So there was some rain and it was cold. A few years ago when there was rain, sleet, hail, and snow, we cheered on our Mountaineers in masses. What has happened? Im saddened by the loss but devastated by the current local fanbase. From my couch in KCMO its obvious we have a long way to go.

Part of the whole issue we are lacking is a piss pot fanbase. Not what it used to be

People were leaving by the hundreds after the first quarter. These people better never complain about anything, especially if they don’t give to Yosef. I’ve been a season ticket holder since before I could really afford it, and I give as much as I can to Yosef on top of that. If you want to see us keep good coaches, have nice facilities, and grow all around....you better start giving and supporting. Don’t be shocked if our growth hits a wall sooner than later.

What makes anyone think we can, in the course of 10-15 years, increase our average attendance by 5-10k a game and set numerous attendance records without picking up some fairweathers? I can't count the number of really dumb conversations I've overheard at KBS and elsewhere from people who don't know much about football in general or our team history or culture. I'll never forget one particularly insipid conversation at the A&T game that we lost in 2013 that revolved around how they guess we just "ain't no good since Armanti left" before pivoting to what they were going to eat at Pepper's. It was ho-hum defeatism combined with a complete lack of knowledge about the current team and a total nonchalance about the outcome of the game. "I guess we suck. What's for supper?" No nuance. No facts.

But you don't grow a fanbase without picking up some of that dead weight. I liked the feeling of shedding some of that during 2013 and 2014, but the bloat is back. So that's one issue. But not the only one. There are a lot of people who just have a hard time making it to games. And frankly, the game experience isn't great right now with construction, parking woes, traffic, long concessions lines, etc. Some of it is being actively addressed, and some of it still needs to be addressed.

I was at App a few years before the championship streak and football was a much more low-key affair. Many of the alumni who came through during that hot streak, as football exploded, have young families and inflexible schedules. We have young kids and don't live in Boone. We have jobs that aren't particularly flexible. Midweek games suck for us, and I'm not about to tell two little girls under 6 that we can't trick-or-treat with their friends because we're going to go sit in cold bleachers for 4 hours. To be honest, even if we had tickets to last night's game, we probably would have stayed home. The weather was terrible here, there, and all points in between.

Maybe that mean's I'm not dedicated, but as much as I love it, App Football isn't my only priority.

No excuse. My girlfriend and I took two days off of work to make this game and have an extended family weekend. We live in Winston. Stayed until the last whistle blew.

App91 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 12:14 am

Part of the whole issue we are lacking is a piss pot fanbase. Not what it used to be

This sums it up.

/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 9:38 am

App91 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 12:14 am

Part of the whole issue we are lacking is a piss pot fanbase. Not what it used to be

This sums it up.

I think I asked you this on another thread but I agree with this sentiment and I’m not sure what’s going on.

I was at the game when we had 30k in the stands against Elon. What’s going on that we are seeing this shift? Complacency?

ah59396 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 9:43 am

/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 9:38 am

App91 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 12:14 am

Part of the whole issue we are lacking is a piss pot fanbase. Not what it used to be

This sums it up.

I think I asked you this on another thread but I agree with this sentiment and I’m not sure what’s going on.

I was at the game when we had 30k in the stands against Elon. What’s going on that we are seeing this shift? Complacency?

I think it is complacency and as some have pointed out, our fans just aren't getting excited to play the Texas State of the world. It's hard to expect someone to change just for one game, even if it is our most hated rival. Some feel it will get better with time as we play these teams more often, but I'm just not seeing it...outside of a potential nice second rivalry with Coastal. Even that's a stretch. I'm reaching at this point as I am clueless myself. I would trade every Sun Belt in if it meant we could get the old atmosphere back. That's how much it means to me to have that atmosphere back at The Rock.

Side note: I think the band should play more. It seemed to unite us more as silly as it sounds.

ah59396 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 9:43 am

/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 9:38 am

App91 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 12:14 am

Part of the whole issue we are lacking is a piss pot fanbase. Not what it used to be

This sums it up.

I think I asked you this on another thread but I agree with this sentiment and I’m not sure what’s going on.

I was at the game when we had 30k in the stands against Elon. What’s going on that we are seeing this shift? Complacency?

This particular game:

1) Work schedules + trying to make the game (not every fan has the luxury of expending a day or half day for a game)
2) Terrible Weather
3) Halloween

And I agree that a lack of "exciting" opponents plays a role. People would be more excited if we played teams like ECU and Wake more often. Few of the students, and even less fans, have heard of South Alabama before coming here. We see the atmosphere we remember from the FCS days against in-state teams. I think we'd see it with ECU and a host of out-of-state schools from various conferences.

With the majority of our fanbase in Charlotte, the Triad and Triangle, our attendance will likely be at max, 75% full on Thursdays. Add in crappy weather and it being Halloween, it will be poorly attended. I have been to the last 2 Thursday home games against Georgia Southern, but this year, I chose to spend time with my kids on Halloween. And I don't feel a bit bad or guilty about it.

