What we really need in a new stadium...

[JeremyCuse]

It seems to me that the only difference between football and hoops is winning, right? I'm not local and I'm not wading into the silly pissing match, but would you say that the same people who don't care about football do care about hoops? Or are they just not sports fans at all?

Yes I would say that there is definitely a % of those fans who care more about hoops absolutely as far as a viewing standpoint and following the team. But actually going to the dome? No. People forget that while 30,000 is huge for a bball game were usually pulling in somewhere in the twenties for most games and usually 28-33K for the big weekend games. Football attendance is usally somewhere in the mid 30's for most games, getting into the higher 30's low 40's for big games and low 30's high 20's for cupcake football games. The difference between the two sports is that far more people follow the bball program from an outside periphary standpoint then the fball team by a large margin but there still not going to games.

 

[JeremyCuse]

I agree with this statement.

There are plenty of garages to park at around the dome along with open lots. Is it cheap to park? No. But to say that there is no parking is just a flat out falsehood. And I am a local.

Try to go see the Patriots in Foxborough and see what it's like to have crappy parking and nightmarish traffic

Not trying to nitpick but I am not sure I would say there are "plenty of garages" around the Dome. There are two across the street but only of them is available to the public and that is the main parking spot for a lot of fans without passes so it becomes extremely congested as the game gets closer and a nightmare to get out of after the game. The two other garages are Crouse and the other garage right around the corner, both $20 bucks to park, decent walk to the dome up hill but I agree not earth shattering.. The other garages are farther down and a real trugde uphill and pretty much a no go for the older fanbase. The parking issue is that there isn't a lot of public areas to park and the traffic pattern is a nightmare. To make matters worse Syracuse has actually decreased the available tailgating areas by probably close to 35-40% the last few years.

When your a program that has struggled to draw fans and wins the little things can make a difference, if a family is deciding at the last minute to make a trip to the dome the parking situation surely plays a role.

 

[IthacaMatt]

lets say 4 hours.

6x a year.

and nobody local wants to go.

yep, lets shoot the alumni who live 4 hours or more away and only go to the Dome 1x a year, yet keep the Orange on tv & relevent with good ratings by blocking out the same 4 hours to watch 12x ayear.

Clemson game was a pretty full house with a great atmosphere. Did you come up for one game this season?

 

[IthacaMatt]

While I don't necessarily disagree with your overall point, I don't recall the highlighted part being widely asserted. And if it was, any who did make that claim know nothing of the Kickoff Classic games at the Meadowlands where the highest attended featuring SU was back in 1990 against USC - 57293. And that game followed three seasons of 11-0-1; 10-2; and 8-4.

Cheers,
Neil

I was at that game. Good atmosphere. Also saw CTO with my (then) young nephew in tow, as I recall.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Not trying to nitpick but I am not sure I would say there are "plenty of garages" around the Dome. There are two across the street but only of them is available to the public and that is the main parking spot for a lot of fans without passes so it becomes extremely congested as the game gets closer and a nightmare to get out of after the game. The two other garages are Crouse and the other garage right around the corner, both $20 bucks to park, decent walk to the dome up hill but I agree not earth shattering.. The other garages are farther down and a real trugde uphill and pretty much a no go for the older fanbase. The parking issue is that there isn't a lot of public areas to park and the traffic pattern is a nightmare. To make matters worse Syracuse has actually decreased the available tailgating areas by probably close to 35-40% the last few years.

When your a program that has struggled to draw fans and wins the little things can make a difference, if a family is deciding at the last minute to make a trip to the dome the parking situation surely plays a role.

This is why the Inner Harbor makes so much sense. It's flat land. Huge parking area for great tailgating, plus all the new restaurants at Destiny (or shopping for a spouse who doesn't want to attend the actual game).

 

[MadNY3]

the biggest reason they're not comparable is because they have fans who will drive.

The biggest reason is football is a ton more beloved in those parts.

 

[Upstate]

Read through this entire thread and no mention of pee troughs. Disheartening.

 

[Millhouse]

The biggest reason is football is a ton more beloved in those parts.

well of course, that's why the alumni are willing to drive. they like football more than our alumni. throw in that there are a lot more of them and you get 90000 people at a game in small towns

i don't blame anyone for not going. i'm just tired of hearing about it from people who don't go.

i want 44k capacity, accept our small fan base, try to make it tougher to get a ticket to the best games and hope for a little overflow, and try to picking a thousand or two from families who don't want to take their kids to the dantes inferno at the ralph

 

[KaiserUEO]

Clemson game was a pretty full house with a great atmosphere. Did you come up for one game this season?

No.

They bring games to me now.

Go when I can, unless I get tickets to Kinky Boots.

I do make sure the tv ratings look good though.

Had seasons from 88-00, did my part.

In orange club still, get no value out of it, but whatever, it's my duty.

Passed the the alumni season baton to the newbies, if I was local...no excuse to not be at everyone.

You could shoot me for not being there in tht scenario and I wouldn't mind.

 

[CuseOnly]

I am in favor of keeping the stadium at 49K. I am also in favor of dropping the term "townie" in favor of "native". Or possibly "indigenous".

Unless of course that upsets somebody I didn't think of.

