Make App State's Student Section Great Again!

[Rekdiver]

I sent this to DG and got a nice reply withing 10 minutes....Got to love this guy.

Here is what i sent Doug just now:

The new video board and ribbons are fantastic and the sound system while a bit loud was clear and enjoyable. The stadium looks 1st class.

I know our marketing department is trying to stay on top of trends to attract more people and make it enjoyable especially for students but after talking to quite a few fellow Yosef Club members we are not convinced we are on the right track with more piped in music verses having the band get more involved.
This is the concensus of the people including students I’ve talked to:

We have noticed at the P5 schools we play the bands play more between plays are more involved and there is less piped in music

The band needs to be moved back to the west side OR mic’d in there current location.
We need a group of students to get involved in leading cheers (other than cheerleaders)
Consider putting some of the cheerleaders in the stands at the beginning of each half to get things going.
Reusable pom poms. Drop them in a barrel when you leave and pick one up when you enter.
Coordinate some of the cheers with the video board. APP….State for instance

While an expense our teams entrance was very blasé. Fireworks on entrance and some after scores.

Find a student Yosef and teach them to shoot the long rifle. We cant even see the ROTC guys.


We appreciate all that that is being done and certainly don’t have all the answers but wanted to share with you thought that have been simmering among many for some time.

[appaneer1984]

FWIW since we always tend to compare ourselves to the "bigger" dogs in NC, both UNC and NCSU bands are in the endzone

[bcoach]

I sent this to DG and got a nice reply withing 10 minutes....Got to love this guy.

Here is what i sent Doug just now:

The new video board and ribbons are fantastic and the sound system while a bit loud was clear and enjoyable. The stadium looks 1st class.

I know our marketing department is trying to stay on top of trends to attract more people and make it enjoyable especially for students but after talking to quite a few fellow Yosef Club members we are not convinced we are on the right track with more piped in music verses having the band get more involved.
This is the concensus of the people including students I’ve talked to:

We have noticed at the P5 schools we play the bands play more between plays are more involved and there is less piped in music

The band needs to be moved back to the west side OR mic’d in there current location.
We need a group of students to get involved in leading cheers (other than cheerleaders)
Consider putting some of the cheerleaders in the stands at the beginning of each half to get things going.
Reusable pom poms. Drop them in a barrel when you leave and pick one up when you enter.
Coordinate some of the cheers with the video board. APP….State for instance

While an expense our teams entrance was very blasé. Fireworks on entrance and some after scores.

Find a student Yosef and teach them to shoot the long rifle. We cant even see the ROTC guys.


We appreciate all that that is being done and certainly don’t have all the answers but wanted to share with you thought that have been simmering among many for some time.

Can you share his answer?

[bcoach]

FWIW since we always tend to compare ourselves to the "bigger" dogs in NC, both UNC and NCSU bands are in the endzone

Having them in the end zone allows both sides to hear them. When they were in front of us we could not hear them. I would love to see them in the center of the end zone but also realize they must get in and out.

[NewApp]

FWIW since we always tend to compare ourselves to the "bigger" dogs in NC, both UNC and NCSU bands are in the endzone

Having them in the end zone allows both sides to hear them. When they were in front of us we could not hear them. I would love to see them in the center of the end zone but also realize they must get in and out.

I heard them much better in the stands than I do in the end zone.

[boonetown1]

In full fairness, here's my take on yesterday's student section:

Yeah, they didn't get the APP>>>STATE chant down right, but then again, the STATE side didn't initiate, either. You can't really blame the students either, as the new speakers made it almost impossible to hear the other side doing anything. That's not anyone in particular's fault. It just is what it is. Additionally, you had 4000 new students in the stands yesterday. Of course they won't know the chants by heart, so the returning students are pulling more weight. This happens at every first game of the year.

The reason why there wasn't as much tailgating from students yesterday is because sorority recruitment is currently taking place, so none of the sorority women were there, meaning the fraternities had no reason to be out there, either. That won't be the case for the WF game. I expect to be a booming student crowd there at that game.

For the marching band, I don't know who is to blame. Does the stadium play more piped in music because the band director isn't initiating more performances during the game itself? Does the band director not initiate more performances because there is so much piped in music? I really don't know. I don't think the students are to blame on that end, though. They can only play when they're directed to play...

I agree with you about it no being on the students. Could they use some work on the chants? Yes. Could they be a little more rabid and passionate? Yes. But to be fair, the game was a blow out and the students stayed for a long time. We were sitting in 111 and that section sucked. Like sucked bad. I think more on this board need to look to the alumni as sitting on their hands and watching quietly. I graduated in '08 and i know we had an issue then with alumni sitting quietly then as well. We use to turn around and yell at the upper sections to stand up. Remember, we feed off of each other.....I saw the end zone seating and home side do the App State chant yesterday because the visitors side was sitting quietly.

