Simple Suggestion

[WASU 93]

I know there would be unique logistics involved at each stadium, but:

The Sun Belt should work with member schools to move all TV cameras to the visitor side of each stadium (hence, having the home side as the background for televised games)

Tomorrow, the East Side will most likely be a virtual ghost town. But, our look on television is no different from games at Louisiana, Troy, etc.

The reality is that for most conference games, the stadiums are not going to be at capacity. Empty Stands are simply bad "Show" . This is one of the major reasons why sports like NASCAR and MLB are removing grandstands, reducing park sizes, etc.

While this is not limited to the Sun Belt, think how much better the optics would be with an enthusiastic home crowd in the frame.

If it were a uniform decision, the Belt would present a better optic, especially on games with national exposure.

Obviously, you would have to look into Cabling, Positioning of TV Trucks, probably relocating the TV Booth and even flipping the midfield logo. But, it would be a more realistic view of actual attendance and really improve the optics of the league.
Plan B for App State (and I know there will be naysayers) should be to move the enthusiastic student section to the lower side of the East Side, and let them be seen as a constant background vs. just crowd shots and let them create a hostile environment for the visiting team.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

I agree. If it's going to to be done it needs to be done next year and discussed as early as today. It's my understanding that we are getting new turf next year which means we can flip the A if needed.

[NewApp]

I agree. If it's going to to be done it needs to be done next year and discussed as early as today. It's my understanding that we are getting new turf next year which means we can flip the A if needed.

All this sounds good, but having the base of the A directed away from where the home team is located doesn't sound right. Just don't know.

[dubs21]

Cameras are on the west side so they are not pointing directly into the sun and making the picture on tv unwatchable

[moonshine]

Plan B for App State (and I know there will be naysayers) should be to move the enthusiastic student section to the lower side of the East Side, and let them be seen as a constant background vs. just crowd shots and let them create a hostile environment for the visiting team.

I don't want to move the entire student section as the players feed off their energy but I think we should open up 113-14 for student overflow especially now that the band is back on the West side. I believe we may have tried this a few years back but with more students enrolling, it may be necessary. Having students engaged on both sides could take KBS to another level with some coordination on the students part, they could help get chants going faster and louder.

[ericsaid]

Plan B for App State (and I know there will be naysayers) should be to move the enthusiastic student section to the lower side of the East Side, and let them be seen as a constant background vs. just crowd shots and let them create a hostile environment for the visiting team.

I don't want to move the entire student section as the players feed off their energy but I think we should open up 113-14 for student overflow especially now that the band is back on the West side. I believe we may have tried this a few years back but with more students enrolling, it may be necessary. Having students engaged on both sides could take KBS to another level with some coordination on the students part, they could help get chants going faster and louder.

Students behind the visitor bench would be fun. App has one of, if not the best, representation of student attendance in the Sun Belt. Getting that noise over to the opposing sideline while their offense is on the field would be deafening.

[ericsaid]

Who is responsible for capturing stadium sounds on TV? How difficult is that to accomplish in the way that the AAC has been able to do? I think it would be a worthwhile investment, considering the TV viewership these days and likely increase in network TV games, for the stadium to be mic'd properly to capture the true sound of the crowd.

Right now it sounds like you're in the press box with the play by play guys and its really a shame. With the new building completed and the hill being brought closer, the sound from the crowd is going to be amplified to a level not heard at KBS since the Richmond 2007 game, and possibly Miami in the big moments.

[yosef95]

Putting students on the opposite side is a brilliant idea. Would look way better on tv

[AppAlum1]

Putting students on the opposite side is a brilliant idea. Would look way better on tv

I could not disagree more. Students behind the visitors' bench is a TERRBUL idea!

Just ask jawjuh suthern.

[AppAlum1]

I think the new Field House & stands there close to the end zone will do a lot to box in the sound from the crowd.

[Mjohn1988]

Moving the students to the east side is an awful idea. But I would note the we already have a student section on the east side. We just need enough students to show up and fill the west and east.

[Gnomeneer]

Move the "A" to North / South or have an A on top of an A (East / West). Keep the students on the West!

