Prepare for lower attendance

[WVAPPeer]

Hudson2002 says ---
" I have my first coming in two weeks. I promise I will find an appropriate solution."

Oh man, Hudson you are getting ready to enter a world that you truly have no idea what is in store - Just like those parents among us who have been on that ride over the years --- And I mean that in every good way possible - Good Luck and All The Best !!!

[Hudson2002]

Hudson2002 says ---
" I have my first coming in two weeks. I promise I will find an appropriate solution."

Oh man, Hudson you are getting ready to enter a world that you truly have no idea what is in store - Just like those parents among us who have been on that ride over the years --- And I mean that in every good way possible - Good Luck and All The Best !!!

Thank you sir! My friends with kids have been very eager to inform me that my days of being well-rested are numbered. Pray for me! Haha.

[Yosef]

^^^ Man you are delusional.

Or right on the money. Depends on where you sit.

[AppinVA]

^^^ Man you are delusional.

Or right on the money. Depends on where you sit.

My delusions are right on the money.

[DaphneUrquhart]

Having read through this thread, there are only two things to say:
1) This is App football, y'all.
2) Since this is App football, it's all good!

I'm already working with my boss to see if I can have off all day for the Thursday games. I have a rather strong suspicion she'll actually close the office both days.

[AppinATL]

Jeez! What a drama queen!

I'm sorry, I heard two nationally televised football games from KBS. They didn't screw us. They told us they think we give them tremendous bang for their buck on the biggest stage they have. Does it personally suck? Sure. As a teacher, I'm sure I will only be able to watch on TV, but I can watch them on TV, as can every one else with cable or satellite. Sounds like a win to me, even if I'm inconvenienced.

I really hope we don't outsmart ourselves. These games by their nature will negatively impact attendance numbers. Will we be on ESPNU with access to millions of viewers? Yes. Understood. Got it.

But come on. Why do we get excited for the schedule? So we can see what games we can attend.

I get being excited for national exposure but that is literally the only positive here. For me, that's a net loss.

This is the best schedule???? Did you forget we are in the Sunbelt Conference?? The game against Wofford back on Halloween night will have a higher attendance than the GSU game mark my words...These teams and conference are irrelevant on the college football scene - at least I could go every Saturday with the family - oh wait that is over to - so are my season tickets - there is no need to buy tickets - the place was empty all last year you could sit where you wanted . The viewers around the country will not tune in to see App play anyone let's face it...the numbers speak for themselves - DO NOT BE FOOLED THAT THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME WILL BE ON ESPN MAYBE ESPNU!

LAST YEAR'S NIELSON RATINGS FOR THE GAME WERE..
0.1 156K 7:30 PM App. St./Georgia Southern ESPNU

that's right 156,000 people watched this game??? So that is national exposure - not hardly?

Are you a season ticket holder? If so which games are you not attending I will just purchase a couple of your games - no need to buy season tickets anymore

This is the best schedule App has ever had and the home opponent schedule is awesome. As a fan base we have to grow up and support the team as best we can. TWO nationally televised games on Thursday night will give lots of exposure to App and the match ups are about as good as it gets in G5. P5 schools attract fans on Thanksgiving weekend and I guess our fan base needs to step it up too. If this App team plays up to expectation and is in the hunt for the Belt title, attendance will take care of itself. I admit I like having a road game 10 minutes from my house in ATL and another in one of my favorite cities, Mobile, AL.

And a night game on ESPNU at The Rock against the Stink?? Hell yes!!

[bcoach]

I've been following the different message boards for years although I rarely post. This morning I've read through this thread and I just have to vent. I know it takes time, but I find myself constantly frustrated with our fans and alumni base. I'm one of the fans who wants us to be to be "big time", and we're not even close. We have a segment of about 15,000 fans out of our of 100s of thousands of alumni who will be at every game. Besides that all the stars have to line up perfectly to get another 15k there. Weather, game day, game time, money, opponent, kids etc... That's not big time. Alabama has 90k for their spring game. Look at the Power 5 schools that play on Thursday nights. Their fans relish it. They have 60k strong. It's an experience that they look forward to. What do we do? List all the reasons we can't make it. Hell, you've got eight months to figure it out. Eight months to save a few extra bucks. Eight months to get a day off work if needed. Eight months to figure out an arrangement for kids. I have my first coming in two weeks. I promise I will find an appropriate solution. When I log into my Yosef account and see that we only have 8,000 Yosef Club members I think it's an absolute disgrace. The bottom line is that too many of our fans think like so many that have posted in this thread. This philosophy will not get us to be "big time" and I fear that we may never make it. I want so much more for our program than to be sitting in my tailgate spot on game day and wondering if we will have more than 20k at the game. Unfortunately, that's where we are now, and progress will be painfully slow if we continue to have this type of thinking.

