That “Head Coach feel”

[ericsaid]

In response to see how well App fans travel, we do not even sell out our allotted to our own championship game...in our own stadium. I have been both years. The attendance has been embarrassing

Yet 10,000+ App fans were in Columbia, SC? Why? Because planning and timing. App filled up the Cramton Bowl with 20,000 fans for a bowl game. You can't use the Conference Championship Game as a barometer for attendance.

[t4pizza]

I am not sure I agree with that statement. We have historically had poor attendance, as compared to our regular season, for the playoffs,and championship games that we get in Boone. I am not sure what it says about our fan base, but I don't think it can completely be dismissed as a barometer. As much as we like to think that we have a rabid fan base that will do anything to see App play, it just isn't the case. Our fan base generally prefers early season games at the Rock regardless of opponent. In other words, good weather games. You may even say that we have many "fair weather fans".

[BambooRdApp]

You cannot use the conference championship game in our own stadium as a barometer. That is crazy talk. It is our home stadium. The game is played same weekend each year. How can you not plan for that?

[goapps93]

If we were to play in the Myrtle Beach Bowl we would not have had a very successful season. And as far as ECU vs App filling the stadium, one should hope so because the damn thing only holds 21,000.

[appstatealum]

In response to see how well App fans travel, we do not even sell out our allotted to our own championship game...in our own stadium. I have been both years. The attendance has been embarrassing

Yet 10,000+ App fans were in Columbia, SC? Why? Because planning and timing. App filled up the Cramton Bowl with 20,000 fans for a bowl game. You can't use the Conference Championship Game as a barometer for attendance.

Easily more than 10k....

I think what is going on is we do have "fair weather fans", but a lot of them have to choose what games to attend or not. Unfortunately, a meaningless out of conference game vs a high profile team moves the needle more than a rematch against a Sunbelt conference foe in a championship game. I have had season tickets for a long time and I have financially been able to attend more away games as of late, but we have always had to make sacrifices to choose App games. I think better competition will draw more casual fans to these games.

[NashvilleNeer]

In response to see how well App fans travel, we do not even sell out our allotted to our own championship game...in our own stadium. I have been both years. The attendance has been embarrassing

correct, we travel somewhat well in NC & SC maybe, but outside of that, we do not travel that well. A lot of people on here and even those BGP people seem to think we travel like Georgia which is just wildly inaccurate. If we can't sell out a 21k seat stadium in Myrtle Beach then we have years and years to go before the AAC calls.

[app97]

Does anyone have any intel as to if any other legitimate candidates were actually considered and/or interviewed for the HC job? I never heard any other names floating around, but this happened super quick.

[ericsaid]

In response to see how well App fans travel, we do not even sell out our allotted to our own championship game...in our own stadium. I have been both years. The attendance has been embarrassing

Yet 10,000+ App fans were in Columbia, SC? Why? Because planning and timing. App filled up the Cramton Bowl with 20,000 fans for a bowl game. You can't use the Conference Championship Game as a barometer for attendance.

Easily more than 10k....

I think what is going on is we do have "fair weather fans", but a lot of them have to choose what games to attend or not. Unfortunately, a meaningless out of conference game vs a high profile team moves the needle more than a rematch against a Sunbelt conference foe in a championship game. I have had season tickets for a long time and I have financially been able to attend more away games as of late, but we have always had to make sacrifices to choose App games. I think better competition will draw more casual fans to these games.

Yet App would get 30,000 fans to watch a game against Elon?

This isn't about the opponent. It's about timing. I stated this previously but if the Sun Belt Championship had been at 3:30 or even 6:00 PM you would've seen 24,000 people there. Aside from Miami, noon kick-off games have never been well attended in Boone in my experience.

[ericsaid]

In response to see how well App fans travel, we do not even sell out our allotted to our own championship game...in our own stadium. I have been both years. The attendance has been embarrassing

correct, we travel somewhat well in NC & SC maybe, but outside of that, we do not travel that well. A lot of people on here and even those BGP people seem to think we travel like Georgia which is just wildly inaccurate. If we can't sell out a 21k seat stadium in Myrtle Beach then we have years and years to go before the AAC calls.

