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...finish the season 1-11, 2-10, 3-9, should we expect an increase in attendance for the "JJ" factor? We averaged just over 17K last year and that was with TTech. With TCU as the "big draw" game on the schedule this year, will curiosity bring any out to see the likes of Memphis and Texas State? UH and Tulsa should travel well enough to give us respectable numbers.

I think if (when) we hit the 20K average, it would be a miracle no matter the record.

Aren't our season ticket sales around 6,500 for this year?

I think the JJ factor will be quickly extinguished if we open the season 0-4.

It may help season ticket sales if they'd fix the website for season ticket sales. For the last 2 weeks or so, it has been "down for maintenance."

The team will improve as the season progresses. I'm not worried.

Texas State ----> first home game with JJ against a team that JJ ought to have his way with.

I should say that fans should want to come out and see what JJ's offense will look like in all its power and all its glory.

The sickening thing to me is that we finished 99th in avg attendance for 2007 behind...












98. NTSU

NTSU's attendance is that low not only due to the quality of the team, but for the fact that if they allowed any more people into that shack of a stadium it would almost certainly collapse.

We better not be 0-4, that means we lost to TX St...which means at that point even the most loyal Ponyfans will be taking up pitchforks and torches again.

Nacho wrote:The team will improve as the season progresses. I'm not worried.

Absolutely. In fact, I fully expect the team to stumble a bit at the beginning as everyone figures out what they're doing. By the end of the year, we're going to scare the hell out of some people.

We have to trust Coach Jones. I am confident that we are going to score alot of points with the skill guys that we have (Willis, Drewery, Martin, Sanders, Zimmerman...)

My biggest concern is the defense. If Mason can keep other teams out of the end zone, its gonna be a fun year.

Even with that said, I'm afraid Tech is gonna kick our teeth in.

Texasscout96 wrote:We have to trust Coach Jones. I am confident that we are going to score alot of points with the skill guys that we have (Willis, Drewery, Martin, Sanders, Zimmerman...)

My biggest concern is the defense. If Mason can keep other teams out of the end zone, its gonna be a fun year.

Even with that said, I'm afraid Tech is gonna kick our teeth in.

I think I am almost equally as concerned about the offense. Our O-Line has the potential to be a disaster and we have very few proven D1a receivers. Count me as a guy who is worried about a run and shoot team that was poor pass blocking and a VERY inexperienced receiving core.

I think those of us that love the Ponies need to just concentrate on continuing to be loyal and not worry about grand increases in attendance. If you have access to a Media Guide look up the attendance for the games in the early 80's when we won parts of 2 National Championships. Our home attendance with the exception of Texas, A&M, and Arkansas, all who out numbered us on our home field, averaged in the low 20,000 range. Even those 3 did not sell out Texas Stadium. These were seasons of 10-1 and 11-0-1 and we still did not draw. This was also the SWC which was a much more respected and higher caliber conference than we now reside. Dallasites have not supported SMU since Doak Walker days.

Campus Stadium, June Jones, and winning if we can pull that off, will help, but do not look for any great crowds for the foreseeable future unless the opposition packs them in. Just enjoy the great atmoshpere of SMU football. If we can ever get near 30,000 with an SMU partisan crowd, I will be elated.

Population Dallas:
1980:
904,599
2006:
1,232,000

% change: 36%


Attendance 1980:
22,500 (low 20k's)

36% increase: 30,600

We would need to hit 20K before we even think about 30K (a sellout of every game). Interestingly, hitting the 30K average based on 2007 numbers would put us on par with...










77. TCU 30,018 avg

5 million people in the metroplex - we ought to be able to get 0.7% to come fill up Ford every Saturday. We just need a product worth watching and some good marketing.

I agree. Especially given that Dallas, more than most other cities, loves a winner.