Topic: Worst homecoming crowd I've ever seen

[QuickStrike]

Lots of people traveled long distances to come to the game as you and others sit on your computer or phone and complain.

So I guess i'll see you in San Antonio at the game?

[Thunders]

Was there. Crowd sucked and the student section was the worst I've seen in years for homecoming. Don't get it.

[HaveUherd]

So I guess i'll see you in San Antonio at the game?

You will not.

You also will not see me complaining on a message board that there are not enough Marshall fans attending that game.

[ed swain]

A lot of the The fans are dead that gave us large crowds in the 80’s and the 90’s.Another ten years and we will lose a lot more fans than we are picking up.Fans no longer are loyal as in the past and that is why the crowds are becoming smaller .I do agree our offence could use more imagination.

[The E-Man]

A lot of the The fans are dead that gave us large crowds in the 80’s and the 90’s.Another ten years and we will lose a lot more fans than we are picking up.Fans no longer are loyal as in the past and that is why the crowds are becoming smaller .I do agree our offence could use more imagination.

Ed winning championships and being relevant again would go a long way in winning fans over again. Hopefully this will be the year that we start winning again.

[Apollo]

A lot of the The fans are dead that gave us large crowds in the 80’s and the 90’s.Another ten years and we will lose a lot more fans than we are picking up.Fans no longer are loyal as in the past and that is why the crowds are becoming smaller .I do agree our offence could use more imagination.

I agree with a lot of that and I also think today's economic situation and small ratio of bang for your buck at MU play a role. Not a lot of high paying jobs around here anymore and at $30 a ticket for cheap seat gen admin, $8 for a pepsi and 6 for a gross hotdog, its too much for a family of 4 each week to watch ODU and Charlotte.

[Scottyo614]

I agree with a lot of that and I also think today's economic situation and small ratio of bang for your buck at MU play a role. Not a lot of high paying jobs around here anymore and at $30 a ticket for cheap seat gen admin, $8 for a pepsi and 6 for a gross hotdog, its too much for a family of 4 each week to watch ODU and Charlotte.

Don’t forget time investment. Today was a short game. I may never go to another SEC CBS game again. That is a whole day! Marshall games are not bad but you still figure 6-7 hour out of a day plus whatever drive. It’s a lot of time commitment for a conference championship and a below average bowl.

[coalherd]

Well, now, let's tally up all the excuses we've come up with so far.

The game was available on the internet, smart phones, ESPN3, and the like (even though the quality is piss poor).

Everybody is having "homecoming" today.  Not sure if that refers to high school homecomings since I assume that most of those are held on Friday nights.

Someone had to work on their roof today.  I guess that's a new twist on the ubiquitous "the kids have a soccer match today" that usually comes up when discussing attendance issues.

Oh, yeah, then there is always the "its the Economy, STUPID!".

How about let's consider this one:  Its mid October but the temperature is in the high 80s; thus its too hot for football
Compare that to the usual complaint heard around Huntington that "two drops of RAIN were just detected in Ashland which means probably rainstorm at the Joan around kickoff time so we'd better pass on the Herd game".

Ooops, I almost forgot.  This homecoming game was played during the DAY!!  Duh, EVERYBODY with a brain knows that only NIGHT games can work in Huntington cause its a "blue collar" town.  Meaning, of course, EVERYBODY has to work on Saturdays (mornings and afternoons, apparently).  Uh, folks, you can't have it BOTH WAYS.  You can't say on one hand that the problem with attendance is due to the ECONOMY and then turn around and say that attendance is bad at home day games cause EVERYBODY in Huntington has to work on Saturdays, implying that the economy is bustling and robust causing people to have to work on weekends.

