Attendance

[davish75]

Are there any good examples of small, private universities located in a large city that have high attendance due to gaining support from the larger community? TCU may be the best case - their attendance two weeks ago was very impressive.

It makes sense that a SMU could convince Dallas residents that we are Dallas's college team and our success should be a source of community pride just like the Dallas Cowboys. It would take some creative marketing and smart poliitcal skills. SMU does not have the alumni base to have a large, consistent fan base. But the sport fan are here and, although winning makes a big difference, smart education could also gain a great many faithful fans.

[PonyFan]

Once they started winning, Miami drew tons of fans - and that's a private school, but has a lot of commuters, too. If they can draw with a winning team (the city of Miami is much like Dallas in the sense that people go to things that are "in"), there's no reason SMU can't. Dallas is a better sports town.

[OC Mustang]

Yeah, Miami maybe...

Here's my take. I haven't posted on this board in over a year...perhaps even two...but since the season started, I've been reading most of the posts. I know very little about recruiting, and even less about the nuances of our team, but I would comment on this topic.

I haven't lived in Dallas for 6 years, but if my own past is any indication, the sports loving Dallas public would not readily support the 'Stangs for one of two simple reasons. They went to school somewhere else, or they don't like us for reasons that have nothing to do with sports.

My question would be to anyone who wants to pipe up: objectively, what is the general image of SMU to a person, sports fan or no, who lives 1 mile from SMU...5 miles out...25 miles out...or 100 or more miles out? (LA Mustang...you and I met 6 years ago at a sports bar out here in L.B. What's your take?)

If we really want to increase the fan base, a lot of it is attitude...ours, that is. Winning cures a lot of ills...but in the face of losing, what kind of PR image do we have? Are we considered arrogant, are we envied, respected, what? 10+ years away and 6 years out of Texas, the only thing I ever hear is USC, USC.
So I'm asking....

[gostangs]

I am not sure what difference it makes - Dallas will supprt a consistent winner once we start winning consistently - and it has not much to do with our "image". I continually run into pent up positive feelings from Dallas people who know nothing of SMU - but want to come see College football = people who want to come to games, but say they do not want to watch that level of competition - CUSA would help a ton, but winning would fix our attendence issue within three years - to a level higher then TCU's because we draw from a bigger area and the game day experience is better - the product is not - yet.

[methodistmustang]

You guys are writing too much. To get the Dallas area to rally around SMU we have to win...Dallas loves winners. That's how we have done it in the past.

[EastStang]

If we start winning they'll come for awhile. Regarding the image of SMU, when I flew into DFW and rented a car, I was wearing an SMU cap. The guy behind the counter joked that he would have thought that I'd be renting a Hummer, and not an economy car. I smiled and said my chauffeur couldn't make the trip. So that's our image. Thus, the Joe Sixpack probably views us with some contempt and would rather support a more pedestrian school like ATM, Tech or UT. After watching Rice in the CWS, though, and noticed the David vs. Goliath aspect of that when they played UT in the semi-finals, I got the feeling that fans would come around for a successful team from a small school. So, winning will help fill seats.

[OldPony]

Dallas isn't a very good sports town. The Cowboys don't draw well if they aren't winning. Most other NFL teams pack the stands win or lose. See Broncos, Chiefs, Packers, Bears, Buffalo, NY etc. Mavs couldn't give away tickets until they were good. Rangers- Enough said. For a metro area as large as DFW, sports support isn't very good other than some high schools.
Most people in Dallas didn't go to college somewhere else. Most didn't go to college. We don't connect with them at all. More local guys will help some if we start winning.
Our alumni base in Dallas is about 33,000 and we have 6,000 undergrads. That is the group which must get excited if we are to draw. Those are the only ones from which we can hope for continued loyalty. Then winning will pull from the community at large. There are no excuses for abysmal attendance other than we as SMU grads don't much care. (Members of this board excluded)

[Greenwich Pony]

Sadly, I have to agree with Old Pony. As a sports town, Dallas reeks. I didn't always feel that way, but having attended sports events around Dallas, and then seeing what sports fans elsewhere do, regardless of whether the team is any good or not, I would have to say Dallas is one of the worst sports towns I have ever seen. LA is worse, but thus far they are the only one worse than Dallas in my experience. Dallas is a huge city, but the fans are just unreliable at best. We will have to look to our own alumni, and probably the very local community around campus (which should at least keep us above the D-1 line), or try and draw some of the bigger schools (with larger fan bases) with the Dallas recruiting card to improve attendance.

<small>[ 10-03-2003, 06:39 AM: Message edited by: Greenwich Pony ]</small>

[giacfsp]

I'm afraid he's right - Dallas is a terrible sports town. We not only need to win, but win consistently for a long time. The way to make a more consistent fan base is to win and get kids involved, and as they grow up, they come to SMU, or they come to Dallas to live and buy tickets. But now you're talking about a 20-year plan, and I don't know if that's feasible.

[Topper]

The old timers will tell you that our attendance decline started in the 60s with some horrible teams. By the time Hayden Fry brought us back to respectabiliy the Cowboys had caught on in a big way and we never recovered the casual fan. Still, 33K is not that many seats. With a competitive program and with the help of some attractive opponents that travel well- we should fill the place every week.

[ReedFrawg]

to a level higher then TCU's because we draw from a bigger area and the game day experience is better - the product is not - yet. [/QB][/QUOTE]

Honest question...why do you feel the SMU game day experience is better than TCU's? I haven't been to The Boulevard (I have been to the last two TCU-SMU games at Ford) so I really don't know.

TCU has done a great job with Frog Alley for families, the Navy jet flyover, in-game fireworks, kids running onto the field after the team, the frog horn and there are big plans for the Army game including honoring a former student killed in Iraq among other stuff. I have been very happy with TCU's recent gameday improvements and I'm curious what SMU has to offer. Thanks in advance for any responses.

[PerunaPunch]

I agree with everything everyone is saying about Dallas being a sorry sports town. That's one of the many reasons I like the Mustangs – most of the people who are there are true fans.

But sure it can be done. Of course winning will help us appeal to the Dallas masses, but I also like some of the things we're doing now. Things that make us a part of the Dallas community whether you went to college here or not.

Had a customer in my office yesterday who saw my big Ford Stadium picture on the wall. He was telling me how his sons whole Scout Troop was coming out to camp tonight an how cool it was going to be. Kids growing up wanting to play football at Ford – love it.

I think there are a lot of things we're doing now that are HUGE steps in the right direction. Installing A-turf and hosting high school games is another.

BTW, comments like Stallion's to Mr. Mustang on the other thread are exactly what turn people off and make them want to take their entertainment dollars elsewhere. I heard a lot of not so candid talk about doublewides and buck teeth at the OSU game as well. I don't think they'll come back to enjoy the nicest football venue in the country either... Until it's to come back and anihilate us again next year.

[PK]

I have been to a number of TCU games and the close in parking to the stadium with the large old trees is nice, particularly if you have a parking space up real close with the tables and all, but the Boulevard atmosphere at SMU is better. Although not right next to our stadium, the Boulevard runs up the middle of the campus with a wide median and many old live oak trees and on game day lots of canopy type tents set up with people all over the place. Lots of interaction with other fans and a great time. Then just before the start of the game, the Mustang Band plays and marches down the Boulevard toward the stadium with fans following them to the stadium.

Check this link out for some pictures of the "Vard". www.smumustangs.com/boulevard/

Last year when we played Navy, we had the same awesome flyover of Navy jets...man they were so low you could almost touch them! As for fireworks, I think we will steer clear of those for a while since last time we tried that we set fire to the grass in the open end of the stadium horse shoe.