NDSU Attendance Thread

[FUBeAR]

Seems this topic is a high demand discussion on AGS, so thought it must merit its own thread.

FUBeAR aims to please. :D

[POD Knows]

Seems this topic is a high demand discussion on AGS, so thought it must merit its own thread.

FUBeAR aims to please. :D
Attendance is down
/close the thread. 😄

[caribbeanhen]

Unless your talking Montana and Montana St football, where is it not down?

[FUBeAR]

Unless your talking Montana and Montana St football, where is it not down?

In 2021, Furman led the Southern Conference in attendance for most of the season. Attendance at Furman Football games was up by ~60 percent from 2019.

[DFW HOYA]

Unless your talking Montana and Montana St football, where is it not down?


https://hbcugameday.com/2021/12/07/deion-sanders-and-jsu-credited-with-30-million-impact-on-jackson/

[caribbeanhen]

https://hbcugameday.com/2021/12/07/deion-sanders-and-jsu-credited-with-30-million-impact-on-jackson/

no doubt about it

[Panther88]

https://hbcugameday.com/2021/12/07/deion-sanders-and-jsu-credited-with-30-million-impact-on-jackson/

Elated to be a part of contributing in person and $$$$. :D

Will do likewise for The Celebration Bowl in a few days.

[dewey]

Football attendance has been declining at NDSU since the 2018 playoffs. Probablybefore then. I remember seeing NDSU playing Colgate and seeing big open areas of empty seats.

The Fargo Moorhead media has been trying to figure out why. Here is what they have come up with.
1. Fans getting bored (I know, crazy).
2. Ticket cost (to bring a family of 4 you are looking at over $200 per game).
3. The gameday experience. NDSU hasn't changed the gameday experience in quite a few years.
4. No wifi. People like to be connected.
5. COVID. I think that is a factor this fall.
6. No beer at the game.
7. Unlike Montana and Montana State once you leave the stadium there is no coming back in. That needs to change.

NDSU needs to look at other schools and see what they are doing and start to copy things that work other places.

Dewey

[F'N Hawks]

Between the ticket cost and Teammaker dues, they quickly outpriced their fringe base. The cost for season tickets is ridiculous but they have so many fixed costs now with their budget that they pretty much have to charge that now.
Plus, Covid gave people a chance to sit home and breathe a bit. Those people realized how much else there is to do on fall weekends and chose to stay home and watch it on TV, getting multiple things done on a Saturday. That is what I have gathered.

[MSUBobcat]

Football attendance has been declining at NDSU since the 2018 playoffs. Probablybefore then. I remember seeing NDSU playing Colgate and seeing big open areas of empty seats.

The Fargo Moorhead media has been trying to figure out why. Here is what they have come up with.
1. Fans getting bored (I know, crazy).
2. Ticket cost (to bring a family of 4 you are looking at over $200 per game).
3. The gameday experience. NDSU hasn't changed the gameday experience in quite a few years.
4. No wifi. People like to be connected.
5. COVID. I think that is a factor this fall.
6. No beer at the game.
7. Unlike Montana and Montana State once you leave the stadium there is no coming back in. That needs to change.

NDSU needs to look at other schools and see what they are doing and start to copy things that work other places.

Dewey

This year, both schools also started selling beer inside the stadiums within a beer garden section. At MSU it's pretty meh, IMO. You have no view of the field from the garden and the video board is at a pretty sharp angle. They need to install a few TV's at a minimum. If you want a beer and don't want to watch the game, save your $6 and just go back out to the tailgate.

[Gil Dobie]

Most of the empty seats are in the season ticket sections, within each row. The attendance at the first playoff game in 2010, versus Robert Morris, similar to last week, was 12,000 at most, the empty seats were in the upper corners. Some of the season tickets went to people that bought tickets to resell at a premium, when demand was much higher. Now they can't give these extra tickets away. Covid is a factor in this, as with bandwagon fans, non-Bison alumni fans that jumped on the championship bandwagon. They are welcome and add to the Fargodome experience, maybe they are the ones that are not coming to the dome at this time. I do know people that have retired, moved south permanently, that haven't given up their tickets, but are able to find people to use them. Booze takes away from any family experience, when you have adults spilling beer on kids, etc. I wouldn't take a kid to a Vikings or Packers game, because I've seen too much of that crap in person. Maybe you could have a special drinking section for those that want it, but I'm not in favor of mixing booze with young kids.

[caribbeanhen]

32342Dixie State at Delaware

East stands

[WeAreThePride]

Most of the empty seats are in the season ticket sections, within each row. The attendance at the first playoff game in 2010, versus Robert Morris, similar to last week, was 12,000 at most, the empty seats were in the upper corners. Some of the season tickets went to people that bought tickets to resell at a premium, when demand was much higher. Now they can't give these extra tickets away. Covid is a factor in this, as with bandwagon fans, non-Bison alumni fans that jumped on the championship bandwagon. They are welcome and add to the Fargodome experience, maybe they are the ones that are not coming to the dome at this time. I do know people that have retired, moved south permanently, that haven't given up their tickets, but are able to find people to use them. Booze takes away from any family experience, when you have adults spilling beer on kids, etc. I wouldn't take a kid to a Vikings or Packers game, because I've seen too much of that crap in person. Maybe you could have a special drinking section for those that want it, but I'm not in favor of mixing booze with young kids.
The old Metrodome for Twins game had a special family friendly section. Never went to a Vikings game there. I think that's a wise idea. Maybe a third of the Dome could be booze free?

[NY Crusader 2010]

The old Metrodome for Twins game had a special family friendly section. Never went to a Vikings game there. I think that's a wise idea. Maybe a third of the Dome could be booze free?

I think alcohol free sections are a great idea but I'm sure there's a reason that major pro teams don't allocate space for this in the newer parks and arenas. Perhaps not to reduce revenue potential? The old Yankee Stadium bleachers were alcohol-free but still managed to be....well....not the most family-friendly environment.

I do think at most FCS stadiums, especially those with a lot of room to spare on a typical game day, this would be an easy solution. Designate specific rows or sections as substance free. And let those that want to purchase drinks sit in the other 90% of the stadium. Overall, I find it very rare that I see something take place (alcohol related) at an FCS or mid-major level college game that would make me hesitate to bring my daughter and future kids to a game. A Packers-Vikings game, or Giants-Eagles, maybe a different story.

[Gil Dobie]

I think alcohol free sections are a great idea but I'm sure there's a reason that major pro teams don't allocate space for this in the newer parks and arenas. Perhaps not to reduce revenue potential? The old Yankee Stadium bleachers were alcohol-free but still managed to be....well....not the most family-friendly environment.

I do think at most FCS stadiums, especially those with a lot of room to spare on a typical game day, this would be an easy solution. Designate specific rows or sections as substance free. And let those that want to purchase drinks sit in the other 90% of the stadium. Overall, I find it very rare that I see something take place (alcohol related) at an FCS or mid-major level college game that would make me hesitate to bring my daughter and future kids to a game. A Packers-Vikings game, or Giants-Eagles, maybe a different story.

I really don't think a non-drinking section would be worth the trouble. Probably 30% of the crowd doesn't drink at all, and another 60%, maybe more, don't drink very much at. I would assume any troublemakers would lose their tickets. My seats are fine, not too many drunks in the area. I just don't think it brings that many people in.

[Hammerhead]

Some people have been working extra hours since the pandemic began and just want to watch football from the couch on Saturday. $30 for each seat in the end zone nosebleed areas are just too much money for casual fans.

[FUBeAR]

I think alcohol free sections are a great idea but I'm sure there's a reason that major pro teams don't allocate space for this in the newer parks and arenas. Perhaps not to reduce revenue potential? The old Yankee Stadium bleachers were alcohol-free but still managed to be....well....not the most family-friendly environment.

