Hey, at least we aren't Idaho

[ponyboy]

Wow, cheery crowd. Chad's going to get it done.

[mtrout]

If we were fcs could we get carson wentz or vad lee?

[03Mustang]

I'll join the pity party. I hope I'm wrong, but I think this is our destiny in the long run.

Our alumni base and students don't take the football program seriously, and the city either doesn't like us or simply has seen the program as a joke for too long to care. It would take 5-6 10 win seasons with wins over big-name opponents in non-conference to even start averaging over 30k.

I really hope I'm wrong but I think June Jones drove the final nail in the coffin in the cruelest way possible.

[mtrout]

We might pull over 30k average if we're in the big12. Not gonna happen playing liberty tulane and ucf

[orguy]

In 1982 attendance jumped from 23000 to nearly 50,000

Yes, and I was at every 82 home game excepting NTSU as memory serves.

Consider how much hype there was before the 82 season. SMU was on the national stage then with what turned out to be arguably the best team in College Football. We were also back on National Television and highly ranked when we played our two biggest home "money" games against tamu and #9 Arkansas. The very real "hype" about this team had been building before those games and as such all those hogs and ball squeezing "military" cadets came out of the woodwork and packed the house. The Arkansas game was either sold out or near maximum capacity. Everyone in Dallas seemed to be interested in that game as I recall which was a very rare thing for SMU football. Facts are most people in the DFW area have no love for SMU the University or our football team.

My general impression of attendance during the glory years echoes what has already been stated; The big schools with giant alumni bases in DFW brought at least as many fans to those games at Texas Stadium as we did.

I assume Stallion is referring to the 84 home game against Arkansas. Missed that one but was not that a night game? Arkansas fans used to travel well to away day games that were regional. Scheduling that game at night could have been the reason attendance was poor. No longer a day trip for the pig supporters but rather an overnight.

BTW: how the hell did we draw 33,814 for the Tulane opener? As I recall there could not have been more than 20,000 that evening as Dickerson embarrassed the Tulane D. Stallion?

[One Trick Pony]

Home opener at new Moody - Varsity afterwards - Now there's a great memory. Pride - Elation - Camaraderie

[Hoop Fan]

It's not just numbers, it's atmosphere. Moody with 7,000 generates an atmosphere that rivals anyplace, including kentuckys 23,000 per night. At 30,000 fans, ford is very fun. Despite the luxury boxes being badly designed up and away at ford, houstons new stadium did it much better. Nevertheless, smu playing on campus is an advantage in atmosphere compared to those Texas stadium years. If we can pull the people on the boulevard into the stadium with a good product, we can have a moody like atmosphere. And we have a lot of alums scattered around the country who will watch us on tv and are good consumers advertisers like to reach. Chad has to boot strap this thing, the doubters are obvious, but it can be done. We need our Gary Patterson hopefully Chad will be it, except the van down by the river part.

[One Trick Pony]

I've been a part of the Travelling 15 with SMU away Football games for nearly a decade I'm taking a sabbatical.

I think with the cloak of optimism removed everyone really knows what's going to happen.

[mrydel]

So what. With your donation you get free food and drink and you know you can get a ticket for free. Is it really that miserable to sit outdoors for a few hours on a Saturday afternoon or evening?

[One Trick Pony]

So what. With your donation you get free food and drink and you know you can get a ticket for free. Is it really that miserable to sit outdoors for a few hours on a Saturday afternoon or evening?

Will I have to sit next to this guy??

[mrydel]

Only if you are lucky

[One Trick Pony]

Haha

[RGV Pony]

We've seen as good as Ford can get it and it's a pretty decent atmosphere. The game vs top 5 TCU on a Friday. Go back to the first half to Sterling Moores interception. From then until the TD after if you can find video.. But stop watching then as the ensuing kickoff was quintessential SMU football.

[StallionsModelT]

I'm 33 years old and I can't think of more than 10 classmates that regularly attend football games. Honestly for younger alumni that ship has sailed. Now with basketball I get calls/texts before every home game asking if I have an extra ticket. There is brand loyalty and the product/setting is spectacular. The future of the program looks incredibly bright and our alums and students are engaged and enthusiastic.

Honestly if Chad can't get it done and we are sitting here in 5 years with little or no progress we're going to have to face some hard truths (especially as the gap between the haves and have nots gets exponentially larger). Our blue hair donors are going to be put out to pasture and there isn't another group of alums ready to bankroll the program. It will be a numbers game. Do you continue to throw millions at a product so that 4,000 people can watch SMU vs. Tulane? I don't know. We will see.

[mtrout]

Money is nice but you can't always buy wins (see UT). When you're on a tight budget then the athletic department itself needs the ability to identify and recruit good young hungry talent as well as work with the rest of the university so admissions aren't a senseless bottleneck. Recruit hard at every corner of the program. You will have turnover as your successful coaches may move on but it can be done. I'm almost more concerned with smu's own internal workings than I am money donations for football.