Are the students too high class to come to the game??

[smurzer]

Been lurking on this board for several years now. Great to get news and local updates (as i'm in the Mile High City) but never felt that strongly to post. Thought I would give my perspective on this....

I went to SMU from '02 - '05 and attended almost every home game in that span. I was also in a fraternity. The losing culture I came into when arriving on campus was quite apparent. It didnt keep me from going to games (or continuing to follow the team) because I am a college football fan but thats exactly what the student attendance comes down to... a losing culture. It was the norm for this program to underachieve and the norm during my time there. An 18 year old freshman is impressionable. If the norm is for the students to drink on the Boulevard then head over to Milos and skip the game then that is the standard that is perpetuated.

Its all a matter of changing that standard and the culture among the student base. That wont come until winning (consistent winning) comes back to SMU football. Its a trickle down effect. You get more students to come to games in year 1 after a bowl berth (hopefully soon) then it multiplies for the next incoming class after the next bowl game, then the next until it becomes the standard/norm to go to the game post boulevard (and stay till the clock reads 0:00).

The boulevard on Saturdays were some of the greatest days of my 4 years at SMU. Its a fantastic tailgating/football atmosphere. I just wish the football product on the field could have complemented that. It was tough having to sober up in the stadium watching Rashaun Woods set the all time NCAA single game reception TD record on your defense. But... when the football team is as good as a few hours on the boulevard, you'll see it reflected in Ford and especially in the student section.

Thanks for all the news and info on the site. Love ponyfans.com. Heres to a good finish to the season and me getting to watch some national pony coverage during the holidays

[hawaiisashimi_smu]

With a 7500 student body it comes to a 2000 graduating class. 20 years of losing makes 40,000 alums. How many of them live within 200 miles of SMU ground zero?

Time to renew the resurgence of SMU football. If you can get 2,000 or 5,000 to show up it should help fill the stadium. But you have to organize. You need Orsini to get his act together!

[ponyscott]

With a 7500 student body it comes to a 2000 graduating class. 20 years of losing makes 40,000 alums. How many of them live within 200 miles of SMU ground zero?

Time to renew the resurgence of SMU football. If you can get 2,000 or 5,000 to show up it should help fill the stadium. But you have to organize. You need Orsini to get his act together!

You have no clue..what do you want Orsini to do, drive fans to the game in a bus? He is doing as best as he can and has done alot for the program in his time here and the results aren't in yet on all of this...simmer down out there.

[mr. pony]

Are the students too high to come to the game?

[RGV Pony]

you know, I have a....friend who does some PR work for some MRI places in Dallas. You know the type, tall, blonde, tan etc...from Plano, went to SMU....graduated in 2003 I think..anyway, her perspective was that when she was a freshman, she was all about it "I mean like I'm from Plano, we all went to the games"...but...she was surprised when she got to SMU and that wasnt the case. So, she did what everyone else did...loved the Blvd, didnt go to the game. I think she was a DG.

And any marketing expert will tell you that. People go where people go because people go where people go. Not only does the losing culture need changed, but the where people go needs changed.

[ClassOf81]

It seems like the students feel they are too good to come to the games. And when thEy do come they leave at halftime to go party. Seems like the frats and sororities are in control of this school!!!!!

You're absolutely right. It was one thing, when we were getting smoked every week. But now that we're winning or at least competitive at halftime in every game -- the students should be embarrassed.

[Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans]

Approx 40% of college stadiums sell alcohol at college games.

Is that really true? I had no idea it was that high. I thought there were only a handful of college games that sold alcohol and most of those were off-campus stadiums like at Tulane.

[Come and Take It]

Approx 40% of college stadiums sell alcohol at college games.

Is that really true? I had no idea it was that high. I thought there were only a handful of college games that sold alcohol and most of those were off-campus stadiums like at Tulane.

You can at Houston, in the stands. You can at Rice, but you have to be in a special area.

I always thought it was up to the conference, and then from there, up to the school.

Let's not forget that alcohol is sold at Ford as well, just not in the real fan seats.

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

If Highland Park won't allow alcohol sold in the stadium how 'bout we just allow people to "bring your own". I know some people already do it, but this would be a policy that ok'd it. Could we get around the law that way? No it wouldn't be a direct money maker for the school, except there would indirectly be increased revenue via increased ticket sales. We could even set aside certain sections as "bring your own booze" sections and charge a premium for those sections and have a few extra yellow shirt security guards for those sections....keeping most of the drunks in certain sections would also keep the regular sections family friendly.

[Pony_Fan]

Overall, about three dozen of the roughly 120 largest NCAA Division 1 schools allow beer sales inside their stadiums, though many limit sales to luxury suites, lounges or club-seating areas

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125271416817105157.html

[huskerpony]

what do you want Orsini to do, drive fans to the game in a bus?

