What happened to our fanbase?

[Stonewall]

Fat, but unhappy.

[Saint3333]

I'd say no bread you come back two years.

[App91]

Stop making excuses App Nation. If you care enough to come to a game I'm excited to stand beside you, but stay for the game. How can we expect the players and coaches to put in 40+ hours a week and not hold ourselves accountable for three hours? Since when is getting the opportunity to watch YOUR team perform on the field not a good enough reason to stay for 4 quarters and be engaged.

I recall a discussion recently where season tickets/YC/etc were being discussed and it was reiterated that people don't need to offer any explanations nor excuses for how they choose to spend their time and money. Most seemed to agree with that sentiment, but it's contrary to what you're saying here. These fans came out, spent their money and some of their time. That's apparently not good enough. Would it be awesome if they were rowdy and stayed, sure. But that's not something you're going to shame people into doing.

it is your time and money, but it's a slap in the face of the players and coaches when you leave at halftime of a 4 point game. What message are we sending our team?

Come on Saint, don't sell these people short!! they started leaving at the end of the first qtr! Why bother?

[Appftw]

I think it's going to take beating another P5 team to re-energize our bandwagon.

[bigdaddyg]

I'd say no bread you come back two years.

"No soup for you...come back 2 years!"

[APPRIDE]

Now our fans don't cheer or stay past half time because of our style of offense. These excuses are pretty far fetched.

If you don't get excited about some of the things our defense is doing, you don't know good football.

Our fanbase is spoiled and more interested in the idea of what surrounds App football than the football game itself. We have become what we used to make fun of (UNCCH and small private school crowds). I enjoy a good tailgate and catching up with friends and family, but for three hours let's get back to focusing on the game and cheering on our team.

People say we don't have the rivalries or familiar opponents, maybe so, but if you don't pay attention how do you expect to become familiar.

Great post Saint. It is such a ho-hum affair these days and it really seems like our fans take all this for granted, that they are not being "entertained". I mean we are 22-4 since Liberty...dig in and support that App fans!

[YesAppCan]

One thing missing now is the leadership of Ken Peacock. I remember how involved he was with the game day experience. He was our biggest fan and students and alumni rallied around his leadership.

Amen! We have lame leadership now-- She still thinks she's in charge of App-ah-LAY-chin State . We also play canned music so much, the crowd CAN'T get involved even if they wanted to.

[Yosef10]

One thing missing now is the leadership of Ken Peacock. I remember how involved he was with the game day experience. He was our biggest fan and students and alumni rallied around his leadership.

Amen! We have lame leadership now-- She still thinks she's in charge of App-ah-LAY-chin State . We also play canned music so much, the crowd CAN'T get involved even if they wanted to.

Yeah it's definitely the Chancellors fault for football attendance. Lock this thread up we found the answer!

[YesAppCan]

He SAID ONE THING is missing... READ ... That's the thing I commented to!

[Goapps15]

One thing during that stretch that helped App was the fact that UNC, StAte, Wake and Duke were all bottom feeders in the ACC. South Carolina and Clemson were mediocre at best. We were the sexy team at the time.

Plus it helped having Armanti Edwards. As mentioned before fans would rather see a 50-28 game than a 37-19 or 17-3 game.

[Rick83]

I think the enthusiasm will ratchet up a notch or two once everyone gets used to the new teams, assuming we keep winning, and some rivalries (in addition to GSU) develop. This is our 3rd year and I still feel like I need a tutorial at times on our conference. It'll just take time...plus with the geographical spread to the conference many teams don't bring much in the way of fans which I think adds to the atmosphere when they have a good show of support. It's annoying and disheartening to hear the other fans celebrate something good that happens for their team and feels that much better to reciprocate when our guys make a big play. For me, I'm disliking Arkansas State (because they took our championship away last year) and they will be challenging us each year. Also, there's something about the UL-Lafayette coach (Hudspeth?)...let's just say I'm humored by his frustration with our team. Having some good OOC regional rivalries like Wake, ECU, Charlotte, Marshall, will also help and they'll bring fans. There are only 6 home games a year and I'm bummed that there are only 2 left!!

[appgrad95&97]

The Michigan effect has worn off. If we can't schedule (and beat) named P5 opponents, this is what it is.

[ASUMountaineer]

Hate to say it, and I wasn't at this game, but might our style of play this year have something to do with it? The first half, especially, just wasn't very exciting. Not even in a "we might lose this" kind of way. I never felt like defeat was a looming threat, but I also didn't see. If explosive plays from our offense or defense.

Now, the second half changed that, but I'm sure by then the crowd was thinner. Several folks I know left at half because trey had young kids with them. We didn't go for the same reason: babies. I've heard that mentioned as a possible cause for flagging crowds: that our most excited football-loving alumni have young families. There might be something to that. Anecdotally, I can say that the reason I don't have season tickets is because it just doesn't make sense with two kids under 3.

I can relate. We left midway through the 3rd quarter when my 6-month pregnant wife told me, and I quote, "I'm hungry, I'm cold, and I'm done." I said, "yes dear." Word to the wise, never get between your pregnant wife and food!!

My 4-year old was not happy to leave though, so I guess I'm doing something right!

[App91]

Which came first, the drop off in fanbase or atmosphere. Both are noticeable. It is amazing to see how the gameday experience has gone down hill. I think the crappy, minor league-ish, piped music had contributed, as well as mid-week games. i sat in the stadium saturday and said to my friend "this place is dead" But, said the same thing at Ga. st. game.
Remember when the Rock was a loud, tough place to play?

[WXAPP]

I don't know...maybe we need a "Mic Man". Seems some coordination of crowd involvement is needed... Saturday's crowd was good, but not stellar. I can't tell if the larger amount of bleachers in the end-zone and more people on the grass, has changed the optics by how we judge the crowd. I will agree, the "zest" of it all has tapered off a bit over the last few years. Not fully feeling the electricity we once had.

[appbio91]

10 wins = 6 wins. That fact can not be changed by ours fans. Conference championship game will help IMO.

[3rd]

While some have said not having an exciting O with an X factor type player have hurt, I look at the other side of the ball.... Our D is good very good but they give up a lot of yardage. That means that the other team is moving the ball and getting first downs that takes the crowd out of it. Now our D is also very good at standing up when needed so don't take what I'm saying as a knock on our D.

[Rekdiver]

The Michigan effect has worn off. If we can't schedule (and beat) named P5 opponents, this is what it is.

The Michigan effect wore off after the drubbings by LSU and VaTech......

[WVAPPeer]

The Michigan effect has worn off. If we can't schedule (and beat) named P5 opponents, this is what it is.

The Michigan effect wore off after the drubbings by LSU and VaTech......

Actually Rek I disagree with you on this - maybe with some of our fans and/or local football fans - I have come across many people over the last few years and they see my APP gear and they all mention Michigan - met with some old high school buddies a few weeks back in Boone and all asked me about that Michigan game - not a one even mentioned our losses to other power 5 teams and honestly I don't think they had a clue who we have lost to over the last 8 years or so ---

[App1990]

Just to provide a bit of context, here are our historic average attendance figures over the past 14 years. The national downward trend in attendance is definitely a factor, but we never had any long sustained period of 30k fans. The national championship years, playoffs, AE, Michigan, etc. all made for an exceptional era that attracted a lot of attention and fans. (North Dakota St has followed the same path). For the typical fan (which we are not), the current opponents and bowl games are just not as compelling. I think a regional conference with regional rivalries would go a long way to helping bring back some interest and fun.