Hosting "The U"

[ASUMountaineer]

This a great get for App. Will we use the U as leverage to gain increase in season tickets sales? Gillen said our sales for this year was 4,500 (BTW, I have had season tickets for years) which is a disappointing number to me. What do you guys think?

4,500 is very disappointing. I thought for sure we were about 6k.

More disappointing is I believe I heard him say there are only a couple thousand that contribute to Yosef. Someone correct me if I heard that wrong.

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That would be correct. Our support is woefully thin from the alumni base. I know quite a few grads from the 2002-2004 (my daughters friend and members of my fraternity) that dont give a dime...........

I hate to hear that. I graduated in 2003 and have been a Yosef Club member and season ticket holder for 11 years, this being my 10th consecutive season. We also have to remember the Appalachian Fund. Giving just $1/year helps our Alumni Participation Rate, which is included in the calculations used by college rating/ranking publications.

[appbio91]

This a great get for App. Will we use the U as leverage to gain increase in season tickets sales? Gillen said our sales for this year was 4,500 (BTW, I have had season tickets for years) which is a disappointing number to me. What do you guys think?

4,500 is very disappointing. I thought for sure we were about 6k.

More disappointing is I believe I heard him say there are only a couple thousand that contribute to Yosef. Someone correct me if I heard that wrong.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

That would be correct. Our support is woefully thin from the alumni base. I know quite a few grads from the 2002-2004 (my daughters friend and members of my fraternity) that dont give a dime...........

I hate to hear that. I graduated in 2003 and have been a Yosef Club member and season ticket holder for 11 years, this being my 10th consecutive season. We also have to remember the Appalachian Fund. Giving just $1/year helps our Alumni Participation Rate, which is included in the calculations used by college rating/ranking publications.

I used to give exclusively to Yosef but I split my donation in half when I realized how little academic scholarship money is available outside of the chancellor's scholarships at App.

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[appbio91]

This a great get for App. Will we use the U as leverage to gain increase in season tickets sales? Gillen said our sales for this year was 4,500 (BTW, I have had season tickets for years) which is a disappointing number to me. What do you guys think?

4,500 is very disappointing. I thought for sure we were about 6k.

More disappointing is I believe I heard him say there are only a couple thousand that contribute to Yosef. Someone correct me if I heard that wrong.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

That would be correct. Our support is woefully thin from the alumni base. I know quite a few grads from the 2002-2004 (my daughters friend and members of my fraternity) that dont give a dime...........

I hate to hear that. I graduated in 2003 and have been a Yosef Club member and season ticket holder for 11 years, this being my 10th consecutive season. We also have to remember the Appalachian Fund. Giving just $1/year helps our Alumni Participation Rate, which is included in the calculations used by college rating/ranking publications.

I used to give exclusively to Yosef but I split my donation in half when I realized how little academic scholarship money is available outside of the chancellor's scholarships at App.

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[appbio91]

Sorry for double reply Tappa Talk sux today

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[bcoach]

I can't remember how long we have had season tickets but I do know we increased to five, ten years ago. I do remember this though. We have never looked at the schedule to see who we played before buying. For 15 of those years it has also been a 7 hr. round trip. Many fans complained for years about being in the SOCON because of the competition. Therefore they wanted to move up to FBS. Now I hear that the competition may be a problem with ticket sales only to be salvaged by ONE GAME!
I'll tell you something. I have missed 2-3 games over the last 20 years plus but not one time was it because of the competition. I will be there for Miami and I was also there for The Citadel. Who the competition is should never be a factor for the season ticket holder, and there should a hell of a lot more of us.
Does anyone thinks that you are going to build the kind of program I hear that the majority of this board wants on 4500 season tickets? The excuses are running out folks. We moved to FBS. We got the coach we want. We got a great AD. We have a winning record. Time to buy some damn tickets!

[bcoach]

4,500 is very disappointing. I thought for sure we were about 6k.

More disappointing is I believe I heard him say there are only a couple thousand that contribute to Yosef. Someone correct me if I heard that wrong.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

That would be correct. Our support is woefully thin from the alumni base. I know quite a few grads from the 2002-2004 (my daughters friend and members of my fraternity) that dont give a dime...........

I hate to hear that. I graduated in 2003 and have been a Yosef Club member and season ticket holder for 11 years, this being my 10th consecutive season. We also have to remember the Appalachian Fund. Giving just $1/year helps our Alumni Participation Rate, which is included in the calculations used by college rating/ranking publications.

I used to give exclusively to Yosef but I split my donation in half when I realized how little academic scholarship money is available outside of the chancellor's scholarships at App.

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Good for you. I respect that. We have done the same

[EastHallApp]

One reason that ODU is selling nearly 3x the season tickets that we are, in my opinion, is because their fans aren't so obsessed with being "realistic". On their message board, they're convinced that they're P5 bound and will tell you so with a straight face. Here, we have fans who go out of their way to put down fellow fans for being "arrogant" and having high expectations for our program. Our fan base has a long way to go, but if we can really capitalize on our alumni and get them engaged in the future, LOOK OUT.

