Thousands of people...

[tristatecoog]

My five year old son and I met my wife at the stadium at 2:30 for the big game. I had to return some CDs at the UP Library so I parked over there and walked through the 'Vard on the way to the stadium. At 2:25, there were literally thousands of people on the Boulevard and we passed lots of people heading to their cars. The vast majority of these folks were pretty folks, typical SMU stereotype. The "official" tailgates (Dedman Law, Cox and Mustang Club) had shut down but some stragglers were still sitting, eating and socializing. The real scene was amongst the tents of recent alums and Greek tents.

First of all, it's a great scene. You want tons of people coming to campus and socializing with friends (SMU friends). A co-worker of mine that lives in Nashville (SMU alumna) came down and stayed in the Palomar. That's great for Dallas business as well. Did you see the SMU flags in HP Village?

However, how do you get more of those "pretty" SMU alums to go inside the stadium? I assume it isn't due to cost. This issue of people coming for the tailgating experience instead of the game is also true at many small (expensive) liberal arts colleges.

The folks around us thought you have to build it by playing teams like TCU, TX Tech, UNT, Baylor, etc. where the game will be a bigger draw...more local fan interest. Also, once SMU goes to a bowl things may start to turn. Anyway, from where we sat on the 40 in the "other" home side, it was a bit sad thinking about the thousands of fans still out on the 'Vard who would never head into the game.

Lastly, should SMU go to wearing one predominant color for home games? I liked that group of kids wearing red in the corner of the endzone. Go Ponies!

[Hoop Fan]

I had the same experience. got there a bit late and was walking across hillcrest and the boulevard, all the pedestrians were going the other way. I swear, 20 to 1 people were leaving in groups across Hillcrest. I felt almost conspicuous going toward the stadium and there were still thousands of people on the blvd. oh well, at least they come to campus.

[davidpaul123]

heard there was a lot of people out on the blvd until halftime. part of that may have to do with the earlier start.

dont know if this is a good solution or not but at UH they basically shut down all the tailgating activities right at kickoff. It seemed a little harsh but it was effective in shutting down tailgating and getting people to the game.

another thing the school should look at (if they are not already doing this) is set up some ticket sales booths out on the blvd. maybe if they went to where the people are, the blvd, in an effort to move tickets they would have better success than waiting for them to come up to the stadium windows.

[Stallion]

you know that's not a bad idea-easier to sell to drinking fans

[tristatecoog]

Maybe broadcast the game on the boulevard. At least that way folks can keep up with the game. The tailgating is further away from the stadium than at UH, but much more plentiful at SMU, judging by the crowd 25 minutes after kickoff.

[CalallenStang]

you know that's not a bad idea-easier to sell to drinking fans

How about you can't buy beer unless you have a ticket to the game?

[mrydel]

Shutting down the tailgating at the start of the game would cause a horrific traffic jam.

[hawaiisashimi_smu]

Sounds like fan attendance at home games are a serious problem. Even if SMU gets winning, the stadium will still be half full? Ya'll have mega bucks facilities. If you can afford that, then you should be able to put more fans in the seats.

Students. They should have all students with IDs to attend the games for free. At the leats, they should have the students tuition include an activity fee so they can attend all SMU sports events for free.

Booze. This is a hard one. If ya'll serve beer etc. at the stadium, it will be a big money maker. But! It will increase the cost of more security. Ya'll need an alcohol free section for families to sit together away from the drunks. Beer sales should be stopped after half time. This should satisfy the beer drinkers to get their beer for the 3rd quarter but no drinking in the fourth quarter. Ya'll need to bring a flask for the 4th.

This school is supposed have deep pocket, billionaire donors. Subsidizing free tickets with a nominal student athletic fee added to tuition should make student attendance cheap. Ya'll need students to attend first. More than ever.

Tickets to attract families should be cheap. All kids below 16 years old should go in for free. SMU is competing for DFW dollars. If SMU can get the price down where it will be cheap as going to the movies for a family of 4, you have a better chance to attract more fans and future fans. Lets look at it this way. Right now it cost X amount of dollars for 15,000 fans. If you lower prices 50% and are able to attract 25,000 fans. Well, you add the math.

Make the football experience fan friendly. How about fireworks at half time for the kids. How about a free rock concert after the game for the students. This board has many ideas to increase fan attebdance. Many who are hardcore fans on the vard are also members on this board.

TIME TO PUT UP OR SHUT UP!!!

Get yo lazy a$$ed high priced wine sippin friends to spend some time IN THE STADIUM! Do not take no for an answer. Educate your fellow vard friends to walk into the freakin stadium and cheer for a winning team. There is no excuse.

You pay JJ $2 million so 15,000 fans can watch SMU challenge for the CUSA championship and a top 25 national ranking every year! Give me a freakin break!!! Is this a joke???? This is embarrassing!!!!!

IS THIS WHAT SMU FOOTBALL IS ALL ABOUT?

JJ is better off at Hawaii!!!

[davidpaul123]

Students as far as I know get free tickets or at least that’s how it was when I was in school. I think they have made the setup a little more difficult for students to get tickets than it has been in the past and I think that is a bad thing. Also more of a focus could be made on improving fraternity and sorority attendance as those are large student organizations.

Ticket prices are low, or at least I think they are. Not to mention they have lowered the single ticket prices by 10-20% for the remaining games.

We will never be able to sell booze in the stadium so we will just have to work around it.

I really do think a more proactive attempt at selling tickets on the boulevard would yield sales of tickets to people that are thinking about going to the game, but know for sure they were going to tailgate.

[mrydel]

Let's give everyone on the Blvd a "real Mustang" on which they can ride into the stadium. Then they can keep it and care for it and bring it back each week to ride into the stadium.

[bubba pony]

didn't SMU change the policy that if you leave the game you can't get back in? that's the first thing to change and doesn't cost anything.

[mrydel]

didn't SMU change the policy that if you leave the game you can't get back in? that's the first thing to change and doesn't cost anything.

Currently there is a "no re-entry" policy.

[smupony94]

didn't SMU change the policy that if you leave the game you can't get back in? that's the first thing to change and doesn't cost anything.

Currently there is a "no re-entry" policy.

You can come and go as you please. You have to go to gate 103 to get back in. Did it many times yesterday. They have all of those no-entry signs everywhere which is correct since you can't back in through those gates but no mention of gate 103

[mrydel]

didn't SMU change the policy that if you leave the game you can't get back in? that's the first thing to change and doesn't cost anything.

Currently there is a "no re-entry" policy.

You can come and go as you please. You have to go to gate 103 to get back in. Did it many times yesterday. They have all of those no-entry signs everywhere which is correct since you can't back in through those gates but no mention of gate 103

That is good to know. So perhaps there is not a no re-entry policy, but rather just certain gates at which they do not allow re-entry. I really do not care since I do not leave but I would think if a person buys a ticket to the game they should be allowed to come and go as they please. If you want them to stay inside to buy concessions, then offer concessions that will keep them inside.

[RE Tycoon]

I was told to go to gate 3 and when I got there they said no re-entry anywhere. They scanned me out at the first game of the year, but I had no luck yesterday.