I do think at most FCS stadiums, especially those with a lot of room to spare on a typical game day, this would be an easy solution. Designate specific rows or sections as substance free. And let those that want to purchase drinks sit in the other 90% of the stadium. Overall, I find it very rare that I see something take place (alcohol related) at an FCS or mid-major level college game that would make me hesitate to bring my daughter and future kids to a game. A Packers-Vikings game, or Giants-Eagles, maybe a different story.
Furman & Mercer, both formerly Baptist institutions, now sell beer (quite liberally).

Mercer has a local brewer set up shop behind the home stands on the scoreboard end, which has a clear view to that end of the field & to the large video board (the whole scoreboard is a large video board). They sell about 6 varieties of craft draft beer at reasonable prices without restriction as to where people can carry their beer out once they get it. Mercer does not allow ‘pass outs.’

In 2019, Furman had a small BeerGarden Tent off to the side of the Home Side on a grassy hill with a clear view to the whole field. It was really sort of a test run. This year, FU went ALL IN on beer. They took the scoreboard Endzone and designated it as “The Wicked Weed” Endzone….not that kind of weed though. Wicked Weed is a brewery in Asheville, NC (about an hour up the road) with an outpost in Greenville. Fans from both sides can access the Endzone area from both sides and can watch the game from there. They sell canned products from Wicked Weed and other brands from 2 or 3 tents. Beer is also sold in the concessions stands under the stadium and no restrictions regarding where people can take their beer. Furman has always allowed ‘pass outs’ (except during Covid Spring) and continues to allow it. As mentioned earlier in this thread, Furman attendance was WAY, WAY up this year. Beer wasn’t the sole reason for this increase, as Furman really created a true ‘destination’ game day experience (as Mercer has always done) this year with live music from ‘mid-major’ Artists pre-game, games and ‘jumpy-castle inflatables’ for kids, moving the Frat Tailgating Tents INSIDE the stadium, etc….but beer was a BIG part of the increase, I’m sure.

While the bizuns have been able to rely on the Team’s success to drive attendance for years (as Furman once was)…your peeps may find that in these days/times ya gotta give peeps/families more than winning football to get ‘em in the door.

Oh…Furman tix are $25 ‘retail’ with deals for Season Tix…Alumni Players…etc. No idea what Mercer charges for tix. FUBeAR’s money is no good there. ;)

[Sader87]

HC started to sell beer and wine at Fitton this year....seemed to work pretty well, no issues etc.

Of course, people have been smuggling beers, nips, flasks etc into the stadium for decades.

We've felt the dropoff in attendance for awhile now. Variety of reasons and every school's different. HC used to regularly draw ovah 15K at Fitton into the '80s and early '90s, but with the dropoff of the program in the non-scholarship-era of the PL, the societal changes ovah the last 30 or so years (i.e. going to a college football game at 1PM on a Saturday took a backseat to other family outings), the availibilty to watch many of the games at Fitton on the internet or TV etc etc have resulted in a "good crowd" at Fitton being anything ovah 10K today.

I've always thought that NDSU's amazing run during the last 10+ years would lead to a general "is that all there is?" attitude amongst its fandom. Looks like that is starting to happen.

[dewey]

This year, both schools also started selling beer inside the stadiums within a beer garden section. At MSU it's pretty meh, IMO. You have no view of the field from the garden and the video board is at a pretty sharp angle. They need to install a few TV's at a minimum. If you want a beer and don't want to watch the game, save your $6 and just go back out to the tailgate.

Thanks for the information. Going to a Brawl of the Wild game in both Missoula and Bozeman are on my bucket list.

Dewey

[DFW HOYA]

We've felt the dropoff in attendance for awhile now. Variety of reasons and every school's different. HC used to regularly draw ovah 15K at Fitton into the '80s and early '90s, but with the dropoff of the program in the non-scholarship-era of the PL, the societal changes ovah the last 30 or so years (i.e. going to a college football game at 1PM on a Saturday took a backseat to other family outings), the availibilty to watch many of the games at Fitton on the internet or TV etc etc have resulted in a "good crowd" at Fitton being anything ovah 10K today.

Regional games matter. Holy Cross doesn't have the built-in base of an NDSU but seems to draw well against New England teams. With no Patriot League teams within three hours of Fitton Field, they don't bring fans to games, and attendance has suffered.

[Sader87]

Regional games matter. Holy Cross doesn't have the built-in base of an NDSU but seems to draw well against New England teams. With no Patriot League teams within three hours of Fitton Field, they don't bring fans to games, and attendance has suffered.

Good point, though I think the issues I stated exist on a macro-level (particularly for Northeast FCS football), HC very rarely played outside of the New England, NY, NJ and Philly areas in the 60s, 70s and 80s (rare one off trips to Air Force, Furman then). The local Ivies, UMass, UConn, BU (as in Boston U) etc. traveled to Fitton fairly well back then....you really don't see that today though I will say Sacred Heart travelled bettah to Fitton than any school in the last few years imo.

[NY Crusader 2010]

Good point, though I think the issues I stated exist on a macro-level (particularly for Northeast FCS football), HC very rarely played outside of the New England, NY, NJ and Philly areas in the 60s, 70s and 80s (rare one off trips to Air Force, Furman then). The local Ivies, UMass, UConn, BU (as in Boston U) etc. traveled to Fitton fairly well back then....you really don't see that today though I will say Sacred Heart travelled bettah to Fitton than any school in the last few years imo.

Even the local schools we play somewhat regularly don't bring many to Fitton. Out of Harvard, Yale, Brown, Colgate and Fordham, none has brought an eyebrow-raising away crowd in my time. UNH and Dartmouth, maybe. But I wasn't at any of the 3 home games we've had vs. UNH since 2010 so I can't say for sure on their part. I've seen us play Dartmouth at home once (2016) since they started to regularly contend in the Ivy and again don't really remember how they traveled -- I know that game was HC homecoming. When I was at Holy Cross, Dartmouth football was awful so they probably weren't bringing many road fans then.

UMASS last came to Worcester in 2008 and 2011 and traveled well both times. Was great to see SHU roll deep for our playoff game. I went to their playoff games against Fordham in 2013 and 2014 in the Bronx and knew they would support in the postseason against us.

[Winindy]

I have 2 season tickets for Bison home games. I used to have to 4, but I gave up 2 living 13 hours away. I would give away my tickets to an old coach, and he would fill my seats for years. I made it to 2 games this year. The guy I usually go with, didn't go because he's avoiding crowds. I haven't been able to give them away for the spring games or the fall games. The reason I am most often given is Covid. That being said, my seats are paid for even if they aren't filled. I have to make my Team Makers payment to have my season tickets whether I go to the games or not. Almost all of the seats are paid for if they aren't filled for the regular season. The playoffs are different. Season ticket holders aren't required to buy tickets, so if they are staying away from games, they probably aren't buying their tickets.

The people that complain about ticket prices every year, it's understandable. But the playoffs are your chance. You only have to pay $45 to attend a game with sideline seats. Regular season tickets are way more expensive to buy. I pay a couple hundred bucks a game per ticket.

[Sader87]

Even the local schools we play somewhat regularly don't bring many to Fitton. Out of Harvard, Yale, Brown, Colgate and Fordham, none has brought an eyebrow-raising away crowd in my time. UNH and Dartmouth, maybe. But I wasn't at any of the 3 home games we've had vs. UNH since 2010 so I can't say for sure on their part. I've seen us play Dartmouth at home once (2016) since they started to regularly contend in the Ivy and again don't really remember how they traveled -- I know that game was HC homecoming. When I was at Holy Cross, Dartmouth football was awful so they probably weren't bringing many road fans then.

UMASS last came to Worcester in 2008 and 2011 and traveled well both times. Was great to see SHU roll deep for our playoff game. I went to their playoff games against Fordham in 2013 and 2014 in the Bronx and knew they would support in the postseason against us.