ODU is located in a metro area with 1.7 million people. App is located in a rural county of 50,000.

[clayton]

Let's take a look at their last home game.




There's a very strong chance that this game will set an attendance record, but almost everybody in the stadium will be cheering for the home team. Miami has always been a strong program with a relatively weak fanbase.

If we finish with 10 wins and the weather is nice that day, the ODU game might set an attendance record.

This year hasn't been conducive to strong attendance numbers. Labor Day weekend, Halloween, and Thanksgiving weekend. Two Thursdays. The Ugliest Saturday of the year.

[JGthatsme86]

I can't remember how long we have had season tickets but I do know we increased to five, ten years ago. I do remember this though. We have never looked at the schedule to see who we played before buying. For 15 of those years it has also been a 7 hr. round trip. Many fans complained for years about being in the SOCON because of the competition. Therefore they wanted to move up to FBS. Now I hear that the competition may be a problem with ticket sales only to be salvaged by ONE GAME!
I'll tell you something. I have missed 2-3 games over the last 20 years plus but not one time was it because of the competition. I will be there for Miami and I was also there for The Citadel. Who the competition is should never be a factor for the season ticket holder, and there should a hell of a lot more of us.
Does anyone thinks that you are going to build the kind of program I hear that the majority of this board wants on 4500 season tickets? The excuses are running out folks. We moved to FBS. We got the coach we want. We got a great AD. We have a winning record. Time to buy some damn tickets!

Post of the year, BCoach! I couldn't agree more. I will be a season ticket holder regardless of who we play. Gameday for our tailgate group is a blast whether we play a P5 or Our Sisters of Mercy! The fact is, most of us on this board have a 4-6 hour round trip, kids and a life. Buy tickets anyway! I will continue to buy my 6 season tix in Sec. 205 every year until my son (a recent grad himself) takes them over many years from now.

[Appftw]

One reason that ODU is selling nearly 3x the season tickets that we are, in my opinion, is because their fans aren't so obsessed with being "realistic". On their message board, they're convinced that they're P5 bound and will tell you so with a straight face. Here, we have fans who go out of their way to put down fellow fans for being "arrogant" and having high expectations for our program. Our fan base has a long way to go, but if we can really capitalize on our alumni and get them engaged in the future, LOOK OUT.

ODU is located in a metro area with 1.7 million people. App is located in a rural county of 50,000.

UNCC to the SEC is inevitable then by that infallible logic. I don't believe that random residents of the tidewater are boosting ODUs ticket sales. Their alumni just value their on-field product more, sadly. I think this is another unfortunate side effect of being so close to Tobacco Road.




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[hapapp]

I would still bet the majority of their fanbase lives in the Tidewater area. I live in Virginia and don't know a single soul who goes to ODU games.

[appbio91]

One reason that ODU is selling nearly 3x the season tickets that we are, in my opinion, is because their fans aren't so obsessed with being "realistic". On their message board, they're convinced that they're P5 bound and will tell you so with a straight face. Here, we have fans who go out of their way to put down fellow fans for being "arrogant" and having high expectations for our program. Our fan base has a long way to go, but if we can really capitalize on our alumni and get them engaged in the future, LOOK OUT.

ODU is located in a metro area with 1.7 million people. App is located in a rural county of 50,000.

UNCC to the SEC is inevitable then by that infallible logic. I don't believe that random residents of the tidewater are boosting ODUs ticket sales. Their alumni just value their on-field product more, sadly. I think this is another unfortunate side effect of being so close to Tobacco Road.




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You are 100% correct and many of us lament this fact repeatedly. People love Boone but even among many of our alumni our sports take a back seat to the team they "grew up pulling for" after they graduate. There are a lot on this board who defend this and say, oh it's about who I watched with my dad when I was kid. Bunk! You are either a Mountaineer or not don't try to justify.

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[AppinATL]

I can't remember how long we have had season tickets but I do know we increased to five, ten years ago. I do remember this though. We have never looked at the schedule to see who we played before buying. For 15 of those years it has also been a 7 hr. round trip. Many fans complained for years about being in the SOCON because of the competition. Therefore they wanted to move up to FBS. Now I hear that the competition may be a problem with ticket sales only to be salvaged by ONE GAME!
I'll tell you something. I have missed 2-3 games over the last 20 years plus but not one time was it because of the competition. I will be there for Miami and I was also there for The Citadel. Who the competition is should never be a factor for the season ticket holder, and there should a hell of a lot more of us.
Does anyone thinks that you are going to build the kind of program I hear that the majority of this board wants on 4500 season tickets? The excuses are running out folks. We moved to FBS. We got the coach we want. We got a great AD. We have a winning record. Time to buy some damn tickets!

