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Attendance, Heart of the problem?

...and I keep talking...lol...I know it is great to play Cal, Oregon, State and a Fresno...but... I-AA Football is like no other...compete at this level first..and I mean COMPETE..win a Championship...be a Marshall...there is alot to be said about being statisfied with what you have and what you can accomplish..when I lived in Missouri (Ozark)..one of my dreams I didn't do was see a game in Pittsburg KS...just for the experience...scream Portland State a few times in the Crowd...lol...and I probably will go back...and do it..Division II is a love of mine..these people love their football....another story..lol..when we were in Oregon last November..we were in Roseburg..and went to see the High School Play...another great experience..looked like a Small College Football game...so instead of wishing for something better ...Enjoy the experience....take a breath...and don't try to change things...time does that enough..and PSU's time will come...
 
My guess is that there are political forces at work that are responsible for continually bastardizing the quality of things like the stadium's sound system; either that or those responsible are incredibly irresponsible in their stewarship mission for safeguarding the utility of public welfare. Either way, I would cast these ostensible delinquents fully as such and call for better public stewardship.

I want an intimate sound system with exquisite quality---the way we used to view Japanese stereo components from the latter '70s. The kind of sound system where the volume does not need to be very high because the sound message carries with excellent focus and fidelity. Instead of "shouting" the message up to the clouds, the message is rather "distilled like dew" upon the patrons in the stands. That has respect for both the event patrons as well as the neighborhood surrounding the stadium. The current decision-making stewards obviously lack this kind of respect-centered purview and, so, need to be replaced by those who possess it.

Perhaps purposeful dissing is at the heart of PGE Park management. Who knows? Let's get rid of the minor-leauge Beavers baseball team (sell to Boise), convert the stadium in to an exclusive football and soccer venue that remodels in eastside grandstands (30,000 capacity), and get excitement brewing for a major league team (and new baseball stadium) for Portland again.

Those of us who are PSU alums or friends of PSU should be running for mayor of Portland so as to have the opportunity to influence politcy in PSU's favor. That would include working with the MAC Club to find a favorable solution for PSU and the stadium.

A good candidate for Portland mayor would have to include past PSU student body president, company owner, and well-healed businessman, Mike Erickson, who recently lost in his bid to unseat Darlene Hooley. Portland, however, I am sure, would prefer to elect a Democrat, so he may not be the best choice available to us. Who else?
 
I still don't see why the sound system is that big of a problem, at least compared to other potential stadium improvements. That said, I won't complain about any upgrades if they do happen.

As for political action, I agree that it would be good to have more elected officials who were tied to PSU. This would be HUGE, in fact. I certainly consider PSU ties when voting in elections, and I'd hope everyone here does the same.
 
Minor league baseball doesn't need a stadium the size of PGE Park. It would be better for them to build somewhere else. Then PGE could be converted to a 30/40,000 seat soccer/football stadium with an east side grandstand. Once the Vikings start draawing the big crowds, this would the best expansion plan. parking and access are not a big enough problem to move out of the city. We are a city university. and we want the excitement of being downtown.
 
An interesting bit on Ian's blog today regarding a PSU PR bit...

JG and Mouse at Gresham Ford handing out free tickets to the season opening game for football.

This is what we need. Season tickets have tripled, but we need a ton of butts in the seats to create the "house of pain" that JG is talking about. Put 20k into the stadium with some free tickets and the amount of season tickets next year can grow.
 
For the UC Davis game, I am trying to bring as many UC Davis Alumni to the game as possible. Should be fun, looking forward to it.

Go Aggies!!!
 
The atmosphere at PGE should be great, as the Glanville era begins in Portland for the first time. Also, it will be surreal to see Mouse's return to PGE. It's like turning the clock backwards 30 years.
 
PortlandAggie said:
For the UC Davis game, I am trying to bring as many UC Davis Alumni to the game as possible. Should be fun, looking forward to it.

Go Aggies!!!

You're all welcome at PGE. Something tells me you'll be less annoying than UM and MSU fans.
 
laxVik said:
Well for one I wonder if people can be excited about seeing games against Weber State, Sac State, etc. By people I mean simple college fans than don't have a connection to the program other than living in Portland.

In 1994, 22,000 people came to the stadium to watch North Alabama play PSU. What draws people to watch PSU is exciting, winning football. It doesn't matter who it is so much as the excitement and winning.
 
VikThunder said:
laxVik said:
Well for one I wonder if people can be excited about seeing games against Weber State, Sac State, etc. By people I mean simple college fans than don't have a connection to the program other than living in Portland.

In 1994, 22,000 people came to the stadium to watch North Alabama play PSU. What draws people to watch PSU is exciting, winning football. It doesn't matter who it is so much as the excitement and winning.

Exactly right. Some of the biggest crowds in PSU history were for games against Pittsburgh St. (KS) and schools like that.

People in Portland want winning and the feel of a big time event. Look at women's soccer over at UP, where they get crowds that occasionally rival those of PSU's football games. It certainly isn't because soccer is bigger than football or because women's sports are bigger than men's sports. It certainly isn't because of the size of the alumni base, either. It is because casual fans are almost sure to witness a win and because UP does a great job of making it feel like you are part of a big time event.
 
Actually, I am becoming a big PSU fan, with the exception of PSU-Davis games, but that's understandable. Looking forward to going to a couple games this year. Moreover, you're see that Davis fans have a lot of class, win or lose.
 
PortlandAggie said:
Actually, I am becoming a big PSU fan, with the exception of PSU-Davis games, but that's understandable. Looking forward to going to a couple games this year. Moreover, you're see that Davis fans have a lot of class, win or lose.