The Ivies stopped "travelling well" probably by the late 70s/early80s....Dartmouth particularly brought many fans to Fitton in that era. UMass was always a good crowd then too understandbly. Probably Colgate and Harvard brought the most fans after those two (excluding BC).

The thing with the Ivies is that it was a different era then. Most if not all Ivy grads were men then and many lived in the Boston/NYC region obviously. So it was a fairly easy excursion for many to get to Fitton.

Different world today for bettah or worse....we'll nevah see school's (in our region anyway) fans travel to games like they did 30,40,50 years ago.

I would say for a school HC's size, we travel about as well as anyone in the Northeast today.

[Reign of Terrier]

Seems like NDSU has the same problem KSU has for home games in the Big South, except NDSU has a legacy of strong attendance, so it's weirder.

[POD Knows]

11794. Attendance for the game today in Fargo. Sorry showing. They need to pull season tickets from the people that don’t bother to show up for the playoffs or something.

[UNHWildcat18]

It’s gotta be winning syndrome. You aren’t a pro or big time FBS team. You win almost every game and have gone to the ship or semi’s every time for a decade. People driving a decent distance to Fargo have gotten lazy with “oh they’ll win anyways we’ll go next week”

yeah yeah prices and stuff have probably affected a few as well.

[Winterborn]

11794. Attendance for the game today in Fargo. Sorry showing. They need to pull season tickets from the people that don’t bother to show up for the playoffs or something.

I was at the tailgate lot by just before 6am and the rest of the crew was there by 5:30am. The lots were wide open till about 7/7:30 when people started to trickle in. I remember when it was packed by 6:30 or so and I think changing the rules of the west lot (west of the jungle) started the slow slide of the atmosphere down hill. Every year more and more people use their spots for parking and not tailgating.

I graduated at the start of the run and it was a couple of years later that a buddy had a spare ticket and I snuck in as a student. Hanging out with him and his friends was a blast and I was hooked. Became a Teammaker and figured I would slowly accrue enough points to eventually get season tickets. After about 2017 I noticed that I was able to get a seat in a decent section pretty much at will and shelved the idea of season tickets (my job also required me to travel, sometimes at the drop of the hat, and selling a ticket or so last minute was too much of a hassle). Didn't help I was doing the math and at my rate of donation, plus the cost of seat dues, it was going to be a long time till I got out of the nose bleeds. I also was spoiled a bit as people that I bought tickets from had good seats and somebody was always looking to get rid of one last minute.

Flash forward to 2020 and I saw that tickets were even easier to find (plus I wasn't a fan of some of the on field actions and reactions by the coaches), along with money being a bit tighter and the whole uncertainty of the "pandemic" going on, I dropped my TeamMakers and never renewed it. I no longer need the tax break (and with the change in tax laws it wasn't that much anymore for me) and didn't need it for tickets. There are other things I donate to both on and off campus that have more impact I feel.

I still go to almost every game (only missed one or two a year for the previous 8 years outside of the spring season), just as a walk up or though friends that I have met over the years. Would I donate again? Maybe. There are alot of reasons people support the team and athletic department, and they vary all across the board. What we are seeing now is a combination, IMHO, of pricing out the casual fan. Dome is long out of date and needs a massive refresh (concessions, wi-fi, concourse fixes, etc.), COVID, and the fact that NDSU charges for every little thing and has some draconian rules for tailgating (granted they have drastically improved the last 3 or 4 years). People that I first tailgated with, now are married, have kids, and the kids are of age where they are getting into sports. A parent sees the cost of attending a game and tailgating(time and money), then has to make a choice to go to their kids sporting events. For many people, family comes first. And this is the right attitude, IMHO. But that whole generation from mid 20's to late 30's no longer goes to the game. And that was a large chunk of those tailgating and buying tickets back in the day.

Life happens and NDSU let the entire game day experience slide as they really didn't have to do much to keep people coming back and paying more. Can they bring it back? Yes, but it is going to take some work and a few people's scared cows (NDSU administration, Fargodome Board, City Council, etc.) being broke and some out of the box thinking.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

I was at the tailgate lot by just before 6am and the rest of the crew was there by 5:30am. The lots were wide open till about 7/7:30 when people started to trickle in. I remember when it was packed by 6:30 or so and I think changing the rules of the west lot (west of the jungle) started the slow slide of the atmosphere down hill. Every year more and more people use their spots for parking and not tailgating.

I graduated at the start of the run and it was a couple of years later that a buddy had a spare ticket and I snuck in as a student. Hanging out with him and his friends was a blast and I was hooked. Became a Teammaker and figured I would slowly accrue enough points to eventually get season tickets. After about 2017 I noticed that I was able to get a seat in a decent section pretty much at will and shelved the idea of season tickets (my job also required me to travel, sometimes at the drop of the hat, and selling a ticket or so last minute was too much of a hassle). Didn't help I was doing the math and at my rate of donation, plus the cost of seat dues, it was going to be a long time till I got out of the nose bleeds. I also was spoiled a bit as people that I bought tickets from had good seats and somebody was always looking to get rid of one last minute.

Flash forward to 2020 and I saw that tickets were even easier to find (plus I wasn't a fan of some of the on field actions and reactions by the coaches), along with money being a bit tighter and the whole uncertainty of the "pandemic" going on, I dropped my TeamMakers and never renewed it. I no longer need the tax break (and with the change in tax laws it wasn't that much anymore for me) and didn't need it for tickets. There are other things I donate to both on and off campus that have more impact I feel.

I still go to almost every game (only missed one or two a year for the previous 8 years outside of the spring season), just as a walk up or though friends that I have met over the years. Would I donate again? Maybe. There are alot of reasons people support the team and athletic department, and they vary all across the board. What we are seeing now is a combination, IMHO, of pricing out the casual fan. Dome is long out of date and needs a massive refresh (concessions, wi-fi, concourse fixes, etc.), COVID, and the fact that NDSU charges for every little thing and has some draconian rules for tailgating (granted they have drastically improved the last 3 or 4 years). People that I first tailgated with, now are married, have kids, and the kids are of age where they are getting into sports. A parent sees the cost of attending a game and tailgating(time and money), then has to make a choice to go to their kids sporting events. For many people, family comes first. And this is the right attitude, IMHO. But that whole generation from mid 20's to late 30's no longer goes to the game. And that was a large chunk of those tailgating and buying tickets back in the day.

Life happens and NDSU let the entire game day experience slide as they really didn't have to do much to keep people coming back and paying more. Can they bring it back? Yes, but it is going to take some work and a few people's scared cows (NDSU administration, Fargodome Board, City Council, etc.) being broke and some out of the box thinking.



Good post E!!

You're spot on about NDSU letting the fan experience slide. Road the wave of success and didn't do much of anything to improve that experience. Makeover in many areas is needed.

No wifi in there is a total joke and needs to be brought in ASAP. Total shakeup is in order.

[caribbeanhen]

College football attendance as we knew it is over and that goes twice for FCS

*SWAC

[BisonFan02]

It's winning fatigue. Only thing that will save it for the newfound D1 casual fan that started attending would be a FBS move.

I remember a time when I was given **** on Bisonville because, and I quote, Bison boosters (teammakers) were unable to get season tickets and existing season ticket holders that were not boosters/teammakers should get pushed out and seats reassigned based on donation history/rank. I pretty much told them to **** themselves......and, just as predicted, we are back to when you pretty much can't give away unused tickets....where previously we would be getting accused of scalping them during good times (never sold over face value)

[Winterborn]

Good post E!!

You're spot on about NDSU letting the fan experience slide. Road the wave of success and didn't do much of anything to improve that experience. Makeover in many areas is needed.

No wifi in there is a total joke and needs to be brought in ASAP. Total shakeup is in order.