You have some good points but also miss the point on some. There are season ticket holders like myself who live at a distance that is just a little more than a drive back after a true night game. That can mean 2 days off work and 2 days of the kids out of school. Four days out of school for football may not be the desirable for some. I just can't put people down for that. That does not make them less fans. We will never be the big time Alabama you are talking about. This is not Alabama and it doesn't have to be Alabama for us to play FBS football and be a good program. I hear your enthusiasm and admire it but you can't blame people for having football as a second priority to job and family. Congratulations on the child and I am sure you will be a proud daddy at his/her first game. My oldest grandchild was 3 weeks at her first game nine years ago. She has missed maybe 3-4 home games since then. She and her sister may miss two this year tough. Please don't attempt to tell her or her sister that they are not super fans Keep up the enthusiasm but cut those that just can't do it a break. They are still fans who love this program.

[Yosef10]

I've been following the different message boards for years although I rarely post. This morning I've read through this thread and I just have to vent. I know it takes time, but I find myself constantly frustrated with our fans and alumni base. I'm one of the fans who wants us to be to be "big time", and we're not even close. We have a segment of about 15,000 fans out of our of 100s of thousands of alumni who will be at every game. Besides that all the stars have to line up perfectly to get another 15k there. Weather, game day, game time, money, opponent, kids etc... That's not big time. Alabama has 90k for their spring game. Look at the Power 5 schools that play on Thursday nights. Their fans relish it. They have 60k strong. It's an experience that they look forward to. What do we do? List all the reasons we can't make it. Hell, you've got eight months to figure it out. Eight months to save a few extra bucks. Eight months to get a day off work if needed. Eight months to figure out an arrangement for kids. I have my first coming in two weeks. I promise I will find an appropriate solution. When I log into my Yosef account and see that we only have 8,000 Yosef Club members I think it's an absolute disgrace. The bottom line is that too many of our fans think like so many that have posted in this thread. This philosophy will not get us to be "big time" and I fear that we may never make it. I want so much more for our program than to be sitting in my tailgate spot on game day and wondering if we will have more than 20k at the game. Unfortunately, that's where we are now, and progress will be painfully slow if we continue to have this type of thinking.

You have some good points but also miss the point on some. There are season ticket holders like myself who live at a distance that is just a little more than a drive back after a true night game. That can mean 2 days off work and 2 days of the kids out of school. Four days out of school for football may not be the desirable for some. I just can't put people down for that. That does not make them less fans. We will never be the big time Alabama you are talking about. This is not Alabama and it doesn't have to be Alabama for us to play FBS football and be a good program. I hear your enthusiasm and admire it but you can't blame people for having football as a second priority to job and family. Congratulations on the child and I am sure you will be a proud daddy at his/her first game. My oldest grandchild was 3 weeks at her first game nine years ago. She has missed maybe 3-4 home games since then. She and her sister may miss two this year tough. Please don't attempt to tell her or her sister that they are not super fans Keep up the enthusiasm but cut those that just can't do it a break. They are still fans who love this program.

Then simply come on here and say "man, great schedule, but I can't make it to a few this year because of x, y & z." The problem is you guys come up here just whine constantly and its very very annoying to see. I know we won't be a Bama but to complain the amount fans up here complain is ridiculous. But to bash the sunbelt and the BEST SCHEDULE WE'VE EVER HAD is absurd. Making it to every game doesn't make you the best fan but bitching about How the games aren't adaptive to YOUR PERSONAL schedule does make you a terrible fan

[asutrnr81]

If we can't put nearly 30K in the stands for Georgia Southern then we do not belong.

As for Ark. St. if we are winning KBS will be at capacity.....maybe not all seats full....but at capacity.

As for ULL. If it is for the SB conference Championship or bowl eligibility and we do not show up....then we do not belong....the team may belong but our fan base needs to support the team to the level they are playing.

I will be at every dang game if I have to drive up eat BHG's pre-game fixin's and head home after. Don't care....I am all in! 12-0 0-12! All in!

As EASTHALLAPP said this is made for TV and the best of the SB is going to be on TV. Let's hope we are doing well enough in late November to MAKE ESPN put us and ULL on the Rivalry weekend Package!