We've played Davis plenty and we already know you guys have lot's of class. Love your band too. Hope it is coming up again this year. With your new stadium, your program will be a force to reckon with.
 
ManOfVision said:
VikThunder said:
laxVik said:
Well for one I wonder if people can be excited about seeing games against Weber State, Sac State, etc. By people I mean simple college fans than don't have a connection to the program other than living in Portland.

In 1994, 22,000 people came to the stadium to watch North Alabama play PSU. What draws people to watch PSU is exciting, winning football. It doesn't matter who it is so much as the excitement and winning.

Exactly right. Some of the biggest crowds in PSU history were for games against Pittsburgh St. (KS) and schools like that.

People in Portland want winning and the feel of a big time event. Look at women's soccer over at UP, where they get crowds that occasionally rival those of PSU's football games. It certainly isn't because soccer is bigger than football or because women's sports are bigger than men's sports. It certainly isn't because of the size of the alumni base, either. It is because casual fans are almost sure to witness a win and because UP does a great job of making it feel like you are part of a big time event.

Yes, PSU drew pretty well at that time despite being DII. However, the mass exodous of fans down I5 was not what it is today. OSU was horrible then and UO barely better. Neither school had the palatial stadiums they have now. The gameday experience at OSU and UO is now a day long festival capped with a football game. I remember my first visit to then Parker Stadium in Corvallis in 1987 and having to clean the mildew off the splintered relic of a bench seat and thinking that while Bronco stadium at the time only seated 22,000, it was 10X better than Parker (and then Civic stadium pre-renovation was at least asgood a venue). Times have changed and I hope PSU changes with them. Playing the Gorillas at home for a playoff game back then (when the Ducks and Beavs seasons were over - or as good as) was simply better football in a roughly equivalent venue.
 
ManOfVision said:
VikThunder said:
laxVik said:
Well for one I wonder if people can be excited about seeing games against Weber State, Sac State, etc. By people I mean simple college fans than don't have a connection to the program other than living in Portland.

In 1994, 22,000 people came to the stadium to watch North Alabama play PSU. What draws people to watch PSU is exciting, winning football. It doesn't matter who it is so much as the excitement and winning.

Exactly right. Some of the biggest crowds in PSU history were for games against Pittsburgh St. (KS) and schools like that.

People in Portland want winning and the feel of a big time event. Look at women's soccer over at UP, where they get crowds that occasionally rival those of PSU's football games. It certainly isn't because soccer is bigger than football or because women's sports are bigger than men's sports. It certainly isn't because of the size of the alumni base, either. It is because casual fans are almost sure to witness a win and because UP does a great job of making it feel like you are part of a big time event.

Yes, PSU drew pretty well at that time despite being DII. However, the mass exodous of fans down I5 was not what it is today. OSU was horrible then and UO barely better. Neither school had the palatial stadiums they have now. The gameday experience at OSU and UO is now a day long festival capped with a football game. I remember my first visit to then Parker Stadium in Corvallis in 1987 and having to clean the mildew off the splintered relic of a bench seat and thinking that while Bronco stadium at the time only seated 22,000, it was 10X better than Parker (and then Civic stadium pre-renovation was at least asgood a venue). Times have changed and I hope PSU changes with them. Playing the Gorillas at home for a playoff game back then (when the Ducks and Beavs seasons were over - or as good as) was simply better football in a roughly equivalent venue.
 
This is true about UO and OSU being tougher competition now than they used to be. Sometimes I subscribe to the "rising tide lifts all boats" philosophy, though, in which case overall increased interest in college football equates to greater potential interest in PSU football regardless of the interest level for OSU and UO.
 
I grew up only blocks away from WSU's Martin Stadium, and that stadium has absolutely no parking near it. People would park on my street and local churches charge for use of their parking space. So that is why I think parking is not an issue if a Pac-ten team can get away with no parking than surely we can too. I think the real issue is that for a long time PSU has had zero exposure in the local media. The viks do not advertise themselves enough and the result is people are not aware of when we play games. We need radio, newspaper, and billboard adds saying the days that PSU has a game. The bus ads is a great start, but it is only a start. Look at all the advertising that Pac-ten schools do and everybody already knows who they are.
 
I grew up only blocks away from WSU's Martin Stadium, and that stadium has absolutely no parking near it. People would park on my street and local churches charge for use of their parking space. So that is why I think parking is not an issue if a Pac-ten team can get away with no parking than surely we can too. I think the real issue is that for a long time PSU has had zero exposure in the local media. The viks do not advertise themselves enough and the result is people are not aware of when we play games. We need radio, newspaper, and billboard adds saying the days that PSU has a game. The bus ads is a great start, but it is only a start. Look at all the advertising that Pac-ten schools do and everybody already knows who they are.
 
macvik said:
I grew up only blocks away from WSU's Martin Stadium, and that stadium has absolutely no parking near it. People would park on my street and local churches charge for use of their parking space. So that is why I think parking is not an issue if a Pac-ten team can get away with no parking than surely we can too. I think the real issue is that for a long time PSU has had zero exposure in the local media. The viks do not advertise themselves enough and the result is people are not aware of when we play games. We need radio, newspaper, and billboard adds saying the days that PSU has a game. The bus ads is a great start, but it is only a start. Look at all the advertising that Pac-ten schools do and everybody already knows who they are.

PSU advertised a little more last year and really jumped it up this year, so I think we'll see a sustained effort to put the name out there.
 

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