Topic: Do Herd Football Fans Owe An Apology To Herd Seniors?

[mu79grad]

I stole the Subject Line of my post from today's Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper.  Columnist Mark Story writes how a UK player was upset that the stadium was not sold out for UK's last home football game, which was Senior Day.  After all, UK junior Kash Daniels states, this UK team, led by the senior class, surpassed all expectations.  Daniel contends that UK fans should have packed the stadium this past Saturday to show their appreciation.

Story makes the point that it's a two-way street.  He blames a non-sellout due to the fact that a few years ago the UK athletic administration re-seated season ticket holders and many fans stopped coming (sound familiar).  I found this sentence to be telling.  Story writes, "...Once you have unequivocally shown your fans that their value is determined by how much money they are worth to the university, it's hard to then turn around and make emotional appeals to fan 'loyalty.'"  In addition, Story writes that the season ending game, which was held the week after a stunning loss to Tennessee, was a C-USA opponent in MTSU and a lot of fans found other ways to spend the afternoon.  Story says that no, UK fans don't owe the UK seniors an apology for the reasons he states.

https://www.kentucky.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mark-story/article221901930.html

[chris88]

Happens every year most everywhere.  Weather is usually the culprit.  Yes players deserve better but they shouldn't take it personally.  Now, if the player families don't show than that would stink.

[goherd24]

I really don't like the excuse of fans leaving as reseating. That wasn't the problem in any way. Doc, and consistently being mediocre in a very bad league is the problem with our fan attendance. Hamrick won't do anything until the fans drop off and his hand is forced.

[parshall2marshall]

Clemson's IPTAY stood for "I pay [$] 20.00 a year" in the 70's and maybe into the 80's before their mythical national championship in '81 or '82 ( I forget ).

Then IPTAY came to stand for "I pay [$] 200.00 a year"

No word if IPTAY now stands for "I pay [$] 2,000.00 a year" yet. I believe you get the picture.



"Actors should be treated like cattle." - Alfred Hitchcock

[coalherd]

Originally, way, way back, I believe IPTAY stood for "I pay $10  a year".

[wasbarryb]

I stole the Subject Line of my post from today's Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper.  Columnist Mark Story writes how a UK player was upset that the stadium was not sold out for UK's last home football game, which was Senior Day.  After all, UK junior Kash Daniels states, this UK team, led by the senior class, surpassed all expectations.  Daniel contends that UK fans should have packed the stadium this past Saturday to show their appreciation.

Story makes the point that it's a two-way street.  He blames a non-sellout due to the fact that a few years ago the UK athletic administration re-seated season ticket holders and many fans stopped coming (sound familiar).  I found this sentence to be telling.  Story writes, "...Once you have unequivocally shown your fans that their value is determined by how much money they are worth to the university, it's hard to then turn around and make emotional appeals to fan 'loyalty.'"  In addition, Story writes that the season ending game, which was held the week after a stunning loss to Tennessee, was a C-USA opponent in MTSU and a lot of fans found other ways to spend the afternoon.  Story says that no, UK fans don't owe the UK seniors an apology for the reasons he states.

https://www.kentucky.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mark-story/article221901930.html

Really really really dumb comparison. As the article points out this Ky team gave Ky its’ first SEC winning record since 1977. Our MU senior class participated in the first 3-9 season since god knows when.

It appears the real motive of posting this article is yet another whine over reseating. Even that effort is anemic as the Ky reseating plan was the result of a $110 million renovation of the stadium. An apple to oranges comparison with MU’s reseating plan.

The constant complaining of some childish Herd fans who can’t get over the reseating plan a few years ago gets very tedious. Grow up gang.

[mu79grad]

Really really really dumb comparison. As the article points out this Ky team gave Ky its’ first SEC winning record since 1977. Our MU senior class participated in the first 3-9 season since god knows when.

It appears the real motive of posting this article is yet another whine over reseating. Even that effort is anemic as the Ky reseating plan was the result of a $110 million renovation of the stadium. An apple to oranges comparison with MU’s reseating plan.

The constant complaining of some childish Herd fans who can’t get over the reseating plan a few years ago gets very tedious. Grow up gang.

