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Post by aggie2039 on Jul 8, 2021 9:03:20 GMT -5
What is the definition of large? I was referring to the size of their enrollment and living alumni. If you don't have a very large enrollment then your travelling base is probably small. They average around 4000 undergrads a year. A&T has over 11,000. I wouldn't expect a school of that size to have a traveling fan base of more than a few hundred people. That's the problem with most Big South schools. They are small. Campbell, Gardner Webb, and CSU all are under 4000 undergrad. No way those schools can put a dent in our visitors side, so we should even expect any fans at all from them really. Kennesaw State on the other hand is a different story. They are huge for an FCS school. Copy all
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Post by DOOMS on Jul 8, 2021 9:09:35 GMT -5
Here’s the issue regarding ticket pricing as discussed in another thread in the space of two posts. I wanted to see how we stack up amongst our peers when it comes to ticket sales. 2019 Numbers reported to NCAA Games Attendance Ticket Sales Southern U. 4 67,826 $1,805,125 Florida A&M 6 99,223 $1,342,431 Alabama St. 5 88,997 $1,218,991 Grambling 3 31,188 $1,193,257 Alcorn 7 92,373 $1,183,819 N.C. A&T 5 84,633 $1,130,147 Jackson St. 5 168,808 $710,056 SC St. 6 62,035 $689,970 Tennessee St. 6 52,723 $462,847 Norfolk St. 5 56,480 $440,664 Out of all of these, two of them are iffy to me. Jackson State? ?? Grambling attendance compared to ticket sales? Yeah JSU definitely has to have cheaper tickets , which is why I don’t understand why we won’t do the same to attempt to pick more than just the student section and reserved seats out and the whole stadium instead The answer is staring us in the face unfortunately. JSU had the same number of home games, had twice the attendance, and brought in over $400,000 less in revenue. As high as our prices are we may have found the sweet spot that allows for maximizing revenue. We’re not dropping prices as long as we’re still profitable. If we drop prices and attendance doesn’t improve enough to cover the price drop we stand to lose a lot of revenue. That’s a foolish risk to take for optics and nostalgia. As for the actual topic, despite the small sizes most of the BS stadiums seem well-constructed. We can call them high school stadiums based on seating capacity but I always sort of cringed at that metal bleacher sound and lack of seat backs at Aggie Stadium. We ought to be right at home sitting on some of those metal bleachers on the visitor’s side at some of the other stadiums. Bigger ain’t always better. It’s just bigger. In my opinion the largest Big South stadium in capacity needs improvements or needs to be flat out replaced with a new football-only facility.
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Post by aggie2039 on Jul 8, 2021 9:13:56 GMT -5
Here’s the issue regarding ticket pricing as discussed in another thread in the space of two posts. Yeah JSU definitely has to have cheaper tickets , which is why I don’t understand why we won’t do the same to attempt to pick more than just the student section and reserved seats out and the whole stadium instead The answer is staring us in the face unfortunately. JSU had the same number of home games, had twice the attendance, and brought in over $400,000 less in revenue. As high as our prices are we may have found the sweet spot that allows for maximizing revenue. We’re not dropping prices as long as we’re still profitable. If we drop prices and attendance doesn’t improve enough to cover the price drop we stand to lose a lot of revenue. That’s a foolish risk to take for optics and nostalgia. As for the actual topic, despite the small sizes most of the BS stadiums seem well-constructed. We can call them high school stadiums based on seating capacity but I always sort of cringed at that metal bleacher sound and lack of seat backs at Aggie Stadium. We ought to be right at home sitting on some of those metal bleachers on the visitor’s side at some of the other stadiums. Bigger ain’t always better. It’s just bigger. In my opinion the largest Big South stadium in capacity needs improvements or needs to be flat out replaced with a new football-only facility. I agree…I hate having a track around the field. However, we know it won’t be replaced since we are fundraising to add on to it. I do believe having the track takes away from the atmosphere, we are so far away from the field. All sound has to travel further, this site is full of engineers so you know what happens as sounds travel. 21500 fans in a stadium with no track would be more of a home field advantage
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Post by humbleaggie919 on Jul 8, 2021 9:25:10 GMT -5
Here’s the issue regarding ticket pricing as discussed in another thread in the space of two posts. We’re not dropping prices as long as we’re still profitable. If we drop prices and attendance doesn’t improve enough to cover the price drop we stand to lose a lot of revenue. That’s a foolish risk to take for optics and nostalgia. As for the actual topic, despite the small sizes most of the BS stadiums seem well-constructed. We can call them high school stadiums based on seating capacity but I always sort of cringed at that metal bleacher sound and lack of seat backs at Aggie Stadium. We ought to be right at home sitting on some of those metal bleachers on the visitor’s side at some of the other stadiums. Bigger ain’t always better. It’s just bigger. In my opinion the largest Big South stadium in capacity needs improvements or needs to be flat out replaced with a new football-only facility. I agree…I hate having a track around the field. However, we know it won’t be replaced since we are fundraising to add on to it. I do believe having the track takes away from the atmosphere, we are so far away from the field. All sound has to travel further, this site is full of engineers so you know what happens as sounds travel. 21500 fans in a stadium with no track would be more of a home field advantage I remember when Duke started renovation and removal of their track as soon as the last game against unc ended . They were playing no games with getting it done . As soon as the game clock hit zero the tractors rolled in. Sucks that we don’t have that funding to move the track another location