If App sold out a 21,000 seat stadium in a city that is 5 hours from Boone, the AAC better come calling now.

App damn near sold out the Cramton Bowl which is a 9+ hour drive from GSO. App travels better than most APP FANS give APP FANS credit for. I'm not sure how many fans ECU had when they played in Columbia last but I'd almost guarantee it didn't approach the 10 to 15,000 App had.

Despite what some people here think opponent, timing, and ticket prices matter. I'd almost be willing to bet that if App dropped their ticket prices to a median point between what FCS in the latter years were and FBS currently, you'd see the stadium fill up again. Also, as far as the championship game goes, one weeks notice with a noon kick-off three weeks before Christmas makes attendance a bit more difficult as well. You may say that 5,000 to 7,500 fans are excluded based on Christmas budgeting, travel plans, timing, etc. That is the difference between 18,000 fans and 25,000 fans.

[Rekdiver]

I am not sure I agree with that statement. We have historically had poor attendance, as compared to our regular season, for the playoffs,and championship games that we get in Boone. I am not sure what it says about our fan base, but I don't think it can completely be dismissed as a barometer. As much as we like to think that we have a rabid fan base that will do anything to see App play, it just isn't the case. Our fan base generally prefers early season games at the Rock regardless of opponent. In other words, good weather games. You may even say that we have many "fair weather fans".

I think it says a large part of our fan base is 2 hours away and holidays are tough.

[ericsaid]

One very important and overlooked factor in attendance is ticket prices. It's really the most basic case study in how price versus perceived value affects the purchasing decision of the consumer. What has changed since App went to FBS? The opponents have more notoriety, no? The games have higher stakes week in and week out, no? Fans will pay $55 to see App play Wake Forest or Miami at home, no?

The issue here is that the perceived value of a game against South Alabama or Texas State, in the rain, doesn't mesh with the price point. App doesn't have an attendance issue so much as they have an issue with ticket prices excluding quite a few fans who may not even be fair weather but simply can't afford the travel and associated costs along with tickets. $20 more per ticket may not seem like much to some but for others it could be a deal breaker.

As for the gate collected by the University, I doubt they are losing money having less in attendance because an additional $10 in ticket revenue per ticket purchased is still a net positive even if 7,000 less people attend.

[ericsaid]

I am not sure I agree with that statement. We have historically had poor attendance, as compared to our regular season, for the playoffs,and championship games that we get in Boone. I am not sure what it says about our fan base, but I don't think it can completely be dismissed as a barometer. As much as we like to think that we have a rabid fan base that will do anything to see App play, it just isn't the case. Our fan base generally prefers early season games at the Rock regardless of opponent. In other words, good weather games. You may even say that we have many "fair weather fans".

I think it says a large part of our fan base is 2 hours away and holidays are tough.

BOOM

And ticket prices increased with the move to FBS. Someone should conduct an analysis (Goal Seek would be good) on what the break even point for reduced ticket prices raising attendance levels could do against maintaining the current price schedule.

[hapapp]

In response to see how well App fans travel, we do not even sell out our allotted to our own championship game...in our own stadium. I have been both years. The attendance has been embarrassing

correct, we travel somewhat well in NC & SC maybe, but outside of that, we do not travel that well. A lot of people on here and even those BGP people seem to think we travel like Georgia which is just wildly inaccurate. If we can't sell out a 21k seat stadium in Myrtle Beach then we have years and years to go before the AAC calls.

If App sold out a 21,000 seat stadium in a city that is 5 hours from Boone, the AAC better come calling now.

App damn near sold out the Cramton Bowl which is a 9+ hour drive from GSO. App travels better than most APP FANS give APP FANS credit for. I'm not sure how many fans ECU had when they played in Columbia last but I'd almost guarantee it didn't approach the 10 to 15,000 App had.

