Herd game update - Thursday

[Saint3333]

That is our reality, as a G5 member we have four options:

A. Win championships, beat P5s, play 3-4 mid-week TV games
B. Win 8-10 games, an occasional championship, play 2 mid-week conference games
C. Win 6-8 games a year, get 1 mid-week conference games
D. Win less than 7 games consistently and get 0-1 TV games that aren't vs P5s

App is currently in the A column and I'm ok with that.

[SayYesToTheRock]

Most on the Cabin (and Twitter) are diehards who prioritize App Football over most else. For us, the "You have 6 months, just take PTO" argument works fine (assuming you have PTO to spare).

But there's only a few thousand diehard App fans. And most of us are already giving/buying season tix.

We'll never reach our goals for growth by catering ONLY to diehard fans. There simply aren't enough of us. We have to draw in the more casual fan. Most casual fans simply won't be interested in the weeknight game experience when they can watch it on TV.

So: while weeknight games help pay the bills, we should at least acknowledge it comes at a long-term cost.

[AppStateNews]

We have to draw in the more casual fan. Most casual fans simply won't be interested in the weeknight game experience when they can watch it on TV.

That is exactly what the mid-week games do. They allow people that did not attend and couldn't care less about App to see we are a successful program that plays hard nosed football. That will attract new fans to attend a weekend game or two. They have a good enough time, they may become season ticket holders.

Also, if you don't want weekday games, get more people to donate to Yosef Club. Simply put, we NEED the ESPN money to stay afloat. If we get Yosef Club where it should be (could easily be upwards of $7 mil a year if half of the living alumni gave $10 a month), we won't have to seek out television revenue opportunities.

[WVAPPeer]

Here's another question --- with the severe loss of funds last season which affects all programs, would taking a weeknight game on ESPN bring in the kind of extra money that could make a significant difference?

[SayYesToTheRock]

mid-week games will attract new fans to attend a weekend game or two. They have a good enough time, they may become season ticket holders.

If that has been our strategy for attracting new season ticket holders, it's no wonder we have so few.

A much more likely path to growth is packing The Rock full of App alumni in Boone on a beautiful fall Saturday and reminding them how awesome it is to spend time here. That opens checkbooks more than an ESPNU appearance.

I'm happy to endure weeknight games as long as they're needed to stay afloat (especially with COVID hardships). That doesn't mean we shouldn't acknowledge the very real costs this may have on our fanbase moving forward.

[Appmountaineers19]

We have to draw in the more casual fan. Most casual fans simply won't be interested in the weeknight game experience when they can watch it on TV.

That is exactly what the mid-week games do. They allow people that did not attend and couldn't care less about App to see we are a successful program that plays hard nosed football. That will attract new fans to attend a weekend game or two. They have a good enough time, they may become season ticket holders.

Also, if you don't want weekday games, get more people to donate to Yosef Club. Simply put, we NEED the ESPN money to stay afloat. If we get Yosef Club where it should be (could easily be upwards of $7 mil a year if half of the living alumni gave $10 a month), we won't have to seek out television revenue opportunities.

With over 120,000 living alumni there is less than 4000 YC members. Why is that? There's a long history of success with this program.

[Rekdiver]

Just a question... would it be possible that the AD department might feel that there won't be 100% attendance in Sep so moving to Thursday night might not have as big an impact as normal???

That’s a good possibility....more money because attendance will be restricted still.

[T-Dog]

For someone like me who is in a new job this year, I'm gonna have to pick and choose now. I'll likely have to miss the Marshall game so I can make the ECU and Miami games (less PTO used for the Miami game since it's on a Saturday). And I likely can't make the Coastal game on a Wednesday.

I will scream at anyone who tells me my commitment to being at App games is less than others because of my real life work circumstances.

[appstate5]

I'm a yosef club member and season ticket holder. But if these mid-week games continue, it will no longer be cost effective for me to buy season tickets. My wife keeps our grandkids during the week, BOTH of my daughters are teachers who got their degrees from ASU like myself. I love and bleed ASU football, but for me to make mid-week games means my school teacher daughters have to take days off work to keep their kids for my wife and I to enjoy a game. For one game they are willing....but for multiple games I can't ask them to find a substitute teacher for their classroom just so we can come to Boone to watch a game. Please, please, please.....leave the games on Saturday. One Saturday game in Sept and one saturday game in October when the campus is the most beautiful is an absolute shame.

