WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS COMMUNITY

[OrangeViking]

People will always choose to eat even go out to eat over a sporting or entertainment event.
Not saying people don't have any money, but the economic numbers game is less favorable than it was before Carrier, New Process Gear, Syracuse China, and many other large and smaller businesses downsized or completely moved out.
If you can not see this economic reality then there is nothing more that can be said.

This^ Alot of the good paying blue collar jobs are gone. These are the people that used to fill the dome.

 

[FAL]

View attachment 5120

Congrats! You win the dumbest post of the day award!

 

[IthacaBarrel]

What I don't understand is why it has tailed off so much from last year? Or has it?

The 0-2 start was brutal but we shall see when Clemson comes to town. I can't imagine it being that bad for ACC teams,

We have won 6-7 in a row in the dome and last years team had a great run at the end of the year. The 0-2 starts are brutal


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[syr02esq]

Hate to be a richard about this subject but here goes.

Upstate NY isn't in a recession it's in a depression. The only thing separating us from 1929 is indoor plumbing. Things are really tough around here contrary to the BS spread by Mario's son or Barack Obama.

The "Labor Participation Rate" (63.1%) is the lowest since since 1979 but many refer to the "unemployment rate" as a viable statistic. When/if the economy improves...dome attendance will improve.

This is true. But another factor is the product on the field and when that improves you will start seeing bandwagon fans attend games.

 

[alphaorange]

250,000 within an hour ... lucky to get 10%

and 25% of those 10% bitch

Like always...half the story. How many are not sports fans at all, under the age of 10, unemployed, or older than 70. Get of your high horse and find out what the numbers really mean before you condemn an entire area. I going to guess that number is well under 100k, the difference being mine is a considered guess.

 

[suloyalfan]

Honestly,what do you need? That turnout was pathetic. I am so disgusted with this lack of support for our team? Free tickets-package giveaways-blah,blah,blah!! Nothing works for the lame people in this town. The team is pretty darn exciting and getting better.
You stink Syracuse( obviously not including the 18-20k good fans there evry week with me.()

It's easy... Syracuse is a "fair weather fan" town. As much as we die hard fans want to deny it, it's true. The Clemson game will be better attended, but I doubt that it will be sold out.

The only game close to a sell out in recent memory was against Penn State... and most of THOSE people in the Dome that day were Penn State fans.

 

[suloyalfan]

Like always...half the story. How many are not sports fans at all, under the age of 10, unemployed, or older than 70. Get of your high horse and find out what the numbers really mean before you condemn an entire area. I going to guess that number is well under 100k, the difference being mine is a considered guess.

Well, then SU should lower the capacity. Block off entire sections and reduce the capacity to the available fan base instead of playing in a half or one quarter empty Dome. There are ways that could be done (tarps over the seats). And when a new stadium is built in the future, it should be built with no more than 40,000 seats.

 

[suloyalfan]

What I don't understand is why it has tailed off so much from last year? Or has it?

The 0-2 start was brutal but we shall see when Clemson comes to town. I can't imagine it being that bad for ACC teams,

We have won 6-7 in a row in the dome and last years team had a great run at the end of the year. The 0-2 starts are brutal


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Casual Syracuse fans are not coming to the Dome for an 0-2 or 1-2 team playing against Wagner or Tulane. Attendance will be BETTER for Clemson, but I still doubt it will be sold out.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Honestly,what do you need? That turnout was pathetic. I am so disgusted with this lack of support for our team? Free tickets-package giveaways-blah,blah,blah!! Nothing works for the lame people in this town. The team is pretty darn exciting and getting better.
You stink Syracuse( obviously not including the 18-20k good fans there evry week with me.()

You lost a whole generation of fans with then end of the PP era and the G Rob debacle. None of my kids care to go, and they used to go, and got to meet players and coaches. Heck, my one son and I got to sit in on film study. However, having to watch bad football for too many years turned them off. None of them want to go, so I gave up my seats. Guess what, I don't miss the Dome at all.
I will never own season tickets again. (At one time we had 8.) I might go to a game on occasion, if someone gives me a ticket, but this year I would have to fit that around, my son's senior swim season, my daughter's freshman crew season and my two other boy's soccer schedules. Good luck.
I think its that way for a lot of folks. Once you walk away, you find other things, and don't miss the Dome, where the staff treats people poorly and the food is bad. Unless the product becomes SUPERIOR, I don't think you will get people back, at least not regularly.

 

[alphaorange]

Well, then SU should lower the capacity. Block off entire sections and reduce the capacity to the available fan base instead of playing in a half or one quarter empty Dome. There are ways that could be done (tarps over the seats). And when a new stadium is built in the future, it should be built with no more than 40,000 seats.

Short sighted and antagonistic. Attendance will increase when the games become an event, and that means the team winning consistently. Times being what they are, that's what it will take. The older people that so many mock can easily tell you the difference in the demographics of the population in that area mentioned.

 

[alphaorange]

Sorry but i dont agree with the economics reasons. Its more the patheticness of CNY and not realizing and appreciating the fact that they have the only BCS football Team in NY with a domed stadium exempt from the elements.