I won't quibble about your opinion that it was a dumb comparison.  However, my motivation in posting this had nothing to do with the re-seating policy.  As the author pointed out, if grandiose things at UK were going to be done, it had to be done with more revenue.  That's the way of the world.  My main motivation in posting was because some media types have been calling out the fans when the fans may look at it the way the author of the article did.

[herd2win]

The fan world of college football has changed....as pointed out in another thread...college football games were an event 6 times a year to get together to see and spend time with old friends and family...it has been that way for me and my family since I was 2 years old....I have lived all over the US and I could always count on coming back to MU football games and seeing many friends and I always tailgated with my family.

Now people stay in touch through social media and the feeling of community that football games brought is not as big a part of the "event" as it was 15 years ago.  Attendance is down everywhere.  Attendance would be more if we played a more exciting brand of football but don't expect the same crowds as in the past no matter the coach or our record.

If we play Va Tech next week I will bet that there will be at least 20000 empty seats at Va Tech.

[BHFIOHIO]

They weren't mediochre in 96 when Moss and company went 15 and 0 and won the NC. But game 1 and game 15 the only contests to crack 25000.

[2xBison]

The fan world of college football has changed....as pointed out in another thread...college football games were an event 6 times a year to get together to see and spend time with old friends and family...it has been that way for me and my family since I was 2 years old....I have lived all over the US and I could always count on coming back to MU football games and seeing many friends and I always tailgated with my family.

Now people stay in touch through social media and the feeling of community that football games brought is not as big a part of the "event" as it was 15 years ago.  Attendance is down everywhere.  Attendance would be more if we played a more exciting brand of football but don't expect the same crowds as in the past no matter the coach or our record.

If we play Va Tech next week I will bet that there will be at least 20000 empty seats at Va Tech.

but next week is a one off.

[herd2win]

Bison....Va Tech has had empty seats at other home games this year also...

[svherd]

The attendance threads are always entertaining. No we don't owe the players an apology? For what? Whining about attendance is getting old. Do what you can, what you want, and let the chips fall where they may.

[2xBison]

I know.  They've lost several home games and are in the midst of a horrible season.

My only point was, next weeks game if playerd - great season, average season or horrible season is not a good one for the attendance discussion as we are talking about a game not in the season ticket package and that will only be schedule a week in advance.

[wilwilmisa]

i actually thought of posting a thread on this subject..to give 5 years of blood, sweat and tears and then with fair weather and such poor attendance broke my heart..
win or lose i show up..it is a privilege to wear a marshall university football uniform..i believe all we needed was a quarterback to win the league..we are one year away..
our defense has been awesome but i worry about depth next year..the offense will roll if the linemen realize there are three parts to be successful...strength endurance and technique..although if you aren't passionate every play then forget it..simply whip the guy you are supposed to..not a big doc fan but he knows talent and his two new coordinators make him look good..
i will be there and look forward to the rest of this season and the future..

bill

[bbcard1]

It makes all the sense in the world to schedule senior day on the last home game. It makes all the sense in the world that the last home game is the most sparsely attended. I think the original intent was to give the team an emotional lift.  Frankly that's the coach's job. Maybe we should move it to earlier in the year or fold it into homecoming.

[herdorbust]

i actually thought of posting a thread on this subject..to give 5 years of blood, sweat and tears and then with fair weather and such poor attendance broke my heart..
win or lose i show up..it is a privilege to wear a marshall university football uniform..i believe all we needed was a quarterback to win the league..we are one year away..
our defense has been awesome but i worry about depth next year..the offense will roll if the linemen realize there are three parts to be successful...strength endurance and technique..although if you aren't passionate every play then forget it..simply whip the guy you are supposed to..not a big doc fan but he knows talent and his two new coordinators make him look good..
i will be there and look forward to the rest of this season and the future..

bill

.

Just curious.... did doc not have a QB eight of his nine years if that is all that is holding us back?

[THECHAMPISHERE]

It's not the fan's fault. And I do feel sorry for the players playing under Doc...they are getting screwed out of championships/rings....some of them are getting screwed out of a shot in the NFL, and they are getting screwed out of fan support because of Doc ball.

