience for "normal" fans, and especially on the atmosphere for families. Get the kids going early so that they learn to love it. If that culture is lost, I don't know how you get it back.

 

[orange_in_VA]

Young whippersnapper! lol

I wish there were more die-hards my age. It seems the fan base has a noticable age group missing from post-McNabb to today.

I'm usually the youngest die-hard at the tailgates.

 

[Hoo's That]

I posted the article on our board. One suggestion there that was greatly appreciated by everyone doesn't cost anything to implement - polite ushers.

 

[SU68]

I posted the article on our board. One suggestion there that was greatly appreciated by everyone doesn't cost anything to implement - polite ushers.

The ushers in my section (129) are very polite, but some of them are kind of lazy.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I wish there were more die-hards my age. It seems the fan base has a noticable age group missing from post-McNabb to today.

I'm usually the youngest die-hard at the tailgates.

I'm 24. Graduated from cuse in 2012. Lived in cuse 22 years (in Akron Ohio now). Diehard syracuse fan.

 

[Toga]

I posted the article on our board. One suggestion there that was greatly appreciated by everyone doesn't cost anything to implement - polite ushers.

Which relates to an earlier suggestion I had of paying high energy students to man all positions which have fan interaction (including ushers).

 

[NineOneSeven]

How much are they going for as of now?

Good question. Haven't been to a game in a bit.

 

[CanadianSU]

No more shaking keys.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

I posted the article on our board. One suggestion there that was greatly appreciated by everyone doesn't cost anything to implement - polite ushers.

I was threatened with ejection for banging on a vent next to the coordinator's box. TomCat told me he was threatened with arrest by the same usher.

 

[Frozen]

I was threatened with ejection for banging on a vent next to the coordinator's box. TomCat told me he was threatened with arrest by the same usher.

Tomcat was probably on the sauce at the time.

 

[Trueblue25]

Beer.

 

[SUfanNC]

I would think you need to make it some what of a social event. I would think where I would like to tail gate maybe you bring the party to the dome. I feel like MLB is a bad example but I can't think of another stadium right now. The Braves have that bar/beer garden out in centerfield. If you made it more of a social event and something to do on Saturday maybe with a shuttle. Bring some social media aspect to it like instead of the kiss cam you could send best selfie pic it can be before tailgate or during the game but submitted before halftime. Fans choose a winner and they get free admission to next game. It would be a general admission ticket to go to the bar/event. They could have tvs in there as well. I have more ideas for it but you get the gist.

 

[Jake]

Here's what I think... people, and that includes millennials, aren't stupid. Going to a football game takes effort. You have get to it, which for some folks means a long drive, for others it means a shuttle bus, or a long walk. Going to a football game costs money. Sometimes a lot. Going to a football game often means sacrificing the better view you get on your 60" HD TV set. While we're all nutty, diehards here, most people aren't like us. College football is a diversion, an outing, at it's best an event. And here's the dirty little secret... most games aren't all that compelling. When you're the fan of a really good team, you romp over most of your schedule. When you're then fan of a really bad team, you get crushed repeatedly. When you're the fan of a mediocre team, who knows what you're going to get. So if you're not a diehard, and the view is better in your living room, and there's no hassle, and it's cheaper... what is the burning incentive to go see your Seminoles pound the crap out of Florida A&M or Wake Forest? Now, when your Seminoles are playing Clemson the stadium fills up, because it's an event, and the experience is worth the hassle and cost. Basically, when every game is on TV, and watching on TV is cheaper, easier and often better than watching in a stadium, and a good chunk of home games aren't particularly interesting to all but the diehards... why are we surprised less people attend?

Exactly. P5 schools need to break away and only play P5 schools.

Also, how about halftime entertainment for millennials. It would piss off the older folks, but wrap the game around a 4-song mini concert like the SB. Just spitballing hete

 

[SUfanNC]

Exactly. P5 schools need to break away and only play P5 schools.

Also, how about halftime entertainment for millennials. It would piss off the older folks, but wrap the game around a 4-song mini concert like the SB. Just spitballing hete

I think anything that enhances game for multiple attendees is worth it. I remember going to the cortica jug game and it was great. It was something the students looked forward to. It was based around having a party but those are the things you need to capture.

 

[Scooch]

Exactly. P5 schools need to break away and only play P5 schools. Also, how about halftime entertainment for millennials. It would piss off the older folks, but wrap the game around a 4-song mini concert like the SB. Just spitballing hete

I think there are about another dozen schools outside P5 that have some value, but I think that premise overall is sound.

College football has so much filler -- Oregon is playing Portland State? Oh yeah, sign me up for that!

I mean people here are passionately advocating for SU to play 4 OOC creampuffs each year. But then they'll bitch when the student section is half full for such compelling barn burners as SU-URI and SU-Directional Michigan.

 

[TexanMark]

I wonder if reducing the price of a ticket would entice millennials off the couch and into the stands?

7 games for $99...can't get much cheaper than that

 

[Bayside44]

Exactly. P5 schools need to break away and only play P5 schools.

Also, how about halftime entertainment for millennials. It would piss off the older folks, but wrap the game around a 4-song mini concert like the SB. Just spitballing hete

I have seasons for the Nats, which is basically millenial central in DC. They're just as apt to walk out of the seating area to do whatever during a Bryce Harper at bat or Strasburg (when he plays) having 2 strikes on a guy as anything else. Lower the drinking age to 18 in the Dome and have outdoor concourses...I guess...

 

[Full_Rebar]

This is an interesting concept: http://devils.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=99928

This might be trickier to do, but maybe you could adjust pricing for an OOC only package vs an All-ACC ticket? Big key is giving some kind of reward incentive. Maybe throw in a free hoops single game ticket for every FB season ticket, some exclusive SU gear, or a meet and greet tailgate with former alums?

 

[BlackKnight76]

How much are they going for as of now?

Student season tickets are $100, $235 when packaged with basketball. Every year they give free tix to freshmen for the first game, and every year that game is packed. The team then, in my experience because I was a freshman in 08, falls off, and the students do the same. Mid year they end up giving out free tickets to a big game when the team is like 3-4 and needs a win, and no one uses them, and the kids who paid for tickets get annoyed. This has happened pretty much every single season I've been a Cuse fan. The team just needs to win. We have the biggest student section in the country for basketball. No reason why football can't come close to the numbers we do for hoops.

 

[gocraz4dasu]

I mean, they could always ask the students...

 

[CaliCuse]

I was threatened with ejection for banging on a vent next to the coordinator's box. TomCat told me he was threatened with arrest by the same usher.

Its called "the Barney fife Complex" Good thing he didn't have his bullet on him at the time.

 

[wallacecuse]

Attendance is dying for the same reason golf is - too time-consuming of a commitment, and you can't back out because of the financial commitment attached to it. Millenials would rather stay at home, do 5 things on an IPad while watching the game, and be free to turn it off at any time to do something else.

 

[anomander]

More out of town scores. Better Wi-Fi connection, and better pregame atmosphere. Those are what I am looking for.

I really think pregame atmosphere is the ticket for us. As much as college football is ingrained in the culture in the Southeast, a part of it is because of the event it has become. You know 6 Saturday's every Fall there is going to be a gigantic party with a ton of energy, and who doesn't like a reason to bring the kids, have a bunch of drinks, and eat some great food. Oh ya, and watch some good Football after.