Will there be liquor on that bus? Because that might help.

[Harry0569]

To be honest, I hate these threads. Categorizing all students/all greeks don't go to the games..just want to get slammed drunk, etc. is wrong, just stop it.

As a senior and the president of my fraternity, I have missed 1 football game and 1 basketball game in my time here on the Hilltop. You will find me in the front row at each event. In fact, Friday if you are interested I make a game sheet for every basketball game detailing "interesting facts" about the opposing players that makes for some great times in warm ups. If you sit in the lower bowl, and would like one come find me. I will be there an hour/ hour and a half before the game.

I know this has already been beaten like a dead horse, but at EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL there is has an attendance problem. I have been to many SEC venues, and so many students leave during the game for a variety of reasons, but predominately because they are drunk. The two things that differentiates SMU from these larger institutions is that the student sections are so packed that you can't tell the difference when 1/2 of the student section has left at half time. The other is community/alumni support. Many of the surrounding community/some alumni (excluding those loyal PF's) could care less about the success of SMU, and if they do decide to come to the game sit on their hands and don't cheer. I cannot tell you how many times at b-ball/football games that in the last minute of a close game many of the non-students sit there and don't cheer, and to frankly put it; it pisses me off.

Before we rip the students, let's also acknowledge that there are attendance problems with other facets as well. All I want to see is a packed Ford Field/Moody Coliseum with everyone students/alumni/community alike cheering for the Ponies.

[LAPonyAir]

There's only 6,000 undergrads on campus...it's ignorant to assume that just because someone goes to school, they'll also go to every football game or even be interested in sports at all. That could eliminate half the student attendance right there. But sometimes people who don't like football go for the spirit, and being fair-weather fans makes them more likely to leave by halftime. I love college football, but sometimes watching the game in HD in my air-conditioned room sounds more attractive than sitting at the Rice game with the hot sun pounding in the direction of the student section for 3 and a half quarters. This isn't watching USC or UT play, just saying.

[The Spaz]

To be honest, I hate these threads. Categorizing all students/all greeks don't go to the games..just want to get slammed drunk, etc. is wrong, just stop it.

As a senior and the president of my fraternity, I have missed 1 football game and 1 basketball game in my time here on the Hilltop. You will find me in the front row at each event. In fact, Friday if you are interested I make a game sheet for every basketball game detailing "interesting facts" about the opposing players that makes for some great times in warm ups. If you sit in the lower bowl, and would like one come find me. I will be there an hour/ hour and a half before the game.

I know this has already been beaten like a dead horse, but at EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL there is has an attendance problem. I have been to many SEC venues, and so many students leave during the game for a variety of reasons, but predominately because they are drunk. The two things that differentiates SMU from these larger institutions is that the student sections are so packed that you can't tell the difference when 1/2 of the student section has left at half time. The other is community/alumni support. Many of the surrounding community/some alumni (excluding those loyal PF's) could care less about the success of SMU, and if they do decide to come to the game sit on their hands and don't cheer. I cannot tell you how many times at b-ball/football games that in the last minute of a close game many of the non-students sit there and don't cheer, and to frankly put it; it pisses me off.

Before we rip the students, let's also acknowledge that there are attendance problems with other facets as well. All I want to see is a packed Ford Field/Moody Coliseum with everyone students/alumni/community alike cheering for the Ponies.

I salute your enthusiasm, sir, but I honestly feel you may be an exception to the rule.

I will agree with you, however, on your last point. We have an attendence problem, not just a student attendence problem. I'd say we need more alums there, as well. I know a bunch of alums that don't go to games on saturday for about the same reason as students: they just can't be bothered.

It's easy to point and yell at students when they choose drinking, partying, and the prospect of getting laid over football, but if you can possibly remember back to those days, I think you'll find those were the top 3 things on many of your lists, as well.

As soon as SMU football can be as exciting on a regular basis as those three things, we'll be set. It's starting to look that way, but it ain't gonna happen overnight

[Phxfan]

During the period that SMU was winning and the stands appeared to be reasonably full, (early 80's)the Cowboy's were on a downward spiral, if my memory serves me. So the posts of the Cowboys being the focus of the Dallas FW area probably holds water. If the Cowboys are winning it will impact SMU.

So I guess it might help SMU if the Cowboys start losing. Not taking anything away from the Cowboys, don't pay much attention to pro sports anyway. However having a pro. team does not necessarily mean the college team suffers. Stanford is 20 miles from SF, Cal is next door to Oakland, the AZ Cardinals don't appear to be hurting ASU attendance. ASU might be hurting ASU attendance. I guess if you to combine TCU attendance and SMU attendance you come up with around 60,000. ASU, the only college team in the PHX metro, you get around the same attendance.

I guess that means SMU needs to win and create an atmosphere that is fun for everyone. That is for you guy's to figure out. The fun part.