Attendance Facts / Answers

[Pony in SA]

All these comments about attendance problems are comical. It is strictly a numbers thing. We are a small private school with minimal number of undergrads so the numbers will not be same as school with bigger enrollment. It is apples to oranges.

Also UCF has over 50,000 students and doesn't even sell out all of their games, Houston has about 40,000 students in one of the biggest cities in the country and does not always fill its small 30,000 Robertson Stadium. Our built in base is small and that hurts us.

Even if all of our students attended everygame it would be well under 10,000 + when you throw in our season tickets are under 10,000 the numbers at best are 20,000. To fill stadium you have to about double that game day in a town where we are not the only game in town, plus have sucked for 20 plus years, plus have done zero marketing.

I passed this info. on before but when Copeland and Cavan came here for the fundraising meeting at Sonterra Country Club and had the first drawings for Ford they went over why it was built for only 32,500. They had all the attendance data (I held a copy in my hand) and even in our best years of Pony Express we only averaged about 30,000 attendance. Yes, for Aggies, Texas, some games attendance was more but our best average was 30,000. I think first goal of filling Ford with 30,000 per game is what we need to shoot for, but we are foolish to think we will have more than that unless we play an opponent who supplies us with big number of fans. Our numbers structurally don't support big numbers unless you get outside season ticket sales.

UTSA set record this year for largest first year attendance and first game attendance but has does a good job here with season ticket sales to non-students and marketing to the city. They have season tickets sales of over 15,000 and created payment plans to encourage people to buy them and lock them in for more than one year. Yes their enrollment is bigger and that helps because of the numbers they can rely on, but they also have focused on season ticket sales. Their theory is if people have bought them they may actually use them and show up. We need some type of plan like this because our school enrollment is so small and always will be that we need more season ticket sales to get attendance up.

[MustangSTATS]

UTSA was also brand new and the only show in town with the NBA lockout [Spurs]. But they did a great job tying themselves to the community.

[HorseSense]

UTSA was also brand new and the only show in town with the NBA lockout [Spurs]. But they did a great job tying themselves to the community.

THEY didn't have JJ not reaching out to the community and not giving a crap about the school, community or tradition.

[Pony in SA]

UTSA was also brand new and the only show in town with the NBA lockout [Spurs]. But they did a great job tying themselves to the community.

Agree. But they were also smart with different incentives to get people to buy season tickets. If you agree to buy for 3 years or more you can pay over time, if you buy and give to Roadrunner club you get other benefits, etc.

I just wish we had a marketing department coming up with things like this. I think it is hard to complain about attendance if you don't put resources into marketing / advertising and have a plan to sell more season tickets.

[MustangSTATS]

Does SMU even target recent graduates that are still in the area to get season tickets? Multi-year packages seem like a great idea. Plenty of colleges in major cities that have gotten butts in seats. Why didn't June demand marketing? I guess because then he couldn't blame lack of attendance.

[Gotcha]

All these comments about attendance problems are comical. It is strictly a numbers thing. We are a small private school with minimal number of undergrads so the numbers will not be same as school with bigger enrollment. It is apples to oranges.

Also UCF has over 50,000 students and doesn't even sell out all of their games, Houston has about 40,000 students in one of the biggest cities in the country and does not always fill its small 30,000 Robertson Stadium. Our built in base is small and that hurts us.

Even if all of our students attended everygame it would be well under 10,000 + when you throw in our season tickets are under 10,000 the numbers at best are 20,000. To fill stadium you have to about double that game day in a town where we are not the only game in town, plus have sucked for 20 plus years, plus have done zero marketing.

I passed this info. on before but when Copeland and Cavan came here for the fundraising meeting at Sonterra Country Club and had the first drawings for Ford they went over why it was built for only 32,500. They had all the attendance data (I held a copy in my hand) and even in our best years of Pony Express we only averaged about 30,000 attendance. Yes, for Aggies, Texas, some games attendance was more but our best average was 30,000. I think first goal of filling Ford with 30,000 per game is what we need to shoot for, but we are foolish to think we will have more than that unless we play an opponent who supplies us with big number of fans. Our numbers structurally don't support big numbers unless you get outside season ticket sales.

UTSA set record this year for largest first year attendance and first game attendance but has does a good job here with season ticket sales to non-students and marketing to the city. They have season tickets sales of over 15,000 and created payment plans to encourage people to buy them and lock them in for more than one year. Yes their enrollment is bigger and that helps because of the numbers they can rely on, but they also have focused on season ticket sales. Their theory is if people have bought them they may actually use them and show up. We need some type of plan like this because our school enrollment is so small and always will be that we need more season ticket sales to get attendance up.