Finally, we all, including Mike Hamrick, should be glad we are not still in the MAC.  That would mean we would probably have a home game or even two on, oh Horrors, Wednesday night (or as they say around Huntington in the best out Whayne twang, "Hits church nite"). Remember when we played MAC basketball games on Wednesdays and Saturdays?  The biggest complaint then was EVERYBODY, and I mean EVERYBODY, was at church on Wednesday nights and thus MU basketball just couldn't draw squat.  Um, ever wonder this never deterred all those Baptists and Holy Rollers down on Tobacco Road in North Carolina or over in Lexington, KY, from cramming those huge basketball arenas to the rafters on those cold WEDNESDAY nights?

in conclusion, the locals will NEVER complete the list of why MU games don't draw better.  A new excuse will pop up with each passing game.  Yet, people from all 55 counties in this economically depressed state will end up on Saturdays at noon, at night, or at all times in between at capacity or near capacity levels at Mountaineer Field, rain or shine.  We should pass out this list of "Huntington Excuses", and any other additions you all may come up with, to those 60,000 souls in Morgantown.  Maybe then we may find out why such excuses and reasons do NOT deter attendance at WVU games like they do in good ole Huntington and the Tri-State!!!

[Scottyo614]

The truths to your questions on WVU?

Bigger school so obviously bigger base to pull from. Past success has lead to more casual fans who never attended but were WVU fans because others were or it was cool. See any big school for those fans. Then the big game. WVU does not draw well for non big games. However they get a few into town that pop attendance. Look at their record crowds. The last one was 63k in 03. That’s 14 years ago. They are facing similar issues as MU but they face it with a larger base.

[coalherd]

The truths to your questions on WVU?

Bigger school so obviously bigger base to pull from. Past success has lead to more casual fans who never attended but were WVU fans because others were or it was cool. See any big school for those fans. Then the big game. WVU does not draw well for non big games. However they get a few into town that pop attendance. Look at their record crowds. The last one was 63k in 03. That’s 14 years ago. They are facing similar issues as MU but they face it with a larger base.

Drawing a hell of a lot better percentage wise for all games, including "non big games" than MU.  WVU Stadium listed as 60,000 capacity; MU's about 38,000 and change.  They've drawn, what, 54,000 or more, per game thus far.  MU has drawn an average of about 24000 a game.  Do the math:  MU's stadium about a third empty every game.  A lot lower percentage of empty seats in Morgantown.

[CoachSkip]

A lot of people that were rabid Herd football fans before , unfortunately , just aren't any more . The interest just isn't  there like it used to be . I also think being in CUSA doesn't help , we have no relationships with these teams ! I know the MAC is a bad word on here but at least we were familiar with those guys . When we were in the MAC , I would look up the scores to see how the other teams were doing , how the competition was doing , now , I could care less how UTSA , NTU or UTEP is doing . I don't relate MU sports to teams in Texas . This isn't a , I want to go back to the MAC post , I just think being in CUSA is part of the fans problem , the interest isn't there .

[MUsince96]

Someone had to work on their roof today.  I guess that's a new twist on the ubiquitous "the kids have a soccer match today" that usually comes up when discussing attendance issues.

Yep, when someone is lending you a hand you have to work around their schedule. But at the FIU game  I can bring you my ticket stubs from the first 2 games if you'd like.  ::)

[Scottyo614]

Drawing a hell of a lot better percentage wise for all games, including "non big games" than MU.  WVU Stadium listed as 60,000 capacity; MU's about 38,000 and change.  They've drawn, what, 54,000 or more, per game thus far.  MU has drawn an average of about 24000 a game.  Do the math:  MU's stadium about a third empty every game.  A lot lower percentage of empty seats in Morgantown.

And that goes back to the bigger school. They have 28k students. Let’s just say a family comes to visit their college child. Half go to a game with plus one and poof now you’re 28k plus in stands. Marshall has 13k. Same math that only gets us to 12k. As people graduate you have 15k more opportunity on a weekly bases to get people in to the stadium. Over the years of course this is going to create this effect on attendance.

