Prepare for lower attendance

[AppAttack]

When are we ever going to get a road Thanksgiving weekend game? That would be ideal.

Good schedule though, I'm excited. Would only prefer one Thursday game, but it is a compliment to our program to get two.

[Skiddy]

Grade on our opponents for 2015: A+ ... Best opponent schedule App State has ever had.

Grade for the dates: F

We are playing our 3 most important games on dates that absolutely will not draw big attendance numbers.

Georgia Southern will have a big draw because it's our biggest game of the year and our FIRST Thursday night primetime ESPN(U) game. I'll say we maybe can hit 23K.

Arkansas State on Thursday night? We'll be lucky to hit 18K.

Lafayette on Thanksgiving weekend? FCS Playoff attendance numbers.

I don't know how much influence App State has on the dates or Thursday night games. Maybe none.

Count me as greatly disappointed.

Well I look forward to those Saturdays on the mountain but you just took away 3 games I cannot attend so I am canceling my season tickets - no reason to keep them - you could buy them any game you want and parking passes on this site - hoping the $$ pay off on TV cause at this rate we are sunk and now I see we fell from the top recruiting in Sunbelt last year to 4th or 5th - just a shame this was a great family experience - Figures Cobb would screw us good before he left! Game Over He Wins!

[Skiddy]

I'm sorry, I heard two nationally televised football games from KBS. They didn't screw us. They told us they think we give them tremendous bang for their buck on the biggest stage they have. Does it personally suck? Sure. As a teacher, I'm sure I will only be able to watch on TV, but I can watch them on TV, as can every one else with cable or satellite. Sounds like a win to me, even if I'm inconvenienced.

I really hope we don't outsmart ourselves. These games by their nature will negatively impact attendance numbers. Will we be on ESPNU with access to millions of viewers? Yes. Understood. Got it.

But come on. Why do we get excited for the schedule? So we can see what games we can attend.

I get being excited for national exposure but that is literally the only positive here. For me, that's a net loss.

Are you a season ticket holder? If so which games are you not attending I will just purchase a couple of your games - no need to buy season tickets anymore

[Skiddy]

I'm sorry, I heard two nationally televised football games from KBS. They didn't screw us. They told us they think we give them tremendous bang for their buck on the biggest stage they have. Does it personally suck? Sure. As a teacher, I'm sure I will only be able to watch on TV, but I can watch them on TV, as can every one else with cable or satellite. Sounds like a win to me, even if I'm inconvenienced.

I really hope we don't outsmart ourselves. These games by their nature will negatively impact attendance numbers. Will we be on ESPNU with access to millions of viewers? Yes. Understood. Got it.

But come on. Why do we get excited for the schedule? So we can see what games we can attend.

I get being excited for national exposure but that is literally the only positive here. For me, that's a net loss.

This is the best schedule???? Did you forget we are in the Sunbelt Conference?? The game against Wofford back on Halloween night will have a higher attendance than the GSU game mark my words...These teams and conference are irrelevant on the college football scene - at least I could go every Saturday with the family - oh wait that is over to - so are my season tickets - there is no need to buy tickets - the place was empty all last year you could sit where you wanted . The viewers around the country will not tune in to see App play anyone let's face it...the numbers speak for themselves - DO NOT BE FOOLED THAT THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME WILL BE ON ESPN MAYBE ESPNU!

LAST YEAR'S NIELSON RATINGS FOR THE GAME WERE..
0.1 156K 7:30 PM App. St./Georgia Southern ESPNU

that's right 156,000 people watched this game??? So that is national exposure - not hardly?

Are you a season ticket holder? If so which games are you not attending I will just purchase a couple of your games - no need to buy season tickets anymore

This is the best schedule App has ever had and the home opponent schedule is awesome. As a fan base we have to grow up and support the team as best we can. TWO nationally televised games on Thursday night will give lots of exposure to App and the match ups are about as good as it gets in G5. P5 schools attract fans on Thanksgiving weekend and I guess our fan base needs to step it up too. If this App team plays up to expectation and is in the hunt for the Belt title, attendance will take care of itself. I admit I like having a road game 10 minutes from my house in ATL and another in one of my favorite cities, Mobile, AL.

And a night game on ESPNU at The Rock against the Stink?? Hell yes!!

[AppinVA]

Such hyperbole. Somebody has mistaken the Cabin forAppfan.

[Goapps15]

Skiddy just lost his mind. Btw Cobb had nothing to do with the schedule.

The top four teams (App, Ga Sou, A State and LL) play multiple midweek games. It is what it is. For those of us who can't make it to every game it is nice to have the games televised.

[Saint3333]

Skiddy wanted to stay in the smallcon. Go look at Wofford's schedule and tell me you'd trade it, not for you personally, but for the sake of marketing our schools and challenging ourselves.

Two nationally televised games on Thursday, and every conference game streamed on ESPN3. Hands down best schedule we've ever had.

Weekend after thanksgiving shouldn't be a problem, how is this any different than other Saturday games? Don't most people eat with family on Thursday?

[Longrifle28]

Skiddy seems a bit high strung, hope he‘s gonna be okay?

I like the schedule, could have done with out the thursday games, but it is what it is. I don't think we will beat our previous Halloween game attendance because that game (Wofford) was on friday night.

