Hart/SID/anyone - what can us out of town fans do to help?

[SMUer]

We will never, ever, ever fill Ford playing Memphis, UCF, Temple, UCONN...dream on guys...we could give away 20K tickets...less than 10K would show up. We need to do both.

[feelthehorsepower]

We will never, ever, ever fill Ford playing Memphis, UCF, Temple, UCONN...dream on guys...we could give away 20K tickets...less than 10K would show up. We need to do both.

TCU only started filling up their stadium in the Andy Dalton years and then in 2012-2013 when they got in the Big 12. Before that their attendance fluctuated between the mid 20's to low 30's with SMU and games vs Big 12 teams like Baylor or Texas Tech getting a little uptick in attendance...

When in CUSA they only managed to get 20k people to show up to the games and they were a 10+ Win team

[mrydel]

Then let's just tarp the whole thing and go for a national trampoline championship. The solution to filling a 34,000 seat stadium is not to cut it down to 20,000.

[SMUer]

Here's the thing guys...tarps come off...when/if we need them, seats are there

[mrydel]

I am just more of a half full type of guy. I would rather look for teams and ways to make us bring in the temporary stands rather than bringing in teams and no promotion and covering a bunch of seats.

[East Coast Mustang]

I am just more of a half full type of guy. I would rather look for teams and ways to make us bring in the temporary stands rather than bringing in teams and no promotion and covering a bunch of seats.

Two questions-

1. A couple years ago, we played Stephen F. Austin and the announced attendance was like 31,000. How the hell did that happen and why aren't we writing them a fat check to come to Dallas every single year if they were the reason for such a high number?

2. The bowl game vs Army was announced at like 36K...I realize it was a bowl game, but how the hell did that happen? I imagine Army probably traveled well, but did they travel that well? If so, we should look into a home-and-home with them.

[feelthehorsepower]

I am just more of a half full type of guy. I would rather look for teams and ways to make us bring in the temporary stands rather than bringing in teams and no promotion and covering a bunch of seats.

Two questions-

1. A couple years ago, we played Stephen F. Austin and the announced attendance was like 31,000. How the hell did that happen and why aren't we writing them a fat check to come to Dallas every single year if they were the reason for such a high number?

2. The bowl game vs Army was announced at like 36K...I realize it was a bowl game, but how the hell did that happen? I imagine Army probably traveled well, but did they travel that well? If so, we should look into a home-and-home with them.

1) It was for 2009 and attendance was 34,749. We lost against Washington State and TCU and attendance plummeted to 13,626 vs ECU

[mrydel]

I am just more of a half full type of guy. I would rather look for teams and ways to make us bring in the temporary stands rather than bringing in teams and no promotion and covering a bunch of seats.

Two questions-

1. A couple years ago, we played Stephen F. Austin and the announced attendance was like 31,000. How the hell did that happen and why aren't we writing them a fat check to come to Dallas every single year if they were the reason for such a high number?

2. The bowl game vs Army was announced at like 36K...I realize it was a bowl game, but how the hell did that happen? I imagine Army probably traveled well, but did they travel that well? If so, we should look into a home-and-home with them.

I agree. Jones did not get the team to a level they needed to be for this years OOC schedule. Subsequently we drop the team that would have brought the most fans for one that would bring the least. That hurts. But we need to increase our fans more than bringing in others. I want temporary stands needed for SFA or NTSU because they are bringing 5,000 on top of our 30,000. We need to win (that will take a while) but more importantly we need to find a way to reach the Dallas community. Obviously no one has figured out how to do that yet short of us competing for a national championship.

[East Coast Mustang]

I am just more of a half full type of guy. I would rather look for teams and ways to make us bring in the temporary stands rather than bringing in teams and no promotion and covering a bunch of seats.

Two questions-

1. A couple years ago, we played Stephen F. Austin and the announced attendance was like 31,000. How the hell did that happen and why aren't we writing them a fat check to come to Dallas every single year if they were the reason for such a high number?