That is what is perplexing to me. Wifi, while not cheap to do it right, is a simple fix to upgrade the experience and 2019 with everything shutdown, was a great time to do it. Plus it doesn't matter what you do with the rest of the Dome, the system wouldn't change (maybe a bit in the concourses). The Dome is sitting on a $50 million surplus that has built up over the years.

This was a hot topic at tailgating and people are noticing. Whether or not they are the right people and can do anything about it is a different story.

Either way, I will still be there when I can. xthumbsupx

[Winterborn]

It's winning fatigue. Only thing that will save it for the newfound D1 casual fan that started attending would be a FBS move.

I remember a time when I was given **** on Bisonville because, and I quote, Bison boosters (teammakers) were unable to get season tickets and existing season ticket holders that were not boosters/teammakers should get pushed out and seats reassigned based on donation history/rank. I pretty much told them to **** themselves......and, just as predicted, we are back to when you pretty much can't give away unused tickets....where previously we would be getting accused of scalping them during good times (never sold over face value)

I think that is a good chunk of it for a segment of the fan base. Looking at the fan base as a whole and the people I personally know, the above fits some of them but not others. There is a multitude of issues that the demand use to cover up and doesn't anymore.

I also don't think there is any one silver bullet to fix it but a multitude of things that need to be done.

Bisonville can't see past it's own nose most of the time........xcoffeex

[POD Knows]

I was at the tailgate lot by just before 6am and the rest of the crew was there by 5:30am. The lots were wide open till about 7/7:30 when people started to trickle in. I remember when it was packed by 6:30 or so and I think changing the rules of the west lot (west of the jungle) started the slow slide of the atmosphere down hill. Every year more and more people use their spots for parking and not tailgating.

I graduated at the start of the run and it was a couple of years later that a buddy had a spare ticket and I snuck in as a student. Hanging out with him and his friends was a blast and I was hooked. Became a Teammaker and figured I would slowly accrue enough points to eventually get season tickets. After about 2017 I noticed that I was able to get a seat in a decent section pretty much at will and shelved the idea of season tickets (my job also required me to travel, sometimes at the drop of the hat, and selling a ticket or so last minute was too much of a hassle). Didn't help I was doing the math and at my rate of donation, plus the cost of seat dues, it was going to be a long time till I got out of the nose bleeds. I also was spoiled a bit as people that I bought tickets from had good seats and somebody was always looking to get rid of one last minute.

Flash forward to 2020 and I saw that tickets were even easier to find (plus I wasn't a fan of some of the on field actions and reactions by the coaches), along with money being a bit tighter and the whole uncertainty of the "pandemic" going on, I dropped my TeamMakers and never renewed it. I no longer need the tax break (and with the change in tax laws it wasn't that much anymore for me) and didn't need it for tickets. There are other things I donate to both on and off campus that have more impact I feel.

I still go to almost every game (only missed one or two a year for the previous 8 years outside of the spring season), just as a walk up or though friends that I have met over the years. Would I donate again? Maybe. There are alot of reasons people support the team and athletic department, and they vary all across the board. What we are seeing now is a combination, IMHO, of pricing out the casual fan. Dome is long out of date and needs a massive refresh (concessions, wi-fi, concourse fixes, etc.), COVID, and the fact that NDSU charges for every little thing and has some draconian rules for tailgating (granted they have drastically improved the last 3 or 4 years). People that I first tailgated with, now are married, have kids, and the kids are of age where they are getting into sports. A parent sees the cost of attending a game and tailgating(time and money), then has to make a choice to go to their kids sporting events. For many people, family comes first. And this is the right attitude, IMHO. But that whole generation from mid 20's to late 30's no longer goes to the game. And that was a large chunk of those tailgating and buying tickets back in the day.

Life happens and NDSU let the entire game day experience slide as they really didn't have to do much to keep people coming back and paying more. Can they bring it back? Yes, but it is going to take some work and a few people's scared cows (NDSU administration, Fargodome Board, City Council, etc.) being broke and some out of the box thinking.
The morning games, we would get in line with our vehicles at 3 in the morning, 3 hours before tailgating would open, just to get a spot in the GA tailgating lot west of the rain forest.

the reserved tailgating killed the tailgating in the GA area’s

[Winterborn]

The morning games, we would get in line with our vehicles at 3 in the morning, 3 hours before tailgating would open, just to get a spot in the GA tailgating lot west of the rain forest.

the reserved tailgating killed the tailgating in the GA area’s

Those days were fun!

[BisonFan02]

The morning games, we would get in line with our vehicles at 3 in the morning, 3 hours before tailgating would open, just to get a spot in the GA tailgating lot west of the rain forest.

the reserved tailgating killed the tailgating in the GA area’s

Oh man.....the rainforest. The OG Prince of Darkness for the Lehigh playoff game where the POD got locked out of the dome during a halftime piss break. xlolx

[POD Knows]

Oh man.....the rainforest. The OG Prince of Darkness for the Lehigh playoff game where the POD got locked out of the dome during a halftime piss break. xlolx
Wasn’t a piss break. I just walked out the south door to get some air and got my assed locked out. Those ****ers.

[Catbooster]

I was at the tailgate lot by just before 6am and the rest of the crew was there by 5:30am. The lots were wide open till about 7/7:30 when people started to trickle in. I remember when it was packed by 6:30 or so and I think changing the rules of the west lot (west of the jungle) started the slow slide of the atmosphere down hill. Every year more and more people use their spots for parking and not tailgating.

I graduated at the start of the run and it was a couple of years later that a buddy had a spare ticket and I snuck in as a student. Hanging out with him and his friends was a blast and I was hooked. Became a Teammaker and figured I would slowly accrue enough points to eventually get season tickets. After about 2017 I noticed that I was able to get a seat in a decent section pretty much at will and shelved the idea of season tickets (my job also required me to travel, sometimes at the drop of the hat, and selling a ticket or so last minute was too much of a hassle). Didn't help I was doing the math and at my rate of donation, plus the cost of seat dues, it was going to be a long time till I got out of the nose bleeds. I also was spoiled a bit as people that I bought tickets from had good seats and somebody was always looking to get rid of one last minute.

Flash forward to 2020 and I saw that tickets were even easier to find (plus I wasn't a fan of some of the on field actions and reactions by the coaches), along with money being a bit tighter and the whole uncertainty of the "pandemic" going on, I dropped my TeamMakers and never renewed it. I no longer need the tax break (and with the change in tax laws it wasn't that much anymore for me) and didn't need it for tickets. There are other things I donate to both on and off campus that have more impact I feel.

I still go to almost every game (only missed one or two a year for the previous 8 years outside of the spring season), just as a walk up or though friends that I have met over the years. Would I donate again? Maybe. There are alot of reasons people support the team and athletic department, and they vary all across the board. What we are seeing now is a combination, IMHO, of pricing out the casual fan. Dome is long out of date and needs a massive refresh (concessions, wi-fi, concourse fixes, etc.), COVID, and the fact that NDSU charges for every little thing and has some draconian rules for tailgating (granted they have drastically improved the last 3 or 4 years). People that I first tailgated with, now are married, have kids, and the kids are of age where they are getting into sports. A parent sees the cost of attending a game and tailgating(time and money), then has to make a choice to go to their kids sporting events. For many people, family comes first. And this is the right attitude, IMHO. But that whole generation from mid 20's to late 30's no longer goes to the game. And that was a large chunk of those tailgating and buying tickets back in the day.

Life happens and NDSU let the entire game day experience slide as they really didn't have to do much to keep people coming back and paying more. Can they bring it back? Yes, but it is going to take some work and a few people's scared cows (NDSU administration, Fargodome Board, City Council, etc.) being broke and some out of the box thinking.
What are the cows scared of?

