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Post by Yote 53 on Sept 22, 2014 20:42:20 GMT -6
That's right, and the student body has been this way as far back as I care to remember. It's not just football, it's other sports and activities too. That's why we have such a small booster club compared to other schools.
I thought it was really great how the team celebrated the school song with the band after the game. The band has always been there for the football team. I thought it was really sad when they went down to the student section to celebrate the win and nobody (ok, about 20 people) was there. That was sad and pathetic.
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Post by canislatrans on Sept 22, 2014 20:48:39 GMT -6
Like the high school bands idea. I think it could extend to other high school functions also, choir (National Anthem or God Bless America), academics (special pricing for honor students & family). Like a previous poster said if you draw the school (students) you likely draw the family and town to support them. I don't know the NCAA regulations on this, but what about honoring teams like local newspapers "Game of the Week" participants, let them have some access to pre-game warm-ups or walk-throughs, etc. and some big screen recognition.
Coming from me, "braining-storming" might be a stretch, but just throwing it out there...
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Post by yotefan on Sept 22, 2014 21:09:47 GMT -6
The band idea isn't a new one. I came up with something similar while on the student senate in the late 90s. The plan was simple. Have as many bands as you can in your homecoming parade, host a lunch with burgers, brats, hotdogs, pop, chips and a cookie (The Bump used to make the best) in the shadow of Old Main with all the buses parking next to I.D. Weeks or between the old B-School and Ed school. This would force an impromptu mini-tour of campus and with any luck, mother nature would cooperate and kids would stick around with their classmates to attend the game. In fact, many were encouraged to do so and did. This scenario happened perfectly for several years. I was told 7 or 8 years ago they don't do it anymore. We have talked about this at Howling Pack meetings at length. Wasted opportunity here, but it takes a group of dedicated folks to plan it and pull it off. I helped for several years and it was always hard to find people willing to work on D-Days weekend. Maybe the answer is once the turf is down at the soccer field we figure out a way to utilize the grand stands and make it happen on a different weekend. With a 2 p.m. kickoff you could run through a lot of bands from various classes and then have the top band(s) perform at halftime as obc mentioned above. If this had been done last weekend the crowd would have been great and the event would not have been running up against D-Days or the XDSUs. Volunteer problem solved and you have one more game drawing a good crowd. Can's idea above about honoring the game of the week teams is a good one too...could make that the focus on another weekend.
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Post by GoYotes on Sept 22, 2014 21:15:18 GMT -6
I like having so many of our home games on TV and I think it helps in getting the Coyote brand out to a wider audience, but it also has some negative effects on getting people to the game and keeping them there. First of all, it extends the length of the game and it is hard to keep today's student in place for much over 2 hours. Second, having the game on TV makes it easier to leave at half time and catch the second half of the game at a bar, back in your apartment, etc.
I agree with all the positive comments about the band. They are outstanding and add a lot to the game day experience with everything from playing throughout the tail gate, pregame and half time performances and there active involvement during the entire game.
I think an extra focus needs to be made for D-Days to get and keep the students at the game. I don't have any great ideas how to keep the students at the game, but I know the gimmicky stuff doesn't work. We need to put the crazy back in the Crazies.
I firmly believe the game day experience at the Dome is one of the best kept secrets in the state. I try to get a few new people to a game in the Dome every year and most of them comment about how much fun they had and end up attending future games.
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Post by Yotes on Sept 23, 2014 8:09:11 GMT -6
The administration has to do something about student involvement if they are truly serious about improving the Coyote brand. Even if the solution is to halve the student section and sell the other half of the bleachers to the general public at a discounted rate, somethig absolutely has to be done. If the student section becomes something difficult to get into, you know that only the dedicated students will be there and more likely to stay the whole game.
I'm disappointed that so little has been done about this issue over the years, and this year looks exactly like what I've seen since I arrived on campus five years ago.
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Post by yotemeal on Sept 23, 2014 12:49:22 GMT -6
I think the improved tailgating environment is a huge step in the right direction that will continue to pay dividends in terms of making home games "the event" of the weekend for alumni and students. I don't like seeing the students file out at half time, or not show up at all. But I actually think there's too much emphasis placed on student behavior when this crowd noise issue is addressed. Most people on the permanent seating side need to take a hard look in the mirror when pondering the lack of atmosphere. Most are far too comfortable leaning back in their chairs, arms crossed, expecting the students to make the noise. That's not how it works at any loud stadium in the country.
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usdlaw
Senior Member
Posts: 930
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Post by usdlaw on Sept 23, 2014 22:10:25 GMT -6
I agree current students are future HP members.
How about an annoying announcer who overly tells our uneducated fans when to stand and cheer. At least the four old farts who sit in front of me stand 30% of the time when the announcer says "alright coyote fans on your feet for the defense." But then again I'm quite confident the old farts in front of me love my constant and loud yelling in their ears all game. We almost have that perfect 30 person section you reference, just have a few duds in the middle. Got two of them to change seats but unfortunately they were replaced by two more lethargic 75 year olds. Every time the lady behind me and to the left of yoefan gets mad at us standing I start standing and yelling more. Yotes don't stop standing and yelling. I see what you mean by left side vs right side. True statement except for Joe's wife. She is always standing.
I sit on the 50 yard line and nothing makes me more mad when I look straight down in front of me and NO ONE stands between pres Abbott and yoteforever! Those two stand. That is basically all those in section E first ten rows. Biggest donors, quietest fans! Just saying
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Post by yotefan on Sept 24, 2014 8:29:35 GMT -6
Great post usdlaw! That lady is definitely a black-hole of excitement, but our section makes up for it. Winning will solve a lot of our problems, but I still like where things are headed. I do think that marching band idea on a different date than D-Days has legs. The win last Saturday was a big one for the Yotes, but the "signature win" everyone has been looking for IMO will have to come on the road at S. Illinois. The road has been our biggest nemesis and a win there would really make for a fantastic D-Days atmosphere.
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ctc2010
Sophomore Member
Posts: 238
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Post by ctc2010 on Oct 8, 2014 12:26:38 GMT -6
Feel free to disagree, but selling alcohol at games WOULD keep students (at least those of age) in the stands. The new arena will definitely change the atmosphere of basketball games, and when the dome is converted to a more permanent setup (possibly more permanent seating and other upgrades) things will start to change. In the meantime, keep on winning.
I really like the battle of the bands idea too.
Can't wait for Saturday!
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