And you thought SMU Football had attendance problems...

[lwedge]

Tulane's numbers make me giggle, beacause they literally announce 25K and have (maybe) 5K butts in seats.

EXACTLY

There is no way Tulane is pulling in 25K. I have too many N.O. friends who have been to games every year. There biggest crowd in the last 5 years was when LSU played them in the Dome and LSU purchased 35,000 seats. Your typical "home-away-from-home" game.

I agree with all posts that a few more wins, a few marquee players, and a bowl game will help the consistency at Ford.

A good start would be a win at tulsa.

[rjhiii]

I think if we are one win away for bowl eligible, there will be a huge attendance the last home game. I know it is after Thanksgiving, but I am just thinking about the Rice game three years ago.

[PoconoPony]

Unfortunately, schools from the lesser programs sell out their fans and students for a televised game. ESPN has a game virtually every week night and most have dismal attendance. The East Carolina vs. Memphis game was no different as most people simply had too much to do on a Tuesday night. It takes a special fan and students light on school work to kill the evening in marginal weather to watch a football game. Crap shoot is whether or not the extra TV revenues off set the lost revenues that would have been generated if the game were played on a Saturday. It is all about TV.

[hawaiisashimi_smu]

I don't know about the cost of tickets and attendance but if you want to make SMU what if should be, you should sell out as much as possible.

Ya'll should have the money to do it. Home coming should be free for all students with IDs. Infact, all games should be free for all students!!!! It is more important to sell out the stadium as much as possible. Share the Boulevard with more new fans. Its for a good cause. Make parking cheap and more accessible so new fans can get in and out.

Winning isn't everything at this point in time. Ya'll competing with the Dallas Cowboys, Texas, etc. Even if SMU wins or even win the CUSA championship, will SMU fans sellout every game for the season?

Time to draw the fans in with cheap and convenient fan friendly accomodations. Cheap and good concession food and drinks. In this recession, if SMU are winning and it costs cheap to watch the game, why watch the other Teaxas team?

Playing in a sellout crowd every home game makes SMU a happening. It says much more about the program.

What do ya'll think???

[RGV Pony]

sashimi: some good points. A few to counter with:
* SMU doesnt have that many students to begin with.
* Parking already isn't that bad; I don't think I've ever paid to park nor walked more than 2 blocks
* Concessions suck and are pretty much mismanaged; definitely room for improvement there

[Mestengo]

You can buy a student season ticket for the cost to park at Jerry world for one game.

[hawaiisashimi_smu]

Sounds like there is room for improvement to increase attendance.

If SMU athletic department is serious about making it a football place then attendance needs to be improved.

A serious look at selling beer at the home games should be looked at. And i mean cheap beer. It might help.

Hawaii had a great tailgailing experience. You could drive and park early and just do your thing. The traffic wasn't bad since most fans were in early, tailgating. It was a happening.

We are talking 40,000 to 50,000 fans every game. 50,000 was a sellout.

Then swap meet ruined it and we only had 3 or 4 hours to tailgate.

Time for SMU to build the fan base. Winning will not bring the fans in to sellout.

What do ya'll think???

[CalallenStang]

You can buy a student season ticket for the cost to park at Jerry world for one game.

You can? Last I checked, tickets were completely free for full-time students.

[couch 'em]

I believe students "pay" for tickets with their student fees, and just show up to the game free.

[White Helmet]

Nothing as good as getting people to pay for stuff they never use!

[ReedFrawg]

sashimi: some good points. A few to counter with:
* SMU doesnt have that many students to begin with.
* Parking already isn't that bad; I don't think I've ever paid to park nor walked more than 2 blocks
* Concessions suck and are pretty much mismanaged; definitely room for improvement there

I agree with 2 of your comments but I think the parking situation sucks. No signage or direction on where you can or cannot park. I don't think I have ever found a parking spot that was less than a 15 minute walk to the stadium. Maybe I just don't know the secret spots...

(Oh yea, the ticket office needs help too.)

[CalallenStang]

sashimi: some good points. A few to counter with:
* SMU doesnt have that many students to begin with.
* Parking already isn't that bad; I don't think I've ever paid to park nor walked more than 2 blocks
* Concessions suck and are pretty much mismanaged; definitely room for improvement there

I agree with 2 of your comments but I think the parking situation sucks. No signage or direction on where you can or cannot park. I don't think I have ever found a parking spot that was less than a 15 minute walk to the stadium. Maybe I just don't know the secret spots...

(Oh yea, the ticket office needs help too.)

Park here:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 4&t=h&z=17
(Just don't park in a driveway or no-parking zone)

[RGV Pony]

yep. St John's, Drexel, Abbott, Sewanee all good places to park for free.

[Mestengo]

Even better if your early.

[hawaiisashimi_smu]

If winning will not bring the fans to sell out the stadium? What will?

Does anyone have any idea where SMU will sell out the season?

How many seats are in the stadium?

How many parking stalls are available?

What improvements can be made to attract more fans?

The other teams charge big bucks because they can and the fans are there.

SMU needs to build a bigger fan base.

IT SOUNDS LIKE WINNING WILL NOT SELLOUT THE STADIUM????

Time to make better fan friendly improvements.

If a winning tradition will not sell out, then wtf. Go D2. Give up.

So what do ya'll think?