Southern Miss Game

[T-Dog]

Has anyone previously posted the "average" total income from a home game?
football specific - ticket sales, concessions, merchandise, etc.
Boone area specific - lodging, food, purchases, gas, attractions, buying supplies for those with kids at APP, etc.

The gross for a home football game just in KBS (tickets, concessions, merch) is north of 500k. Probably closer to 750k.

With Boone area, one thing to keep in mind is that there's a lot of people coming up just for the foilage on weekends or King Street shopping who don't care about football, so the the home game economics are hard to find, but it should be in the high seven figures (maybe eight) each gameday.

[kiddbrewer]

I don't know what the buyout is, but it certainly can make up (entirely or partially) for a lost home game. So if we can get a last minute money game, especially in the state of NC, then it could be a win win.

Of course this is all speculative. Who knows what Southern Miss will do? Maybe they will thumb their noses at Alabama and say no to them.

[NewApp]

Sorry, but this is really an easy answer and it comes down to dollars. We simply must have that 6th home game to balance the athletic budget. The only other option is another large guarantee game in its place. We cannot sign a home and home with anyone with this date being the away game. Like it or not, that is cold hard reality.

Would you take 5 home games if it meant we played on the road at a NCSU, Wake Forest, ECU or UNC in 2015 and it was the front end of a Home and Home deal such that they would return the trip to Boone in '16, '17 or '18? I would sacrifice a 6th home game if we could get one of them on the hook to come up 421. I can't wait for this to happen. My thoughts are from a business/marketing side season tickets and mini-packs will sell at a significantly higher pace than they currently are as soon as schools of the like start showing up on our home slate. As TDogg posted there are a number of Schools / P5 schools looking for games and it is getting late. Use any leverage we can find to get them on the schedule.

What would be the incentive for NCSU, Wake Forest, ECU or UNC in 2015 to come to Boone and risk an arse whipping? Heck, the Tar Hells won't even schedule us in Chapel Hell and it isn't because we were FCS as they played several FCS teams there in the recent past.

[huskie3]

I would certainly prefer a home game vs. Southern Miss to a game in CLT, but with little more than 12 months to the start of the 2015 season, we're in a tough spot. If Alabama is having trouble finding a home game I think we have to be honest with ourselves that getting a FBS game in KBS is going to be difficult. We're going to have to come up with a creative solution. Maybe someone would agree to a 2-for-1 deal.

The question comes down to whether you want a FCS team in Boone or a FBS game in North Carolina? I could live with a game at Wake Forest and 5 home games over a FCS team at the Rock.

I would prefer a home game in KBS against whomever over a game in BOA against anyone. The only time I want to play in BOA is in a bowl game *where someone else is paying the outlandish rental fee).

[EastHallApp]

I'm afraid some good fans are going to be in for a culture shock with the FBS move.

Let me preface this by saying that I don't think we're ready for a game in BOA in 2015. Some program building needs to happen before that point.

But for the long term, I think we need to take more of a big-picture view of the program. I'm not saying that sacrificing a Boone Saturday or some tourism revenue for local merchants are insignificant factors, but you simply can't let things like that box you in and force you to pass on opportunities to grow the program.

Some fans may find the thought of playing in an NFL stadium "boring." But you know who won't? Recruits, TV networks, players, recruits, corporate sponsors, the ticket office, Charlotte-area alumni, recruits, fans everywhere, students, and oh yeah, don't forget recruits.

I'm sure Norman, OK; Austin, TX; Gainesville, FL and Athens, GA have shops and restaurants and hotels too. Yet OU-Texas and Florida-Georgia are played on a neutral field every year. And the ACC-SEC hold a couple kickoff games in Atlanta every year. UNC vs. South Carolina will be in BOA next year. And there are numerous other one-offs every year.

Again, we aren't ready to play a game like that yet. But if we have a chance in a few years, it could be a great opportunity for the program.

[EastHallApp]

Some neutral-site games on the schedule for 2014 (all in NFL stadiums except the one in Dublin):

Boise St. vs. Ole Miss (Atlanta)
Colorado vs. Colorado St. (Denver)
Penn St. vs. UCF (Dublin, Ireland)
West Va. vs. Alabama (Atlanta)
Florida St. vs. Oklahoma St. (Arlington)
Wisconsin vs. LSU (Houston)
Purdue vs. Notre Dame (Indianapolis)
Notre Dame vs. Syracuse (East Rutherford)
Arkansas vs. Texas A&M (Arlington)

[ASUPATCH]

Some neutral-site games on the schedule for 2014 (all in NFL stadiums except the one in Dublin):

Boise St. vs. Ole Miss (Atlanta)
Colorado vs. Colorado St. (Denver)
Penn St. vs. UCF (Dublin, Ireland)
West Va. vs. Alabama (Atlanta)
Florida St. vs. Oklahoma St. (Arlington)
Wisconsin vs. LSU (Houston)
Purdue vs. Notre Dame (Indianapolis)
Notre Dame vs. Syracuse (East Rutherford)
Arkansas vs. Texas A&M (Arlington)

Colorado CSU is always in Denver isn't it, much like Florida Georgia always playing in Jacksonville. Or Oklahoma-Texas always doing a neutral rivalry game.

