aggieclt
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Post by aggieclt on Dec 11, 2011 8:43:57 GMT -5
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Post by Aggie Monster on Dec 11, 2011 9:30:21 GMT -5
Our goal should be to be in the top 10 overall. Without an NCCU home game and no WSSU next year thats going to be tough.
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Post by Aggie One on Dec 11, 2011 11:55:36 GMT -5
Perhaps not given this past season when most observors thought 12K would be tough to breech. With Broadway sitting on a solid experienced corp of returning players and 18 starters from a team that improved by leaps and bounds in 2011 to finish in the middle of MEAC and the new Skybox and a much improved Game Zone experience being planned, A&T's fan base expectations will be greatly elevated.
Add in a few key transfers that sat out last season now waiting in the wings for spring practice to begin, a smaller but top quality recruiting class (18) already taking shape, then toss in a very strong home schedule that will feature Howard (HC), Morgan, SCSU, FAMU, and Norfolk State and most likley either Savannah State, a Big South team or another in-state CIAA school.
That's an extremely attractive case for increased season ticket sales. With a team that will most likely be picked in the preseason top four in the MEAC next fall, 14,000 fans per game should not be that hard for A&T to surpass in 2012.
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oleschoolaggie
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Post by oleschoolaggie on Dec 11, 2011 12:18:14 GMT -5
if we play above .500 ball next season, the scsu game will be a near sellout. back in the day before we started playing scsu in charlotte, we use to sellout or have near sellout crowds when we played scsu at home. scsu usually brings a nice sized crowd with them and if we're playing well, that game could draw at least 18k.
i think our attendance figures next year will largely depend on how well our team plays...
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Post by Aggie Monster on Dec 11, 2011 12:43:20 GMT -5
I dont have faith that our fans care that much about actual football YET. We are still a typical HBCU atmosphere for the most part. Playing no rivals at home will be "tricky". I predict another 15K average unless we are playing for the MEAC crown late in the year. Only then would I say 18K average.
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Post by marchingband1969 on Dec 11, 2011 17:54:38 GMT -5
I dont have faith that our fans care that much about actual football YET. We are still a typical HBCU atmosphere for the most part. Playing no rivals at home will be "tricky". I predict another 15K average unless we are playing for the MEAC crown late in the year. Only then would I say 18K average. I don't know what the count will be but I think if we continue to play well and beat people, the A&T fans will show up. I agree that NCCU & WSSU are big rivals and will put lots of butts in the stands. But that only two games. Other than SCSU, the rest of the MEAC fans don't travel well. We have got to build a rivary with other schools outside of the CIAA.
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DECKS
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Post by DECKS on Dec 11, 2011 19:49:38 GMT -5
Agree with Monster.
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Post by resultz2005 on Dec 11, 2011 22:05:15 GMT -5
We got to start contending for the MEAC title. That would increase even those non-conference games such as Coastal Carolina or Elon or whoever
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Post by faithfulaggie on Dec 11, 2011 22:07:33 GMT -5
I dont have faith that our fans care that much about actual football Thats the truth, my friends got mad because I didn't want to sit near the band during the Central game. I had to explain to them while sitting near the band is great, I wanted to watch the game
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saabman
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Post by saabman on Dec 12, 2011 1:27:09 GMT -5
I dont have faith that our fans care that much about actual football YET. We are still a typical HBCU atmosphere for the most part. Playing no rivals at home will be "tricky". I predict another 15K average unless we are playing for the MEAC crown late in the year. Only then would I say 18K average. I agree with you Monster. HBCU's have always had that problem because the True Fans come for the game, But most come for the show. I think even if we start winning more games we will see some change in attendances but not that much. The true Fans will be their but most HBCU's don't show the following that you get at PWS winning are not. That's just the way it is. It may change but I don't think that it's going to be any time soon.
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Post by aggiebred09 on Dec 12, 2011 8:53:45 GMT -5
Is there a difference between a true HBCU fan and a True PWI fan. I know plenty of people that pack Carolina & ecu games just to drink. The culture is different but the basis for fan attendance is probably very similar. A party will draw people no matter the reason.