[Professor Chaos]

What are the cows scared of?
https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/44e27019-68be-4742-8bbb-b0cb449ca589_1.1d9b069ada8ab20f6d0c9e2a4cb3600d.jp eg?odnHeight=768&odnWidth=768&odnBg=FFFFFF

[dewey]

The morning games, we would get in line with our vehicles at 3 in the morning, 3 hours before tailgating would open, just to get a spot in the GA tailgating lot west of the rain forest.

the reserved tailgating killed the tailgating in the GA area’s

Absolutely agreed! NDSU killed epic tailgating in the West concrete lot when they got too greedy and made it reserved.

My father in law used to get in line Friday afternoon. By Friday the lines wrapped all around campus. I only made it to a few games a year but that was always awesome. Lots were full of people and there was a buzz in the air.

A lot of this is NDSU's own doing.

Dewey

[Winterborn]

What are the cows scared of?

Running out of ground feed. xlolx

[Winterborn]

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/44e27019-68be-4742-8bbb-b0cb449ca589_1.1d9b069ada8ab20f6d0c9e2a4cb3600d.jp eg?odnHeight=768&odnWidth=768&odnBg=FFFFFF

We did it the old fashioned way. By hand..... xnodx

[Professor Chaos]

Absolutely agreed! NDSU killed epic tailgating in the West concrete lot when they got too greedy and made it reserved.

My father in law used to get in line Friday afternoon. By Friday the lines wrapped all around campus. I only made it to a few games a year but that was always awesome. Lots were full of people and there was a buzz in the air.

A lot of this is NDSU's own doing.

Dewey
Just speaking personally I wasn't a fan of having to line up Friday night and sleep in my vehicle just to get a spot in the GA section of the lot on Saturday so I very much appreciated when they opened up the additional reserved spots so we could get some. But I get your point.

The thing that was odd this year is all the reserved spots were purchased yet there were quite a number of spots around our tailgate that didn't have a vehicle in them all year. I like having reserved spots but I think they should give people the option of buying season reserved spots or single game reserved spots. Fat chance of that happening though since it probably means less money in their pocket (although they could charge more - like $25 per spot - for single game reserved passes).

[WeAreThePride]

Opening the season with a cupcake we expect to destroy by 50 doesn't help either. Get a good team in here, schedule some home and homes, and build some actual excitement early.

[Professor Chaos]

Opening the season with a cupcake we expect to destroy by 50 doesn't help either. Get a good team in here, schedule some home and homes, and build some actual excitement early.
I'm sure they'd like to get quality teams in out of conference and get FBS games and get 6 home games but you can't really do it all. If they schedule home/homes that takes FBS games off the table in the years they go on the road for those games unless they want to go to 5 home games which would be a huge hit to ticket revenue. IMO the priority should be:
1) Get 6 home games
2) Get an FBS game
3) Get a quality FCS home/home

[Gil Dobie]

Opening the season with a cupcake we expect to destroy by 50 doesn't help either. Get a good team in here, schedule some home and homes, and build some actual excitement early.

I like the cupcake games, for the simple reason, I'm probably going to get a glance at the future players, like Cole Payton this year, Trey Lance and Easton Stick for example, along with the other position players. I go to as many games as I can, to support the program (players) and enjoy watching the Bison team perform. I could care less about the food, the tailgating, the opponent, booze. Those are all perks, that are good to have, and I'm sure they improve attendance. I live closer to 4 other Division I schools, a couple within a half hour of my house. They could offer all these things and offer free admission with cash payments for every game attended, but I would still drive 4 hours for Bison games, because it's Bison football, my alma matter.

[Lorne_Malvo]

Football attendance has been declining at NDSU since the 2018 playoffs. Probablybefore then. I remember seeing NDSU playing Colgate and seeing big open areas of empty seats.

The Fargo Moorhead media has been trying to figure out why. Here is what they have come up with.
1. Fans getting bored (I know, crazy).
2. Ticket cost (to bring a family of 4 you are looking at over $200 per game).
3. The gameday experience. NDSU hasn't changed the gameday experience in quite a few years.
4. No wifi. People like to be connected.
5. COVID. I think that is a factor this fall.
6. No beer at the game.
7. Unlike Montana and Montana State once you leave the stadium there is no coming back in. That needs to change.

NDSU needs to look at other schools and see what they are doing and start to copy things that work other places.

Dewey


Add players kneeling during the National Anthem. That did some damage.

[Gil Dobie]

The Minnesota Vikings used to have a local blackout for home game, that didn't sell out.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

Opening the season with a cupcake we expect to destroy by 50 doesn't help either. Get a good team in here, schedule some home and homes, and build some actual excitement early.


And sacrifice 6 homes games? No way!

[Sir William]

I haven’t read thru this whole thread, so I don’t know if this has been said already, but…

If NDSU wants to pack their stadium again for every (or almost every) home game, then go after a Mountain West invite and move up to FBS. I say this with tremendous respect for the Bison program. You guys have nothing else to prove at the FCS level.

Some folks might think that you need a bigger stadium to go FBS. Baloney! The NCAA isn’t gonna require and enforce such a standard. Besides, if you need to build a 30,000 seat domed stadium, then do it. It’s not like NDSU doesn’t have the money and future money to be able to do this.

Whether you win the Natty this year or not, congrats on the great run you’ve had in FCS. I don’t think another program will ever be able to accomplish your level of success again, at least not in my lifetime.

Just please, move up already…like George and Weezy.

[Professor Chaos]

I haven’t read thru this whole thread, so I don’t know if this has been said already, but…

If NDSU wants to pack their stadium again for every (or almost every) home game, then go after a Mountain West invite and move up to FBS. I say this with tremendous respect for the Bison program. You guys have nothing else to prove at the FCS level.

Some folks might think that you need a bigger stadium to go FBS. Baloney! The NCAA isn’t gonna require and enforce such a standard. Besides, if you need to build a 30,000 seat domed stadium, then do it. It’s not like NDSU doesn’t have the money and future money to be able to do this.

Whether you win the Natty this year or not, congrats on the great run you’ve had in FCS. I don’t think another program will ever be able to accomplish your level of success again, at least not in my lifetime.

Just please, move up already…like George and Weezy.
Trust me, there's more posts on Bisonville about this topic than there probably has been on the FCS Discussion board here all fall. The question is how does a school "go after" a MWC invite? I assume you mean pitching your school to a conference and for all we know NDSU has done/is doing that. The main question there is what does NDSU bring to the MWC that would be attractive to the current member schools? Based on what I've seen football program success/pedigree is a very distant 2nd to geography when it comes to FCS->FBS move ups and NDSU's geography makes it almost a non-starter for the MWC or any other FBS conference for that matter. I don't see NDSU moving up without one or more regional partners currently in the FCS that could join an FBS league as a northern conglomerate of league members.

[Preferred Walk-On]

I haven’t read thru this whole thread, so I don’t know if this has been said already, but…

If NDSU wants to pack their stadium again for every (or almost every) home game, then go after a Mountain West invite and move up to FBS. I say this with tremendous respect for the Bison program. You guys have nothing else to prove at the FCS level.

Some folks might think that you need a bigger stadium to go FBS. Baloney! The NCAA isn’t gonna require and enforce such a standard. Besides, if you need to build a 30,000 seat domed stadium, then do it. It’s not like NDSU doesn’t have the money and future money to be able to do this.

Whether you win the Natty this year or not, congrats on the great run you’ve had in FCS. I don’t think another program will ever be able to accomplish your level of success again, at least not in my lifetime.

Just please, move up already…like George and Weezy.

Actually, there are many in the state that make budget decisions that do not think NDSU is worthy of adequate funding. I suppose the booster base might be a bit different, but I have seen a number of people on this forum (and others) bitching about booster fees and ticket prices. It is actually a bit comical for other fan bases that have no clue...none...about our budgets to make this claim. Remember, oil money is mostly for those that are actually not residents and could give two s***s about ND. Also, one needs to remember that citizens of ND typically like to keep their money in cookie jars and under mattresses (generalizing, of course) and never, ever spend it, let alone invest it. Can the money be found...of course. Will it come at the expense of other things...absolutely. Will this be beneficial to NDSU, Fargo, and the state of ND...maybe, but likely not?