[huskie3]

Some neutral-site games on the schedule for 2014 (all in NFL stadiums except the one in Dublin):

Boise St. vs. Ole Miss (Atlanta)
Colorado vs. Colorado St. (Denver)
Penn St. vs. UCF (Dublin, Ireland)
West Va. vs. Alabama (Atlanta)
Florida St. vs. Oklahoma St. (Arlington)
Wisconsin vs. LSU (Houston)
Purdue vs. Notre Dame (Indianapolis)
Notre Dame vs. Syracuse (East Rutherford)
Arkansas vs. Texas A&M (Arlington)

How many of these games are sponsored games? I know BS - OM and WV - A are Chick-fil-A games. Neither team has to pay rental fee. If someone sponsored and APP game and then paid us to play BOA, then I am all for it.

[T-Dog]

The city of Charlotte got a number BoA Stadium free uses as part of the agreement to help pay for stadium upgrades.

As far as other programs doing neutral site games, most of them are Power Conference teams that could afford it, plus they have big sponsors. Venues like Atlanta & Arlington have games every year between teams with big traveling fan bases and Notre Dame plays everywhere anyway.

It had to be the right opponent and only a once in a while thing. ECU's games at BoA have had trouble selling out. A neutral site game that isn't a regular rivalry won't work after the novelty wears off.

[asutrnr81]

I'm afraid some good fans are going to be in for a culture shock with the FBS move.

Let me preface this by saying that I don't think we're ready for a game in BOA in 2015. Some program building needs to happen before that point.

But for the long term, I think we need to take more of a big-picture view of the program. I'm not saying that sacrificing a Boone Saturday or some tourism revenue for local merchants are insignificant factors, but you simply can't let things like that box you in and force you to pass on opportunities to grow the program.

Some fans may find the thought of playing in an NFL stadium "boring." But you know who won't? Recruits, TV networks, players, recruits, corporate sponsors, the ticket office, Charlotte-area alumni, recruits, fans everywhere, students, and oh yeah, don't forget recruits.

I'm sure Norman, OK; Austin, TX; Gainesville, FL and Athens, GA have shops and restaurants and hotels too. Yet OU-Texas and Florida-Georgia are played on a neutral field every year. And the ACC-SEC hold a couple kickoff games in Atlanta every year. UNC vs. South Carolina will be in BOA next year. And there are numerous other one-offs every year.

Again, we aren't ready to play a game like that yet. But if we have a chance in a few years, it could be a great opportunity for the program.

you forgot one important group....RECRUITS! duh!

[appsfan]

Who knows what Southern Miss will do? Will they trade a sure FBS road win (in their opinion) for a sure FBS road loss with a big pay day?

[Kgfish]

The buyout money combined with what we regularly pay could be enough to draw a fairly decent team to Boone. I'd rather see a good away regional game over another FCS home game. We need additional seats before pitching some better known programs on games in Boone.

[Saint3333]

The buyout money combined with what we regularly pay could be enough to draw a fairly decent team to Boone. I'd rather see a good away regional game over another FCS home game. We need additional seats before pitching some better known programs on games in Boone.

We need more donations and season ticket holders before we add more seats.

$$$ -> Seats -> home and home w/ P5.

[JTApps1]

The buyout money combined with what we regularly pay could be enough to draw a fairly decent team to Boone. I'd rather see a good away regional game over another FCS home game. We need additional seats before pitching some better known programs on games in Boone.

We need more donations and season ticket holders before we add more seats.

$$$ -> Seats -> home and home w/ P5.

Games and importantly wins over big name teams will give us just that which is why I would prefer playing a local P5 road game over a second FCS.

[Kgfish]

The buyout money combined with what we regularly pay could be enough to draw a fairly decent team to Boone. I'd rather see a good away regional game over another FCS home game. We need additional seats before pitching some better known programs on games in Boone.

We need more donations and season ticket holders before we add more seats.

$$$ -> Seats -> home and home w/ P5.

Between 7500 and 10,000 season tickets including mini packs were sold. That is an excellent percentage for a stadium with just over 20,000 actual seats (not counting boxes or club seats which are sold out). Students take up most of the remaining seats. In contrast ECU sells around 20,000 season tickets in a 50,000 actual seat stadium.