[BambooRdApp]

One cab try to rationalize do we get extra TV money versus money earned from a limited capacity. I do not believe that matters. We would have moved this game to ESPN no matter what. When TV comes calling, whether espn, CBS network, we are going to take it. It gives us $$$, exposure to recruits, etc. We are not in a bargaining position with the networks. As I can see as of now, G5 will not have bargaining position for the foreseeable future. I have season tickets NEZ and knew this was the reality when purchased that I would maybe make a few games a year and give away the other tickets. Overall, thought a good way to support the football program. If I could direct my contribution to better tv camera placement for games I have to watch on TV, I would certainly do so given the camera placement seems to be on top of Howard's Knob

[Bootsy]

How does our allotment of weeknight games compare with what other Sun Belt teams are getting? Are we being singled out? Is the treatment unfair?

Here's my point: we're in an FBS conference now and this is part of the deal where the league has TV contracts. So as much as it stinks, App did sign up for this...for better or worse. For the record, I don't like it any more than you guys do.

And speaking of Stink, scheduling APP/GASO for the Saturday after Thanksgiving was a massive FAIL. I understand that scheduling games for the entire league is tough. But why would the league schedule a long-term rivalry game on a holiday weekend?

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

Bigger picture...

Less people will consistently buy season tickets with continued week night games. I myself have not purchased in awhile, because I can't drive from Northern Virginia to make week night games. Not with a family. And when I try to even give tickets away for free on here, not much interest.

You're also not going to get more people to donate to the Yosef Club just because the games are on television. People want more than a tax write off for their donations. I don't see many people on here pledging $5,000 and cool with parking at Legends on game day. We'd have even less donors if we didn't have a football team. You're not going to bring in more Yosef Club members just by pitching it helps with scholarships.

Again, I want someone to show me, statistically how since we've moved up having close to 30 games on national non subscription television has helped grow the program significantly. I'm not opposed to televised games, but this whole "exposure" thing people claim, I'd love to see something backing it up.

[Stonewall]

What is ESPN paying us to move the game? The cost to us is real , as enumerated above , in many ways .I doubt we net out ,certainly not long term.

[WVAPPeer]

"And speaking of Stink, scheduling APP/GASO for the Saturday after Thanksgiving was a massive FAIL. I understand that scheduling games for the entire league is tough. But why would the league schedule a long-term rivalry game on a holiday weekend?"

Actually, Thanksgiving weekend is the major day for rivalries -
UNC - NCS
VAT - UVA
CLEM - USC
FLA ST - UF
UGA - GAT
LOUIS - UK
OSU - MICH
BAMA - AUB
MISS - MISS ST
ORE - ORE ST
WASH - WASH ST
etc.

[Saint3333]

What has tv exposure done for the program?

Why is a rivalry game scheduled on a typical rivalry weekend?

What year is it?

[NoLongerLurking]

What has tv exposure done for the program?

Why is a rivalry game scheduled on a typical rivalry weekend?

What year is it?

It is pretty fascinating.

[ah59396]

What has tv exposure done for the program?

Why is a rivalry game scheduled on a typical rivalry weekend?

What year is it?

Some mind blowing opinions in this thread

We should go back to having our games on PBS against VMI, that way we can have all our games at 3:30 on Saturday.

[TheMoody1]

It is crap like this that forced me to move from SC to within 20 miles of KBS.

[spacemonkey]

I don't mind one weeknight game but am not a fan of losing two.

I truly hate the 12:00 Saturday games. We are not the only one with the problem. It is part of dancing with ESPN. I think it has hurt the ACC schools as much as us. They are having some of there biggest games being played at noon vs prime time and to Thursday and Friday.

As far as proof of the exposure...our SAT and enrollment is through the roof. I don't think I would be accepted to App State these days....it would be close. People all over the country know who App State is and where now. That used to not be true. It has to help with career advancements outside of NC. It may not affect your life but it is someone's.

App is on fire and the future is bright. I hope the basketball team stays hot tonight.

[BeauFoster]

I’ve got the perfect solution. We all want to win games, so losing and not having networks want us on TV is not an option. Therefore, we should drop back to FCS, play in the SoCon, and have all our regular season games on Saturday’s. I for one can’t wait to get that big mid-October match up against Mercer. The leaves will be changing, 18k in the stands...god it will be glorious.

Jerry Moore used to say “What are you willing to give up?” Maybe some of the folks on here should think about that.