APP

Does Arkansas St. not belong after they put roughly 8,000 people in the stands vs. App on a Saturday?

Frankly I am not worried about stAte....I concern myself with AppState!

[bcoach]

I've been following the different message boards for years although I rarely post. This morning I've read through this thread and I just have to vent. I know it takes time, but I find myself constantly frustrated with our fans and alumni base. I'm one of the fans who wants us to be to be "big time", and we're not even close. We have a segment of about 15,000 fans out of our of 100s of thousands of alumni who will be at every game. Besides that all the stars have to line up perfectly to get another 15k there. Weather, game day, game time, money, opponent, kids etc... That's not big time. Alabama has 90k for their spring game. Look at the Power 5 schools that play on Thursday nights. Their fans relish it. They have 60k strong. It's an experience that they look forward to. What do we do? List all the reasons we can't make it. Hell, you've got eight months to figure it out. Eight months to save a few extra bucks. Eight months to get a day off work if needed. Eight months to figure out an arrangement for kids. I have my first coming in two weeks. I promise I will find an appropriate solution. When I log into my Yosef account and see that we only have 8,000 Yosef Club members I think it's an absolute disgrace. The bottom line is that too many of our fans think like so many that have posted in this thread. This philosophy will not get us to be "big time" and I fear that we may never make it. I want so much more for our program than to be sitting in my tailgate spot on game day and wondering if we will have more than 20k at the game. Unfortunately, that's where we are now, and progress will be painfully slow if we continue to have this type of thinking.

You have some good points but also miss the point on some. There are season ticket holders like myself who live at a distance that is just a little more than a drive back after a true night game. That can mean 2 days off work and 2 days of the kids out of school. Four days out of school for football may not be the desirable for some. I just can't put people down for that. That does not make them less fans. We will never be the big time Alabama you are talking about. This is not Alabama and it doesn't have to be Alabama for us to play FBS football and be a good program. I hear your enthusiasm and admire it but you can't blame people for having football as a second priority to job and family. Congratulations on the child and I am sure you will be a proud daddy at his/her first game. My oldest grandchild was 3 weeks at her first game nine years ago. She has missed maybe 3-4 home games since then. She and her sister may miss two this year tough. Please don't attempt to tell her or her sister that they are not super fans Keep up the enthusiasm but cut those that just can't do it a break. They are still fans who love this program.

Then simply come on here and say "man, great schedule, but I can't make it to a few this year because of x, y & z." The problem is you guys come up here just whine constantly and its very very annoying to see. I know we won't be a Bama but to complain the amount fans up here complain is ridiculous. But to bash the sunbelt and the BEST SCHEDULE WE'VE EVER HAD is absurd. Making it to every game doesn't make you the best fan but bitching about How the games aren't adaptive to YOUR PERSONAL schedule does make you a terrible fan

Well we will just have to disagree. I sympathize with all those who can not attend because of Thursday games, and they have every right to complain. If they were terrible fans they wouldn't give a damn when the games were. With all due respect having people come on here and determine who is a terrible fan is even more annoying. There are folks on here who I don't agree with and those that I do but I have yet to hear of a terrible fan on this board. Most folks on here are pretty passionate about ASU football no matter what their views are on a particular subject.

[clemmonsapp]

I think that with a good start the students will rock these Thursday night games like never before. They may fill their sections and both endzones! If you want to see a spectacle you will be there!

I am also excited about having our first FBS non-conference home game. Wyoming may not be a national power, but they are a recognized state flagship.

I see this schedule as a glass full to the top!

[Rekdiver]

I've been following the different message boards for years although I rarely post. This morning I've read through this thread and I just have to vent. I know it takes time, but I find myself constantly frustrated with our fans and alumni base. I'm one of the fans who wants us to be to be "big time", and we're not even close. We have a segment of about 15,000 fans out of our of 100s of thousands of alumni who will be at every game. Besides that all the stars have to line up perfectly to get another 15k there. Weather, game day, game time, money, opponent, kids etc... That's not big time. Alabama has 90k for their spring game. Look at the Power 5 schools that play on Thursday nights. Their fans relish it. They have 60k strong. It's an experience that they look forward to. What do we do? List all the reasons we can't make it. Hell, you've got eight months to figure it out. Eight months to save a few extra bucks. Eight months to get a day off work if needed. Eight months to figure out an arrangement for kids. I have my first coming in two weeks. I promise I will find an appropriate solution. When I log into my Yosef account and see that we only have 8,000 Yosef Club members I think it's an absolute disgrace. The bottom line is that too many of our fans think like so many that have posted in this thread. This philosophy will not get us to be "big time" and I fear that we may never make it. I want so much more for our program than to be sitting in my tailgate spot on game day and wondering if we will have more than 20k at the game. Unfortunately, that's where we are now, and progress will be painfully slow if we continue to have this type of thinking.