They have no problem making the mid week trips for hoops but that would stop fast of we were to dip a little.

They dont care or are poser fans plan and simple

Absolutely clueless...

 

[OrangeCrush22]

What I don't understand is why it has tailed off so much from last year? Or has it?

The 0-2 start was brutal but we shall see when Clemson comes to town. I can't imagine it being that bad for ACC teams,

We have won 6-7 in a row in the dome and last years team had a great run at the end of the year. The 0-2 starts are brutal

This^

We lost two games to start the season. Not only did we lose two games, but we played like crap. The staff also started an incompetent QB for three games. This chips away at the optimism of hardcore fans, and keeps casual fans watching on TV.

 

[suloyalfan]

Short sighted and antagonistic. Attendance will increase when the games become an event, and that means the team winning consistently. Times being what they are, that's what it will take. The older people that so many mock can easily tell you the difference in the demographics of the population in that area mentioned.

No, it's realistic based on your argument of a diminished pool of people in the fan base. If you are saying that the demographics have changed in the area, and making the argument that the available fan base cannot support the stadium capacity, then the only intelligent thing to do is lower the capacity. Why would you keep a 50,000 seat stadium when your fan base will only support 40,000 seats even when times are good?

Minnesota just did this actually, building a new stadium that will only seat 50,000 after playing previously at the Metrodome with a 64,000 seat capacity. The new stadium that they built is expandable to 80,000 seats in the future if the fan base can support it. That is not "short sighted" at all in my opinion.

 

[RCDICK44]

If your going to cut down on the number of seats why not take out those damn bleacher seats and put in some decent individual seats.They are not very comfortable to sit on for 31/2 hours.Use some of that money that the ACC gives us.

 

[Cadillac]

Congrats! You win the dumbest post of the day award!

 

[longislandcuse]

Don't schedule two very lose-able games at neutral/road locations to start the season followed by 2 crap games at the Dome after we're 0-2 every year. That might help.

 

[chakka3421]

Like I said in another thread - it's not the communities job to promote SU football. Some of my workmates didn't even know we had a game this weekend and made other plans - that's what casual fans do.

Onondaga county alone has over 10,000 businesses and the greater metro area is something like 750,000 people living here within 1 hour drive.

A lot in this thread is bull"----" about economics as unemployment is and has been below national stats. Home prices remained stable during the Great Recession and actually have steadily gone up since the 90's.

SU Athletics is using old methods (actually no methods) to attract and retain fans period! It starts with SU Athletics first!

 

[alphaorange]

No, it's realistic based on your argument of a diminished pool of people in the fan base. If you are saying that the demographics have changed in the area, and making the argument that the available fan base cannot support the stadium capacity, then the only intelligent thing to do is lower the capacity. Why would you keep a 50,000 seat stadium when your fan base will only support 40,000 seats even when times are good?

Minnesota just did this actually, building a new stadium that will only seat 50,000 after playing previously at the Metrodome with a 64,000 seat capacity. The new stadium that they built is expandable to 80,000 seats in the future if the fan base can support it. That is not "short sighted" at all in my opinion.

And your argument is that nothing will change demographically or financially. That is indeed short sighted. Change takes time. The worst thing about SU football, IMO, is it is a crappy game day experience. The food is expensive and sucks, there is little tradition, and the band, etc. is far below par. Why not find out what other places are doing and invest some money in improving the entire experience for the fan? It will take some time, but that's why its an investment. If you are counting on having the dome filled with hard core fans and alumni, you're being unrealistic. The dome attendance was always made up primarily from locals. You know, the same pool you are blasting.

 

[orangenirvana]

I think it's also a chicken-egg/snowball type thing (not sure how to phrase that). It is a lot of fun to go to a game at the dome when there are 45,000 people, and a genuine energy in the stadium. But seeing a game in the dome when there are 22,000 people, and it is dead inside, kinda sucks and is probably not as good of an experience as just watching at home on your 50'' tv. The bottom line is that in 2013 you get a much better 'view' of a football/basketball game at home, so if you go to the game in person, you are going for the experience of being part of the crowd more so than the experience of actually watching the game.

The problem is that people will not want to go to these games until they offer the right atmosphere, but that atmosphere will not exist until people start going to the games.

This is true. I know I will only travel the three or four hours to the big game(s). I think most are the same way. Attendance is falling everywhere due to high travel costs and increased home entertainment quality...Syracuse is no different. And considering Syracuse football has always had issues drawing big crowds on a consistent basis, this isn't difficult to figure out.

 

[suloyalfan]

And your argument is that nothing will change demographically or financially. That is indeed short sighted. Change takes time. The worst thing about SU football, IMO, is it is a crappy game day experience. The food is expensive and sucks, there is little tradition, and the band, etc. is far below par. Why not find out what other places are doing and invest some money in improving the entire experience for the fan? It will take some time, but that's why its an investment. If you are counting on having the dome filled with hard core fans and alumni, you're being unrealistic. The dome attendance was always made up primarily from locals. You know, the same pool you are blasting.

I'm not blasting anyone. I AM a local die-hard fan, not an SU alum, and I attend the games...