I couldn't agree more. My round trip is about 11 hours. We've had season tickets since 2006. While I have missed a very few games, its been strictly due to work and maybe twice due to dire and dangerous weather predictions. I don't give a damn who we're playing and I don't understand all this obsession with "attractive or less than attractive opponents." While I am over the moon excited about this Miami game, and Wake next year, I look forward to being in my seat on gameday, even when we're playing the Howards of the world or whoever. New Mexico State, GA State and Texas State are conference opponents! Those wins count as much as beating Louisianna or Ark State. To paraphrase bcoach, "its time to put up or shut up".

[boonetown1]

I wish hickory would grow more. There's a lot of upside if more businesses move there and more is developed. Would give our alum a place to live closer to Boone.

Also, we need to bring more locals to games of any sport. Would help to boost crowds...

[AppinVA]

I would still bet the majority of their fanbase lives in the Tidewater area. I live in Virginia and don't know a single soul who goes to ODU games.

I'm not even sure I know an ODU alumnus.

[EastHallApp]

One reason that ODU is selling nearly 3x the season tickets that we are, in my opinion, is because their fans aren't so obsessed with being "realistic". On their message board, they're convinced that they're P5 bound and will tell you so with a straight face. Here, we have fans who go out of their way to put down fellow fans for being "arrogant" and having high expectations for our program. Our fan base has a long way to go, but if we can really capitalize on our alumni and get them engaged in the future, LOOK OUT.

ODU is located in a metro area with 1.7 million people. App is located in a rural county of 50,000.

UNCC to the SEC is inevitable then by that infallible logic. I don't s that random residents of the tidewater are boosting ODUs ticket sales. Their alumni just value their on-field product more, sadly. I think this is another unfortunate side effect of being so close to Tobacco Road.

There are 6,000 App State alumni in Watauga County. Think there might be more than 6,000 ODU alumni out of those 1.7 million?

[NewApp]

I wish hickory would grow more. There's a lot of upside if more businesses move there and more is developed. Would give our alum a place to live closer to Boone.

Also, we need to bring more locals to games of any sport. Would help to boost crowds...

When the furniture industry died, so did Hickory.

[JTApps1]

That would be more difficult from a schedulers perspective so I doubt it.

We will drop one 2015 home opponent known (Ark St.) and one away opponent (likely USA or ULM). They will be replaced by NMSU and Texas St.

Most Likely:
SBC Home - GA St., ULM, Idaho, Texas St.
SBC Away - GS, ULL, Troy, NMSU

Still think the dates will impact season ticket sales more than conference opponents.

Those might not be the best teams in the Sun Belt, but they sure beat what we would have faced in FCS.

[AppDawg]

One reason that ODU is selling nearly 3x the season tickets that we are, in my opinion, is because their fans aren't so obsessed with being "realistic". On their message board, they're convinced that they're P5 bound and will tell you so with a straight face. Here, we have fans who go out of their way to put down fellow fans for being "arrogant" and having high expectations for our program. Our fan base has a long way to go, but if we can really capitalize on our alumni and get them engaged in the future, LOOK OUT.

You are 100% correct and many of us lament this fact repeatedly. People love Boone but even among many of our alumni our sports take a back seat to the team they "grew up pulling for" after they graduate. There are a lot on this board who defend this and say, oh it's about who I watched with my dad when I was kid. Bunk! You are either a Mountaineer or not don't try to justify.

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There is a way to change the perception all around, win these folks over such that their "childhood" team comes second to App. The way we do that is have a consistent winning basketball program that is in the NCAA Tournament annually and worst case in the NIT every several years.

NC is a basketball state, and until we show we can compete on the court like we do on the gridiron, we'll always play second fiddle in the minds of many. We have the football down pat and are arguably in the discussion for best program in the state. I myself have friends who are alumn and say, "we are diehard App Football fans. But when it comes to basketball, it'll always be the tarheels." I have asked in years past, who they would pull for if app played unc and they have responded the baby blue. They don't view it as such a win would do wonders for App, but rather how devistating it would be to the 'hill.

This is a deep and tough mindset to change... It will take time. But we need consistency. Gillin made a comment in the Scout interview about our football program that I hope will one day apply to basketball and if so, it will do wonders to change mindsets. He said, "we have got our RPI up, such that now we are considered a good win and more importantly not a bad loss."

I think putting a better product on the basketball court, will cure many of these historic issues at App, i.e. Dual fandom and yosef contributions.

I do think Gillin and Fox are the right people for the jobs and have full confidence they will get the program where we want it to be. We are just early in year #2 of Fox. At this point in SS's tenure, we were scratching our heads.... And look at us now! Gillin, he is still observing basketball, I can't wait to see what he sets in motion once he starts implementing plans.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

I wish hickory would grow more. There's a lot of upside if more businesses move there and more is developed. Would give our alum a place to live closer to Boone.

Also, we need to bring more locals to games of any sport. Would help to boost crowds...

When the furniture industry died, so did Hickory.

I think that applies to Lenoir much more than Hickory. Catawba County was a bit more diverse with gloves and hosiery. Most all gone but not just due to one industry. And Hickory is not as dead as other areas. But your point is made.