Pat Forde Chat

[NickSMU17]

I got in....

Peruna (Hilltop in Dallas)

How bout SMUs big win over TCU this weekend? Have we shown we are ready for Big East? SMU TCU would be best rivalry game in big East. Agree?
Pat Forde (12:40 PM)

Peruna: Definitely a big win, impressed how June Jones has turned to backup QB and gotten results. As for readiness to the Big East or another major conference: fill your 32,000-seat stadium with regularity, please.

[PonyKai]

Give us decent opponents with regularity, please. Capacity wise, look at TTU, TCU, Armed Forces, Kansas, Okie State

[Wuba]

I love that you pointed out it would be the biggest rivalry in the conference from day 1.

[RGV Pony]

Big East average attendances:

West Virginia 56,325
Pittsburgh 52,165
Louisville 50,648
Rutgers 46,195
South Florida 40,849
Syracuse 40,064
Connecticut 38,248
Cincinnati 35,067

L'ville will drop this year. Somehow I thought WVU had a bigger stadjum

[RGV Pony]

I love that you pointed out it would be the biggest rivalry in the conference from day 1.

and Forde chose to ignore that

[CA Mustang]

Give us decent opponents with regularity, please.

But how much of the increase would be due to SMU fans vs. traveling fans of the "decent opponents"?

It is tough for other conferences, schools, etc. to belive SMU will draw significantly better when SMU's response to the matter is basically "trust us". If SMU was drawing 30K regularly, then it wouldn't be that big of an issue. But when crowds are normally in the low 20's, you can understand their concern.

[ObeyMyDog]

Aside from when Wash St. came to visit, our attendance when an AQ school comes in here is probably pretty close to 30K.

[RGV Pony]

if SMU is performing at a high level, I dont think it's much of a reach for Ford to look like it did for the TCU game last year with regularity vs quality opponents.

[2ndandlong]

Shameless Plug - Operation Sellout will help our numbers here. We need the numbers, and we need them NOW!

Thanks to all those on this thread that have made a contribution - I know there are a few of you here.

[CA Mustang]

...our attendance when an AQ school comes in here is probably pretty close to 30K.

But again, how much of that is additional SMU fans vs. opponent's fans?

[Peruna88]

Big East average attendances:

West Virginia 56,325
Pittsburgh 52,165
Louisville 50,648
Rutgers 46,195
South Florida 40,849
Syracuse 40,064
Connecticut 38,248
Cincinnati 35,067

L'ville will drop this year. Somehow I thought WVU had a bigger stadjum

Do any of these schools have the type of draw that will get the average fan to come to an SMU game? I say they're no better than Marshall, ECU, Memphis, etc.

Will the average fan come to see SMU in the Big 12(-whatever)? Regional conferences are a better draw.

2 cents.

[GiddyUp]

Big East average attendances:

West Virginia 56,325
Pittsburgh 52,165
Louisville 50,648
Rutgers 46,195
South Florida 40,849
Syracuse 40,064
Connecticut 38,248
Cincinnati 35,067

L'ville will drop this year. Somehow I thought WVU had a bigger stadjum

Do any of these schools have the type of draw that will get the average fan to come to an SMU game? I say they're no better than Marshall, ECU, Memphis, etc.

Will the average fan come to see SMU in the Big 12(-whatever)? Regional conferences are a better draw.

2 cents.

Would much prefer the Big 12 for regional rivalries. I would say a tad better to play Pitt, etc with some of their alumni around but not a whole lot better than Marshall, etc.

[RGV Pony]

Idk but when we get some of that bcs cash we need to hire usf's marketing person. 20 year old program, bucs in town, look how morbid attendance for the Rays is.

And yes I know they have a bunch of students but so does ntsu

[Topper]

Big East average attendances:

West Virginia 56,325
Pittsburgh 52,165
Louisville 50,648
Rutgers 46,195
South Florida 40,849
Syracuse 40,064
Connecticut 38,248
Cincinnati 35,067

L'ville will drop this year. Somehow I thought WVU had a bigger stadjum

Do any of these schools have the type of draw that will get the average fan to come to an SMU game? I say they're no better than Marshall, ECU, Memphis, etc.

Will the average fan come to see SMU in the Big 12(-whatever)? Regional conferences are a better draw.

2 cents.

Traditionally our big draws have been BCS schools from this region plus TCU and UNT. The key to successful attendance here is drawing schools with big alumni base in Dallas (Like Arkansas). Problem is, Jerryworld is scheduling these teams so they can have a Dallas appearance without having to play us.

[CA Mustang]

More along those lines, WVU's HC complaining about only drawing 46K for Bowling Green: http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.co ... ttendance/