The athletic administration has not given our fans good reasons to buy season tickets in the past. Even with weak non conference games season ticket sales increased dramatically. For their loyalty App fans were rewarded with LR & Northern Arizona '07, Jacksonville & Presbyterian '08, Jacksonville & NC Central '10, Savannah State & NC A&T '11 and NC A&T & Charleston Southern in '13. The 3 years where an actual game of interest showed up on the schedule it was followed by one of little interest. JMU by Mars Hill, McNeese by NC Central, Montana by Coastal Carolina. I think it is unreasonable to expect people - especially those borderline fans - to fork out ever increasingly hard to earn cash on games like that. When we have better schedules will more people to buy tickets.

[Saint3333]

Southern Miss and ODU on the schedule the next two years. Next year we get Southern Miss, ULL, Ark St., Troy, and GSU, what will the excuse be next season?

I think it is unreasonable to spend money you don't have.

If I'm Charlie I'd come up with a stadium plan to do it right, add north end zone seats over the track to connect to both lower sides with club seats at the top. Then present it to the fans and say as soon as we raise 50% of the costs we'll build it, the rest will be paid by the ticket sales of this area.

[JTApps1]

Southern Miss and ODU on the schedule the next two years. Next year we get Southern Miss, ULL, Ark St., Troy, and GSU, what will the excuse be next season?

I think it is unreasonable to spend money you don't have.

If I'm Charlie I'd come up with a stadium plan to do it right, add north end zone seats over the track to connect to both lower sides with club seats at the top. Then present it to the fans and say as soon as we raise 50% of the costs we'll build it, the rest will be paid by the ticket sales of this area.

No doubt the athletic department needs to put together and actual expansion plan which includes removal of the track. So far all of the expansion projects at KBS have been individual projects that didn't match the previous projects. The illustration released a few years ago was little more than a Photoshop mockup done in house. We need an architect to make a master plan including stages of seating to go from 21,500 we have now to 30,000, and then to 40,000+.

[EastHallApp]

Southern Miss and ODU on the schedule the next two years. Next year we get Southern Miss, ULL, Ark St., Troy, and GSU, what will the excuse be next season?

I think it remains to be seen whether the FBS schedules as presently constituted will really drive increased attendance and demand. I know many die-hard fans are pumped about playing the better Sun Belt teams, but I have a hard time seeing casual fans getting super excited to play any of the teams you just mentioned (most of whom they probably know very little about, other than GSU). Heck, I follow college football very closely and even I knew next to nothing about anyone in the Sun Belt before App announced we were joining.

[bcoach]

Southern Miss and ODU on the schedule the next two years. Next year we get Southern Miss, ULL, Ark St., Troy, and GSU, what will the excuse be next season?

I think it remains to be seen whether the FBS schedules as presently constituted will really drive increased attendance and demand. I know many die-hard fans are pumped about playing the better Sun Belt teams, but I have a hard time seeing casual fans getting super excited to play any of the teams you just mentioned (most of whom they probably know very little about, other than GSU). Heck, I follow college football very closely and even I knew next to nothing about anyone in the Sun Belt before App announced we were joining.

That is a very legitimate statement. Before some jump in to criticize you should instead be looking for a solution. There are many fans who have never heard of some of our new opponents and even more who just don't know anything about them. So it is hard to think that the folks who know absolutely nothing about these teams to get real excited. The answer is not to bash those that are just not excited about teams that mean nothing to them. The answer is to give them a reason to get excited. Well would you rather have Coastal is not the answer. EastHall App knew very little about them so how about the folks like me frankly, who just doesn't get too excited about games that ASU is not playing. What I know about Ark ST is that they are in Ark and that is only because there is an Ark in front of the St My point is that most of us have a lot to learn before we can be expected to get really pumped up. That learning will happen but I really don't think it will be an overnight thing but I do hope it will be sooner than later.

[WVAPPeer]

Southern Miss and ODU on the schedule the next two years. Next year we get Southern Miss, ULL, Ark St., Troy, and GSU, what will the excuse be next season?

I think it remains to be seen whether the FBS schedules as presently constituted will really drive increased attendance and demand. I know many die-hard fans are pumped about playing the better Sun Belt teams, but I have a hard time seeing casual fans getting super excited to play any of the teams you just mentioned (most of whom they probably know very little about, other than GSU). Heck, I follow college football very closely and even I knew next to nothing about anyone in the Sun Belt before App announced we were joining.

I honestly think you are exactly right on this --- it is not a knock on anyone - I would say that there is a large group of our fans who have attended games over the years and knew nothing about the team we were playing that day - most, of course, would recognize the Furmans, Citadels, Elons and Georgia Southerns but not know much about their personnel, record or standing - Now, that particular group will most likely only recognize GSU (but is it Georgia So or Georgia State?) so I agree that just because of the move up and the majority of teams are better won't increase attendance - Win and our fans will come - all one has to do is check our attendance numbers against the WCUs, Elons, Jax St, and L-R, etc. ---