Let’s not forget as well Marshall suffers from the same thing a lot of G5 schools do and that’s the small school syndrome. Kids come from cities with P5 schools and they stay fans of that team while on campus cheering for their school and once they leave they just go back to the P5 school. There is another attendance breaker. Until we start playing for an actual national championship again I don’t see that changing. You can call these excuses but these are factors. The paragraph above gives how numbers tilt in WVUs favor.

[s1uggo]

Exactly, I could see paying that to see the old C-USA teams we used to play. But Old Dominion, etc, no way. I could see $15 general admission but not the ludicrous $25 that they get. It's the reason I stayed home. The principle.

You stayed home over $10?? Come man!

[herdorbust]

It's like someone said. Back then we used to rival WVU and played them and gave them all they wanted in that first meeting. We also believed we had the better team for a few years that we didn't play in 98-2002. We have fallen so far we aren't even in the conversation with them. Does anyone really think we can compete with them anymore. The Pennington teams, Leftwich teams and even Stan Hill before that injury had some wicked offenses, dynamic recievers, and could hit the deep ball. There was lasers being thrown and if you had a step on someone the ball was there. I hate WV more than any school there is on this planet. But does anyone think we could even compete with them anymore? Some of us would love to get back to that. I even had that feeling when we were 1AA and those teams with Michael Payton etc... When those guys went down to NC St and St was ranked I felt like we had a chance with a 1AA team. And guess what? we did have a chance and should have won. The fans either have that feeling or they don't!!! That needs to come back to get this program where it once was. It's gonna take beating really bad teams like you should and winning some games that maybe you shouldn't.

[clovenhoof]

A lot of people that were rabid Herd football fans before , unfortunately , just aren't any more . The interest just isn't  there like it used to be . I also think being in CUSA doesn't help , we have no relationships with these teams ! I know the MAC is a bad word on here but at least we were familiar with those guys . When we were in the MAC , I would look up the scores to see how the other teams were doing , how the competition was doing , now , I could care less how UTSA , NTU or UTEP is doing . I don't relate MU sports to teams in Texas . This isn't a , I want to go back to the MAC post , I just think being in CUSA is part of the fans problem , the interest isn't there .

Accurate post.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

[DC01HERD]

And that goes back to the bigger school. They have 28k students. Let’s just say a family comes to visit their college child. Half go to a game with plus one and poof now you’re 28k plus in stands. Marshall has 13k. Same math that only gets us to 12k. As people graduate you have 15k more opportunity on a weekly bases to get people in to the stadium. Over the years of course this is going to create this effect on attendance.

Let’s not forget as well Marshall suffers from the same thing a lot of G5 schools do and that’s the small school syndrome. Kids come from cities with P5 schools and they stay fans of that team while on campus cheering for their school and once they leave they just go back to the P5 school. There is another attendance breaker. Until we start playing for an actual national championship again I don’t see that changing. You can call these excuses but these are factors. The paragraph above gives how numbers tilt in WVUs favor.

I agree that it goes back to student enrollment. Marshall needs to get to 20,000 students to be relevant.

[Flat Tire 2]

I think several factors are working against attendance. You have to be entertaining to attract fans. We had teams in the past who could air out the ball and  we went for the "bomb". We have had some very good QB and receivers in the past, that might have made the marginal fan attend games. I think fans are missing the exciting and entertaining offense. I don't think our fan base would ever except a three yards and cloud of dust or a ball control offense. Remember, we are competing for entertain dollars and against TV sports.

When we went into the MAC, there was still a large segment who remember playing MAC schools and some hated them. It was great to get revenge. We went to the "old" CUSA and I think there still some excitement in the playing the new teams. After we got left behind, the marginal fans don't seem to have any interest in the ODU; Uncc and Texas teams.

Of course ticket prices and lower area population hurt. We should be getting more fans out of the Charleston area, but wvu is playing in the BIG 8. You can knock their conference, but it has schools that the average fan knows about.  Would you want to see a WV team play UNCC or a WV school play Texas if you had to travel a few hours to a game?