 

[Millhouse]

I am in favor of keeping the stadium at 49K. I am also in favor of dropping the term "townie" in favor of "native". Or possibly "indigenous". Unless of course that upsets somebody I didn't think of.

How about "delicate flower"

 

[swish7]

The OP's leaf drop reference was a funny arse visual and you aborigines and gubbahs pissed all over it. Shame on you.

 

[midloviking]

I am also in favor of dropping the term "townie" in favor of "native". Or possibly "indigenous".

Syracusan~American?

 

[CuseOnly]

Syracusan~American?

Kind of redundant redundant...

 

[bnoro]

It's clearly the offseason when this argument starts for the 2nd time since the season ended...

 

[KellySyracuse]

Not that it matters now but:

Matt Mulcahy ‏@MattMulcahy 15m
Private arena operator would have invested $100 m. then run new Syracuse arena. Project modeled after Verizon Center in DC. CNYCentralCuse

 

[Millhouse]

Not that it matters now but:

Matt Mulcahy ‏@MattMulcahy 15m
Private arena operator would have invested $100 m. then run new Syracuse arena. Project modeled after Verizon Center in DC. CNYCentralCuse

if the npv for the private arena operator is $100 million, those cash flows need to come from somewhere.

"some support from city hall" fills in those gaps, i bet

 

[cliftonparksufan]

The other garages are farther down and a real trugde uphill and pretty much a no go for the older fanbase. The parking issue is that

The older fanbase is only part of the problem. The school really needs to market the team to the families with kids and people who grew up watching Graves, McPherson and McNabb. The $100 season tickets and the family four packs are the way to go but that's just a part of it. Conflicts with high school games don't help but Syracuse Football has to be compelling for people to buy tickets.

I agree with the tailgating piece as well. That's a big part of going to football games. The school has to do something to make it more user friendly.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Another idea - why not market SU football to the numerous local colleges that don't have D1 major conference football anywhere else in the state. OCC, Lemoyne, Oswego St, Geneseo etc.

Most of the high schools have games on Friday night - honor local schools with a Saturday at the dome - do it by classification, by league, by location (east, west, etc) or county but offer coaches, players, students and their families a slightly reduced ticket deal to attend. It could be sports family day, band member family day, honor roll family day, cheerleader family day etc.

Firefighter day, police officer day, teacher's day, pop warner, coaches day- be creative not only in drawing fans for games but making new fans for life.

Do this with employers too -start with the ones that have boxes, corporate seats already. Many of these are used by the same employees, usually upper management etc -so have a game for ALL their employees. Encourage these employers to have a family tailgate party before the game in a designated corner of the quad etc.

 

[bnoro]

Another idea - why not market SU football to the numerous local colleges that don't have D1 major conference football anywhere else in the state. OCC, Lemoyne, Oswego St, Geneseo etc.

Most of the high schools have games on Friday night - honor local schools with a Saturday at the dome - do it by classification, by league, by location (east, west, etc) or county but offer coaches, players, students and their families a slightly reduced ticket deal to attend. It could be sports family day, band member family day, honor roll family day, cheerleader family day etc.

Firefighter day, police officer day, teacher's day, pop warner, coaches day- be creative not only in drawing fans for games but making new fans for life.

Do this with employers too -start with the ones that have boxes, corporate seats already. Many of these are used by the same employees, usually upper management etc -so have a game for ALL their employees. Encourage these employers to have a family tailgate party before the game in a designated corner of the quad etc.

they did this a few years ago and I don't think it did anything.

 

[Bayside44]

Another idea - why not market SU football to the numerous local colleges that don't have D1 major conference football anywhere else in the state. OCC, Lemoyne, Oswego St, Geneseo etc.

Most of the high schools have games on Friday night - honor local schools with a Saturday at the dome - do it by classification, by league, by location (east, west, etc) or county but offer coaches, players, students and their families a slightly reduced ticket deal to attend. It could be sports family day, band member family day, honor roll family day, cheerleader family day etc.

Firefighter day, police officer day, teacher's day, pop warner, coaches day- be creative not only in drawing fans for games but making new fans for life.

Do this with employers too -start with the ones that have boxes, corporate seats already. Many of these are used by the same employees, usually upper management etc -so have a game for ALL their employees. Encourage these employers to have a family tailgate party before the game in a designated corner of the quad etc.

I happened to be visiting one of those schools the night Minny beat us in 1990...the way they were celebrating our demise...don't see a good turnout.

 

[swish7]

Syracusan~American?

"indiginous". If you say "native", you might offend the indigenous." Either way, the townies will be less offended.

 

[CuseOnly]

"indiginous". If you say "native", you might offend the indigenous." Either way, the townies will be less offended.

My first preference was "native".

 

[GoSU96]

if the npv for the private arena operator is $100 million, those cash flows need to come from somewhere.

"some support from city hall" fills in those gaps, i bet

Why do you think that means the City would be asked to subsidize anything.

What gaps?

Again, the city wasn't asked to contribute a dime, because they don't have it.

 

[Millhouse]

Why do you think that means the City would be asked to subsidize anything. What gaps? Again, the city wasn't asked to contribute a dime, because they don't have it.

Why would someone put up a hundred mil to operate the place if they didn't expect big payments later?