Nobody wants to see Doc ball...no team in the FBS, no team in the FCS...no team in Div II, no team in Div III...non of these schools want Doc as their head coach...and Marshall fans are sick of Doc ball too. It really is too bad for the players...the football we are playing isn't worth the ticket price and really isn't even worth the time on the couch either...as many of us are looking for other, more exciting, things to do while games are on.

[rvntx]

Of course it is DOC's fault....Just like not selling out during 1999 or only have 13k in the stands for the 1AA non-championship games......

[herdorbust]

Of course it is DOC's fault....Just like not selling out during 1999 or only have 13k in the stands for the 1AA non-championship games......

It is a lot of things combined. But there is zero football buzz.

[herdorbust]

.

Just curious.... did doc not have a QB eight of his nine years if that is all that is holding us back?

I agree next year could be good. But i thought this year was the year also with 18 starters back. I thought we should have won it last year. Also thought there were a couple other years we should have won it. That is the problem. We have been in this league about 13 years now and have 1 championship. And half that time is against a couple start up teams, a couple sunbelt teams and the bottom feeders left after CUSA was gutted. 

[Skidude]

There are many reasons for the declining attendance at football games - and, for a lot of years, the basketball games.

Huntington is located in a aging area that is also suffering from a declining population (mostly due to the lack of job opportunities).

There is absolutely no promotion of the sports to the general public - or, the student population (look at how few students attend the football and basketball games).  There are no billboards publicizing the upcoming events, no television or radio advertisements, no signs (electronic or otherwise) promoting the next game outside either the Cam or the Joan.


The is no on-campus promotion or encouragement to students to attend games.  When I attended Marshall, the Big Green actively involved the Greek organization with enticements for best attendance and loudest cheering group.  This enthusiam bled over to the non-Greek students - and more of them also attended games.

Finally (and I'll get off my soapbox) to follow up on the IPTAY posts above, the Big Green only caters to the larger donors and has no programs to encourage new donors such as Clemson's IPTAY. 

I truly believe that encouraging more studen involvement and very actively, and publicly, starting an IPTAY type of program would pay off in the long run (Marshall currently has less than 3,500 members in the Big Green).

[HerdBlizz]

If a apology is due,  it’s from Hambone and Holiday to the fans for what they have made us endure the last 9 years.   

[herd2win]

I don't understand the intense hate for football....I wish the offense was more exciting but I will not discount the Cato years...his junior and senior year were a blast....the Military Bowl against Maryland was fun and then the senior campaign ended up with a top 25 ranking and one loss...if somehow this team wins Saturday (not expecting this) and then gets a shot at Va Tech (also not guaranteed) and wins and then goes on to win a bowl and ends up 10-3...is that still a bad season?

[THECHAMPISHERE]

I don't understand the intense hate for football....I wish the offense was more exciting but I will not discount the Cato years...his junior and senior year were a blast....the Military Bowl against Maryland was fun and then the senior campaign ended up with a top 25 ranking and one loss...if somehow this team wins Saturday (not expecting this) and then gets a shot at Va Tech (also not guaranteed) and wins and then goes on to win a bowl and ends up 10-3...is that still a bad season?

It is, when 7-8 wins a year are gimme's and when you lose the only important games you play.

Let me ask this if a AAA high school team goes 8-2; beating 6 A teams, and 2 AA teams...and loses to the the only AAA teams they play. Did they have a good season by AAA standards?

If the Denver Broncos played in CUSA with the talent they currently have and go 11-1 are they a good NFL team?

I don't care how many scrubs we beat...if we can't win the important games and beat a team with a pulse...it was't a good year.

[coalherd]

Some thoughts/questions.  Wonder how much of that $120 million UK spent on football stadium upgrades came from giant food retailer, Kroger, since the University changed the stadium name from Commonwealth to Kroger Field?

Also, since VA Tech has had a quarter century of continuous bowl appearances and overall football success going back to fairly early in Frank Beamer's coaching tenure, its natural to assume some drop off in their attendance given this season's disappointing record and performance.  Believe if they beat UVA and the Herd game is played, there will be a pretty good crowd in Lane Stadium, absent some totally freakish winter weather event!!!