I'm replying to your argument that says economics (Carrier has been gone since 2003) has reduced the fan base (so the pool of "locals" is smaller) so it's hard to fill the Dome. We're on the same side here, but following the economic argument of a reduced fan base unable to support the stadium capacity, then reduce the capacity until conditions change. I would rather have 40,000 available seats filled than 50,000 available seats with 10,000 seats open.

I know that it's a different sport, but even the nationally elite SU basketball team would rarely, if ever, fill 50,000 seats in the Dome. I also realize that many SU fans follow basketball, but not football and vice versa, but it's still representative of the SU fan base as a whole.

 

[Eric15]

I understand that there are strong economic factors in play and that families have less disposable income, but I stand by my belief that in general, Syracusans chronically under-appreciate how unbelievably great of a sports town they have.

Regardless of where you live in the metro area, you can leave your house, park, and be seated in the Dome to watch a high-level college football or basketball game in less than an hour.

I mean, look at other comparably-sized Rust Belt cities throughout the Northeast, (e.g. Dayton, Toledo, Scranton/WB, Rochester, Albany, Providence, etc.). All great towns - but in terms of sports, what do they have? Minor league hockey, minor league baseball, maybe a low-level college football or basketball team (not that there's anything wrong with those things). But Syracuse has a national brand, and the 5th and 15th winningest college basketball and football programs in history. I wish that wasn't taken for granted so much.

 

[CUSU]

If your going to cut down on the number of seats why not take out those damn bleacher seats and put in some decent individual seats.They are not very comfortable to sit on for 31/2 hours.Use some of that money that the ACC gives us.

Orange colored too


iPhone 7 using Tapatalk

 

[alphaorange]

Like I said in another thread - it's not the communities job to promote SU football. Some of my workmates didn't even know we had a game this weekend and made other plans - that's what casual fans do.

Onondaga county alone has over 10,000 businesses and the greater metro area is something like 750,000 people living here within 1 hour drive.

A lot in this thread is bull"----" about economics as unemployment is and has been below national stats. Home prices remained stable during the Great Recession and actually have steadily gone up since the 90's.

SU Athletics is using old methods (actually no methods) to attract and retain fans period! It starts with SU Athletics first!

You really want to go there? Here are some fun facts about Onondaga County as of '11:
1) 460k population
2) 14% over 65
3) 22% under 18
4) 14% below poverty level
5) 28k per capita income
6) 52k median household income

And those 10,ooo businesses you mentioned? You do realize that includes sole proprietorships (with generally zero employees), and other establishments that employ either part time or minimum wage (or just over) people? I don't know where you live or what your economic status is, but if you think economics isn't a huge issue here, your head is squarely in your...sandbox. Look, the reality is that for most people, SU sports are an activity, not a way of life, and BBall is no different. When it ceases to be fun, or worth the effort, attendance and support will falter. That's not just SU, its everywhere. People will go when they think the value is worth the sacrifice. Why do you think people should be loyal to a team that's in a different city, and belongs to a University they likely are not an alumnus of? The one hour radius you mentioned is an arbitrary number. The fact remains that would be a commitment of a full day day plus a lot of money. They will do it, but it needs to be worth it. It's getting better, but its not there, yet.

 

[Orangejet]

This is true. I know I will only travel the three or four hours to the big game(s). I think most are the same way. Attendance is falling everywhere due to high travel costs and increased home entertainment quality...Syracuse is no different. And considering Syracuse football has always had issues drawing big crowds on a consistent basis, this isn't difficult to figure out.

Agree with your points but having an attractive early season OOC schedule would help. Went to the last two MetLife games and both should have been played in the Dome to entice the local fan base. Cuse should only play once every three years in the NYC area, either at MetLife or Yankee Stadium against Rutgers or UConn for the Big Apple Trophy.
I drive 12 hours twice in the fall to attend Cuse home games and enjoy every minute of the experience and can't wait for the Clemson game. Also, love watching at home on the big screen and hopefully with ACC games beginning in two weeks, more local support will be present...

 

[adk(roc)CUSE]

I think it's also a chicken-egg/snowball type thing (not sure how to phrase that). It is a lot of fun to go to a game at the dome when there are 45,000 people, and a genuine energy in the stadium. But seeing a game in the dome when there are 22,000 people, and it is dead inside, kinda sucks and is probably not as good of an experience as just watching at home on your 50'' tv. The bottom line is that in 2013 you get a much better 'view' of a football/basketball game at home, so if you go to the game in person, you are going for the experience of being part of the crowd more so than the experience of actually watching the game.

The problem is that people will not want to go to these games until they offer the right atmosphere, but that atmosphere will not exist until people start going to the games.

This. I never considered this line of thought but I think you nailed it. I took a friend to the Louisville game last year. my first Trip back to the Dome for football since I had seasons 93-2003, his first time there ever. I was embarrassed that so many seats were open, I was hoping for that mad house I remembered from the 90s...I guess I can't complain though cuz I am that guy who goes to 4-5 hoops games a year. I have Bills season tickets so it makes it hard for me to go to Cuse football these days.