[Preferred Walk-On]

Trust me, there's more posts on Bisonville about this topic than there probably has been on the FCS Discussion board here all fall. The question is how does a school "go after" a MWC invite? I assume you mean pitching your school to a conference and for all we know NDSU has done/is doing that. The main question there is what does NDSU bring to the MWC that would be attractive to the current member schools? Based on what I've seen football program success/pedigree is a very distant 2nd to geography when it comes to FCS->FBS move ups and NDSU's geography makes it almost a non-starter for the MWC or any other FBS conference for that matter. I don't see NDSU moving up without one or more regional partners currently in the FCS that could join an FBS league as a northern conglomerate of league members.

Taking budget out of the equation, then there is this. ^^^^

[Bisonoline]

Absolutely agreed! NDSU killed epic tailgating in the West concrete lot when they got too greedy and made it reserved.

My father in law used to get in line Friday afternoon. By Friday the lines wrapped all around campus. I only made it to a few games a year but that was always awesome. Lots were full of people and there was a buzz in the air.

A lot of this is NDSU's own doing.

Dewey

Waiting in line all night to tailgate is a fun memory. But I wouldnt call it epic. Epic tailgating was truly epic during the championship runs.

[Bisonoline]

Trust me, there's more posts on Bisonville about this topic than there probably has been on the FCS Discussion board here all fall. The question is how does a school "go after" a MWC invite? I assume you mean pitching your school to a conference and for all we know NDSU has done/is doing that. The main question there is what does NDSU bring to the MWC that would be attractive to the current member schools? Based on what I've seen football program success/pedigree is a very distant 2nd to geography when it comes to FCS->FBS move ups and NDSU's geography makes it almost a non-starter for the MWC or any other FBS conference for that matter. I don't see NDSU moving up without one or more regional partners currently in the FCS that could join an FBS league as a northern conglomerate of league members.

You forgot the most important factor. What does NDSU bring to the table for all the other schools and the conference???????
What got Penn Sate in the B10????? Look what PSU brings to the table academically , medical schools and research is freaking huge. The synergies are endless with the tyins to all the other schools.

SO---The real question is whats important to the conference you want to go to.

[dewey]

Waiting in line all night to tailgate is a fun memory. But I wouldnt call it epic. Epic tailgating was truly epic during the championship runs.

My intent was that the energy was there from Friday night and once the lots opened up Saturday almost every spot was full. That energy with a full energetic fan base was epic...to me:-)

When we went to the Indiana State game the west concrete lot was 1/2 to 60% full. Understandably the weather wasn't the greatest and the opponent wasn't very good.

Dewey

[Bisonoline]

Add players kneeling during the National Anthem. That did some damage.

Huge. More than some want to admit.

[MR. CHICKEN]

32352

.....SORRAH BOYS.....AH WON'T BE ATTENDIN'......AWK!

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

Huge. More than some want to admit.


I hear this also....more and more!

[semobison]

I hear this also....more and more!

From the same few people! Check JMU’s attendance decline. Much the same as ours. Attendance decline in college FB is nation wide.

[POD Knows]

I bought my tickets at the SHAC today. We bought 7 out of the 9 we have. The dude at the ticket counter said they had waiting list for all of the unclaimed season tickets that weren’t bought. Good sign I guess

[FUBeAR]

32352

.....SORRAH BOYS.....AH WON'T BE ATTENDIN'......AWK!Didn’t realize we needed to RSVP. Thanks to Mr. Chicken for remindin’ FUBeAR of his manners.

FUBeAR would be coming, but…the Committee.

[Winterborn]

I bought my tickets at the SHAC today. We bought 7 out of the 9 we have. The dude at the ticket counter said they had waiting list for all of the unclaimed season tickets that weren’t bought. Good sign I guess


Which is interesting in that it was my understanding that all unclaimed tickets had to go to the public first. List like the one you mentioned are not allowed (at least per the rules I read).

[POD Knows]

Which is interesting in that it was my understanding that all unclaimed tickets had to go to the public first. List like the one you mentioned are not allowed (at least per the rules I read).
They are going to the public. When did tickets go on sale for the public. There were seats available in almost all of the sections. When I bought my 7 out of 9 those two extra seats will be available to buy or maybe they are “slotting” those to cover requests that have already been received by the ticket office. I am not real sure how it works

[ScrappytheOwl]

I was surprised to hear that NDSU attendance was declining. I wonder if fans are just getting bored with all the consistent winning at the fcs level. I think some of it may be all the streaming options available throughout college football. In general, there used to be not as much at home access to college football as there is today. That could be a contributing factor.

[Hammerhead]

Huge. More than some want to admit.

My parents' neighbor quit donating to Team Makers after the kneeling during the national anthem. Mrs Hammerhead and I usually go to 2-3 regular season games each year, but only went to one in the spring and none this fall. We still haven't missed a playoff game since moving back to Fargo in 2015.

[thebootfitter]

Add players kneeling during the National Anthem. That did some damage.
Not disputing that this could have had an effect on people's willingness to support the team, but it strikes me as a bit of an odd position for folks to take. As fans, isn't it our "job" to support the team while being entertained? If there is a cause that is meaningful enough to the players that they would risk upsetting fans and donors, it seems that as fans, we should still support our players -- even if we don't understand or "agree" with their cause. But I guess it's easy to make things political and take sides on pretty much anything these days. I think we all lose out when we do that... but that's just my humble opinion.

[Bisonoline]

Not disputing that this could have had an effect on people's willingness to support the team, but it strikes me as a bit of an odd position for folks to take. As fans, isn't it our "job" to support the team while being entertained? If there is a cause that is meaningful enough to the players that they would risk upsetting fans and donors, it seems that as fans, we should still support our players -- even if we don't understand or "agree" with their cause. But I guess it's easy to make things political and take sides on pretty much anything these days. I think we all lose out when we do that... but that's just my humble opinion.

You had a couple of players who didnt care that it took over 100 years to get to this point. There message was more important. They didnt care about the program.
They brought the politics to the locker room. They split the locker room and because of their actions TM lost a ton of money.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

You had a couple of players who didnt care that it took over 100 years to get to this point. There message was more important. They didnt care about the program.
They brought the politics to the locker room. They split the locker room and because of their actions TM lost a ton of money.


This here is exactly what I was told also. Agree/disagree with the players, this is what the outcome was for some TMers and their lack of support.

Personally, I didn't like it but I still renewed my membership.

[Winterborn]

They are going to the public. When did tickets go on sale for the public. There were seats available in almost all of the sections. When I bought my 7 out of 9 those two extra seats will be available to buy or maybe they are “slotting” those to cover requests that have already been received by the ticket office. I am not real sure how it works

Non-season ticket seats went on sale Sunday at 1pm (or around that time). Season ticket holders have until today at 5pm to claim their tickets and if they do not, they go on sale to the general public Wednesday at 8am. There should be no slotting or reserving the season tickets that are not claimed until that time on Wednesday.

To use your example, the two seats that you did not renew for this game would go on sale at Wednesday at 8am. The ticket office cannot "reserve them" for somebody who calls in ahead of time (season ticket holder or not) as they were originally assigned to you as the season ticket holder and not somebody else. At least that is my understanding of the process when one of the TM guys explained it to me a few years back (and things could of changed).

[Winterborn]

Not disputing that this could have had an effect on people's willingness to support the team, but it strikes me as a bit of an odd position for folks to take. As fans, isn't it our "job" to support the team while being entertained? If there is a cause that is meaningful enough to the players that they would risk upsetting fans and donors, it seems that as fans, we should still support our players -- even if we don't understand or "agree" with their cause. But I guess it's easy to make things political and take sides on pretty much anything these days. I think we all lose out when we do that... but that's just my humble opinion.