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Post by Aggie Monster on Dec 12, 2011 9:57:30 GMT -5
Is there a difference between a true HBCU fan and a True PWI fan. I know plenty of people that pack Carolina & ecu games just to drink. The culture is different but the basis for fan attendance is probably very similar. A party will draw people no matter the reason. Winning will always draw more fans, but I always throw this example out to people when comparing HBCU fans to PWI fans. App started winning and now averages 26K per home game. That was after 3 national championships and an upset of Michigan along the way. They haven't won the national championship in a few years, but still manage to put together some good seasons and make it to the playoffs. They sellout OFTEN. If A&T won the MEAC 3 years in a row, would we sellout every home game after that? In my opinion NO. There will always be 1 or 2 games on our schedule that people just dont care enough about to show up or the visiting team just doesn't travel at all. The only way to average 20K at A&T is to play NCCU at home first, stomp a mudhole in them, and then be in the hunt for the MEAC crown the last 2 home games of the year. Other than that scenario I dont see us ever averaging more than 18K. No matter how good we are the previous year our first game will never go above 15K unless we play someon better than the like of VUL or JSCU. This year Homecoming and NCCU inflated our overall average. Imagine how it would have looked if we played NCCU away and Howard at home, or even worse, Norfolk. Just look at SCSU. They dominated for years and could only muster a measly 16.5K average this year. That's the reason I say 18K because we do have better rivalries than SCSU and are in a better location than they are, so we could pull other teams fans a little better. Average 18K would be very good for us, but I dont think we can go any higher any time soon. Overall, thats just HBCU football. I would put money on that our best average attendance year was one where we played WSSU or NCCU at home early in the year. Was probably in the top 10 after homecoming, and then fizzled down the stretch after losing 3 in a row and playing people like Norfolk and SCSU at home.
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Post by aggiebred09 on Dec 12, 2011 10:01:57 GMT -5
The good thing is that we are at the top of the pack as far as HBCU and in-state attendance in the midst of a rebuilding year. We have a method and model that alot of schools are watching. Even though we aren't where we think we should be, there is obviously something to be desired among our finicky fan base.
We need to capitalize on our positioning. Excellent time for Phil to be talking to some sponsors. We should be able to garner at least 3 slots on the scoreboard with this bit of attendance analysis.
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oleschoolaggie
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Post by oleschoolaggie on Dec 12, 2011 10:02:25 GMT -5
I dont have faith that our fans care that much about actual football YET. We are still a typical HBCU atmosphere for the most part. Playing no rivals at home will be "tricky". I predict another 15K average unless we are playing for the MEAC crown late in the year. Only then would I say 18K average. who suggested an 18k average?
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Post by Aggie Monster on Dec 12, 2011 10:09:15 GMT -5
I dont have faith that our fans care that much about actual football YET. We are still a typical HBCU atmosphere for the most part. Playing no rivals at home will be "tricky". I predict another 15K average unless we are playing for the MEAC crown late in the year. Only then would I say 18K average. who suggested an 18k average? I did. 18K is the max I think we could EVER average. Averaging more than that would take some extreme planning and marketing by EVERYONE(AD, SID, PHIL, etc). Not to mention a few years straight of winning. We dont have the communication or the right people in place for that right now. Maybe in 4-5 years. Dont get me wrong. Averaging 18K is VERY VERY good for any FCS school. When we get there the ticket structure, sponsors, etc needs to be on point to maximize every dollar for the athletic department. For example, moving the band move was the best things we could have done for stadium atmosphere AND financially. Before you had people who wanted to actually watch the game sitting in the "U" with a terrible view of the game. Now people can sit in the old student section with a great view of the game if you want to. People are satisfied on both fronts. More people can watch the band and more people get to enjoy the game if they want. If you notice non-hbcus give there students the worse seating at the football games. Now that we've done that its a MAJOR step toward changing the overall football culture. A lot of people at A&Twouldn't like the changes I would implement if I was AD. My changes would be small, but "our" people would make a HUGE deal out of it. Just like the band move when me and a few other suggested it. Now everyone seems to love it.
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