Good input. Thanks.

[MustangSTATS]

Pony in SA, how would you compare the image of UTSA in SA vs SMU in Dallas from a sports perspective?

[SMU_Alumni11]

I think with the BE, continually playing the Big 12 teams we will be ok. Obviously we maxed out last time TCU was in town. It is possible to get above that if we have marketing and pop on to ESPNs news casts.

With regards to new alums like me, they should be sending a brochure about seasons tickets. Talk about the benefits, special perks or have a discount pricing model for every year you are a member. Just something. Also, like in HS have players and clubs for the football program go around neighborhoods in Dallas and talk about special ticket prices for single games or season tickets. Just do something.

[Pony in SA]

Pony in SA, how would you compare the image of UTSA in SA vs SMU in Dallas from a sports perspective?

UTSA if more embraced by locals but that is also because alot of locals attended there, and doesn't carry the elitist stereotype of SMU. I think many in Dallas probably still see SMU as rich kids school, not the case with UTSA.

Before football team UTSA basketball team seen as postiive, especially now with coach Brooks Thompson. The baseball team has also made some NCAA tourneys and people associate with them as well.

UTSA just did good job with blanketing the city with billboards and radio ads focused on the theme "Your City Your Team -- UTSA" I think that helped, but also they were the only game in town as has been pointed out.

I just think SMU could try similar marketing in Dallas, any marketing in Dallas, and it would be better than doing nothing.

[SMU_Alumni11]

Pony in SA, how would you compare the image of UTSA in SA vs SMU in Dallas from a sports perspective?

UTSA if more embraced by locals but that is also because alot of locals attended there, and doesn't carry the elitist stereotype of SMU. I think many in Dallas probably still see SMU as rich kids school, not the case with UTSA.

Before football team UTSA basketball team seen as postiive, especially now with coach Brooks Thompson. The baseball team has also made some NCAA tourneys and people associate with them as well.

UTSA just did good job with blanketing the city with billboards and radio ads focused on the theme "Your City Your Team -- UTSA" I think that helped, but also they were the only game in town as has been pointed out.

I just think SMU could try similar marketing in Dallas, any marketing in Dallas, and it would be better than doing nothing.

Yeah except dont do thing exactly. UTSA is a dumb kids schoo, leave that strategy out of the marketing.

[Topper]

I have attended SMU games since the Cotton Bowl days in the 60s. With the exception of games against North Texas, we have always drawn small crowds except when we played the big, regional state schools (Arkansas, UT, Tech, A&M). In those instances our actual attendance would double. Unfortunately, those teams won't play us at Ford because they can promise Dallas area recruits games at Jerryworld instead. Consequently, we will have to coax UNT and Baylor into home and away series to get halfway decent numbers at Ford. Our fans just aren't interested in seeing us play schools they aren't familiar with.

[MustangSTATS]

Yeah except dont do thing exactly. UTSA is a dumb kids schoo, leave that strategy out of the marketing.

What?

[SMU_Alumni11]

Yeah except dont do thing exactly. UTSA is a dumb kids schoo, leave that strategy out of the marketing.

What?

Failed attempt at a joke. They said earlier about branding the school and that SMU needs to do the same thing. I just saying we need to be a little different since UTSA is kind of a dumb kid school.

[MustangSTATS]

I have attended SMU games since the Cotton Bowl days in the 60s. With the exception of games against North Texas, we have always drawn small crowds except when we played the big, regional state schools (Arkansas, UT, Tech, A&M). In those instances our actual attendance would double. Unfortunately, those teams won't play us at Ford because they can promise Dallas area recruits games at Jerryworld instead. Consequently, we will have to coax UNT and Baylor into home and away series to get halfway decent numbers at Ford. Our fans just aren't interested in seeing us play schools they aren't familiar with.

We have UNT and Baylor in long series coming up. Baylor from 2012-2019 and UNT from 2014-2018. TCU until the world ends.

[SMU_Alumni11]

I have attended SMU games since the Cotton Bowl days in the 60s. With the exception of games against North Texas, we have always drawn small crowds except when we played the big, regional state schools (Arkansas, UT, Tech, A&M). In those instances our actual attendance would double. Unfortunately, those teams won't play us at Ford because they can promise Dallas area recruits games at Jerryworld instead. Consequently, we will have to coax UNT and Baylor into home and away series to get halfway decent numbers at Ford. Our fans just aren't interested in seeing us play schools they aren't familiar with.

We have UNT and Baylor in long series coming up. Baylor from 2012-2019 and UNT from 2014-2018. TCU until the world ends.

Ugh, why did we sign up to play NTSU... that was stupid hopefully we cancel out. I rather play ASU.