[WASU 93]

Plan B for App State (and I know there will be naysayers) should be to move the enthusiastic student section to the lower side of the East Side, and let them be seen as a constant background vs. just crowd shots and let them create a hostile environment for the visiting team.

I don't want to move the entire student section as the players feed off their energy but I think we should open up 113-14 for student overflow especially now that the band is back on the West side. I believe we may have tried this a few years back but with more students enrolling, it may be necessary. Having students engaged on both sides could take KBS to another level with some coordination on the students part, they could help get chants going faster and louder.

Not a bad compromise

[WASU 93]

Keep in mind, that I'm not looking at it from a pure KBS standpoint.

Regardless of getting better in football, the Sun Belt looks bad on TV (as does the MAC, C-USA). More times than not, attendance looks far worse than it actually is.
This is magnified by games played mid-week.

I'm not saying that it would be a perfect solution, and it's not one without challenges. But, the optics and the energy of the broadcasts would look much better.

[Mjohn1988]

Plan B for App State (and I know there will be naysayers) should be to move the enthusiastic student section to the lower side of the East Side, and let them be seen as a constant background vs. just crowd shots and let them create a hostile environment for the visiting team.

I don't want to move the entire student section as the players feed off their energy but I think we should open up 113-14 for student overflow especially now that the band is back on the West side. I believe we may have tried this a few years back but with more students enrolling, it may be necessary. Having students engaged on both sides could take KBS to another level with some coordination on the students part, they could help get chants going faster and louder.

Not a bad compromise

I’m pretty sure that 113 has been a student section all year

[WASU 93]

Plan B for App State (and I know there will be naysayers) should be to move the enthusiastic student section to the lower side of the East Side, and let them be seen as a constant background vs. just crowd shots and let them create a hostile environment for the visiting team.

I don't want to move the entire student section as the players feed off their energy but I think we should open up 113-14 for student overflow especially now that the band is back on the West side. I believe we may have tried this a few years back but with more students enrolling, it may be necessary. Having students engaged on both sides could take KBS to another level with some coordination on the students part, they could help get chants going faster and louder.

Not a bad compromise

I’m pretty sure that 113 has been a student section all year

You are most likely correct, from the top of the East Stands, we can't see the bottom level (and I only come off my perch for a quick run to the restroom). But, perhaps it's more of a concentrated effort to fill up sections 113-14 as well as the center sections of the home side. Perhaps, the freshman and sophomores organize in 113-14, then move over to the home side for their junior, senior (and in my case 5th) years. And, maybe there is a little organized competition between the two sides to see who can be louder and crazier.

There was a time (late 80's, early 90's) when midnight college basketball games became a hot commodity and produced some crazy environments that had great optics on ESPN. I am sure during that time that traditionalists (and namely season ticket holders with jobs) bemoaned the move to a midnight tip. But, it worked (and programs like UNC Charlotte took advantage of it.
My original thought is that the Sun Belt needs to build their brand by being intentional in fixing those optics in a uniformed manner.

Beyond that, the Rock needs to look great on TV, because that helps our brand, plus the other intangibles of showing a great crowd vs. empty bleachers.

[APPdiesel]

Just focus the hand-held ground cameras and b-roll footage on the full sections not the empty ones.

[citroknight]

Cameras are on the west side so they are not pointing directly into the sun and making the picture on tv unwatchable

I actually never considered this but it seems right.

It's the same setup at UCF, press box and TV cameras on the west side probably to avoid direct sunlight as the sun goes down.

This is something we've address in the past 5 years by adding premium seating on the east side as that's also been the emptier side at times for us because of direct sunlight yet it's in full view of the cameras.

Now I don't think this was done solely for a better look for us on TV, obviously we wanted the better margins that come with premium seating, but it kills two birds with one stone. We added a deck where fans can stand and watch as well as chairback seating to replace our traditional bench seats. Then over the last five years it's expanded from just the deck and a section in the upper bowl to lower bowl, expanded section in the upper bowl, and now additional decks and alcohol vendors at the very top of the upper deck.

I'm not sure if something like that could work at your stadium but it's an option along with shuffling around all or parts of the student section.