Despite what some people here think opponent, timing, and ticket prices matter. I'd almost be willing to bet that if App dropped their ticket prices to a median point between what FCS in the latter years were and FBS currently, you'd see the stadium fill up again. Also, as far as the championship game goes, one weeks notice with a noon kick-off three weeks before Christmas makes attendance a bit more difficult as well. You may say that 5,000 to 7,500 fans are excluded based on Christmas budgeting, travel plans, timing, etc. That is the difference between 18,000 fans and 25,000 fans.

We had nice crowds in Montgomery but App didn't sell out the stadium in either game. We certainly had more than either Ohio or Toledo but there were empty seats both years. I for one think we overstate how well we travel.

[ericsaid]

In response to see how well App fans travel, we do not even sell out our allotted to our own championship game...in our own stadium. I have been both years. The attendance has been embarrassing

correct, we travel somewhat well in NC & SC maybe, but outside of that, we do not travel that well. A lot of people on here and even those BGP people seem to think we travel like Georgia which is just wildly inaccurate. If we can't sell out a 21k seat stadium in Myrtle Beach then we have years and years to go before the AAC calls.

If App sold out a 21,000 seat stadium in a city that is 5 hours from Boone, the AAC better come calling now.

App damn near sold out the Cramton Bowl which is a 9+ hour drive from GSO. App travels better than most APP FANS give APP FANS credit for. I'm not sure how many fans ECU had when they played in Columbia last but I'd almost guarantee it didn't approach the 10 to 15,000 App had.

Despite what some people here think opponent, timing, and ticket prices matter. I'd almost be willing to bet that if App dropped their ticket prices to a median point between what FCS in the latter years were and FBS currently, you'd see the stadium fill up again. Also, as far as the championship game goes, one weeks notice with a noon kick-off three weeks before Christmas makes attendance a bit more difficult as well. You may say that 5,000 to 7,500 fans are excluded based on Christmas budgeting, travel plans, timing, etc. That is the difference between 18,000 fans and 25,000 fans.

We had nice crowds in Montgomery but App didn't sell out the stadium in either game. We certainly had more than either Ohio or Toledo but there were empty seats both years. I for one think we overstate how well we travel.

15,000 fans to South Carolina isn't anything to overstate. The number of fans in Chapel Hill isn't anything to overstate. I think you'll see Wake's stadium chock full of black and gold (okay, okay, mostly yellow-ish, not gold) as well, depending on their fan support. I seem to remember Elon's stadium, which is small, getting record crowds because of App. I remember Charlotte getting a record crowd and being filled to above capacity, because of App.

App travels well to destinations that fans can get to by car. The fan base isn't large enough to have a destination served by air that is attended by 30,000. But if you have a game anywhere from Chartlottesville to Columbia, you are likely to have 10,000 fans there, at minimum. Of course it's contingent upon how far east of I-95 and how far north or south down 17 you go, but App travels comparatively well for the overall size of base.

Montgomery may have had empty seats but it was very well attended for being 9 hours away. Mobile was attended quite well and was even further.

I'm looking forward to the ECU - App State game in 2021 because I think that will provide the barometer many are looking for as to how well this fanbase can do in traveling to a game against a regional opponent in a logical destination for a game. If ECU improved to 8-4 or 7-5 in Houston's second year, and App is projected to reload rather than rebuild in 2021, the Bank will be rocking.

[appstatealum]

In response to see how well App fans travel, we do not even sell out our allotted to our own championship game...in our own stadium. I have been both years. The attendance has been embarrassing

Yet 10,000+ App fans were in Columbia, SC? Why? Because planning and timing. App filled up the Cramton Bowl with 20,000 fans for a bowl game. You can't use the Conference Championship Game as a barometer for attendance.

Easily more than 10k....

I think what is going on is we do have "fair weather fans", but a lot of them have to choose what games to attend or not. Unfortunately, a meaningless out of conference game vs a high profile team moves the needle more than a rematch against a Sunbelt conference foe in a championship game. I have had season tickets for a long time and I have financially been able to attend more away games as of late, but we have always had to make sacrifices to choose App games. I think better competition will draw more casual fans to these games.