NattyBumppo'sRevenge wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 10:15 am

With the majority of our fanbase in Charlotte, the Triad and Triangle, our attendance will likely be at max, 75% full on Thursdays. Add in crappy weather and it being Halloween, it will be poorly attended. I have been to the last 2 Thursday home games against Georgia Southern, but this year, I chose to spend time with my kids on Halloween. And I don't feel a bit bad or guilty about it.

Nor should you. Everyone can be a fan in whichever way suits them best. I grow tired of the gate keeping “you’re not a real fan unless...” garbage.

The crowd was about what I expected last night given the circumstances.

I see a lot of half-empty cups in these threads. Spoiled to no end. How soon people forget what pre-natty days could be like. We have a huge stadium compared to what it once was. I'm happy we fill it up even if its only part of the game. It will take years to fill in the new "gaps" with more dedicated fans but it will happen. If we add another 5,000 seats we will have to wait again for the population of dedicated fans to grow and fill in the new gaps. That is the nature of progress.

I thought we had a good crowd considering a weeknight, cold wet and windy. Our students are awesome. I was able to get there because I’m semi-retired. 10 years ago I’d have to stay in Charlotte and watch on tv.

These threads, as well as the couple folks on twitter who “call out” fans for not attending a game, are asinine. I don’t owe a single person any excuse as to why I attend, or don’t attend, a sporting event. It’s been the same thing since the Delphi days.

I point this out a lot. 15k-ish at the Sunbelt championship game, which is aboit what we got for our home playoff games. We have the sixth largest fanbase in the state. We have to find a way to build a non-alum NW NC fanbase. We have about 6k season ticket holders and about 3k active Yosef Club members. We have a tiny fanbase.

No excuse for the droves of fans leaving after the first quarter. This was a game where the players needed us. If my 9 and 5 year old can stick it out to the very end, a college kid should be able to do the same. The crowd that remained, most likely the ones who really appreciate what we have, were loud and excited until the bitter end. Cheers to you.

What I want to say now is very important. Do not get the wrong impression about all of the facility upgrades and campus changes. This stuff costs big money, and App ain't no big money school. If you like cheering the black and gold, get out your wallets and give atleast a LITTLE to Yosef. Buy season tickets.... Spend money at the concessions (3 items for $10 is a great deal)... Give what you can afford to Yosef. $10 per month is two trips to Starbuck or McDs. $120 from a thousand fans would go a long way. Everything we have can dry up quick if we don't keep some water pouring back in, even if it's a drip from you.

VNova wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 10:13 am

ah59396 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 9:43 am

/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 9:38 am

App91 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 12:14 am

Part of the whole issue we are lacking is a piss pot fanbase. Not what it used to be

This sums it up.

I think I asked you this on another thread but I agree with this sentiment and I’m not sure what’s going on.

I was at the game when we had 30k in the stands against Elon. What’s going on that we are seeing this shift? Complacency?

This particular game:

1) Work schedules + trying to make the game (not every fan has the luxury of expending a day or half day for a game)
2) Terrible Weather
3) Halloween

And I agree that a lack of "exciting" opponents plays a role. People would be more excited if we played teams like ECU and Wake more often. Few of the students, and even less fans, have heard of South Alabama before coming here. We see the atmosphere we remember from the FCS days against in-state teams. I think we'd see it with ECU and a host of out-of-state schools from various conferences.

I agree that most teams in the Sun Belt don't move the needle for us like they should but I think scheduling this year has been really unfavorable with weather and Halloween. Homecoming was a washout, playing away during peak leaf season... IF this game was Saturday, it would be blue bird day with more travelers and casual fans for a top 20 team.

Who in the SoCon moved the needle?

VNova wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 10:13 am

This particular game:

1) Work schedules + trying to make the game (not every fan has the luxury of expending a day or half day for a game)
2) Terrible Weather
3) Halloween

Number 1 is me. Mid-week games are one thing when they're nearby, but quite another when they involve an overnight trip.

I live three hours away, assuming no stops and no traffic (heh, good luck with that on a weekday). My work is cyclical, and the cycle starts on the first day of the month - i.e., today. Here's another thing: my stay-at-home wife is pregnant and my employer doesn't do paid parental leave. That means when the baby comes, my options will be to take PTO or go unpaid, so obviously I'm saving all the PTO I can. I'm not putting myself behind the 8-ball at work or risking 8-12 hours of pay over a football game. I really wanted to be there and I hate that it worked out this way, but I'm not sorry for staying home.

As for the weather, that wouldn't have scared me off, but I'm sure my non-alum wife and 2-year-old would have stayed away. And because of #1, I got to enjoy #3 with them and still watch the game on TV.

appgrad95&97 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 01, 2019 11:34 am

Who in the SoCon moved the needle?

Proximity matters.