For a few people that I talked to, it was not the message but how they went about stating their position i.e. on the field.


And my apologies Ursus for continuing a topic that will probably get political in the Football Area. I am not aiming to poke the bear. :D

[semobison]

You had a couple of players who didnt care that it took over 100 years to get to this point. There message was more important. They didnt care about the program.
They brought the politics to the locker room. They split the locker room and because of their actions TM lost a ton of money.

FWIW, your the same guy who posts a pic of Arab women burning the American flag and claim it was in Michigan when the picture was taken at a rally in Iran.
Funny, NDSU just recieved their biggest donation ever, 15 mil!
Split the locker room...BS, it fits Your politics and You continuously bring it up!
Thank you for our 1st Amendment Rights!

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

FWIW, your the same guy who posts a pic of Arab women burning the American flag and claim it was in Michigan when the picture was taken at a rally in Iran.
Funny, NDSU just recieved their biggest donation ever, 15 mil!
Split the locker room...BS, it fits Your politics and You continuously bring it up!
Thank you for our 1st Amendment Rights!



And what does Blattner's donation have to do with this? And why you bringing politics in this? Some people gave up support, most didn't.

PL is a former player and probably has more knowledge of what is going on with TMers than you do. What PL is saying is what I have heard also. It is just one piece of probably many pieces on why the attendance has sagged this post season and for the home games this season.

S

[semobison]

And what does Blattner's donation have to do with this? And why you bringing politics in this? Some people gave up support, most didn't.

PL is a former player and probably has more knowledge of what is going on with TMers than you do. What PL is saying is what I have heard also. It is just one piece of probably many pieces on why the attendance has sagged this post season and for the home games this season.

S

I didn’t ****ing bring it up! The same people who think this is an issue keep repeating this over and over and you are one of them!
Oline claimed we are losing big bucks...BS!
Same thing on Bville, the same 3 people keep repeating this BS! This has VERY LITTLE to do with declining attendance!

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

I didn’t ****ing bring it up! The same people who think this is an issue keep repeating this over and over and you are one of them!
Oline claimed we are losing big bucks...BS!
Same thing on Bville, the same 3 people keep repeating this BS! This has VERY LITTLE to do with declining attendance!


Yes you did. I agreed with PL and his statement. Like I said, it is one piece of many on why attendance as sagged. And where have I brought this up over and over as you claim? I agreed with PL that I have been told the same thing. Losing big bucks? I don't know that for sure but I know people that have not renewed their TMers membership because of the kneeling.

[semobison]

Yes you did. I agreed with PL and his statement. Like I said, it is one piece of many on why attendance as sagged. And where have I brought this up over and over as you claim? I agreed with PL that I have been told the same thing. Losing big bucks? I don't know that for sure but I know people that have not renewed their TMers membership because of the kneeling.

I remember you and O-line complaining about Sproles and others dividing the locker room yet he was voted team captain.
Obviously he is well respected by his teammates.
If there are TMers not renewing their memberships because of one instance over a year ago a few 20 year old Americans expressed their 1st Amendment Rights I hope they don’t let the door hit em in the ass on the way out.
I always stand and put my hand over my heart during the anthem. Do what you think is right and quit worrying about what other people do. That’s American!

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

I remember you and O-line complaining about Sproles and others dividing the locker room yet he was voted team captain.
Obviously he is well respected by his teammates.
If there are TMers not renewing their memberships because of one instance over a year ago a few 20 year old Americans expressed their 1st Amendment Rights I hope they don’t let the door hit em in the ass on the way out.
I always stand and put my hand over my heart during the anthem. Do what you think is right and quit worrying about what other people do. That’s American!


If I was "worried" about what other people do then I wouldn't have renewed my TMers membership. 19 years I've been a member and a few kids kneeling wouldn't get me to quit. I disagreed with them doing that but didn't change my support for my alma mater.

[Bisonoline]

FWIW, your the same guy who posts a pic of Arab women burning the American flag and claim it was in Michigan when the picture was taken at a rally in Iran.
Funny, NDSU just recieved their biggest donation ever, 15 mil!
Split the locker room...BS, it fits Your politics and You continuously bring it up!
Thank you for our 1st Amendment Rights!

You dont know what the **** youre talking about. You have no idea what happened behind the scenes. You have no idea what happened in the LOcker room. You have no idea what happened when Entz talked to the team after TM lost a ton of money.

You basically have no knowledge of anything youre flapping your mouth about.

[HootyHoo]

Hooty has found the FargoDome’s weakness! All the Owls have to do is kneel on the field and the entire fanbase will leave immediately. This is fantastic news.

[Lorne_Malvo]

You dont know what the **** youre talking about. You have no idea what happened behind the scenes. You have no idea what happened in the LOcker room. You have no idea what happened when Entz talked to the team after TM lost a ton of money.

Its not so much what they did, its doing it on the way out the door, in your last game. Lance is a bitch for doing that.

[Bisonoline]

Its not so much what they did, its doing it on the way out the door, in your last game. Lance is a bitch for doing that.

Time and place was the issue on that.

[dewey]

Here is an article from Mike McFeely about the NDSU attendance issue.

https://www.inforum.com/sports/bison-media-zone/mens-sports/mcfeely-if-bison-fans-dont-show-for-james-madison-in-the-national-semifinals-when-will-they

Dewey

[Gil Dobie]

Reported to be 1700 tickets available for Friday night.

[Bisonator]

Reported to be 1700 tickets available for Friday night.
Nah, it's currently under 1200, mostly nose bleed and end zone left.

[Gil Dobie]

Nah, it's currently under 1200, mostly nose bleed and end zone left.

How many seats will JMU use?

[Bisonator]

How many seats will JMU use?
No idea, their fans can buy them if they want but I'd assume there won't be more then their allotment.

[Professor Chaos]

How many seats will JMU use?
Guessing not very many since I believe their ticket office returned some of their visitor allotment to NDSU to try to sell (but those visitor section seats aren't very good either).


Here is an article from Mike McFeely about the NDSU attendance issue.

https://www.inforum.com/sports/bison-media-zone/mens-sports/mcfeely-if-bison-fans-dont-show-for-james-madison-in-the-national-semifinals-when-will-they

Dewey
I'm not a fan of Mike's but he's dead on about fan complacency. The notion that going FBS fixes the apathy is always a sketchy argument to me because, even if it does, how long before those fans that would come back are "bored" again?

[Bisonator]

Not sure complacency has much to do with it. Covid and economics are a big issue for a lot of people right now.

[POD Knows]

Not sure complacency has much to do with it. Covid and economics are a big issue for a lot of people right now.
Attendance was down before Covid. Lots of Frisco only type fans out there. Bandwagoners that drove prices up are leaving in droves.

[Bisonator]

Attendance was down before Covid. Lots of Frisco only type fans out there. Bandwagoners that drove prices up are leaving in droves.
But why? The wagon is still rollin.....

[Professor Chaos]

But why? The wagon is still rollin.....
That's the wild thing... I don't think I've ever seen bandwagoners hopping off before the down year(s). We're on the bleeding edge of bandwagonry I guess. xlolx

[Bisonoline]

But why? The wagon is still rollin.....

Not every one is hard core anymore. A lot has changed over the last 2 years.

[Mfergy4]

I read the previous posts and IMHO the Band-wagoners are getting bored, TM fees getting higher, economics, life style changes, and with games being televised locally are all reasons for the decline in attendance. We can discuss that topic all we want. How to get people back in the cramped, narrow seats should be the discussion. It is all about how to get the fans to pony up the dollars and the time to come out and watch the game. For those who think Covid has not impacted this, just look at the restaurants and movie theaters, most are not back to the pre-covid levels of attendance either.

