How do we market college sports in conferences like the Socon?

[elonforrealz]

I know you guys know I go to Elon. No more disputes, okay? My question for the board is this, how do you get students at, say, Elon, to care about going to the football and basketball games. How do you convince them to take their weeknights to attend a basketball game where Elon is steadily improving. Why do they have to be fairweather fans at times? Seattle Seahawk fans sell out no matter how crappy they are. Same wiht Texas A&M. So how do you get students at SoCon schools to care about these two major sports?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

If you figure out the answer, let us all know.

[elonforrealz]

I wasn't trying to be sarcastic at all. Are there any examples where students in FCS conferences attend football and basketball games even without a large winning history.

[Side Judge]

ODU comes to mind as a school with a new and popular football program, albeit with a well-established basketball program. Key to the popularity for those programs, I think, is good, centrally-located facilities (a short walk from the heart of campus). Of course their football team enjoyed considerable success and exposure this season, so that always helps with attendance.

[DFW HOYA]

Why do they have to be fairweather fans at times? Seattle Seahawk fans sell out no matter how crappy they are. Same wiht Texas A&M. So how do you get students at SoCon schools to care about these two major sports?

That was not always the case at Texas A&M. The Aggies used to play in the 7,000 seat G. Rollie White Coliseum and struggled to get 4,000 a game. The new facility (Reed Arena) sent a message that A&M was serious about basketball and the fan base responded.

[HailSzczur]

i agree, facilities have abit to do with it
but at Nova we have decenct 12500 seat football stadium and usually hit 8000 with a generous visiting fan base of afew thousand.
as far as basketball, 1 NCAA apperance does miracles. Im not sure how it works with football seeing that we still can't fill the place a year after winning the NC