The schedule and tv exposure are 10 times better than when we were in the SoCon.

[Yosef10]

Sounds like skiddy may have had a cocktail or 2 and decided to come bitch a little....but if falls on deaf ears. Easily best schedule we've ever had. ECU had THREE Thursday games and a Friday game last year. Their posters on the boards/fan base as a whole didn't mind it, they understand the good out weighs the bad tremendously. It's all about marketing and exposure.

And if we are winning, I believe the student attendance record will be shattered Thursday against southern

[luvyosef]

haters gonna hate. Again, love the schedule and love being FBS. Go Apps!

[SpeedkingATL]

Skiddy, would you really want to trade home games against ULL, stAte, and Troy for games against Mercer, VMI and WCU??

I doubt it. The last 3 are games I probably wouldn't drive from ATL to attend. The first 3, I will really make an effort. Match ups matter.

Bottom line is that if App wins the fans will be there, if not for many fans the effort to attend decreases with the losses.

[WVAPPeer]

There are actually 2 basic items discussed and although they are interrelated they are different - 1st - the schedule --- Yes it has a great line-up of games and the national exposure will be helpful, as having all games on one of the ESPN platforms - to me, there is no question about that --- 2nd - attendance --- I understand not buying season tickets for the upcoming season, Our family has had some form of them (up to 6 tickets) for over 15 years - we won't be getting season tickets this season (at least not the entire package) as we are old-heads with limited income and Thursday nights just can't be done and secondly, our daughter and s-n-l have a 2 year old and Thursday nights are out for them, as well as late season games because of the weather and a little one --- Just my thoughts ---

[erd1028]

I do not post much but I do want to reply to skippy. I have already sent my money in for my Yosef Club Dues and have purchased my season tickets. I can assure you that I will be in my seats for ALL the games. Sorry Skiddy but I have nothing for you. As far as WVAPPeer, I also have older children that no longer come to most of the games but my wife and I still buy our 4 seats each year. The cost is not that much and if money is an issue, I just spend less on something else to support the school and teams. I normally find someone where I live and offer the tickets to them. I have yet to not find someone who wants them. Yesterday, I have already had 4 different people ask for the Thursday game tickets so I do not see that finding someone for them will be a problem.
Skiddy said that last years game was watched by 156,000 homes. That means that there was likely more than 1 person at each home watching the game, at my house there was 6. Even if there were ONLY 156,000 that would be 126,000 more than we have at Boone watching ALL the SoCon games. Rome was not built in a day but I am tired of hearing all the crying from the people that did not like the move UP. If Skiddy wants to stay home then STAY HOME and STAY out of the way of PROGRESS.

[Goapps15]

Anybody find it ironic that these are Skiddy's first posts since the days after the Liberty loss at home?

He just has to find something to complain about. Look at any of the SmallCon's schedules and say you would trade with this and your nuts. ULL, Ark State, Troy and ULM are much better than (Wofford, Mercer, ETSU, and VMI).

[wb247]

Just my .02, but the games being on thursday don't concern me nearly as much as them being in consecutive weeks. Even with my concern, this schedule still looks amazing.

[Goapps15]

Just my .02, but the games being on thursday don't concern me nearly as much as them being in consecutive weeks. Even with my concern, this schedule still looks amazing.

Bingo. The second Thursday game falls on a 3rd consecutive home weekend. That is very difficult for people.

[TheMoody1]

Some folks think their individual needs are bigger than the program. They probably should just become a big deal by supporting their favorite High School team.

[bcoach]

Not everyone who is disappointed needs to grow up or man up or whatever. I myself am disappointed that I will probably only get to 4 games this year. Glad I will get to see them on TV but sad that I will be 2 games short this year.
Surprised no posts about the new AD. looks like a pretty good choice on paper.

[Hudson2002]

I've been following the different message boards for years although I rarely post. This morning I've read through this thread and I just have to vent. I know it takes time, but I find myself constantly frustrated with our fans and alumni base. I'm one of the fans who wants us to be to be "big time", and we're not even close. We have a segment of about 15,000 fans out of our of 100s of thousands of alumni who will be at every game. Besides that all the stars have to line up perfectly to get another 15k there. Weather, game day, game time, money, opponent, kids etc... That's not big time. Alabama has 90k for their spring game. Look at the Power 5 schools that play on Thursday nights. Their fans relish it. They have 60k strong. It's an experience that they look forward to. What do we do? List all the reasons we can't make it. Hell, you've got eight months to figure it out. Eight months to save a few extra bucks. Eight months to get a day off work if needed. Eight months to figure out an arrangement for kids. I have my first coming in two weeks. I promise I will find an appropriate solution. When I log into my Yosef account and see that we only have 8,000 Yosef Club members I think it's an absolute disgrace. The bottom line is that too many of our fans think like so many that have posted in this thread. This philosophy will not get us to be "big time" and I fear that we may never make it. I want so much more for our program than to be sitting in my tailgate spot on game day and wondering if we will have more than 20k at the game. Unfortunately, that's where we are now, and progress will be painfully slow if we continue to have this type of thinking.

[fjblair]

^^^ Man you are delusional.