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leatherneckcountry wrote:Even though I don't drink I wonder if allowing alcohol sells would bring up attendance numbers.
I'd have to imagine that having some "roped-off" area set aside for beer sales would help increase attendance. I'm sure there's a decent number of students that show up to tailgating to drink beer and toss some bags, but then go back to their rooms or elsewhere afterwards. Having an area where they can drink within reason (like ISU's Touchdown Terrace) would help bring that crowd into the stadium.
And I'm the same way...I don't drink, but I know that for a lot of people, that would be a pretty big draw.
Scott Lawson - Board Admin
Western Illinois University Alum/Fan/Employee
Member of the Marching Leathernecks - 1996-2000
Western has to win consistently to get students to come. I think it is about that simple. Us hard core fans know about the tradition but the young ones don't. It can be an amazing experience packing in 15,000 fanatics into Hanson Field. Just because we are not Michigan doesn't mean we should not have pride for and support our school....and have fun.
Also, a dedicated patio area where people can imbibe, My thought was to make the deck big enough that 30-40 people can mingle, some will stay, and some fans, will pop in to get a booster beer drink it there then head back to seats. I could see this being profitable.
Long gone are the days when the game and/or halftime show by the band are enough to get kids to come out. Today, you need to entertain the students and showcase what is going on around the campus in unique and creative ways. There needs to be more organizational (greeks, dorms, academic depts) involvement on game day. Could have very simple contests like a "Best Artwork with Paper Cups in a Chain Link Fence" around the field. Fans could browse the works and text in a number to vote for their favorite. Could also be a bit more involved like a "Drone Flying Acrobatics Contest" for those who are technically inclined. Students could submit a one minute compilation of their drone flight. Have on campus voting during week to narrow the field down to final three whiich are shown on the video board at halftime. Winner determined by fan applause. Currently, these things seem to happen but only on Homecoming (e.g. Boat Regatta). Need to happen every week of the season.
Those are some good ideas, and yea...the more we win, the larger the crowds should be...eventually. It seems like usually it takes sustained success over a period of at least a few years that eventually starts to bring in the crowds. The students won't (for the most part) show up in the first year or two of doing well, but after 3, 4, 5 years in a row of doing well, then it becomes more of a tradition and will grow. I've got home attendance numbers for each individual game (as well as yearly averages, max and min values) as compared to regular season record back to 1998. I don't include playoff games, since those are pretty short notice usually and often end up with pretty low attendance. What I've found is that even with the success we had in the late '90s, we didn't really see much of an increase in attendance from it until around '01-'02. Now, some of those figures are somewhat suspect because of the change of how they counted attendees during the mid-00's, but you can still gauge trends from them.
Oh to be Montana...just about the only place that can compete with the Fargodome in the FCS for gameday atmosphere and crowd noise level...and it took decades of success to get to where they are today (even though they've had a few "down" years lately)...
Scott Lawson - Board Admin
Western Illinois University Alum/Fan/Employee
Member of the Marching Leathernecks - 1996-2000
sealhall74 wrote:Nothing "Black or White" about this game - the colors du jour will be Purple and Gold vs Blue and Sage Green.
But all jokes aside, I do think this game will be nothing less than a real "Thriller".
My words of advice for the 'Necks are "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" points on the board 'cause the Lumberjacks are a load to deal with.
As for fans in the stands, I "Remember the Time" when we would pack 12 to 15K into Hanson Field.
Not expecting that many but fear not Fighting Leathernecks, "You Are Not Alone" as there will be "Rock(y) With You" and many more.
How many more is a difficult question to answer. "Human Nature" what it is, some will want to show and others will have better things to do.
I am going with 7400 raucous and "Bad" Leatherneck fans who will be difference makers.
Our players use practice this week to get better starting with the "man in the mirror. "
offense needs to score a lot and "don't stop til you get enough" to win.
Defense come with an attitude like they "wanna be starting something."
That guarantees we tell NAU to "beat it" which means you can "enjoy yourself" on opening home weekend.
We all hope for a good turn out for the 1st home game of the year. The team coming off a playoff run, preseason nationally ranked for the first time in 8 years, got the 1st win of the year last week, playing against a good nationally ranked team and yet the students will still not come out.
Pretty much the reason why is because there is no recognition with this team. No tradition of any type and they do not win. Let's not forget most of these kids who come to Macomb made WIU their 2nd, 3rd, or lower choice. Everyone wants to go to the big college or university to be apart of those gameday traditions and be on tv.
It will take years for WIU to be anywhere close to SDSU, ISU, or even NDSU. The reason why these programs get such large crowds is because they are successful, and have tv recognition through their region. TV deals means money which means special promotions or even funding for construction. ISU and UNI has comcast to show their home games, YSU, NDSU, SDSU have tv deals for their regions. That is how you get big crowds. I do not know why WIU does not ask WGEM to provide live games on TV.
The idea that alcohol will bring more students to the game will not. WIU students already have the opportunity to drink before the games during tailgating and there they can bring their own beer or hard liquor. No student will want to pay for expensive beer when they can drink more for cheaper if they buy it.
Winning will help to get more students out to the game, also forming some kind of tradition. I have said it before either the crowd or band needs to start something because this could also be a recruiting tool. Look at how many teams in the big school have some kind of tradition that people want to be apart of.
Scott Lawson - Board Admin
