Attendance facts

[LegalPony]

The other night I caught some of Coach Bennett on Sports Talk, and someone called in to ask coach what SMU was doing to get fans to fill Ford Stadium.

Some interesting facts we should all keep in mind when we complain about attendance. The only people to blame are we the fans. Why? Lets look at history.

In 1981, we were ranked in the Top 10, ended up 10-1 and SWC Champions. Our home attendance average was 33,325. Ford Stadium holds 32,000 or so, depended if the grass is open.

In that championship season with Dickerson and James running wild, we had 4 home games that would not have fillled Ford.

Texas-Arlington 20,130
North Texas 20,400
Rice 28,750
Texas Tech 24,410

The Baylor game that year would have been right around a sellout at Ford with 33,110.

Just want to put things into perspective for all of us. If that team had trouble drawing over 32,000, even against SWC schools, then I can only imagine what its like to try to fill Ford now.

[BUS]

Good points to make and that is why Ford was built to 32,000. If and only if we win and Ford is full, we can expand to 45,000.

We can dream can't we.

SMU has taken many steps to get F-ball on a good foundation. Stadium, I think Bennett, now a new AD and some excitement. Next we need to have a winning record EVERY YEAR, and matket this team to Dallas.

Here's look for a good future Mustangs!
Cheers

[Rayburn]

Look at those opponents: UT Arlington? North Texas? Well, you would expect THEM to bring a few of their fans, but... Texas Tech was in a real down period at that time, so they were not the draw they are now. Rice was the biggest draw of the bunch, wow.

In the 1970s SMU was drawing 13,000 people to the Cotton Bowl for games. They rattled around like BBs in a tin pot.

What is the answer? I really have no clue, because this subject has been a bone of contention for SMU football for decades.

[ponyboy]

The answer is to win and fill Ford. It's the perfect size and one helluva venue. Really looking forward to the season.

[RGV Pony]

What was Bennett's answer to the question about butts in seats, for those of us still waiting for youtube to have the interview?

[Phi Delt]

I never have understood why it has taken us so long to recover from the DP almost 20 years ago. We have excellent facilities on a beautiful campus, provide athletes with a top-notch education, and are located in the heart of one of the most exciting cities in the country. Obviously being left out of the Big XII was a killer, but so was TCU and it hasn't hurt their program that much. They consistently pull down respectable recruiting classes, while according to Phil Steele ours was DEAD LAST in C-USA this year. How do we change this? Granted we're in the second best recruiting state in the country, but honestly why would a kid go to SMU over Texas, A&M, or Tech? Would branching out more to other states such as Oklahoma and Louisiana help solve this? I'm not saying I have the answer, but if we're getting out recruited by Rice and UTEP, then the current system just isn't working. Think about it: why on earth would someone go to Rice or UTEP over SMU? It's mind boggling. I can understand TCU at this point because of their programs recent success, but theres absolutely no reason why we cant also be in contention for BCS bowls and winning conference championships year in and year out. If private schools like BYU and TCU can do it, then 20 years after the DP we can too.

[Hoop Fan]

hows that PE major coming? Until SMU reinstitutes a physical education and coaching program, football will be handicapped compared to most other D-1 programs. You gotta have all the things that D-1 programs have if you want to compete at the D-1 level. Hows that for stating the obvious?

[mr. pony]

[quote="Phi Delt"] If private schools like BYU and TCU can do it, then 20 years after the DP we can too.[/quote]

We will. Like I've always said, anything TCU can do, we can do better.

I predict a huge upswing in recruiting this year. Word is getting out.

[MrMustang1965]

The other night I caught some of Coach Bennett on Sports Talk, and someone called in to ask coach what SMU was doing to get fans to fill Ford Stadium.

That was me.