Yet App would get 30,000 fans to watch a game against Elon?

This isn't about the opponent. It's about timing. I stated this previously but if the Sun Belt Championship had been at 3:30 or even 6:00 PM you would've seen 24,000 people there. Aside from Miami, noon kick-off games have never been well attended in Boone in my experience.

True and good point. But tickets and parking were cheaper back then as well. Good opponents off set some of the perceived hurdles of attendance.

[bigdaddyg]

What in gods name does the App attendance at games have to do with the title of this thread? I know I know same off the rails reason. I was worried that spitting and hoodie wearing had reached page 7- whew!

[TheAppalachianState]

It all has to do with it, does he spit? Does he swallow? Where y’all took this conversation was wayyyy out in left field.
Therefore, all topics are welcome

[asu66]

In response to see how well App fans travel, we do not even sell out our allotted to our own championship game...in our own stadium. I have been both years. The attendance has been embarrassing

,
...and App is projected to reload rather than rebuild in 2021, the Bank will be rocking.

One more brief post before the BUMP...

Methinks that statement needs an asterisk (*) due to the fact that we very well may be starting a QB/field general with very meager game experience. It may go beautifully--a la Penn State--and it may result in a fiasco.

BTW, we get to test your "reload" theory on 9.4.2021 on a neutral turf at BOA Stadium against ECU. That QB of App's future doesn't get a MEAC warm-up game before staring into the face of a snarling ECU nose tackle! An already rebuilt ECU!

[appstatealum]

In response to see how well App fans travel, we do not even sell out our allotted to our own championship game...in our own stadium. I have been both years. The attendance has been embarrassing

correct, we travel somewhat well in NC & SC maybe, but outside of that, we do not travel that well. A lot of people on here and even those BGP people seem to think we travel like Georgia which is just wildly inaccurate. If we can't sell out a 21k seat stadium in Myrtle Beach then we have years and years to go before the AAC calls.

If App sold out a 21,000 seat stadium in a city that is 5 hours from Boone, the AAC better come calling now.

App damn near sold out the Cramton Bowl which is a 9+ hour drive from GSO. App travels better than most APP FANS give APP FANS credit for. I'm not sure how many fans ECU had when they played in Columbia last but I'd almost guarantee it didn't approach the 10 to 15,000 App had.

Despite what some people here think opponent, timing, and ticket prices matter. I'd almost be willing to bet that if App dropped their ticket prices to a median point between what FCS in the latter years were and FBS currently, you'd see the stadium fill up again. Also, as far as the championship game goes, one weeks notice with a noon kick-off three weeks before Christmas makes attendance a bit more difficult as well. You may say that 5,000 to 7,500 fans are excluded based on Christmas budgeting, travel plans, timing, etc. That is the difference between 18,000 fans and 25,000 fans.

An acquaintance that works for USC told me he had us conservatively at 17k for that game in Columbia. It was by far the best away crowd I've been a part of for an App road game.

[t4pizza]

Anyone that doesn't think we travel well just needs to look at the Sun Belt away attendance numbers, with the exception of the outliers (big P5 schools), and see that not only do we lead in home attendance we also lead in away attendance numbers. Fact is we travel better than anyone in the Sun Belt and is more in line with P5 schools than G5 schools. The week leading up to the Troy game one of our posters stated that their (Troy's) ticket office told them that they always liked when we came to town because we buy tickets and travel well (or words to that effect). Are we going to fill a 100k seat stadium? No we are not, but I don't think any other G5 would either and only the elite P5s will. We travel well for what we are, a smaller regional public university with lower numbers of living alums when compared to larger more established schools. Heck, I have seen less fans in the Swamp from visiting SEC schools than we brought down there over 10 years ago when we were still FCS. Opposing teams recognize that we sell tickets and travel well to away games.