[8993]

Leave the band in the end zone and put a mic on them. I don't know why we'd ever want to move them back into the west stands when that's where the student section is. The overflow student section is in the endzone, which are notably worst seats for viewing. Being in the end zone allows the band to be heard by both sides and it still allows the students the advantage of being right on top of one another to create a massive audience.

[diehardapp18]

I think we have to start with students not leaving so early. That is the biggest issue that needs to be fixed. Like, I understand leaving early Saturday when we were up 40+ at halftime. But leaving close games at the break is absolutely infuriating and I'm sure it's frustrating for players.

I think the band alone and the songs that play in the stadium can help as well. It'd be cool if the App student section found a song to play a lot during the games where they just scream the lyrics. Kind of like how Clemson fans yell "We tooooo deeep! Aye! Aye" constantly during their games.

[MountaineerKidd]

I'll give everyone a perspective from a current student who has been coming to Kidd Brewer for years and does not leave at halftime for any game. The main factor for many students leaving early is the quality of the game. We have not what I would consider a good home game since Troy or StAte in 2015. We have blown everyone out or in the case of Miami we took the beating. The second factor is with 3:30 games many are already hungover from tailgating and trying to get back and rest up to go back out that night. None of those are valid reasons, however that is what most tell me for leaving early.
In terms of the quality of the student section, it is severely lacking in many regards. The major problem I have with many students comes down to effort. I get out to Raley usually 5-6 hours before the game and go in a little over an hour before. I make a day out of being at the stadium and love every minute of it. Most students get out there around 2 hours before and go in at game time. I would not trade the times I have had drinking and hanging out with my group of friends for anything. Those are some of my best memories at this school. The average App student also has little knowledge of what one should do in a student section. A student section should be crazy every game for the entire game not a few plays every week. I fault the students but also the people who plan how to interact with fans. Many schools do things on the video board and use people on the sideline in front of the students to get the students involved. We have very little of that. The average student (not the die hard App fan) needs some type of incentive or a push to get involved. Throw t-shirts in the crowd, put chants on the board other than app.....state....something that will get the freshman girl who does not like football to yell on third down or to do pushups after a td etc. Right now I do not feel that we have many of those incentives for the students.
My final thought is that the band needs to interact with the students way more. In HS our band would get the student section involved throughout the game. At the games I do not feel connected whatsoever to the band and feel like they are far away. And I do agree with most of you that the piped in music kills the student section. Last Saturday and last year many attempted to start chants during media timeouts but were drowned out by the PA announcer or piped in music.
Just my opinion but this is what many of the students I talk to think about our game day experience.
Go Apps!

[Rekdiver]

DG said he appreciated the feedback and the suggestions. Said they were already considering some of the items.

[appaneer1984]

I think it starts at the top and trickles down...when I was a student 2003-2007 Chancellor Peacock was there FOR EVERY GAME...ON THE SIDELINE. He even stood atop the push-up board held by the cheerleaders, lovingly holding on to the 1, then 2, then 3 National Championship trophies. Granted, he didn't have the Chancellor's Box, but even if he did I bet he'd still be down on the sideline rallying the students. I went to every home game from 2003-2007, playoffs included and I can probably count on one hand the number of times I did NOT see Peacock on the sideline at some point during the game in those 4 years.

[NO.2]

I think it starts at the top and trickles down...when I was a student 2003-2007 Chancellor Peacock was there FOR EVERY GAME...ON THE SIDELINE. He even stood atop the push-up board held by the cheerleaders, lovingly holding on to the 1, then 2, then 3 National Championship trophies. Granted, he didn't have the Chancellor's Box, but even if he did I bet he'd still be down on the sideline rallying the students. I went to every home game from 2003-2007, playoffs included and I can probably count on one hand the number of times I did NOT see Peacock on the sideline at some point during the game in those 4 years.

I was in school from 09-13, Peacock (aka the GOAT) was still a big presence in and around the student section at many games. He really got people fired up.

[Rick83]

Dr Peacock was one of a kind...doubt we'll be able to replicate that guy. Had him for Corporate Tax when he was a prof in the Walker College of Business...he was full of energy even then. I struggled to keep up and decided not to specialize in tax...no regrets on that decision.

[asu2021]

They should play "We Ready" before/during the game. It definitely will hype up the students. I am a current freshman and would go crazy if they played this song.