2. The bowl game vs Army was announced at like 36K...I realize it was a bowl game, but how the hell did that happen? I imagine Army probably traveled well, but did they travel that well? If so, we should look into a home-and-home with them.

I agree. Jones did not get the team to a level they needed to be for this years OOC schedule. Subsequently we drop the team that would have brought the most fans for one that would bring the least. That hurts. But we need to increase our fans more than bringing in others. I want temporary stands needed for SFA or NTSU because they are bringing 5,000 on top of our 30,000. We need to win (that will take a while) but more importantly we need to find a way to reach the Dallas community. Obviously no one has figured out how to do that yet short of us competing for a national championship.

"June Cometh" was supposed to do that. But it hasn't. I contend we need a coach who is engaged and invested in the Dallas community and who is willing to sell the program not only to recruits but to the casual sports fan as well. Right now, it appears JJ isn't doing either.

[Stallion]

the SFA game was Operation Sellout with the bus brigade. A Bowl Game always sells substantial numbers of corporate tickets to community entities that like to sponsor the local bowl. At many bowls, ticket alotments to each school are less than half the total number of tickets. All the academies "travel well" and are almost always strongly supported by local military bases and Military resevists and veterans. SMU always had above average crowds for games against Navy and going back farther against Air Force

[PoconoPony]

I am just more of a half full type of guy. I would rather look for teams and ways to make us bring in the temporary stands rather than bringing in teams and no promotion and covering a bunch of seats.

Two questions-

1. A couple years ago, we played Stephen F. Austin and the announced attendance was like 31,000. How the hell did that happen and why aren't we writing them a fat check to come to Dallas every single year if they were the reason for such a high number?

2. The bowl game vs Army was announced at like 36K...I realize it was a bowl game, but how the hell did that happen? I imagine Army probably traveled well, but did they travel that well? If so, we should look into a home-and-home with them.

SFA= regional rival who travels because their fans can easily access Dallas. Our problem will always involve playing regional teams whose fans are willing to travel. This will never happen with UConn, Temple, Cincy...etc. We simply do not have the alumni base and size of student body to fill Ford. ( Our apathetic student body is another subject. ) We will always be dependent of the visiting team bringing their fans. The other option is what we did in the 60s. During those times were played Ohio State, Illinois, Purdue, Michigan...etc. for the purpose of getting a big pay day by traveling and taking our lumps. These games also generated a great deal of publicity for SMU on the national level as we were very competitive and had great games against Ohio State and Michigan despite losing and considerable respect by beating Illinois and Purdue.

[East Coast Mustang]

the SFA game was Operation Sellout with the bus brigade.

I wasn't living in Dallas at the time...please explain.

[RGV Pony]

This should help, ECM

http://smu.scout.com/2/885833.html

And

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=39234&start=15

[East Coast Mustang]

This should help, ECM

http://smu.scout.com/2/885833.html

And

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=39234&start=15

Thanks, RGV. That thread reminded me of a bunch of old posters we used to have who don't frequent the board anymore...sad.

With that being said, I think the best place we could start, going forward, would be to have people going around on the Blvd actively selling tickets. And what if we had those bicycle cart things that could even transport people from their Blvd tent to Ford? I realize it sounds lame as hell, but if you hand someone a ticket and give them a free ride with the ticket, you've got a lot better shot of getting in the stadium. I've talked to people before who have halfassedly expressed interest in going to the game, but "didnt have a ticket." As if waiting in line at the box office is too much of a hassle. Well what if we had 10 or 15 people openly hawking tickets to fans on the Blvd while they drink? Maybe even guilt them into it by having 10% of the proceeds benefit some local charity. And discount the tickets 3hrs before the game on the Blvd. Am I onto something here? Or is it the painkillers again?

Seriously, you guys should try breaking your foot and getting painkillers. It's AWESOME

[Arkpony]

I remember the first time I went to a Rice game in Houston and saw those tarps over the end zone. I thought "How sad. They were admitting they couldn't fill the stadium." It's a losers attitude.