[Professor Chaos]

I read the previous posts and IMHO the Band-wagoners are getting bored, TM fees getting higher, economics, life style changes, and with games being televised locally are all reasons for the decline in attendance. We can discuss that topic all we want. How to get people back in the cramped, narrow seats should be the discussion. It is all about how to get the fans to pony up the dollars and the time to come out and watch the game. For those who think Covid has not impacted this, just look at the restaurants and movie theaters, most are not back to the pre-covid levels of attendance either.
Are North Dakotans that much more nervous about COVID than Montanans? Montana State sold out their stadium for a home semifinal within hours of tickets going on sale and they have a larger stadium to fill along with fans having to brave the elements.

[Mfergy4]

Are North Dakotans that much more nervous about COVID than Montanans? Montana State sold out their stadium for a home semifinal within hours of tickets going on sale and they have a larger stadium to fill along with fans having to brave the elements.
Hey, don't kill the messenger, I got my 7 plus and an extra 2 for for this game....just making a blanket statement on attendance overall, not just this one game.

[Professor Chaos]

Hey, don't kill the messenger, I got my 7 plus and an extra 2 for for this game....just making a blanket statement on attendance overall, not just this one game.
You could be right... I just don't know if there's an end in sight if COVID aversion is a/the reason for declining attendance so it'll be tough to gauge its impact. Personally, I just think at some point we have to call a spade a spade and acknowledge that our fan base is spoiled rotten and that rot is beginning to show.

[dewey]

Are North Dakotans that much more nervous about COVID than Montanans? Montana State sold out their stadium for a home semifinal within hours of tickets going on sale and they have a larger stadium to fill along with fans having to brave the elements.

Montana State is hosting a semifinal for the 1st time in decades....if not ever. Our 1st few semifinals were sold out really quick. This is probably the 1st time a semifinal hasn't been sold out (maybe Montana State wasn't).

The Montana Grizzles were sold out for a big home game with the 1st really good Grizzlies team in almost a decade.

I think COVID is a problem but attendance has been declining for years before COVID became a problem in the US.

NDSU needs to up their game for the game day experience. Having every game televised is also a factor.

Dewey

[Professor Chaos]

Montana State is hosting a semifinal for the 1st time in decades....if not ever. Our 1st few semifinals were sold out really quick.

The Montana Grizzles were sold out for a big home game with the 1st really good Grizzlies team in almost a decade.

I think COVID is a problem but attendance has been declining for years before COVID became a problem in the US.

NDSU needs to up their game for the game day experience. Having every game televised is also a factor.

Dewey
I'd agree that NDSU needs to improve things in and around the Fargodome on gameday. My season ticket price has more than doubled in the last 10 years and that doesn't include Team Maker dues. I'd wager that's the steepest price increase of anywhere in the FCS in that time and they haven't done much of anything to show increased value for those price hikes.

[dewey]

IMHO NDSU should be looking at the Montana schools and any other schools (D3, NAIA, D2, FCS, FBS, etc) out there to see what they do in terms of promotions to enhance the gameday experience.

I personally think NDSU did this to themselves when they made the West concrete lot reserved. I think this killed the average fan from going tailgating and then going to the games. Tailgating was "the thing to do" for quite a while but NDSU chaed the guaranteed money pushing out the "average Jane's & Joe's". Now NDSU attendance is suffering because those average fans aren't going.

The hard core fans are always going to go but NDSU needs to do some research and figure out why the last 3-8k fans aren't going. Perhaps call former season ticket holders, randomly select members from the community to ask why.

I think cost is becoming a problem. Maybe NDSU needs to lower the cost of some regular season tickets so they can match those lower cost tickets for the playoffs just to get people to the Fargodome.

Dewey

[BisonFan02]

Bison football became a social status fad in Fargo for a good chunk of years....5ish or so. The prices started to climb and the casual crowd got bored. Many of the priced out longer term "rabid" fans haven't come back or maybe even wont. Frisco is still a status symbol fad and those tickets would sell. It's kinda pathetic really.

[dewey]

Bison football became a social status fad in Fargo for a good chunk of years....5ish or so. The prices started to climb and the casual crowd got bored. Many of the priced out longer term "rabid" fans haven't come back or maybe even wont. Frisco is still a status symbol fad and those tickets would sell. It's kinda pathetic really.

Agreed. I know some people that went for a while but haven't been back for a few years. The social status was probably why.

Dewey

[Mfergy4]

You could be right... I just don't know if there's an end in sight if COVID aversion is a/the reason for declining attendance so it'll be tough to gauge its impact. Personally, I just think at some point we have to call a spade a spade and acknowledge that our fan base is spoiled rotten and that rot is beginning to show.

You are correct the fair-weather fan rot is beginning to show, but how much has the game being televised each week impacted attendance?? We pass many fans leaving the tailgate lots to their to go home and watch the game.

[ysubigred]

You are correct the fair-weather fan rot is beginning to show, but how much has the game being televised each week impacted attendance?? We pass many fans leaving the tailgate lots to their to go home and watch the game.ESPN+ also kills fans.. every college game just a click of the mouse...

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[caribbeanhen]

I'd agree that NDSU needs to improve things in and around the Fargodome on gameday. My season ticket price has more than doubled in the last 10 years and that doesn't include Team Maker dues. I'd wager that's the steepest price increase of anywhere in the FCS in that time and they haven't done much of anything to show increased value for those price hikes.

The attendance issues being described sound very familiar to Delaware fans reasoning on declining attendance

I think it’s kinda like the virus, it’s widespread and eventually will find you no matter what

[SUPharmacist]

Are North Dakotans that much more nervous about COVID than Montanans? Montana State sold out their stadium for a home semifinal within hours of tickets going on sale and they have a larger stadium to fill along with fans having to brave the elements.

It may not be a huge factor and I agree North Dakota and Montanan sensabilities are likely very similar in regards to Covid. However, do not forget the Minnesotan contingent of NDSU fandom that may be more concerned on average.

I am not a regular to games in Fargo, but have been looking more frequently at games with how much easier it has gotten these days. But despite believing the science that I am well protected from severe disease due to 3 doses of the vaccine I am still staying away due to the laissez-faire attitudes in ND. There is risk (albeit smaller and for a shorter duration than the unvaccinated) that I can catch and transmit to others. I vaccinate people all day long and still do a fair amount of first doses, many of which still do not want to wear a mask. I do not want to infect this susceptible group at the time they are making a positive public health choice. Additionally, I have a household member who has had Covid and 3 doses of vaccine but is part of a study with Johns Hopkins since she takes immunosuppressive therapy and labs have shown she does not have antibodies.

TLDR; many have reasons for themselves or those close to them to not go to a game and it may not be the biggest issue for current attendance but I think it does matter. Also, if anyone here is on the fence about getting vaccinated due to their covid risk being low, get it to protect those around you (you might be surprised who near you is at high risk).

[Hammerhead]

There's also the novelty factor where MSU hasn't hosted a semifinal game since 1984. It's like when my cousin got a job at the Tastee-Freez and they said she could get as much free ice cream as she wanted at the end of each shift knowing that within a week or two, most employees are sick of ice cream. :)


Are North Dakotans that much more nervous about COVID than Montanans? Montana State sold out their stadium for a home semifinal within hours of tickets going on sale and they have a larger stadium to fill along with fans having to brave the elements.

[Bisonoline]

You could be right... I just don't know if there's an end in sight if COVID aversion is a/the reason for declining attendance so it'll be tough to gauge its impact. Personally, I just think at some point we have to call a spade a spade and acknowledge that our fan base is spoiled rotten and that rot is beginning to show.

Every fan base has fair weather fans. NDSU was hit particularly hard because we hadnt won anything big for a long time. Regardless they became TM members
and help pay the bills.

Fan attrition is a normal occurence and it built in to the business model.

I dont get the angst .