Coach's answer: He and AD Orsini are looking at some marketing ideas for this season but they're not yet ready to reveal them. (I would HOPE that we hear something at the Kick-Off Lunch on Aug. 16) He did say 'winning is a key factor' in getting more fans into Ford. He also said if each of us would bring at least 2 or more other folks with us to a game then that would help, too. And he did say that 'winning' is the key factor because he knows how much Dallasites like a winner. He said putting a winning product on the field is the key. And that it's also up to us (the loyal SMU fans on this board) to talk up SMU football every chance we get!

By the way, welcome to PF.com, LegalPony! Noticed that's your 1st post.

[Pony_Fan]

hows that PE major coming? Until SMU reinstitutes a physical education and coaching program, football will be handicapped compared to most other D-1 programs. You gotta have all the things that D-1 programs have if you want to compete at the D-1 level. Hows that for stating the obvious?

You are right on target HF .....OR Sports Management, Criminal Law, Physical Education...or any other athletic friendly major....kids don't want to have to work if they don't have to.. AND, the transfer hours STILL need to be addressed...completely ridiculous. Kids are losing tons of credit hours for Juco or regular transfers. It's crazy.

[smu diamond m]

hows that PE major coming? Until SMU reinstitutes a physical education and coaching program, football will be handicapped compared to most other D-1 programs. You gotta have all the things that D-1 programs have if you want to compete at the D-1 level. Hows that for stating the obvious?

You are right on target HF .....OR Sports Management, Criminal Law, Physical Education...or any other athletic friendly major....kids don't want to have to work if they don't have to.. AND, the transfer hours STILL need to be addressed...completely ridiculous. Kids are losing tons of credit hours for Juco or regular transfers. It's crazy.

I'm pretty sure we would find a way to make those majors hard.

[couch 'em]

Again, I call for a major called "Football". You would get classes in coaching theory, leadership and management, speaking, etc for coaching skills, some finance classes to know how to understand your contract negotiations, some advertisement classes to learn about how your public image will affect you, some classes about anatomy, diet, kinesiology, etc etc etc.

It doesn't have to be a complete joke. But it can be a great recruiting tool.

[EastStang]

Welcome to Pony Fans. It might behoove you to read some of the threads to get a full view of why its taken so long. To put it in some perspective, after the DP we established a bunch of rules that hindered our competitiveness with other schools, including for example not being able to even talk to a recruit unless he already had qualifying grades and SAT scores. That meant that he was orally committed to some other school before we could even talk to him. So, we became the doormat of the SWC. Then the SWC split up and we chose the WAC -16 which also broke up and left us in the WAC-10 with schools that for the most part were not of interest to our fan base. We have now moved to CUSA which should help our program since it puts us together with UH and Tulane and allows for relatively easy travel to away games for our fans. The worst travel this year is to ECU which means (if the Mustang Club gets it right) having to tolerate playing golf that weekend and watching the Mustangs. I agree there's more to do, but at least we are slowly making ourselves more competitive and hopefully are turning the corner.

[SMU Football Blog]

"Athlete-friendly" majors are overrated, IMO.

[Phi Delt]

Again, I call for a major called "Football". You would get classes in coaching theory, leadership and management, speaking, etc for coaching skills, some finance classes to know how to understand your contract negotiations, some advertisement classes to learn about how your public image will affect you, some classes about anatomy, diet, kinesiology, etc etc etc.

It doesn't have to be a complete joke. But it can be a great recruiting tool.

This does sound like a joke, but I remember watching a UGA-Tennessee game years ago, and UGA QB Quincy Carter was listed as a "Sport Studies" major. Now some may argue that this would diminish the academic standing of SMU, but I think a winning football program that garnered national attention would only help the school's prestige, much like Patrick Ewing and his championship squads did for Georgetown back in the 80s. I'm too young to remember the days of the Pony Express when SMU was a national title contender, but being from South Carolina, I can tell you that when I tell a lot of people that I go to SMU they have no idea what I'm talking about. So I think a strong athletic program should be a top priority, no matter the cost, except for recruiting violations, of course.