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Post by aggie2039 on Jul 8, 2021 9:28:05 GMT -5
I agree…I hate having a track around the field. However, we know it won’t be replaced since we are fundraising to add on to it. I do believe having the track takes away from the atmosphere, we are so far away from the field. All sound has to travel further, this site is full of engineers so you know what happens as sounds travel. 21500 fans in a stadium with no track would be more of a home field advantage I remember when Duke started renovation and removal of their track as soon as the last game against unc ended . They were playing no games with getting it done . As soon as the game clock hit zero the tractors rolled in. Sucks that we don’t have that funding to move the track another location With $85M we could, it’s not a priority… the band is
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Post by A&T AGGIE 96 on Jul 8, 2021 9:32:35 GMT -5
Guys, y’all can get mad with me, but this is the point that I’ve been preaching for several years now.
We have got to entice a solid block of 20,000 fans (season-ticketholders, single-game ticket buyers and students) to come out each and every time we open the gates at Aggie Stadium TO SEE THE AGGIES PLAY…regardless of the opponent.
Until we accomplish that, we won’t ever get to gravy. I continue stress this point . A&T's problem is not the students there tickets are already covered in there fees through it if they don't show up sure sell their seats to someone else . A&T's problem out side of the campus in the community. I remember when the football team would walk from the field house to the MEAC Stadium it was like a homecoming parade young and old would line the way . Kids wanting to carry your helmet the same way we did as kid with the band bringing up the rear. At one point A&T was vested and invested in the community. War Memorial Stadium was packed on both sides . Yes the students showed up but the community showed up and out packing the visitors side leaving little room for the visitors that did travel and there band , we don't have that anymore . And don't give me that BS about what our fans can and cannot afford because the 2 or 3 $ in the 50 & 60 was the 5 or 10 $ in the 70 was the 15 to 20 $ in the 80's . You have to give them a reason to want to spend there money on A&T sports . A&T has to reconnect with the community and the community will help put butt's in the seats . Some will say we are connected with the community. I beg to differ I was born and raised basically on A&T's campus I lived on Banks Street. the Holland Bowl was my neighborhoods Sandlot football home stadium trust me the connection is not even close to what it use to be , you get that connect back you will not have to worry about how other programs travel. Thanks for the history lesson...I hate that traditions like this have been lost. Surly we can find a way to grow and remain connected to the community around us.
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Post by aggie2039 on Jul 8, 2021 10:07:07 GMT -5
I continue stress this point . A&T's problem is not the students there tickets are already covered in there fees through it if they don't show up sure sell their seats to someone else . A&T's problem out side of the campus in the community. I remember when the football team would walk from the field house to the MEAC Stadium it was like a homecoming parade young and old would line the way . Kids wanting to carry your helmet the same way we did as kid with the band bringing up the rear. At one point A&T was vested and invested in the community. War Memorial Stadium was packed on both sides . Yes the students showed up but the community showed up and out packing the visitors side leaving little room for the visitors that did travel and there band , we don't have that anymore . And don't give me that BS about what our fans can and cannot afford because the 2 or 3 $ in the 50 & 60 was the 5 or 10 $ in the 70 was the 15 to 20 $ in the 80's . You have to give them a reason to want to spend there money on A&T sports . A&T has to reconnect with the community and the community will help put butt's in the seats . Some will say we are connected with the community. I beg to differ I was born and raised basically on A&T's campus I lived on Banks Street. the Holland Bowl was my neighborhoods Sandlot football home stadium trust me the connection is not even close to what it use to be , you get that connect back you will not have to worry about how other programs travel. Thanks for the history lesson...I hate that traditions like this have been lost. Surly we can find a way to grow and remain connected to the community around us. 1. Our games need to be on local over the air tv, it’s a must if we want to reach more homes in the triad to become the triads team.