You have some good points but also miss the point on some. There are season ticket holders like myself who live at a distance that is just a little more than a drive back after a true night game. That can mean 2 days off work and 2 days of the kids out of school. Four days out of school for football may not be the desirable for some. I just can't put people down for that. That does not make them less fans. We will never be the big time Alabama you are talking about. This is not Alabama and it doesn't have to be Alabama for us to play FBS football and be a good program. I hear your enthusiasm and admire it but you can't blame people for having football as a second priority to job and family. Congratulations on the child and I am sure you will be a proud daddy at his/her first game. My oldest grandchild was 3 weeks at her first game nine years ago. She has missed maybe 3-4 home games since then. She and her sister may miss two this year tough. Please don't attempt to tell her or her sister that they are not super fans Keep up the enthusiasm but cut those that just can't do it a break. They are still fans who love this program.

Then simply come on here and say "man, great schedule, but I can't make it to a few this year because of x, y & z." The problem is you guys come up here just whine constantly and its very very annoying to see. I know we won't be a Bama but to complain the amount fans up here complain is ridiculous. But to bash the sunbelt and the BEST SCHEDULE WE'VE EVER HAD is absurd. Making it to every game doesn't make you the best fan but bitching about How the games aren't adaptive to YOUR PERSONAL schedule does make you a terrible fan

b

Excellent comment.!!!!!

[appsfan]

Its time to grow up, the Thanksgiving weekend issue is an FCS thing. The rest of the free (FBS)world plays football t-giving weekend and approximately half those games are home games for someone and people show up. Have to get over that.

Agree. I think the poor attendance on Thanksgiving weekend in FCS was largely two-fold: 1) Not a game that was scheduled/known for sure until the end of the regular season and thus difficult to plan for as well as blend into a family weekend at Thanksgiving, and 2) the view by lots of fans that there would probably be multiple additional playoff games in FCS and they would skip the first one (Thanksgiving) and then catch the others when they were more important and didn't interfere with a holiday (If I can't afford to go to all of them, I want to wait and be sure to go to the later ones.)

You forgot factor #3: Very few students in Boone over the holiday hurts attendance. Personally, I don't mind a Thanksgiving weekend game as it is very easy for me to make it to the game with two days off to prepare...

[APPARJ]

Since I started this thread, I want to address some of the nonsense that's been written.

First, this is not a thread bashing the quality of our opponents in 2015, belly-aching the Sun Belt/FBS or slamming the App State administration. I love our schedule, conference and status as FBS program... I simply disappointed in the dates that ESPN/SBC have given us.

Yes, we'll be on TV and YES it's cool that there's apparently demand for our brand in primetime. That is valuable.

Also, I get the "Rah rah! Get pumped! Thursday night ESPNU!!!" sentiment and there are topics and threads for that (Saint just started one). If some of you can take off work and are planning to go (like the wonderful Daphne). AWESOME! I'll see you at every home game too. But unfortunately, that isn't a scenario everyone can swing and for that... I'm disappointed.

I'm a fan of game day in Boone, NC. I'll take a home game with 35K people at KBS on a Saturday over 15K people on Thursday. That doesn't make me or anyone else with similar views less of a "fan" or "Mountaineer." I don't need to "suck it up", "quit pouting" or "man up." I'll be at every game from kickoff to the handshakes at midfield upon completion. So no, I won't apologize for being disappointed in 2 Thursdays and a Thanksgiving no matter what subset of ESPN channels are broadcasting.

That said, I'll see you all for all six games ESPECIALLY GaSo, Ark St. and Lafayette and where ever we play our bowl game in December.

[Saint3333]

No schedule will work for all fans as a successful FBS program, which we plan to be.