[Scottyo614]

I’d say even when our Cato O was racking up yards fans were coming because we were top 25 threatening. I’m not sure entertaining O matters when you look at Bama, LSU and Tennessee’s Os and attendance. Winning, tradition, culture and atmosphere makes the world.

Also not having an AD call out fans would do some help. The reseating and last year did more harm than anyone will ever agree with.

[Flat Tire 2]

I’d say even when our Cato O was racking up yards fans were coming because we were top 25 threatening. I’m not sure entertaining O matters when you look at Bama, LSU and Tennessee’s Os and attendance. Winning, tradition, culture and atmosphere makes the world.

Also not having an AD call out fans would do some help. The reseating and last year did more harm than anyone will ever agree with.

IMHO, I don't think comparing Bama and The Herd is a good argument. I will say I have watched Bama and LSU play and I would say they were entertaining and great offenses. I haven't a seen Tennessee football game on national TV for several years.

"Reseating" probably cost some fans. We lost some fans when we opened the Henderson Center and did a "reseating". Fans were upset both times, but you rarely hear anyone mentioned the Henderson situation anymore. In a few years, the football issue will be forgotten. That said, I do think we need to reach out to less affluent customers. The stadium has excess capacity and we should be charging a premium for the better seats and a tiered price for the lesser seats. We should be fan friendly because we are not Bama. Will everyone get the best seats, no. That is not how it works in the real world.

[The E-Man]

I’d say even when our Cato O was racking up yards fans were coming because we were top 25 threatening. I’m not sure entertaining O matters when you look at Bama, LSU and Tennessee’s Os and attendance. Winning, tradition, culture and atmosphere makes the world.

Also not having an AD call out fans would do some help. The reseating and last year did more harm than anyone will ever agree with.

What you said about our AD has done "more damaged than people realize". I've had a few Herd friends that have been "true die hard fans for years", and that aren't going to games anymore because of what happened last season, with our AD and record. Even though I was upset with our AD and record I'm still cheering on the Herd, it's in my blood! I've been very adamant about ( winning  conference championships again). We need to get Herd fans back in their seats.

[herdorbust]

E-Man I know people I work with that didn't renew because of that and other things. Lack of transparency, not making changes like we were told and yes the way the AD talked down to the fans. You better be fan friendly bigtime now days because people will just find something else to do.

[The E-Man]

E-Man I know people I work with that didn't renew because of that and other things. Lack of transparency, not making changes like we were told and yes the way the AD talked down to the fans. You better be fan friendly bigtime now days because people will just find something else to do.

The one thing that can settle that has some posters have been saying is "just win baby" we need to win and I mean bust it opened! Also, it wouldn't hurt if Hamrick would issue " a public apology" and tell Herd fans we need them back.

[coalherd]

E-Man I know people I work with that didn't renew because of that and other things. Lack of transparency, not making changes like we were told and yes the way the AD talked down to the fans. You better be fan friendly bigtime now days because people will just find something else to do.

Lack of transparency never more evident, herdorbust, by the fact that now for the SECOND year in a row Hamrick and his department have not, and will not, announce the number of season tickets sold for football.  Last year, he apparently applied the CYOA principle because of the reseating controversy.  Would be nice to know an accurate figure on our season ticket numbers.  Anyone with half a brain and eyesight a tad better than Stevie Wonder knows that the ticket season sales are down.

Of course, not sure if such numbers were released just how sure we could be of their accuracy.  The way the athletic department has "manipulated" the announced game attendances of late.  I mean all that flim flam about tickets sold instead of bodies in the seats, blah, blah, blah.

[coalherd]

Yep, when someone is lending you a hand you have to work around their schedule. But at the FIU game  I can bring you my ticket stubs from the first 2 games if you'd like.  ::)

Hey 96, you certainly had great weather in which to do that work.  Hope you got the roof finished and thus have no possible deterrents to attending the next Herd home game (Uh, unless Mrs. 96 comes up with a revised "honey do" list before then  :D).