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Post by DOOMS on Jul 8, 2021 10:30:54 GMT -5
As for the Big South’s largest stadium, we could and should leave it as a T&F facility. We literally have one of the top T&F coaches in the nation. He’s more than earned a facility that large for solely T&F use. And that includes the field house.
I said it in another thread but it’s making more and more sense to me; we need to expand across 29 and place a 30,000 seat steel, concrete, and brick football only facility with a field house, expansive luxury suites dedicated to various Triad area big money corporations and individuals, an attached band practice/storage area, and an indoor practice facility. Widen 29 and build several walkways and bridges across 29 with plenty of A&T bragging along the whole section of 29 that passes through future campus. Buy up everything from Market to whatever the surrounding streets are and we have enough land for another parking garage, intramural fields, dorms, a lake, a tv station, whatever.
Might be a $100 million or more, but it would be priceless over time. When a potential student drives down or up 29 and is all of a sudden greeted with Aggiefest Alley, game over.
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Post by aggie2039 on Jul 8, 2021 10:35:04 GMT -5
As for the Big South’s largest stadium, we could and should leave it as a T&F facility. We literally have one of the top T&F coaches in the nation. He’s more than earned a facility that large for solely T&F use. And that includes the field house. I said it in another thread but it’s making more and more sense to me; we need to expand across 29 and place a 30,000 seat steel, concrete, and brick football only facility with a field house, expansive luxury suites dedicated to various Triad area big money corporations and individuals, an attached band practice/storage area, and an indoor practice facility. Widen 29 and build several walkways and bridges across 29 with plenty of A&T bragging along the whole section of 29 that passes through future campus. Buy up everything from Market to whatever the surrounding streets are and we have enough land for another parking garage, intramural fields, dorms, a lake, a tv station, whatever. Might be a $100 million or more, but it would be priceless over time. When a potential student drives down or up 29 and is all of a sudden greeted with Aggiefest Alley, game over. What part of 29? The residential area or commercial?
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Post by marchingband1969 on Jul 8, 2021 10:57:27 GMT -5
Game Promotions not ticket prices are the problem. I'm not saying we should have some lower ticket prices but tie them to special promotions for a targeted audience. For example, a $10 ticket on the first two games just for veterans. They show up with their DD214 or VA Card (or anyhing else military related), they get up to 4 tickets at $10.00 each. Or a $10 ticket to the first two games just for healthcare workers or Gilford County Municipal workers. This will not fill our stadium or bring in a lot of cash but it will expose more local people to our gameday experience. And once they have that experience, then start marketing other games and sporting events to them directly.
We've got to first get more of the outside community inside our events to see what's going on in our stadium. Hopefully they will come back for more and also tell their friends.
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Post by DOOMS on Jul 8, 2021 11:33:22 GMT -5
As for the Big South’s largest stadium, we could and should leave it as a T&F facility. We literally have one of the top T&F coaches in the nation. He’s more than earned a facility that large for solely T&F use. And that includes the field house. I said it in another thread but it’s making more and more sense to me; we need to expand across 29 and place a 30,000 seat steel, concrete, and brick football only facility with a field house, expansive luxury suites dedicated to various Triad area big money corporations and individuals, an attached band practice/storage area, and an indoor practice facility. Widen 29 and build several walkways and bridges across 29 with plenty of A&T bragging along the whole section of 29 that passes through future campus. Buy up everything from Market to whatever the surrounding streets are and we have enough land for another parking garage, intramural fields, dorms, a lake, a tv station, whatever. Might be a $100 million or more, but it would be priceless over time. When a potential student drives down or up 29 and is all of a sudden greeted with Aggiefest Alley, game over. What part of 29? The residential area or commercial? The part that runs parallel to campus. Game Promotions not ticket prices are the problem. I'm not saying we should have some lower ticket prices but tie them to special promotions for a targeted audience. For example, a $10 ticket on the first two games just for veterans. They show up with their DD214 or VA Card (or anyhing else military related), they get up to 4 tickets at $10.00 each. Or a $10 ticket to the first two games just for healthcare workers or Gilford County Municipal workers. This will not fill our stadium or bring in a lot of cash but it will expose more local people to our gameday experience. And once they have that experience, then start marketing other games and sporting events to them directly. We've got to first get more of the outside community inside our events to see what's going on in our stadium. Hopefully they will come back for more and also tell their friends. I can’t help but wonder if they haven’t studied the idea and found it wasn’t worth it. I doubt it but the current administration is very thorough. That being typed, I believe that a lot of things regarding pricing and promotion are undone because we don’t have an experienced and dedicated individual in place to work on it. I may be wrong in that regard, but if we do have a person with that job title they’re being spread too thing doing other things in addition or they’re not doing their job.