So yeah suck it up, see you there. :D

[Appersrule]

I've been following the different message boards for years although I rarely post. This morning I've read through this thread and I just have to vent. I know it takes time, but I find myself constantly frustrated with our fans and alumni base. I'm one of the fans who wants us to be to be "big time", and we're not even close. We have a segment of about 15,000 fans out of our of 100s of thousands of alumni who will be at every game. Besides that all the stars have to line up perfectly to get another 15k there. Weather, game day, game time, money, opponent, kids etc... That's not big time. Alabama has 90k for their spring game. Look at the Power 5 schools that play on Thursday nights. Their fans relish it. They have 60k strong. It's an experience that they look forward to. What do we do? List all the reasons we can't make it. Hell, you've got eight months to figure it out. Eight months to save a few extra bucks. Eight months to get a day off work if needed. Eight months to figure out an arrangement for kids. I have my first coming in two weeks. I promise I will find an appropriate solution. When I log into my Yosef account and see that we only have 8,000 Yosef Club members I think it's an absolute disgrace. The bottom line is that too many of our fans think like so many that have posted in this thread. This philosophy will not get us to be "big time" and I fear that we may never make it. I want so much more for our program than to be sitting in my tailgate spot on game day and wondering if we will have more than 20k at the game. Unfortunately, that's where we are now, and progress will be painfully slow if we continue to have this type of thinking.

Man lost me when he started comparing us to Bama. Wake up dude. Stop comparing us to something we arn't and will never be, and I don't want us to be. We are App State, and we enjoy Saturday afternoons in the Fall in gods country. Not racing up the mountain on a Thursday after work with little tailgate time. This isn't the SEC and it doesn't have to be to enjoy it (And I like the SEC too).

[Appersrule]

I do not post much but I do want to reply to skippy. I have already sent my money in for my Yosef Club Dues and have purchased my season tickets. I can assure you that I will be in my seats for ALL the games. Sorry Skiddy but I have nothing for you. As far as WVAPPeer, I also have older children that no longer come to most of the games but my wife and I still buy our 4 seats each year. The cost is not that much and if money is an issue, I just spend less on something else to support the school and teams. I normally find someone where I live and offer the tickets to them. I have yet to not find someone who wants them. Yesterday, I have already had 4 different people ask for the Thursday game tickets so I do not see that finding someone for them will be a problem.
Skiddy said that last years game was watched by 156,000 homes. That means that there was likely more than 1 person at each home watching the game, at my house there was 6. Even if there were ONLY 156,000 that would be 126,000 more than we have at Boone watching ALL the SoCon games. Rome was not built in a day but I am tired of hearing all the crying from the people that did not like the move UP. If Skiddy wants to stay home then STAY HOME and STAY out of the way of PROGRESS.

Agree with most of this but will dispute some of it. I tried to literally GIVE my extra 50 yard line tickets away to the Idaho & UL Monroe and nobody would take them, in Boone, Winston or the triad. Our fanbase didn't rally around this football team as much as they should have.

[EastHallApp]

i would just add this: I see a lot of comments about how the schedule works or doesn't work for fans - collectively or individually- getting to the games. I have seen very few people considering how the schedule sets up for this football team. I would say that's kind of important too.

I posted this earlier in this thread, but App will get extra time to prepare for four opponents this season, including the potentially huge game vs. ULL. We also get extra time both before and after the long flight out to Idaho.

I do care about planning my fall schedule, but I care more about App having a good season than whether I'm watching in person, on TV or on the Internet.

One more note - with road games in Norfolk, Clemson and Atlanta, a good many alumni will have at least one of those within a few hours' drive. If you're fretting about having a couple fewer Saturdays in Boone, perhaps attending one of those games could help soften the blow for you.

[AppinVA]

i would just add this: I see a lot of comments about how the schedule works or doesn't work for fans - collectively or individually- getting to the games. I have seen very few people considering how the schedule sets up for this football team. I would say that's kind of important too.

I posted this earlier in this thread, but App will get extra time to prepare for four opponents this season, including the potentially huge game vs. ULL. We also get extra time both before and after the long flight out to Idaho.

I do care about planning my fall schedule, but I care more about App having a good season than whether I'm watching in person, on TV or on the Internet.

One more note - with road games in Norfolk, Clemson and Atlanta, a good many alumni will have at least one of those within a few hours' drive. If you're fretting about having a couple fewer Saturdays in Boone, perhaps attending one of those games could help soften the blow for you.

Getting tickets for the ODU game will be tough. Those clamshells only seat around 18,000, and there is no hill for overflow, but I'm still going to try.

[APPARJ]

No schedule will work for all fans as a successful FBS program, which we plan to be.

So yeah suck it up, see you there.

No schedule works for all fans regardless of FBS or FCS...

But I know what you mean!