Bengal visitor said:I don't think Sioux Fan was saying his school has big time basketball attendance-- I think he was saying they have big time COMPETITION for basketball attendance, meaning a nationally relevant hockey team. Which is probably true.
It's like having the Jazz playing next door. Sixty miles down the road still hurts Weber, but not as much.
oldrunner said:SiouxFan; I think it is great that you have the #1 hockey program in the Country. You should be drawing sellout crowds for that product. I hope that UND will be able to hold on to all of that in the future. Imagine, if you can, that there were 4 or 5 hockey teams, within an hour's drive, who were rated higher than your team.
When I was a kid, 50 years ago, there was some open space between SLC and Ogden. Now there are about 2 million people between Ogden and Provo. One huge metropolitan area. There is little open space left along the Wasatch front, between the mountains and the Great Salt Lake. At least 75% of the States population lives in that 70 mile stretch. Along the front there is an NBA franchise, An MLS franchise, 3 minor league Baseball teams, a NLH franchise, a couple of minor league hockey teams, 4 D1 Universities, and a JC. The other three Universities in the State are farther away.siouxfan said:oldrunner said:SiouxFan; I think it is great that you have the #1 hockey program in the Country. You should be drawing sellout crowds for that product. I hope that UND will be able to hold on to all of that in the future. Imagine, if you can, that there were 4 or 5 hockey teams, within an hour's drive, who were rated higher than your team.
Well considering many of the fans drive for hours to get to our hockey games, that won't be a problem. There isn't a city of more than 10k within 60 miles, so the NHL isnt happening here, most NDSU fans say they hate hockey, so the ones that like it spend big bucks up here.
Been to Ogden but not for years. Thought there was open space between Ogden and SLC.
oldrunner said:When I was a kid, 50 years ago, there was some open space between SLC and Ogden. Now there are about 2 million people between Ogden and Provo. One huge metropolitan area. There is little open space left along the Wasatch front, between the mountains and the Great Salt Lake. At least 75% of the States population lives in that 70 mile stretch. Along the front there is an NBA franchise, An MLS franchise, 3 minor league Baseball teams, a NLH franchise, a couple of minor league hockey teams, 4 D1 Universities, and a JC. The other three Universities in the State are farther away.siouxfan said:oldrunner said:SiouxFan; I think it is great that you have the #1 hockey program in the Country. You should be drawing sellout crowds for that product. I hope that UND will be able to hold on to all of that in the future. Imagine, if you can, that there were 4 or 5 hockey teams, within an hour's drive, who were rated higher than your team.
Well considering many of the fans drive for hours to get to our hockey games, that won't be a problem. There isn't a city of more than 10k within 60 miles, so the NHL isnt happening here, most NDSU fans say they hate hockey, so the ones that like it spend big bucks up here.
Been to Ogden but not for years. Thought there was open space between Ogden and SLC.
PurpleBlood said:I don't think the other universities close by really hurt much. If anything they help and bring more excitement to college basketball in the state. There are plenty of schools in the middle of nowhere with no competition and no fans. The most important way to attract fans other than winning is a loud entertaining student section. It only takes a few passionate students to build a great student section.
Wait a minute.... I thought that God loved the Patriots.... Or was it the Red Wings? God seems a little flighty, if you ask me. :lol:ajwildcat said:PurpleBlood said:I don't think the other universities close by really hurt much. If anything they help and bring more excitement to college basketball in the state. There are plenty of schools in the middle of nowhere with no competition and no fans. The most important way to attract fans other than winning is a loud entertaining student section. It only takes a few passionate students to build a great student section.
Normally I would agree, BUT I know a lot of Weber County WSU alumni that won't go to WSU games because they feel like they would be cheating on "The Lords Team" in Provo :wall: :wall: :wall:
Even though they havn't been to a game in Provo in 20+ years.....
ajwildcat said:PurpleBlood said:I don't think the other universities close by really hurt much. If anything they help and bring more excitement to college basketball in the state. There are plenty of schools in the middle of nowhere with no competition and no fans. The most important way to attract fans other than winning is a loud entertaining student section. It only takes a few passionate students to build a great student section.
Normally I would agree, BUT I know a lot of Weber County WSU alumni that won't go to WSU games because they feel like they would be cheating on "The Lords Team" in Provo :wall: :wall: :wall:
Even though they havn't been to a game in Provo in 20+ years.....
oldrunner said:Generating fans now and into the future rests on marketing's ability to get students involved in campus life in general and athletics specifically. Students have been ignored for too long and it is showing in attendance. The only way to change this trend is to change the marketing emphasis to the students. I don't know what the marketing budget is, but 80% of it should be spent on getting students out and treating them well when they are at the games. The businesses who advertise at our games certainly want to market their goods to our students. They surely know that all of our students are their future customers as well.
It's great that we are marketing to corporate and big donors and that should continue. However, the students are where the future lies. I don't care if you have to bribe them. Get them there and show them a good time. Think out of the box a little bit. Get it done.
Junctioncat said:Things could be worse, I tuned in to SUU Montana and the Centrum was empty. Sac and Portland had as many as could fit in their little gyms, but those games were not well attended. Granted, their facilities limit them.
WILDCAT said:Junctioncat said:Things could be worse, I tuned in to SUU Montana and the Centrum was empty. Sac and Portland had as many as could fit in their little gyms, but those games were not well attended. Granted, their facilities limit them.
Portland is building a new arean as we speak. So they do have that going for them