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Post by captaggie on Jul 8, 2021 11:52:47 GMT -5
Dooms has hit on a key deficit of our department - subject matter experience. Administratively, we're hitting above our budget and knowledge base (new blood/processes, mid major know how) and capacity (i.e., # of resources) for years. It's exciting to invest in facilities and the like, but we also need to invest in personnel, processes, and tools.
Really like the Hwy 29 signage idea, I wondered why we hadn't already done that. See narrative above. 😉
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Post by DOOMS on Jul 8, 2021 14:33:30 GMT -5
Exactly
I think we’re hamstrung by our history to a point. We went out and got the cheapest 17,000 seat stadium we could get. No press box, no lights, soda pop can aluminum and second grade paint. No field house and nobody to paint the field! The field still has drainage and grass problems to this day.
How long does it take to totally fix or replace the error that was Aggie Stadium and is Truist Stadium (yeah, I said it)? We’ve been band-aiding and erector-setting the place ever since it opened.
Either building a new stadium over the top of it bringing it closer to the field and covering the track (won’t happen of course) and building a new track facility elsewhere or grabbing land and building a new football only facility is the answer.
With a modern state of the art stadium you can enhance the fam gameday experience and hopefully get more bits in the seats at that premium price we charge. I have fond memories of going to games at SC Steat, Fayetteville State, and Morehouse as a kid but nostalgia can’t wash away the fact those stadiums were subpar compared to the pwc stadiums I’ve visited. There is simply no reason in my mind we should associate sub-par and second class with hbcu anything.
Largest school in conference should have beat facilities in conference. There should always be multiple cranes on campus. I have no idea how we get there but I pray we’re on our way.
I know the purpose of this thread wasn’t to so much discuss our stadium but I can’t throw stones. If I do it might ricochet off one of their stadiums and knock a critical bolt off ours and cause the whole thing to fall over.
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Post by aggie2039 on Jul 8, 2021 14:44:50 GMT -5
Exactly I think we’re hamstrung by our history to a point. We went out and got the cheapest 17,000 seat stadium we could get. No press box, no lights, soda pop can aluminum and second grade paint. No field house and nobody to paint the field! The field still has drainage and grass problems to this day. How long does it take to totally fix or replace the error that was Aggie Stadium and is Truist Stadium (yeah, I said it)? We’ve been band-aiding and erector-setting the place ever since it opened. Either building a new stadium over the top of it bringing it closer to the field and covering the track (won’t happen of course) and building a new track facility elsewhere or grabbing land and building a new football only facility is the answer. With a modern state of the art stadium you can enhance the fam gameday experience and hopefully get more bits in the seats at that premium price we charge. I have fond memories of going to games at SC Steat, Fayetteville State, and Morehouse as a kid but nostalgia can’t wash away the fact those stadiums were subpar compared to the pwc stadiums I’ve visited. There is simply no reason in my mind we should associate sub-par and second class with hbcu anything. Largest school in conference should have beat facilities in conference. There should always be multiple cranes on campus. I have no idea how we get there but I pray we’re on our way. I know the purpose of this thread wasn’t to so much discuss our stadium but I can’t throw stones. If I do it might ricochet off one of their stadiums and knock a critical bolt off ours and cause the whole thing to fall over. I agree…when should not add on to truist stadium…save the $20M and out toward a new football only stadium
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saabman
Official BDF member
Posts: 11,786
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Post by saabman on Jul 8, 2021 14:54:12 GMT -5
Dooms has hit on a key deficit of our department - subject matter experience. Administratively, we're hitting above our budget and knowledge base (new blood/processes, mid major know how) and capacity (i.e., # of resources) for years. It's exciting to invest in facilities and the like, but we also need to invest in personnel, processes, and tools. Are you referring to the industrial area or the housing area below the overpass? Really like the Hwy 29 signage idea, I wondered why we hadn't already done that. See narrative above. 😉
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