Hanson Field - The New West Side

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GV Dad
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Football facility improvement announcement coming soon. Not sure this round includes the West Side improvements or not, but I think everyone will be pleased from what I'm hearing. And honestly, I would love to see some improvements to the stadium, but I don't think it is deterring folks from attending games.

I think you would see an initial bump in attendance, with folks wanting to come see the "new house", which would be welcome. But what we have now not in immediate need of improvement for attendance to grow. I've only been to 5 games now, so I'm not in the back in my day crowd. But comparing to other College stadiums I've been too it's old and no frills, but comparable and even better in some ways. Parking is free and close by. Concessions are ok, and no long lines. Not a draw, but not horrible. Sight lines are good from the stands. Sound system and Scoreboard are nice. There are a lot of great questions being asked, and starting to be asked by the right people. I have a good feeling things will start to get turned around.
rocki
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Just as a point of reference, the student stands "back in my day" were plain old wooden bleachers. Flaking white paint, and a whole lot of rocking when the students got into cheering and stamping their feet. Sweet memories of fun days. 8-)
GV Dad
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rocki wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 4:59 pm Just as a point of reference, the student stands "back in my day" were plain old wooden bleachers. Flaking white paint, and a whole lot of rocking when the students got into cheering and stamping their feet. Sweet memories of fun days. 8-)
I think this is a great point, " sweet memories of fun days". Somewhere, somehow going to games stopped being the thing to do. Figure out what that was/is, and you have a good start to getting the students back. But it's not Stadium improvements.
rocki
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GV Dad wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 5:03 pm
rocki wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 4:59 pm Just as a point of reference, the student stands "back in my day" were plain old wooden bleachers. Flaking white paint, and a whole lot of rocking when the students got into cheering and stamping their feet. Sweet memories of fun days. 8-)
I think this is a great point, " sweet memories of fun days". Somewhere, somehow going to games stopped being the thing to do. Figure out what that was/is, and you have a good start to getting the students back. But it's not Stadium improvements.
Exactly. Yeah, Hanson Field was 40 years younger then, but it wasn't in any way cutting edge back then, either. I guess that's why I think it's more a generational thing. Like I said, I still like going as an almost (or totally) senior citizen (depends on what age they consider to be a "senior", lol!!) but it isn't the same for kids today. We weren't FCS back then, either, but we went to games and yelled like hell. I feel badly for students that they are missing this today.
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Tere North
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rocki wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 2:43 pm
sealhall74 wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 2:15 pm I hate to say this but will anyway. IMHO, raising the drinking age from 19 to 21 probably has had more to do with attendance decline at Hanson than anything else. It virtually destroyed all student pre-game festivities on and near the square in Macomb as well as those two or three pubs on University Drive. What was the one place that was only a stone's throw from Bayliss/Henninger? IIRC, TCs and Harper's Bazaar were not much further away. Those were places college kids could really be college kids. Pre-game tailgating today is much more laid back and geared to a much older crowd.
Actually, in my day, it was still 21 - the 19 beer/wine thing hadn't gone through yet. ;)
I'd hope FB is about more than drinking beer.

I wonder what would happen if we used a 12noon or 1pm kickoff and had pancakes and sausage served during tailgate, free for students, $5 for others, with the food happening inside the stadium (students enter free anyway), say a tent with tables, etc. on the north end. Maybe that would be a reason to come to the game, and maybe they would stay.
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Neckfansince71
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My first football game at Hanson Field included expanded stands on the east-side with gold colored planks for seats. These seats were torn out when the eastside was revamped a couple of years ago. Now please try to follow my train of thought cause if you don't pay attention you maybe thinking that I am drinking tooooo much wine. But just before the Battle of the Big Horn, Sitting Bull had visions of soldiers tumbling into the valley. GV Dad has spoken of visions of a future football facility upgrade. The question is, can both Sitting Bull and GVDad be right??? The best is yet to come Leatherneck Brothers and Sisters! ;) jc
GV Dad
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Neckfansince71 wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 6:25 pm My first football game at Hanson Field included expanded stands on the east-side with gold colored planks for seats. These seats were torn out when the eastside was revamped a couple of years ago. Now please try to follow my train of thought cause if you don't pay attention you maybe thinking that I am drinking tooooo much wine. But just before the Battle of the Big Horn, Sitting Bull had visions of soldiers tumbling into the valley. GV Dad has spoken of visions of a future football facility upgrade. The question is, can both Sitting Bull and GVDad be right??? The best is yet to come Leatherneck Brothers and Sisters! ;) jc
LOVE this analogy! LOL
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Western_101
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Tere North wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 6:06 pm
rocki wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 2:43 pm
sealhall74 wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 2:15 pm I hate to say this but will anyway. IMHO, raising the drinking age from 19 to 21 probably has had more to do with attendance decline at Hanson than anything else. It virtually destroyed all student pre-game festivities on and near the square in Macomb as well as those two or three pubs on University Drive. What was the one place that was only a stone's throw from Bayliss/Henninger? IIRC, TCs and Harper's Bazaar were not much further away. Those were places college kids could really be college kids. Pre-game tailgating today is much more laid back and geared to a much older crowd.
Actually, in my day, it was still 21 - the 19 beer/wine thing hadn't gone through yet. ;)
I'd hope FB is about more than drinking beer.

I wonder what would happen if we used a 12noon or 1pm kickoff and had pancakes and sausage served during tailgate, free for students, $5 for others, with the food happening inside the stadium (students enter free anyway), say a tent with tables, etc. on the north end. Maybe that would be a reason to come to the game, and maybe they would stay.
Pancakes and sausage will not entice college kids to come to Q lot on a Saturday.
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Tere North
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RedNeck wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 8:11 am Pancakes and sausage will not entice college kids to come to Q lot on a Saturday.
OK, if PJamma Zone won't work, what will? FYI, my alma mater still has its PJamaRama associated with Homecoming and it remains a big draw.
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Western_101
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Tere North wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 8:43 am
RedNeck wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 8:11 am Pancakes and sausage will not entice college kids to come to Q lot on a Saturday.
OK, if PJamma Zone won't work, what will? FYI, my alma mater still has its PJamaRama associated with Homecoming and it remains a big draw.
Well, whatever your alma mater is it sounds like they got something positive going. So at least you have that the fall back on.

I want to remain positive, but there was a part of my life that was magical when you're kinda an adult but not really and I lived in this fantasy land called college in the hinterlands of Western Illinois. Watching what is happening to Western is like watching a friend fade away which is just sad. Also a part of me seems to feel less than whole too. It's weird.

Didn't mean to dis yer pancakes and sausage, my wife makes it every Sunday and I could take it or leave it (usually the latter).
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